A Message From The Boardroom

Where to start, 2020 has been quite the year.

Following the premature end of the 2019/20 season in March, we lost manager Craig Denton, who resigned to be closer to home. He steadied the ship and left us in a better place than when he joined. However, since then Rob Watson has stepped in, built a squad, and in the 14 games we’ve had in the 2020/21 season so far, there have been some sporadic signs of encouragement.

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on the non-league scene, and while we’ve had to get used to the ever-changing rules and regulations in which we need to abide by; there has been one constant, you, our supporters.

Whether you are a die hard, a home game regular, a fan from afar or just a follower of non-league, we are so appreciative of those who have stuck by us in 2020. We appreciate it hasn’t been easy without football to enjoy for the most part, but you’ve stuck by us. Thank you for your continued support.

When we have been able to play games, our attendances are up 46.2% this season so far, and it’s fantastic to see so many new faces coming down to their local club and supporting us. We’ve always wanted to be a club the town are proud of and with our attendances being the highest in the NCEL Premier Division as of December 2020, we couldn’t ask for any more than that. There’s a buzz around the club on matchdays that hasn’t been present in a long time.

Of course, we are in a privileged position at Barton Town, as thanks to the hard work of our committee, we have a broad network of sponsors who, despite having suffered setbacks themselves financially, have stuck by us and helped us out. That is appreciated by everyone on the board and our gratitude to these companies is immeasurable. As we have always said, without sponsors, there would be no Barton Town, it’s as simple as that.

We’d also like to thank the Northern Counties East League, and in particular the league Secretary Matt Jones for his hard work and help this year with the regulations regarding COVID-19. He had the hardest job in trying to get the league season underway and arranging fixtures in a safe manner, so for that we thank him for his efforts. Of course, a special mention for our COVID officers, who’ve transformed the Easy Buy Stadium into a place where we could welcome fans safely.

We’d also like to thank all the management and players of every team under our umbrella. We have four teams at this club, and all four have represented the club this year brilliantly. It can’t be easy trying to put teams together when you have players self isolating, or unable to make a game due to work. Your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, and everyone on the board appreciates the effort that’s gone into matters on the pitch this year.

Finally, we’d like to thank the volunteers. The people who give up their time to ensure the club is run smoothly. Whether that be kitchen and bar staff, groundsmen, raffle ticket sellers. The secretary, the brilliant turnstile operator or a certain ball boy. Your support and work this season have been a huge help to the club and we are proud to have such fantastic off-field volunteers.

There’s hope of a return to football in January, and with the future still relatively uncertain, the board will continue to work hard to put Barton Town on the map. We’ll support our teams as they strive for wins and promotions. We’ll hopefully be in a position to welcome fans, home or opposition, with a smile and generosity. We’ll be doing all we can for the community around us and doing our bit for this fantastic town.

We hope everyone involved with the club has a good festive period seeing loved ones and most importantly that you all stay safe. We’ll hopefully see you all in 2021 at a game.

Thank You, and Up the Swans.

The Barton Town Board of Directors.