Bluebirds’ Trust Meeting – 9 June 2018
[N.B: These notes record the salient points of a wide-ranging and informal discussion. Whilst prepared in good faith and published in line with a commitment to transparency, they have not been reviewed in draft other than by the Chairman, as agreed at the meeting]
Attendees
Steve Herbert (Bluebirds’ Trust Chairman) (SH)
Andy McKinnon (National Supporters Club Chairman) (AM)
Chris Altree (CA)
Jamie Moore (JM)
Matt Messenger (MM)
Ryan Potter (RP)
Allan Boyle (AB)
Ste Storey (SS)
Levi Gill (LG)
John Little (JL)
Ryan Sutherland
Andrew Casson (CEO, Barrow AFC) (AC)
Craig Rutherford (Barrow AFC Community Sports) (CR)
Peter Greenwood (Secretary) (PWG)
Introduction
1. SH reported that apologies had been received from Ian Carruthers, Mark McCarthy, Frazer Stewart and Richard Ingham. Whilst this was not a formal meeting of the Trust Board, a quorum was present in any event. He welcomed AC and CR, representing the Club and AM from the NSC.
Discussion
2. SH welcomed the Club’s initiative in putting out the recent statement on the Club’s future direction. This had prompted questions from Trust members and other supporters which SH had tried to collate and synthesise to give some structure to the discussion.
3. AC suggested he might kickoff that discussion with a few words. Basically the context was that, for anyone who paid attention to football, the current model was not working. Over the past 4 years the Casson Family had invested around £4million in the Club, that was to say about £20,000 per week. Over the past 3 seasons the average wage bill had been £17k-20k per week.
Anecdotal evidence was that a competitive wage bill in Conference National was in the region of £12k-13k per week. Income from a typical match day at Holker Street last season was in the region of £10k. On that basis, and given two home games per month, a sustainable wage bill would be £5k per week. This would correspond to a mid-table Conference North club.
4. AC explained that, against that background, the Club’s owners needed help to raise the profile of the club, reduce costs and increase revenue. He emphasised that “failure “of a football club did not mean relegation. Failure meant going out of existence. Budgeting should be done on the basis of “the bare minimum”, with unpredictable and uncertain extra revenue, such as from cup runs or higher than forecast attendances, being reinvested in ways that made sense.
5. CA asked whether this implied that the Club had to break even and that this meant Conference North. AC acknowledged that this might be an implication, given the attendances and lack of success last season. However, for the coming season the Club was aiming at a wage bill in the region of £10k per week. This would be competitive in Conference National as well as being affordable in the Casson context. On the other hand, increased money generated by, say, an FA Cup run would be reinvested after discussion by the owners, Club Board, management and supporters. AC reiterated his previous remarks to the effect that relegation would not be “the end of the world”, although it was not the plan. If the club were relegated , then we would reboot, regroup and carry on.
6. SH said that this approach would be” a harder sell” vis-a-vis the supporters, given where the owners had come in originally. Nonetheless, and recognising that the money in question was the owners’, he agreed with the element of realism represented by this shift in direction. In the circumstances it was also important to understand what the supporters realistically could contribute though.
7. AC advised that in Conference National Barrow AFC was up against the likes of Leyton Orient, Wrexham and other clubs with much higher attendances. To face up to such clubs, Barrow AFC needed everyone pulling together, be it supporters, the police, the Council, ASDA, local businesses, whoever.
8. SH raised questions that had been received relating to planning at the Club and engagement with other football clubs with recognised good community connections. CR reported that he had met other clubs in the context of the National League Trust. This was an opportunity to look at what other clubs were doing. For his part , he had a 3-year plan with the Performance Centre. It was also important to understand the local community’s needs and how the club might contribute in a collective response to these. To that end, he had met the Council, police and others. The feedback had been that child mental health was a major issue. Within the broader scope of behavioural problems, this included alcohol-related issues, sometimes involving children as young as ten years’ old.
9. CR tabled a note setting out the aims, activities and projects of “Barrow AFC Community Sports” as well as coaching and volunteering opportunities. A copy of this note is attached to these meeting notes.
10. CR said that the Study Centre was an asset of which he was hoping to make better use. His work was not just about getting children to attend Barrow AFC matches. It was about engaging them more widely in sport. He was looking to see the Club established as a community hub. One example of this positioning would be a move towards increased role of the Club’s players in participating in the Community Sports activities.
11. CR emphasised, with AC’s endorsement, that the Community side was “ring-fenced” from Barrow AFC Ltd ( the football club itself ) as a community interest company.
12. SH noted that the Trust had put in around £2.5k towards such community activities in the past year. He enquirer as to what else might help. CR replied that examples would include research into what other clubs were doing and support through fundraising ideas and events . Any money raised could go towards community projects. SH asked the Trust representatives, AM and other supporters present whether they would be content to put money into such types of activities – to which those present agreed.
13. SH said that supporters always preferred raising money for something specific and “tangible’’. They were less keen if moneys raised were perceived as going into general revenue. Nor would there be enthusiasm for the Trust adopting a BDF-type position of being looked upon as a cash box for the Club in time of crisis. AM noted this approach was aligned with the NSC’s philosophy which had seen the NSC contribute to “capital projects’ such as kit for junior teams, website and the like.
14. AC understood that no one would want to handover money in a context where they believed it “ended up in Paul Casson’s pocket’. However, he would like to see the Trust moving closer towards the BDF model by chipping in to specific projects. AC would present the ideas and the Trust could then decide which, and how, it would support these.
15. SS asked, in the interests of a frank dialogue, what was the benefit of the club being owned by the Casson Family, rather than the community, in light of the long term direction now being pursued. AC said that, in a worst case scenario, such as the club descending four divisions or whatever, then there might be a conversation to be had. However, that was not for present contemplation. Rather, in light of the move towards a sustainable community-related Club, he recognised that there would be a degree of scepticism if he personally led on community engagement whereas, if the Supporters’ Trust took the lead there might be a more positive reaction.
16. CA noted that this suggested that this suggested the Trust working with the Club on, for example , the provision of an electronic scoreboard as the type of project which the fans would support and which could generate revenue from advertising. SS observed that another example, seen at other clubs, would be a collective contribution by supporters towards the wages of a particular player. SH commented that it should be possible to better promote the Club lottery as a means of raising money for a specific purpose or purposes. PWG explained that, as a community benefit company, the Trust’s activities must comply with its purpose and objects as set out in its
Rules which required a “community benefit” nature. However, from the briefing given by AC and CR the Trust’s legal objectives should align with the community activities of the Club.
17. AC emphasised that the main objective of the next two years was to stay in Conference National . Thereafter, with a strengthened organisation structure and more sustainable model in place, other opportunities, such as the training pitch and grant support , would be coming forward.
18. SH commented that the Club’s community activities needed to be more visible. He knew from his own experience how extensive such activities already were and that this was not widely understood or recognised locally. SH and CR again noted the importance of individual player participation in promoting effective and visible community engagement.
19. In response to a question about a 4G pitch, AC explained that the proposed training pitch was owned by ASDA. This project was being actively pursued. It was clear that a successful outcome would need an alignment between the Club, ASDA and Furness Rovers. Funding for this project, which would create a valuable asset for use by the community, would rely heavily on grant funding.
20. CA asked about the possibility of an artificial surface at Holker Street. AC replied that turning Holker Street into a non-grass pitch was not under consideration. amongst other factors, this would mean giving up on the ambition of Football League status. He also felt that, viewed in the round, the overall economic benefits of non-grass pitches had not necessarily been fully worked through.
21. A question was tabled about sourcing support from local businesses. AC estimated there were possibly 40-50 local businesses who might be able to offer £500-1,000 to the Club each season in sponsorship or support in some form or other. Others might be more willing to channel their support through the Supporters’ Trust. CR commented that, whilst this was a matter for them, it was noteworthy that BAe didn’t support the Club, whereas they did contribute around £10k to AFC Fylde’s Community Trust. Such an amount would make a huge difference to the Club’s community work. LG suggested that it might be possible to source some help from BAe’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) side. AC said that there should be opportunities for better engagement with BAe, given the scale of its position as a major local employer.
22. SH relayed a question about the likelihood of substantial ground redevelopment. AC replied that this depended on the Club’s financial position. the immediate priority was to recruit a playing staff which was competitive at Conference National level but without assuming extra, unpredictable revenues such as from a cup run or wherever. If extra cash was generated, there was a possibility of using this as a platform for seeking grant funding. AC added that investment in the ground would also need to be focussed towards elements such as a bar, roof or better toilets which would improve attendances and match day revenues.
23. On the issue of ticketing promotions, including free tickets as a reward to community volunteers, AC was supportive of the broader principle of encouraging the widest audience to home games. After all, the Club had an “unused asset” in the form of 3,500 empty places on match days. That said, discounted or free tickets could be unfair to paying supporters and initiatives in this area needed to be carefully balanced.
24. CR and AC advised that, in the interests of a more planned and structured approach to community engagement, they would be moving forwards with the development of a “Club Calendar” setting out projected initiatives and activities for the year ahead. CR, Ac and SH ( on behalf of the Trust) could work together on this.
25. In response to a question tabled regarding the Stevenage crowdfunding model, AC asked the meeting whether such a model would work at Barrow. That was to say, supporters or others investing in the provision of an asset, such as a new stand, in return for interest or another form of return such as club credits. SH and CA thought that this might work for something such as a roof on the Holker Street end but there was probably some way to go, in terms of an improved relationship with the Club, before sufficient confidence existed for such an undertaking. SS endorsed that reaction and commented that it would be better to start with a small initiative, such as improved toilets. If local companies or contractors were used on such projects, the Club might have scope to offer something back over time, such as corporate hospitality.
26. A number of questions were raised regarding the “match day experience” including the longstanding issues of beer and catering. JL asked whether the space under the Main Stand could be used in that context. AC said that this area clearly merited better use. However, it first needed a major clear out, for which volunteer help would be required. PWG noted that this area had frequently been tidied only for the club’s contractors to use it as a dump waste rather than dispose of it otherwise.
27. CA asked why we couldn’t have differing catering suppliers. Moreover, and more generally, Holker Street was a terrible place to watch football. The older fans might have become used to this, but the younger generation expected better facilities and match day experience. AC said that the Club were envisaging some tangible improvements in this regard for the coming season but he preferred not to give details at this stage in order to avoid creating expectations which for whatever reason were ultimately not met.
28. SH concluded the discussion by thanking AC and CR for their attendance and noting the need for further interaction with the Club on specific actions and initiatives in the context of the Club’s revised strategic direction and the discussion which had taken place over the preceding 90 minutes.
The meeting, which took place at The Soccer Bar, ended at 2.30 pm.
Barrow AFC Community Sports
Our aims are:
‘To be the club at the heart of the community’
• Raise Aspirations.
• Improve life chances of young people and adults.
• Promote Health and well being.
• Develop links to the Barrow and district Junior football League, Literacy, numeracy and sport in schools/colleges.
• Create a club that the town and surrounding areas can be proud of.
Activities we deliver are as follows:
Schools Sport – Curriculum PE sessions and Afterschool clubs. Sessions are aimed at improving confidence and self esteem, improving skills and technique and improving schools PE delivery.
Schools Education – We are looking to link the club with Literacy and Numeracy in local schools. We have a Sports Journalism project ready to go. We are also keen o link to Numeracy and meetings with Local Head teachers have been really positive.
Evenings and Weekends – Football sessions which cater for ages 3-10, encouraging families and young people to be active, all sessions are made fun and imaginative. We are developing a player pathway form 3 years old leading to the Performance Centre. More will be discussed about the Centre
Holiday Programmes- fun football and multi sport sessions taking place at half term, open to ages 5-11 and children of all abilities.
Projects:
Cancer Care: We are working with a Cancer Care group at Trinity Church in Barrow to help get them Active after treatment. This also builds their confidence to go out and join other groups.
Active Living: A project aimed at older adults, again this encourages them to come and be active but it is also based on building social networks. We use the youth gym for work outs and reaction games and the sports hall for tennis, Badminton and Table Tennis, all at the Park Leisure Centre. We are aiming to add coffee mornings and social events to make this a long lasting sustainable project.
Walking Football: A project to get older adults active and social. We work Closely with Age UK to provide weekly sessions/matches. We are now looking into friendly matches against other projects around Cumbria.
Disability Sports: Weekly sessions to encourage children and young people with disabilities to be active, gain confidence, self esteem and social skills.
Street Games: A project to get young people and their families active and provide regular activities over a 16 week period. We encourage grass roots coaches to come down and interact with the young to provide exit routes into sport. We work closely with Barrow Police and local youth clubs.
Anti Social Behaviour Initiative: have teamed up with Dropzone and Ormsgill Youth clubs to do some detached work to see what the young people of the town would like to do on an evening. Sport was a very popular answer. We are now looking at another project, working closely with Dropzone and Ormsgill Youth clubs, Barrow Police, Cumbria County Council and various other agencies to help provide activities for young people in the town Centre. There has been an increase in incidents if anti social behaviour around the town centre so we want to find a way to take activities to the young people.
Barrow AFC Community Sports will purchase and inflatable football arena, a generator, bibs and footballs and other sporting equipment, while providing two coaches to run the activities, Drop Zone and Ormsgill Youth clubs will work closely with the young people to support them with information on life skills, effects of alcohol and drugs and career prospects. It is planned to have other agencies/business involved to provide information and aspiration to walk the right path and use their time in a positive way.
Events:
Kick Off 4…. – A yearly event supporting a different local and national charity each year run by a local dad named Dan Webber. We provide all the equipment for the tournament, assist in publicising and provide activities on the day for children and Barrow AFC merchandise to be used in raffles or as prizes to raise as much awareness and money as possible. So far we have Kicked off 4 Cancer and Dementia.
Barrow Street Football Festival – This year sees the first of a yearly event in the Town Centre
Barrow AFC Community Coaches are volunteering their time to provide two activities as part of a huge World Cup Themed event in the Town Centre.
The first avtivity being an exciting ‘Panna’ Cage, this is a one v one arena with the main goal being that you ‘panna’ (put the ball through your opponents legs), points are scored for each ‘panna’. Matches will last for no more than two minutes with some winner stays on time slots. We are hoping to have some special guests for the people of Barrow to test their skills against.
The second activity will be an inflatable Target Shot, this includes various scoring zones of different sizes to kick the ball through. A tough test of accuracy and control. Prizes will be available for the highest scores and again we hope to have some special guests to set some scores to beat.
The whole event is being used to encourage more people into the Town Centre to support local Businesses, We have also invited local football clubs to come and encourage any potential new players to get involved in football.
Be well Fest
Barrow AFC Community Sports are hosting a FREE Community event on the 30th June which if successful will become a yearly event. We are working closely with The Rotary of Barrow and Cumbria County Council. The aim of the event is to bring the local community together and encourage an healthy lifestyle .
Activities will include:
• Taster sessions including Yoga, Pilates and Mindfulness
• A Well Being Market Place, packed with free gifts, information and giveaways
• Free and confidential MOT health check/advice and top tips for better health
• Free fun activities for children
• Smoothie Bike
• Pitch side picnic with friends and neighbours
Volunteer and Coaching Opportunities
We have developed a new Volunteer/Coaches Pathway for young people to get involved with what we do, these include:
• Work Placement opportunities
• Volunteer Opportunities
• A coaching Path way with a support Structure
• Apprenticeship Scheme
We are always striving to support any project which will inspire, help or make a difference to our local community.
For more Information Please do not hesitate to contact Craig Rutherford our Community Sports Manager.
c.rutherford@barrowafc.com