Northern Premier League clubs are paying tribute to fans for their fundraising efforts to help them get through the coronavirus crisis.
Grateful officials at Bamber Bridge, the latest NPL club to launch a JustGiving online fundraising page over the weekend, raised more than £3,000 within days after setting an initial target of £1,500.
Brig committee member Nick Boardman said: “We have been amazed by the response, we thought that £1,500 was a very ambitious target in the current circumstances, so to reach it in less than a day has astounding.
“The club will face some difficult times ahead financially with the loss of league games and the uncertainty around pre-season games which are usually key to raising much needed funds, so we are extremely grateful to everyone who has helped.”
Clubs amazed as fundraising efforts continuehttps://t.co/NxpF4tYwjr
— The Northern Premier League (@NorthernPremLge) April 16, 2020
VIP experiences, grandstand naming rights and director experience days are among a number of ticket offers for the 2020/21 season brought forward by Gainsborough Trinity. Their Crowdfunder campaign has raised nearly £4,000 towards a £10,000 target.
Trinity chairman Richard Kane said: “The current pandemic stretches way beyond the football industry. However, the club feels a very real sense of responsibility to do everything it can to support our stakeholders – many of them members of the Blue Army themselves.
“It is not enough for us to simply sit tight and hope that it all blows over. By moving forward a number of package opportunities for next season, we are able to ensure cashflow in the short term, as well as give a little back to the NHS heroes who are working to keep us all safe and healthy.”
Hyde United have been playing virtual matches since the real season was brought to an abrupt halt and their efforts have already raised more than £4,400.
A club spokesperson said: “Thank you again to everyone who has supported the virtual matchday initiative, complete with highlights to watch.
“We want to assure you we’re trying very hard to keep the club in business for when we return, the Government schemes are being explored and, though welcome, will take time to be processed.
“It has meant delaying certain bills and asking for time to pay, with mixed responses from certain service providers, but essentially the club outgoings still remain, such as utilities, premiums, communication costs, contract wages etc.”
Scarborough Athletic have raised £20,000 towards a £25,000 target to plug their shortfall with the cash coming from the Valley Bar Seadogs GoFundMe page, the supporters’ club, individual contributions and their own virtual matches.
Seadogs chairman Trevor Bull said: “Thank you to everyone that has contributed towards our survival in these difficult times when many in our community are faced with far greater challenges than those experienced by our football club.”
Elsewhere, the NPL website is reporting that Mickleover Sports are more than 10 percent towards their goal of raising £15,000 as they look to plug the gap left by missing eight home fixtures.
Witton Albion chairman John Salmon paid tribute to his club’s fans in The Non League Paper this week for helping the club to cope with their finances.
He said: “Despite fans having their own money worries at this time, they continue to donate between £25 and £1,000 every month. I cannot thank them enough.”
Make sure you get your copy of The Non-League Paper from this weekend for the latest news on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on football after Step 3 & 4 sponsors BetVictor announced they were terminating their title sponsorship and the National League told clubs they could vote on how to conclude their campaigns.
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
