I do realise that I have caused some confusion, and perhaps some concern, at my reference to ‘Project 6000’ in a recent newsletter. Obviously, I want to set the matter right. The term is used frequently at the Club, and I believed that I had done so in other communications, but clearly, I have not.
At the last AGM I noted that, after 20 years, the Trust should consider moving its intention for the club to be, before anything else sustainable, to being sustainably successful. Both Club and Trust Boards are agreed, I believe, that this is a moment in time where we have the resource, desire, and capability to make this so! We have been open in our desire to be a ‘sustainable League One club’.
There are many components to this aspiration! Collectively, at the Club, we refer to these as ‘Project 6000’. Why 6000? Because this is close to the average gate from which a sustainable league one playing budget could be derived.
Of course, we are not blind to the challenges that achieving a 6000 gate presents! However, driving revenue through greater engagement, without compromising our ethos, is another matter. We cannot expect to achieve promotion, and certainly not to consolidate that position, without raising additional funds. At worse, we will seek to improve match-day experience; at best we’ll be playing, competitively, in a higher league in the years to come.
I don’t believe, in the listing below, that there will be anything new to you. However, they each fall under the label of ‘Project 6000’:
Investment in the pitch to suit the teams preferred style;
The purchase of a ‘big video screen’ that will improve match-day experience and offer additional sponsorship/advertising possibilities;
Planned re-development of the training facility at the Clifford Hill;
Improved hospitality services;
The recruitment of expertise to help us deliver our aspirations;
...and importantly, a much-improved playing budget that will help drive our core product – we are a football club after all.
In addition to this, the Trust will be launching a membership drive during July and will be developing a match-day reception / week-day office, where members can come and find us on match-days, etc.
Of course, there will be bumps along the way and we are always cognisant that we cannot guarantee success on the pitch (or anywhere else). COVID has taught us that the unexpected can always happen, and our plans can be required to change. In the spirit of openness however, ‘Project 6000’ represents our aspirations, and we should not be coy or try to hide this. As if often said; it’s better to fail trying than to not try at all!
I really hope that you will get behind this effort and I hope that you’ll recognise that we are trying to improve things across the Club so that, even if fate conspires against us, we’ll nevertheless be in a better place as a result!
I hope that this helps and of course, as new initiatives come into being, we’ll let you know!!! Please, get in touch (chair@ecfcst.org.uk) with any questions.
The future is bright – it’s red and white!
- Nick Hawker
