Reply To: Closing academy

[Anonymous]

SST wrote:

The academy debate rumbles on. I actually believe some of what the OP said to be true.

There is some suggestion that the academy would not be eligible for funding next season. This is simply not true. Funding would drop from £500,000 to £250,000 next season. Hilton confirmed as much on the interview with James.

The crucial point here though is that the club did not spend the full £500,000 funding on the academy last season.

The funding is not ring fenced and can be utilised in other areas as long as the academy is run adequately.

The claw backs mentioned can happen to any club at any time but given Hilton has announced the closure of the academy we may come under more scrutiny.

At least two roles, including a Lead Foundation Phase coach and a player care role, were not filled despite the club receiving the funding. This leaves the club open to the possibility of a claw back.

Hilton was correct that the current set up does cost over £250,000 to run so keeping it would cost the club money that they clearly do not have.

However a stripped back academy could theoretically continue to operate for little or no cost next season with the £250,000 funding. They train up at the school and have offices up there, so the closure of the training ground and Glanford Park during the week would have very little impact.

The funding stops completely at the end of next season, so that would be a different situation entirely.

A simple solution to reduce the staff wage bill would be to reduce the number of teams:

U9/U10 – reduce squad size keeping the best 6 from each age group.

U11/U12 – as above but retain 8 from each age group.

U13/U14 – as above.

U15/U16 – as above.

U18s

5 teams.

U18 Daws & Watson take the team.
U15/U16 as above.
U13/U14 Smith & 1 takes the team.
U11/U12 Butler & 1.
U9/U10 FPC & 1

1 physio
1 administrator

A mere 10 members of staff.

The 3 ‘plus one’ coaches would all be part-time – training & match day. Approx 10 hours a week.

The Smith, Butler & FPC could work reduced hours. Half the number of teams = half the number of players = half the number of hours… so say 20 hours.

Only having 4 teams would also reduce the facility hire cost.
If we retained the in town training facility, then why couldn’t the Academy use this for free?

Four teams also means less equipment is needed – which is not a huge cost but every little helps.

It’s always had a ‘shoe string’ “budget” – we could probably manage it on a ‘half shoe string’ budget.