Villagers hope to grasp Cup cash lifeline to avoid enforced demotion

HAVING never reached the FA Cup first round proper in their 79-year history, North Ferriby United would surely regard breaking that duck this weekend as timely.
Les Hare, Chairman of North Ferriby UnitedLes Hare, Chairman of North Ferriby United
Les Hare, Chairman of North Ferriby United

As the Villagers look to achieve that feat tomorrow by beating Conference outfit Alfreton Town, chairman Les Hare admits there has never been a more pressing time to finally grasp the opportunity to join the ‘big boys’ of Leagues One and Two in the first-round draw.

A need to find £50,000 to fund necessary ground improvements is the reason, with the East Riding club – riding high near the top in their debut season in Conference North – having until March next year to complete the work or be demoted back to the Northern Premier League.

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No wonder, therefore, that North Ferriby, who as recently as 1999 were still playing in the Northern Counties East League, are desperate to raise the necessary funds as quickly as possible.

“There has never been a better time to get to the first round of the FA Cup,” admits Hare, North Ferriby chairman for the past 17 years, ahead of Alfreton’s eagerly-awaited visit to Church Road.

“Obviously, we would love to get there for the first time as a club, as it would be a great achievement.

“But, financially, it would be huge with the winners of the Alfreton tie getting prize money of £12,500.

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“That and the potential money the club could earn from a first-round tie against, say, Sheffield United or Wolves would go a long way towards sorting out this problem we have with needing to bring the ground up to speed.”

North Ferriby, with a population of around 4,500, is an unlikely candidate to host a club which sits just one point off the summit of English football’s sixth tier.

That the village does so owes everything to chairman Hare and his fellow band of devoted volunteers who have helped the club enjoy an amazing rise.

Knowing just how much hard work has gone into propelling United up the football pyramid makes it all the more exasperating that the club needs to secure extra funding for work on the main stand that, at best, can surely be considered as cosmetic.

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Hare explains: “The problem we have is that our seats in the main stand are aligned over three rows and we have been told it has to be four if we are to stay in Conference North.

“If we don’t rectify that by March 31 next year then we will be demoted regardless of where we finish.

“The frustrating bit is that we anticipated having to do some work following promotion. For instance, we put a couple of extra turnstiles in and did a few other things. We hoped that would be enough.

“But then we had a delegation from the FA and Conference, the ground grading committee. They went round and said how they liked this and liked that. All along, though, I kept thinking that there was going to be a ‘but’. Sadly, I was right.”

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To a club with an annual turnover of £200,000, raising an extra £50,000 is a big ask which is why this season’s Cup run has been so timely.

“We have done well out of the Cup so far,” admits Hare. “The money from beating Runcorn Linnets and Buxton has been a big help, but if we could get to the first round proper then that would be huge.

“We realise that the fourth qualifying round is when the Conference Premier teams come in so it can be a bit of graveyard for the rest of us.

“That is why we were so pleased to get a home tie. Alfreton, though, are a good side. They are halfway up the Conference. But we have a chance and we are determined to take it.”

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North Ferriby’s only previous brush with the fourth qualifying round came in 1997-98 when, after seeing off Barrow, Morpeth Town and Gretna, they were handed a trip to Southport.

Hare recalls: “At the time, Southport were flying and at the top of the Conference. In many ways, it was the worst possible draw because we were still in the Northern Counties East.

“We took three or four coach-loads over, but lost 2-0. We were well beaten, to be honest, with the second half being all one-way traffic.

“It was still a good day, though it was a bit hard watching the draw in the Southport clubhouse afterwards as they got York City at home. That would have been a great draw for us.”

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The Minstermen, of course, would be one of the plum draws for North Ferriby should Billy Heath’s side shock Alfreton tomorrow.

Hare said: “We are hoping for a decent crowd. This season, our average has gone up from 260 to 440 and we have been really pleased with that.

Hull City are away in London this weekend (at Spurs on Sunday) so that may help bring a few more in. This is the biggest game on the North bank this weekend and we would love to get somewhere between 700 and 1,000.

“As for the result, it would be great if we could get through – especially when you look at the teams that would be involved in the first round.

“Teams like Sheffield United, Wolves, Bradford City, York.

“Then there is the possibility of television if you get a big draw. Something like that could make a difference to a club like ours for a very long time.”