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Keep The Mariners Afloat

By: Grimsby Town Football Club
Date: 20/01/2005

OVER the years Grimsby Town Football Club have been an integral part of the town's heritage. Through apathy, a number of major industries have been allowed to disappear from the face of the local community. This should not be allowed to continue to happen.

Every person who lives in the area has probably in some way had a direct or indirect link with the club. This is not always on the football side of things as the club supports local activities in many different ways. We have seen in several different cases examples of regeneration of local community assets. Places such as Hull and Doncaster have had their identities re-established by the recent up-turn in fortunes of their football clubs. It would be a shame to think that we all couldn't rally round to help the town keep one of it's longest standing institutions.

A Major Piece Of Grimsby's Heritage Is At Stake!!

PROPOSED INITIATIVES

  • Promotion Of The Club's Profile By Local Dignatories, The Council And Various Media.
  • Higher Attendances.
  • Increased Use Of The Facilities At Blundell Park On Non-Match Days.
  • More Shares Purchased In Grimsby Town Football Club.
  • Increasing The Membership Of The Grimsby Town Supporters Trust.
  • Protected Trustee Loan Account.

    Promotion of the club's profile by local dignatories, the council and various media.

    The football club is to seek help and advice from various different entities to discuss ideas to increase the club's revenue streams. It is vital that the club can glean support from all sections of everyday life.

    Higher Attendances

    An increase in attendance figures would significantly help to boost finances at the Football Club. As you can see from the attached 'Bring a Friend' sheet, if an extra 1000 people were to come through the turnstiles in each of the remaining fixtures, it may generate as much as £100,000 in extra revenue.

    Increased Use Of The Facilities At Blundell Park On Non-Matchdays

    McMenemy's, the Executive and Sponsors Lounges are three hospitality venues that can be utilised during the week and weekends when football is not being played. Extended use of these facilities would have a good impact on income for the club.

    We have a series of events coming to McMenemy's over the coming months that we hope everyone will give their backing to.

    There is a 'Fans Forum' arranged for the 25th January in McMenemy's. We are proposing to hold a race night in early April that will be held on the same night as the Annual Grand National Draw. The Rumble Band have agreed to play in McMenemy's on 8th February and we are hoping for good support for all these events.

    As you can see, use of these rooms will help to add to the club's income streams.

    More Shares Purchased In Grimsby Town Football Club

    Previously shares have been allotted in multiples of £100; the principle reason is that the cost of circulating the account information prior to the Annual General Meetings is considerable.

    After further advice from the club's accountant, if applicants would be prepared to receive account information prior to the A.G.M's electronically by e-mail the minimum allotments could be reduced to multiples of £50.

    Anyone wanting to enquire further should contact the Chief Executive, Ian Fleming, at the club.

    Increasing The Membership Of The Grimsby Town Supporters Trust

    Membership of the GTST costs £15 per adult membership, £30 per family membership and £100 per Lifetime membership. For every penny spent with the Trust, all proceeds will go to buying shares in the club.

    Protected Trustee Loan Account (interest release in favour of gtfc)

    Loans can be made into a capital protected account. The Interest will purchase shares for the loan holders in return for release of the interest. The interest will be used to match interest accruing against the tax debt so that we can concentrate on paying back the capital tax debt. An independent local firm of Solicitors will manage the account. Target loans of £1,000,000 to be returned on an agreed basis.

    The Board of the football club sincerely hope that in the face of adversity, the community will rally round for a successful outcome.

    Thank you all.


    The Board of Directors

    The Board of Directors at Grimsby Town Football Club comprises Michael Chapman, John Elsom, John Fenty, and Peter Furneaux. These dedicated individuals joined the club in spite of the financial difficulties in football, with the ambition to take the club forward. The collapse of ITV Digital and NTL filing for bankruptcy left a devastating hole in Club finances.

    Inevitably the football club has suffered on the field irrespective of massive financial support from the board during the last three seasons.

    The cocktail of financial support to this football club by the end of this season will be £2,050,000. That is also without further director support towards the tax debt.

    The board's ambition for the club remains. They believe recent restructuring has laid a foundation for a long-term stable future.

    Grimsby Town Football Club is a community asset being one of the oldest institutions in the area. Directors are custodians, as many have been in the clubs 127 year history.

    An open invitation has been extended to anyone wishing to join the board by offering help and sharing in the financial requirements of the football club.

    Equally, the board cannot be expected to provide unlimited financial support to the Football Club. They trust, through a range of initiatives, enough support will be generated to avoid Grimsby Town Football Club from entering in to administration.


    Lawrie McMenemy

    "I am delighted to be invited to set the ball rolling for the 'Keep the MARINERS AFLOAT' campaign. I remember my time in Grimsby with great affection and was touched by the response I received on my return last September for the opening of 'McMenemy's'.

    To have a part of the ground named after oneself is a great honour. I would ask the people of Grimsby to get behind this campaign in order to preserve one of football's oldest clubs and the local communities biggest assets.

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