We’ve spent the last few weeks talking about Forever Yellow from different angles.
Why we launched it. Why supporters have joined. What members get in return. Where the money is already being used. And what it’s like to support Torquay United when you live miles away from Plainmoor.
This week, we’re getting a bit more specific.
If you’re paying £10 a month to Forever Yellow, where does that money actually go?
When you join, you choose which part of the club you’d like your contribution to support:
- First Team Operations
- Youth Development
- Stadium & Matchday Experience
And because members make that choice themselves, we can see where supporters are currently directing their money.
Where are supporters putting their money?
At the moment, the split looks like this:
49% — First Team Operations
29% — Youth Development
22% — Stadium & Matchday Experience
So almost half of Forever Yellow contributions are currently being directed towards the First Team, while almost a third is going towards Youth Development.
The remaining 22% is being directed towards improvements around Plainmoor and the matchday experience.
The percentages will change as more people join and members change their choices, but this gives us a good snapshot of what supporters are choosing to back.
And we’re already seeing that money being put to use.
First Team Operations — 49%
Almost half of all Forever Yellow contributions are currently being directed towards the First Team.
One of the most visible examples so far is Harry Shield.
Forever Yellow funding helped make Harry’s signing possible during the summer, giving Jimmy Ball another young player to work with.
Speaking to TUST, Jimmy explained just how valuable that additional support had been:
“Being able to help me out with bringing Harry Shield into the squad is just so valuable. The finances needed are never ending, and the support is incredible.”
And his assessment of Harry?
“You’ve helped me sign an absolute gem.”
Harry’s start to life at Plainmoor was unfortunately interrupted almost immediately when he suffered a broken toe in the opening game of the season against Horsham.
He’s been unavailable since, but we’re looking forward to seeing him back on the pitch imminently! His signing is a good example of what additional funding can allow the club to do.
And Harry isn’t the only way that First Team funding can be used. As Forever Yellow continues to grow, the club has additional money available to support the playing side where it’s needed.
That’s the important bit.
The club knows how much is available, and supporters have chosen for their contributions to go towards the First Team.
Youth Development — 29%
The second biggest share of Forever Yellow contributions is currently going towards Youth Development, with 29% of members’ contributions being directed there.
That’s almost three out of every ten pounds.
That money can help provide the equipment, coaching & opportunities needed to support the development of the club’s young players. This increased investment in our youth system was clear to see in our recent Devon Bowl match against Bovey Tracey with minutes provided to Youth Players; Fin Herbert, Jonah Shaw, Elliot Osman & Owen Bailey. All of whom put in really positive displays on the night.
With annualised Forever Yellow contributions now at £87,000, that 29% represents a significant amount of additional funding being directed towards the club’s young players.
And, as the overall Forever Yellow figure grows, so does the amount available to support this area.
For the supporters who have chosen Youth Development, that’s where they’ve decided they want their monthly contribution to go.
Stadium & Matchday Experience — 22%
The remaining 22% is currently being directed towards Stadium & Matchday Experience.
And we’ve already started to see some of that money being used around Plainmoor.
Two new speakers have recently been purchased for the Fanzone, helping improve the set-up and atmosphere there on matchdays.
And there’s something a little bigger being looked at too.
TUST is currently working with the club to explore an upgrade to the stadium tannoy, with quotes being sought for the work.
Anyone who regularly attends Plainmoor will know that the tannoy is an area where improvements would be welcome, so we’re looking forward to seeing what might be possible.
It’s a good example of the sort of thing that supporters can help make happen by choosing Stadium & Matchday Experience.
So, what does my £10 actually do?
There’s no single answer to that. Your £10 doesn’t buy a particular speaker or pay for a particular player. It joins the contributions of other supporters and is directed towards the area you’ve chosen.
If you’re a Gold member paying £10 a month, that’s £120 over the course of a year.
Ten Gold members would contribute £1,200.
One hundred Gold members would contribute £12,000.
That’s why the monthly contributions matter.
Forever Yellow is now generating an annualised £87,000 for Torquay United.
Our target is £100,000 every year.
We’re getting closer.
The £100,000 target isn’t about one big contribution. It’s about hundreds of supporters putting something into the club every month.
You choose where it goes
That’s one of the things we wanted Forever Yellow to offer from the start.
Some supporters will want to help the manager strengthen his squad.
Others will want to support the next generation of players.
Others will look around Plainmoor and think the matchday experience could be better.
There’s no right or wrong choice.
You choose the area that matters most to you, and your contribution goes towards that part of the club.
If you’re already a Forever Yellow member, thank you. Every contribution has helped us get to where we are now.
But if you’re currently a Bronze or Silver member and you’ve been thinking about increasing your contribution, now is a good time to do it.
Moving from Bronze to Silver adds another £36 a year to your contribution.
Moving from Silver to Gold adds another £60 a year.
And those extra contributions add up quickly when more supporters make the move.
Forever Yellow is currently generating £87,000 a year for Torquay United.
We’re trying to get it to £100,000.
£10 a month. £120 a year. You choose where it goes.
And if more supporters choose to step up to that level, we can keep putting more money into the areas of the club that matter to them.
JOIN / UPGRADE TO FOREVER YELLOW HERE
Have a question about Forever Yellow? Why not email us at tustmembership@gmail.com
