The North West Counties Football League is waiving annual fees for member clubs when football returns to help them survive the coronavirus crisis and football’s lockdown.
The NWCFL have agreed a financial aid package worth an estimated £35,000 to the competition’s 60 member clubs who will pay nothing to compete in the league, Macron Cup or PlayerMatch.com Cup.
Officials – who’ve already cancelled their AGM and annual awards night in Blackpool in June – are also paying all expenses owed to clubs for match officials this week after ratifying last weekend’s recommendations from their finance committee.
Other measures to help clubs save money like online handbooks are also being considered for whenever the new season starts but the news is not so good for the league’s bad boys with fines only deferred!
What are you missing most about football? pic.twitter.com/ruEyxtmglL
— The NWCFL (@nwcfl) April 7, 2020
The emergency meeting was held by video conferencing as numerous NWFCL clubs continue to show their support for medics and key workers fighting the public health crisis with charity initiatives and ticket offers, Runcorn Town and Wythenshawe Town the latest in recent days to offer free season tickets to NHS workers.
The NWCFL statement read: “With the North West Counties Football League joining the country in lockdown in the fight against the coronavirus, the league has turned its attention to finances in order to help our member clubs.
“As well as being football clubs, all 60 of our clubs are businesses who are suffering financially from being closed at present. With games postponed there is no matchday money coming in through gate receipts, programmes sales, tea bar or bar sales. Club with clubhouses find themselves unable to put on functions which would otherwise boost their income, with any staff likely having to be furloughed.
“Funds may be available to some clubs to help them through this time, with the goverment, HMRC, Sport England and others all offering help if clubs meet specific criteria. However, we are conscious as a league that we too must also do our best to help our own clubs.
“Earlier this week the finance committee held a meeting via our conference call facility to come up a package that can help our clubs. These recommendations have been subsequently been approved and ratified by the board via email communications.
Runcorn Town Football Club to offer a FREE 2020/21 Season Ticket to all NHS staff who want one. #ThankYouNHS#StayHomeSaveLives
https://t.co/kZlvuL4Crh— Runcorn Town FC (@RuncornTown) April 4, 2020
“The total amount of the package that was agreed totals over £35,000, and this is made up of some of the following items. The league will be waiving the annual subscription for the 2020/21 season. This will ensure that NONE of our 60 clubs have to pay ANY annual fees for both the league, Macron Cup or PlayerMatch.com Cup.
“Our annual general meeting and awards dinner that we hold every year at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool is to be cancelled this year. Clubs pay for this in their League Services payments throughout the year, and this will be reimbursed to all clubs. Details of a revised date and venue for our AGM will be given to clubs in due course as per Article 9.1 once the situation becomes clearer.
“Clubs that are owed money for match officials travelling expenses will be paid with immediate effect. Our league operates an equalisation scheme where every club pays the same amount for match offcials regardless of location, with some clubs refunded and some billed at the end of each season.
“The league are also looking to further reduce costs for the 2020/21 season through a variety of measures that can in turn be passed onto the clubs. This could include online handbooks, the reduction of matchday paperwork and match report books, or a reduction in pass cards and the observer’s levy.
“Unfortunately, any outstanding amounts that clubs owe to the league via fines or referee equalisation cannot be written off as it would be in breach of Article 4. However, any clubs that do owe money can request a deferment via the league secretary on the amount owed.”
The seasons of all leagues at Steps 3 to 7 were terminated by the Football Association nearly two weeks ago. The decision has sparked huge controversy after the campaign was declared null and void with no promotion or relegation below Step 2.
As reported in The Non-League Paper on Sunday, more than 180 clubs had signed a petition by the weekend calling on the governing body to reconsider how season 2019/20 is concluded ahead of a meeting of the FA Council yesterday (Tuesday).
The National League, originally suspended until 3 April, have opted to extend the 2019/20 season “indefinitely”.
As it stands, the Premier League, EFL, National League, National League North and South and Women’s Super League still aim to complete the 2019/20 season.
Make sure you get your copy of The Non-League Paper from this weekend for great features and all the latest news in one place on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on society and football.
In shops on Sundays and Mondays, The NLP is always available as a pound-busting digital edition and full replica of the printed paper from midnight on Saturdays. Save cash on single issues, even more on longer deals and the pages still rustle too!
Images courtesy of The Non-League Paper & @nwcfl/Twitter
