Trust donation gives Magpies helping hand

Last updated : 21 June 2005 By Richard Brown

The timely loan comes on the back of the club announcing losses of £300,000 for the season gone by. This figure, however, accounts for the whole term of the Magpies leaving administration to the present day, as much of the losses will be recouped when the club find their feet.

The loan should help to see the club through the close season, where football-related profits are at an clear low.

The Trust, who provided £250,000 to save the club just sixteen months ago, have now taken their total investments to the club to the £300,000 mark, making the profit-free organisation as important as ever in the current affairs of the club.

"Following the take-over of the Club, we have always said things would be difficult financially for a couple of seasons or so. The Club’s losses have been pretty much in line with expectations and there was money provided through the take-over to set against the expected shortfalls," said Chair of the Notts County Supporters Trust, Keri Usherwood.

"That money has now been used up and, although things are slowly falling into place, we’re not quite out of the woods yet."


"With no matchday money coming in over the summer but with wages and bills still to be paid, there is a strong possibility that the Club will run out of money before the start of the new season," he added.

"We simply can’t allow that to happen – we’ve all worked too hard to keep our Club in existence – so this loan is vital to protect the interests of supporters who through the Trust are also investors in the Club and to help ensure that the rebuilding efforts at the Club are not put in jeopardy."

"Notts County is a football club owned by supporters and these supporters hold the key to the Club’s future. Through the Trust, we have a vital mechanism to both protect our Club and to support the rebuilding process following the disaster of the 18 months in administration," he continued.

"To do this, it’s crucial we keep the membership of the Trust strong and thriving and continue to raise funds in a systematic and structured way. In this way, we will have the ability to continue to provide support to our Club should the need arise on behalf of fans."

The Trust currently boasts around 1,400 members, and need the renewed interest to help maintain the high standards set when the Trust helped save the club from liquidation less than two years ago, and indeed work on the 30.2% stake they currently hold within the club.

The news though, will serve as a potent reminder to supporters upset at the lack of transfer action so far this summer, that the club is still very much recovering from the ownership of Scardino/Storrie.
 
Quite simply, things are still very tight - 18 months after emerging from Administration.

If you are interested in becoming a Trust member, click here.