Much is made and said about the difficulties that professional clubs in the lower tiers of English football face in order to survive each season. We see the likes of Portsmouth, Plymouth, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace have all had big financial problems recently. But what about our local clubs?
Non-league football is the grass roots of the English game. Over the years we’ve seen people shine in non-league football, before gracing the big time of The Premiership. Previously, the likes of Ian Wright, John Barnes and Stuart Pearce all got spotted playing outside of England’s professional leagues. And more recently, Manchester United’s £12 Million man Chris Smalling, Michael Kightly and Luke Varney have completed the step from Non-League.
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| Luke Varney Before His Big Break |
Non-league football is the grass roots of the English game. Over the years we’ve seen people shine in non-league football, before gracing the big time of The Premiership. Previously, the likes of Ian Wright, John Barnes and Stuart Pearce all got spotted playing outside of England’s professional leagues. And more recently, Manchester United’s £12 Million man Chris Smalling, Michael Kightly and Luke Varney have completed the step from Non-League.
Quorn FC - who will be playing in the Evo Stik First Division North in August - are based just outside of Quorn village, near Loughborough. With a population of just over 4,000 people, the club understandably has a rather small fan base. Despite this, the club has big plans for the future.
The aformentioned Luke Varney, began his career with Quorn FC, and was spotted by Crewe Alexandra back in 2003. Quorn FC became the first team at their level to secure a transfer fee a player, and allowed Varney to quit his job as a Quality Controller in a local factory. Crewe paid £50,000 for Varney, and included a 20% sell on clause to Quorn.
After his performances in the 2006/7 season got him into the League One Team of the Year, Varney also claimed the Crewe Alexandra Player of the Season award. Understandably, he was linked with a move away from the club, and eventually Alan Pardew’s Charlton Athletic came calling. Crewe held out for £2,000,000 - leading to a very large and welcome payday for Quorn FC.
‘The proceeds from the sale of Luke Varney have been used to improve the facilities of the ground. We have extended the clubhouse, built a new changing room for the match officials and extended the home dressing room.’ says Reg Molloy, Quorn’s club secretary.
The aformentioned Luke Varney, began his career with Quorn FC, and was spotted by Crewe Alexandra back in 2003. Quorn FC became the first team at their level to secure a transfer fee a player, and allowed Varney to quit his job as a Quality Controller in a local factory. Crewe paid £50,000 for Varney, and included a 20% sell on clause to Quorn.
After his performances in the 2006/7 season got him into the League One Team of the Year, Varney also claimed the Crewe Alexandra Player of the Season award. Understandably, he was linked with a move away from the club, and eventually Alan Pardew’s Charlton Athletic came calling. Crewe held out for £2,000,000 - leading to a very large and welcome payday for Quorn FC.
‘The proceeds from the sale of Luke Varney have been used to improve the facilities of the ground. We have extended the clubhouse, built a new changing room for the match officials and extended the home dressing room.’ says Reg Molloy, Quorn’s club secretary.
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| Quorn's Clubhouse is One of the Best in The Division |
‘As well as the improvements that took place, we sanctioned the building of a new stand, capable of holding 500 standing supporters all under cover, which was paid for completely by the club, as we were unable to obtain any grants for the construction work. This is added too the existing stand that holds 350 seated spectators at Farley Way. We now believe the ground to be almost up to Conference standard.’’
Rather than spending the bulk of the massive windfall from Varney’s sale, Quorn decided to be very careful and calculated with their money.
‘Like the vast majority of clubs, we would like to see the club go higher in the league pyramid. But as a group, we took the decision to invest the money into the long-term future of the club, rather than throw money at the team to create false progression.’
‘We’re always looking to improve the team, but it some ways it is quite difficult to attract the right kind of player. Players look at our facilities and instinctively think that we are a ‘rich’ club, and ask for ridiculous amounts of money to play. We prefer to bring in players through our youth and reserve teams, and it gives us immense satisfaction when players make the step up.’
Quorn were lead to a mixed season last time around by Manager Dougie Keast. Despite finishing 15th in the league, Quorn won The Westerby Challenge Cup - otherwise known as The Leicestershire Senior Cup - against Conference North side Hinckley FC.
Rather than spending the bulk of the massive windfall from Varney’s sale, Quorn decided to be very careful and calculated with their money.
‘Like the vast majority of clubs, we would like to see the club go higher in the league pyramid. But as a group, we took the decision to invest the money into the long-term future of the club, rather than throw money at the team to create false progression.’
‘We’re always looking to improve the team, but it some ways it is quite difficult to attract the right kind of player. Players look at our facilities and instinctively think that we are a ‘rich’ club, and ask for ridiculous amounts of money to play. We prefer to bring in players through our youth and reserve teams, and it gives us immense satisfaction when players make the step up.’
Quorn were lead to a mixed season last time around by Manager Dougie Keast. Despite finishing 15th in the league, Quorn won The Westerby Challenge Cup - otherwise known as The Leicestershire Senior Cup - against Conference North side Hinckley FC.
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| The Players Celebrate The Cup Win |
‘The highlight of the season was winning The Westerby Challenge Cup. As a side, we showed what we are more than capable of in a thoroughly entertaining game. There was hardly a bad tackle in the whole game, and the game provided fantastic entertainment.’
Quorn overcame Hinckley in a 5-4 victory, with former Notts County trainee Kris Nurse bagging an 88th minute winner at The Walkers Stadium. However the league campaign seemed to suffer with the cup run, hand in hand with some unlucky injuries throughout the season.
‘We were disappointed in our finishing league position, but without wanting to make excuses, we were hampered with injuries to key players on many occasions. All sides have to overcome injuries at some stage of the season, but to be up there and challenging for promotion, you need your top players to be available for the majority of matches.’
Plans are afoot for Quorn to progress in the future. Like every team, Quorn want to move up the league pyramid and get as high as they can. The timescales of this progression aren’t set in stone however.
‘Will we have Conference football in 10 years? It’s possible that we could be in the Premiership! - just as its possible that we could fall down the structure as well. A lot of things need to be right for a team to get promotion. You need planning, you need people behind the scenes doing great jobs - as well as the players and management performing at the weekends too.’
Quorn overcame Hinckley in a 5-4 victory, with former Notts County trainee Kris Nurse bagging an 88th minute winner at The Walkers Stadium. However the league campaign seemed to suffer with the cup run, hand in hand with some unlucky injuries throughout the season.
‘We were disappointed in our finishing league position, but without wanting to make excuses, we were hampered with injuries to key players on many occasions. All sides have to overcome injuries at some stage of the season, but to be up there and challenging for promotion, you need your top players to be available for the majority of matches.’
Plans are afoot for Quorn to progress in the future. Like every team, Quorn want to move up the league pyramid and get as high as they can. The timescales of this progression aren’t set in stone however.
‘Will we have Conference football in 10 years? It’s possible that we could be in the Premiership! - just as its possible that we could fall down the structure as well. A lot of things need to be right for a team to get promotion. You need planning, you need people behind the scenes doing great jobs - as well as the players and management performing at the weekends too.’
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| Quorn's Players Hope To Succeed |
‘We have progressed from Step 7 in the pyramid to Step 4 in just over 10 years - it’s a real achievement for a tiny village club like ours, and its all down to the planning, performing, and also the tremendous amount of work by our volunteer workforce.’
Quorn’s manager Dougie Keast holds training a couple of times a week, but his job doesn’t just stop there.
‘The manager is obviously the hub of all things to do with team affairs, and he has his finger on the pulse at all times. His work is not just confined to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and games on Saturdays. Whether it’s the Chairman, Secretary or Manager - there is barely a day that goes by without having to attend to some ‘football business’. But we do it because we love it and we love the club, and the same goes for every other club at our level.’
As mentioned already, the club try to bring players through their own system. To keep a steady intake into the academy, Quorn has to try and attract young players before they go to their local rivals.
‘The admission prices at Quorn are on a par with the majority of clubs in our league, and our policy of free admission to Under 14s will encourage parents to bring their children at no extra cost - and hopefully get the kids involved with the club, with a view to them ideally turning out for us, and being the next Luke Varney!’
All being well, Quorn will hopefully progress in English football in the near future. The work ethic at the club is enviable to many, and with the financial footing the club already has - the club is well placed to push onwards and upwards under their current structure.
I'd like to place on record my thanks to Reg Molloy and Quorn FC for co-operating with this article.
I'd like to place on record my thanks to Reg Molloy and Quorn FC for co-operating with this article.
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