South Australian amateur football clubs offered a helping hand

THE amateur league will offer its clubs free financial advice to develop sustainable business models amid concerns about the viability of some teams.

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THE amateur league will offer its clubs free financial advice and incentives to develop sustainable business models amid concerns about the viability of some teams.

The league has also employed a club liaison officer specifically to help clubs get their houses in order.

The moves comes as an unprecedented number of clubs find themselves in on and off-field trouble amid increasing competition from country leagues among other factors.

“(Season) 2014 has presented many challenges for both the league and our affiliated clubs,’’ amateur league chief executive John Kernahan said this week.

“We can’t hope to address all the reasons clubs face the challenges they do but it is of great concern to us that many of our clubs currently face issues that threaten their viability which are within their control.”

Kilburn, Angle Vale, Mitchell Park, Flinders University, Wingfield and Brahma Lodge are among those clubs struggling on the field this season.

Kernahan said each club’s situation differed but some clubs were in part to blame for their plights and the league obligated to assist.

“(Examples include) overspending on players, poor governance, lack of strategic planning, setting unrealistic and unsustainable short term targets for success, lack of off-field expertise, (and) poor relationships between senior and junior committees,’’ Mr Kernahan said.

The league will offer unprecedented assistance measures which include:

• Reductions of up to $400 for clubs who join Club SA in order to gain Liquor Licensing and other compliances;

• Employing a dedicated liaison officer to help clubs develop sustainable business models; and,

• Offering free auditing of club annual financial reports.

Incoming Kilburn chairman Phil Martin said he was unaware initiatiatives but relief from affiliation fees would be welcomed.

The Chics have lost their seven division three games this season by an average of more than 300 points and forfeited an eighth match.

Martin returned as chairman recently and said things had slowly begun turning around with the number of senior registered players up by about five to 30.

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