Thamesmead Town Football Club Chairman Paul Bowden-Brown has announced that Thamesmead Town Football Club Ltd is going into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation.
The Chairman announced with great sadness that due to a continued lack of supporters bringing finances into the club he had no option but to look to sell the club. The player's wages, management fees, grounds fees and all other costs were being paid by the Chairman personally and despite heavy investment to try and turn the clubs fortunes around, the situation had not improved, and no buyer had been found.
It is deeply regrettable that a fine club like Thamesmead Town has become the victim of the increasingly difficult financial situation clubs in grass routes football leagues find themselves in.
The Chairman thanked all those at the club who had worked incredibly hard over the last six years at and the small group of supporters who had been incredibly loyal during that time.
Thamesmead Town, part of the Bostik South East division played their last game against Guernsey on Saturday 6th October, finishing with a 3-0 win.
Worrying trend of lower league football these days. Thurrock recently gone the same way. As with most things nowadays, if there's no money to be made then it won't be around for very long. Sad times.
Long term poor support but critically ground ownership troubles have cost them their existence. Playing at Dartford this season and last, having been charged exhorbitant fees by Peabody trust who own the Bayliss road ground. "move the Club away from Bayliss Avenue. To that end, I gave 1-year notice to the Peabody Trust and negotiated a 5-year Groundshare Agreement at Dartford FC ground Princess Park which started season 17-18.
Well, after one year playing at Princes Park it became very clear to me that for whatever reason Thamesmead Town Football Club did not have enough supporters. Paying gates were down some 70 % during that season and to be honest the only major financial contributor other than myself that season was the finance gained by our great FA Cup run, therefore and without my continued support the Club would have died much earlier."
A mate of mine who was involved with them said they were a little tied up regarding entrance fees - there was a mínimum set by the league which was too high for a lot of casual fans, but they were unable to try lowering the prices to attract more fans due to the regulations. It sounds as if the ground issues were what ultimately killed them, any Charlton fans visiting the club could have advised about the consequences of playing elsewhere, but that all comes back to the lack of interest in Thamesmead for their team. Sad stuff.
this is a reason for the sale of wembley being touted that the money will go back in to the game - cannot see it myself - football is slowly becoming a business that is for rich foreign investors.
Between 80 & 150 in gate at that level is never going to be remotely sustainable unfortunately. Not been for a few years but was either £10 or £12 back then so recently they’d have struggled to take £1k a home game.
What a shame. My son played for them from the age of 8 to 11. His team won the Bexley Cup once and the Bexley League title twice. He was then poached by VCD but left stood on the touchline every game. That made him lose his passion for playing.
Thamesmead Town were proud of their youngsters, coming along to support the team and laying on great end of season presentation parties. My son is 23 now and he too will be sad to know this.
Between 80 & 150 in gate at that level is never going to be remotely sustainable unfortunately. Not been for a few years but was either £10 or £12 back then so recently they’d have struggled to take £1k a home game.
anything above 100 is a great crowd at that level. Unfortunately that's completely unsustainable.
I did a pre season with them early 90s as a teenager, played a pre season friendly against Margate, Herne Bay, someone like that. Got threatened, fouled and elbowed all game by a psycho left back twice my age who eventually punched me in face on the sly at a corner. I decided there and then that Saturday’s were more fun going to the pub and Charlton with my mates. Started playing Sunday pub level instead.
Never particularly liked playing at Bayliss Ave as a youngster. Pitch seemed to be huge and bumpy and always seemed to be windy.
Very sad to see then go though, they have a strong history in local football.
Between 80 & 150 in gate at that level is never going to be remotely sustainable unfortunately. Not been for a few years but was either £10 or £12 back then so recently they’d have struggled to take £1k a home game.
anything above 100 is a great crowd at that level. Unfortunately that's completely unsustainable.
Yeah i regularly go to East Grinstead (same league), 150 would be a very decent crowd
I did a pre season with them early 90s as a teenager, played a pre season friendly against Margate, Herne Bay, someone like that. Got threatened, fouled and elbowed all game by a psycho left back twice my age who eventually punched me in face on the sly at a corner. I decided there and then that Saturday’s were more fun going to the pub and Charlton with my mates. Started playing Sunday pub level instead.
Never particularly liked playing at Bayliss Ave as a youngster. Pitch seemed to be huge and bumpy and always seemed to be windy.
Very sad to see then go though, they have a strong history in local football.
Never played for them mate but against them on several occasions in their formative years from the late sixties to the early seventies in the Eltham / Greenwich and District Leagues as were Welling Utd. Sad to see them fold.
One of my mates used to play for them. Followed them on a great cup run in the FA Vase in about 95 or 96
Away trip to Chichester stands out and they lost in 5th round at home to Canvey Island who had quite a bit of money behind them - think it was played at Slade Greens ground due to number Canvey were bringing and remember it all kicking off.
I did a pre season with them early 90s as a teenager, played a pre season friendly against Margate, Herne Bay, someone like that. Got threatened, fouled and elbowed all game by a psycho left back twice my age who eventually punched me in face on the sly at a corner. I decided there and then that Saturday’s were more fun going to the pub and Charlton with my mates. Started playing Sunday pub level instead.
Never particularly liked playing at Bayliss Ave as a youngster. Pitch seemed to be huge and bumpy and always seemed to be windy.
Very sad to see then go though, they have a strong history in local football.
Played against them many times for VCD, Phoenix and Dartford.
Growing up with Phoenix, TT were our main rivals, lots of cross over mates from school, had some great battles.
I did a pre season with them early 90s as a teenager, played a pre season friendly against Margate, Herne Bay, someone like that. Got threatened, fouled and elbowed all game by a psycho left back twice my age who eventually punched me in face on the sly at a corner. I decided there and then that Saturday’s were more fun going to the pub and Charlton with my mates. Started playing Sunday pub level instead.
Never particularly liked playing at Bayliss Ave as a youngster. Pitch seemed to be huge and bumpy and always seemed to be windy.
Very sad to see then go though, they have a strong history in local football.
Played against them many times for VCD, Phoenix and Dartford.
Growing up with Phoenix, TT were our main rivals, lots of cross over mates from school, had some great battles.
I played for Phoenix too about 25 years ago. Couple of decent battles with Thamesmead.
Comments
The Chairman announced with great sadness that due to a continued lack of supporters bringing finances into the club he had no option but to look to sell the club. The player's wages, management fees, grounds fees and all other costs were being paid by the Chairman personally and despite heavy investment to try and turn the clubs fortunes around, the situation had not improved, and no buyer had been found.
It is deeply regrettable that a fine club like Thamesmead Town has become the victim of the increasingly difficult financial situation clubs in grass routes football leagues find themselves in.
The Chairman thanked all those at the club who had worked incredibly hard over the last six years at and the small group of supporters who had been incredibly loyal during that time.
Thamesmead Town, part of the Bostik South East division played their last game against Guernsey on Saturday 6th October, finishing with a 3-0 win.
Football is rotten.
Thurrock recently gone the same way.
As with most things nowadays, if there's no money to be made then it won't be around for very long.
Sad times.
Sarcasm aside maybe if they paid more attention to what happened down in Non-League there may be less clubs in trouble!!
"move the Club away from Bayliss Avenue. To that end, I gave 1-year notice to the Peabody Trust and negotiated a 5-year Groundshare Agreement at Dartford FC ground Princess Park which started season 17-18.
Well, after one year playing at Princes Park it became very clear to me that for whatever reason Thamesmead Town Football Club did not have enough supporters. Paying gates were down some 70 % during that season and to be honest the only major financial contributor other than myself that season was the finance gained by our great FA Cup run, therefore and without my continued support the Club would have died much earlier."
Thamesmead Town were proud of their youngsters, coming along to support the team and laying on great end of season presentation parties. My son is 23 now and he too will be sad to know this.
I did a pre season with them early 90s as a teenager, played a pre season friendly against Margate, Herne Bay, someone like that. Got threatened, fouled and elbowed all game by a psycho left back twice my age who eventually punched me in face on the sly at a corner. I decided there and then that Saturday’s were more fun going to the pub and Charlton with my mates. Started playing Sunday pub level instead.
Never particularly liked playing at Bayliss Ave as a youngster. Pitch seemed to be huge and bumpy and always seemed to be windy.
Very sad to see then go though, they have a strong history in local football.
Unsustainable on crowds of 100-150
Followed them on a great cup run in the FA Vase in about 95 or 96
Away trip to Chichester stands out and they lost in 5th round at home to Canvey Island who had quite a bit of money behind them - think it was played at Slade Greens ground due to number Canvey were bringing and remember it all kicking off.
Growing up with Phoenix, TT were our main rivals, lots of cross over mates from school, had some great battles.