Thank You!

COLERAINE Chairman Colin McKendry has released a message of thanks to supporters and volunteers in light of recent events and generous donations, as well as giving an update on the overall picture…

I have always said we have some of the best supporters in the league who are always willing to assist the club as and when required. We have seen this so many times in the past and in particular the situation we find ourselves in at present.

This season the fans have been tremendous with their vocal support for the team which is always very much appreciated by everyone involved both home and away, and we as a club, fully recognise the cost involved following your team over the period of a season.

As a club, we are indebted to you all as the support shown to the club both financially and in many other ways off the field regardless of how little it may seem, is recognised. We are indebted to everyone of our volunteers and contributors ensuring the club remains at the centre of our community and is ready to return to action when we have the green light to resume our footballing and community activities.

The Friends of Coleraine FC have been resolute in their financial support to the club over many many years and have once again provided financial support to the club at this time, along with all our other supporters’ clubs (many of whom are members of the Friends as well and contribute on a monthly basis) who have been working extremely hard behind the scenes in many different ways and have provided the club with significant donations in the past few weeks.

We would as a club like to place on record our sincere thanks to everyone involved at the Spirit of ’74 Coleraine Supporters’ Club, Garvagh and Kilrea Coleraine Supporters’ Club, Wes Gregg Coleraine Supporters’ Club, and Ballymoney Coleraine Supporters’ Club. Furthermore, we would like to thank every one else who has contributed in any way outside of our Supporters’ clubs as these significant donations to the club have been very welcome at this time and as we usually communicate all our matchday photograph presentations through our local press, but we unfortunately haven’t been able to do this over the past weeks and I am mindful of all the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by everyone.

We as a club want everyone to know how much this means to the daily running of the club and not only for your recent donations, but everything that you have done in the past and will hopefully continue to do in the future and while we as a board recognise the short term financial implications COVID-19 has on all businesses in our country,  we are always mindful of the long term strategy and are always looking at funding opportunities and ways that we can make our club sustainable and that is why the donations from everyone gives the club revenue that is unfortunately unavailable to us at present through the pandemic.

It never ceases to amaze me the inventive ways you all find to raise funds. From matchday sponsorship, ball sponsorship, mascot sponsorship, pitch side advertisers, matchday programme advertisers, shirt and short sponsors, club sponsors and all Supporters Club fund raising initiatives that are forwarded to the club over the season including guess the time of the goal, shirt raffles ticket sales and many more within all individual Supporters Clubs all to raise funds for Coleraine FC.

Coleraine FC is not only a football club, it is a community club that has many different elements within the club and grounds including a wonderful academy with lots of wonderful children from a very young age from the soccer schools through to young adults with great hope to making a career in the game.

They are all missing training and playing with their mates and matchday experiences along with an army of coaches and volunteers who willingly give so many hours to the future of the club, there is also two gyms open daily and brings a completely different aspect to the club and has a massive benefit both physically and mentally to everyone involved from professional trainers to occasional trainers but has a vital role to play within our club environment.

We also have a Social Club over two floors with a new members bar recently opened this year along with our Club Shop that has become a vital part of our everyday life at The Showgrounds, as well as a local boxing club all within the grounds of Coleraine Football Club, so you can see when something like this comes along and disrupts our routines it doesn’t only impact on our team that we all see out on the pitch on a Saturday, but also the army of volunteers from programme sellers, tea ladies, gate men, stewards, ticket sellers. club photographers, club media personnel, social media platforms and reporters and everyone that it takes to put on a game at The Showgrounds and lastly but most importantly – the fans we thank you all.

The Club also has a significant number of direct employees both full-time and part-time, including all our full-time professional contracted players and associated services and the responsibility the club has in respect of this and other daily /monthly expenditures. With our income streams being turned off as all other football clubs have at present we are extremely grateful for the Supporters Clubs, business associates and sponsors that we have at Coleraine Football Club – we thank you all.

Oran has given all the playing staff a detailed training schedule and all are carrying this out on their own and keeping fitness levels in good shape ready to ramp up when ready and give us all more enjoyment again.

Should any of our supporters at this time feel the need to discuss anything at all please do not hesitate to get in contact with myself or anyone at the club, or if we can be of any assistance in helping out please just contact us.

We held a Board meeting earlier today and the club is working their way through this and adapting to every situation. However, this is a time when leaders lead and make decisions and we have the correct people making those decisions within the club, which will ultimately lead us out of this situation.

Once again thank you all for the fantastic support and we look forward to football when it is deemed safe for us all once again to be back playing/watching/training/volunteering/complaining/shouting at referees or whatever it is that makes us be involved in this game.

Thank you all and support our wonderful NHS at this time,

Colin McKendry