RICHIE Wellens has urged Swindon Town supporters to banish fears over the club’s ownership and savour imminent title success.

The Town boss was speaking to the media 24 hours after it emerged chairman Lee Power was embroiled in two High Court cases.

The upshot saw Michael Standing and Clem Morfuni obtain injunctions preventing Power from selling the club without their approval. 

But the revelations came as no shock to Wellens, who insists it is “business as usual” at the County Ground.

He told BBC Radio Wiltshire: “I’ve always been very aware of the court case against Lee.

“It’s not my place to go into specific details. He has always kept me informed. We had a meeting before we played Notts County in the last home game of last season. He told me there was an ongoing case, it wouldn’t impact the club in any way and he would personally fund the promotion push for next season.

“We started the season well and he funded that push. When it got to January he funded another push – signing Eoin Doyle came at an extra cost, getting Jerry Yates back, Matty Palmer, Hallam Hope – just to strengthen the squad and give us that extra bit.

“He financed all of that and once coronavirus has gone we will continue to push in League One.”

Court papers show Power said the club would be likely to have to go into administration if a £7.5m sale to US firm Able fell through. His evidence was that Town would need in the region of £700,00 to £750,000 between May and August this year in order to continue operating, which he was not able to provide.

But Wellens says he continues to receive the backing of the man at the helm – and wouldn’t have committed his long-term future to Town if he had any doubts.

He said: I’ve read two or three lines of it on the internet and it just lost me. I don’t understand it at all. It’s not in my skill-set to be a lawyer.

“As far as I’m concerned, it won’t affect the club’s future and I wouldn’t have signed a three-year deal if I thought otherwise - if there were any problems or worrying signs.

“I rejected other offers where I probably could have got double what I’m on now. I see Swindon as a good club, the chairman has given me a massive chance.

“We all know these court things can go on for years, but as soon as we get a resolution to it we can get back to concentrating on football and it’s business as usual.”

Instead, Wellens says his focus is on assembling a squad in readiness for a crack at League One next season. Town’s promotion as champions appears a formality after clubs in League Two voted to abandon the season, with a points-per-game system used to decide the final placings.

It still needs to be rubber-stamped by the Football Association and EFL.

Wellens said: “My message to the supporters is wait for the EFL to ratify it and we’ll be champions. Then enjoy being a supporter of a club that has won a league because it doesn’t happen very often.

“I don’t want to sit still in League One. I believe everything is in place for us to have a real push at it.”

Wellens will meet Town director of football Paul Jewell tomorrow to discuss player contracts for next season, although the issue is dominated by the coronavirus crisis and doubts over when football can return – and take place in front of paying spectators.

He said: “We had a meeting with the players and said ‘listen, we’ll offer you something on Friday and unless you get concrete offers from other clubs in black and white, do not take their word for it or your agent’s word for it’. There will be a lot of mistrust in this transfer window. Players could be left in the lurch.

“I hope we have built up a trust with our players. I want them to stay. The priority for any footballer in this window has to be to stay in the game, rather than financial gains.”