THE MAN WHO spearheaded the fight to save Highland League side Rothes from closure has expressed his disappointment at not being offered the chance to become Chairman.
Rab Mulheron saw the club through their recent turmoil when they came “within five minutes” of a court appearance and insolvency because of an unpaid tax bill.
However, following a crisis meeting last week Rothes fans and local people got firmly behind the club – including local businessman Richard Forsyth, who stepped in to pay an immediate £20,000 to HMRC, halting a planned closure move at Elgin Sheriff Court last week.
Now it has emerged that Mr Mulheron was offered the vice-chair post at a restructured Rothes FC – but he has turned that down, insisting he deserved a crack at the top job.
The vice-chairman offer came from Mr Forsyth just 24 hours after the club had been saved, with the owner of the fabrication group Forsyths telling a meeting at the club on Monday: “I’m not going to throw money into a black hole – but if I see positives and you elect a sensible and balanced committee to run the club, then I am willing to support it.”
A crunch meeting next week will see a new committee put in place to take the club forward, with Mr Forsyth saying “next Monday will be the key to getting the right folk in.”
On being told by Mr Mulheron that he did not wish to accept the post of vice chairman, Mr Forsyth added: “I liked the guy, I wanted him to stay in his position – he chose not to, he felt it was time to move on because Rothes FC is on a new level.”
Mr Mulheron told the Press and Journal that he did not believe in walking away from anything – unless he had a “serious, serious issue”, adding: “I was offered a job in the club – Richard spoke to me on Saturday and said I could stay on as vice-chairman but it is not the job I wanted.
“I was acting chairman for six months and I really wanted that position, I thought I deserved a crack at chairman. I’m stepping away because I am very disappointed and I can’t give Rothes FC 100% in the position they offered me.
“But this is not about Rab Mulheron now, it is about the club and Rothes surviving – there is no animosity between anyone. I wished Richard and all the staff at the club all the best and thanked him personally for everything he has done.”