Football club chairman resigns after death threats

Farsley Celtic have been playing their home games almost 70 miles away due to delays to improvements at their ground

A football club chairman has announced his intention to resign after "months of criticism and negativity" directed towards him, including death threats.

Farsley Celtic chairman Paul Barthorpe released a statement on Tuesday evening in which he said the abuse had had a "significant impact" on his health.

The managerless National League North outfit have been playing their home games almost 70 miles away from Leeds in Buxton, Derbyshire due to delays in installing a new 4G pitch at their stadium.

"Having put in so much hard work and money over the last six years for it to be like this really hurts," said Mr Barthorpe.

The statement continued: "I hope this act means there will be more support and more positivity towards the club and the board, as they are all like me volunteers, all good guys and all have the club at heart, and we are all desperate for this to work out."

Mr Barthorpe, who has been heavily criticised amid the club's plight on and off the pitch, said there had been a "social media campaign" against him which had included death threats, assaults and criminal damage to his property.

In the statement, he also claimed he had been "predominantly" funding sixth-tier Farsley for the last five years.

Former Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn was appointed as Farsley boss on 17 January, but told the BBC he left the club on 6 February after just 20 days in charge.

This season the club has yet to play a fixture at its home ground, the Citadel, and they currently occupy a relegation place.

Home games are currently being played in Buxton, which Farsley said was the "only option" after its previous groundshare at Bradford Park Avenue came to an end.

Its return to the Citadel has been pushed back on numerous occasions due to delays in resurfacing the pitch, which the club previously said were "unforeseen and unavoidable".

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