Football club fear going bust after being told by council to remove sponsored banners
“Local businesses sponsoring these banners each season was going to be a massive part of making the club sustainable”
The manager of grassroots football team Grindon Board Inn over 40s said the club faces potentially having to fold after being told by the city council to take down 50 sponsorship banners around Herrington Colliery Welfare Ground where they play their home matches.
The team play in Division One of the Sunderland and District Mill View Social Club Over 40s League.
Manager Paul Frame, 47, said it costs around £7,000 per year to cover costs of running the club, and after seeing similar sponsorship banners at other teams in their league, as well as around the bowling green located in the same council park, the club decided create their own banners to generate funds to “make the club more sustainable”.
Paul claims after a conversation with a council employee he believed he had verbal permission to place sponsorship banners on the fencing around the ground although he now accepts this did not represent official council permission.
Sunderland City Council says it is now in dialogue with the club over the matter.
Paul said: “Local businesses agreed to pay £60 for banners and we also created some for charities such as Show Racism the Red Card and Amber’s Legacy, which we displayed for free.
“We got fifty made in total at £30 a banner, which cost the club £1,500. We weren’t going to make a massive amount from the sponsorship, but it will help to cover costs such as pitch and referee fees.
“We also wanted to support the community by promoting local charities, community groups, and businesses.”
After erecting the banners on September 29, Paul said he got a call from the council informing him the banners needed to be removed.
He was told the banners were brought to the council’s attention by a local councillor following complaints from dog walkers.
Paul said he was told an official request had not been received and that there had not been a health and safety risk assessment for the banners to be installed on the fencing around the ground.
Paul said: “We’ve already paid for the banners and if we have to refund all the businesses then it will financially ruin the season and there’s even the possibility we would have to fold the club.
“It’s really difficult to generate money at this level and local businesses sponsoring these banners each season was going to be a massive part of making the club sustainable.”
Paul said the club has taken down the banners, and whilst he accepts he should have sought official written permission, he is now asking the council to provide a way forward to enable the banners to be displayed in order to generate vital funds.
He said: “We’re happy to have some sort of compromise, such as lowering the banners. We’re also happy to go down whatever official route is needed, we just need the council to let us know what we need to do to be able to re-erect the banners.”
Responding to the situation, a council spokesperson said: “We all recognise the valuable contribution that local football clubs, businesses, charities and community groups make to our neighbourhoods, and we appreciate the important role sponsorship can play in supporting grassroots sport.
“Signage or advertising however can require certain appropriate permissions to be in place. This helps ensure public spaces are managed fairly, safely and consistently for everyone, and we are in dialogue with the club on these matters.”