SOS for local football Club

Stocksbridge Park Steels FC have been assessing the financial impact on the club in the two months of the lockdown period, normally at this time of the year they would be preparing for next season, with plans in place for pitch and ground maintenance, kit requirements pre- season friendlies etc, but due to lockdown these plans are now on hold.

The club’s income streams which consist of sponsors, advertising revenue and the monthly 500 club draw have all stopped completely. Other fundraising events like the annual golf day , pre- season friendlies against the local professional clubs and a planned sportsman dinner will also fall victim to the lockdown rules .

Two of our three main sponsors have decided not to renew their agreements , and the third is reducing their contribution all due to the economic downturn, the same can be said for the businesses who contribute towards the advertising revenue.

On top of all this the club’s tractor suffered a major breakdown and has had to have repairs costing £4000 , and vandals broke into the training ground and damaged the mobile goal posts incurring more unnecessary costs.

The football club doesn’t qualify for any of the government Grant’s that are available, and F.A. bailout money doesn’t cover the Northern Premier League.

This is the biggest challenge Park Steels has faced since it was formed in 1986 by Allen Bethel when he took four juniors off the street and started coaching them.

These are unprecedented times with no sign yet when the end will be or when the new season is likely to start.

However the club is determined to maintain the present level of football, Park Steels are South Yorkshires highest placed team in the football pyramid, they provide football for over four hundred junior players, their reserve and under eighteen teams were doing well in their respective leagues, with these young players hoping to follow the production line into league football that Harrison Biggins at Fleetwood and Jamie Vardy and many more before them have made.

Park Steels have started a range of fundraising initiatives with a crowdfunding page ,auction items etc and Former chairman and club founder Allen Bethel has agreed to help club secretary Mick Grimmer collect money around Stocksbridge, for those that can’t access the Fundraising page

With the future regeneration plans for the town ,to have a club still at the highest level bringing in support would be a good advertisement for the Town.

To make a donation go to: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/essentialmaintenance-and-equipment