Rhyl Fans Association meet club chiefs to discuss Lilywhites’ plight

Newly-formed Rhyl Fans Association learned the full extent of the football club’s current plight on Thursday night.

The Board of Directors of Rhyl Football Club held an update meeting and were joined by Kevin Williams of the RFA, a newly-established, independent association of Lilywhites fans.

It was confirmed for RFA secretary Mr Williams that the club requires investment/ sponsorship of circa-£175k to meet its total operating costs through to May 2021.

This amount includes a provision for a one-year rent guarantee which is required under the lease but no debt repayments. This would enable the club to move to the next pre-season revenue earning cycle, hopefully, post Covid 19.

In recent years Rhyl FC has broadly broken even each season, managing to offset the large fixed costs with sponsorship and fundraising. The current season was heading for a similar outcome prior to the Covid 19 impact.

With no realistic date for the resumption of sport, with mounting fixed costs, no visible revenue earning prospects now or during the close season, the requirement to guarantee 12 months rent and the need to make coaching and playing staff financial commitments over the next few months, the club’s position is not sustainable.

Club chairman Paul Higginson reiterated the requirement for external investment or sponsorship as the only way to continue as is.

Higginson said: “The significant response to the club’s plight from local people and interest from the media demonstrates the potential at the club, should external funding together with resolving the ground ownership occur.

“We have received several enquiries and will work with any credible enquiry to seek to resolve the position of the club ahead of the 17th April deadline.

“However, without this, the future of the club, alongside many at this level across the country, appears bleak. “