Lee Carter praises AFC Telford's prudence
AFC Telford United managing director Lee Carter today hailed his club as one of the most sustainable operations in the Skrill Conference North.
The Bucks are the second-best attended club in the league behind Saturday's visitors Stockport County, a former staple of the Football League.
Boston United are the only other club to draw four-figure crowds on a home match-day while Telford's last hosts, Altrincham, average 988 supporters.
On the pitch, Telford are thought to be well down the table for the league's highest wage bill, too, despite assembling a squad challenging for promotion.
Stockport, Alty, Harrogate Town and all of Telford's rivals in the top five, excluding Hednesford, are believed to be shelling out more to their players.
And Carter believes the club's model of living within their means will ensure a long-term future, with manager Liam Watson prudent with their cash.
Carter said: "You can never predict football, as a business and as a sport it's full of surprises. The one constant is the football and maintaining that year on year.
"Liam has a decent budget for this league and we have to work very hard to provide that but, at this level, I knew that a few sides are spending two and three pounds on players to every one of ours.
"Everyone knows who is playing where and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to look at the clubs, then do your sums and figure out roughly what players are on.
"We have a healthy, competitive playing budget but we get the numbers through the gates to support that, so that's our duty to the fans.
"I thought Stockport would one-season wonders at this level but, although they have struggled, they will come back. Outside of them, we are probably the most sustainable club in this league."
Watson has brought in just midfielder Mike Grogan from lower-league Cammell Laird and Luton Town loanee Shaun Whalley since the season kicked off.
Carter said: "I think money is not the most important factor in the league, you often get more points from having a loyal and committed bunch of players.
"We have been absolutely amazed that we have a manager who, outside of what you would call the core pre-season time, has signed one player on a permanent basis, plus the one loan player.
"That's remarkable but is whole emphasis is on building the team and that togetherness as a squad, that's often what can get you through."
