A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND WHICH WILL SHAPE CARLTON’S FUTURE!
An away trip to Brighouse on Saturday, a race day on Sunday at Southwell and then a final home fixture of the season against AFC Mansfield on Bank Holiday Monday!
Three very significant days in the clubs future loom, the Sunday may seem insignificant in terms of the bigger picture with the Saturday and Monday fixtures possibly determining the division Carlton will play in next season, while the Sunday apart from a cracking day out is just about fund raising.
But the constant need to fund raise to meet the wage bill, be it one of the smallest in the league and the cost of the running of the stadium brings into perspective one of the reasons Carlton find themselves where they are.
It is not the only reason and the debate of what has finally pushed Carlton into their current predicament is for another day at the end of the season, but it does tell part of the story, particularly when the club normally bring between three and four hundred to the event and this season will only take around 100, leaving them with another significant budgeted shortfall.
That figure is not down to the clubs struggle’s on the pitch , it is purely the fact that the date of this years event is in April rather than July.
What is does do is emphasise another difficult card that the Millers have been dealt, a little bit like the two strikes that hit the post at Loughborough and then the subsequent injury time goal from Danny Gordon.
Just 5 points from a possible 42 however tells its own devastating story and the Millers will have to turn in some great performances at the death if they are to retain their Evostick status unless other circumstances determine their future.
Afc Mansfield have already admitted they have not met ground grading status, Carlton actually have sympathy, it took a substantial personal donation (many thousands of pounds) from the Chairman in what seems a lifetime a go when the current dressing rooms, Chuck Fowler Suite, snack bar, office and club shop were built and paid for.
Carlton have had some great days at level 4, playoffs under both Tommy Brookbanks and Les Mcjannet, three cup finals under Les, two won, one lost and two cup finals under current manager Wayne Scott including the outstanding and forever memorable 4-1 win over Basford at Meadow Lane.
There was also the League Cup run when Carlton reached the semi Final under Les Mcjannet and Ian McCulloch and assistant managers in particular and backroom staff all deserve praise for what has been achieved on the Evostick journey over the last few years.
Carlton were hoping to avoid clashing kick off time with Nottingham Forest on bank holiday Monday and Wayne Scott spoke to Afc Mansfield about a possible earlier kick off time, but it was not an option the visitors could go with.
Will Carlton be playing Evostick football next season, nobody knows, so two fixtures, a race day and maybe at the end of this weekend, we will have a definitive picture of the future and maybe we won’t, but it is what it is and although it will be little consolation to Carlton fans, Notts County fans will feel exactly the same way !
