Chairman: 'Formality that Gray will stay' (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Chairman: 'Formality that Gray will stay'

8:00am Sunday 14th March 2010 in

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RAFI Razzak is pleased with the way things have gone on the pitch this season – and he insists Frank Gray signing a new contract is a mere “formality.”

After battling against the drop last season, Basingstoke Town have been in the Blue Square South play-off hunt for much of this campaign.

Their form has dropped off of late but they are still safely ensconced in mid-table.

Manager Gray’s current deal expires in the summer but club chairman Razzak is confident that he will remain in charge next season.

“As far as Frank and I are concerned, it is a three-year plan,” Razzak said. “We have key performance indicators every year and he has delivered those in the first two years so I would be delighted to renew his contract for next season.

“The team has done what I had hoped for this season. Last year, we wanted to avoid relegation, which we achieved. This year we want to finish in the top 10 and are not far away from that.

“Frank is already looking ahead to next season and the contract is a formality rather than a worry for us. We have had a chat and as far as both he and the club are concerned, Frank will continue as manager.”

One area of concern for Razzak are low gates at the Camrose. While attendances are up on last season, he admits that an average crowd of 486 is not enough in a town the size of Basingstoke.

“Getting more fans into the ground is the big challenge,” Razzak added.

“Next season we might try playing our midweek games on Monday nights rather than Tuesdays to stop them clashing with important Champions League matches.”

Off the field, Razzak is delighted with the way things are going – but he does not anticipate Gray’s budget rising significantly next season.

“Financially, the club is in a far better position than it ever has been before,” he said. “The way the directors have handled the club has been exemplary. They all understand that we need to run the football club as a business.

“The budget will continue to be tight as the pitfalls of spending beyond the means of a club are there for all to see. If you do not control costs, business teaches you a harsh lesson.

“The budget will continue to be in line with revenue. That has increased a little with more advertising and slightly higher gates but I do not see it changing significantly.

“But we reduced our budget at a time when everyone else was at a worrying level. Others are now reducing budgets and I expect us to be in a better position compared to them next season.”