With over 140 divisions and around 7,000 teams, football is the most played sport in the UK. Amateur football is a favourite past time for millions all over the country and there are thousands of clubs in operation. Many of these however lack proper funding and facilities, meaning that sheds and portable modular buildings often double up as changing rooms.

Building a proper clubhouse doesn’t have to be an expensive business though, and doesn’t have to mean hiking up player fees or charging admission to your matches. There are a number of options available to you, whether you want to raise money or build on a budget.

Fundraisers

Setting up fundraiser days is a great way to make a bit of extra cash for your club and raise the capital to construct a clubhouse. Family fun days are a great idea as they are relatively easy to set up and you can use your ground to hold it on. By asking local businesses for donations, you could also hold an auction in which all profits will go towards your building fund.

There are tonnes of ideas you can use for fundraising, just apply a bit of creativity and imagination.

Modular Buildings

Often cheaper than traditional methods of building, and much quicker to erect, there has been a lot of development in the world of modular buildings meaning that they can now come with full plumbing, allowing you to have shower and toilet facilities and can be big enough to house bars, cellars, dancefloors and kitchen facilities. This means that if you obtain a license you will be able to hire out your clubhouse for private functions and generate extra cash meaning you can see a return on your investment.

Community Projects

Clubhouse at Laxey AFC - A successful community project

There has been a spate of community build projects lately, and for good reason. By gathering all the resources your club and community can provide, you can have your new facilities up and running in no time. This is a great way for people to get involved in the club and for the club to get involved with the community. Showing the intention to open your facilities up to the public will ultimately also generate good publicity for the club, and you may find that you receive an increase in donations from local charities and benefactors as a result.