A word from the Chairman…
“As the season draws to a close I thought I would take the time to reflect on what has undoubtedly been the most challenging year in my 17 year tenure as PFC Chairman.
At the start of the 20/21 campaign the aim was survival – both on and off the pitch. With spectators not permitted into games and our corporate hospitality curtailed, we really did face a very bleak year with little income and large expenses to meet. It is then great credit to our manager Jim Mcinally and his backroom staff that with a reduced budget, they managed to field a youthful but spirited group of players that have been a match for any team in this league and who have beaten all of the full-time teams in our division. They may have been young in years but the team have produced some strong performances and deserve praise for meeting the challenge of securing our League One status for next season.
There is so much more to a football club than what a spectator sees on the park and therefore I would like to thank the people I have around me at Peterhead FC for keeping this show on the road and running a tight-knit but successful operation behind the scenes. Our General Manager Martin Johnston has had much to deal with over the past 12 months but has risen to the challenge of following all SPFL covid protocols and putting into place a testing regime to ensure that we could keep playing without interruption. Ably abetted by his assistant Sharon, the administration of PFC affairs have been well run and they can be credited with new initiatives to increase revenue in the virtual world that we have had to get accustomed to. Martin and his Blue Toon Talk co-editor Ken Morton have also produced on-line editions of the popular match-day programme that have been praised by fans of opposing clubs for the informative content that covers so much more than just PFC and is a great read for historical football articles and statistics.
Our accounts department also deserve gratitude for keeping abreast of an ever-changing economic landscape to ensure that PFC still managed to “balance the books” with a vastly reduced income. Praise also to Youth and Community Coach Nat Porter for working with the SPFL Trust to bring grant income into the club in order that we were able to continue our good work in the community with initiatives such as Festive Friends and the Reading Challenge.
Our new coffee shop has had somewhat of a stop/start initial year of business due to the Pandemic but Mary and her staff have rolled up their sleeves and adapted to the ever-changing restrictions to provide a warm and welcoming casual dining experience that is going from strength to strength.
I would also like to this opportunity to thank all of our many volunteers who have given up their time on match days to help with covid protocols and to ensure fans could still have somewhat of a “match day experience” from home via streaming and social media channels. Our automated live-streaming hasn’t always been perfect but I think we can agree that our match commentators from the Blue Toon Podcast have stepped in admirably to produce unbiased and informative content during the game, also praised by away fans. There are many, many people behind the scenes who do what they do for the love of the club and I am under no illusion that we wouldn’t be the well-run club that we are without them so thank you one and all.
A word also to our corporate sponsors who have renewed advertising boards and match day programmes in what was a reduced season as they knew that we were hit hard and wanted to help in any way they could. Also a special mention to our invaluable club patrons and our Home and Away shirt sponsors Score Group Ltd and A. M. Smith who stepped in to help when most needed – you are all essential to the endurance of this club and we are sincerely grateful.
Lastly, the fans. You have stood by us when we needed you – purchasing virtual lottery tickets, season tickets and streaming passes to help us meet our running costs and ensure our very survival. We hope that one day soon you will be able to join us again on a Saturday for a blether, a pie and a good game of football – we want you to know that next season we will once again do our very best to put a team on the park that you can be proud of”
Our Sincerest gratitude for your continued support,
Rodger Morrison and the PFC Board of Directors:
Vice Chairman Les Hill, Charles Watt and Michael Duncan.
