It’s difficult to imagine anything that more succinctly captured the perils of the modern game than the ‘MyFootballClub’ takeover of Blue Square Premier (BSP) outfit, Ebbsfleet United. The experiment, which was completed this time last year to a largely unquestioning media fanfare however, now faces its toughest test, as the latest figures suggest that interest in the venture is on the wane.
Formerly Gravesend and Northfleet, the Kent club was purchased by My Football Club.com for £635,000, with thousands of people paying £35 each for the privilege of football club ownership, securing them a vote on virtually every aspect of club affairs, from buying and selling players to agreeing sponsorships.
To most, the sense that such a small amount of money effectively buys you the right to behave like a football god is an attractive proposition. And before the yearly memberships went up for renewal on Thursday, upwards of 32,000 people agreed.
It was the day of reckoning - the day when the number of members who saw a gimmick of what they wanted to be part of a year ago, had their commitment tested and were asked to renew their membership. Instead of funds however, its excuses that are flowing in.
“It was an alluring idea but after a few months the appeal wore off”, said one supporter opting to withdraw his membership. “The choice of club was disappointing”, said another.
Fans were requested to sign up long before MyFC made a deal with the BSP side. So while many were attracted to playing Football Manager in the real world, many also believed that they would own a piece of Arsenal or Leeds United.
But now that its time to renew, the majority appear to be abandoning the ‘fleet’. Like the Christmas puppy who grew up, the novelty has worn off and it just doesn’t seem so cute anymore.
Before last week’s deadline, the club stated that they would see 15,000 renewals as a success. However those of you with long memories may remember that MyFC’s cut off point - the point at which membership levels become theoretically too low for the project to be viable – was also 15,000 renewals.
This time around they were expecting anything between 8,000 and 16,000. The reality however, poses a number of concerns.
Before the deadline just 9,407 had renewed. So with less than half choosing to prolong their ownership, Ebbsfleet are some £250,000 short of meeting their £500,000 target needed for the day-to-day running of the club.
Chief executive David Davis admitted, “We will have to look at the figures and we may have to make cut backs”.
“Unfortunately, although the last resort, we may be forced to sell the club if the situation fails to improve.
“Going back to playing part-time is also an option that we are not ruling it out at this stage, but we will have to see if it is viable.”
The news will come as a surprise to most, given Ebbsfleet’s successes in the last year. Although they failed to reach the BSP play-offs, defeating Torquay United 1-0 at Wembley in the final of the FA Trophy gave them a massive publicity boost, as did the record sale of striker, John Akinde, to Bristol City for £140,000.
Events like these are highly significant for a non-league side, but somehow MyFC have managed to squander these cash injections over the course of the year. Their estimated losses for the last season are said to be in the region of £800,000 and there is no question that these are circumstances that cannot be allowed to continue.
For the time being however, the stability of MyFC should not be the primary concern, given that only time will tell whether the club meets his ownership targets. Some people may have been disappointed with MyFC’s choice of club. Some, given that team selection was a focal attraction of the project that has never materialised, may have been disappointed with the venture’s broken promises. Others may lose - or already have lost - £35. Such is life.
For one group of people however, the ramifications of the last twelve months could be ruinous. This group is the one group of people that have been ridden roughshod over, and who will now most likely be left to pick up the pieces after the part-time supporters, internet entrepreneurs and visionaries have left Stonebridge Road for the last time - the supporters of Ebbsfleet United Football Club.
These supporters have been let down by everybody. They were let down by their own Supporters Trust, whose supine reaction to events was to accept it and take a seat on the new board of the club. And they have been let down by MyFC and its founder Will Brooks, who have been proved to be incompetent in their running of the club.
Brooks was reported this week as saying that, “There are a lot of people who would be willing to pay a lot more money, for example £250 for their yearly subscription” in order to plug the financial shortfall. This seems optimistic to say the least. But it also seems that MyFC are already praying that the club’s ‘loyal’ supporters – the very supporters who they let down in the first place - will get them out of the hole that they have dug themselves.
It’s a shame that the fans no longer have the pockets’ to match the ambitions of the club. But given the current situation, MyFC should accept that this ambitious project is failing.
And, rather than hanging on grimly in the hope that things will get better, hand over control to someone else. Then perhaps, Ebbsfleet United can regroup and move on.
