Dunfermline Athletic have expressed extreme concern with the expected loss of £80,0000 in gate receipts they are due from Rangers but have indicated they will cope with the setback.
The Fife club, who were forced to close a section of East End Park earlier this season to offset the increased running costs of promotion from the first division, released a statement yesterday conveying their sympathy for the situation at Ibrox. Dunfermline are owed the money after hosting the SPL champions last Saturday, a match they lost 4-1.
Club officials have accepted they are unlikely to see the money owed but are confident they can deal with the financial implications. Dunfermline, who asked players to take pay cuts of up to 30% in 2004 to fend off administration, closed their north stand in November to save an estimated £20,000 per season.
The statement read: "All of the board of DAFC would like to express their concern and shock that a giant football club such as Rangers FC has gone into administration. However, the direct impact to DAFC is not insignificant: Rangers FC are due DAFC in the region of £80,000 of gate receipts from Saturday's fixture which is of extreme concern. This payment is no longer expected to be received by next Tuesday which would have been due to the club.
"The impact of this will be felt throughout Scotland, the UK and Europe and the Board and club would wish to convey their support to Rangers FC and hope they can find a way through this terrible time.
"This is a significant amount of money for a club such as DAFC to lose, especially after losing £50,000 due to our game against Kilmarnock being postponed. It will create challenges for us in the coming months but these challenges are not insurmountable. DAFC and the board of directors already have put in place a number of initiatives to raise additional capital to ensure the club balances its books and has an ongoing programme to reduce costs. To date, that programme has already made a meaningful saving for the club by reducing staff, policing, stewarding, fuel and telephony costs and we have made a small trading profit up to the end of January. As at today's date, DAFC are due only £44,000 to HMRC."
Meanwhile, the Swedish club GAIS, who are owed £250,000 for the transfer of Mervan Celik, say they have heard nothing from Rangers since Monday morning.
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