Losses reported at Halifax

Not a good day for the Shaymen. Firstly they lose at Hereford, secondly their accounts show a loss as well.

According to Shaymenonline.org, Halifax's recently released accounts for the 2003/04 season show a loss of £186,283, compared with a loss of £35,692 for the previous year.

Some would say incompetence. Others would say failing to learn the lessons of the past; spending money we don't have on things we don't really need. The reality is that three things make up the majority of the difference.

First was that in 2002/03 the club received a £100,000 parachute payment from the Football League. Second, the club's 'travelling, medical and match expenses' have shot up from £112,000 to £184,000.

Third, and this is extraordinary, the commercial income went down from £145,000 to £56,000. This includes club shop sales, match sponsorship and the like, things that really shouldn't change so drastically from one season to the next.

The website asks why the accounts have been published so late, the period covered ended 18 months ago, and what state are the club's accounts at present.

Just who is keeping the club solvent at the moment? How much money are they putting in and is it a gift or a loan? If it's the latter then when they pull the rug from under the club we could find that Halifax Town is in a worse position than in 2003 when the club entered administration.

The article picks out travelling, medical and match expenses for comment.

Let's consider this. If we say £2,000 on average per away game to arrange for a coach (and that's being very generous), then add to that the £48,000 rent for the Shay Stadium, you get somewhere in the region of £100,000. This would make the figure of £112,000 for 02/03 acceptable - the balance would be for miscellaneous matchday expenses.

To end with they pose a question

But £184,163? This figure needs to be expanded upon. I hope somebody who attends the AGM can get some answers to this and the many other questions that these accounts raise.

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