Whatever happens on the field, it will be another memorable season for many of us. In a couple of weeks we bid farewell to Neville Linnell from behind the bar after his short stint at the helm, we wish him well as he moves on to pastures new at Wyco…nope, still can’t bring myself to say those words!
Fortunately this week we have agreed an arrangement for Neville’s replacement, again we are going for a different arrangement as we look to build on that magical word that we all use – potential. I’m sure by the time you get to read this the new arrangement will be common knowledge, such is the way of the Chesham grapevine we were hearing about the new arrangement before it had even been made!
Please do pop in and use the clubhouse, it is there for you, the supporters, and it is one of the biggest contributors to what you get to watch on the field each week. There are some exciting thoughts and plans on what we can do to improve the facility and how it is used, if even just half of them come to fruition, there will be exciting times ahead.
Another area of the club that gets talked about as having potential to be a real recognisable part of the club and the community is the youth and mini section. It is the easiest words for any football club to spurt out: It’s all about the kids, we want the youngsters to be a part of the club – the players and supporters of the future. Easy words to say; not so easy to put into action.
Well I am delighted to say that at Chesham United the words are starting to become actions. Last week we had the first introductory meeting of what is going to become an interim committee for the youth and mini section after the decision of Ken and Jacqui Ring to stand down from their all encompassing positions of Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary…and everything else that goes with it. My hat is tipped to them for taking on so many roles for such a long period of time – the break will be thoroughly deserved. I personally have become part of that committee to help with the transition and make sure that Chesham United Football Club is doing everything it can to support, and be a part of, youngsters playing football in Chesham.
When I became Chairman of Chesham United, having been a supporter since I was 8 years old, it was a childhood dream - A chance to put into practice the vision I have always had... but, the reality is very different. There is so much involved in running the club that there is a real danger that it becomes a burden rather than a pleasure.
Why?
All football clubs should be a community football club, that makes absolute sense and should be a given. Equally, once you get to the level Chesham United is at it is also a business. A business that loses a lot of money unless it is lucky enough to have a good FA Cup run, or it has a facility at the club which helps to fund its running - a decent function suite, additional sport facilities, etc.
Whilst I was Chairman the club was effectively owned by the Supporters' Trust and run by supporters. Huge strides were made towards becoming more community involved and the inclusion of a youth and mini set-up was always key to all of that. We need to find the future players, supporters, officials and directors of the club from within our own set-up - We do not want to become a play thing to a complete outsider who comes in and thinks his money alone can transform the club. It might do for a few weeks, months, maybe even years, but history shows it will more than likely kill the club – Ask Weymouth, ask Kettering…
One important point to clear up is regarding youth and mini league finances. When I first approached Ken and Jacqui with regards to bringing the youth and mini section under the club umbrella some months ago, I had this idyllic vision of it all being one club, with one board and one bank account...I do now realise that such a vision is beyond idyllic, it is impossible and a priority for the youth and mini section must be to maintain financial independence - I will even recommend updating any written constitution that completely safeguards the finances of the set-up.
I will be honest, the reason I say that is because I know that, 14 months ago when I was still Chairman, if there was money in the club account, even if it was allocated for the Youth/Mini section, there would have been a huge temptation to use/borrow that money - As soon as that happens, the whole relationship will breakdown. That is a very important point to make. I’m hopeful that one day we will reach a point where the mini and youth section is working so well with the club that there will be financial benefit to the club, but it needs to be a voluntary arrangement, not forced upon.
As a supporters run club we got a lot right, but the truth of the matter is that Chesham United FC alone is not currently capable of funding a team at the level it is playing at. The extra income that has to be donated is eye-watering and unsustainable. Finding that income is the job of the Board and the Directors. Now, whilst it is all very nice having one person putting in such vast sums of money, it is not for the long term good of the club - the club must be looking to be self-sufficient, and that is something the Board has tasked itself with doing. The only way that can successfully happen is to get more local events going on at the club, having more people using the club, watching and supporting the teams and helping to create a good vibe around the club that becomes attractive to sponsors and advertisers that want to support the club. And it can work, but it needs balance.
I know it can work, our operating income last season (without donations and prize money, etc) was actually over £25,000 more than it looks like being this year. Yes we are still in recession, but a lot of our support came last year because local business bought into the vision of the community club that the Supporters’ Trust set out.
That vision still exists, and needs to get back on track. We are very fortunate in that we have a financial safety net that will stop us getting into a dire financial position, but it is not the long term solution having a Board that turns to one individual – it needs to come from the club, the town, the community. One club. Chesham. United.
The Trust alone could not do it, and Roger Payne's generous input alone will not do it. The club went through some very difficult transitional changes in the close season and some backward steps were taken, but things have moved on and we can start to look forward again. It has taken nearly a year, but at last I think the club is starting to point in the right direction - the current themed family days and the desire of the club to get involved with the Youth and Mini Section’s transitional period are further indications of this. Apologies for waffling, but I'm trying to explain "what does the club get out of working with the youth section?"
- The club will benefit from having a thriving youth section with kids and parents that feel a part of the club.
- Kids in school telling their friends that they are playing for and supporting Chesham United is the best advertising we could possibly get.
- Financial benefits will come from parents attending games, drinking in the bar. And yes, who knows, there might be parents out there with their own businesses who may become sponsors of the future
- We may find some fresh blood that takes an interest in the overall club as supporters, helpers, volunteers, officials or even board members
So that is what the club should be looking to gain, in return there is much that can be done to improve the communication between the two sections and make better use of what the club can offer. I know that Andy Leese and Gary Breedon have made a good start with the coaches training course, we need to make sure that continues; we have also now got some special youth/mini section season tickets printed up that will be available for the children in the youth and mini sides; conversations have started about a junior (Match / Shoot style) newsletter next season for the younger sections (and of course schools) that are another target for the football club. If we have newsletters going into local businesses and community groups (which we do now), that should also be a voice for news and recruiting drives from all areas of the club, not just the senior section.
I'm sure from the forthcoming meetings and discussions there will be numerous more ideas and opportunities raised. We now have a new committee formed ready to step in and take over from Ken and Jacqui Ring at the end of the season, this committee will work with the club to not just keep the youth and mini section running, but work with the main club to make Chesham United FC the football club that all kids and adults alike want to be a part of, be it as a player, supporter or volunteer.
I am not saying it will be achieved, but I think this is our best opportunity and the right moves are being made. I have been on the Board for more than ten years now and in that time I have seen how the club works with a financial benefactor that dictates how things work, and I have seen it run by supporters who know how it should be run within the community, but cannot afford to make it happen. As we stand today, we have a chance to put both of them together, a combination that I hope can work.
One Club. Chesham. United.
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