Crisis has brought Gateshead squad closer together as takeover green light awaited
Gateshead host National League rivals Barrow at the International Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Gateshead club captain David Ferguson believes the recent crisis at the National League club has brought the playing squad closer together.
After failing to receive their wages on time for the last two months and seeing a takeover by US-based investors Flacks Group stalling, there were major concerns over the future of the Tynesiders. However, a flurry of talks over the last fortnight have brought major progress and only the green light from the Independent Football Regulator now stands in the way of a takeover being officially completed.
The off-field issues have been matched by on-field challenges after Ferguson and his team-mates won just one of their opening 15 games of the National League season. That means the Heed are sitting at the foot of the table and they are 13 points from safety ahead of Saturday’s home game with play-off chasing Barrow. Speaking ahead of that game, Ferguson gave an insight into the mood within the Gateshead squad as they look to kickstart an improved run of form over the coming weeks.
He told The Echo: “The political side, we can’t try and get too much involved but we are human beings, we have responsibilities, we have families and mortgages and they don’t want excuses when they want their money so you can understand. You just have to be a team, stick together and I think in the last few weeks I think we have done that. I wouldn’t say it’s impacted, it could have been a distraction but at the same time, you’re professional. I still think we have conducted ourselves professionally every day we have come in, we have done our work, and tried our best on the pitch. We are improving, it’s probably brought us more together.”
‘I have all of the time in the world for him’
Ferguson praised the impact made by Heed legend and current interim manager Ben Clark as the wait for a permanent appointment goes on. The former Sunderland and Hartlepool United defender will watch on from the International Stadium stands tomorrow as he serves a touchline ban with ex-Heed boss Alun Armstrong stepping into the dugout on a temporary basis. Ferguson admitted he has ‘all of the time in the world’ for Clark for the support he has shown the Gateshead playing squad over the last 12 months.
“Clarky has been class,” he explained. “He was class when he helped the first team last year and he looked after us when we went through a situation earlier in the season. He kept us going, he kept us together and he kept us mentally focused. I have all of the time in the world for him.”