Coventry Crusaders backed to return to top by Donaldson

[dutchman]

Coventry Crusaders owner Dip Donaldson is confident the club can bounce back from their current financial troubles.



The club have dropped down to National League Division Four having withdrawn from the top flight after being unable to fulfil their fixtures.

Donaldson told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire: "We were struggling anyway so we'd have probably been relegated to Division Two.

"With a change in some management structures we'll be back at the top."

Crusaders parted company with first-team coach Roger Payne following their resignation from Division One last month.

Payne had been putting his own money in the club to keep it going, but eventually had to tell England Basketball the club could not carry on at the top level with such financial burdens.

Donaldson knows balancing the clubs books still remains a major task.

"Basketball is one of the most expensive sports to play because it's an indoor facility and that whole hire does go against you if you don't get the crowds," he added.

"We need the support of the paying public and we need the commercial sponsors to come in to prop the team up in order to pay those bills.

"And they're the first two avenues that we've got to chase. Getting a strong enough team that people want to come and watch and pay to do it. And getting the commercial sponsors behind the team.

"It's my job to start the process now."