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Without urgent investment, the long-term future of 8th tier club is in doubt

The chairman of Lowestoft Town has said without urgent investment, the long-term future of the 8th tier club is in doubt.

A GoFundMe donation page has been set up, set up by Iain Small, with nearly £2,000 has been raised so far, with a target of £100,000 set to help rebuild the club.

The Trawlerboys, who are currently sit 14th in the Isthmian League North Division table with 7 points from 7 games played, warn that significant debts threaten their existence.

The GoFundMe page reads: “Lowestoft Town FC has a proud history, and is a hugely important part of the fabric of the community of Lowestoft itself.

“As we approach our 140th year, the club is seeking to renovate our ground to match modern standards.

“We also have significant debts which have built up over the past few years, and they now threaten the very existence of the club.

“We are entirely run by volunteers, and the club reinvests any profits back into the development our various teams.

“Without urgent investment, the long-term future of our proud club is in doubt.

“We aim to raise funds to clear as many of our existing debts as possible, and at the same time devote funds to rejuvenating our facilities for the benefit of our fans and our visitors.”

Social media users reacted after the chairman of Lowestoft Town said “without urgent investment, the long-term future of our proud club is in doubt”…

Jake Burrage: “So with asking fans and members of the wider public to donate to Lowestoft Town, will they get a say or a voice in how things will be operated at the club? Or will it be business as usual with fans and volunteers (some of which are still owed thousands of pounds) finding out news about the club through third parties and pitchside rumours?”

Iain Small: “Hi Jake. The club isn’t specifically asking our fans to donate, and it is of course completely voluntary.

“The club is run by a group of volunteers who accept additional responsibility as Directors.

“We host fan forums during the season and the last one was very clear about the financial status of the club, and the intention to launch a campaign was announced that night.

“There is a great deal of work going on, and it’s not possible to share everything that’s going on in the background. I’m sure you understand that. We try as hard as possible to share updates on social media, too.”

Beth Allinson: “Speaking purely as a volunteer and giving my own personal opinion, I feel that had the seriousness of the situation been made public knowledge sooner, perhaps the community could have started rallying around the club sooner too.

“And while I’m probably going to upset some people by saying this, I also think some of the people who regularly come into the comments to complain about the club need to ask themselves what they’re actually doing to help it.

“I’m a full-time foster carer, which comes with meetings, appointments and emails on top of everything else involved in caring for a child. I also work part-time as a support worker. Yet I still choose to find time to volunteer at the club, cleaning the changing rooms and toilets after matches. A clean after one match generally takes me around three hours, so during weeks when several teams are playing at home, I can easily spend around 12 hours at the club just cleaning.

“I’m not saying that because I want praise, and I’m certainly not suggesting everybody has the same circumstances or can give that amount of time. I’m saying it because I find it frustrating seeing people repeatedly complain about what the club isn’t doing without apparently considering what they themselves could contribute.

“If you care about the club, you don’t need to give 12 hours a week. Give one. Help at an event. Offer a skill. Pick up a paintbrush. Help with maintenance. Fundraise. Volunteer for one of the countless little jobs that need doing. If everybody who says they care about Lowestoft Town gave whatever time, skills or help they realistically could, imagine what could be achieved.

“Complaining from the sidelines is easy. Keeping a volunteer-run football club going isn’t. The same small group of people cannot be expected to do everything indefinitely while everybody else stands on the sidelines telling them what they’re doing wrong.

“And this club is more than just a football club to a lot of people. For some people it’s an essential part of their wellbeing. Win, lose or draw, simply having somewhere to go, people to talk to and something to belong to can make an enormous difference to someone’s mental health. I know that personally.

“So yes, I hope people donate if they’re able to. But I also hope this encourages more people to actually get involved. If you can’t afford to donate money but can spare an hour of your time, that’s valuable too.

“And going forward, I hope there’s openness about how things are progressing and a proper long-term plan alongside the fundraising, because raising enough money to deal with the immediate situation is only part of securing the club’s future. We need to make sure we aren’t having this same conversation again in a few years.

“I love this club. That’s exactly why I care enough to say all of this. 💙”

@DavidKe96025645: Good luck with your fundraising. Proper football club and always a warm welcome when I’ve visited

@ReeceHope3: Concerning news about my home town side, probably been on the cards a while due to previous investor being forced out of the club and no significant backer since. Once took 15,000+ fans to Wembley and reached the National League not long after. Hopefully better days are ahead.

@Oiiimush: Makes me appreciate how well run @Brightlingseafc are. At a time when wages in #nonleague seem to be going through the roof, sustainability and longevity are key.

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