NOTICEBOARD
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Starting a Football Team (First published March 2007 and now updated)
So you and your colleagues think you’re ready to
tackle being part of a League. Good … but be careful. It’s not as easy as it
sounds and you must be aware of all the pitfalls before you take the leap.
Having been asked to advise of what is expected of a secretary of a club I
thought it may be relevant to give an overview, in a lighthearted way, of
what I believe are key points when considering starting a Club from scratch. It
may also be of interest to our established members.
Organisation
An essential must before you do anything else.
You need at least two or three people to take responsibility. Being part of a
league carries a heavy burden for one newcomer. From these people, elect a
secretary, a treasurer (oh yes, it all costs money) and a manager. Of course
one person can have several roles, but it’s a lot for one newbie to take on
alone. Unless you’re a strong individual, your club won’t last long.
Registration
Now you need to register yourselves with your
local football association. They are the governing body for all football within
your area. You cannot even play a friendly against another team unless you’re
registered. Remember, football isn’t all sweetness and light and sometimes
unsavory incidents happen. Your local football is there to deal with such
matters, among other things. If you are not registered and something goes
wrong, you could find you and you’re players on a civil charge with a chance of
a heavy fine or punishment (that’s not to say you get away scot-free if you’re
registered, more on that later). Usually county football associations (and
local leagues) will only deal with the club secretary; this is standard
practice. When you register, you will need to name your team. Be prepared for a
disappointment. Your name may already be in use and your application will then
need modifying before you are accepted.
Where
do I Register?
You need to contact the headquarters of your
local football association. This is dictated by which county you are based in
and the relevant details are:
The
Norfolk County Football Association, 11 Meridian Way, Thorpe St Andrew,
Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0TA, Tel: 01603 665688.
The
Suffolk County Football Association, The Buntings,
Cedar Park, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5GZ, Tel: 01449 673481.
The BADSFL consider applications from teams
based within a 20 mile radius of Thetford Town irrespective of which county in
which you are based.
You
Need the Cash
OK now let’s talk money. This is where some of
you can be put off. I won’t mince my words – it’s bloody expensive to get a
team off the ground. Firstly, registering with your local county FA
will set you back £180 - £200 (includes affiliation, cup entry, public
liability and personal accident insurance). And that’s just for starters, but
at least you’ve got a name and a structure.
Now you need to apply to a League. You will find
a list of the leagues in your area in your county FA handbook. The BADSFL tries
to minimize costs as far as practicable which has resulted in it having the
lowest affiliation cost for member clubs in this area and they will remain
fixed for season 2009-2010. You will be lucky to see any change from £100. The
affiliation fee is renewable yearly. Before any league worth its salt will
accept you they will probably interview you to see how organised you are.
So far you’ve paid out of the best part of £300
and you’re still no nearer a football pitch. Are you
still with me? Good, now let’s get to the nitty gritty.
Pitch
Fees
This will be the highest annual expense you will
find each season. The cost, well, it largely depends on what you want from a
pitch. Most teams play on local park pitches and these are available by
contacting the local sports organisation. Then will tend to be the cheapest,
but beware – conditions can range from pretty poor to goddam awful. Often these
pitches are very uneven and poorly maintained (not always) and conditions vary. You should get basic changing
facilities and showers (if they work) but
find out what else is included. It should include posts and crossbars, nets and
corner flags.
*Update* Pitch fees
have risen dramatically in the last
two years as local authorities squeeze every last drop out of football teams.
Where else
can I find a Pitch
Some schools have better facilities and these
pitches don’t always come under the local authority. You have to contact the
school yourself. Again find out what’s included and what isn’t. Private sports
facilities are usually the best around and therefore the most expensive.
Facilities again will vary, but the general rule is the better the ground, the
more you’ll pay.
*Update* If you have to buy pitch ‘furniture’
you’ll have to find money for nets
(starting around £65 per pair), corner
flags (£35), pegs (not a lot)
and net ties (£15). If you’re
responsible for posts and crossbars, be ready for a shock – these
start at about £550!
What
do I Look Like?
Right, you’ve registered with the county, joined
a League and found a pitch. The bank manager’s on your case and you’re standing
out there starkers! Oh dear, we need a kit! This is proving to be expensive
agreed? As you must be aware, kits are available from many sources. Prices
generally start from around £350 for a full kit, but without naming names, it’s
true to say the more you pay, the better you get and this is worth remembering
if you want a kit to last for more than one season. Don’t get sucked into the
‘replica kit’ market. Just because you look like Man United it won’t make you
play like them. And more fool you if you’re prepared to see little change out
of £750 for the privilege of advertising AIG. As a rule of thumb most teams
supply the kit, players supply their shin pads and boots (usually caked in last season’s mud).
OK,
the cupboards bare but surely there’s nothing else to pay out, is There?
Sorry, think again! You need something to kick,
other than the cat. Decent footballs
will cost around £25-£40 each and
you will need several. Any decent league will insist on first aid kits and you’ll need to keep these in shape. A corn
plaster and eye-drops won’t do.
Then there’s the man in black with the annoying
whistle (no, he doesn’t borrow yours). Referees
fees are set annually by the county FA including travel expenses. With most
Leagues and Counties the home club pays the referee, so you’ll need to find
this sum roughly every other week. The kit will need washing and unless you own a greengrocers, you’ll need those pieces
of half-time orange (some players need considerably more than
this!).
*Tip* Don’t let each
player take home their kit to wash. Inevitably one or two will let you down one
week and you’ll be short of kit. Also let’s just say some people have different
‘standards’. Surely you don’t want some of your team looking like they’re just
about to start their second match when they walk out on the pitch. Better find
a reliable kit-washer and pay them for the privilege.
Behave
yourselves
Oh yes, those men with the whistle are there for
a reason. One sure way to lose what little money you have remaining is to
question their authority or take up arms against the opposition. Bookings (cautions) and dismissals all cost money. Your local
FA will be only too pleased to metaphorically tip you upside down and empty
your pockets to the last loose change you had, should you cross swords with the
ref. And a well-earned break from the field of play will follow for the next
few weeks.
Know
your League’s Rules
Leagues have officers, such as league secretary,
chairman/vice chairman, treasurer, fixture and registration secretary,
discipline officer, etc. None that I know use the services of a clairvoyant and
you will need to stay in touch with the League, otherwise they will extend your
overdraft even further.
The biggest complaint from Leagues is that clubs
can’t be bothered or they fail to listen. This leads to a communications problem. As a club secretary you will have
responsibilities and duties to perform. Attending meetings,
confirming fixtures, phoning results etc. Remember the League has no duty
to the club beyond their remit, which is the organisation of the League, not
your club. Some clubs who are excellent on the field
of play are let down by poor secretaries. This is the person who represents
your team with the County FA and League and they could cause your downfall, should the League
or County FA find this individual impossible to work with.
I’ve
never been so skint; surely, that’s it?
Er, well, not necessarily! How serious are your
team about the football thing? If you want to keep fit, time to dip in again.
Running around a field becomes monotonous, not to mention cold and damp and
dark during the winter. Training
facilities, ranging from school gyms to spots centre Astroturf are there if
your pockets are deep enough. Fees again will vary considerably.
Injuries are another problem and personal insurance is essential for
some help to cover loss of wages, should a serious injury occur. Clubs can
arrange group cover or the individual players can take up their own policies.
County FA’s and local authorities now insist upon teams having ‘Public Liability Insurance’. This is
not the same as personal injury cover for players. As most teams play on public
areas, injury can occur to spectators or passers-by and this is the purpose of
Public Liability cover. Usually it is far cheaper than a player’s personal
insurance cover, but not a substitute for it.
Other
than bank robbing, where do I get all this money?
Sponsorship
is one
good way. If you are a group of friends, you will use a local pub. Do they have a football team? If not, ask the landlord
if he/she would like to back one. Point out the advantages. A
team carrying his/hers pub’s name and guaranteed income from you and your
players, who will surely frequent the premises, for team meetings, after match
analysis etc. With any luck he will buy the kit and maybe put in a bit
more. That’s one major expense out of the way. Running raffles and the like
helps meet expenses. Plus most teams charge a signing-on fee of anything from £10 to £20 a head and weekly matchday subscriptions
of £3 to £5. Do your sums and things don’t suddenly look so gloomy. But
remember, organisation is the key.
Don’t
Give Up!
Very often players who believe they possess the
skills of Ronaldo find in the real world they are more like ‘Bambi’ on ice!
Moral can drop when faced with organized teams and a good hiding. Don’t give up
– things do improve. As your team become more organised and disciplined you tend
to overcome these obstacles. And don’t set yourself unrealistic targets. It’s quite usual for new teams to struggle
for form, even if they have had some experience.
Why do
people do this?
Don’t
ask me, I’m as mad as the rest!
Well
this all sounds horrendous to me, where do I sign up?
Presuming the men in the white coats haven’t
dragged you away screaming and you live in our part of Norfolk/Suffolk, you can
make an application for membership of the Badsfl. You can apply for a
membership application before the end of May each season. But be warned – All
new clubs are screened and your application’s success isn’t guaranteed.
*Tip* Always apply early. This way you stand a better chance
of being accepted. A decent league won’t ask for money when you apply, only
when you’re in.
John Finch
Life Member
BADSFL
Updated 04-05-09