frimpongs_buzzin
Well-Known Member
Just been reading about Gateshead FC, who are in dire straights. the owners have made all staff redundant, they've been kicked out of their council owned stadium and the future is looking bleak. Their fans have launched a fund raising page to try and raise enough to set up a new club with a target of £50,000. In another non-league case, North Ferriby FC went under midway through the 18/19 season due to unpaid debt totaling just £8,000 that they fell short of raising.
Should the premier league and/or its clubs be helping out these smaller clubs? I'm not talking about supporting the owners with lump cash, or giving money to fans who want to form a new club just because they don't like their owners, I mean helping the fan groups that have no choice but set up a club from scratch due to their club going under, being moved etc. This could be done not only by offering them financial relief, but by giving advice on running a football club, loan of staff / equipment, guidance etc.
There should be (there might be?) a pot of money set aside by the FA which can be accessed by groups wanting to set up a new club after a full investigation of why they want it, their plan for the future, how they plan to become sustainable etc. its a shame to see clubs go under. Football clubs are people's lives, not just the staff that work for them but for fans that support them.
As a caveat to the above, you'd then get opposition from teams in their respective league that they've had a helping hand. I have never come across a football fan that has nothing but praise for the plight of Wimbledon, but I think if they'd had funding from the FA it might be a different story.
what are people's thoughts? is there something in place for non-league times similar to the parachute payments relegated teams receive?
P.S - here's the link for the Gateshead donation page in case anyone feels generous. I'll be giving them a bit when I get paid - https://www.gofundme.com/save-football-in-gateshead
Should the premier league and/or its clubs be helping out these smaller clubs? I'm not talking about supporting the owners with lump cash, or giving money to fans who want to form a new club just because they don't like their owners, I mean helping the fan groups that have no choice but set up a club from scratch due to their club going under, being moved etc. This could be done not only by offering them financial relief, but by giving advice on running a football club, loan of staff / equipment, guidance etc.
There should be (there might be?) a pot of money set aside by the FA which can be accessed by groups wanting to set up a new club after a full investigation of why they want it, their plan for the future, how they plan to become sustainable etc. its a shame to see clubs go under. Football clubs are people's lives, not just the staff that work for them but for fans that support them.
As a caveat to the above, you'd then get opposition from teams in their respective league that they've had a helping hand. I have never come across a football fan that has nothing but praise for the plight of Wimbledon, but I think if they'd had funding from the FA it might be a different story.
what are people's thoughts? is there something in place for non-league times similar to the parachute payments relegated teams receive?
P.S - here's the link for the Gateshead donation page in case anyone feels generous. I'll be giving them a bit when I get paid - https://www.gofundme.com/save-football-in-gateshead