Stourbridge Sport
Heathens boss: Why we didn't join trophy
10:08am Thursday 9th February 2012
HEATHENS chairman Nigel Pearson has explained the reasons why the club resisted the temptation to join the National League Trophy.
Some supporters of the former Cradley club have voiced concerns over a potential lack of home meetings at their adopted Monmore Green base, with only eight teams in the league.
But Pearson has moved to explain the decision after the club were invited to defend their National League Shield against Mildenhall.
He said: “I am the first to admit having only eight teams in a league isn’t ideal, I said this about the Elite League last season before Coventry and Peterborough came back in.
“But our season ticket holders will still get good value for money. The bottom line is that if we fail to beat Buxton in the Knockout Cup and fail to make the play-offs then we will put on a couple of extra meetings.
“We have seven league meetings: we have Stoke in the Staffs Cup, Mildenhall in the Shield, Buxton in the Knockout Cup plus the Golden Hammer. That’s a guarantee of 11 meetings for season ticket holders, the majority of whom paid £110 for an adult ticket before Christmas.
“We also have the British Under-21 Final which is a BSPA event and that takes up 12 Tuesdays.
“In the last two seasons we have done 15 minimum.
“So if we can beat Buxton in the cup and make the play-offs we are up to 13 with the potential to do 15 if we go all the way to the final in both. That has to be our aim.
“But our supporters should know that as a management we always offer value for money. We include the Golden Hammer in the season ticket as a goodwill gesture.
“And when you look at the cost of a night at the Heathens, I think it represents a good night out for a good price.”
Tickets for the evening with former Cradley favourite Greg Hancock are selling fast with over half the capacity already gone.
Hancock will be appearing at The Venue Conference and Banqueting Centre, High Street, Dudley, on Saturday, March 17, at 8.30pm.
Tickets can be purchased at the club’s online shop at www.dudleyheathens.co.uk or by sending a cheque payable to HSSC, 2 Caernarvon Way, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 2TR. For more details, contact HSSC on 07766 745681.