The Off Season Doesn't Exist

Paz-CCFC · 11-11-2014 9:45pm #1

'tis quiet on the domestic front at the moment, with the national season being over and supporters unwinding from the events of 2014. But, just because the senior sides stop, doesn't mean the clubs do. Below is a fantastic article by former Cork City chairman, John O'Sullivan, giving a great insight into the hardships of keeping things going when one of your biggest income streams (match income) has stopped for 3-4 months. I'd imagine that this is the harsh reality shared not only by Irish clubs, but thousands of football clubs worldwise.

http://ninetyplusfour.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/the-off-season-doesnt-exist/

The off-season doesn’t exist, not for you.

The only thing that turns off is income. OK, you have neither player wages nor senior team operational costs, but you have an U19 team, maybe other underage teams too. They’ll need to train. They’re in school or college so it has to be at night; floodlights cost more. Every grass pitch is in bits so it needs to be Astro. A full-size floodlit Astro costs a nice bit. You’ll need one in January anyway when the Senior team are back and they’ll want double sessions. Jesus, you don’t have a home league game until March. You make a note to talk to your landlord about a line of credit for training facilities.

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