12/7/09

Lewes FC Management Committee - News Bulletin No 1

Re-structuring how the Club is run

This Bulletin has been prepared by a Management Committee of volunteers that has recently been set up to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Club.  The Committee is made up of:-

David Arnold, Carole Bailey, James Boyes, John Brownbridge, Kevin Fingerneissl and Darren Ford.  The Committee are working closely with Manager Steve Ibbitson and will involve the Members’ Club and other groups and people as required.   

Martin Elliott will remain as a Director but, once the Management Committee is fully operational, will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the Club.

Full details of the Club structure under the Management Committee are being confirmed and finalised early next week and will be put on the Club Website. Descriptions of each person’s role and responsibilities will be drawn up and agreed by the Committee.

There will then be a full review of the current operations of the Club to ensure that we operate as efficiently and as profitably as possible. That must then continue to make sure that we’re able to meet our commitments going forward.

Communications

This is the first of a series of regular Bulletins we intend to publish about developments at the Club.  We have concentrated on the major issues of finance and first team affairs but future bulletins will also cover other topics like our very successful Under 18 and Ladies sides, as well as the excellent work on the Community Scheme headed up by Darren Ford. 

There will be a great deal of change ahead for Lewes FC.  We are asking everybody who has the Club at heart to pitch in and help us to turn things around.  It’s also essential that everybody involved in running the Club is prepared to work hard, be innovative and accept change to ensure that the Club survives in the shape that we all want it to be in.

This will take time and the start of the process is communication, an area the Club needs to improve on.  To keep fans informed and involved in what’s going on at the Club we will:

• Publish on the Club Website regular Bulletins like this reporting on developments and progress.
• Hold regular sessions at the Club at which fans will receive a report about Club matters and can ask questions and raise issues and suggestions.  The First Team Manager will normally attend with selected members of the Management Committee depending on the topics expected to be discussed.

Financial Position

The Club is in a difficult financial position.  Below is a summary showing the approximate debts as given to us by the Club:

• There are Director’s loans currently totalling £220,000 in the company that are interest free and not repayable anytime in the foreseeable future.
• A sum of £100,000 is owed to HMRC.  This is partly tax and employer NI contributions but is also VAT on building works.  This is being dealt with through a proposal put to HMRC that it is paid over a 12 month period.  The HMRC have recently come back to the Club asking for more information before making a decision on the proposal.
• A sum of £50,000 is owed to various trade creditors.  This will be dealt with by writing to them to agree a schedule of payments over a period and the Club would like to thank creditors for their continued patience and co-operation during this difficult time.

A number of individuals and sponsors have committed to put a substantial amount of money into the Club throughout the year. It will not clear the debts but will assist towards that goal, whilst enabling the Club to continue to operate and generate further income which is vital to clear the position. 

Over the last few years these same sponsors have supported the Club extremely well in terms of donations and sponsorships and this has to be expanded upon with a greater number of businesses and individuals helping.

A positive decision by the HMRC is key. It is very important for the Club that such as agreement is reached and we must be able to meet the regular payments that have to be made.

We also need to maximise the Club’s operations throughout the new season.  We are asking supporters, potential sponsors and everybody with an interest in Lewes Football Club to please get involved and help us to put, and keep, the Club on a more stable footing.

But first the Club must help itself by completing a review of its operations as noted above.

Why not just go into Administration?

There’s been a lot of discussion about whether going into administration is the best course of action and whether the Club would be in a much stronger position going forward if it had already done this.  The Club’s stance on this has been that administration should be a last resort, for the following main reasons:

• If you owe people money you should do everything you can to repay it in full, even if it takes time.  Many of our creditors are  supporters and friends and have certainly been patient with the Club for which we are very grateful. 
• If at all possible, the Club would prefer its status to be decided on the field.  The rules about going into administration are complex and likely to mean that clubs in that position will be relegated unless they can clear their debts in full by the season end, even if they don’t finish in a relegation place.

We understand why clubs going into administration can be relegated and ultimately we may end up in that position.  The effects of recent rule changes and decisions about clubs entering administration will continue to be monitored, particularly considering the recent experiences of Northwich Victoria and Farsley Celtic.

However, we hope that HMRC give us a chance to try to repay our debts in full and to control our own destiny on the field.

Matters on the pitch

With the financial position as it is, this is going to be a year of transition and the budget for the football side is much smaller than it has been in recent years.  Essentially it’s a balancing act aimed at managing the debt, whilst also recognising that we need to have a team which people want to come and watch or else gate revenue will drop to an unsustainable level.

We’ll operate with a relatively small squad of about 16/17, supplemented by Under 18s who did so well for us last year.  Training started at the end of June with over 40 potential squad members and trialists.  The numbers are gradually being whittled down to a position where the squad is starting to be close to finalisation. 

The coaching team are pleased with the work put in by the players and the quality of the squad that is gradually being finalised, and everyone is looking forward to the start of the season. 

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we’re looking forward to seeing how we cope with Blue Square South.  The coaches and players are striving to make the squad as fit and organised as we can be.  We also intend to try to play good entertaining football.

We hope to be able to give some further details of the squad, including some names in our next bulletin over the next week or so as our first friendly against Eastbourne Borough approaches.
 
As you can see, there’s much to be done and a lot of battles to be fought, both on and off the pitch. Not only can we not do it without your help, but it’s also not worth doing if you aren’t with us. 

Please support your local Club and get down to the Dripping Pan.

Up the Rooks!

Lewes FC
Management Committee