Club’s plight is there in print (From Worcester News)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting WN NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Club’s plight is there in print
10:39am Thursday 19th April 2012 in Steve Carley
By Steve Carley, @stevecarleyWN
THE plight surrounding the future of Worcester City has been well documented.
Having no money to build a ground at Nunnery Way after they leave St George’s Lane in June 2013 and the impending capital gains tax bill that could trigger is nothing new.
Yet, last Saturday, the club took the unusual step of issuing every supporter at the Hinckley United match with a two-page document detailing the situation.
Why? Because they fear fans don’t fully realise what the Blue Square Bet North club must overcome if it is to have a future.
Last month, I wrote an article suggesting as much, and this only serves to underline the point.
In his programme notes, director Mike Davis said: “It troubles us as a group that many supporters haven’t grasped the complexity of the situation we find ourselves in.
“If we can’t get the message across clearly and drum up support from the hundreds of people who call themselves supporters, our club has no future.”
There you have it, in black and white.
The hand-out also called on fans to get involved with raising vital funds and outlined the efforts being made to safeguard the future, such as the youth structure in place to provide player progression into the first team.
Hopefully, the majority of the supporters at the game read the document but, if you haven’t, I suggest you get it out of your coat pocket or bin and do so. You might be surprised.
Comments(28)
Jeremy Pitt
says...
11:40am Thu 19 Apr 12
So where and when did it all go wrong?
And why did nobody say anything? I know a bunch of so-called troublemakers tried to put it about that the club was going to be left in the lurch, with no money, and no ground, but they were dismissed by the Worcester News and the football club as just that, troublemakers!
Come on people of Worcester, nows the time to finally see, there has NEVER been a hidden agenda from people looking to save this club. THe task is much harder now than it would have been 3 years ago, but hey, thats just the way it is! The club has a Board that needs everyones help. So do we want a Worcester City FC? or not??
CityBlueBoy
says...
12:30pm Thu 19 Apr 12
We need to get the old people who will help us survive back through the door, attract new people.
Theres many if's, but's and maybe's, one thing is for sure this club will be put on its knees within 2 years and people need to act now else WCFC and its traditions, history etc etc will die !!
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
12:48pm Thu 19 Apr 12
toofaraway
says...
1:32pm Thu 19 Apr 12
http://bit.ly/I4LnmV
toofaraway
says...
1:43pm Thu 19 Apr 12
http://www.wcfcst.co
.uk/
CityBlueBoy
says...
1:56pm Thu 19 Apr 12
Ex-Worcester boy wrote:I disagree with many people, i love a debate, that comes from knowing Jeremy Pitt :-)
cityblueboy, disagreed with you last week. How do I get hold of this document explaining position ????
Jeremy Pitt
says...
2:47pm Thu 19 Apr 12
Maybe the WN would be so kind to look back into how we got to where we are, maybe that would energise more supporters into action, you can't beat a bit of anger at being duped for so long!
mooster
says...
4:05pm Thu 19 Apr 12
I still think we can save WCFC but it will take the hard work and effort of everyone who holds the club dear to do it. Just everyone, please, read the document and think on.
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
11:57am Fri 20 Apr 12
I do realise that is a simple way to look at the problem and putting meat round the bones of that statement I see acheivable.
The one big doubt about raising the cash is past history of WCFC when it comes to financial capability has mentioned and well known locally.
Someone can prove to me that the aim meets the requirement I'm in
toofaraway
says...
12:12pm Fri 20 Apr 12
The aim is to produce a stadium, and my preference would be a community stadium that can do both the City Of Worcester and indeed WCFC proud. It needs to be viable, unlike the Darlington FC stadium which was never more than 20% full.
If everyone who has an affiliation with the club just offered a £20 a month donation to the Supporters Trust so that it is protected and can be returned should the club go out of existence, then in 2 years the Trust would be within a government grant of achieving this and more for the City.
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
12:44pm Fri 20 Apr 12
Andrew Guy
says...
12:47pm Fri 20 Apr 12
Purchase price of all 20 acres on Nunnery Way = £3.15m which would have left £2.46m to spend on a new stadium with no enabling development required and no Capital Gains Tax to pay. So, why were St Modwen cut into the deal at all? Go figure...
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
12:58pm Fri 20 Apr 12
ushmush
says...
2:15pm Fri 20 Apr 12
Doogie 46
says...
2:22pm Fri 20 Apr 12
The relatively simple process of selling SGL at its then value, paying off the debts and building a decent stadium (with some money left over) had been completely loused up by the then board (for whatever dubious reasons) getting involved with St Modwen and the commercial development of Nunnery Way and the years of delays that has caused.
As regards toofaraway`s proposal for supporters to donate £20 per month, I seem to remember Exeter City doing something similar and it worked quite well although their supporter numbers were a lot higher.
I would certainly sign up to a scheme like that. Hopefully some of the local businesses could be roped in for a lump sum donation or two.
It`s the first positive idea on the table I think.
CityBlueBoy
says...
6:00pm Fri 20 Apr 12
ushmush wrote:Where would we play ?, what money would we have?
I really don't want this nunnery way development. Poor planning all round by everyone - let the club go bust and start again!
Who said the club will look at Nunnery Way.
You will also see the land at Nunnery disappear, the 1.6 million disappear and we wouldnt have a pot to pee in.
The suggestion below is people need to put funds in, the supporters trust is the only way of protecting the investments you make !! By this I don't mean the management of the club walking off with it in their pockets but if the club went to the wall so would all monies.
jovialcommonsense
says...
10:02pm Fri 20 Apr 12
It isn't necessarily only supporters who would help, but a clear and well publicised campaign is needed.
CityBlueBoy
says...
10:18pm Fri 20 Apr 12
jovialcommonsense wrote:Spot On !! If the people of Worcester want a community football club to continue then every must back this, question is will there be enough people backing any campaign ??
I haven't been to see City play for many years, but I am a Worcester person who believes in Worcester having a diversity of interests and would willingly donate towards the cause.
It isn't necessarily only supporters who would help, but a clear and well publicised campaign is needed.
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
7:35am Sat 21 Apr 12
Now surely that is where the ST have to put effort into acheiving the goal.Already in this blog myself and several people have ageed to financially support the scheme.The ST now have to go to everybody in Worcester and every company. cityblueboy you appear negative, well thats no way to run a campaign. There are foot soldiers needed to get the message over and then there are doners
SouthCoastSupporter
says...
10:59am Sat 21 Apr 12
CityBlueBoy
says...
11:04am Sat 21 Apr 12
As you said before you would need convincing that any money put in wouldn't be swallowed up like in previous years with previous management.
The Trust is the way to go and all money is protected, if not already signed upto the Trust then sign up, it's £1 a year, you decide how many years you sign up for, you will then first hand hear the schemes and fundraising developments in which we are looking at to save the future of the club and to move it on.
The debate we had last week regarding the quality of football or the players, if we can help build a future for this club then further progression on the pitch will follow.
It's time to get the Worcester Community aware and involved !!
toofaraway
says...
11:23am Sat 21 Apr 12
http://www.wcfcst.co
.uk
The more people who join the Trust adds extra weight behind anything they do. If they go down the route of a community club then you can invest any amount you like into the Trust, it would be protected and returnable if the club did not exist and would allow each member to have one vote.
I believe this has to be the way to go and would bring 'trust' back to the club and the way it is managed and will bring stability to the finances and running of the club and hopefully allow for a bright future.
It is good to see that trust run clubs like FC Telford, FCUM, FC Halifax, Swansea etc have all begun to thrive since becoming community clubs and are now doing well in the leagues they play in. And ushmush, we do not need to go bust first to do this, we just need the support and members in the Supporters' Trust to make it happen. By going bust all we do is get relegated, make enemies of those who do not get paid and lose support.
This has to be the way forward for WCFC .... doesn't it??
toofaraway
says...
11:28am Sat 21 Apr 12
The Trust are working very closely with the club to turn things around and for the first time 3 trust members are on the main WCFC board. This club is at last working together for the good of WCFC and must be commended for it
CityBlueBoy
says...
11:35am Sat 21 Apr 12
toofaraway wrote:Well said, that's what I was trying to get across and not very successfully.
This is not to say the club is not being run correctly now.... The current board have turned the club around and ept us going as long as we have. If previous boards had still been running the club, well there wouldn't be a club to run.
The Trust are working very closely with the club to turn things around and for the first time 3 trust members are on the main WCFC board. This club is at last working together for the good of WCFC and must be commended for it
SouthCoastSupporter
says...
11:36am Sat 21 Apr 12
CityBlueBoy
says...
11:43am Sat 21 Apr 12
Ex-Worcester boy
says...
4:33pm Sat 21 Apr 12
CityBlueBoy says...
10:59am Thu 19 Apr 12
We got this handout done and handed out to the supporters as we need people to realise whats happening or in some case what isnt happening.
Theres no excuses now, Worcester News, Worcester Standard have both picked up on this, we posted this onto our facebook page with over 650 followers who hopefully took the time to read this, and of course this was posted onto our Supporters Trust Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Sure enough Trevor Owens will pick up this soon and Hereford and Worcester will raise more awareness.
Watch out for more progression at the last game of the season.