Peterhead chairman Rodger Morrison insists it was necessary to address the club’s poor start to the season in League One.
Morrison penned a lengthy letter to supporters on the Peterhead website on Monday night, answering some of the criticism directed at the club as it sits bottom of the third tier.
In it, he stated much of the comments had come online rather than in-person, with Morrison stressing he makes himself visible at Balmoor on match-days for anyone to raise any issues.
The Blue Toon were thumped 5-0 on Saturday by Alloa Athletic and have yet to win a game this season, amid a flurry of new signings.
Morrison has pin-pointed the issues the club has had with recruitment and felt he had to make a public statement given Peterhead’s early struggles.
“You’ve got to have a response because no one is hurting more than me,” said Morrison. “It’s putting something out there to explain and give a bit of breathing space.
“We’ve had a horrendous time and it’s been the hardest I can ever recall in terms of recruiting players. We’ve always got a target list and if you get two out of 10, you’re doing alright.
“But down the leagues teams are offering more money and the travelling is an issue as well. We’ve had to cast our net further afield.”
Jim McInally has brought in 16 players so far this summer and has been without Andy McCarthy, Hamish Ritchie Andy McDonald and Russell McLean – regulars from last season – through injury.
Skipper Scott Brown and player-coach Simon Ferry have also departed and the rebuild has been a significant one.
Morrison has faith in McInally to turn it around but stressed the security of the club will not be put at risk in order to strengthen the squad.
“We’ll have to start turning it round shortly,” added Morrison. “We know it’s early days but you don’t want a gap opening up.
“Jim was down on Saturday but he rescued us last season. He’ll have to pull something out of the hat again.
“He’s a good manager, without a doubt, but he can only work with what he’s got. That’s probably down to where we’re situated – Montrose and Forfar have probably found it easier to attract players than us, as there’s something about travelling north of Aberdeen.
“It’s not that Jim doesn’t get a good budget. He does and I can’t ever recall turning down a player he wants.
“On the back of Covid we’ve got a cost of living crisis and I’m not going to bankrupt the club to put a team on the park.”
Optimism has been in short supply after their turbulent start to the campaign, which has also included heavy defeats to Raith Rovers and Queen of the South.
League One is arguably as competitive as it ever has been, with two more full-time sides in Queens and Dunfermline added to the mix this year, and Peterhead are among the smaller clubs in the division.
“You’ve got to have a touch of realism,” said Morrison. “I would love to have a shot at the Championship, without a doubt. But a smaller club like ourselves can only punch above its weight at certain times.
A letter from the Chairman ⬇️https://t.co/Ez29oZxtVe pic.twitter.com/H6FOwXePac
— Peterhead FC (@pfcofficial) August 29, 2022
“We missed out getting into the Championship years ago in a penalty shootout against Partick Thistle. I thought that maybe the only crack we get at it and so far that’s been true.
“I’m not too downbeat. I would just like to get some of our injured players back and make a fist of it.
“Without a doubt, it gets to you. I’m the biggest salesman within the club for hospitality and you’ve not got the same enthusiasm for phoning round when you’re on a low. There’s a knock-on impact.
“When you’re feeling on a high, it’s easier to get on the phone and drum up business.”
