Latest News - 25/03/2020

AAFC COVID-19 UPDATE

As the Virus outbreak continues to develop please find below an update from the Clubs perspective.

The fundamental objectives of Annan Athletic are

1. Look after all our staff, shareholders and supporters
2. Do nothing that puts anyone at risk
3. Try to support others in the community where  possible

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW:

• When Football will resume and if it will re-commence this season at all.
• When the current shutdown of the Club activities will end?
• When the shutdown does end, Where will Annan Athletic be?
• What will happen to outstanding league games for this season?
• What happens to players contracts should the season be extended?
• What support (financial or otherwise) will the Club receive?

WHAT WE DO KNOW:

• As of Friday 13th March 20, 90% of our income stopped
• The Club as a functioning entity is shut down.
• We have little or no reserve funds or contingency
• We a Fan Owned Community Club and as such we do not have a significant benefactor to fall back on for support.
• We are not covered by insurance for this event
• We have financial commitments in the form of standing orders, leases, etc.
• We are committed to paying our staff
• Some help is on hand via Scottish Government, SFA and SPFL
• We have to pay our suppliers as they are struggling as much as we are.

WHAT ARE WE DOING:

• We have requested payment holiday’s of 3 months for some of our lease agreements.
• We are putting arrangements in place to ensure our staff continue to be looked after both financially and their mental wellbeing.
• The Weekly Draw has been ‘Paused’ at this time due to the very personal interaction of cash payments etc. The current prize money will be help where it is and no further weekly payments will be requested until the Club back and fully functioning
• The Platinum Club Draw will continue as this is almost exclusively paid by standing order
• Sky and BT sport have stopped taking payments at this time
• We have applied for the small business grant arranged from Scottish Government and administered by D&G Council
• We expect an advance payment of £8K with regard to Club Licensing from the SFA
• We have developed an action plan with targets to get us through the initial period to 4th of April.
• We are expanding  the above plan to cover the period to the end of April which is in line with the current League shutdown date end.
• We are now, also, working on a recovery plan to take us forward into the new season (when that may be!)
• We are reviewing the Club’s operations and structure in light of what we have learned to date during this crisis and this will continue to develop as we go forward in the coming weeks/months

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Please continue to support the Club
• A good way to support the Club at this time is to entry the Platinum club draw. This gives us vital income and gives you a chance of a cash prize each month
• We may be requesting Shareholder fees at some point soon. Please renew and better still take out a shareholding if you are not a shareholder at this time. This will be another great way to support the club.
• Finally, make sure you adhere to the government guidelines and advice during this crisis so that we will see you at the other end of this when Football and our community programmes resume at Galabank.

Please stay safe and keep in touch

Philip Jones