1860 Club Members Meeting
Introduction
The members’ meeting is scheduled for 29 April at 7pm in the 1860 Suite at Sandygate. I hope that the meeting will be good natured with a focus on positive solutions to the challenges currently facing the club.
The onus is upon the club leadership to bring forward a strategy and plan to address issues for 26/27 (ground grading, finances and football), and for more medium-term issues regarding legal structure, governance, and fan engagement & influence.
If they do bring sound proposals on these issues the onus is on 1860 club members, and the wider fanbase, to respond positively, including with our own time and energy.
I fully accept that the immediate priorities will be the issues for 26/27, but there is an opportunity to signal to the club leadership that other changes to the way in which the club is run are needed too.
The Immediate Issues
The club is awaiting FA/NPL feedback on work done so far to meet ground grading standards for Step 4 football. There are particular concerns as to whether the netting on the cricket side of the pitch will satisfy the requirements. A negative response may mean that the club is relegated back to Step 5 for the 26/27 season. Further works on turnstiles and the away dressing room are due to be completed by end June 2026, again there is a risk of a negative response from FA/NPL and possible relegation.
If ground grading does lead to relegation from Step 4 it will be very negatively received by the majority of fans, particularly given the issues that needed to be addressed have been known about since promotion in April 2025.
The second immediate issue concerns finances. Player wage reductions in the 25/26 season are an indication of the financial challenges at Step 4. There is a fear that the financial position for 26/27 will not be any better and that, even if ground grading goes well and we remain at Step 4, the club might not have a competitive budget for Step 4. If the club is relegated to Step 5 the club leadership will need to offer evidence that we will be able to compete for promotion.
The third immediate issue concerns the departure of the first team manager, his assistants and other team members at the end of this season. We need to recruit a new coaching and support team when we don’t know what Step we will be playing at, and there is uncertainty regarding the financial position.
The onus is upon the club leadership to bring forward a strategy and plans to address the issues of ground grading, finances for 26/27, and a manager and coaching staff for 26/27.
I have said previously to the club leadership that there needs to be an urgent, open and honest conversation with Club 1860 members and supporters regarding the prospects for the 26/27 season, on any gap between income and expenditure that is needed for Step 4 football, and how the club can bridge that gap. What part can supporters play in that? What part can businesses or investors play? In essence, can we reasonably attempt to repeat 25/26 or will we be in a relegation battle from the off in 26/27?
I have also said to the club leadership that there needs to be an urgent, open and honest conversation with Club 1860 members and supporters regarding the prospects for Ground Grading and whether a drop to Step 5 is a realistic prospect. If it is, and that happens, what will the plan be to get back to Step 4 asap?
I have proposed that the club should move to a more collective and collaborative leadership model. The current committee have the power to approve applications for voting club membership and appoint members on to the committee between AGM’s. Action should be taken now to refresh the committee by seeking interest from volunteers, 1860 Club members, supporters, possible investors and those with skills to offer.
We will see what the leadership present on 29th April.
Medium Term Strategy
In my view a contributory factor to why the club has got into difficulties with ground grading and financial issues is that there does not appear to be a strategy for the club that is based on an ambition for where we want the club to go, and what we want it to be like as a historic community club in a city that is the home of football.
The onus is upon the club leadership to have an ambition for the club and to develop a strategy for how to realise the ambition.
I have said to the club leadership that the club committee needs to be refreshed and that refreshed Committee/Board should commission the development of such a strategy for the club that is based on an ambition for where we want the club to go and what we want it to be like. We should look to open up the club to academia, charities, Sheffield: Home of Football, businesses, community groups etc to say emphatically that the club is open for business and partnerships with others.
We will see what the leadership present on 29th April.
Leadership & Governance and Consultation, Engagement & Influence
I believe that another significant contributory factor to the immediate issues, and to the lack of club ambition/strategy, is due to the shortcomings in the leadership and governance of the club. And, due to shortcomings in consultation, engagement and the influence of fans. In short, a deficit of transparency, democracy and accountability.
For me the concerns are:
- A lack of clarity on who the voting members are, how voting members are appointed and the lack of a published register of voting members
- A club constitution that was last reviewed in 2011.
- What appears to be a system where those already in positions of power decide who gets to be in positions of power.
- Elections of officers and committee members being done en-bloc at the AGM.
- A number of committee resignations this year leaving possibly only 4 current members. Can the leadership offer some clarity on this?
- Club accounts for 23/24 and 24/25 not approved by the AGM
- At the last AGM the leadership presented only a balance sheet for approval as accounts, there was little financial detail of income and expenditure
- A legal structure for the club that might now be inappropriate for the size of the current club
- No formal engagement structure with fans and no voting powers for 1860 Club members
In my view all of the above is not consistent with the club being a community club.
The onus is upon the club leadership to demonstrate how these shortcomings will be addressed.
To strengthen transparency, democracy and accountability I have set out 7 proposed changes to the club in this area. These proposals include make up of the Committee, a revised constitution, legal status for the club, votes for 1860 Club members at AGM’s and EGM’s. I have also suggested strengthening communication and engagement with supporters. There are more details on these proposals at Blog 4 on this site.
We will see what the club leadership presents on 29 April.
Summary
This feels like a very critical point for the club. There is a real danger that it can go backwards very quickly if the challenges it faces are not tackled effectively.
The meeting on 29 April presents an opportunity for the club leadership to set out how they will address the challenges the club faces and if they are willing to countenance new approaches, or if they just want to carry on as before.
It is important that as many 1860 Club members as possible attend the meeting and take the opportunity to express their views.
Steve Walmsley
Season Ticket Holder, Away Match Regular, Player Sponsor and Pitch Sponsor
1860 Blog 