Five Year Club Development Strategy: Crusaders Football Club
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Five Year Club Development Strategy:
To be the best that we can be… By making brilliant things happen on and off the pitch and creating an exciting match day experience, we will bring passionate people together and strengthen our club and our fan base.
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
A strategy to be Our vision is to see Crusaders
participating successfully in
our sporting core success;
b) Promoting excellence:
the best we can the NIFL (Irish League) Premier
division by expanding our
to build a competitive senior
team moving from “semi-pro”
and underpin footballing reputation in cross- status to “three-quarter-pro”
national competition. The future
the growth of we envisage is of an inclusive,
capable of competing regularly
for domestic trophies, European
successful and commercially
our club sustainable ‘no-dividends’
qualification and – in time
– capable of challenging to
football club, owned and run by reach European group-stage
fans, operating at Seaview and football. In support, the club will
elsewhere as a centre of football develop and improve its Football
excellence, used and frequented Development Centre, focused
by all sections of our community on quality, to ensure that the
We seek to operate as an Crusaders FC senior teams
integral part of the community, benefit from a regular and high
helping meet societal needs in quality supply of young players
terms of social inclusion, health ready and capable of playing at
and well-being and education. senior level and beyond;
We will have close links with c) Promoting Football for
other community and sporting All: to promote opportunities
organisations, with the profile to all young people to progress
and brand image of the club to the level appropriate to their
benefitting our locality and ability and choice; to promote
catchment areas as well as ‘grassroots’ football within
Crusaders. all communities and under-
Our strategic objectives, represented groups to grow the
therefore, are: Crusaders ‘family’;
a) Promoting sustainability: d) Social Inclusion: to cement
to build a sustainable, income the place of Crusaders FC as a
generating club, run as a ‘networked’ club at the heart
business, improving football- of community, as a focal point
related and non-football to the local area, its people and
commercial income to sustain families.
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
To realise these objectives this Strategy sets out five priority areas of
focus which include strategic actions and performance measures for
each that will help us achieve our ambitious objectives
The
Fans
Growing
the Club
The The
Talent Backroom
The The
Finances Facilities
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Chair’s Like most Irish League clubs,
Crusaders FC has generally
This Strategic Plan articulates
the type of ambition which
Introduction: planned and managed on a
season by season basis. Current
has guided the management
of the club for some time. After
Five areas of practice is to set targets annually broad consultation within
within the Club Development the club and with external
focus Plan as well as within the stakeholders this five-year plan
domestic and UEFA licensing sets down for the first time
process. Looking forward (and the overall ambition or vision
because of the level at which that we all hold for Crusaders
the club has been operating – on FC. It sets out, in a structured
and off the field - in more recent way and through specific
years) it is now necessary to objectives, how we intend to
develop a more formal, longer- achieve these ambitions. We
term vision. We will have five have set ourselves targets,
broad areas of focus: and performance indicators
• Sports Excellence & with deadlines so that we can
Developing talent assess our progress over the
• Growing the fan base five-year timeframe of the plan.
• Enhancing the facilities The club would like to thank all
• Improving the backroom those who participated in the
• Financial sustainability consultation process.
Stephen Bell
Chairperson
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Sports This means: and/or meaningful inter-
league competition;
• Achieving consistent success
Excellence in domestic competition, • Creating a talent platform for
with regular qualification for the first team through a “one-
& Developing European competition; club” playing philosophy with
talent • Supporting a change in
seasonality in the football
researched sports-science
inputs at all levels;
calendar to support • Developing the U20 reserve
competitive success in team as an attractive part of
Europe; the player pathway;
• Improve standards by • Growing and improving the
supporting the reinstitution Football Development Centre;
of a meaningful all-Ireland
competition,
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
• Investing in our women’s’ means. Consideration of
game and maintaining natural, unforced movement
opportunities and pathways towards a continental style
for all age levels (eg, skills Multi-Sports club with other
schools, mini soccer, summer sports (boxing, running,
‘camp’ schemes). basketball etc) operating
We will do this by: in Red and Black under a
Crusaders banner.
• ‘Going Pro’ through a plan
for a ‘3/4 pro’ set-up, with We will check progress by:
modern sports-science inputs; • Results;
• Creating a clear player • Analysis, sports science
development pathway, and testing;
alignment with the IFA’s • Manager-led annual reviews.
Youth Football Strategy 2015-
Targets: to be measured by:
251 and a quality football and
sports science apprenticeship • Regular domestic trophy
scheme; success;
• Excellence in player • Regular UEFA qualification;
development married to • FDC receiving benchmarked
care for the ‘whole player’, quality award standard;
including physical and • By 2022, 3 first team players
mental well-being and will have come from the
educational and employment Crusaders FDC;
opportunities; • Transfer fees, and the number
• Considering player of players transferred to the
scholarships/ foreign club professional game outside of
exchanges and player loans as Northern Ireland.
part of the pathway; Key considerations
• Exploring opportunities to • Coaching standards;
broaden Crusaders’ football
reach including social football, • Improving the professional
creating teams for those with environment and support-
disabilities, Futsal and other system.
1. See at https://www.irishfa.com/media/4282/ifa-youth-strategy-low-resolution.pdf
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Growing the This means: – improving our website,
social media contact and
• Enhancing the brand and
fan base profile of the club (better CRM communications;
building on the good
marketing);
work with players and
• Having an exciting match day
management interviews,
experience;
promotions and match day
• Strengthening our position entertainment;
in the local community
• Appointing a lead for the
and maintaining our ‘all-
‘Crues in the Community’
communities’ focus.
brand to develop social
We will do this by: programmes and engage in a
• Creating a welcoming, structured way with schools
family friendly environment and youth organisations
- develop a Welcome, throughout our catchment
Accessible, Good-quality areas;
& Safe (WAGS) strategy to • Use of education and
ensure access for all; employability through the
• Planning ahead – renewing McDonald Centre as a key
the club marketing plan, driver of Crusaders work
and community relations in the community and in
audit to develop an overall growing the base;
club promotion plan, • Demonstrate community
including a club-wide ‘intra’- leadership by making
communications strategy; ‘common-cause’ with
• Recruiting a senior post other North Belfast clubs,
for club promotion and notably Cliftonville FC and
marketing – responsible intermediate clubs to make
for research-based fan ‘real’ our commitment to
engagement initiatives and being an open, welcoming
growing the club generally; club in Northern Ireland’s
• Engaging with fans (home, most communally segregated
away, neutral, regular, area;
potential and ‘armchair’ fans)
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
• Learn from others: clubs like We will check progress by: Target: By 2022 Crusaders
Everton, Falkirk, Brentford, • Periodically reviewing the will have over 600
AFC Wimbledon and FC demographics of our support
United of Manchester, all
season ticket holding
and targeting opportunities
clubs who have successfully, members and an average
for growth / increasing
in different ways, developed membership; competitive match-day
strong, purposeful, fan and
• Reporting match day attendance of 2,000.
community programmes to Key considerations
attendances and annual
great effect;
averages; • By developing a top-class
• Building our stakeholder small stadium, and making it
• Monitoring hits on the
links – notably seeking better easy to get to games;
website, social media reach
relations with Belfast and
and brand awareness. • By running attractive and
Antrim & Newtownabbey
Councils, the IFA, NIFL, local entertaining match events
community organisations and at affordability prices for
businesses; families and those with lower
incomes;
• Celebrating (not hiding) the
club’s wider community • Promoting the club and the
engagement efforts. Crusaders brand, developing
the clubs’ community reach,
and celebrating success;
• Learning from other sports,
working with other clubs to
promote the Irish League
- converting potential and
‘armchair’ fans.
C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Enhancing This means : We will check progress by:
• Building a 4,500 seater • Securing our UEFA licence
the facilities stadium developed to UEFA each year;
Category 3 standards – with a • Reporting plans and
new St Vincent Street stand, progress for infrastructure
incorporating club-house, improvements and target
gym, medical, sports-science dates for completion, to
and corporate facilities, with our members, fans and
a club museum and modern stakeholders.
food and beverage outlets;
Target: By 2022 Seaview
• Developing a feature Shore
Road stadium entrance will be fully developed as
building; a Category 3 stadium and
• Creating quality training the club will have quality
facilities at Threemilewater, training facilities.
Newtownabbey; Key considerations
• Establishing the McDonald • Developing a funding
Education Centre; strategy;
• Providing a parking scheme • Building in rental &
on the St Vincent Street -. commercial streams;
Skegoneil Street strip-site.
• Planning for whole-life
We will do this by: (running cost) of facilities.
• Raising funds;
• Planning to best-practice
standards with a stadium
and facilities reference
(consultation) group;
• Developing a Welcome,
Accessible, Good quality &
Safe (WAGS) strategy;
• Developing
Freshdesign.
a social and
Architecture planning and urban design
1 College House
City Link Business Park
Durham Street
Belfast
tv
environmental improvement
BT12 4HQ
Tel: (028) 9092 3470 Fax: (028) 9092 3471
Project:
Proposed Refurbishment of Existing Club House
plan for facilities.
Client
Crusaders Football Club
Drawing Title
ELEVATED PERSPECTIVE VIEW
Drawn by Checked By: Date:
RGC PD Nov 2012
Scale: Project No Drawing Number: Rev:
NTS 12-19 005C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Improving This means: • Creating a unitary
administrative system -
• Restructuring to achieve a
the backroom single integrated governance, a common way of doing
things;
administrative and records
system – working to end the • Developing a quality
‘silo’ mentality and create a benchmarked volunteering
quality, seamless ‘backroom’ system to encourage new
for the club; volunteers to lessen the
• Employing a central burden on the existing
administrative core, supported backroom;
by trained volunteers; • Developing a ‘specialist
• Developing as a technology- talent pool’ of skilled people
enabled organisation, prepared to assist the club in
maximising the potential and a variety of disciplines;
‘intelligence’ of Customer • Creating an ethos of
Relationship Management ‘customer relationship
tools, and modern Human management’ throughout the
Resources practice; club;
• Consciously investing in our • Adopting ‘good practice’
staff, volunteers and systems; management structures and
• Adherence to regulatory a code of conduct for staff,
compliance – such as IFA/ volunteers, players and fans;
UEFA licencing, bar licencing, • Updating our records systems
insurance, food standards, and developing continuity
legal, health, safety and child plans.
welfare requirements. We will check progress by:
We will do this by: • Reporting on ‘Backroom’
• Appointing a general targets within the Annual
manager/ chief operating Report;
officer – to line manage all • Reporting on staffing and
non-football staff; volunteer needs and gaps,
improving contingency for
adequate cover and support;C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
• Setting target dates for Key considerations
completing training and • Establish clear staff
refreshing technology/ leadership, and clear, easily
systems; understood, club structures;
• Benchmark the club with • Establish clear, easily
other football clubs (for eg, understood administrative
Dundalk FC) and against and personnel systems;
other sports (eg Belfast
• Encourage club values of
Giants) – to develop learning
loyalty, respect, passion,
and good practice locally and
innovation, excellence and
internationally.
trust.
Target: By 2021,
Crusaders FC will
have a benchmarked
organisational award,
grown its volunteering
base and all staff will
have been trained in a
new, restructured way
of operating with better
record keeping, making
greater use of information
technology and data
analysis.C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
Sustainability This means: • Continue to support fans’
initiatives (200 club, 50/50’s
• Improving the finances of the
club by increasing revenue and other fund raising ideas);
streams and being less reliant • Enhancing the merchandise
on football generated or offer;
European competition money; • Increasing the use of the
• Planning for a balanced stadium and facilities (rental
budget, and manageable and hires).
cash-flows; notably, there We will check progress by:
should be realistic planned
• Reporting quarterly on the
budget allocations for
financial health of the club’;
facets of important club
development other than the • Annual Accounts to all
core professional player/staff members;
budget; • Developing, over time, an
• Aspiring to an adequate internal audit function;
revenue reserve based • Conducting regular cost-
on best-practice revenue efficiency reviews.
accounting standards (or up Target: By 2022 the club
to three months’ standard
running-costs expenditure);
will have a reserve of
• Maintaining good financial
£0.25m and be 20% more
governance & regulations. efficient.
We will do this by: Key considerations
• Having clear and well • Planned budgets;
documented record keeping • Cash-flow manageability;
and robust accounts; • Communicate results (Impact
• Continue to develop reporting).
commercial and sponsorship
opportunities;
• Set up a ‘Business Network’ of
sponsors and partners;
• Set up a ‘Key Benefactors’
group;C r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
How will we • CRM system informing
planning; 12 vols trained
do it? • Phase 1 T-M-W training
By 5 years of development complex
• Restructured Club
with target dates for • Crusaders museum open
• Gen. Manager Appointed
achieving improvements • Business network set-up
• McDonald Centre open
• Benefactor Group set-up
• Move to 3-Q-Pro
• HR systems up to date
• Apprenticeship starts
• New Club shop openC r u s a d e r s F o o t b a l l C l u b - F i v e Y e a r S t r a t e g y
• A larger fan base, highest
average match day gates and
income
• Work starts on South Stand
(St Vincent St) • St Vincent Stand complete
• Player development reviewed • Threemilewater complete
• Seaview-Railway carpark
completed & home grown talent in 1st • £0.25m reserve, cash-flow
team assessed manageability achieved
• Specialist talent pool of
volunteers active • Full range of footballing • Achieved benchmarked club
teams, FDC, Women, Futsal, administration award
• Unitary Admin & Records
Disabilities No.1 NI football club on and
system complete
• Crusaders Multi-sport club off field?
• Vibrant web, social media
emerging
offer
• Social impact study of Crues
• 10,000 CRM contacts
in CommunityProduced by www.three-creative.com • 028 9048 3388 Seaview Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3QG Phone: +44 (0)2890 370777 www.crusadersfc.com Crusaders Football Club @CrusadersFC
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