We will get through this tough time, says Fax chief Grayson

Grayson admits these are challenging times for the club, who have not played since losing 34-20 at Leigh on March 8.

The club have been posting regular updates on their website while they have been out of action, the latest of which at the start of the month warned that the club is facing challenging financial circumstances.

“I had 22 messages after that post went out, 20 of which said they were fully supportive and two said they wanted their season ticket money back because they were struggling personally,” Grayson said.

“So using that as an initial benchmark, I would say the majority of fans are fully supportive.

“We’ve put plans in place, with seven different cashflow forecasts,  the 2020-21 budget for the RFL completed so we’ve got 18 months visibility of where we’re at and where we’re going.

“That’s enabled the board of directors to be able to make some key decisions around our costs, our revenue and making people on the board responsible for delivering those numbers.

“With 35 years plus in business management, several at director level, and currently a business consultant, all I’m doing is adding best practice to the club. Part of that is to proactively look at what your financial landscape and plan what you need to do to mitigate the risk.

“We’re not waiting for the RFL to decide whether we’re going to play again or not this season, we’re being proactive and planning for all scenarios.

“The sponsors and season ticket holders have paid hard-earned money to the club and we fully appreciate that.

“When furlough is over some businesses might not be here and some people might be out of work, I totally get that, so we’re not saying ‘don’t claim your money because the club’s cashflow’s going to be a disaster’, that’s not the case.

“We’re doing as much as we can as a board of directors, and if you’re prepared to support that, brilliant, that will help us even more.

“But those reclaim numbers are in our budget, so anyone who says they don’t want their sponsorship or season ticket money back, that goes straight to the bottom line and helps the club massively.”

Grayson says the club is aiming simply to get through 2020 as best they can.

“The business plan is survive this year, consolidate next year and look for growth in 2022,” he said.”The idea is to trade our way out of it as plan A. If not, then plan B would be to have a look at the loan scheme the RFL has got.

“There has been a huge amount of work over the past 18 months to get the club’s finances where they need to be, getting this RFL loan, even though the interest rate is pretty low, is a risk.

“All you’re doing is kicking the problem further down the road.

“We’d have to apply for a government loan before applying for the RFL loan, which is a higher interest rate, so we’d end up potentially with two loans on the books.

“If all the sponsors and season ticket holders said they wanted their money back, then that would stretch the cashflow and we’d have to look at all options, and plan B would be one of them.

“But as it stands, we’re able to continue as we have been. I’ve just started the office staff on part-time, which is a start in terms of getting us back to normality.

“Everyone at the club has made some sort of financial sacrifice, which shows their commitment. We’re not just waiting for fans and sponsors to cough up money.

“As a board, we are absolutely doing our best to manage this totally unique situation. The club, from a solvency and debtors and creditors point of view, is in a much better position than it has been for quite a while, which is a real positive.

“A lot will depend on our sponsors and season ticket holders and my gut feeling is that they’ll support the club.

“We’re only three years off our 150th anniversary and I want to be there in three years, and I want the club to be there.

“I’m a passionate fan as well as MD and I want it to be there.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s one that’s being managed.

“We’re looking to trade our way out of it so there needs to be a buy-in from everybody associated with Halifax RLFC, sponsors, fans, season ticket holders. Even the casual fan rocking up and paying on a Sunday is massive for us.

“The club’s also going to take on the Squadbuilder initiative, which will go towards the players’ wages.”Grayson admits it will probably be a case of quality over quantity in the club’s squad next year as a result of the pandemic.”It would be folly of me to say we’re going to end up with the best squad in the league next season, vying with Leigh’s spending power for example,” he said.

“When you’re in a world of trying to make sure you survive, part and parcel of that is to make sure that you cut your cloth accordingly.

“But that’s not to be mistaken for lack of ambition, so we will probably not have as big a squad as we’ve had previously, but certainly from a quality point of view, we’re absolutely focused on still trying to make sure we’re attracting the right sort of player.

“Ian Croad, our director of rugby, and Simon Grix, our head coach, are looking at the 2021 squad. We’ll have to cut our cloth accordingly but the ones we retain and the ones we sign will be quality.”  

When asked when he thought the club would be back in action, Grayson said: “There was a survey that had to be done of Championship and League One clubs before the latest RFL board meeting, and we voted not to play behind-closed-doors because that was financial suicide.

”The cost of unfurloughing all the players, no revenue coming in, testing, all meant there was a big hole in the numbers.

“What we did vote for was, if it was possible and safe for the players and fans, getting something going from September to the end of November, when all the players’ contracts run out.

“But it’s whether the RFL are prepared to make that final decision.

“They need to make a decision, which on July 23 hopefully they will, as it’s gone on long enough now.”