Exclusive: Hartlepool United players and staff take 20 per cent pay cut following National League suspension due to coronavirus

The National League season is currently suspended with clubs around the country seeing their income streams grind to a halt.

Chairman Raj Singh remains committed to ensuring Pools’ survival through this troubled and uncertain period though that means some cuts are required.

Pools players and staff received an email on Monday evening asking them to take a 20 per-cent pay reduction this month, which will be reviewed on a monthly basis moving forward.

The measure is less drastic than some of Hartlepool’s National League rivals with Yeovil Town announcing a 50 per-cent pay cut on Monday and Barnet previously stating that all non-playing staff would be handed their notice in order to help keep the club afloat.

“What we’ve got to understand at this stage is the burden on the chairman to support us and the amount of investment he’s put in so far is incredible and we can’t take that for granted,” Hartlepool chief executive Mark Maguire told the Mail.

“All staff, including myself, are to take a 20 per-cent pay reduction this month. We’re still in the process of exploring the extent to which we can get government help going forward.

“In order to assist and relieve the burden on the chairman, that’s what we’ve done with staff for this coming payroll.

“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got a business that comes out of this in better shape rather than just assuming the world is going to be all right in three or four weeks time.”

Singh’s Prestige Group business specialises in care homes which will undoubtedly come under intense pressure due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We need to respect the personal cost to the chairman and his business for doing it,” Maguire added.

“We need to run as tight a ship as possible through a very difficult and uncertain time.

“I’m optimistic we’ll do the right things to give us the best chance of coming out of the other side stronger but we won’t pretend that we haven’t got one hell of a challenge ahead.”