Colne chairman stands down

Haigh had moved aside from his role as chief executive in the summer due to other commitments, but has now also resigned as chairman.

He had been with the club since 2017 and expressed frustration at external factors that had held back plans to re-develop the club’s stadium.

In a statement, Haigh said: “It is a decision I have questioned numerous times already and one I will regret for longer but ultimately it is my time to relinquish the custodianship of this fantastic football club.

“This journey, since 2017 has for me been a family love affair, with both myself and Kirsty focused on driving the club forward, improving the facilities and in general pushing the club to be better, setting standards, aiming higher.

“The mantra, the goal of the process was to create a club that the community could be proud of, not only for its on the field success, but more so for its facilities that would be used by the community as a whole.

“Regrettably that has proved a task too far for me, but it hasn’t been for the want of trying.

“Several applications have been submitted and thousands of pounds have been spent on a process that has been littered with obstacles and objections from numerous bodies, associations and organisations, some of which in my opinion, had a duty to help push the project forward.

“The development was a dream I thought I could make a reality, but in essence it needed community backing and support.

“I have made mistakes along this journey, no doubt. If I look back over the last five years, in hindsight there are definitely things I would do differently, appointments I would and wouldn’t make and signings I wish we’d have got over the line, but my biggest regret has to be that I never managed to create ‘one club’.

“Ultimately I have not achieved what I wanted and in my opinion I have failed in that sense. What we have done though is create memories that will stay with me for a long time.

“People don’t understand that running a football club at this level is not just about signing players. You are the cleaner, the barman, the employer, the employee, the volunteer, the steward, the press team and a confidant.

“I am the boy who lived the dream but unfortunately it is time for fresh ideas, a new impetus. I know the next custodian will face several challenges but will have a blast.”

Click here to read the statement in full.