THE chairman of Ardrossan Winton Rovers says the club’s survival would be at stake if fans are not allowed into games.

Pat Breen, admits the club would struggle to pay players’ wages if they failed to receive any income from ticket sales.

It comes as teams in the new West of Scotland Football League return to training ahead of a planned start date either at the end of September or beginning of October.

However, it is unclear at this stage whether fans will be permitted into grounds.

Breen told the Herald: “Ticket revenue is our income. If you start the games without spectators how are you going to pay players – you need the revenue from the supporters.

“If we don’t get spectators in how are we going to survive and cope. You need the fans at games.”

“All the supporters in the town are asking when they will be able to return to watch football – they are missing it. You do not understand how much the club means to the community.

“We will do everything possible to make sure it is safe for fans to attend but I do not think we can operate without them.”

Winton Rovers were forced to cancel many of their summer fundraising events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, supporters have got behind their local side by donating money much to the delight of the club’s chairman.

Breen said: “The pandemic has obviously set us back financially and it will be at least into next year before we get back on track.

“We have lost our community fundraisers which have had to be cancelled.

“Fortunately some of our advertisers have continued to support us and we have had a crowdfunding page where some of our supporters have donated money to that which has helped us along the way but without that we would have been struggling badly.

“Our supporters have been great and have kept us going. A special thanks has to go to one of our youngest supporters Brian Gilston and his father for their efforts in fundraising for the club.”