Jersey Reds publish plans to solve financial troubles

Thursday 12 January 2017

Jersey's Rugby Club has revealed how it plans to solve its current financial troubles, which led to the sale of the clubhouse, pavilion, stands, car park and both main pitches. It aims to buy them back within three years.

The news emerged last November that the club was going ahead with a 'sale-and-lease-back' of its assets to generate £1.5million, just to enable it to complete the current season in the Greene King IPA Championship, the second tier of English rugby.

The initial work of a "strategic review" into the Club's future and finances was presented to a group of around 100 members at the Jersey Reds Clubhouse at St Peter. 

Firstly, the club intends to carry on playing in the Championship, but using an increased number of loan players. It says these would be young players who were contracted to Aviva Premiership clubs and were loaned to a Championship club such as the Reds in order to gain experience and 'game-time' in the next highest level of the professional game.

Secondly, the club says it will reduce the risk from the way it operates by ring-fencing the operations of the 1st team squad from the rest of the club, strict new financial controls and a commitment to give members quarterly updates.

Thirdly, the club will launch a fund-raising drive, which may include a gala 'Rugby Ball' event attracting some of the sport's biggest names, building a new stand at St Peter and selling seats, a major raffle, the release of VIP memberships and an appeal for donations from supporters via standing orders or one-off bequests.

Fourthly, the club says it will build on the success of the Mini & Junior section, and the Jersey Reds Athletic amateur side, and try and encourage more adult players, including the boosting of women's rugby. Outside of rugby, the club will be looking to broaden its appeal and encourage greater use of facilities.

Finally, the Club will be run by a new Governance Board made up of elected officers, representatives from the Amateur/ Mini & Junior sections and other members of the review group.

Chairman Mark Morgan said: "We have made significant progress in our strategic review, especially considering that the process happened in less than two months and included the festive season. Although it was a shock to members to learn about the Club's financial difficulties in November, there was a huge amount of positive sentiment from members, and that will be crucial as we move forward and work on the details of fund-raising and securing a sustainable future for the Club.

"One of the key elements will be securing the services of sufficient members as volunteers for the various initiatives that are being considered, and I would urge all those who may be able to give up some time to help the Club to contact me using the contact details on our website."