Ex-Hartlepool United boss makes appeal to help save non-league club

Lee was axed by Hartlepool on the penultimate weekend of the 2021-22 campaign despite keeping the club in the Football League before taking a period out of the game ahead of returning to management in non-league with Marske at the end of last season.

The Seasiders have had a challenging start under Lee, however, with the club currently 19th in the Northern Premier League table.

But a relegation battle is now the least of Marske’s concerns after the club was recently suspended by the league due to a challenge in the changing of the structure of the club. The Mount Pleasant club intended to move to a Limited Company Structure supported by shares, along with other benefits, but have been advised the transferring of ownership could take ‘several weeks’ in which time the club has been suspended from league fixtures.

“Until Marske United have met the requirements, and have gained approval from the NPL and FA, we are not allowed to issue shares in the Limited Company of Marske United Football Club Limited,” a statement read.

"A decision was made by the members and committee of the previous controlling entity that the club revert back to this entity and ask the NPL to lift our suspension after providing the required documentation. It is still the club’s intention to move to a Limited Company status in the summer when time is available for the correct procedure to be followed.

"However, the club still need to raise substantial sums in a very short period of time in order to remain in the NPL for the remainder of the season.”

And former Pools boss Lee has stressed the importance of the next few weeks in being able to raise those funds in order to save the club in the short-term.

"If we can't raise this money in the next two weeks then I can’t see the club going forward unfortunately. It’s a difficult situation for everyone,” he told BBC Radio Tees.

“We’ve been trying to take the club into a limited company so we could release shares and bring some investment into the club to move us forward. Unfortunately the league has brought that to a hold at the moment because there’s a lot more behind the scenes processes. But while the club can’t do that it’s very difficult for the club to survive. We needed that.

“It’s not an easy target we need to get to to get us to the end of the season,” he continued.

“It’s hard for me to say because I've not been involved with it, but financially for the club to move forward we need to act fast otherwise the gates will get closed and we’ll have to resign from the league.

“It’s a great club with great people and it’ll be a crying shame if we can’t keep it going. We need an immediate impact if we can with funds to come into the club.

"The club is part of North East history and if anyone can help, I know it’s a difficult time but whatever they can afford could end up making a big difference to the club.”

The club have set up a Just Giving page to try and save the club which you can access and donate HERE