The Chairman’s Update – August

Published on August 20, 2011 by redditchutd   ·   No Comments

It has been a very difficult and demanding four months since Sallie and I took over the Club.  Immediate problems were no accounts for 23 months, a torrent of creditors whose invoices were hidden in drawers, no meaningful accounting of cash received, very poor and neglected facilities, no staff resource and a Club that had a terrible reputation in the town.  We finished the season relegated and had no income other than the historic £25k which comes through the turnstiles during the course of the season.

I said at the time we had a tough job ahead and that has certainly proved the case.  However, massive efforts have been put in and have resulted in the following achievements:

• Accounting systems are in place and we have full control and accountability for all the cash we take through the business.
• In addition to the initial outlay to pay off creditors when we took over the business a further £100,000.00 has been invested into the emerging creditors after the acquisition and to bring all creditors up to date.
• A further £60,000.00 has been invested into ensuring the stadium is of a sufficient standard for our football, function and corporate customers.
• We have sold 42 advertising boards and have a further number of corporate partners who advertise in the programme.
• The function room is of a standard required to cater for 150 people for weddings, birthday parties, etc. to a style and comfort necessary.
• The playing facilities are the best they have been for years with great improvement in the playing surface.
• The Club has formed and announced several strategic alliances with community partners, such as the YMCA and New College.  We will continue to add partners as we achieve our stated aim of being a community club and one which can sustain itself financially.
• We have increased our kids and youth teams to 16 boys and 9 girls teams.  The Club is particularly excited by the announcement of our Under 21’s team which will be a feeder team for the first team and help ensure more players from Redditch play for Redditch United.
• We have invested in on-going infrastructure.  Graham Hyde is so important to us, not only for the first team but for the community we serve.  Jeff Watson and Adiy Price make sure the operations work well and serve customers as they should.
• The Club has invested in reopening the kitchen and ensuring the bar has been totally refurbished and restocked.
• We have full disabled facilities with a new stair access to the function room and disabled toilet upstairs.
• We have set up ‘football in the community’ schemes run by Graham Hyde.  These include summer camps, P.E. teaching in schools, extra curriculum activity and a New College Academy.
• We have held two very successful community days involving up to 500 youngsters and their parents.
• We have no debt.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but in achieving it it has meant that the Club has been able to invest on the pitch and to that end the management have worked extremely hard and attracted and assembled a squad which will be competitive.  I am so pleased that the players who were so loyal to the Club last year are part of it, players such as Woody, Jake, Aaron, Brad, Tommy, Alex and Joe Harris epitomise the spirit of the squad we are trying to create and they are our future.  I am sure the new players will live up to this spirit.

In finishing my review of the last four months I would like to thank the fantastic band of volunteers who give up their time selflessly, people from Alf and his colleagues on the gate to Tim Delaney, are the back bone of the Club.  The list of volunteers is a very large one, too long to list here but you will be able to see group photos of our brilliant volunteers in the club house reception soon.  There is always room for more volunteers!

Turning to the future it is so important we keep up the efforts that are going to be necessary to become a successful Club, which is sustainable, community based and capable of promotion.

If I was to calculate all of the recent investment in the Club and working capital needed to get it through this season, on current attendances, ticket prices should be £92.00 each game for each ticket!!! This is obviously not possible and the Club needs to meet its income requirements from a balance of ways and all supporters can play their part as follows.

• Abolish apathy and talking about the Club’s past, poor reputations and mistakes.  When it was on song Redditch United has had 750 regular supporters in the past at each game and we need that number again to get behind the team.  I would urge our loyal supporters at today’s game to encourage previous supporters back as well as their friends, family and colleagues.  I would also ask supporters to help the Club with its marketing efforts and this could be through volunteering to distribute fixture lists, to posters to the Redditch public, bars, fish and chips shops etc.  To put it into perspective, 750 supporters through the gate will enable the Club to double its playing budget and this in turn would enable it to drive for a couple of promotions.
• It would be great for all supporters to encourage their friends, relatives or strangers to use the Redditch United function room for parties, meetings, presentation evenings etc.  One more large party per week would increase the playing budget by a further 25%.
• We have a very active kids and youth system for both boys and girls which has over 400 players and their parents.  I would urge all players and parents to use the services of Graham Hyde and the coaching staff for school holiday camps as well as helping Graham with introductions to schools that our players attend so Graham can perform the full range of coaching services in as many schools as possible.

This is an unusually long but necessary review of what is happening at OUR Club at the moment.  I am working on a number of exciting strategic opportunities for the future.

However, it is up to the people of Redditch on how they want Redditch United to develop.  We have to live in the future.  Increased attendances, use of the function room, increased volunteer work and the use of Graham Hyde’s football in the community all equal sustainability and promotion.  The status quo doesn’t.

 

Please take up the challenge ……………………  I have!!

 

Come on you Reds.

 

Chris Swan, Chairman.