Dear Supporters,
We are still waiting for an updated statement on the current season 2019/20 from the National League, but we don’t know the timing of that. In the press this evening there are comments that the season is over and the National League are waiting to hear from the FA regarding bringing our season to an immediate close. We have not had this confirmed by the National League, so we are issuing this football club statement in the meantime.
At this unprecedented and very difficult time, our thoughts are with our supporters, volunteers, sponsors, players and staff, the local and wider community and in all cases their families. We urge everyone to take care and respect all the advice from the Government and NHS. We do fully understand that this is a very uncertain time for everyone, with jobs being both lost and suspended.
Yesterday in the interests of everyone’s health and safety and to observe the Government guidance, we closed the Bucks Head stadium, Goalzone and the Club Office until further notice. The club phone lines are diverted to a club mobile phone and calls are being answered.
The first team squad self isolated immediately after our last game on the 14th March and therefore have not been able to train as a group since then, but the players have been issued with personal training schedules.
All Youth and Ladies training and games were immediately cancelled in the same way and AFC Telford United Foundation activities have been suspended until further notice.
The impact on everyone and businesses in the meantime is huge and we wish everyone well in these very difficult circumstances. Our responsibility at this time is to ensure that we deal with the impact on AFC Telford United and to ensure the longevity of your football club.
All of our income streams have fallen from their normal level to virtually zero overnight and we await a National League decision as to whether our remaining 2019/20 games will be played, but clearly this isn’t going to happen in the short term. Our various income streams have all been hugely impacted, the club will lose the gate receipts from the remaining four home matches, the secondary match day income, the club shop has closed, commercial income is impacted, non football events have been cancelled and Goalzone has been closed.
As other National League clubs have stated, at the end of last week we submitted our response on our lost income streams. Our loss of income will be well into six figures and we await news from the National League on what financial compensation we will receive from the various football sources that they are exploring.
All the very material off the field cost savings we have made in recent years, help us to an extent, but not to the level of getting through this complete collapse in our income streams.
With the future being very uncertain, the football club does need financial help in the coming days, weeks and months. As you are all aware to run a sustainable football club at National League North level is very challenging. We do our very best to do this every season and that has remained the case this season, but we do live from day to day.
We never want to come cap in hand to our fans, but at this time and with the future still not decided on the remainder of the season, we would like to ask you to keep supporting your football club. This can done be in a number of ways :
Please still purchase your early bird season ticket for next season 2020/21, brilliant value for money with our Early Bird offer. To purchase your 2020/21 Early Bird over the phone, please contact 01952 640 064 or 01952 567 546 and this will divert to a club mobile phone and you can make payment over the phone.
The Early Bird Season Ticket offer will remain open until Tuesday 31st March, please click here for full details /https://www.telfordunited.com/news/early-bird-season-tickets-for-season-2020-21/
Purchase a game ticket online through the Ticket CO app for a game on the 6th June https://afctelfordunited.ticketco.events/uk/en
Although there won’t be a game on that date, as by then our pitch renovation will be underway, this match has been set on the system to provide a way of donating one or more match admission fees to the football club.
Sponsor your club and take advantage of our various sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
For new sponsorship or sponsorship renewals please contact Aimee on [email protected] or call her on 07818 638850.
Purchase Items from the Club Shop Via Ebay.
Club Shop volunteers have been busy adding items for purchase, please use this link. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=afc-telford-united&isRefine=true&_pgn=1
Purchase a share or shares in your Football Club,
There are still shares available to buy to be able to own a part of your football club. This can be done by emailing [email protected]
Donations.
We would not normally ask for donations at this very difficult time for everybody. Nevertheless a number of supporters have very kindly asked how they can do this and of course any donation small or big to the Club, this is always very welcome and can be done by clicking on our Go Fund Me Page https://www.gofundme.com/f/afc-telford-united-covid19-survival-fund
Your continued support is vital to your football club and we will work very hard to make sure the longevity of the football club is maintained. This is a very difficult time for everyone and certainly for AFC Telford United, we will be back though and ready to go as soon as football recommences.
Chairman Andy Pryce said : ‘With these uncertain times ahead our first and foremost concern is everyone’s health across the UK and world and that we continue to follow government guidelines to help bring this pandemic to an end as soon as possible. It is my job with the help of our brilliant board and staff at your football club to look at issues closer to home and that includes the longevity of AFC Telford United. If there is any way you are still able to help the football club as mentioned, this would help greatly in these unprecedented times.’
In the interests of health and safety we have cancelled the planned fans forum scheduled for 31st March, but we will replace this with a twitter feed Q&A or a similar format with Andy Pryce and Gavin Cowan and continue to update supporters and particularly as we receive further guidance from the National League and Football Association.
In the meantime all take care of yourself and we look forward to seeing everyone back at the Bucks Head.
All further updates and information will be communicated via www.telfordunited.com or social media @telfordutd
