A cash hit National League club are in need of reaching a specific attendance at their first game of the 2021/22 campaign.
It’s well publicised that Dover Athletic have been hit with multiple financial blows during a Covid pandemic, leaving them at one stage on the brink.
Now an appeal has been launched with the aim of getting 3,000 supporters at its first game of the season in the hope of giving the club a much needed boost.
This has been set up by Dover Athletic Supporters Club, in a desperate bid to bolster funds and bring followers back to grass roots football.
The Kent based club have had money issues for a while now, receiving a near blow in March when it was fined £40,000 by the Football Association because the club didn’t have the money to fulfil its fixture commitments.
As the club get ready to start the season with a 12 point deduction, chairman of the supporters club Lee Sansum filmed a plea from the 5,500 capacity stadium.
He said in the video: “I’m sure you’re all aware the last 18 months have been extremely challenging for the football club with the National League handing out a £40,000 fine and a 12 point deduction starting next season.
“While we do believe the club has assigned the top players to compete at this level, we are also aware that the 12 point deduction is going to be very challenging to overcome. This is why we’re calling on the people of Dover to become the 12th man, and have launched, as a supporters club, the Project 3000 where it’s our goal to have 3,000 fans in this ground on the first game of the season against Solihull Moors on the 21st August at 3pm kick off.
“So where will you be on the 21st August? We hope it’s here at Crabble.
“We hope to see you soon. Make sure everybody knows Project 3000.”
Since then, the game has been postponed due to the squad having to self isolate.
Dover’s National League game against Solihull Moors at the Crabble will now take place Tuesday, the 21st of September at 7.45pm.
Their players and management are self-isolating for a period of 10 days in accordance with National League protocols and Public Health England guidelines following two confirmed cases in the group.
It now means their season opener will be away at Maidenhead United on the 28th of August.
The attendance target will seemingly role over to their next home game, against Boreham Wood on the 30th of August.
In February, chairman Jim Parmenter spoke of his intentions to sell the National League club after admitting it needs financial help when a grant was not forthcoming.
He said he was not prepared to take out a loan to carry on playing and saddle the club with further debt for years to come.
Then in March, Dover was punished for failing to meet its fixture commitments because of their financial trouble, so were handed a 12-point deduction for the 2021/22 playing season and £40,000 fine.
Parmenter made an appeal to the FA, though that ended up getting turned down in June and they must also pay £1,600 costs which had to be paid within 30 days.
On the current financial situation Mr Sansum added: “Right now it’s a case of reducing the budget of playing staff (now reduced to about 19-20 players) and we’ve had to go from full-time to part-time to get the money to pay the fine. That’s why we’re pushing for 3000 people that will aid paying it.”
Before the pandemic, the club averaged around 1,100 fans would pass through the turnstiles for each home game. The 2021-22 budget is for 1500 spectators per week and by doubling that on the first game, it will “add a lot to the pot” he said.
Entry at the turnstiles is £9 under 18s, £15 over 60s concessions, and £18 per adult.
A season ticket is set at £50, £280 and £340 respectively.
Supporters have always shown their dedication, they often have a meat raffle sponsored from a fan’s own pocket, raising about £500 month. Another set up a donation page bringing in about £6,500 and a large scale raffle in the summer collected £1,400.
Quiz nights and race nights will be held later in the year to try raise more funds. Supporters coaches have also been laid on for away games.
Mr Sansum added: “I myself have stood outside supermarkets with a bucket and raised money.
“The town is getting right behind the team, the consensus is we don’t want to lose the club because it’ll be bad for the town.”
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