The campaign to turn Bath City FC into a community-owned football club is within touching distance of hitting its £300,000 goal.
The Bath City FC Supporters Society, which is organising the Big Bath City Bid, has until next Wednesday to come up with the funds.
This morning around £34,000 remained to be raised after businesses across the city rushed to back the bid, joining fans and individuals in pledging funds.
The bid was given a massive boost on social media this week when a Thunderclap tweet reached more than 1m people and drove 1,500 visits to the bid’s website.
Society members are confident the total will be reached over the next few days – allowing it to buy new shares in the loss-making club and give it a 51% stake.
That would allow it to appoint new directors to the club’s board. Two of the existing five directors will then retire, giving the society control of the club. The new board will then refinance the club’s debts and go ahead with its plans to redevelop the National League South club’s Twerton Park ground.
This will release further funds to invest in the club and the grounds facilities. Average gates are around 600 – but the bid team aims to introduce schemes to offer free tickets for local schoolchildren and to attract potential sponsors and backers to games.
Businesses signed up to back the bid include The House, Media Clash, Minuteman Press, Yum Yum Thai and Ignition Strategic Design.
Bath Business News is also backing the bid and is giving regular updates on its progress as the deadline draws near along with a donation of advertising on its website. It will also continue to support the bid team once it takes over the club.
Bath MP Ben Howlett joined businesses backing the bid by signing the bid’s pledge board.
He said: “I am supporting the bid because everyone in Bath should be able to access high-quality 21stcentury sports facilities. The Big Bath City Project will really help to bring this to the local community.”
The bid team have taken inspiration from the success of similar community-backed club takeovers including League Two club Exeter City and the high-profile launch of AFC Wimbledon by a group of Wimbledon fans when the original club relocated to Milton Keynes to become MK Dons.
There are 35 community-owned clubs in the UK and the concept is becoming more popular among semi-professional and amateur clubs.
Big Bath City Bid project co-ordinator and potential new Bath City chairman Nick Blofeld said: “This is a very exciting time. We have been working hard to make sure as many as possible know about the bid, and have tried to reach out to a wider audience this year. The result has been great, and there is a good groundswell of support.
“But as is always the case, we can’t afford to relax until the final target is reached, even with our healthy start. So we are encouraging everyone who supported the bid last year, but who hasn’t yet committed, to come forward and convert their pledges into shares.”
Mr Blofeld, chief executive of Bath Rugby between 2009 and 2014, said many people now understood what the bid was doing and how a community-owned football club would benefit the city.
“If we can achieve the target and bring in some new board members with fresh ideas and enthusiasm, plus more working capital, and then work alongside the experienced members already in situ, we can really start to rejuvenate the club and area,” he said.
“We will have a club enjoying wider and more passionate support across the city and beyond, allowing us to improve on and off the pitch. We can then look forward to a partial redevelopment that will be community led and which will make a real difference to Twerton and be of benefit to the local area.
“This will be a historic moment for Bath City FC. If we are successful we will be adding another chapter to the city’s proud sporting heritage. Anyone interested in supporting the club and community via the Big Bath City Bid should now join in and help us cross that line.”
The Big Bath City Bid had hoped to raise £750,000 to buy out the club’s directors and take full ownership earlier this year. It received pledges and investments of more than £300,000 from over 600 people and businesses.
Businesses should visit www.bigbathcitybid.org.uk for information on how they can get involved and confirm their previous pledges still stand.
Pictured: Bath MP Ben Howlett pledges his support for the bid
