Good article on Corinthian Casuals in today's Non-League paper. They remain totally amateur, not even paying travelling expenses to away games. Amazing they are competing with clubs on big budgets, including Hastings. Their manager reported one of their play-off rivals is on a budget of £9000 per week-surely a ridiculous sum for this level of football. Interesting to speculate which team this is-the information coming from the team's assistant manager. Good luck to Corinthian Casuals, it would be brilliant if they got promoted, but not at our expense of course!
Why would anyone allow a club to have a budget of £9000 pw at this level of football? Chris- I reckon you should write to Corinthian Casuals FC to tell them they are talking a load of crap and bull about their amateur status.
Have you looked at there player profiles ? Why would you play for nothing nearly all squad could get £50pw most a lot more. No time for CCFC after last year's postponed game. They even admit to paying expenses on their website and expenses can be anything.
-- Edited by ChrisB on Monday 27th of March 2017 05:44:36 AM
I Just cannot understand it either why any player in their right mind in this day and age where money rules almost everything would want to play at Corinthian Casuals for absolutely nothing.
Do they love the club that much?
I have looked at their player profiles as well and a lot of them have played for Sutton United in some form or other and other bigger clubs in the area so if their players were that good they could have a pick of clubs to play for in South London where they could be getting good money.
A lot of good players these days move around to where the money is, so have to agree with ChrisB on this one as things at Corinthian Casuals may not be quite as they say they are!
I did hear before when i was last up there that they do indeed pay players 'traveling expenses' rather than 'wages' so as Chris says maybe that explains things a bit technically at least but if they really don't pay anything significant then i would be impressed!!
-- Edited by Dan on Monday 27th of March 2017 09:21:15 AM
And heard on good authority that Billericay's is north of 30k per week with Jamie O Hara and Paul Konchelsky recently signing. There is an awful lot of money at all levels of non league football these days and a lot of chairman trying to buy immediate success. There is every chance that if we don't get promotion this season we may be stuck in this league for many years unless we find our sugar daddy, although a lot of use Mark Gardner was with his millions.
1. The Club shall be called the Corinthian-Casuals Football Club (the Club).
(a) Its’ aims are to promote fair play and sportsmanship, to play competitive football at the highest level possible whilst remaining strictly amateur and retaining the ideals of the Corinthian and the Casuals Football Clubs.
From James Bracken-their manager:- "We're strictly amateur here and we're proud of that fact. We always will be forever and I think that's a great thing.
Of course it has its natural drawbacks. When you don't pay a penny it means you can't just pick up the phone and sign yourself a 25-goal a season striker!"
The article goes on to say there's no travel kitty, no reimbursement for expenses for trips from south west London to places like Hastings.
You live in sweet la la land if it makes you feel vindicated Tim. But their web site clearly states sponsorship money is used to pay expenses. And expenses can mean anything
It's an ideal way to help support the playing squad by sponsoring your favourite player. Remember, Casuals’ players are unpaid and we are the highest ranked, and most supported, strictly-amateur team in England. Proceeds from the player sponsorship will go to paying for that player’s expenses.
Shaun Okojie could play for any club in this league or premier comfortably. Lets make him a big offer and see how much he loves Corinthian.
If us or any other team made an offer for any of their players and said we will pay you £300 a week, would they turn it down and say no I would rather play at Corinthian Casuals for nothing!
Had a good chat just now with someone heavily involved at CC and this was his answer
''I can categorically confirm we don't pay wages or expenses. I think a long time ago we used to pay expenses.
We make sure we provide an environment for players to want to play. It's funny that some people can't get their head around the fact that there's more to playing football than money. These lads have played for James for a long time now and wouldn't change a thing. They were unpaid at Sutton reserves and continue to play for the love of it.
The boys always state in their interviews that it removes egos from the changing rooms. We don't attract mercenary players.
To suggest that shaun Okojie would soon play for money is funny. He turned down a good money move to a local rival this season. In fact, most have turned down offers this year. They just wanna play together and their unity is incredibly refreshing.
We're also in an area saturated with players and clubs so there's always an opportunity at Casuals for players who just want to play football at a very competitive level''
Interesting conversation Dan. Shame Kevant Serbony left them for Hastings last year, perhaps we offered him £1 a week? They took him back after as well but they don't like mercenaries.
They aren't going to admit anything are they, it would open a can of worms . You could also twist it and say Cc don't pay the players directly but sponsors pay them without CC being involved.
Or perhaps don’t want to admit that a side who play for the love of the game can outcompete many of their league rivals who pay?
It’s not a secret. Most clubs in our area know we’re strictly amateur. I think the cat would be let out of the bag from any of the players who have played for us in the past. Heck – some of our players have seen this thread and think it’s hilarious!
Perhaps the question should be flipped – why do most other clubs pay their players when those who don’t earn an income from football can compete at this level? Look at Guernsey – even when they reached the playoffs, they didn’t pay a dime to their players. That’s serious commitment. (I suppose you’ll tell me they pay their players too?)
To answer some of your questions: The ‘player sponsorship’ is £60 a season… and doesn’t directly go to the players themselves. It does help pay for things such as bookings, training kit, etc. However, even £60 a season is less than £2 a week. Most clubs provide player sponsorship. Casuals are no different.
There will always be players who will leave us for money. Kevant did - £XXX a week to Hastings. He came back because of the long travelling time. He’s not with Casuals anymore anyway. We’ve had at least two players leave this season chasing a few quid down the road. The club don’t begrudge that and understand the nature of these things. When I say ‘mercenary’, there are plenty of players who will play solely for cash and have admitted it so. We’ll never attract that kind of player because they know from the offset that Casuals don’t pay.
However, is it really so hard to contemplate that some players just like to play football and don’t actually care if they earn money or not?
Take myself – I love photography. Every Saturday, I could work for £50 for the paper, as I’ve done so in the past. However, I choose to photo the team I support instead, for free, because I want to. Why doesn’t the same apply to some footballers?
I’m just telling you as it is. There’s no conspiracy… but if you want to keep believing differently, then that’s your prerogative but doesn’t change the fact that the players or management don’t earn money playing for the club.
-- Edited by Stuarttree on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 01:50:54 PM
-- Edited by Stuarttree on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 01:59:44 PM
This is all your fault Tim, look what you have started you trouble maker!. Corinthian players laughing at our forum, whatever next? Medlock and Sawyer joining them on a free for the love of the game perhaps? I think the most important thing though to come out of this is the fantastic Mr Tree who takes photos of these incredible players for nothing, whilst Scott White charges hundreds of pounds and hates our players! Perhaps we could tempt Mr Tree from Corinthian, everyone has a price
What is fantastic is the Corinthian Casuals FC are doing so well this season (and were unlucky not to get in the play-offs last season) by operating in a completely different way from most of the clubs in the Ryman South. Good luck to them-and yes, some of our supporters are bunch of old cynics!
