FINANCES ON FIRE

Printed in the National League South game v Eastbourne Borough Saturday 26th November 2022. We lost 5-1 in front of 573

At the end of the Hanwell victory, players and supporters belted out ‘Slough Town are Massive’ together, a welcome release after a turbulent week.

That massive bombshell news being that after nine and a half years Bakes, Unders and Trent had stepped down from the club. The outpourings across social media thanked them for what they have achieved transforming a football basket case into something special with the backing of our former and second best chairman in the land, Steve Easterbrook.

It’s been a fantastic journey of play-off wins and promotions, cup runs and seriously punching above our financial weight. And of course a return back to Slough after 15 homeless years.

There was a moment when I felt something really special was happening at the club. Attendances were rising, the place started attracting a more mixed crowd. The Dulwich bank holiday home game was to be the pinnacle with plans for a Sikh band to lead out the teams. Then over the horizon came the pandemic which is fair to say has knocked the club for six.

Forget Slough bus station being on fire, so are Slough Towns finances.

In an article about how the cost of living crisis was affecting non league clubs, our current chairman Mike Lightfoot, said that our season ticket sales, which cost £200 each, were down by 77, meaning a loss of £15,400 in revenue. "I stare at the accounts every day thinking 'how can I get us more cash?'

We’ve been in much sticker situations, but with no big money backers, playing in a council run ground the one resource we do have is our hardcore fans who always ready to bang the drum for the club.

As we packed the Hanwell terraces, the Slough support went into overdrive. We had also gone from two joint manager to three, and at one point all three of them were playing on the pitch, leaving it to Johnny Goddard to give the orders. A world record of 4 managers for one game!?

Football should be fun and the Rebel Army know how to have that in bucketfuls. As talented young Wycombe loanee Arnold Matshazi scored a peach of a goal we erupted into ‘Slough bus stations on fire, your defence is terrified’ But we probably need a few more songs, seeing as about half were for Bakes and Unders.

So now what?

The sign of good management, is to line up your successor. And with Scotty and Togs we’ve got another winning formula who understand the club. I think we would be fools not to give them a chance, especially after you heard Scotty's measured but emotionally exhausted interview after the Hanwell game.

It’s hard to make suggestions without knowing all the facts, and this programme article could well be out of take by the time you turn the pages today. But I’ve long been an advocate of the club being transparent about its finances.

How much does it cost to put on a game? How much income do we get at home?

In an ideal world, we would buy the ground. Can we work with the council, who are bankrupt and been told to sell off their assets, to see if it's possible? Could we get Football Foundation funds? The governments Levelling Up Fund?

The free under 16s with a paying adult should be extended beyond the World Cup.

Having 2 games occasionally on a Saturday back to back. Ladies team, disability, U18s. Kicking off at noon.

We need a musical instrument slush fund.

And we definitely need a fans forum to give everyone a say.

The clubs biggest resource is it fans, now more than ever is the time to use us.