The fans’ loyalty deserves mention

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. The financial problems facing Ingwe have in a way brought the best in some of us.

I am talking of the spirit exhibited by branches such as Facebook and Nabongo who have been quietly supporting Ingwe both in cash and kind.

Members of Nabongo branch, for instance have consistently pulled their resources together to offset some of the players allowances whenever the situation arises.

Their counterparts at Facebook branch have on the other hand mobilised resources to purchase a new set of uniforms for the playing unit and the technical bench in a true Ingwe spirit.

Outside the branch network, I know of some committed fans who pull resources every month to pay rent for some of the players. There are also those who routinely bail out the players whenever they are in distress.

We all remember how most of us went out of our way to raise resources to help our former captain Martin Imbalambala when he had serious financial issues just before he quit the club for FKF Premier league side Nakumatt FC.

We must never take such kind gestures for granted. I know of ongoing talks by a number of well meaning fans who are discussing plans to start a fund to help pay the salaries of the players.

The idea was mooted by two fans who have been contributing Sh60,000 every month to help some of the first team players pay part of their monthly rent.

The challenge has been that only a section of the players benefit from this noble initiative. The idea has been to expand the pool of contributors so that something substantive is realised so that the entire playing unit benefits.

This is not to suggest by any chance that the club executive should abdicate its duty of playing the salaries and allowances of the players and the coaches.

Rather, the contributions of the fans should only help compliment the efforts of the team’s officials. If anything, the club’s executive committee should be helping to mobilise the fans through a countrywide branch network to raise resources for the team.

One of the biggest problems with both the current and past officials has been their failure or lack of interest to tap into the club’s huge fan base to mobilise resources for the club.

I can proudly say that I am a member of both Nabongo and Donholm branches, religiously paying annual subscription to help the cause of the team.

The problem is that the club executive has failed to reward those members who religiously channel resources to the club, maybe by offering them subsidised rates during Ingwe’s home matches.