Bosses at Halesowen Town Football Club have appealed for financial support in order to buy the club from its current owners.

Supporters attending a fans' forum yesterday were told the news by chairman, Karen Brookes, and vice-chair, Dave Hawley, who called the meeting to update those in attendance on the club's financial situation.

The team, which has been in existence since 1873, is currently owned by the Lynch family who took over The Yeltz in 2011 and saved them from the brink of collapse. However fans have become increasingly disheartened with the direction the club's heading in, increasingly so after numerous sanctions by the FA last April.

A total of twelve charges were brought against Halesowen Town – three for Steve Lynch and nine for the club – which reportedly surrounded the owner's involvement at the now defunct Eastwood Town and an alleged failure to disclose an interest in Halesowen at the same time.

Other charges allegedly centred on a breach of player loan rules in 2012 and issues concerning the reporting of the club's accounts between 2011 and 2013. The Yeltz were fined £5,000 and Lynch was banned from all football-related activity for two years.

Speaking to Black Country Radio, chairman, Karen Brookes, said:

"The situation is really serious. We're not going to persuade fans to support us at The Grove with the current owners in charge - we need to sort it out as soon as we can.

"We're looking to raise 50% of [the club's] purchase price through crowdfunding with myself and my father putting the other half in. Hopefully we'll end up with the right money to purchase from the Lynch's."

Anybody wishing to donate to the crowdfunding initiative can do so on the club's JustGiving page, which aims to raise £30,000 in total.

Whilst emphasising the seriousness of the situation, Ms Brookes also offered words of encouragement to fans, saying:

"Over my dead body will there not be a Halesowen Town Football club in some form or another - even if we have to go down several divisions to do that. Whatever funds we raise - if we don't get the purchase price then it'll be ready to set up a new football club.

"It's great to know that, when you think you're trying to do the best for the football club, the fans are 100% behind you. That makes me feel positive."

You can hear the interview with Karen Brookes in full, as well as an interview with vice-chairman Dave Hawley, on Tuesday Night Live from 7:00pm on Tuesday 16th January on Black Country Radio.