Appeal cash 'spent on advertising boards'

Gianluca Vialli

ATHLETIC have extended the time period in which fans can claim refunds from the scoreboard appeal.

Originally, the club said that fans would need to claim any refunds sought by tomorrow.

Now, that deadline has been extended to "any time prior to the start of the 2017/18 season", according to a club statement.

Supporters have written to the Chronicle asking what has happened to the funds raised, now that a new scoreboard won't be installed.

We asked Tifosy, the fundraising company led by Gianluca Vialli who launched the original appeal, whether they were satisfied with the outcome and what had happened to fans' donations.

Tifosy responded that, in accordance with all of their campaigns, "if contributions fall short of the amount, the money is either spent on a smaller project or held in the account until the remainder of the money needed can be raised through other fundraising initiatives."

The company also confirmed to the Chronicle it is their understanding that the £22,835 raised for a new scoreboard - short of what was needed for the cost of buying and installing a big screen - has been used to help purchase the club's new perimeter LED advertising boards.

"We understand that the money has been used to acquire perimeter LED advertising boards, one of whose functions is actually to display the score and time in the manner of a scoreboard," Tifosy's statement reads.

"It is our sincere hope that now League One football is guaranteed for next season, the perimeter advertising boards can contribute positively to the next phase of Oldham Athletic's journey."