Below you can find the notes from the football clubs Open Forum that took place on Thursday 30th January at the Clubhouse.
We would like to firstly apologise for the delay in getting these minutes out to the wider public. However due to the nature of the discussion that took place regarding the cutting of the playing budget, we felt that it would be wiser to let the football club put a formal statement out first – addressing the budget cut and the reasons behind it, to best explain it to supporters.
Please note that some questions may have been missed from the notes due to time constraints.
Attendees from the board and management team – Kevin Miles (KM), Martin Trinder (MT) Peter Saleem (PS), Shad Saleem (SS) Craig Richardson (CR) Stephen Southern (SS) Paul Norvell (PN) Dan Rolls (DR) Michael Connor (MC) Nathan Haslam (NH)
Other attendees who spoke – Scott Gibson (SG) Clarke Carlisle (CC) Dr Mark Middling (MM)
Minutes taken by Craig Whiteman.
Forum opens at 7:35pm – KM gave an opening statement, stating how far the club has come in 12 weeks, emphasising that the focus will always be on having a Blyth Spartans. Running the club with honesty, transparency and realism. This would also be the first quarterly open forum.
Restructuring the club – Set up a number of departments, led by a department manager drawn from the volunteers, with Mick/Nathan at the top. Department of matchday operations headed by Colin Blackett. Media team headed by Paul Scott, club shop, hospitality team, planning on business development department, sports development, supporter engagement department, medical department. Appointment of club coordinator, Tom Wade.
Financial position – it has become evident that it is unsustainable to run the club on the same budget it was previously. Developed a vision for the club.
- Mission statement “to be an outstanding, inclusive community club, playing football at the highest sustainable level” club is not in a position to bankroll it as it goes on, as it has been. Club has, in 3 months, received funding of £90,000 from the board. Wages are at 115% of the income of the club.
- Club plans to reduce costs, increase income and stabilise in order to survive. Cutting wage bill in half, to less than £12k a month.
- Treating it as a ‘reset’ still optimistic of the future of the club. Club would’ve accrued a £200,000 debt by the seasons end at current rate.
- Not defaulting on the debts to the community. Not going to refuse to pay players. Not going to go into administration.
- Taken additional measures to solidify the work already done. In doing so, appointed a chief financial officer DR Mark Middling, Chief Professor of accountancy at Northumbria university, specialised in how clubs present their finances to the fanbase.
Boosting income – Looking at why people attend the football club – because of winning streaks, out of loyalty, or because of the craic with family and friends.
- Not blind to the situation of the club, 8 home games left, 8 cup finals – Already enacting a number of measures – away strip embossing initiative.
- Applying for grant support for improved ground facilities (medics room/dressing room) and the floodlight fund is nearing its goal.
- Linda Bush, head of women’s football, incorporating into the club fold next season.
- Exploring new partnerships, need to make additional facilities & revenue stream available. Starting conversations with Catapult to become a ‘green’ football club. Also establishing a charity as the community arm of the football club – appointed Clark Carlisle as chair.
The below questions were answered by either KM or MT unless stated otherwise.
Q) Why wasn’t sustainability the focus on day One?
A) thought they had a decent chance of staying up, and 1400 home game in the first game gave false hope that sustainability was possible.
Q) What are the running costs of the club?
A) Wage budget is the biggest outgoing of the club, believed to be 50-55k a month, including historical debt. Decreased debt to creditors, no new debts created, club revenue £240,000 PA, running costs £500,000 PA.
Q) When will the club be hosting the next AGM?
A) Unsure yet due to discovery of historic debt, doesn’t serve a purpose with a quarterly meeting with greater transparency
Q) Are we continuing to charge £15 per game?
A) Yes. It was explained that it’s difficult to change ticket prices mid season, and wouldn’t make a great deal of sense given the current financial climate at the club. DR added It would also be unfair to season ticket holders.
Q) Why do we allow Sunday league teams for little to no financial gain?
A) highlighted the need to continue community links. Wants to be the focal point of the community. Have discussed getting a 5g pitch to establish a new revenue stream.
Q) Can the community club issue shares to increase revenue?
A) Non starter, the FSA will take the de facto role/replacement of shareholders. Next seasons budget ‘slightly less’ than the outgoings, would love to create a surplus. Will have to work to grow.
Q) How much is current sponsorship earning?
A) At takeover, all cash reserves were gone. Shad & Peter raised £10,000 from increased purchase advertising.
Q) Do you have anyone in the club to actively seek sponsors?
A) business outreach manager handles this
Q) Status on relationship with Tyne Met College?
SS) The Deal with Tyne Met is better than we originally anticipated, expected to still be developing the relationship rather than moving on from it.
SG then delivered an update on 1899 club.
300 members/numbers at present. 170 individual members are currently signed up. Incredibly tough at the moment. Appealing for extra donations from members.
Q) How much work, financially, has been done for next season
A) Just beginning to work now. Admitted fault/shortcomings from the last 12 weeks. Will be budgeting for worst case scenario to ensure sustainability, will use historic data to predict expected budget by attendance.
A drinks break then followed, allowing Manager Michael Connor and Head Coach Nathan Haslam join the forum and take the stage.
Q) What’s the craic with Hodgson?
A) Confidence & wages being a huge factor. Having to sacrifice players for this season, coming back next season.
Q) How many players have been brought in with an eye for next season?
MC) Cyril, Briggs, Shay, Ridley, Almond
Q) Poor recruitment over the last 6 months, including some from current management team – what’s going to change?
NH talked about his track record, bringing players to the Premier League and Championship. Talks about contacts and how the club won’t struggle to attract players, given previous success at Whitby on smaller budgets. In a very good position to recruit in the summer.
Q) Where are the goals coming from? Gardiner and Hooper injured, Curry gone, Hodgy gone?
NH Taking key moments. Preparation is key, on an upward trajectory but need to keep creating chances.
Q) Why so many loans?
A) dearth of talent, aim to assemble a team of signed players before game 1 of next season. Wanting to assemble a team of battlers.
Q) How is the team going to set the culture of professionalism and conduct? IE social club being left a mess after a game
MC instilled at pre season, setting the culture between the players which will hopefully improve as permanent signings are made. The preceding culture was absolutely rotted by the incoming managers standards.
Q) Can the Tyne net players be more involved, contractually next season?
NH: ideally you want to promote from within, see who has fallen through the net. Been in touch with Fents and Nashy, NH highlights Zach Simpson, (who broke his collarbone on Saturdays game).
Q) Mathematically, we’re fucked. How are we staying up?
A) Until we’re mathematically relegated, why give up hope? Stats might be on our side but stranger things have happened.
Clarke Carlisle (CC) then took to the stage to talk about about the forthcoming Spartans Foundation and it’s plans.
He plans to help build ‘Spartans in the community’ – the community facing aspect. Goal is to funnel attention to the club as an unintentional benefit of the club – “Any football club should be the focal point of the community”. Talks about his mental health journey, and the support for the youth moving through to adulthood, and the disconnect of senior age. Aims to bring all local charity work under the banner of Blyth Spartans, generating foot traffic, building the profile of the club. Social impact as well as attendance increases a clubs profile.
Forum closes at 9.48pm.