Salisbury just like Hereford United are finding it difficult to make ends meet as a Conference Premier side.
This morning they have issued a call for further investment.
Salisbury City Football Club is today making an appeal for investment
as its directors seek to meet an ongoing shortfall in funding. Sadly the
amount of money being invested by the board, with Chairman William
Harrison-Allan as the major backer, is no longer sustainable within the
current funding structure.
The current board has overcome major hurdles over the past five years in order to return the club to it’s current position in the top flight of non-league football. When the current shareholders took over in 2009 Salisbury City was ten days away from being wound up by HMRC. The board inherited debts of £750,000, which were satisfied though a CVA. The club went into administration, was fined ten points and began to rebuild in the Southern League.
Within three seasons the Whites had fought their way back to the Conference Premier League, and in 2012 reached the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. This run marked a period of success culminating in this season’s league campaign which has seen Mikey Harris’s squad compete with, and match, clubs of great stature.
Despite all of this, Salisbury City continues to operate at a loss. Despite frequent and ongoing initiatives within the community, the gates this season average below 1,000. These crowds are simply too low to sustain a club at this level.
Whilst the team flourishes on the pitch – the board continues to meet problems off it. Last year our training pitches adjacent to the stadium were sold by the MOD to Persimmon, with the permission of Wiltshire Council. This meant both our first team and around 400 children associated with the club – had to look for training facilities elsewhere.
Another issue arises due to our lease on the Ray Mac Stadium. In order to be promoted to League Two we must provide the Football League with proof of a minimum ten year tenure on the stadium. Despite efforts to extend our current lease – it expires in 2022.
It is against this backdrop that the board endeavours to keep this club at the level everyone associated with Salisbury City has fought so hard to reach. It is though, simply not sustainable, unless new investment is found, along with an increase in sponsorship and commercial activity, plus of course larger crowds.