NTFL club St Mary’s rebuilds from debt crisis that once reached up to $300,000

THE depths of the St Mary’s debt crisis have been revealed as the famous NTFL club continues to fight back from the crippling financial strife that threatened to derail it.

St Mary's vice-president Marius Clarke, Essendon and St Mary's legend Michael Long and Premier League captain Shannon Rioli in front of Lulu Coombes' Tiwi artwork at the renovated Saints clubhouse. Picture: Grey Morris

THE most recent St Mary’s Football and Social Club debt crisis was not created by a fingers in the till culture, the chairman of the club’s future directions committee has told the NT News.

Derek Campbell said basic economics surrounding ongoing management costs and associated overheads had combined to overwhelm what was a volunteer base running a serious business.

Down and almost out one year ago when the costs of managing the sports club on Abala Road threatened to escalate out of control, St Mary’s have blamed staff wages and associated overheads as the core reason for the spiralling debt.

Estimates of up to $300,000 have been put on the amount of money the 32-time NTFL premier owed creditors 12 months ago.

A major restructuring of its management practices and cost cutting in several areas has managed to reduced that amount by more than $100,000.

Debt problems have soured the St Mary’s clubhouse in the last three decades, including a $300,000 tax bill the Territory and Federal Governments waived in the late 1990s.

But Campbell went to great lengths to clarify any money owed was not a case of someone putting their hands in the till or “anything like that’’.

“Over the years there has been a build-up of costs in what is a volunteer board managing a big business with big overheads,’’ he said.

Upgraded social club rooms at NTFL club St Mary's have encouraged more patrons.

MORE NTFL NEWS

New Waratah women’s playing-coach Lisa Roberts says a new generation will keep the team up the top of the NTFL competition

Buffaloes recruiting focusing on key position players as the 2020-21 NTFL season looms

Late ruckman Alex Aurrichio’s best mate Tom Fields to play in an emotional NTFL season opener, as Zach Westerberg looks fit again

“To be honest it’s more across the board than anything, it’s not a specific thing that has caused us to go into debt, it’s a combination of debt over a number of years.

“That’s why we’ve formed the future directions group consisting of appropriate business and capabilities to maintain a level of management to work on some strategies to consolidate this debt and improve cashflow moving forward.’’

Campbell said the evolving structure includes a Future Directions group, now St Mary’s Football Inc, that provides strategic direction and support for the football and licensed club operations.

The continued success of the football club on the playing field has intrigued outsiders – 32 Premier League flags, four of those in the last eight seasons.

Several callers to the NT News blamed the cost of flying in players and player payments for causing a large piece of the debt, a claim Campbell fiercely denied.

“One thing I can categorically say is the debt has not been caused by big costs in flying players up to Darwin or player payments,’’ he said.

St Mary’s football club president Steve Ludwig and future directions chairman Derek Campbell.

“The players that fly up do it off their own back and they want to do it for the experience and to be part of the St Mary’s culture.

“Unlike a lot of other clubs, St Mary’s runs a business which is the club itself and with the amount of competitors around town, new venues and upgrades in gaming machines, we haven’t had the money to keep pace.

“That means our trade reduces and the circle continues despite the best endeavours and work ethics of a volunteer board.’’

Campbell said the No. 1 priority in terms of future direction was to attract people and revenue to the clubhouse.

“We’ve rejigged the hall and we’re about to upgrade the kitchen and build a kid’s playground at the back of the building,’’ he said.

LIMITED TIME: New NT News subscription offer: $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

“That was brought about by a government grant any club can apply for and various fundraising, combined with the generous support of our sponsors.

“If we look at how much the grant was ($50,000), it amounts to a small part of it. A large part was contributed by our supporters from in-kind work and supplying equipment.’’