CORNISH Pirates owner Dicky Evans has revealed that all contracted players, management staff and coaching team have taken 15 per cent pay reductions for the 2020/21 season.

In a statement published two weeks ago from Kenya, where he resides, Evans revealed that the impact of coronavirus means that his luxury Hemingways hotel business in the country had no income.

With Kenya's government unable to provide the same level of assistance as the UK government has done, Evans' near-1,000 Hemingways employees had been put on leave and are receiving 65 per cent of their salaries funded by the business.

Owing to this, he asked Pirates players and staff to take a "'One and All' approach to putting the club first" and take pay reductions, and the Pirates owner has confirmed in a second statement that all players and backroom staff had done so.

Evans's statement read: "Following my statement last week on players’ contracts I am very pleased to let everyone associated with our club know that ALL contracted players for next season have stepped up to the plate and agreed the salary reduction I needed to make the numbers work for me.

"Furthermore, ALL back of house management staff and the coaching team, physios et al have also agreed to take the same 15% reduction in income for this coming season.

"I am personally blown away by this reaction of the 43 or so people involved at the Cornish Pirates especially as people have fixed monthly outgoings such as mortgages to pay.

"This means we can move forward and continue to improve on the pitch with a full-time professional squad."

Evans also confirmed that announcements concerning retained squad members for the 2020/21 season will be rolled out from May 11, saying that he feels "sure every Pirates supporter will be well pleased with the players contracted for next season".

Evans also provided an update on the Stadium for Cornwall, announcing that the club has agreed with the council "To move forward with alacrity on the transfer of the land immediately" ahead of a May 15 deadline.