FROME, Westmoreland — Pressured by the biting economic situation, threetime premier league champions Reno Football Club are digging in and fighting back.

“We have to give thanks to our sponsors, the support structure which we have nurtured around the club, the understanding of the players and the coaching staff and management personnel,” president Ransford Malcolm told the Observer West.

Estimating that approximately J$27 million is needed annually to fund a club to compete effectively in the Digicel Premier League and “stay at the highest level”, Malcolm noted that Reno, who are currently eighth in the 12-team competition, were operating well below that.

He placed the club’s fixed monthly income at $650,000. Sponsorship has made invaluable contributions to easing the financial woes, Malcolm said.

He sung the praises of Lascelles Wines and Spirits through the brand Charley’s JB Rum; premier league sponsors Digicel which gives each club $5 million; Gray’s Pepper; and Williams Health and Fitness.

Sponsorship aside, the club receives for the season “a paltry ” $1.65 million at the gate from its “hardcore” supporters of about 500 who pay $300 per game. When pitted against the financial expenditure that the club has to meet, the income flow is clearly against the run of play, Malcolm said.

He detailed two of the outstanding monthly debts facing the club which has a 30-member squad, as approximately $250,000 for nutrition and health and $180,000 for transportation costs. The club must also meet the financial needs of the youth programme.

The situation has not been helped by rising costs — a fallout of the adverse economic climate. The club has tried to boost sponsorship and has embarked on fund-raising drives which have brought in revenue but not in the volumes to substantially make a difference.

Accordingly, said Malcolm, major priority is placed on living within the budget. “We have to pay careful attention to the bottom line,” the president said.

In the New Year, fund raising will again be foremost on the club’s agenda. January 1 will kick off a number of activities including “a big retro party” at the CRM Sports Complex near to the Reno football field, featuring two deejays, Marlon Young of Fame FM and Franko from Vybz FM.

February will also see the start of a six-A-side competition.

The club is also trying to target sponsorship abroad, Malcolm said. Tapping into overseas funding is an innovative element that the club was pursuing.

He reported that there are currently some eight players in overseas universities in the US and England. Though yet to make their first overseas sale of a player, the club is encouraged by a loan arrangement which saw present skipper, wingback Obrian Woodbine recently completing a two-year stint with the US Soccer League’s Charlton Battery.

Malcolm is appreciative and proud of the support the club has received from the “understanding of our situation” by the players and Reno’s support structure.

“We have been frank with the players and told them we can’t afford to pay them more. They understand. We know they are not one hundred per cent comfortable with the situation but importantly they know we are upfront and are trying, ” he said. “Of course it is affecting our ability to stay at the highest level because we can’t afford to buy players we may need. Some crazy money is being paid in some cases,” he said.

Despite the trying times, the club has put in place a performance-based incentive system to motivate players, Malcolm said.

The president said the club also did all it could to assist especially in emergency situations affecting players and their families.

Malcom saluted local doctors, Barrington Clarke, David Garwood and Vincent Chisholm who have waived fees to treat players as well as The Royal Pharmacy, which has also chipped in by providing discounts on prescriptions.

He had high praise for the Reno coaching staff of Wendell Downswell, Michael and Patrick Graham and the management team for their “tremendous contribution” as well as drivers Donovan Grandison and Glen Maragh.

The hard times, notwithstanding, Reno’s president says he is far from being pessimistic. He is confident that better days will soon be here and with it a return to the glory days of the nineties.