FINANCIAL BOOST FOR QUAKERS

The Premier League today announced a solidarity package with the Football Conference worth £6m over the next three seasons.

Following the £1m payment made to the Football Conference in 2009/10 the Premier League has decided to provide funding for seasons 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 that will support all Football Conference clubs.

The funding will be split into general payments made to all sixty-eight Conference clubs and a separate club development fund which any Conference club can apply to for specific projects.

The funding will be structured in the following way:

£1.2m per season provided as funds to support all Football Conference clubs.

£800,000 per season committed to a new club development fund to which all Conference clubs can apply.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: “The Premier League and our member clubs recognise the importance of the continued health of football outside the Football League and it is with this in mind that we have made this commitment to the Football Conference.

“In particular, we are extremely pleased to be working with the Football Conference to establish a new club development fund that will allow Conference clubs, all extremely important within their local communities, to invest more funds into local youth development and good cause initiatives.”

Football Conference chairman Brian Lee said: “This is a further wonderful gesture of friendship from the Premier League towards the Football Conference.

“The solidarity commitment for three years is most welcome whilst the new funding will allow our clubs to express themselves in a tangible form for the benefit of their communities. We accept the challenge with gratitude.”

When the money is split down it will mean Darlington will receive around £20k, probably enough to pay the loan fee for Liam Hatch.

The money will hopefully be good news for Craig Liddle's youth side who will be be able to apply for a slice of the £800k development fund.

Story: Divas - Quotes from Football Conference Website

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Kentquaker - 16th July 2010 13:12:55

Nice to know that the big boys still think about us paupers at the bottom of the pile. But is it a bit of loose change that was hanging around in Rooney's pocket after he returned from his hols?

divas - 16th July 2010 13:14:51

Good publicity for them and makes them feel better about the billion quid they get to distribute every season!

dickdarlington - 16th July 2010 14:31:55

£1.2 Million per year. Now providing that is split equally amongst the BSP, BSN and BSS, that works out at less than £18K p.a.

It's nothing more than a token gesture. It is not enough to safeguard a club. It's barely enough to employ a groundsman, or a community liaison official.

Just a case of the Premier league feeling all honourable and trying to pull the wool over peoples eyes that the Premier League's greed is good for the game. Until there is more done to safeguard clubs assets (such as grounds not being allowed to be moved away from the clubs portfolio by unscrupulous chairmen) there will continue to be clubs who go under, especially within the non league realm. This paltry amount will not help one jot.

divas - 16th July 2010 14:43:33

It wont, but conversely most clubs will always spent over their means, so even if they gave £60m clubs would still go bust.

With the youth funding being cut at this level after you've been down a year (i think its a year) the money could enable the club to continue their sterling work - to me that makes the money invaluable.

Spyman - 16th July 2010 16:32:20

Interesting that once the money is shared amongst all 3 divisions of conference teams, each Premier League team donates less than each conference team receives.

But still, I suppose we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and they aren't obliged to give us anything, so we should be thankful.

wylam_rangers - 16th July 2010 19:26:39

Why didn't they pay for a set of change strips for the Conference officials so that we don't have to waste time and effort avoiding "ref clash"

MikeinBlack - 17th July 2010 08:37:22

Well, it's still nearly £20K more than we would have had I suppose! Might be enough to pay for a half decent player on loan for a while?

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