Sitting down with Canterbury City FC’s Club Secretary Richie Moore.
On 19th September, Canterbury City FC announced that due to financial reasons, they would have to withdraw from the Southern Counties East Football League after the latest planning application for a ground and football hub was rejected thus meaning it would take a further 3 years for a new planning application to be submitted.
With massive uncertainty and every growing doubt that the club might have to cease existence, two days after their announcement Chairman Tim Clark released a statement confirming that a generous donation had helped keep Canterbury’s season alive as they have been able to resume play in the SCEFL with Faversham Town secured as their home ground for the rest of the season.
Whilst there is guaranteed league football for City this campaign, what is not guaranteed is what happens next season and having set up a GoFundMe page for the club, CommunityAd had the pleasure of speaking with Club Treasurer Richie Moore who has been the heartbeat of the club since he took the position in 2019.
That same year, City were making headlines for all the right reasons going on a tremendous cup run, reaching the semi-final of the FA Vase.
To be so close to cup glory to now worrying about the future of the club in the space of just two years is extremely concerning but Richie is quick to inform me of their current status and how their donor has helped save them this season, he said:
“Thankfully, an anonymous donor came in. We have been able to sustain our position with a reduced players budget so it has kind of steadied the ship a little bit. We have lost players but we have gained some that are happy to play for less than what they would normally get paid so we have been quite lucky with that.”
One of the main irks I have when it comes to Canterbury is that its football club play their home games 10 miles away in Faversham and have done now for well over a decade.
Whilst asking Richie Moore just how Canterbury found themselves in this dire situation, he explains the battles the club have had, not just in getting a ground in Canterbury but also creating a football hub in what would be for the benefit of the community.
“We have been trying to find our own ground for some time now and Quinn Estates were our main sponsors with their proposed Highland Court project including a ground for Canterbury City. This was to be based at Bridge but the application got pulled which means we have got to wait another 3 years for an application to find a new site. Quinn Estates have been very good to us and have pretty much been bankrolling the club but they can’t sustain paying the money they have been to wait another 3 years for an application so we have now essentially lost our sponsor which is why we are in such a troubling situation now.
“We are actually a CIC (Community Interest Company) so our ethos and business plan is that what we do all goes back into club and the community. We want to build a football hub so the children of Canterbury have got a place to go and play football but we just keep having stumbling blocks.
“The council bought the stadium 14 years ago and told us that we would have our own ground within 2 years, we’re still waiting, why is that?”
A lorry driver by trade that works nights, daytime is Richie’s sleep time and although he reassures me in a playful chirpy manner that he’s off this week so is fine to talk, I can sense the pain and stress behind his tone these last few months have caused him.
It’s clear to see just how much Canterbury City Football Club means to Richie and his breakdown of costs just to run a club in the SCEFL league is extremely eye-opening.
“We have a ground share to pay and we’ve also got affiliation and insurance fees. We haven’t just got the first team either; there are the under-23s and the ladies’ team that need to be funded as well and official’s fees. To run a football club of Canterbury City, you’re looking at around £50-60,000 a year with the ground share, wages and training facilities/equipment.”
Football is in Richie’s DNA, a former player and manager, the 46-year-old has been involved in the beautiful game for over 30 years. Although these last few months have revealed the ugly side of football, the passion and drive is always there.
You won’t find a more dedicated Secretary than Richie and he won’t quit:
“I am a football person, pure and simple. I kind of see this now as a personal project to not let Canterbury City go by the wayside, that’s my drive. It shouldn’t happen, a club of Canterbury’s stature. I think it’s probably the only city in the country that doesn’t have a recognized football club playing in it and it’s wrong.
“There’s no one essentially able to keep the club going apart from me and the fans recognize it, the anonymous donor recognizes it, the players recognize it and they’ve all said if it wasn’t for me, we still wouldn’t have a team in the SCEFL league but it’s tiring!”
Having been a former player, Richie also informed me about the mentality of the players, he said:
“There’s definitely a lull in the dressing room which is understandable. The first couple of weeks there was a lot of questions, mainly just ‘what’s happening?’
“Our very first game after the announcement was Tunbridge Wells away in the FA Vase. I went over to Tunbridge and after the game went in the changing room and shook all the players’ hands and thanked them because they agreed to play for free that day. They appreciated my words and just wanted to know that someone cared.
“The money from our donor has helped put in place a wage budget, albeit reduced, and from that, despite losing a few, we have been able to keep the majority of our players. There’s still a lot of disappointment, there’s still of lot of uncertainty but they have to trust that I am working hard in the background which I am.”
As Richie’s listed off his match day routine and day to day work with the club, I felt tired just listening to the tasks and various duties he has. It truly sounds like a one man band that Richie is looking to add more members to:
“We are really short of volunteers and it would be great just to have some more people here to help. Getting people in would be brilliant because once we attract more in, it helps build momentum at the club via gates and interest and that’s what we need to generate. We are actively looking for sponsors because we have to look at where we’re going to ground share next season and the prices for that. I don’t expect anyone to give it to us for under five figures, that’s a fact! Faversham have been fantastic to us but are they going to give us the same rate for next season? I very much doubt it.
“We’re up to £1600 on the GoFundMe but we need to get that massively higher if we stand a chance of surviving next season. Canterbury is massive, if everyone in the city put £1 in, we would be laughing!
“It’s just so open at the moment as to what we do with the club. I’m looking at next season and basically questioning if we can run a team in the SCEFL league because of the costs!
“The stress takes a toll on your family life as well. I can easily say this period has been one of the most demanding things that I have ever had to go through in football, most definitely.”
Despite a cloud of uncertainty, this club are in extremely dedicated and loyal hands with Richie Moore even explaining his long-term vision for City:
“Obviously, next season is up in the air at the moment but my overall ambition for Canterbury is to be able to have a ground in the city and a desire to push for a status similar to Ebbsfleet, Maidstone and Dartford. That’s where I want us to go, that’s got to be the vision. That is achievable but we have got a big hurdle now to get over that first step.”
One thing I know that is a guarantee, as long as Richie Moore is Club Secretary of Canterbury City Football Club, the heartbeat of this football club will be constantly strong.