Colin James Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hereford United reverting to part-time football is a possibility for next season, the club admits. Details from tonights AGM taken from the HUFC website: Brief details on the club's financial position as being presented and discussed at this evening's AGM. The Hereford United FC AGM is taking place as this article is published. Here we briefly cover some details of the financial situation as raised by the Chairman is his report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Continued The financial year 2012-13 proved to be a difficult one following the club's relegation from the Football League in May 2012. Excluding the income generated by the Supporter's club, football related turnover fell from £1,783,157 up to May 2012, to £1,242,020 to May 2013. A reduction of 30.3%. League funding reduced from £717,83 to £280,738, including the parachute payment. Gate receipts fell from £480,000 in League 2 to £332,00 in United's first season in the Football Conference. During that period a further cost post-relegation was that 24 players were paid as per their FL contracts for the months of June and July 2012. The total cost for the nine week period was £145,000. A large expense as 14 of those players were released while ten were retained for the following season. Donations fell from £200,000 to £105,000, while the good FA Cup run that season brought in a very welcome £119,000 from prize money and TV rights. To compensate for the above football related outgoings were cut from £2,032,246 to £1,467,418, a reduction of 27.8% Overheads remained static at around £370,000. There was a like for like reduction but the club incurred additional costs on professional fees, revised ground leases and pitch improvements. As a result the club reduced costs by almost 30% but in effect this matched the income lost following relegation from the FL, therefore a similar loss was recorded in 2013-13 as that of 2011-12. On the current situation the Chairman reports that the value of the company as of May 2013 is a similar one to that of May 2006, - the last time the club was in the Conference - Shareholders deficit funds totalling approximately £750k. This financial year is heading for a similar loss, the club does hold potentially valuable ground leases though, that could eventually rectify the situation. Further reductions will be necessary in the next year. Income this year, excluding the Supporters Club, will have fallen once again to approximately £800,000 from £1,242.000 in the year 2012-13. This is due mainly to the end of the parachute payments, a fall in attendances and no money spinning FA Cup run. Further cuts in expenditure, staff hours and posts, will save approx. £100k this financial year, but won't avoid a further loss of around £400,000 this May 2014. The club's attempts to fund the ongoing loss through schemes such as the new share issue and debenture scheme has not been as successful as had been hoped. The share issue did achieve partial success in that 200 new shareholders invested £60,000, sadly the debenture scheme proved less attractive. As a result the club has a severe cash flow crisis that has resulted in employees going without payment on occasions between November and the present day. At present he club is failing each month to meet HMRC debts incurred for PAYE, NIC and VAT. A number of clubs are owed monies for the use of loan players. The club has a transfer embargo placed upon us until the HMRC debts and football creditors are paid. Read more here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 They should just give up and stop flogging a dead horse. Christ, can no one in the city recognize when something isn't working. But hey, I'm sure they will just keep throwing money at it and then beg the fans for more money again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Part time football is never going to challenge for anything ... Nor will it attract any half decent players' ... The attendance is at a low ebb as well ... Just looking like a downward spiral to me ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 They should just give up and stop flogging a dead horse. Christ, can no one in the city recognize when something isn't working. But hey, I'm sure they will just keep throwing money at it and then beg the fans for more money again... Yes I tend to agree. I cannot remember the last time that they won a game even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 HUFC Manager is on BBC H+W shortly ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 It turned out to be David Keyte (Chairman) who was broadcast. He was very interesting to be fair. But sounded defeated. He said a lot about Simon Davey (£1.2M budget), Jamie Pitman, said the Police would have a 'field day' looking at the tweets on his ipad, and had a swipe at the Contributors to Bulls Banter (fan forum) who he suggested were not regular match goers. Also said budget for next season was potentially £250 K ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdj Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Does the Ground get used for anything else? - surely it makes sense to combine it with other sports - rugby and football co-exist at a lot of grounds, golf driving range, hockey, lots of possibilities, the occasional outdoor music concert - share the overheads - have any of these things been explored? A football club can be a positive asset for a place - gives something to unite around, even in the traditional English way of uniting in moaning about the local club/team/manager and occasionally when it does well, it gives a boost. It is just no longer possible for a small club to exist in a stadium with just one game a fortnight and little other revenue. And, here is an idea from left field (sorry) - the county has thousands of Polish, mostly young, people in it. That community is becoming more and more settled. Football is big in Poland. Get them involved - sign a couple of Polish players, arrange a friendly against a Polish team, do some promotional stuff (Bath Rugby had a match where they gave free entry to Polish workers) - the local demographic is changing so the club could adapt and take advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby47 Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 This suggestion by GDJ is a brilliant idea. It is! I ain't no fan of the free movement of people from the European Union but, seeing as we've now got it, and there's little likelihood that things will change any time soon, why not take advantage and use this social phenomenon to our advantage. The idea is brilliant and whatsmore, it'd bring about stronger and sustainable ties that would develop into a better social community cohesion. Bringing people together through sport is the one sure way we in Hereford can avoid the angst and discontent that has developed because of uncontrolled immigration. It ain't just the Polish folk either. We've got dozens of ethnic migrant groups who all love their football and it wouldn't be to hard to encourage them to buy a scarf and come to a game. My guess is that many of our migrant settlers don't feel particularly welcome and they'd jump at the chance to integrate and gain a sense of belonging. Brilliant thinking GDJ. Well done mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Club Statement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Shut it down, resurface. BANG one velodrome.What GDJ said, why isn't it used for other activities, it should be a multi purpose venue, you save on space, reduced development costs. I mean jesus, imagine if Hereford hosted football stadium sized music gigs! Or a driving range or ... hundreds of other things. A structure like that is gold on a stick. Use it or lose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Seems that Hereford Rugby Club are also having problems. Note that Herefordshire Council are involved in some scheme to buy the Wye Ground for a £1. Makes a change from them giving away land worth a fortune for nothing ie Bath Street and Blackfriars. Hereford Times: 4:25pm Wednesday 19th March 2014 in News Battle over new home for Hereford Rugby Club rolls on WITH DIGGERS ready to break ground on a new community rugby facility for Hereford, a group of local residents has lodged another appeal to the High Court, delaying construction. A hearing in May will review planning permission just five months after Hereford Rugby Club got the go-ahead from the High Court to relocate from its flood-prone Wyeside ground. And, with a successful season drawing to end, the Midlands One club face entering another off-season with their off-field plans once again in limbo. Club spokesman Robin Davies said: “We’re just waiting to see what happens again – there isn’t anything else we can do.†In 2012 Hampton Bishop Parish Council applied for a judicial review of the planning permission granted for a new club – and 190 homes. A High Court ruling last December rejected each point of contention but the parish council has been told that two of its objections may have grounds for appeal. And now a hearing in May has been scheduled to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to overrule the High Court decision. Taking a heavy financial toll on both sides, the lengthy process of appeals has been running since Herefordshire Council gave the city rugby club its backing in 2011. While there is some concern that another win for the club would only be met with a further appeal to the European Court of Justice , club spokesman Guy Griffiths insisted that as should this hearing be passed, work will begin on the site in Hampton Park immediately. Set to feature four rugby pitches, an all-weather pitch, a clubhouse, a stand and a car park, the new ground would be a significant upgrade on the club’s current facilities and give it a secure base for the future. It would also allow the club to hold the type of functions and pre-match dinners for sponsors that are necessary for clubs to finance themselves at National League level. The homes attached to the planning application, to be built by Bloor, would help fund the project. And the club’s ground on the banks of the River Wye would then be sold to Herefordshire Council for £1 – a point of contention for the parish council, who believe that part of the deal should have not been taken into consideration when approving planning permission. You can read the transcript of the High Court hearing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Shut it down, resurface. BANG one velodrome. What GDJ said, why isn't it used for other activities, it should be a multi purpose venue, you save on space, reduced development costs. I mean jesus, imagine if Hereford hosted football stadium sized music gigs! Or a driving range or ... hundreds of other things. A structure like that is gold on a stick. Use it or lose it. Shrewsbury Town held an Elton John gig at their ground 2 or 3 years ago and it was great ~ and I think a sell out. That was with no stadium parking available as well. But it is near the A5 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Worcester cricket ground also played host to Elton John. The last time a decent sized gig was put on in Hereford, was at The Leisure Centre, many moons ago..... I remember seeing The Levellers there...ah! happy times! Saw them again in 2012....still brilliant! There should be a very strong case for sharing the grounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Shut it down, resurface. BANG one velodrome. What GDJ said, why isn't it used for other activities, it should be a multi purpose venue, you save on space, reduced development costs. I mean jesus, imagine if Hereford hosted football stadium sized music gigs! Or a driving range or ... hundreds of other things. A structure like that is gold on a stick. Use it or lose it. Yes on all counts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Club Statement Pete Beadle is Hereford United's new caretaker manager. Steve Jenkins is his assistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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