We'll survive the drop but players will go - Yorkston
Ally McRoberts • Published 11 May 2012 09:02
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DEMOTION to the First Division will have significant financial implications for the club, especially after a tough season where the North Stand was closed to save cash and the board admitted they had to save £100,000 by the end of the season.
However, the chairman said the club's £10million debts were held by the directors rather than the bank and that they'd live within their means in the Frst Division.
After the Hibs match, Yorkston said, "To be honest we've been semi-prepared. You never want it to happen but we had to be realistic.
"The bottom line is we are down and it's all ifs, buts and maybes - we did what we did.
"Could we have made the changes sooner? Or at all? Some may argue that Jim McIntyre may have got us out of it, we just don't know."
He continued, "Injuries didn't help us and a number of key players were not available.
"Kevin Rutkiewicz made a difference when he played, Martin Hardie was out a lot too and we never saw Steven Bell or Nick Phinn.
"We also lost Paul Gallacher before Christmas which was a big blow.
"You can come up with 101 reasons and there were a lot of factors but in the end we just weren't good enough."
Yorkston said that clubs like Dunfermline would increasingly rely on bringing through their own players and he confirmed, "We'll have to concentrate more on youths in the future.
"If ours are good enough we'll bring them through, if not we'll try and bring them in like we did with the lad from Liverpool (Alex Whittle).
"The manager's been impressed with Kerr Young, for example, and there's still Paul Willis and Ryan Thomson who are young players who have come through.
"There also seems to be a good bunch at the 14-15 age group but time will tell if they make it."
Optimistic fans have said that, at least in the First Division, the Pars will have a chance of winning the league, there will be derby matches to enjoy, kick-offs at the traditional 3pm on a Saturday and 12 'derby' matches.
Yorkston conceded, "Next season will be a very exciting season with local derbies against Falkirk, Raith Rovers, Dundee and now Cowdenbeath.
"I am sure there will be a lot of fantastic football being played in the SFL.
"The board's aim does, however, remain clear and we will be aiming to return to SPL football in the following season."
There is still a - very slim - chance that the Pars could avoid relegation if the SPL decide on much tougher sanctions for Rangers. The SPL again postponed a vote on proposed financial fair-play regulations on Monday and another meeting has been set for 30th May.
The chairmen of the SPL clubs are still to decide on tough sanctions for clubs who undergo 'insolvency events' and, with Rangers' bid to come out of administration before next week in doubt again, the Glasgow club's fate could be decided by the SPL board.
Before Dunfermline were relegated on Monday evening, Yorkston had made his feelings clear on the issue, saying that a 'newco' Rangers should, like Livingston a few years back, be demoted to the Third Division rather than given a place in the SPL.
He said the argument was down to sporting integrity against financial necessity, with other SPL chairmen concerned about an SPL without Rangers and the loss in income that would arise.
WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG FOR THE PARS?
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