Irish League clubs which got four times more Covid support than rivals explain why

Both Crusaders and Larne have told the News Letter that their grants reflect real losses during the pandemic, and in large part are down to their higher numbers of spectators.

Both sports minister Deirdre Hargey and officials are expected to be quizzed about how money from the Sports Sustainability Fund was parcelled out, when Stormont’s communities committee meets on Thursday.

The support fund was managed by Sport NI.

The way it worked was that the governing bodies for various sports – like the Ulster GAA, IRFU, and IFA – applied to Sport NI on behalf of individual clubs.

As already reported, the bodies for various sports received vastly different sums of money.

For instance Golf Ireland got £4.2m to parcel out to 29 clubs (working out at about £145,000 per club) whilst the Irish Athletic Boxing Association was given £62,000 for seven clubs (slightly under £9,000 per club).

But one of the other revealing details about the fund is the wide gap between Irish League premiership teams.

The grants for the various football clubs, from biggest to smallest, were as follows:

~ Crusaders: £541,241

~ Glentoran: £469,498

~ Larne: £453,211

~ Linfield: £426,754

~ Coleraine: £366,655

~ Ballymena Utd: £307,715

~ Glenavon: £209,246

~ Cliftonville: £184,190

~ Carrick Rangers: £142,135

~ Warrenpoint: £134,958

~ Dungannon Swifts: £118,218

~ Portadown: £114,153

Tommy Whiteside, treasurer for Crusaders said that its funding “was awarded based on actual losses suffered by clubs in the period April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021”.

He added: “Clubs with larger turnovers would suffer the higher losses.

“In the 12 months up to January 1, 2020, the 12 Irish Premier League clubs combined turnover was just over £11m.

“In the same period Crusaders FC turnover was £2.6m.

“Therefore £23 in every £100 spent in the Irish League Premier League clubs was spent at Seaview in that period.

“All clubs have different circumstances and awards would be based on actual losses but the above figures should give some idea as to where income levels are within the league.”

And a statement from Larne FC, which is backed by millionaire Purple Bricks tycoon Kenny Bruce, said “we completed the rigorous application process, were found to meet the criteria and subsequently awarded with the funding we were eligible for”.

It added: “This was funding was based on losses accrued due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“With the fourth highest attendances recorded in the Danske Bank Premiership in the 2019/20 season, among other avenues of income which ground to a halt, these were much needed funds.

“From a budgeting perspective, right across the club, we have very much cut our cloth accordingly.

“We are a club who proudly places themselves at the centre of community, and it has been our aim to continue this during the pandemic.

“This included our efforts in helping to provide and deliver meals for the vulnerable and we were delighted to be recognised by Mid & East Antrim Borough Council for this and other community programmes we are a part of.

“As Covid-19 restrictions ease, we look forward to being able to increase our presence in the community, something the Sustainability fund will allow us to continue with.”

Click here: Twenty-five NI groups sign letter to Robin Swann about ‘women and pregnant people’

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