Doncaster Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin has said that the League One club were left with a “significant six-figure shortfall” after receiving less support from a Premier League rescue package than expected.
At the beginning of December, the EFL and the top-flight agreed a £250 million package to support clubs struggling from the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Championship clubs were given access to a £200m loan facility, while those in Leagues One and Two were provided with a £50m fund.
£30m of that was distributed by a calculation based on division and lost gate receipts, with the other £20m available in the form of a ‘monitored grant’ which clubs could apply for based on need.
The funding has allowed all clubs to keep on trading and playing through the season while fans are unable to come through the turnstiles.
However, Doncaster chief Baldwin said in an update on the Rovers club website that the funding that the South Yorkshire club received fell short of their initial expectations, and claimed that many of their League One rivals had been given more as a result of the calculations.
“At the end of December, we received our rescue package from the EFL and Premier League and, while we are grateful for the support, sadly we didn’t receive as much as we had told to expect with the majority of funds going to bigger teams in League One,” he said.
“This ultimately left the club with a significant six-figure shortfall against what we were expecting.”
Baldwin added that the sale of captain Ben Whiteman last month, to Championship side Preston North End, was “so important” as a result.
“It was obviously disappointing to lose Ben Whiteman, but this had been the third successive window we had received bids for Ben from Championship clubs,” he said.
“He had made his mind up that he wanted to progress his career and move closer to home. It was a difficult decision to let Ben leave, but we have always said that we won’t stand in a player’s way if they want to leave and the finances on the deal are right.
“The deal with Ben provided the club with valuable funds immediately and there is the opportunity for those monies to increase in the future. The funds have been invested back into the first team, but also helped to provide much needed financial security, in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.”
Some of that money was invested immediately in the January transfer window, with Baldwin commending the “superb” recruitment done by Doncaster.
Elliot Simoes, Ellery Balcombe, Josh Sims and Scott Robertson joined on loan until the end of the season, while Omar Bogle arrived on a free transfer along with free agent John Bostock.
Despite consecutive defeats in the past week, Doncaster are just a point away from the League One automatic promotion places in fifth, with up to three games in hand on their fellow challengers.
