SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power has revealed his frustration at supporters who question his method of running the club.

During a fans’ phone-in on BBC Wiltshire last night, Power appeared exasperated with how he is viewed by some sections of the Town fanbase despite saving them from financial peril.

Power acquired the club from former chairman Jed McCrory back in December 2013 before a legal battle over the takeover was then disputed in the High Court, which found in Power’s favour.

“To get this football club back on an even keel has taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people and that was my main focus, like it would be with any business,” said Power.

“If you can’t stop the haemorrhaging, the football club goes into administration or falls over.

“When Jed came in and didn’t have any money, he took the football club off of Andrew (Black) and had to find me by the end of the month otherwise the football club was over.

“To do that in the short time that we have done and to have a football club that has no debt and breaks even - OK, it hasn’t been a great season, I will be the first to admit that - I would have thought the supporters would be proud but you don’t seem to get that feeling.

“I think people would rather you go out and spend money which you haven’t got and put the club in jeopardy. Everyone would seem to be happy with that if we go and pay £10,000 to £15,000 a week to a centre forward that could get injured next week and you could still get relegated.

“It’s something that does frustrate you. We are probably one of very, very few clubs that don’t lose money and I think it’s something the supporters should be proud of rather than grind an axe over.”

Power was also challenged by a supporter about the playing budget at the club, with the Town chairman stating he would not alter his strict financial philosophy or start splashing the cash to achieve success.

“If you went to any football club, you speak to the guy at Colchester, Robbie Cowling, he will say to me: ‘I put £2million in to keep this football club afloat’,” said Power.

“The list goes on and on and on because that’s what they want to do. They are happy to do that or they want to do that or they don’t see any other way of doing it.

“They’ve just been relegated, Colchester, but Robbie will still have to put in £2million this year.

“I am not doing that, that’s not why I am here. I am a business person, I think I run this football club correctly, which is: ‘what it’s got, I will spend, what it doesn’t have, I won’t spend’.

“A lot of people won’t want to hear that and a lot of supporters say ‘Lee, why don’t you lose £2million?’ Simple answer, because I don’t want to.

“I gambled when I bought this football club, I stopped this football club from going skint.

“Everyone’s aware of the situation and I can’t speak about it, with Jed and what have you, but everyone is aware.

“Unless I come along, you don’t have a football club. I had to gamble £4million of my money and through mine and the rest of the people at this football club’s skills of bringing players in and player sales, we are trying to get that money back.

“I have had to stop the haemorrhaging, I won’t put the football club back, I won’t risk that again.

“There’s no need to do that, I am here to try to get a healthy, sustainable football club.”