[02 MAR 11] CRUSADER NEWS

MD thanks Payne.

Coventry Crusaders Basketball Club managing director Robert “Dip” Donaldson has thanked Roger Payne for his efforts during his four-month stint after resigning as first-team head coach and general manager.

 Warwickshire Basketball hall of fame coach Payne rescued the team just days before the start of the season by pumping his own money in, and was given licence by Donaldson to coach the team and attract sponsorship.

 But despite approaching over thirty companies no sponsor was found to sustain the side. The men's last game was the 72-80 home defeat to Bristol Academy Flyers two weeks ago as Crusaders bowed out with a 3-10 league record.

 “I thank Roger for his efforts and cast no blame on him because it is hard work” said the 51-year-old American. “I know how hard it is and people can’t appreciate that until they do it themselves.”

 “It was an extreme challenge to try and do what he did and he had a lot of hurdles to overcome that until you’re in the thick of it you don’t realise what those are.”

 “He had 18 years of a platform to spring off and found it hard-going with the recession and commercial sponsorships being down across the board; he was up against it.”

 “I’m disappointed that he’s left the club before the end of the season and that we couldn’t fulfil all of our fixtures because this is the first time that we haven’t been able to run until the end of the season.”

 “People who know me have known the ups and downs of the Crusaders financially and know how much of a struggle the last few years have been. So as owner it’s disappointing that we haven’t been able to finish it.”

 

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