Hednesford Town's pasting prompts owners to call fan forum

The meeting will be held before the home game with Alvechurch next Saturday and has been prompted by the 9-1 defeat at Tamworth at the weekend.

It sees Hednesford next to bottom in the Southern League Premier Central, just a point above bottom place AFC Rushden and Diamonds but with The Pitmen having played two more games.

Hednesford have won just three league games this season and have had three managers - former player Danny Glover was appointed in mid December but he hasn't yet been able to get the club out of the lower reaches of the league.

On Saturday in a top versus bottom clash, Kyle Bennett equalised an early Tamworth goal but the hosts went onto score three more in the first half and five in the second. Jones called the performance 'Unacceptable' though refused to blame the manager, preferring to question the players' commitment. He says he and Dando have had weeks of abuse and criticism on the clubs' forum and social media channels, with people questioning whether they know how to run a football club - the pairing took over at the helm in May 2020. Now he said it is time to answer the 'keyboard warriors' face to face. He said: "I get the fans frustration of course I do, Saturday was just not good enough, the players just folded, we were 1-1 early on and to go an lose nine is unacceptable. "And I don't mind criticism and debate which is why I have called the forum but some of the stuff that has been posted has been offensive, ridiculous and just way wide of the mark.

"It is easy to comment from behind a computer but I run other businesses and it can affect those two when clients see what is written - I know things haven't been going well on the field but we have a competitive budget and are as well run as a professional club.

"Danny has just come in and has players on contracts and has a lot of sorting out to do - he will need time though I realise the current position we are doesn't afford us that. "I just hope people will come along before the game on Saturday and raise their concerns and issues face to face in an open forum - then go and support the team on the pitch and hopefully see us beat Alvechurch."

The forum will take place in The Chase Suite at the RACE Stadium on Saturday - fans will have a chance to meet the manager at a later date.