Darlo Uncovered

Now more than ever, as a fan-owned club in these difficult times, our fan’s fundraising activities are vital to the future prosperity of the club.

Both the pandemic and the season ‘null and void’ decision are big challenges for the club, however the ongoing overwhelming generosity of our fans has meant that we have been able to navigate our way through the last twelve months and can look positively ahead to season 2021/22.

In May 2020, despite the grip of the first lockdown, fans contributed a staggering £131,190 via the fourth Boost The Budget scheme for the 2020/21 season.

During our fantastic FA Cup run, thanks to the initiative of Mark Adams, fans raised over £5,000 to help the team travel and stay overnight in both Swindon and Bristol.

And, of course, Andy Clarke’s Virtual 50/50 has raised over £17,000 for the football club at time of writing and paid out thousands of pounds in prize money to numerous lucky winners.

There are others – Sponsor a Goal, the Christmas Draw, programme sales, etc – and all of them are vital to the club’s wellbeing.

However, we cannot be complacent or rely on either the DFCSG board alone or a small number of fans to continually find new ways of generating vital income for the club.

This is where you come in.

If you’re a Darlo fan, passionate about our fan-owned model and think that you have a viable fundraising idea that could help the club financially, then we want to hear from you.

DFCSG can and will act as a supporter of and a partner to anyone who has a good idea, as with Mark and Andy above for example, but we do need individuals to be able to implement and ‘own’ their ideas, not rely on others to do so.

If you think you have a good fundraising idea, then please get in touch via the YOURCLUB link below. Joanne Cameron and Rob Duncan, both on the DFCSG board, will be in contact to discuss your suggestion further with you.

https://yourclub.darlingtonfc.co.uk/fundraising-idea

Turn a page in the program into a football pitch and then divide into yard squares.
Sell each square or number of squares at £1 or more per square and put fans name on them for the season, (or initials if too small to see name).
Between the goal posts, centre spot, and penalty spots cost double.
Not sure of the size of BM pitch but an easy way for the club to make 7 grand or more.

The 50/50 has been fantastic for the club, if Andy Clarke is agreeable maybe run it once a month until the season starts (in August hopefully)

Darlopartisan wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:55 pm

The 50/50 has been fantastic for the club, if Andy Clarke is agreeable maybe run it once a month until the season starts (in August hopefully)

Gloriously simple idea.

Don't worry - there are definitely plans afoot for keeping the Virtual 50/50 going between now and the start of next season.

It is 'brand new' ideas that we're hoping to encourage.

theoriginalfatcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 7:24 pm

Darlopartisan wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:55 pm

The 50/50 has been fantastic for the club, if Andy Clarke is agreeable maybe run it once a month until the season starts (in August hopefully)

Gloriously simple idea.

If Andy is up for it, why stop in August. Should be relatively simple to sell tickets on a laptop in the ground, but it means all us exiles (and locals who can't attend) can still be involved.

Don't worry about the 50/50 - DFCSG and Andy are keen to make it work for everyone over the long-term.

Let's get thinking about "other" 50/50s...

We are already getting responses to YC page, I have had 5 replies all ready which I will reply to soon.
Please remember that we are looking to for fans to take ownership of the ideas with the support of DFCSG.
Onwards and Upwards

EDJOHNS wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:17 pm

Turn a page in the program into a football pitch and then divide into yard squares.
Sell each square or number of squares at £1 or more per square and put fans name on them for the season, (or initials if too small to see name).
Between the goal posts, centre spot, and penalty spots cost double.
Not sure of the size of BM pitch but an easy way for the club to make 7 grand or more.

We did this with 40 squares at £20 each in the 2019/20 programme. By the Farsley Celtic match (the last one), 14 had sold. It would take 280 squares at £1 just to match this. £7k would be like graph paper and I don't think we've got enough fans.

Makka Pakka wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:53 pm

EDJOHNS wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:17 pm

Turn a page in the program into a football pitch and then divide into yard squares.
Sell each square or number of squares at £1 or more per square and put fans name on them for the season, (or initials if too small to see name).
Between the goal posts, centre spot, and penalty spots cost double.
Not sure of the size of BM pitch but an easy way for the club to make 7 grand or more.

We did this with 40 squares at £20 each in the 2019/20 programme. By the Farsley Celtic match (the last one), 14 had sold. It would take 280 squares at £1 just to match this. £7k would be like graph paper and I don't think we've got enough fans.

1, Framework idea. So make them 5 yards squared.
2, perhaps if they had been cheaper more would have sold ! How about a fiver?
3, I would have thought ANY method of income that was FREE would be a good idea. Maybe I am wrong.

I know people sponsor the players but every so often (once per month) could the club raffle off a players shirt (a different players shirt each month). I know the players wore the orange shirt once this season. Could they be raffled off (£2 per ticket) between now and the beginning of next season? It would generate interest and would allow everyone to participate. It would also generate more than £100 pounds for the club (FA Cup shirts were sold for this).

Quakerrunner wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:29 am

I know people sponsor the players but every so often (once per month) could the club raffle off a players shirt (a different players shirt each month). I know the players wore the orange shirt once this season. Could they be raffled off (£2 per ticket) between now and the beginning of next season? It would generate interest and would allow everyone to participate. It would also generate more than £100 pounds for the club (FA Cup shirts were sold for this).

I think you're meant to submit your ideas via YourClub.

Maurice_Peddelty wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:47 am

Quakerrunner wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:29 am

I know people sponsor the players but every so often (once per month) could the club raffle off a players shirt (a different players shirt each month). I know the players wore the orange shirt once this season. Could they be raffled off (£2 per ticket) between now and the beginning of next season? It would generate interest and would allow everyone to participate. It would also generate more than £100 pounds for the club (FA Cup shirts were sold for this).

I think you're meant to submit your ideas via YourClub.

Ok I will do, sorry I just thought I would post on here

Quakerrunner wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:47 am

Maurice_Peddelty wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:47 am

Quakerrunner wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:29 am

I know people sponsor the players but every so often (once per month) could the club raffle off a players shirt (a different players shirt each month). I know the players wore the orange shirt once this season. Could they be raffled off (£2 per ticket) between now and the beginning of next season? It would generate interest and would allow everyone to participate. It would also generate more than £100 pounds for the club (FA Cup shirts were sold for this).

I think you're meant to submit your ideas via YourClub.

Ok I will do, sorry I just thought I would post on here

There is nothing wrong with posting an idea on here as well, it may encourage others to post their ideas as well.

EDJOHNS wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 10:15 am

Makka Pakka wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:53 pm

EDJOHNS wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:17 pm

Turn a page in the program into a football pitch and then divide into yard squares.
Sell each square or number of squares at £1 or more per square and put fans name on them for the season, (or initials if too small to see name).
Between the goal posts, centre spot, and penalty spots cost double.
Not sure of the size of BM pitch but an easy way for the club to make 7 grand or more.

We did this with 40 squares at £20 each in the 2019/20 programme. By the Farsley Celtic match (the last one), 14 had sold. It would take 280 squares at £1 just to match this. £7k would be like graph paper and I don't think we've got enough fans.

1, Framework idea. So make them 5 yards squared.
2, perhaps if they had been cheaper more would have sold ! How about a fiver?
3, I would have thought ANY method of income that was FREE would be a good idea. Maybe I am wrong.

4 Automatically filed under bullshit as you are Ted Forster the god of lies

At least the club now has 5 months to sort out sponsors board renewals which should rake a fair bit in as a large proportion of the ground is covered. With the new Rugby board in place hopefully their will be opportunities to bring sponsorship into the lounge/bars and ability for events to be held straight after the match and make it more a DFC home on matchdays.

quakersfan wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 04, 2021 6:22 pm

At least the club now has 5 months to sort out sponsors board renewals which should rake a fair bit in as a large proportion of the ground is covered. With the new Rugby board in place hopefully their will be opportunities to bring sponsorship into the lounge/bars and ability for events to be held straight after the match and make it more a DFC home on matchdays.

Guess we will have to work out the cost / benefits of these sort of things.

We will obviously need to pay the hire cost of the function rooms if we want to use it after matches.

Otherwise the rugby club will be losing revenue from doing the same, surely nobody would suggest the rugby club should sacrifice their revenue just because we think we should have the option to stick around a bit longer.

Nothing has ever stopped us hiring it out now but I'm not sure we'd ever see a great return post match to justify it.

What about just writing off any refunds from 20/21 season tickets? Personally, would be happy to do this, although can appreciate it should be optional. To calculate any refund would be complicated as season ticket holders have had some benefits such as QTV and to process refunds would add costs on the club, much simpler just to write it off. Anyone who is not is in a sound financial position should be entitled to their refund, of course.

jjljks wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 06, 2021 9:29 am

What about just writing off any refunds from 20/21 season tickets? Personally, would be happy to do this, although can appreciate it should be optional. To calculate any refund would be complicated as season ticket holders have had some benefits such as QTV and to process refunds would add costs on the club, much simpler just to write it off. Anyone who is not is in a sound financial position should be entitled to their refund, of course.

or offer fans a discount on next seasons renewals or a club shop voucher?

jjljks wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 06, 2021 9:29 am

What about just writing off any refunds from 20/21 season tickets? Personally, would be happy to do this, although can appreciate it should be optional. To calculate any refund would be complicated as season ticket holders have had some benefits such as QTV and to process refunds would add costs on the club, much simpler just to write it off. Anyone who is not is in a sound financial position should be entitled to their refund, of course.

It would be a good idea. In fact I'll send this one in - almost to get a token in return for passing on refunds.

A limited edition 'something'. It would have nominal cost but some exclusivity associated.

It may actually be tax beneficial to process the refunds and then get the money back as a donation - but we would need to ask that explicitly as once the money goes out the door it might not come back.

lo36789 wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:46 pm

jjljks wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 06, 2021 9:29 am

What about just writing off any refunds from 20/21 season tickets? Personally, would be happy to do this, although can appreciate it should be optional. To calculate any refund would be complicated as season ticket holders have had some benefits such as QTV and to process refunds would add costs on the club, much simpler just to write it off. Anyone who is not is in a sound financial position should be entitled to their refund, of course.

It would be a good idea. In fact I'll send this one in - almost to get a token in return for passing on refunds.

A limited edition 'something'. It would have nominal cost but some exclusivity associated.

It may actually be tax beneficial to process the refunds and then get the money back as a donation - but we would need to ask that explicitly as once the money goes out the door it might not come back.

Sometimes I have to miss home games as a ST holder, so would be nice not to miss out by giving QTV tokens as the 'limited edition something"?