Rather pleasingly the article got more response than my normal ramblings, so I thought it worth keeping on record out in the blogosphere...
So those of us that travelled around the M25 to Canvey Island (didn’t that feel good again? I had almost forgotten what it was like to head that way for a football match) declaring “I quite fancy a draw so that we can have a home game on Tuesday, otherwise we might not have another home game in November”, got our way on Saturday, hence you reading this now. Yes, I say “our” way as I was one of them – not necessarily because I travelled pessimisitcally, but financially some sort of home game is a much needed boost to cashflow.
Saturday’s FA Trophy 1-1 draw was entertaining, looking at both sides league record going into the game, a draw was a very possible result, and in reality, it was probably the Chesham supporters that were happier with the replay having had to defend countless second-half corners and set pieces, despite having had some cracking chances to win the match ourselves.
Now it is about taking the opportunity of using home advantage to fire us into the next round, the opponents whom you will know by the time you read this (a home tie please? He says writing this on Saturday night with Mrs Calder watching Strictly Come Dancing in the background and the kids in bed…Yes, anyone who read the Canvey programme on Saturday, that includes my eleven year old son!). With Hitchin going out of the competition at the weekend, it means that we have a chance of joining AFC Totton as the only two Southern League Premier clubs left in the competition; although the prize money is not a patch on the reward for FA Cup success, the money is not to be sniffed at, and a good cup run can help to get a bit of a buzz back around the terraces.
On the finance side, I had a conversation the other week with a dedicated Chesham supporter who has always shown an interest in the business element of the club; so, in the strictest of confidence, I gave him an insight into some of the figures that make the club operate. His first reaction was “it’s amazing, most the people on the terraces will have no idea about what is involved”.
He is right of course, and there is a fine balance between what should become common knowledge and what should remain confidential. I personally believe very strongly that players wages information should be restricted to as few a people as possible, and I think we do that with the facts, although anyone and everyone you talk to seems to think they know individual wages, what our budget is and what every other club’s budget is. To be honest, I don’t really care about other club’s, I’m more interested in us, what we pay, and what we can afford to pay.
However, the conversation with this supporter did throw up one particular suggestion that sounded a good one: “Perhaps we ought to have a regular column in the programme about the club’s finances? Obviously not wages, but an overview and a bit more detail to help people understand what is involved…”
Not a bad idea? I would like to instigate such a column, even if it is only a couple of paragraphs a game, something that might help supporters feel closer to the club, and perhaps get a better understanding of what is involved, and why we always bang on about the income. Ok, not everyone would be interested, and many people are happy paying there money at the turnstiles, having their say on the terrrace and then going home: I pay my money, I can say what I like…
So what does the club do with the money you pay?
…As a matter of interest, typically the club would take about £50,000 in a year on season tickets and through the turnstiles; if you break that down over a 40 week season you would be looking at a gross weekly football budget of £1,250. Not disastrous (but miles off competing for promotion), but if you then take into account over the course of a season our travel costs are nearly £10,000, plus around £3,000 on kit and equipment then we are straight away down to a budget of £925 per week…
…Unfortunately at Chesham we are not on the main drainage which means the use of the showers and toilets contributes to filling the cess pit which regularly needs emptying. Now we are not going to go as far as requesting that players shower at home and supporters make sure they go to the toilet before coming to the club (though it would help! At the very least, please turn the taps off after you) so as a result we are paying around £5,500 per year on waste disposal. Suddenly that affordable budget is less than £790 gross per week…
Now at Chesham we have had some glorious years in the past, we have sailed close to the financial winds, and beyond. Fortunately we have never reached the point of administration, even if it might have been an easier option, but, I don’t think I would be speaking out of turn if I was to reveal/confirm that we are still paying back an outstanding bank loan which was taken out to clear that debt from many many years ago, and has been a monthly burden ever since I joined the Board over ten years ago. Without checking the exact dates,the good news is that we are within twelve months of that massive alabatross being released from around our necks, and the loan completely paid off… but not yet. So over a year, just short of £15,000 per year, in equal monthly payments, goes to paying the bank back after they helped us out from when the club overspent in the past…suddenly our playable football budget is down to more like £400 gross per week…
…Of course, football would not be football without a pitch, and we pride ourselves on having an excellent playing surface here at The Meadow, but, guess what? The pitch does not maintain itself, it costs money. In fact, if we now take pitch maintenance into account, based on gate money alone, we have already well and truly exhausted any money left for a playing budget… And we have not even touched on the utility bills; and, get this, over £8,000 a season on match officials for the games…
So you see, when someone tries to talk you into buying a golden goal ticket, a raffle ticket or a programme; when we encourage you to come along to social events, support the bar or, if you run you own business, to sponsor a game; it is not done out of greed…it’s done out of necessity.
Since joining the Board I have had to look at things differently, it is not always a good thing, but it is eye-opening. For example – To most supporters a win today is the chance for another big cup day and some realisation that the prize money would be handy… To me, it means that we will be able to afford to empty the cesspit for the next 8 months with the prize money.
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