Community Football Clubs

I know this is not Gills related but as passionate members and tradition of the lower league community, I thought some of you might be interested in the plight of Darlington Football Club...

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9688115.Fresh_start_for_the_Quakers_as_fans_buy_out_club/



Quote:

Mr Pinnegar last night paid tribute to the fans, DFC 1883 board members, players, administrator and manager Craig Liddle for keeping the club alive after it was placed in administration in January.

He added: “This is a big day for Darlington.

“We have created a club that will be run for the benefit and entertainment of the community.

“Any money that is made will be reinvested in the community.”

Mr Madden said he was “delighted and elated” that a deal had been signed for fans to take over the club.

End Quote.



Is this similar to what Ebbsfleet did?

Views/thoughts on whether this is the way forward for lower league teams?

 

and let's hope it remains that way (middle 90s was a dark period )

 

You only need to look at what happened to the likes of Halifax, Chester and Scarborough etc...teams that were prominent in the Old Divison 3 and Conference who have had to start again from scratch after going bust - Scarborough I think in fact have folded altogether.

You dread to think what could have happened to us if we hadn't had the "glory" Championship years and cup runs etc, it's becoming a worrying trend nowadays for the little clubs to have financial troubles.

Just look at Rangers

 

My thoughts are in the ideal world that no one person or wealthy group of people should own a football club. Football belongs with the community and maybe there is many a questions that local authorities and the footballing powers that be should ask themselves. I do not mean there should be no joint venture with supermarkets or other businesses but the club should remain solely owned (lock stock and barrel) by the community in some way. Any ventures should only be able to gain planning permission by fully supporting that community. I accept some problems are inherited within football tradition so as much has I like too, we cannot blame SKY or the current footballing powers for everything but when structuring for the future maybe a sole individual ownership of clubs has to be brought in to question and partnerships should be those that are a genuine part of that same community. Now this could cause initial difficulties for football clubs in a transition period but if governing authorities lead the way, especially in cases of granting planning permissions, then you will soon find those big businesses that want part of that same community will soon follow the line. Basically what anyone takes from the club, should be put back in once due remunerations have been paid. This could lead to a split in the current football structure but I have no interest in the cream and anything that protects the future of the Halifax's, Darlington's, AFC Wimbledon's, of this world, along with Gillingham FC, then so be it.

 

brb I think you summed it up in your first line about community being an idea in an ideal world... sadly this isn't an ideal world and given the current system it would never work for a myriad of reasons.

The biggest flaw being the distinct lack of connection between football clubs and their respective communities, look at the distances people travel to watch clubs in the Uk, I know, as do you no doubt, hundreds of fans who travel from Kent up to London to watch teams as opposed to their locals clubs. Football supporters loyalities are not geographical but historic (family ties) and other dubious reasons (glory hunters), so would they care about their local team?

The only way I could see this working would be to go to a franchise system and have the smaller teams amateur and have a draft system into the larger franchises (i.e. as the NFL, NBA works in the States). I am aware that this is an aborhent idea to many fans but the college teams in the states get gates that would make most championship teams green with envy, plus the beauty of the college system in that you get the whole student body and family pulling together in one direction supporting the team.