SOLIHULL Moors have continued their proactive approach to the coronavirus pandemic by announcing first team players and staff have agreed to a 25 per cent pay cut for three months.
Furthermore, directors and shareholders will donate £20,000 to the Solihull Moors Foundation.
Officials are determined to ensure the club overcomes the current challenges and emerges united and stronger once the lockdown is over.
A club statement said: “The club remains fully committed to serving our local communities through the Solihull Moors Foundation and our primary concerns are to ensure the health and well-being of all staff and support the local community.
“A number of measures have been taken during this period and we are pleased to announce two further updates.
“After discussions between the players, manager and the board, coaching staff and first team players have collectively agreed to take a 25 per cent reduction in their salaries for three months to assist the club during this period of uncertainty and, in particular, help ensure the club can pay all other staff in full during the furlough period.
“Alongside this, several directors and shareholders have agreed to donate £20,000 to the Solihull Moors Foundation – the club’s charitable arm – through which Moors is able to proactively help and support the local community.”
Moors captain Kyle Storer said: “The players realise the club are in unfortunate circumstances and think it’s the right thing to do in terms of helping the club out.
“We are helping the club with the long-term future in mind. Each individual has their own personal situation during these times, so every player deserves massive credit for taking it on themselves to take the pay cut.
“We know the chairman, board of directors and management staff are all playing their part. Solihull Moors is a community-based club and we hope our actions can also help.
“Hopefully we can all return to doing what we do best and we look forward to it when the time comes. In the meantime, all of the players would like to wish supporters and their families all the very best.”
As all Moors fans know, the club first and foremost is part of the wider community. So many community projects are struggling at the moment, hence the club’s directors and shareholders’ generous donation.
Head of community Becci Fox said: “The Foundation are very grateful for this generous donation, particularly in these times of austerity. This money will be put to good use to support all of our initiatives and ensure we are reaching out to all members of our community.
“We will be using it to add value across all aspects of our community – predominantly concentrating on disability, mental health, the elderly and vulnerable.
“During this time we continue to volunteer supporting food banks, making phone calls to the vulnerable and reaching out to different members of our projects to ensure they are staying safe.”
Her comments were reinforced by manager Jimmy Shan who said: “Ever since I arrived at the club, I have been more and more aware of the fantastic work Solihull Moors do in the community.
“I think both the donation from the board and the gesture by my staff and the players speaks volumes of the type of people we are fortunate to have representing Solihull Moors FC.
“The players recognise the current climate and have shown compassion and commitment to help support the football club in these uncertain times.”
Chairman Darryl Eales added: “The actions of Jimmy, the coaching staff and the players are a wonderful gesture and show the generosity of spirit which exists at the level of the football family.
“It also shows the underlying unity of the club which will serve us well in the future and I would like wholeheartedly to thank everyone at the club for their fantastic support.
“Football takes a back seat at these times. Community does not! I am delighted we are able to help in a small way and look forward to welcoming everyone to Moors when the lockdown is over.”
