Gloucester City: Cheltenham Town rent is just the start as Tigers aim to plug black hole

THEY have found the money to pay their rent to landlords Cheltenham Town, but Gloucester City still need to raise £25,000 to plug a black hole in their finances.

But the Tigers insist that any financial problems will have no bearing on the funding they have secured to pay landlords Cheltenham Town for use of their Whaddon Road ground.

Six years of being forced to play away from their city, coupled with a succession of postponed and rearranged games this term has left the Tigers feeling the financial pinch.

Tuesday night's 4-0 win over Droylsden provided a key indicator of how the club's on and off-field fortunes are providing something of a juxtaposition.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Victory over the Bloods lifted the Tigers to their best League position in 15 years – but the crowd of 149 was the lowest the club had seen since 2001.

By the time the match officials and staff were paid for their work, the Tigers were left with the paltry figure of £21 to bank from the game.

Add that to a series of Saturday call-offs followed by midweek rearrangements and club consultant Colin Peake explained how the club were looking at something of a financial black hole.

"We are progressing with the talks with Cheltenham and that deal has no relation to what we are trying to do now," Peake said.

"The club are just in a position whereby the effects of a terrible winter and six years without a home to call their own are really biting.

"Tuesday was a prime example, the club had to play in the middle of raceweek in Cheltenham as there were no other available dates and therefore the crowd was very small.

"The Tigers have done really well but due to the extended delay in being able to return home, there were bound to be difficulties at some stage."

In order to try to find the funds, the club are asking for businesses and business people within the city to help in any which way they can.

As well as looking for all-important finance, the Tigers are also looking for expertise in certain areas in order to prevent these problems biting in future years.

A restructuring of their finances and budgets will occur at the end of the current season while four new positions are being opened on the club's executive committee to interested parties.

The club are looking for people with sales and marketing, financial, legal and communications expertise to help plot a forward course in years to come.

Chairman Nigel Hughes explained that by opening the executive to new members the club hope to get the benefits of having new directors, but without the legal chains.

"The three current directors of the limited company have a legal responsibility while the executive committee is charged to operate the football side on a day-to-day basis," Hughes said.

"We see the way to go forward is through an eight-strong executive with four business people who we hope will offer their services in the four areas we have outlined."

"We seek four keen and reliable people who feel they have the talent, time and effort to help the club out by recognising that the club is a component part of our local community."