Clubs in trouble

[Ian]

More bad news for clubs today. Croydon Athletic, who we started our FA Cup run against in 2004, seemed to have shut up shop entirely having resigned from the Ryman League with immediate effect.

 

Also, Northwich Victoria, who yesterday parted company with their management team have today been advised by the receivers that there is an offer to buy the land on which their lovely new out of town stadium is built. Someone had cocked up the lease arrangements there it seems.

 

Very sad.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

Shame to hear. Have been reading about Darlington's problems over the last few days too. management and remaining players made redundant yesterday.

Never like to hear about these things, we were very lucky to not go the same way.

[Nathan]

I find it extremely odd that a club who won the FA Trophy only last year could be in so much trouble!

 

Darlington, Kettering Town, Northwich Victoria, Rushden & Diamonds; and in years gone by: Grays Athletic, Chester City, Halifax Town, Leigh RMI, Telford Untied, Scarborough, Fisher Athletic, Team Bath, Weymouth, Hornchurch and even Farnborough Town, the Conference League must be jinxed!

 

Quite frankly, I think it's a scandal that so many clubs can either re-name and drop down a few levels (or even fold completely) largely thanks to incompetent and even criminal financial management. the FA really ought to pull their fingers out and do something about it!

[chris sliski]

The conference is a step too far ..IMO ... Hell bent on being elitist and believing they have all the answers in the non league world !

 

They in fact have a lot to answer for ... to many clubs just can not make the move upwards without breaking themselves and the

conference not putting into place the fit and proper persons act ! To many clubs chasing the dream to become a football league clubs ! and not having the right balance to survive beyond a few years !

 

My tip for more downfalls Crawley Town and maybe Stevenage after Westley walks out of another club !

 

yes I do believe the dream ..however not if it means the demise of your club in the process... I personally would rather support Slough at this level , than have no club at all....

 

up the rebels..

Edited January 17, 2012 by chris sliski

[missunderstood]

There's all sort of things the FA could do, but the will is not there, and in fairness any new rules brought in that guaranteed financial propriety would be impossible to police. IMO we all have to accept that football finances are as bent as a nine bob note, and if your club is fortunate enough to find a crooked benefactor, just enjoy it while it lasts.

[Tom]

Farnborough were saved the other day by former Chertsey manager Spencer day who took over a few months back.

 

After initially saying he wasn't going to pay the club any money he coughed up the money needed to pay HMRC and take over as chairman.

[Martin]

The problem is that company law is designed to protect enterprise, by limiting liability so that individual investors don't lose everything and insolvency enables the debts to be cleared and doesn't prohibit phoenix companies rising from the flames. It applies to corporate entities as well as football clubs and of course there is no political will to change it as the Revenue is a protected creditor if it all goes wrong.

 

A lot of it is symptomatic of the current financial woes facing the world. Look at Darlington how on earth did they get a loan to build a 25,000 seater stadium. You now have a few fans huddled in one stand crazy. I'd love to see the business plan!

[Adil Berdai]

Not the best top headline to read when signing in, I thought Slough Town were in trouble then.

[Bifaxman]

Some valid comments to what is a massive issue to smaller clubs. The competition for bums on seats is massive. I guess my club (St Neots) would be happy at level 2. St Neots is a reasonable sized town with a catchment population of around 45,000. Realistically, a crowd of between 2-3000 should be possible, but numbers to sustain league football would be difficult to attract, with PBoro, Cambridge, Luton, Stevanage, MK Dons all within 25 mins drive. I didn't realise Darlington had a 25,000 seat stadium? Madness and I can see now why the wheels have come off!

[chris sliski]

We are base near london ! so what chance do we have realistically ? to gain football league status ?

 

IMO more important than ever to be a major part of local community and slowly but surly be successful as we can be and also

 

financially sound too... no big steps up , if it means busting ourselves and then a few years time find us back to a time, when the

 

Thornes withdrew the money and we found ourselves homeless !

[Bifaxman]

Erm, I see your point! The other issue for you is the spate of Step 4 and 3 clubs around you!

Loads within 15 miles! Biggleswade are the nearest step 4 club too us, Barton Rovers Bedford Town, Cambridge City, Hitchin and Arlsey Town all within 20 miles, but that's it!

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Doesn't really matter when most other local clubs struggle to get three figures

[Bifaxman]

True! What do you think your crowds would be if you had your own ground in Slough?

[Mark44]

I only supported slough for 1 year before they were kicked out but from memory it was about 150-200 more.

 

However didn't we get over 1000 in co ference

[Ian]

We used to get 200 more than now when we first moved to Windsor. Moving back to Slough would see an improvement but it's a gradual process. Looking at current Conference South I can't see why we shouldn't be in the top 5 or 6 attendances there.

[RalphC]

Have Darlington folded - or are they still going?

[Ian]

Given a two week reprieve. Let's hope they make it in some form.

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

I used to regularly go to conference games as a little un and I'm sure we averaged over 1000 and 7000 at wycscum

[Cookham Rebel]

I remember there being 7000 at Wycombe once with a further 1000 out on the bank who couldn't get in!

 

The return game at Wexham Park crammed in about 5500, and the place was rocking when Ian Hazel scored with a 35 yard volley to equalise after I think Tim Langford or Dave Leworthy had put the Scum 1-0 up!

[GarySTFC]

Average attendances from 1990-1 season to date in the below picture.

 

 

The average attendance for all games in 94-95 will also include the "home" game with Birmingham despite this being played at St. Andrews.