Chesham United Football Club

We had a board meeting on 8th May. This is a summary of what happened at the meeting, with up-dates of things that have happened since:

• I reported to the board verbally following a meeting that I had had that morning with Luther Blissett. There were some general things discussed but the main points were
• Luther has been appointed manager for a further season. We have yet to sign the deal but the terms have been agreed.
• I have agreed a footballing budget with Luther. It is less than last season and still depends on our ability to raise the necessary sponsorship / advertising revenues.
• We have made a generous contract offer to Nathan Bowden-Haase and await his response.
• The footballing goals for 2006/7 are promotion as champions and a meaningful cup run.

We have sub-committees and written reports from each of these were considered. In essence:
Football

David Stanley leads this. He summarised the season’s footballing outcome. The Senior and Youth Teams’ management are meeting with him in the week commencing 15th May to discuss policy, training, players etc. This will be closely followed by a meeting with Youth sections, including mini-soccer. Concerns relate to the state of the pitch, use of the pitch, close season work on the pitch, the state of the dressing rooms and uniformity of kit.
Progress is being made on the possible change of kit. Samples to follow.

Finance

I lead this sub-committee. I reported that:

• The accountant has produced draft accounts as at 9 months (end March 2006) and a forecast for the next financial year. This was discussed in depth. Much depends on raising sponsorship / advertising revenue.
• We have received about £3,500 from new supporter shareholders. This is very welcome. The new shareholders (of non-voting A shares) will receive their certificates shortly.
• I have asked Rob Goldhawk, James Allen, Lisa Welling and Phil Morgan to investigate, report back and start work on a Business Development Plan / Grant Availability.

Marketing, Sponsorship and Public Relations

This is led by Alan Calder and Martin Gould. They reported that:

• The Marketing Packs are now available. Inserts can be run off as required.
• Luther Blissett has introduced a contact, Maggi Howlett, who will assist in raising sponsorship / advertising revenue for a commission. We will still work on this income stream ourselves alongside Maggi.
• Perimeter boards are being marketed with two price points – prime and non-prime. Advertising / sponsorship is being marketed. Martin Gould is the contact point for arranging make up of boards and artwork (and invoicing!).
• Work is about to commence in arranging a Sportsman’s Dinner.
• Alan and Maggi are looking into the hosting of an evening for some potentially major sponsors.
• Matchday, pitch and ground maintenance / development

No report but Rob Goldhawk submitted an initial report in connection with the Business Development Plan / Grant Availability. He is looking to provide a five year plan with overall goals established for the senior men’s, senior ladies’, youth sections and mini-soccer and a path to establish greater links with the community. The final report will outline the current position of the club and its facilities and its five year goals with the plan on how to attain them and at what (approximate) cost. As any plan will be linked into the financial constraints that the club operates under at any given time we must be seen to take a realistic approach to planning.

Targets for the club:

• To gain charter standard community club status
• To implement club development plan as standard procedure for all at the club
• To integrate all three sections of the club
• To become a focal point of the community
• To endeavour to get all teams playing in the same strips
• To promote the positive aspects of the club to draw more people to the games and use of the social facilities
• To forge better links with other local clubs including official links with professional clubs MK Dons and Wycombe Wanderers
• A club for all – Chesham club coaches, coaching in schools and creating better club school links, in deprived areas and encouraging players to join Chesham junior teams, coaching players with disabilities and looking to host or integrate a team of players with disabilities. Coaching in local areas or within ethnic minorities encouraging them to play in Chesham’s junior teams
• PASE scheme – link with local college or university  - 18-23 year olds have opportunity to do coaching qualifications, NVQs, BTEC ands also receive 12.5 hours coaching delivered by club (minimum level 2).

Ultimately, we are aiming for the Conference South within 5 years. Our facilities (all-encompassing term that includes the pitch, viewing and associated facilities, dressing-rooms, boardroom, car ark and clubhouse ) will need to comply with Step 2 requirements. The areas under consideration include:

1) Ground

• security of tenure
• capacity
• boundary of ground
• clubhouse
• car parking
• pitch perimeter barrier
• pitch standards
• playing area
• technical area
• secure walkway for players and match officials
• floodlighting
• public address system
• entrances
• exits
• emergency lighting
• emergency access

2) Spectator Facilities

• spectator accommodation
• press seating
• terracing
• toilets
• refreshment facilities
• directors/committee/guest facilities
• disabled facilities

3) Dressing Room Facilities

• players
• match officials

4) Medical Facilities

• players/spectators
• health and safety requirements

Other areas under consideration include, but are not limited to:

• alternative use of the surrounding area, such as provision of an indoor training facility
• signage on approach to the ground
• artificial playing surface options

The final report will follow this structure but it is being used as an opportunity to put forward fresh ideas for discussion, not just to satisfy FA regulations. It is apparent that the greater the involvement the club has within the community the greater the chances of grant approval for certain projects. Hence the importance of providing a club for the community as a whole. We will investigate all possible avenues including The Football Foundation (via their Capital Projects Scheme and Football Stadia Improvement Fund), Sports Match, New Opportunities Fund via Lottery funding and any other local funding avenues.

• The next meeting is on Tuesday 6th June.

As we have some new supporter shareholders, I’d like to recap on the shareholding structure, which consists of “A” and “B” shares. “A” shares carry no voting rights but otherwise they are no different to “B” shares in that they entitle the holder to attend shareholder meetings and to participate in dividends (an unlikely eventuality!). What this means is that the “B” shareholders control the company.

The “B” share structure remains unchanged:

Name	No Shares	% of Shares in Class
Supporters Trust	40,002	40.002%
Charles Manchester	29,999	29.999%
Mike Dickson	29,999	29.999%
	100,000	100.000%

You will see that any two of the “B” shareholders can control the company. Mike Dickson and I have worked together for many years and know each other very well. It is therefore unlikely (but not impossible) that we would not vote together.

The “A” share structure is now:

Name	No Shares	% of Shares in Class
P Morgan	55,701	48.362%
T O’Driscoll	27,625	23.985%
D Pembroke	18,108	15.722%
L Vockins	4,095	3.555%
C Scott	1,985	1.723%
C Morris	1,227	1.065%
S Wildman	1,227	1.065%
D Mayger	1,000	0.868%
J Chambers	883	0.767%
S Turner	600	0.521%
R Jefferies	589	0.511%
F Wilson	400	0.347%
N Bunce	250	0.217%
T Dyer	200	0.174%
J Hawley	200	0.174%
R Manning	200	0.174%
R Campion	184	0.160%
A Adams	100	0.087%
M Hewett	100	0.087%
S McGowan	100	0.087%
K Pittman	100	0.087%
C Plank	100	0.087%
D Plummer	100	0.087%
M Smith	100	0.087%
	115,174	100.000%

My thanks to these new shareholders. We will stop accepting applications for shares after the end of June 2006 so as to draw a line under the administration but we may well revisit at a later date. CUFC is by no means out of the woods so we will always entertain applications for significant ownership!

As I was unable to attend the recent AGM, I will be organising a meeting for shareholders and other supporters shortly, when I will report further on the financial side of things. Meanwhile, feel free to contact me - write to the club or e-mail me at charles@cheshamunited.co.uk

 

Charles Manchester (Chairman)