Despite some satisfaction at the sporting level, the bad news is piling up at the football club with, among other things, a drop in numbers, a lack of involvement of everyone and chronic indiscipline with numerous fines.
In support of objective elements, Jean-Claude Bonnot, president of Omnisports, is sounding the alarm. In front of a general assembly with very sparse ranks, Bruno Deladreux, president of the football section, first expressed all his dismay in the face of a very worrying situation. While the numbers have increased, in three years, from eighty-eight to fifty-nine seniors.
“The lack of involvement of everyone is glaring,” he denounced in substance. “Both in purely sporting and extra-sporting activities”.
On the pitch, satisfaction came from the B teams (second in their championship) and the C team “which had its best season in four years”. As for the first team, it was a rather satisfactory start to the 2023-2024 season, before a second half of a completely different content. “One of the two coaches who resigns, replaced, at short notice, to try to maintain a pair. Demotivated players who no longer played the promotion and no longer risked the descent. One bad result after another.” Let us add that for this season, maintenance is very far from assured.
A bad climate
Furthermore, chronic indiscipline hampers finances and creates a bad climate. Charlène Paul, treasurer of the section, talks about the €2,200 in fines imposed following various cards received by the players during the past season. The trend is not improving since it is already €600 for the first two months of competition. “Equalization makes it possible to estimate the sum at €3,000 at the end of the season,” intervenes Jean-Claude Bonnot.
Even more worrying, if Bruno Deladreux had not put his hand in his pocket, the club would not leave in August. A situation saved by the advance payment of a subsidy from Omnisports and an additional €1,000 from the municipality.
The opportunity, for René Corbeau, municipal councilor, to assure Bruno Deladreux “of the unwavering support of the municipality”. In this he joins that of Jean-Claude Bonnot.
Finding money also means getting involved in extra-sporting organizations. Here again, the president and a small handful of dedicated volunteers are on their own. “For the setting up of our Club evening, very few players and managers felt concerned. Very few were present,” he laments.
The beginning of a solution, to overcome the brewing crisis, was mentioned by Anaïs Tenaille, the very active new president of AFGP 58: “Sharing resources between Fourchambault, Garchizy and Pougues-les-Eaux”. To be continued.
