BIG INTERVIEW: Lack of income is a concern but Diamonds won’t forget core values

Every non-League football club is pretty much in the same boat right now.
The AFC Rushden & Diamonds fans can play a part in helping to build boss Andy Peaks playing budget with the new Team Building Lottery. Pictures courtesy of HawkinsImagesThe AFC Rushden & Diamonds fans can play a part in helping to build boss Andy Peaks playing budget with the new Team Building Lottery. Pictures courtesy of HawkinsImages
The AFC Rushden & Diamonds fans can play a part in helping to build boss Andy Peaks playing budget with the new Team Building Lottery. Pictures courtesy of HawkinsImages

Make no mistake, everyone is fully focused on the bigger picture as the coronavirus outbreak takes its hold on the United Kingdom.

But football clubs, unquestionably, have a big fight on their hands.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds are one of them.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds chairman Ralph BurdittAFC Rushden & Diamonds chairman Ralph Burditt
AFC Rushden & Diamonds chairman Ralph Burditt
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A fan-owned club, they more than anyone, rely on income from the turnstiles to keep themselves going and, with fixtures across the board currently suspended, that obviously isn’t forthcoming.

And while discussions within the Football Association and, in Diamonds’ and Corby Town’s case, the Southern League will no doubt take place, clubs will be looking to the goodwill of their fanbase to help them get through this unprecedented period.

Following a recent members forum, Diamonds launched their Team Building Lottery with membership being £10 a month in which 50 per cent of all proceeds will be given back to members in cash prizes while profits from it will be made available to first-team boss Andy Peaks to build and supplement his squad outside the set annual playing budget.

Aside from that, scarves and shirts can be brought and donations can be made through the club’s online shop by anyone who can spare a bit of extra cash.

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Chairman Ralph Burditt said: “First and foremost, the issue we have is that we haven’t had a home fixture for six weeks and we had three home matches coming up, which would have been last Tuesday, this Saturday and the following Tuesday.

“As anyone can imagine, the vast majority of our income comes through the turnstiles so it does create some difficulties for us. It’s something we will be discussing as a board.

“What we really need to do is get some income but we have to be sensitive to the fact that not everyone is lucky enough to work for an employer who is going to pay their salary during this time and there will be people who are self-employed and others who will be in for a difficult time as a result of the circumstances.

“But if there are people who can afford it then it would be helpful if they could sign up to the Team Building Lottery because that’s good for everybody.

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“There is a prize fund as part of it and it generates regular income for the club.

“People can just go online to our website and donate as well if they have no desire to buy anything. If people can help us out in that way then it would be fantastic.

“I think there are various other sources of help that clubs like us can be looking to.

“I know that the Football Association have sent out a survey to ask clubs about their financial health, which is something we have filled in. I am not sure what that will lead to, if anything.

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“I haven’t actually spoken to the Southern League but the one point I think should be considered is that my take on our league’s financial position is that it is in relatively good financial health.

“So I wonder if they could use their resources to help the likes of ourselves and Corby Town, for example, to provide a bridging loan or something like that in this kind of situation.”

The coronavirus outbreak has halted football across the world.

A number of clubs have reported players having to go into self-isolation after showing symptoms but Diamonds, so far, seem to have a clean bill of health across the board.

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“Our club is much more than just the first team but Andy Peaks has been leading the way when it comes to taking the necessary precautions and that sort of thing,” Burditt added.

“Of course, we have a number of other teams and the academy are doing the same thing and their fixtures have been suspended as well.

“Football activity has been halted but, on the positive side, I don’t know of anyone from within the club who has been directly affected by the virus so we have to be grateful for small mercies.”

Aside from the much bigger issues, in the football world the burning question surrounds when the season will resume, if at all.

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Diamonds, as it stands, still have a chance to get into the Southern League Premier Central play-offs.

And while Burditt, like any other fan, would love to see the season resume and be completed, he admitted the bigger picture is too big to ignore.

“I have absolutely no idea, to be honest,” he said when asked about what might become of the current campaign.

“The only thing that pleases me is that we are not in one of the hotseat positions at either end of the table. We have our own promotion ambitions and we are still in with a shout as far as the league table stands of getting into the play-offs.

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“But I would be very upset if I had worked very hard all season to have my team at the top of the league, only to see this situation develop.

“Whatever happens with this season, it will probably result in us being in the same league for the next campaign which makes it easier from a planning viewpoint.

“But, it is what it is and none of us have got a crystal ball.

“Ultimately, and this is just my viewpoint, it is only a football league at the end of the day. Of course, it’s important. But if I look at what AFC Rushden & Diamonds really means to me, it’s all about our community.

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“The big part of what is special is coming down to the games and running into various people who form part of that community and seeing what a difference it makes to their lives.

“That’s what we have to focus on. What is the core of what we are trying to do with the club? It’s to add value to the community and at the moment, playing football matches isn’t the way to do it.

“So, we have to respect that and look at what other things we can do and that’s keeping in communication with our members and supporters and generally lookout for each other and help out each other as much as we can.”

And so say all of us...