Sporting 87 Football Club Charity 2023-24 Annual Report
Introduction
The Sporting 87 Football Club Charity operates with the following public benefit objectives:
- To promote community participation in healthy recreation by providing football facilities. 2. To advance the Christian religion in accordance with the Club's statement of faith.
Football Provision
Sporting 87 FC is registered with the Suffolk FA and is an English FA accredited Football Club with two stars, and a FA Nike Partner Club. The Club hosts the majority of its home games at the prestigious Victory Sports Ground in Bury St Edmunds.
For the 2023/24 season, Sporting 87 registered three adult teams in the Suffolk and Ipswich League (SIL): the Senior Division, Division 2, and Division 4. The First Team competed in the Senior Division for the second time in the Club's history, finishing 11th. The Reserves secured 5th place in Division 2, maintaining the highest Reserves Team position in the SIL for the second consecutive year. The A Team achieved a third-place finish in Division 4, also for the second year running. Despite the successful performances, promotion for these teams is hindered by facility restrictions and league regulations. Addressing these issues is crucial for the Club's future progress.
During the season, the Club registered over 122 adult players, with 61% (75/122) having progressed from the Club's Youth section. This mirrors the national trend of increasing player numbers required to sustain teams. The adult teams play on Saturday afternoons and train midweek under the supervision of FA-qualified coaches. In cup competitions, the Club participated in the FA Junior Cup, Primary Cup, Bob Coleman Cup, Club Colours Cup, and Goals of Ipswich Cup. Despite national and local challenges faced by many adult teams, Sporting 87 remains strong but mindful of emerging trends.
Youth Development
The Club managed over 30 youth teams, registering more than 500 youngsters with the FA for the 2023/24 season. These teams, competing in leagues and cup competitions, played their home games at the Victory Ground and other local venues, and trained mid-week on 3G AstroTurf under floodlights. Youth teams participated in the Suffolk Youth Football League on Saturday mornings and the prestigious Mid-Week Thurlow Nunn Youth U18 Floodlit League, utilizing the AFC Sudbury Ground. We extend our gratitude to AFC Sudbury for this partnership, now in its ninth year, essential for our participation at this competitive level. This season was particularly challenging for our Thurlow Nunn U18 Team, emphasizing the need for continued development in this area.
All coaches are qualified to a minimum FA Coach Level 1 and hold valid FA Child Safeguarding, First Aid qualifications, and FA DBS certificates. The Club boasts over six FA Football Coaching Level 2 coaches and five UEFA B coaches.
Spiritual Development
Spiritual development is integral to the Club's ethos. Below are examples of the spiritual support provided:
Club Chaplain and Team Tim Banks, the Club Chaplain, maintains a visible presence at matches and events, offering support as needed. He leads the Footy Pastors team, who assist at Saturday matches. Tim also supports members and their families through various challenges, including bereavement, debt issues, life-limiting diseases, and addictions. Tim, a member of the National Sports Chaplaincy UK, engages with local churches to update them on Club activities and contributes articles to the First Team home match day programme. He is also part of the Club's Welfare Committee, supported by numerous committed volunteers.
Community and Member Engagement The Club fosters strong connections with local Christian organizations. During Christmas, the Club produced online readings and thoughts that were well-received, garnering over 7000 views on Twitter, doubling the previous year’s engagement. The Club also supports university members by visiting students and encouraging church attendance, demonstrating ongoing Christian care and mentoring during their transitional period.
Life Questions and First Team Home Matches From September to April, the Club organizes "Life Questions" sessions at a local Indian restaurant, allowing people to explore faith in an informal setting. The Club also produces a 20-page full-color Match Day Programme for every First Team fixture, featuring Christian player testimonies and articles from the Club Chaplain, distributed free to attendees with 300 printed copies and a digital version available.
Club Management
The Club is overseen by the main Committee, which meets quarterly, comprising:
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Club Chairman: Dave Courteen
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Youth Chairman: Darren Brown
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Club Secretary and Director of Football: Jonathan Warnock
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Treasurer: Nigel Johnson
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Club Chaplain: Tim Banks
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Club Administrator: Ruth Goddard
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Club Welfare Officer: Amos Owen
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Members: Caroline Owen, Sam Marsden
Additional committees include the Adult Football Committee, Youth Football Committee, Welfare Committee, Finance Committee, Faith Committee, and the Victory Ground Project Committee.
Awards Events
This year, the Club hosted five annual awards events. Three Saturday events featured Christian footballer Daniel Jinadu, attracting over 900 attendees. An event at the Victory Ground for U18 players leaving the Club saw nearly 100 participants. The Adult Awards dinner, attended by 100
people, featured Omar Beckles, Leyton Orient Captain and PFA Chairman, sharing his experiences as a professional footballer and his Christian faith.
Community Partnerships
The Club collaborates with organizations such as the Sporting 87 Educational Trust, The Doxa Project, and On Goal. In August, in partnership with Rougham Baptist Church, a week-long football camp was held, attended by over 90 youngsters.
Future Developments
The Club is exploring the acquisition of a 3G pitch to enhance training access and reduce facility rental costs. This facility would support the Club's progression up the Non-League pyramid. The 3G facility project at the Victory Sports Ground is prioritized in the Local Football facilities report, marking a significant step towards this goal.
Financial Summary
The Club's finances remain tight, and we are grateful for the following grants:
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Ridley Godfrey: £1,000
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Football Foundation: £10,454
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Suffolk FA Youth Retention Grant: £500
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Various donations: £4,176
Registered number 1162311
Sporting 87 Football Club
Report and Accounts
31 May 2024
Sporting 87 Football Club Registered number: 1162311 Trustees' Report
The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 May 2024.
Principal activities
The company's principal activity during the year continued to be community recreation
Trustees
The following persons served as trustees during the year:
J Warnock N Johnson D Brown
Small company provisions
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
This report was approved by the board on 26 March 2025 and signed on its behalf.
D Brown Trustee
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Sporting 87 Football Club Accountants' Report
Accountants' report to the directors of Sporting 87 Football Club
You consider that the company is exempt from an audit for the year ended 31 May 2024. You have acknowledged, on the balance sheet, your responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These responsibilities include preparing accounts that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at the end of the financial year and of its profit or loss for the financial year.
In accordance with your instructions, we have prepared the accounts which comprise the Profit and Loss Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes from the accounting records of the company and on the basis of information and explanations you have given to us.
We have not carried out an audit or any other review, and consequently we do not express any opinion on these accounts.
Johnson and Co Accountants Ltd 9 New Cheveley Road
Newmarket Suffolk CB8 8BG
26 May 2025
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Sporting 87 Football Club Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 31 May 2024
| Notes Turnover Cost of sales Gross profit Administrative expenses Operating loss 2 Loss for the financial year |
2024 £ 150,268 (105,058) 45,210 (54,894) (9,684) (11,268) |
2023 £ 156,289 (101,269) 55,020 (68,015) (12,995) (12,995) |
|---|---|---|
3
Sporting 87 Football Club Balance Sheet as at 31 May 2024
| Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets 3 Current assets Stocks Debtors 4 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 5 Net current (liabilities)/assets Net assets Capital and reserves Profit and loss account 6 Retained funds |
2,081 1,624 20,921 24,626 (27,037) |
2024 £ 15,872 (2,411) 13,461 13,461 13,461 |
3,248 1,984 34,394 39,626 (32,769) |
2023 £ 17,872 6,857 24,729 24,729 24,729 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to obtain an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Act.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
J Warnock Trustee
Approved by the board on 26 March 2025
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Sporting 87 Football Club Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2024
1 Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2015).
Turnover
Turnover represents the value, net of value added tax and discounts, of goods provided to customers and work carried out in respect of services provided to customers.
Depreciation
Depreciation has been provided at the following rates in order to write off the assets over their estimated useful lives.
Plant and machinery
20% straight line
Stocks
Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.
- 2 Operating profit
| Operating profit | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | |
| This is stated after charging: | ||
| Depreciation of owned fixed assets | 2,000 | - |
| 3 Tangible fixed assets Cost At 1 June 2023 At 31 May 2024 Depreciation At 1 June 2023 Charge for the year At 31 May 2024 Net book value At 31 May 2024 At 31 May 2023 4 Debtors Trade debtors |
Land and buildings £ 20,000 20,000 4,000 2,000 6,000 14,000 16,000 |
Plant and machinery etc £ 2,889 2,889 1,017 - 1,017 1,872 1,872 2024 £ 1,624 |
Total £ 22,889 22,889 5,017 2,000 7,017 15,872 17,872 2023 £ 1,984 |
|---|---|---|---|
5
Sporting 87 Football Club Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2024
| 5 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Bank loans and overdrafts Other creditors 6 Profit and loss account At 1 June 2023 Loss for the year At 31 May 2024 |
2024 £ 27,037 - 27,037 2024 £ 24,729 (11,268) 13,461 |
2023 £ 29,769 3,000 32,769 |
|---|---|---|
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Sporting 87 Football Club Detailed profit and loss account for the year ended 31 May 2024
| Sales Cost of sales Gross profit Administrative expenses Operating loss |
2024 £ 150,268 (105,058) 45,210 (54,894) (9,684) |
2023 £ 156,289 (101,269) 55,020 (68,015) (12,995) |
|---|---|---|
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Sporting 87 Football Club Detailed profit and loss account for the year ended 31 May 2024
| Sales Sales Cost of sales Pitch and Training Hire Referee Fees Equipment and Kit Affliation Fees Adult Awards Evening Staff costs Tuck Shop Administrative expenses Employee costs: Wages and salaries Premises costs: Rent and service fees General administrative expenses: Coaching Stationery and printing Golf Day Victory Ground Project Home Offices Subscriptions Website Life Assurance Welfare/pastoral Telephone Donations and pastoral Sundry expenses |
2024 £ 150,268 61,065 6,645 23,629 2,212 7,434 1,439 2,634 105,058 35,337 35,337 5,268 5,268 2,051 2,993 3,822 150 - - 874 1,127 1,272 - - - 14,289 54,894 |
2023 £ 156,289 61,364 5,279 20,541 2,222 7,543 1,832 2,488 101,269 42,215 42,215 5,294 5,294 2,337 2,030 - 10,305 1,200 264 391 1,127 - 857 584 1,411 20,506 68,015 |
|---|---|---|
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of “Sporting 87 Football Club”
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] May 2024
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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To follow the procedures laid down in general directions given by the commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act;
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To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention.
Name: Amanda Marks Date: 28[th] March 2025