NOW IT'S ALL FINE & DANDO

Saviour keeps Pitmen afloat

- Andy Mitchell

HEDNESFORD Town’s saviour has vowed to stick around for as long as it takes to find a new buyer – but admits the deal would never have happened without his two predecessors.

Former vice-chair Hayden Dando has stepped in to keep the Pitmen alive after the most turbulent nine days in the club’s 143-year history.

Having planned to walk away along with chair and friend Graham Jones, Dando told The NLP that he had to return once a takeover by ex-Tamworth director Gary Hartland collapsed.

It left Hednesford facing at least a season without football with Dando insisting: “I could not have that on my conscience.”

Taking control of HTFC Limited from Jones on Tuesday, Dando worked “around the clock” with close friend Jones, ex-chairman and stadium owner Steve Price and secretary Terry McMahon to fulfil FA requirements and withdraw the club’s resignation from Step 4.

He was “exhausted” having “never pressed refresh on my emails” so frequently while awaiting Hednesford’s fate, but even that feeling was better than “mourning” its seemingly inevitable demise a week earlier.

The club remains on the market for the nominal sum of £1 with Dando confirming he would be happy to step away as soon as the right person comes along before scotching suggestions of Price being a problem.