Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Press release - questions answered
Tuesday, December 14 2004
Further to our recent announcements regarding Top Field and the future of the club, a series of Frequently Answered Questions has been compiled:
Why has this news suddenly hit the press?
When Norton Road was refused planning permission, it was another setback to the club's plans to have a community-oriented site that would help build a club playing football at a senior level. Norton Road has become pivotal to the club's plans. Added to the continued stalemate in the development of Top Field, it was vital to address the situation sooner rather than later.
Is the club in danger of closing down?
The situation is not one of the closure of the club. But what is at stake is the type of future the club may have. Without a major development at Top Field and cash generating facilities, the club will not be anywhere near self-sufficient.
Therefore, it is the level the club plays at that which is in question.
Why has the playing budget been cut again?
The club has acted prudently over the past decade and has not built up huge debts. At the start of the year, the budget was cut, but not as much as it should have been. Each season, potential cash injections, such as FA Cup runs and transfer fees, offer a way to give the manager a reasonable budget. But as Hitchin fans are fully aware, our record in the FA Cup and FA Trophy in recent years has been poor. We had no choice but to cut the budget to a level which
enables us to end the season relatively debt-free.
Is the club in debt?
Debts are not the issue at hand. Cash flow certainly is, but by making the appropriate cuts, we will not incur significant operating losses. The club does not have an overdraft.
Why has the club not speculated to accumulate in recent years?
When Andy Melvin took over in 1991, the club was heavily in debt and was on the brink of bankruptcy. At the time, Andy said that the club did not have the cashflow to match its status. In terms of its cash-raising ability, Hitchin Town was no better than a South Midlands League club. That situation has not changed much. Andy's policy has always been to run the club sensibly, and this has meant that during this period, the budget has been among the lowest in the league.
What has been achieved on that level of capital is not insignificant.
For further details: Neil Jensen
0798 498 2034
