Treasurer’s update - April 2026
April proved to be the defining month of the season, delivering the outcome we have all been working towards – back-to-back Champions!
Across the five fixtures, the headline moment came away at Northampton Sileby Rangers, where a 3–0 victory secured the league title and confirmed us as back-to-back champions. To achieve promotion from Step 6 to Step 4 in just two seasons is a remarkable achievement, and one that reflects the collective effort across the club both on and off the pitch.
The month itself was not without its challenges. Fixtures against Atherstone Town, Coventry United and Boston Town all came against sides competing for play-off places, and those games proved particularly tough. This is a pattern we see every season at this level – teams pushing for promotion often strengthen late on, bringing in players on dual registration from Step 4 or even higher. That can significantly increase the level of opposition in the final weeks of the campaign.
Our approach has been vastly different. From day one, we have set a flat weekly playing budget and stuck to it across the entire season. That consistency is important. It ensures fairness within the squad, avoids short-term decision making, and most importantly protects the long-term sustainability of the football club.
Even with the season running slightly longer than budgeted, we expect to come in under budget on the playing side across the full campaign. When you consider that alongside the achievement on the pitch, it puts into context just how efficient this model has been. By comparison, clubs such as Bury FC took twice as long to achieve a similar rise through the pyramid, with a playing budget many multiples of our own. It shows that success can be delivered in a sustainable way.
The Atherstone fixture in particular demonstrated the continued strength of supporter backing, with a crowd of 1,502 at The Oval. That level of support continues to be a huge part of what we are building.
Operation 600
April saw another strong turnout for the key home fixture, reinforcing the progress made in recent months. The Atherstone game showed exactly what this club is capable of when the community gets behind it. The 1,502 boosted the average attendance to 612, meaning we have been able to hit our target of 600 for the season, which is a brilliant achievement.
To put this into perspective, this is the highest average league attendance for Town/Boro since the last season in the National League North in 2018-19, and even that was only higher due to the 3,500 Stockport Count supporters in attendance on the final game of the season. It also means we were the second-best supported team in Warwickshire for the season, behind Stratford Town (701) and ahead of Leamington FC (587). A phenomenal achievement considering we aren’t even playing in the town we represent.
As we move into next season, maintaining and building on that support will be absolutely critical. The budget for Step 4 has been set on the basis of an average attendance of 400. That is a sensible and sustainable number, but it does rely on continued backing even during periods where results may not be as strong.
Put simply, consistent attendances are one of the most important factors in ensuring we remain competitive at the next level.
Sponsorship and Matchday Opportunities
With promotion secured and preparations already underway for Step 4, this is a fantastic time for local businesses to get involved with the football club. We continue to have a wide range of sponsorship opportunities available for the 2026/27 season, covering everything from matchday sponsorships through to larger commercial partnerships.
I’m also pleased to confirm that we have frozen the price of the popular 800 Club package for next season. This package combines the exposure and visibility of being an official club sponsor with a corporate matchday hospitality experience across the season, and continues to represent excellent value for local businesses looking to support the club while entertaining clients, staff or guests.
The upcoming kit launch is expected to generate huge publicity, while next season will also feature some massive fixtures and local derbies which will attract attention from far and wide. Combined with the continued growth of the club’s social media presence, it makes this one of the best times yet to partner with Nuneaton Town.
We also continue to offer matchday sponsorship opportunities for upcoming fixtures, with flexible and cost-effective packages available for businesses of all sizes. Please contact Lee Davies by emailing commercial@nuneatontownfc.co.uk for more information.
Expenditure
During March, the club continued to incur its normal operational costs, including:
Contractual payments to management
Player wages and expenses
Cost of merchandise sold.
Matchday operational expenses
Additional hire of The Oval for the cup game
Administrative costs remained minimal and included:
Website hosting
Subscription to Xero
Payroll processing
Transaction fees (SumUp & Stripe)
A replacement battery for the club defibrillator
April reflects a month where the financial position remained stable, despite the challenges of a demanding fixture schedule and the inclusion of cup competition.
Matchday income remained strong, driven by the Atherstone attendance, while normal operational costs continued in line with expectations. As always, costs include player wages and expenses, matchday operations, and general running costs such as subscriptions, transaction fees and facility hire.
The overall position remains in line with our objective of operating as close to cost neutral as possible across the season. This ensures that the income generated during the summer months can continue to be directed towards the Back to Nuneaton project.
Year-to-date, the club remains in a strong financial position.
As previously outlined, our financial objective remains to operate as close to cost neutral as possible during the playing season, ensuring that sponsorship income and season ticket revenue generated during the summer can be directed towards the Back to Nuneaton project. Over the season, we operated at a net deficit of £18,119.
The largest factor behind this deficit was the dramatic increase in young fans watching the club – as a reminder, over 150 out of the 612 average attendance for the year was in the Under 17s category, and therefore revenue was significantly less than if those fans were adult or concessions. However, this should in no way be seen as a bad thing, like the Back to Nuneaton project, the club is actively investing in increasing its young fan base and this initiative has been far more successful than originally thought.
We have decided to continue with this approach, but this time we’ve adjusted the expected revenue and planned expenses (specifically the playing budget) to ensure that we don’t have the same deficit next season.
Cash Position
The club continues to maintain an extremely healthy cash position. The cash generated from the Atherstone Town fixture, and to a lesser extent the Boston Town match, meant we reversed much of the cash outflow saw in February.
As always, it is worth remembering that the reported surplus and the actual cash position differ due to:
VAT liabilities on most income streams
PAYE deductions payable to HMRC
Timing differences between income received and costs recognised.
We’ve finished the season with an excellent positive cash balance, and much of it is dedicated to the Back to Nuneaton fund.
What to Expect in May
May brings another big occasion, with the UCL Sports Ground Development Cup Final against Moulton, following our reinstatement in the competition. The final will be played at Stamford FC on Friday 9th May, and we hope to see as many supporters there as possible.
Off the pitch, the Supporters Co-operative AGM will take place, providing an opportunity for members to engage with the running of the club.
Season tickets for the 2026/27 campaign will also go on sale, marking the start of our preparations for life at Step 4, and we will be officially launching the new home and goalkeeping kits for the forthcoming season.
Anyone wishing to purchase a season ticket can do so here . If you purchase before the end of the month, and attractive “early bird” discount is on offer.
Whilst May is a season-end wind down for most, for us planning for next season starts in earnest for life at Step 4.
Looking Ahead – Life at Step 4
The move to Step 4 represents a significant step up, both on and off the pitch.
There is no doubt the standard of football will increase, but equally, it brings some fantastic opportunities. Chief among those are the local derbies, including what can only be described as our own version of the Milan derby against our landlords, Bedworth United. These are the games that define seasons and bring communities together.
However, it also presents a financial challenge. Many clubs at Step 4 benefit from income streams that we do not currently have, particularly in terms of facilities and commercial infrastructure. That makes it even more important that we continue to grow the Back to Nuneaton fund and move forward with the long-term stadium project.
The key message is simple – we have got to Step 4 in a sustainable way, and we intend to stay there in the same way. Our planned budget will less than many teams in the league, due to restricted income streams. Despite our levels of support, the lack of our own ground means we lose revenue opportunities to the tune of £90,000 from not having our own facilities, which translates to £2,000+ per week gap in playing budgets.
Despite that challenge, Darren and Russ are confident that they can put a competitive team out on the pitch.
Back to Nuneaton Update
The fantastic Atherstone Town attendance drove the contribution to the “Back to Nuneaton” fund this month, up by £4,904 and just over £2,200 from the £100,000 mark.
There has been a continuation in the delay regarding the ground investigation works at Vale View.
BEK Environmental, our contractor for the site investigation works has provided all the information requested by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in a timely manner.
We are still waiting for the Council’s legal team to issue the site access permit required to undertake the investigations and we continue to chase this up on a weekly basis.
If anyone else would like to make a donation, small or large, to the “Back to Nuneaton” fund, you can do so here or by emailing mailto:finance@nuneatontownfc.co.uk
How can I help?
There are several ways that fans and local businesses can help support the club:
· Support the club by attending games and encouraging others to do so!
· While at games, please consider buying a 50/50 draw or Golden Goal ticket.
· Purchase a season ticket for the forthcoming season here
· Join the NTSC 200 club. This is a fantastic way of supporting the club financially, whilst give you the chance to win monthly cash prizes. You can take part in the 200 Club online by clicking this link: Join the 200 Club
· Join the Nuneaton Town Supporters Co-operative. Not only will you be helping the Co-op fulfil its duty as part owner of the club, but you will also be able to hold the Co-op board members and club officials appointed by the Co-op to account (including me). Look out for further information about the new season membership drive and further information on how you can get involved in both the Co-op and the club. You can join the Co-op online by linking this link: Join the Nuneaton Town Supporters Co-operative.
· If you are a local business and would like to become a sponsor, reach out to commercial@nuneatontownfc.co.uk to discuss taking one of our great packages.
· If you would like to donate to our “Back to Nuneaton” fund, please do so here
