Kevin from EBFC.
I've been in two minds about this. Part of me thinks it looks like an embarrassing scrounge, part of me thinks wow, this has come entirely from you people and it's just an amazing gesture. It's true that the TV money and prize (or losers!) money has been a life saver and will cover the losses we have accrued since lockdown, and frankly will see us through the season. We might not get another Cup run for years. When we had to stop playing in March, we had I think five home games scrubbed out, and we had to curtail our youth coaching which normally makes a useful surplus, and we had to close our bar/clubhouse and lose the takings. Meanwhile we still had ground maintenance and fuel bills, insurances etc, kit to replace for the new season, even two grand a month ground rent, which we pay to the local council. The club minibus failed its MOT (this all sounds like a joke but it's true) but Big John our volunteer driver fixed it and coaxed it through the re-test. Welcome to non-league! Supporters and sponsors have put their hands in their pockets. Some of our players were on contract, so initially furloughed in March to end of season, but we had to (or decided to) carry on paying non-contracts. Then from close season onwards, the lads, although training and playing friendlies etc, were not paid again until 3rd October, when official fixtures resumed. So the players have been big enough to take a hit too. The National Lottery grant - very welcome of course - didn't come in till late October.
All that being said, I honestly would be more than happy to think that some of you had donated to the foodbank rather than EBFC. I would totally respect that. I just didn't want you to think we are deliberately profiteering.
What I'm going to propose to our football committee - and I may get slaughtered for this cos I'm really only thinking aloud - is that they ring-fence the Pool donations, and put the money to some specific use or special need within the club community - not yet sure what, but obviously needs and not luxuries - and we even report back to you on how we've spent it. Is that making any sense?
Good wishes to you all. Here's to a decent game and just hoping we don't do a Tonbridge implosion....