A view of the season from the Board

Following Saturday’s game and end of season presentation, we would like to give a brief update, and look ahead towards next season.

It is undeniable that we faced immense challenges in the 2023/24 season, and we would like to thank everyone who worked with us to make it to the end of this year, not least our players and coaches who have continued to represent the club so well all year.

While work is still needed to achieve medium term sustainability, we remain realistic in our plans and ambition, whilst being ever vigilant with regard to the continuation of a number of challenges going into next year. The club has faced a range of challenges over the last year. In our first full season as a board, we have seen our electric and water bills rise to three times higher than they were 12 months ago, and we face another increase in our insurance premium after it doubled last year – a longer term consequence of Storm Arwen and the more recent break-ins – while the shift to a sustainable budget, model and plan takes time. Time beyond a single season.

Nonetheless, we look forward to next season with optimism for a better campaign both on and off the park. Following the resignation of Stuart Malcolm as he took on a new adventure away from Shielfield Park, we appointed Thomas and Dean. With them, we believe we have a fantastic management team that are fully committed to the club’s values – and are producing a style of football that our players and fans are really enjoying. We have moved fast to ensure we have a core group of players signed for next season, and Thomas is working hard every day to strengthen the team even further. It’s worth noting that this has been done within a revised budget and plan. Our aim is to challenge for honours and compete with every team in our division, and give the town, and our supporters both near and far, a side of which they can be proud. It is worth stressing that whilst the ambition is to compete, we cannot and will not compete at all costs. Shifting to a sustainable business plan is absolutely crucial and we must work hard to deliver this.

Despite the various challenges and points of turbulence, we have been delighted with the response from our fans in recent months, with our crowds hitting over 400 nearly every match and a fantastic 510 for our final home match of the season. We set out to develop the fan experience and make the club a force for good in the town, and to see so many of you joining us on that journey really gives us optimism going forward. For our part, we are committed to bringing you the best possible product on the pitch every Saturday, and making sure we have plenty of good days at Shielfield next season.

Your support and attendance at Shielfield Park is a key part of delivering the plan. Having you take in a match day, buying a drink or snack with your friends or family all really go along way to supporting the financial needs of the club. Let’s just hope for a home cup draw or two next season (we can dream!), and a better run than the 2 home matches in 14 weekends that we had from September to December 2023.

We must also thank everyone who has supported the club by sponsoring matches and players throughout the season, and all the local businesses that have come back and joined the club. We faced times last season where the very future of the club was in doubt, and we thank you for sticking with us. We must ask again, that you do indeed stick with us. The club has made good progress but needs clear and focussed management action to remain above water and to move towards sustainability. Hopefully with everyone’s support going forward we are never in that position again, as Berwick Upon Tweed must have Berwick Rangers, as an historic football club in the unique position of being the only English club to have played in the Scottish senior leagues.

We also need to thank our fantastic staff and match day volunteers as without all of their work, we would not have our great club. So much of the work at the club – whether on matchdays or behind the scenes responding to emails, running the website and social media, and preparing for events and games – is done by volunteers who run the club alongside having full-time jobs and families. Our staff team is equally excellent, and we are very proud of the level of service and professionalism we provide as a club.This club could not run without each and every one of them, and they have our immense gratitude.

The hard work does not stop with the final whistle on Saturday, and we will continue to need your support in the coming months.

If you are ready, willing and able, we’d love to invite you to share in our story, extend a hand of support and contribute to building a sustainable club. We are proud to be able to offer a range of solutions, including:

• A range of share packages available to invest and own part of our club
• Subscriptions to Club 1881, giving the club a regular cash flow and predictable income.
• A variety of sponsorship offerings for the season ahead

Beyond the above, we look forward to sharing some fundraising initiatives and other ways you can help the team for next season soon, but in the meantime, thank you for all your support this season, and take care.

Kevin, Nathan, Bob, Dougie and Dan