Chairman's Update

With The Rebels sitting third in the league and a semi-final to look forward to, it looks like the second half of the season is going to be an exciting one.

Steve Bateman has assembled a strong side that play entertaining football and a team that keeps battling until the end. Whilst I know Steve is reasonably happy, he is mindful that we do not become complacent.

Whilst on the pitch things are going well, we have hit a delay with the progress of the new ground. I was by now hopeful that we would have signed heads of agreement and be preparing a full planning application. However, having received approval from Slough Council in July 2009, we now find ourselves awaiting the outcome of some further negotiations between the Council and Paradigm Housing (the developer).

Having said that I do believe we have become more organised both on and off the pitch. The weather of course has not helped resulting in the cancellation of numerous Saturday games which would have generated good crowds and good income for the club.

In fact this season, similar to other clubs, we have seen a reduction in our sponsorship and advertising revenues. To maintain, sustain and continue to move forwards it is important that we continue to raise funds. This is one of the most difficult areas for any club and as we all know for Slough Town FC we do not have our own ground from which to generate much needed funds.

A while ago we launched "The 500 Club" which has been a great way for the club to raise funds. We currently have just under 100 members who each pay £5 per month and it successfully raises approximately £3,000 per year for the club and gives away a similar figure in prizes. The more members there are, the bigger the prizes.

I know that many of you are members and the football club is very grateful to you. However the club is trying to increase the membership up to 200 members. This would result in the monthly prize money increasing from £240 to £500 per month! We are aware that it is often the same people who are always being asked to contribute so we are trying to widen the membership, and have put some incentives in place in an effort to increase these numbers. So, during this February and March:

1. If you are not a member? PLEASE JOIN it really does make a difference! 2. Any existing member who takes out another monthly share will receive a bottle of wine. 3. Any member who increases their share to five a month will receive a bottle of champagne. 4. Anyone who introduces a friend to become a member will receive a bottle of wine. 5. Anyone who introduces a family member will receive a bottle of wine.

At any game, members of the Supporters Trust will have all the necessary forms, so please either join today or encourage someone else to join - it really does make a difference!

------------------------ Forms can also be downloaded from the Official Site. Click here.