Newton Aycliffe FC are on the brink of losing their star players after a chronic lack of business support has left them short of cash.
Now their manager is pleading for help from local firms to help him keep his promising young squad together.
Northern League first division outfit Newton Aycliffe, who’ve won three promotions in the last four years, need more business backing if they’re to continue the impressive progress they’ve made in recent seasons.
The County Durham club were runners-up in the Northern Echo Local Heroes awards in December after climbing from the parks of the Durham Alliance League to the Northern League top flight in emphatic fashion.
But Aycliffe manager Allan Oliver, whose side are currently sixth in their inaugural first division campaign this season, says he faces losing his top players if he doesn’t get more support from the business community.
“It has reached a critical point where we desperately need more support from local firms,” said Oliver, who runs his own reinforcing and steel fixing business.
“We’ve progressed at a rapid rate over the last three or four years and have overcome every hurdle up to now, winning the second division title last season.
“We’re now enjoying a tremendous debut season in the first division, but that can only be maintained with more corporate support.
“As with everything in life, you get what you pay for, and to service a team in the top six of the Northern League comes at a price.
“We’re competing against top clubs, with years of tradition and big backing behind them, with a third of their budget, and that’s testament to our lads and the fact they’re with us for the right reasons.
“But if we’re to keep this fantastic group of players together, we need more support, and if we don’t get it over the next few weeks then we’ll have to make some very difficult decisions which won’t go down well with our brilliant supporters.”
Aycliffe have overseen a £350,000 redevelopment of their Moore Lane Park ground, based at Aycliffe Sports Club, to bring it up to strict FA ground regulations, making it one of the most modern non-league set-ups in the region.
They also enjoy some of the biggest crowds in the Northern League, averaging more than 200 for home games.
Oliver, who has also previously managed Crook Town and West Auckland, added: “The great thing about us is that we have a fantastic new facility which is more than good enough for our level of football, so we don’t need a great deal of investment off the field after a number of years fundraising.
“We have everything in place, a hugely-promising young squad full of enthusiasm currently sitting sixth in the first division, so the potential is there for a business, or businesses, to really take things forward.
“As a businessman myself, I appreciate we’re in a difficult economic environment right now, but we’re not talking about a huge amount of money.
“We have a hard-working committee of volunteers making sure everything is taken care of behind the scenes, we just simply need football-minded backers who have the passion and ambition to take us to the next level.”
Anyone who’d like to discuss any sponsorship opportunities with Aycliffe, or for an informal chat, can call Allan on 07976 780369.
