How Crues fought back from brink of extinction to rule game
CRUSADERS have just regained the Danske Premiership title and their European adventures could bring in as much as £1million, but their most dedicated followers know theShoreRoadclubisluckyto still be in existence.
The north Belfast side has published a five-year development strategy detailing plans to adopt a more professional set-up along with major redevelopment work at Seaview, including a new St Vincent Street stand as well as quality training facilities at Threemilewater in Newtownabbey.
But those overseeing the ambitious plans must feel they have arrived on Millionaires’ Row after leaving behind their days of begging in the street.
Since Crusaders suffered relegation in 2005, the club has almost gone bust many times and their transformation into thebestteaminthecountryis a reminder to other sides that they can emerge stronger from the fiercest financial storms.
In his book ‘We’re Red, We’re Black! A season behind the scenes in the Irish League’, the club’s former treasurer Mark Langhammer documents Crusaders’ financial headaches — and there have been many.
Crusaders won the Irish Cup in 2009 with victory over their neighbours Cliftonville in the final, but there wasn’t just a trophy on the line.
Stephen Bell, who has just stepped down as Crues chairman — making way for Ronnie Millar — offers a damning assessment of the club before Seaview was given a makeover.
“We had a pitch with a brick wall around it. It was like a prison courtyard rather than a welcoming football stadium,” said Bell, whose first game as chairman was that 2009 Irish Cup final victory.
“We have listened to supporters and moved us into the real world with proper facilities.
“We had massive VAT bills, bills everywhere and the BOND scheme set up by Mark (Langhammer) and Tommy (Whiteside) helped pay off our debts.
“The Irish Cup success in 2009 kickstarted everything.
“Money earned now goes back into the ground and the team whereas before it went to pay off debts.
“Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson probably did us the biggest favour ever. We had promised the Inland Revenue money and after we won the Irish Cup semi-final in 2009 it was a weight lifted off our shoulders.
“Wecouldpaythemfor another month and after the final I needed to give money to the HMRC.
“When it came to handing outthechequesattheendof the game, Patrick thought it was embarrassing because there wasn’t a cheque for us but I just said hand me the envelope and I was honest with people. It was surreal but we had tolivethatway—atthattimeit was simply about survival from week to week.
“With all the success we have enjoyed since, I’m maybe not a good chairman, but I’m certainly a lucky one.”
Crusaders’ relegation from the top flight in 2005 sparked serious concerns as the club faced a mountain of debt.
Langhammer, in his book, stated: “The jury was out on whethertheclubcould,oreven deserved, to exist.”
At that bleak moment in the club’s history, he refers to Crusaders as “tired, run down and technically bankrupt”.
As financial indiscipline threatened the club’s existence, Langhammer joined a Stadium Working Group in 2007 and at the height of the property boom the plan was to sell the Shore Road ground and find a new home.
He stated: “The club was over £800,000 in debt and at the limits of our borrowings with the bank who did not regard us as a good or reliable creditor.Theywere not wrong and other smaller creditors were at the gate getting ever more restless.”
Following relegation, safety and ground improvements required £50,000 investment but Langhammer, who is now the club’s vice-chairman, admitted: “We were heading for oblivion.”
In 2011, with the club spending more than it could afford, there appeared to be little light attheendofthe tunnel with several options on the table, including a creditors’ voluntary agreement or administration. Langhammer recalled: “The main dangers facing directors were wrongful trading