Josh Staunton has called on those involved in deciding the future of Yeovil Town to give its players clarity on their future.
The midfielder said the ongoing speculation around a potential takeover of the club is unsettling for the squad with every player except defender Morgan Williams out of contract come the end of the season.
He was talking on the ‘Football, Bloody Hell’ programme on 3 Valleys Radio – listen here – and said the players had heard nothing from owner Scott Priestnall or any of the groups bidding to buy the club.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Staunton has been playing through the pain barrier due to a hernia in recent weeks and admitted he is concerned he could be left looking for a new club whilst injury.
The 26-year-old said: “We are surrounded by uncertainty now and it is disappointing when you get to this stage of the season and you don’t know if you are wanted or unwanted.
“That is not just me, that is every player that is out of contract, we would like some sort of clarity of whether we need to look elsewhere or are going to be offered something.
“One of the benefits of having a younger team, that blind loyalty is there. If we had a group of older players who were more family-orientated, I think it would be a lot more toxic around the dressing room.
“Especially at this time of year when people are worrying about their futures.”
He was speaking with days after the departure of manager Darren Sarll, who joined National League rivals Woking on Monday after the club failed to discuss new terms with him with his contract up this summer.
Staunton said: “If anyone else was looking like they would be made redundant in any other job and they were offered a new job, no-one would begrudge them.
“We are not in the position where we can take a year off and it won’t hurt our bank accounts, like Premier League footballers, we are normal people and we require jobs to live.
“The gaffer has two young kids, a wife and if someone gives you a secure contract, I would never begrudge him that security. That is what has cost Yeovil because he will be a massive loss to the club.”
He added that he was having a scan on his groin hernia this week to assess the damage and said his own team-mates had warned him about the situation he was in.
He said: “I had a long conversation with one of the boys at the weekend who was saying to me ‘you are putting yourself at risk, you don’t know if the club want you’ because I am playing with injury.
“I’m getting through until the end of the season and someone might not want to pay for my operation at the end of the season, so I could be trying to find a new club whilst I am requiring surgery.
“All these things, even if they do not directly affect you, they take your toll.”
We at the Gloverscast are sure we speak for every Yeovil Town fan when we say to Josh and the rest of the team – we want you at our club and we are sorry you are being put in this situation.
And, to those who are making these decisions, read what this young man is saying – both on his behalf and those of his team-mates – and think what your actions (or lack of them) are doing on a human level.
This is now about more than the ownership of a football club – do the decent thing and speak to these people about their futures.