Good Evening,
A warm welcome to the Board, Management, Players and supporters of Ashton United. We hope you enjoy your stay with us. We have barely had time to get over our outstanding result on Saturday having beaten the League Leaders comprehensively, even by their own admission! The atmosphere in the Social Club before and after the game was matched by our biggest gate of the season on Non-League Day which enjoyed two excellent sides giving everything in an end to end encounter. More of the same please! Full credit to Carl and Gary for changing things tactically and with our new forward players playing a much bolder game which caught our opposition completely by surprise. It is the first time this season that we have scored three goals whilst still looking excellent defensively.
The Tea Hut made record sales and the Social Club similarly recorded an excellent return as it continues to be a massive financial boost in these harsh times for non-league football. Many thanks to our match sponsor Joanne Phillips who attended as part of a celebration for the birthday of our own Tracey Collins. I hope you enjoyed the day.
It will not have escaped the discerning eye that the money made available to the Management Team by the Board of Directors to strengthen the team has been used wisely. The new additions to the squad where instrumental in our excellent performance. Many thanks to you as Supporter’s, Volunteers, 60 club members and gold and silver card members for getting behind the various financial initiatives which is bringing stability to the football club. We have now started to put monies aside for a rainy day for the first time in my nearly 6 years at the football club. Further monies will be made available in due course to strengthen the team and Carl has already made another signing in Kyle Sambor as recently as on Saturday night. Welcome to the club.
The business model had to change and with our ground being rented by Northwich Victoria, ProCon, Slimming World, Mini Dribblers, Evergreen Limited and Eurovia we are maximising the use of the stadium and creating a number of income streams which has massively helped our financial situation. Most supporters have bought into this and for that I am extremely grateful.
We cannot survive on gate receipts alone at this level and even now our budget is in the lower 4 or 5 in the division compared to the riches elsewhere which are being handed to other players at clubs with far greater resources. I do not always get it right but in the main the club is going in the right direction. The number of new young supporters is a testament to that as we approach 460 junior members.
The initiative in relation to the car parking was another such idea. The car park needs some maintenance and general improvement as the surface is not in good condition. I am a blunt speaker, but I am also never offended when people speak bluntly to me. Even with the best intentions I don’t always get it right! The recent car park charging introduced has not proved to be popular and whilst many embraced it the general consensus was it should not have been imposed. The comments that I am referring to are not those of the trolls or the keyboard warriors. I do not regard those people as true supporters. I am referring to true Wittoners who I trust and respect. As a consequence, this initiative will be dropped. We have tried it and it hasn’t worked. We may revisit it in the future should we feel the need to do so but it will be better thought out and better advertised. We will have to find ways to improve the car park surface from other resources.
I thank Carl and Gary who I met with last week and shared my vision for the future. Whilst the 3G is still an option our improved finances if sustained do not now make it essential to our survival. Money gives you options. The Management, like the Board and Key Volunteers are acutely aware that the club is rapidly going in the right direction.
Enjoy the game.
John.