SINKING FEELING

BARNABY ROSTANT REPORTS ON THREE CLUBS WHO HAVE ENDURED TOUGH TIMES OVER THE PAST DECADE...

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LIFE moves quick but football moves quicker – and supporters of Scunthorpe United, Yeovil Town and Oldham Athletic know that only too well. Whether through poor ownership, lack of investment or instability – or a combination of these and other factors – some clubs go on a slide they find very difficult to stop.

Once proud Football League clubs, Scunthorpe, Yeovil and Oldham have all tumbled into Non-League.

Scunny’s sad decline is hard to believe given they were in the Championship in 2010-11. There was a time when the Lincolnshire outfit were renowned as being one of the most financially prudent clubs in England.

They sold Billy Sharp, Martin Paterson and Gary Hooper for seven-figure sums, with all three going on to play in the Premier League. Under boss Nigel Adkins, the Iron routinely punched above their weight.

However, their fortunes waned under chairman Peter Swann as managers came and went with regularity.