A Message from the Chairman

To our Friends, Staff and Fans

First of all, thanks for your support and the incredible achievements off the pitch last year. From a new Junior section to an 80% increase in attendance, rebranding, and other initiatives, last season was one to be proud of. After 2 1/2 years, it is undeniable that the club has gone from strength to strength no matter how you look at it. Gone are the days before our takeover where the club could barely operate, pay bills, retain players, or manage other issues. Today the club is a destination for players and fans alike. This success is a combination of our efforts and hard work and the incredible support of the biggest and most faithful fan base in the NCEL.

However, this note is not self-congratulatory, quite the opposite. I want to shed light on one aspect where we haven’t been successful over the last 2 1/2 years.

Facilities

Simply put, the club won’t survive unless we have our own facilities. For the past 2 years, we’ve been in constant discussions with Wakefield Council to find a new home for the club. Although some progress has been made, there is nothing concrete at the moment. 

It is very important to highlight that we are NOT asking for any financial help. We don’t believe Wakefield taxpayers should subsidize sports teams, ours or others (rugby included). Our plans will be funded by VO2 Capital, Rodrigo and grants. The plan is to build training facilities to accommodate Juniors and the 1st team and then further expand to a small non-league football stadium. We have architectural drawings and funding secured for phase I (training facilities). We also plan to host local sporting organizations and schools during the day, reinforcing our commitment to the local community in Wakefield.

Why would we invest in facilities so early in our journey? I can list many reasons but mainly because;

• Financial sustainability: More than 40% of our expenditure comes from rents;
• Uncertainty at Belle Vue once our agreement expires. We have a good relationship with Trinity’s new owners and CEO and while they are serious business people that will honor the current agreement, they have big plans for the stadium and do not need our funding unless we massively increase rents, which would not make sense for us financially as we attract on average 500 fans to our games (breakeven would be at +1500 plus);
• Little flexibility to grow community initiatives: We can’t run women’s football, juniors, tournaments or any other function that is not 1st team football because of scheduling, pitch maintenance and costs;
• Limited revenue potential: we don’t control the bar, can’t sell merchandise, can’t host sponsors, etc;
• Identity: Belle Vue is a fantastic facility but it is not ours. We need to have a spiritual (and physical) base, with our badge and pieces of our short history spread around the place. That will increase fans’ sense of ownership and connection with the club.

Last but not least, for next season we are being hit with a significant extra cost every home game. Long story short, Belle Vue can hold more than 9000 fans, so for every event we need to produce a report to satisfy the stadium Ground Safety Certificate (GSC). Basically, it means we will have to hire stewards and a Ground Certificate Officer every time we play at home at a significant cost for the club. We have been pushing back, with no success so far, as we see our games as low-risk events, normally with less than 800 people in attendance and no away fans. Needless to say, this was not highlighted when we signed the agreement nor was applicable last season.

In practical terms, there are two immediate consequences for the club and fans. a) Cost: Turns every home game into a financial loss unless we bring more than 1000 fans in every game. The club obviously cannot afford this charge and like everything else will have to be funded out of pocket by me, Andre, and Rodrigo. b) For this season, only the East Stand will be open on game days. If we open the other areas we have to hire more stewards and the cost per stand is prohibitive. It is annoying for you, and it’s even more annoying for us.

We never got into Wakefield AFC to make money. I’ve been managing investments for more than 20 years and a football club is not an investment, it is a passion project, especially at the non league level. We know the owners of EFL, National League, and National League North teams, financially it is the same or worse there. We invest in Wakefield because we really believe in this project and put not only money but dozens of hours on a weekly basis to try to push our club forward. We are committed and care deeply about it, but this year is time to change the narrative and secure a facility and a future for WAFC, otherwise, the club will never be viable long-term. Onto football now….

New Football Organization Structure

While last season’s results and performances were better than in 22/23, the end result was the same. Changes were needed on the pitch and also in terms of organization so the following measures were implemented:

Junior Roberti is confirmed as the new manager for 24/25. This was the easiest decision we’ve ever made for this club. Junior is a great footballing mind and also understands the community aspect of the club. More importantly, his personal values are in line with ours. He is organized, believes in preparation and is honest and direct in his communication with players, staff, and management. In the few months he’s been in charge we have felt a noticeable improvement in morale, organization, and player and fan engagement. I am sure results will follow soon.

New football organizational structure. Previously, recruiting was being coordinated by the First Team Manager with the club approving final signings and budget. Although the squad improved by the end of the season, we had too much attrition with players coming and going. 

For this season, we’ve created a transfer committee composed of Junior, our Head of Recruiting/Chief Scout (Blake), and our Director of Football/Chairman (Decca). From now on, no signing is made unless approved by the committee and through a combination of a wider player network (Blake), clear football identity (Decca/Club), position and tactical/technical requirements (Junior) we will have signings that are fully aligned with our values and football strategy.

Having said that, it is important to remember the better we perform and recruit the sooner we will lose players. After we beat Liversedge they came for one of our new players 24 hours later. Unfortunately, that’s the price we pay for recruiting good players and being at the bottom of the food chain. Some players will leave to play higher up even though we have better facilities, more fans, etc. It is disappointing but understandable and something we have learned to deal with. It falls on us to get one or two promotions so every once in a while we can be the predator and not the prey.

Quick Hits and Dates

• Season Tickets: Out next week. Prices are the same as last year with one added bonus – U15s are now free (previously U12s only). One more step towards being community oriented and expanding our fan base
• Girls Academy: We are starting girls teams. First minis on Saturdays. If you manage other age groups/teams and would like to play under Wakefield AFC please contact secretary@wakefieldafc.co.uk
• Ellgren: We now have windows for orders. We will communicate on our socials when windows open or close. Lead times – 4 weeks for kits. 6 weeks for Leisurewear.
• Merch/Kit Sale: We will have kits on sale during our first league home game of the season (tbc). Limited quantities and for the first time, we will offer numbered shirts in small quantities to test demand.

Finally a few thank you notes. Thank you Emma for her commitment to the club and for being us (and much more) on the ground on a daily basis. Harry, Jojo and Iain for all the support provided to Junior and previous management – it is never easy but you have been great. Volunteers for creating a great game day and media experience for fans. WAFC Juniors committee and coaches for turning our program into reality. To Rodrigo and Andre that not only support the club financially with me but also give their time and help push strategy forward – there’s no Wakefield AFC without them. To the fan group managers for helping us grow  – fantastic job last season turning a sometimes toxic community into an engaging one. Finally our fans, your belief makes us believe, the numbers and your engagement home and away never ceases to amaze and ultimately you are the reason why we do it.

Like you, I can’t wait for this season to start. Let’s support the boys as we push for promotion again. We believe the third time’s the charm….

All the best and see you all soon 

Gui Decca – Wakefield AFC Chairman