megaspinnernet2 Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Times are tough at Keanie Park with recent relegation to the bottom rung of junior football the latest blow to followers of the side. And with bills continuing to drop through the door, and a lack of younger supporters stepping up to replace an aging committee, fears about the future of the proud club are on the rise. Club secretary and committee member Ricky Cantwell insists things can’t keep going the way they are if the Burgh are to survive in the foreseeable future. Commenting on the club’s precarious position, Cantwell concedes that the next couple of years are bleak if they are unable to attract new members to join the club’s board. News that their current sponsorship deal is not to be renewed has also served as a setback, with every penny a prisoner for the club. Cantwell told Express Sport: “It is vital that we get new committee men, that is the main issue. As things stand there are around three of us and one of the committee members is in a wheelchair. “We need young people to help us out or it would be very difficult for the club to continue. I’m the most mobile out of everybody involved and I’m 64 years old. That should tell its own story. “Money is tight. We incur costs every year with the rent of the ground but we also have to carry out our own maintenance work. “Recent fundraising events have been used to pay off debts that we had instead of being used as an advance for next season to help with the budget. “We raised around £3,000 but that all had to be used elsewhere. “It’s really concerning. The bottom line is each year serves as a body blow. “We need a new sponsor, we need new committee men, we need as much help as we can get.” The Burgh were founded in 1956 and have enjoyed their fair share of glory days, lifting the Junior Scottish Cup back in 1964 and 1968. The side’s heyday came in the 60s, with future St Mirren star Hugh Gilshan a regular goalscorer for the Keanie Park side. Frank McAvennie was another who made his name with the Johnstone club, catching the eye before a move to St Mirren. McAvennie would go on to star for Celtic, West Ham United and Scotland in the 80s and early 90s. The club’s most recent success came in 2015 as the management team of David Brolly and Colin Smith secured promotion from the Central District Second Division in their first season in charge since replacing George Walker at the helm, though it remains a long way from their past successes in junior football’s top flight. Next to no budget means that Burgh have not been able to pay players any wages for a number of years, meaning that players are continuously picked off by clubs around the leagues. And Cantwell admits he has sympathy for the club’s current management team. He added: “The people I feel most sorry for is Colin and Davie. At the end of the day it is a thankless task for the two of them. “Every time they have a player who looks like he is a prospect someone comes along and snaps them up. They work tirelessly behind the scenes to make this club better but as soon as another team comes along it is very difficult to stand in their way. Enticing players is just as hard. “I know they find it very frustrating but they continue to put their all into the club.” Preparations are now under way for next season both on and off of the park. A cry for help to help fix up the Keanie Park clubhouse has so far fell on deaf ears, despite the urgent need for plastering work, painting and maintenance to a leaking roof. A recent race night also failed to attract a significant crowd, with fundraisers made up mostly of players and the committee. Even help cutting the grass would help would aid the ailing side. When asked if, without help, the club would struggle to see out the next couple of seasons, Cantwell conceded: “I think that would be a fair assessment. “We need help, or we will just continue to struggle.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugent4nil Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 You not fancy joining the committee Liam? They must be your local team? Good luck to all involved at the Burgh, great club with a rich history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricky burgh Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Thanks everyone who has responded , but I think the biggest threat facing Johnstone BurghS future is going to be the lack of younger blood coming onto the committee , over the last few years we have relied heavily on a committee that is too old and physically weak who cannot deal with even the simplest of tasks, we also rely very heavily on David Brolly, Colin Smith and Chris Wozencroft who have done an amazing amount of work under very and continue to do so. WE are like everyone else we are seeing attendances drop largely in my opinion due to our failure to deviate from a 2 o clock kick off and putting ourselves directly against live televised games. This also has the effect of as well as losing vital gate money l we also lose other related income, We have a committee who in common with a lot of committees out there have yo put their hands in their pockets to keep the club alive . When I sit down and try to help the club , I don't want to see our club struggling at the bottom rung of Junior Football I want to see Johnstone Burgh back where they belong and unfortunately this cannot be done with a committee who in the main Frail and in their seventies, we need young people, male and female who can attract sponsors and other income such as weekiy fundraising schemes to get the club moving forward . I want a situation where we can keep our better players , not see them enticed away by other so called bigger clubs waving a better financial deal in there faces . I firmly believe that any player who signs for Johnstonr Burgh signs for potentially a big club , if we can get things right in the committee room then we can get the club back to where they bekong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Been at a few games last season and they were struggling on and off the pitch. Sure they will ounce back, recall a similar article a few years back. Another promotion season this season would go down nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 1 hour ago, ricky burgh said: Thanks everyone who has responded , but I think the biggest threat facing Johnstone BurghS future is going to be the lack of younger blood coming onto the committee , over the last few years we have relied heavily on a committee that is too old and physically weak who cannot deal with even the simplest of tasks, we also rely very heavily on David Brolly, Colin Smith and Chris Wozencroft who have done an amazing amount of work under very and continue to do so. WE are like everyone else we are seeing attendances drop largely in my opinion due to our failure to deviate from a 2 o clock kick off and putting ourselves directly against live televised games. This also has the effect of as well as losing vital gate money l we also lose other related income, We have a committee who in common with a lot of committees out there have yo put their hands in their pockets to keep the club alive . When I sit down and try to help the club , I don't want to see our club struggling at the bottom rung of Junior Football I want to see Johnstone Burgh back where they belong and unfortunately this cannot be done with a committee who in the main Frail and in their seventies, we need young people, male and female who can attract sponsors and other income such as weekiy fundraising schemes to get the club moving forward . I want a situation where we can keep our better players , not see them enticed away by other so called bigger clubs waving a better financial deal in there faces . I firmly believe that any player who signs for Johnstonr Burgh signs for potentially a big club , if we can get things right in the committee room then we can get the club back to where they bekong Guy on black and white army suggested trying some buckets at St Mirren games, We still owe you for McAvenie I think and I'm sure this would generate a few hundred quid anyway, its the local junior club for a lot of Saints fans. Any way you could get that idea to the committee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaspinnernet2 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/johnstoneburgh crowdfunding to help see the club go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Albert Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Unfortunately Johnstone Burgh are the latest in a long line of teams who for one reason or another are finding it difficult to survive in the Juniors. And they will not be the last, there was Newmains, Bellshill, Greenock, all of whom have been under threat through one reason or another we don't want them going out of the league the way Blantyre Celtic, Coltness United, Stonehouse Violet, Bailieston Juniors. on the other side you have new clubs likes of Rossvale, Gartcairn, who are well organised and seemed to be going from strength to strength, but probably the best and most improved club is Wishaw from whom we could all learn from the way the raise funds and the way the club is run. My own club Royal Albert we struggle to survive especially playing up at Stonehouse were last season we had 5 games were we couldn't pay the ref from what we took at the gate, and for the last 4 months have been looking for a shirt sponsor for next season. There will be a lot of clubs who will not be paying players next season and not just in the bottom leagues, some clubs have gone for the short term glory way by paying big wages don't get the success they wanted and then start dropping down the leagues. But the biggest danger as someone said earlier is getting younger people on the committees to actually take over the running of the clubs when the old diehards are gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednblack Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Who actually owns KP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilsyth ranger Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Who actually owns KP Thinking bout a groundshare or buying it with your millions at the roy ? [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilsyth ranger Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Seriously i hope the burgh rally round an go upwards[emoji41] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednblack Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Thinking bout a groundshare or buying it with your millions at the roy ? [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Was a serious question as don't want to see another club messed about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilsyth ranger Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Am pulling your chain, look at my comment below that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larky9 Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 It would be great to see the players playing for the love of the game instead of crippling clubs with their stupid wage demands,as most junior players have decent enough jobs the running of clubs nowadays are costing a bloody fortune Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passbackdave Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 It would be great to see the players playing for the love of the game instead of crippling clubs with their stupid wage demands,as most junior players have decent enough jobs the running of clubs nowadays are costing a bloody fortune It's the club's willing 2 pay stupid wages that's the problem Mon the papers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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