BALLARAT Red Devils chairman Duncan Smith has backed the embattled club to rebound from its current financial plight without the assistance of governing bodies.
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Smith met with National Premier Leagues Victoria head Liam Bentley to discuss the club’s future ahead of the Red Devils’ comprehensive defeat of Murray United on Saturday.
The Reds gave their fans 90 minutes of sheer joy with a 6-1 trouncing, and Smith said the result reflected the club’s positive discussions.
“He (Liam) and the NPL are committed to Ballarat,” he said. “They’re committed to helping us, but we don’t need any help – we’ll be fine.”
Central to Ballarat’s revival and its unification is the restructure of its board to a more formalised model, featuring four academy and four senior representatives, with the opportunity for specialist positions.
Smith said he and other board members had the best interests of the club at heart, but stopped short of saying he – or any others – would step down if asked.
“I’m on the board right now and it (the restructure and personnel changes) hasn’t been discussed,” Smith said.
“It doesn’t bother me because it’s not a personal thing.
“It’s never been about me.
“Those eight people will be discussed and it’s not about me, Stan (Burns), Spurgs (Tony Spurgo) or Wayne (Sand-
ford) or any of the others – it’s about the best interests of the club.”
The discussion with Bentley, scheduled several weeks ago, covered a range of topics, including Ballarat’s academy squads, player points, its salary cap and membership fees.
“The club itself is in a good position, in a strong football region to become a long-term successful club in the NPL,” Bentley said.
“NPL clubs are expected to be sustainable within their own right.
“Introducing more hands onto the committee and bringing in experienced people will always improve the long-term sustainability of the club resources and, in turn, the club itself.”
Bentley also said the support would be offered on “professionalising aspects of the club”.
Smith said luring more major sponsors was also pivotal to the Red Devils’ finances.
However, sponsor retention hasn’t been an issue for the club, with Smith revealing only one of the 40 sponsors (worth $3000) from last season electing not to renew this year.
Smith also said Bentley confirmed that the club’s fees, and subsequently its player payments, were the lowest of any NPL club in Victoria.
Although there is plenty of scope for raising membership fees, Smith said a primary aim would be to decrease them further.
michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au
