Background

Way back in the mists of time when the club came into being (1932) and our old Sandy Lane ground became its headquarters, the club was run by a football club committee, with a sub-committee running social events. There was also a board of trustees that looked after its assets.

 

This remained how the club was run, right through to the 21st century when, like many other clubs of its size, financial hardships began to become serious. This led to the realisation that an association of volunteers needed to become more business minded if the club was to survive.

 

At that time Steve Adkins (the club’s current owner & Chairman), who had taken the lead in moving the club to Imperial Fields and trying to make the club solvent, formed a company called Tooting & Mitcham Sports & Leisure Ltd. At the same time the football club committee/trustees formed itself into a limited company called Tooting & Mitcham Utd FC Members Club Ltd.

 

About a year later (2004) the two companies merged their interests and the Members Club became a minority shareholder in the main business. The aim of both parties being to provide a modern complex for community sports and activities, alongside the main Tooting & Mitcham United football club.

 

Therefore, our Members Club is in quite a unique and advantageous position, because Tooting & Mitcham United’s parent company is a professionally run organisation, with the Football Club supported by a team of volunteers that seek to practically support the club and its business, to ensure it remains viable.

 

This contrasts with the extremes that can be seen elsewhere around non-league football, where committees are getting older and older, without younger replacements coming through. Or the other end of the spectrum has one-man benefactors, who bring initial success, but when they grow tired of spending their money, have no one to replace them and ultimately the club becomes extinct.

 

What does the Members Club do?

The Tooting & Mitcham Utd FC Members Club provides a variety of volunteers covering a range of roles and is also represented at the ‘top table’ of decision making for the business.

 

The Members Club directors and individual roles are all voluntary positions and without the hard work and dedication of so many, we would not be able to support the club going forward.

 

Our formal responsibilities, are to ensure home matchday’s are organised and safe, and to raise funds for the football club, but we also raise funds for our wider community such as St George's Hospital and organise charity matches or collections for local children, food banks and other good causes.

​

What does the Members Club not do?

The Tooting & Mitcham Utd FC Members Club does not appoint the 1st team manager nor directly decide the squad formation, tactics or player transfers in or out of the club. We do however try to support and influence the manager and coaches in whatever way we can, to try and achieve success on the pitch.

 

Our volunteers:

1. Act as our home & away Matchday Secretary (a role that covers more than just matchdays)

2. Manage the clubs match ticketing & Season Ticket arrangements

3. Set up the ground & pitch equipment (such as access gates, nets & corner flags)

4. Staff the turnstiles

5. Act as stewards around the ground

6. Staff the tunnel area & display the substitute boards

7. Staff the Boardroom and provide refreshments to visiting match/club officials & sponsors

8. Staff the club shop

9.  Create & sell the match day programme, 50/50 & Golden Goal tickets

10. Look after visiting guests, sponsors & mascots etc

11. Organise and run events (such as the race night, fans forum or player awards event)

12. Try to attract sponsorship for matches and the club itself

13. Manage the club’s Website & Social Media platforms

14. Produce a regular club newsletter

​

The Members Club also supports maintenance of the ground and the upgrading of facilities, such as the new turnstile entrance and the Club Shop etc.

 

We are also involved in managing any segrigation arrangements, ensuring the ground’s operational plan is up to date and ensuring our ground grading is maintained, so this allows us to play in higher leagues in the future.

 

ALL the money we raise goes to fulfilling these obligations, with any profit made, passing via the parent company to the managers to spend on players, equipment or other first team requirements.

​

If these roles are not filled by our volunteers, then the football club would not be able to function or host any matches. A strong & vibrant Members Club is therefore vital for the survival of the club.

 

The Members Club raises its funds by:

1. Members Club yearly subscription fees

2. Holding events (such as the race night)

3. Raffles

4. Matchday sales of the Official Programme, 50/50 & Golden Goal

5. Man of the Match Sponsorship & Matchday Mascots

6. Local sponsorship deals for matchday, pitch side & programme advertising

7. Player Sponsorship

8. The 100 Club

9. Fundraising events (such as a sponsored run / walk)

​

The more money we raise and volunteers we have, the more we can do.

 

Why should I join?

The Member’s Club is the fans in action, without it the football club would struggle to continue. The main company, with its community operations, is overstretched with many sports and educational projects, this is why a strong and vibrant Members Club is so vital.

 

We are separate from the Supporters Club, which raises its funds by other means and is mostly focused on 1st team matters, whereas the Members Club does all it can to support and improve all aspects of the club.

 

By becoming a Members Club Member, you also benefit by becoming a part owner of the club and from being able to access our exclusive Members Club benefits, which we have negotiated for you.

 

There is no good reason why any fan of Tooting & Mitcham United FC should not become a member and the more members we have the more we can help in the success of Tooting & Mitcham United FC. In fact, you become a part of the ownership of the whole T&M project, as well as a supporter of the club.

 

Chris Woolley

Members Club Chairman