It seems that some members/players are under the false impression that the club.........

runs itself....and pays it's way...... by plucking fresh £50 notes from the money tree that is growing outside of the club house. With this in mind and following observations from some quarters I thought it would be sensible to highlight a few facts.

Did you know that as of 12 January 2008 we have raised £1,601.50 in match fees and £2,090 in membership from Players? These are the only costs that players are charged and to put this into proper context i'd like to highlight the direct costs that we have incurred, during the same period - on the playing side alone:

£1990 - coaches wages

£673 - shirt laundry

£517 - referees

£225 - medical supplies, tape etc

£300 - pitch marking

£135 - physio

£725 - coach hire

Total £4,565

Of course these costs will go up between now and the end of our financial year 31 March 2008, but it is clear that players membership and match fees (£3,691) do not even cover our basic playing costs. In addition, in the same period some other unavoidable items of expenditure incurred were:

Utilities (heating, water, lighting etc) £2,708

Rates  £762

Cleaning £270

Insurance (buildings) £306

Refuse £252

Licences (Bar/TV etc) £320 

Food £524

This totals £5,142 and as you would imagine we have a raft of other costs as well.

I hope that with this information we can put to bed any thoughts there might be about the club asking players to pay too much.

Please remember that £40 annual membership works out at just 77 pence per week and without the generous support of donors and sponsors the club would need to raise membership fees substantially. Match fees at just £3 are about the lowest around and have not been increased these in the 13 years I have been Treasurer. Membership at just £40 a year is also about as low as it gets!!!!!

As always, full accounts will be distributed at the AGM later this year, but as with previous years we are not trying to make big profits, we are simply trying to ensure that we operate on at least a break even basis.