RYAN Sparks admitted City had to take the £845,000 pandemic hit “on the chin”.

The club reported a significant loss in their latest accounts for the year ending June 30,2021.

But they were braced for the deficit from the effects of playing an entire season at Valley Parade without any fans because of the pandemic.

“We knew it was going to be a very difficult year from a financial perspective and it was going to get worse as we found out that we were going to spend the rest of the season behind closed doors,” said Sparks.

“Our fixed costs and overheads are high and we off-set a lot of that on our matchday revenue – of course we had pretty much zero.

“However, we had tickets sold via iFollow, which was fantastic, and without that we would have been in a very difficult position.

“I must pay immense tribute to those who purchased season tickets and stood by us throughout the pandemic.

“We managed to handle the situation quite well and, having made a sizeable profit the year before, we were able to take it on the chin without too much impact on the business going forward.

“It was always going to be a case of damage limitation but our on-field performances didn’t help support the bottom line and we had some big games, which would have generated significant additional revenue, played behind closed doors – at a loss.

“We have come through it well and we find ourselves in a stable position moving forward and are working towards a hugely-improved outcome to the current financial year.”

City have published a more detailed breakdown of their accounts than in previous years – but Sparks insisted they have “never had anything to hide”.

“Previously, it was perhaps a case of ticking legal boxes and going through the motions.

“I think a lot of clubs would like to be in a position to mirror the financial model we try to work to.

“We strive for sustainability and are more than happy to share the club’s position with supporters and partners as best we can.

“This is the second year we’ve released an analytical report going into greater detail and it will continue.”

Meanwhile, Swindon striker Harry McKirdy has been fined £1,000 by the FA for his comments on social media after their win at City.

McKirdy, who scored in the 2-1 Valley Parade victory, admitted the comments were “improper, insulting and bringing the game into disrepute.”