[Albion] BHAFC Player Charity Fund

[dazzer6666]

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/1659834/albion-as-one-players-launch-charity-fund



The first-team squad made the collective gesture to launch the Albion as One Fund, donating a significant portion of their April wages – with the players’ initial amount further boosted by a donation from Tony Bloom and his fellow directors.

The proceeds from the fund – which will also be opened up to staff and fans who may wish to donate – will be distributed to a combination of local charities and good causes supporting our communities during this crisis, and who have seen their own fundraising efforts become more difficult.

The club’s senior management and players have been in regular dialogue throughout the coronavirus crisis. The players have already made a private and significant donations to three local charities a month ago.

Those discussions on behalf of the players have been led by captain Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray

Murray explained, “There’s a collective desire from everyone within the squad and the club to do something for local charities suffering as a result of the crisis

“The people of Brighton & Hove and across Sussex have always been there for this football club going back a long way, and as players and representatives of the club we want to show the same support we’ve had from our community, week in, week out for so long.

“We want to kick-start this fund with the aim of raising a substantial amount for local good causes. We will then work with the club’s staff to agree how we will distribute the money raised among local charities who’ve been hardest hit as a result of the coronavirus.”

 

[Eeyore]

Good idea. Can't see the point in wage cuts anyway. Less tax for the country's coffers.

 

[rippleman]

Good idea. Can't see the point in wage cuts anyway. Less tax for the country's coffers.

Well, yes in terms of tax yield but...........

Let's assume a player is on 50K per week and is just about able to scrape by on 25K a week. They ask the club to only pay them 25K per week with the other 50% being donated directly to the NHS. So you lose tax of, say, 40% on 25K = 10K but instead of the government getting the 10K (that they might not see fit to spend on the NHS anyway), the NHS gets 25K.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Seasider78]

Great move by the players although noticed Naylor tweeting that Barber has briefed staff there may be salary reductions at the club after all of this. I am assuming this is non-playing staff which would be a real shame if those who can afford drops the least are going to be cut whilst playing staff retain current wages. If this happens I hope this includes players otherwise ‘together’ is a bit meaningless isn’t it

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

For me, this whole thing about footballers donating money, was not the point. The point was that employees of football clubs were being laid off, whereas the players continued to receive tens of thousands of pounds a week, even when they were not working! The club workers should have been kept on, by players taking a paycut. A weeks wages for one player, was potentially the months salaries of a whole section of section of a clubs work force.

Somehow this morphed into players should be donating to the NHS because they are paid a lot? If we are talking donation to NHS, then all people paid a lot of money should come under scrutiny?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

6 figures between 20+ people earning £25k a week isn't necessarily a massive donation.

As others have said, good on them for giving to charity but that's their watch. I want to see an assurance that no employee earning a player's weekly salary in a year is made redundant or furloughed on taxpayer money whilst they take home their full pay.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Bottom line IS that top level football really hasn't come out of this crisis in a good light.

 

[dazzer6666]

https://twitter.com/officialbhafc/status/1253410940994740227?s=21

 

[wellquickwoody]

For me, this whole thing about footballers donating money, was not the point. The point was that employees of football clubs were being laid off, whereas the players continued to receive tens of thousands of pounds a week, even when they were not working! The club workers should have been kept on, by players taking a paycut. A weeks wages for one player, was potentially the months salaries of a whole section of section of a clubs work force.

This has been my point all along, well put Sir. Well done the players for what they are doing, but this is what they should be doing.

 

[cjd]

I think the lack of postings and interest on this thread says everything that needs to be said.

 

[atomised]

6 figures between 20+ people earning £25k a week isn't necessarily a massive donation.

As others have said, good on them for giving to charity but that's their watch. I want to see an assurance that no employee earning a player's weekly salary in a year is made redundant or furloughed on taxpayer money whilst they take home their full pay.

We could of course just wait and see being as the club have said discussions are still ongoing on a pay cut or deferral and
It was decided to get the charity donation set up first

 

[dazzer6666]

For me, this whole thing about footballers donating money, was not the point. The point was that employees of football clubs were being laid off, whereas the players continued to receive tens of thousands of pounds a week, even when they were not working! The club workers should have been kept on, by players taking a paycut. A weeks wages for one player, was potentially the months salaries of a whole section of section of a clubs work force.

Somehow this morphed into players should be donating to the NHS because they are paid a lot? If we are talking donation to NHS, then all people paid a lot of money should come under scrutiny?

Agreed 100% - they are 2 different things - or should have been - seems the latter is now being used to reduce/offset the furore about the former in some cases. To have low-paid staff laid off or furloughed when other staff are taking home 50k a week or more is plain wrong. In our firm the top earners have at least gone public on forgoing significant parts of their salary and bonus (no staff are being laid off or furloughed). If this had all been handled better by the clubs and the PFA, initiatives like the one the BHA players have implemented would have been lauded much more.

 

[maltaseagull]

Great move by the players although noticed Naylor tweeting that Barber has briefed staff there may be salary reductions at the club after all of this. I am assuming this is non-playing staff which would be a real shame if those who can afford drops the least are going to be cut whilst playing staff retain current wages. If this happens I hope this includes players otherwise ‘together’ is a bit meaningless isn’t it

I would hope,that across the whole football world,the players salaries issue is reviewed and a salary cap is brought in.

A fixed cap per club is introduced based on division and not % of income as that would stop these foreign billionaires paying obscene amounts of money for players' wages

 

[amexer]

I maybe cynical but player offer tells you nothing.Said good portion of 1 months donated to a charity. They are earning £100k plus a month. Apart from a couple of younger players all are now very wealthy. Good luck to them but now is not the time to be earning that sort of wage

 

[father_and_son]

I have posted elsewhere but, at club level, this is about cashflow NOT income. Pretty much all the money they expected to get, they will still get (provided the season isn't cancelled and/or Sky/BT start getting arsey and demanding refunds).
However, bills and wages still need to be paid so.... Either the club get a bridging loan from the owner (as per TB) or from the players (effectively, by deferring their wages demands somewhat).

All of this is about doing right by thr people who are at risk of losing everything or being furloughed. What has happened is simply not right. The money they would have been paid will come in eventually so it is just about those with huge incomes making sure everyone else gets paid *first* then taking whatever is left and an IOU for the shortfall.

Whether players then voluntarily pay a bucket load more tax (by donating wages to the NHS and other supporting organisations) should be a matter for their own consciences.

What is unforgivable is taking their full slice and watching those who can least afford it suffer as a result. That is inhumane.

 

[raymondo]

The football salary bubble is not going to burst easily. I think players may be loathe to give up much as they fear their rewards (value, salary, bonuses) are going to drop over the next few years. So, many will protect number 1 as much as they can. I feel for any lower league clubs that go bust (even if their players drop wages): some players really could lose the last couple of years of their careers.