Fylde RFC explore all avenues for funding after season of celebration is cut short

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Woodlands club has lost three National Two North home matches and a variety of other revenue-generating events, including an historic game between a Fylde XV and the world-famous Barbarians which was have been the highlight of the whole centenary programme on May 13.

Club chairman Dave Young said: “The abrupt cancellation of the end of the season, of course for very necessary reasons, couldn’t have come at a worse time for the club.

“Our first team are in second place in N2N and were chasing a promotion play-off place.

“The three home games against Otley, Sheffield Tigers and Scunthorpe would have attracted big crowds in the fierce and exciting battle to reach the play-off and a potential place in National One next season.”

Other major revenue earners that have been lost include the Wooden Spoon and Fylde Charity Lunch, Ladies’ Day, May Ball and the Lancashire v Eastern Counties County Championship tie on May 16.

Club treasurer Sandi Haslam said: “A rough estimate suggests that we might lose up to £40,000 from the suspension of these events alone.

“Our clubhouse is used for a wide variety of other purposes, from author literary lunches and business networking meetings to weddings and funerals.

“On the other side of the balance sheet, we have the fixed costs of the Woodlands, including the clubhouse and pitches to maintain.

“While we have mothballed the clubhouse except for a meals service to the local community from our hospitality partner Campbell & Rowley, a variety of costs will still be incurred. We have furloughed our paid staff and volunteer officers are covering their duties.”

Club officers are also looking carefully at a range of support initiatives announced by the Government, local authority and the Rugby Football Union.

The RFU has announced a £7m relief fund to support community clubs in England and Fylde will apply to its several strands.

The principal element is a loans scheme for up to £10,000 per club, though Haslam warned: “If we apply for any such loans we have to be sure we can repay these in future years.”

And the impact is not only financial on a community club which operates 15 teams from the first XV right down to under-sixes.

Chairman Young added: “This is a members’ club and we will be incredibly reliant on the 1,000 or so adults and young people who currently subscribe. We are also very grateful to our growing group of sponsors, who we trust will stick with us next season and beyond.

“We earnestly ask for the continuing support of the whole community in the 2020-21 season if we are to survive and flourish in the historic traditions of Fylde RFC.

“In the meantime, and more importantly, we are thinking about our entire community at this difficult time, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

“Please follow the Government health guidelines on coping during the critical stages of the coronavirus epidemic and look after each other.”

Most of the £7m pledged by the RFU will finance a loans system, whereby clubs can apply for up to £10,000, repayable over three years.

Announcing the measures, RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said: “My thoughts and those of all of us at the RFU continue to be with everyone impacted by the difficult and exceptional situation we are all facing, both across the country and within our own rugby union community.”