Karabukspor on the verge of dissolving

The second division club are in such bad shape financially that the club’s administration is considering throwing in the towel.

Karabukspor have been unable to fix their on-going financial troubles ever since being relegated from the Turkish Super Lig last season and this season in the 1.Lig, the nation’s second division, has gone from bad to worse.

Stuck at the bottom of the table with -1 points after 20 games, their record is an appalling 19 losses and 2 draws with no wins. The team have managed to score just 7 goals while conceding 66.

They were deducted 3 points earlier this season for failing to meet financial regulations set by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).

After another loss this weekend, 4-0 against Eskisehirspor, the club held a press conference at their facilities which was lead by club chairman Mehmet Yuksel.

Yuksel explaining the club’s predicament.

Making it clear that Karabukspor are on the verge of withdrawing from the league and dissolving, he said they are in need of 500,000 Turkish Lira every month just to survive.

“We tried to make transfers but we couldn’t due to the ban. We even conducted secret talks. We received promises and commitments from players. But taxes and our loans made it difficult. We spoke with Mayor Rafet Vergili who told us he would help us solve our issues. But then he refused to answer our calls.

“We had to find sponsors to keep the club alive and so we found different sponsors. They were banks who told us that our politicians need to call them to make the deals. We forwarded the information to them but they didn’t call. We did everything we could but Karabuk’s politicians didn’t do their part.

“After this point, it’s looking very difficult for us to remain in the league. If we get relegated to the third division, 2.Lig, staff will be dismissed. We have more than just 11 football players. Besides our first team, we have 7 other divisions. We have a volleyball team. Our club has an average cost of 500,000 lira every month. 200,000 of this is insurance and tax. 300,000 is for expenses such as personnel, footballer, technical staff salaries and meals. In order for our club to stay afloat, we need around 500,000 lira every month. We are struggling financially.

“If our politicians, our mayor support us, we can continue to work. But if they won’t, we will leave them it to them to find the money.

“We managed to bring in €320,000 which was owed to us this season. We used this money to pay for the salaries of employees, compensation and termination fees of the workers who came and went. No one has owned up to this mess, to try to sort it out. The politicians and mayor of the city are ignoring the club and this is causing a lot of the issues.

“This is my own theory but if the club dissolves, the judiciary has some files in the prosecutor’s office. Maybe they want to close these files. Maybe that is why they want the club to dissolve. And to avoid the club’s closing we will try to see these files go to the judges and to open the cases. The club has to survive. If the club vanishes, so do the files. Even If someone steals them, I don’t believe they will be returned,” he explained as he spoke candidly regarding the club’s future.