I seldom find much reassurance in statements of intent from Lewes FC. However, four months ago, our COO, Kelly, recognized the urgent need to bring in co-opted board members to bolster a struggling board left to deal with the chaos and mismanagement of the previous leadership. She confidently assured us that a wave of eager volunteers was ready to step up and contribute, and that there were available positions on the board for new directors. That sounded like great news!
The good part of the otherwise dismal and unworkable Lewes FC Holdings Ltd initiative was the plan of the co-opting of directors to strengthen the board’s governance and operations, as well as the establishment of volunteer sub-committees, both of which this fanzine has always advocated.
This was an integral part of the plan.
What we do know is that the plan is currently on “gardening leave” because the Lewes FC directors made a total hash of it.
What we don’t know is why the crucial aspect of rebuilding our governance model, with co-opted directors and volunteer sub-committees, has simply not even started.
I’ll ask the question now: Were these ideas merely cynical attempts to placate owners and fans when, in reality, the plan was about breaking up pure fan ownership? Because if not, why hasn’t it happened?
Where are the volunteers?
Four months ago, we were told that this part of the plan would be a doddle because Kelly assured us there were volunteers queueing up to help the club. So, where are they?
Obviously, through Bonfire, Lewes has volunteering and fundraising in its DNA. Ignoring this precious resource for 15 years has been simply criminally negligent.
We currently have a fan base simply believing we cannot run a club through volunteers, this is balderdash.
We already see, through the Lewes FC Supporters Club and the Lewes FC Football Foundation, that this club has highly skilled people who are happy to volunteer and capable of attracting brilliant volunteers. Of course, this is Lewes—we have Bonfire; it’s what we do.
The Supporters Club and Foundation should be such a ‘hey, over here, it’s easy’ to the board. They have successfully organised fan led volunteering within their own structures. Surely, the board should be thinking: Maybe we should do what they do—run an organization through volunteers? Especially since we’re paying maybe £200,000 a year for ineffective bureaucratic staff. And that’s not a criticism of their individual capabilities—the problem is the bureaucratic, misdirected mismanagement of them as a team by the board and COO.
So how is it that 100% volunteer-led affiliated groups within the club are successful, yet a team of paid staff cannot generate the same level of positive contribution?
The Benefits of a Volunteer-Run Lewes FC
A club run by volunteers rather than paid staff would bring enormous benefits. First and foremost, it would ensure that every penny of club revenue, whether from sponsorship, ticket sales, or fundraising, goes directly into the football side of the club rather than being swallowed up by administrative costs. Volunteers bring passion, commitment, and expertise, often working far beyond what a paid employee might, simply because they care deeply about the club’s success.
Lewes FC has always thrived when the community has been directly involved. The original Supporters Trust was a prime example—set up by fans in response to a financial crisis, proving that a well-organised volunteer effort can be more effective than costly bureaucracy. The Supporters Club and Football Foundation continue this legacy today, showing that volunteers can run excellent operations with minimal overheads.
Moreover, a volunteer led structure fosters genuine engagement. When people give their time freely, they feel ownership of the club’s success and are more likely to invest energy into making it work. This creates a positive feedback loop, greater engagement leads to more innovation, better fundraising, and a club that truly represents its fans.
In contrast, reliance on paid staff creates an expensive, top-heavy structure that too often leads to inefficiency, and some. The £200,000 or so spent on administration could instead be used to strengthen the playing squad, improve facilities, or support grassroots football. If smaller fan-led groups within the club are already proving this model works, why is the main club structure failing to follow suit?
Setting up the original Supporters Trust was an amateur, one-or-two-sessions-a-week effort, yet we managed to create an effective volunteer organisation with ease.
Now, with seven hard working directors and a bank of paid staff, why is it so difficult to find a straightforward pathway to establishing a successful volunteer movement?
So, Is the Board Simply Not Up to the Job?
At some point, we have to ask a fundamental question: Are the current Lewes FC directors actually competent enough to run this club?
The evidence suggests otherwise. A supposedly key part of their plan, rebuilding governance with co-opted directors and volunteer sub-committees, hasn’t even begun. The cost of inefficiency is rising and we creep towards insolvency, yet proven models of success within the club are ignored. They claim volunteers were lined up, yet nothing has materialized. Meanwhile, the club remains weighed down by a bureaucratic structure that delivers little and costs a fortune.
So, is this just a lack of will, or is it a lack of intellectual bandwidth? Do the board members actually have the skills, vision, and leadership ability required to manage this club effectively?
Because right now, it looks like they don’t.
And if they aren’t capable of implementing their own plan, or even recognising the solutions right in front of them, then god help us some decent candidates are standing at the forthcoming board elections.
The Rights of Fans. 