Wharton going nowhere

Last updated : 15 November 2002 By Luke Thornhill
Wharton had been widely expected to stand down at the end of last season after the club failed to win promotion, but agreed to stay on to help the club through a difficult financial period.

Now he says that he will remain as chairman until the end of this season, and he will step down if the club do not reach the second division. If promotion is achieved though, he intends to stay on.

Speaking to shareholders at last night's AGM he responded to suggestions that he was asked to stay on as chairman because no-one else on the board was willing to take on his role.

"It is wrong for the Press to suggest that I stayed on this season because there was no-one else willing to take the job," he said.

"There are people willing and ready to take over from me.

"I just felt that with the dire straits that football was going through this summer, it would not have been the right thing to do for me to walk away and leave someone else to pick up the mess."

He also spoke of his desire to develop better sports facilities at Glanford Park, though he claims North Lincolnshire Council are not fully supporting the idea.

Last night's meeting passed without any significant conflict.