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Chairman of Nigeria Professional Football League club side, Adamawa United, Emmanuel Zira, says he mortgaged his house in Jos 10 years ago to save Adamawa’s men and women’s football clubs when there was no funding, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report

The Yola-based club were sitting bottom of the league table before the 2019/20 season was cancelled after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Zira, who bemoaned the clubs poor funding, which he said forced him into using his house to secure a loan, added that plans were in place to make things better ahead of next season.

“I mortgaged my house to fund the activities of Adamawa United and Adamawa Queens in 2010, when it was apparent that there was no funding for the club.

“Adamawa United are one of the teams that have suffered the most from poor funding. I’ve had to navigate my ways to keep the clubs afloat, including using my personal resources, which are yet to be refunded till today.

“The last time I got some funding for the clubs was in 2010, to the tune of N8.3m. Nothing since then, apart from the monthly subvention of N6.4m, that was gradually improved to N12.5m.

“So it has been tough for me, and I had to mortgage my house in Jos to keep the clubs afloat. It was from this amount I paid salaries to Adamawa United, Adamawa Queens and the feeder team. It has been very tough sustaining the clubs.”

He added, “I am currently taking advantage of the global pandemic to completely reorganise the club, bring in some new innovations that I hope should bring in some financial relief to the clubs.