advertising
The Highland League side owes over £49,000 in unpaid rent to Highland Council, relating to the lease of its home ground Grant Street Park, which is owned by the Inverness Common Good Fund.
On Monday the following statement by Mr Dowling was released:
"My family and my company have injected over £100,000 over the years to help Clach, but my pockets are not deep enough.
"In addition, I am the bank's guarantor on the football overdraft as well as on the social club - and without these personal guarantees Clach might have gone to the wall quite a while ago.
"Clach are in my heart and perhaps I have waited too long because I was desperate to keep the club I love afloat. Perhaps I'm guilty of trying too hard to help Clach to survive.
"After our recent meeting with Highland Council, who have been fair to us, it became clear the club's plight is such that it needs new people, with major capital to invest, to come to the rescue if the club is to be saved.
"In 1990, when the club's survival was at stake, I along with others came in with the finance and business expertise to re-launch Clach. Now it is an opportunity for others to step forward and make the scale of financial commitment necessary.
"I will carry on to the end of the season, or before then if a consortium is in place.
"I will organise the club's dinner on 7th March and do everything I can to make sure players wages are paid to the end of the season and all football bills are paid. I'm very hopeful I can do that and if I do so then I can walk away with dignity.
"But paying all the football costs for next season plus the council rent of £14,000 is just not viable, excluding the back rent due.
"We looked at going amateur next season but our players are not well paid and Clach were amateur the season before we took over and lost 154 goals in a season. People paying for corporate hospitality, where we do pretty well, need to watch a meaningful contest or they will not come.
"We've had some great times under my leadership, winning every trophy and in 2004 winning the championship.
So there is a record of success on the pitch to reflect upon.
"But we do not have the fan base nowadays. We used to get four figure crowds when Caley, Inverness Thistle, Ross County and Elgin City came to Grant Street.
"We've been victims of Caley Thistle's success - though that club has always been good to us. For instance, when Caley Thistle were at home to Dundee United on 16th February, we got barely 100 people to our game with Fraserburgh.
"How can you pay £14,000 rent on gates like these? Our social club has gone down and down and the club isn't viable without a major investment.
"I have done a great deal of work on a proposal for an all-weather pitch at Grant Street Park, which could be a significant income earner, and have a grant application pending.
"I have asked various business people to become involved financially but, due to SPL football on our doorstep, Highland League is not an attraction.
"But I've greatly enjoyed my 18 years service to the club. It's been tough in recent years but I've given my time and commitment willingly.
"I've great admiration for the true Clach fans - but a couple of loudmouths who have ranted about the club's plight didn't save the club last time and won't do so this time. Their antics have scared people off. We need people with sense and judgment who have the capability to invest and then run the club skilfully.
"I hope that announcing my decision to step down will set in motion a successful outcome to ensure that my beloved Clach will still be playing next season.
"I will be very happy to co-operate with prospective new owners and I will continue to support the club in any way I can."
andrew.dixon@inverness-courier.co.uk
