FoBC latest: 28 Nov statement
Friends of Bootham Crescent to set the buckets rolling!
Supporters’ pressure group, the Friends of Bootham Crescent (FoBC) has stepped in at the last minute to get emergency fundraising off the ground for the York City Supporters Trust.
"With all of the hard work going on behind the scenes by the Supporters Trust, in order to secure their takeover of York City FC and to safeguard its future, there simply has been no time available for them to organise anything else. Remember these people are trying to save our club, in their own time, voluntarily for the sheer love of York City," explained FoBC spokesperson Ian Savage. "The trust asked if we could help out in any way, and we were delighted to do our bit."
Members of FoBC will now be collecting donations in buckets at the ground before Saturday’s Division 3 game with Carlisle, and every penny will be given directly to the Supporters Trust. "They need this money now, more than ever," commented Savage. "If we can raise just a couple of thousand pounds on Saturday, it won’t be enough to save the club on its own, but it just could be enough to make a vital difference."
FoBC understands that a wide-ranging fundraising appeal will be launched by the Supporters Trust in the next few days. "However they did not want to miss any opportunity to bring vital income into the Trust, and so FoBC are delighted to step in and get the ball rolling," said an enthusiastic Mr Savage.
Ironically it will be exactly the same buckets and many of the same collectors seen in and around Bootham Crescent at various games last season. "I hoped it would never come to this again," said Savage, who was involved in the bucket collections at that time, "but it has, and its maybe even more desperate now than last time."
Savage revealed that club officials had been extremely helpful in allowing the group access to collect in the ground. "Its fantastic to see everyone pulling together," he commented.
FoBC has issued a rallying call to all citizens of York to come along to the game. "Every single extra paying customer who comes along on Saturday is another small step towards the survival of the club," pointed out Savage.
And in a bizarre twist, FoBC has called on season ticket holders to lead by example. The group is asking any season ticket holder who feels that they can afford it to put their matchday coupon into a collection bucket and pay at the turnstile. "We know these are the most dedicated supporters of our club, and that many of them have invested small fortunes over decades of following York City. In many ways they are the last people we should be asking, but we hope many will feel they can make this brilliant gesture. We don’t want to pressurise any season ticket holder who feels unable or simply can’t afford to do this. However, there was a very substantial discount on this year’s season ticket, and we really hope some holders will be able to help in this way," said Savage.