Bognor Regis boss in warning to non-league football clubs
Jack Pearce says Bognor Regis Town and non-league clubs everywhere must prepare for a post-pandemic world in which their income has taken a hit.
Pearce fears attendances will be hit if people have less money to spend on leisure in a society where the economy has suffered. And he says sponsorship, a vital source of income for clubs, is likely to be harder to attract.
Pearce has been involved at league and FA level in trying to work out how to end or salvage the season and said it was impossible to settle satisfactorily because of the uncertainty over when football could restart. But he said even when games restarted, there’d be problems.
“We just don’t know what our income will be. The leisure market will be adversely affected and we will all have to cope with that,” Pearce said.
“Players will realise they may have to play for a lot less than they have been earning, and it’s inevitable many businesses will not be able to sponsor clubs as they do now.”
Despite the uncertain times the Isthmian Premier Division side still hope to start work in around eight weeks on a new stand, covered end and other improvements.
It’s hoped the work could be completed by September.
Photo Credit: Tim Hale