talkSPORT’s Charlie Baker jokes he’s willing to go to extreme lengths to get his beloved Torquay United out of administration – by starting an OnlyFans page.
The Devon-based club announced on Thursday that it had been placed into administration after owner Clarke Osborne said he can not fund the club. The club also announced the sacking of manager Gary Johnson on Thursday.
It is a very uncertain time for Torquay and Gulls fan Baker says he’ll do what he can to generate some much needed funds.
Posting an image of himself wearing white boxers while holding a cardboard cutout of a Cornish pasty he jokingly broke the news, but in addition gave fans another of donating to the Torquay United Supporters Trust.
Baker said on X, formerly generally known as Twitter: “Okay. An OnlyFans.”
“If that’s what it takes. P**** in bio. Or you may join or donate to the Torquay United Supporters Trust.”
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Torquay, who’re eleventh within the National League South, which is the sixth tier of English football, have been owned by Osborne since 2016 after he bought the club from a fan-led consortium.
During Osborne’s premiership Torquay have been relegated twice and missed out on promotion to League Two in 2021 after losing to Hartlepool within the National League play-off final.
Osborne has also stood down as chairman with the club facing a ten-point deduction, which as things stand would see them go just 4 points above the National League South’s relegation zone.
“It’s with sincere regret that I counsel that circumstances beyond my control throughout the last five weeks have brought me to the position that I an unable to proceed financial support for the club and I actually have today filed on behalf of the administrators an intention to appoint an administrator for the club and company,” Osborne said in an announcement on the club website.
“The financing of football on this country is precarious and might only thrive within the lower divisions where there may be either a detailed collaborative relationship with the local authority, it’s a trophy asset or is backed by substantial local individuals and businesses,” Osborne added.
“I imagine that it needs a fundamental overhaul of its financing structure, rights distribution within the lower leagues and recognition that many clubs represent a fundamental a part of the local people and its visitor attractions.
“Ambitious clubs should, in my view, be given special status of their push to usher in investment, develop facilities, bring spend and employment to the local economy.”
Osborne had kept the club afloat with the last set of accounts showing loans of virtually £4.3million to the club. It is predicted that figure will pass £5m with the brand new accounts for the yr to June 2023 due soon.
