FOGFC launch 'Sign a Striker' campaign

The Friends of Gillingham Football Club (FOGFC) are a totally independent fans group whose sole aim is to help raise funds to aid with player and management wages, the development of the GFC Youth Academy, medical facilities and much more.

Their first major campaign, 'Sign a Striker' is attempting to raise the sum of £20,000 to help pay the wages of a new striker. For example, if we were to sign a promising young striker now, the sum of £20,000 would pay wages of up to £1,000 per week up to the end of this season.

Unlike other club income, which is duty-bound to go towards repayments to the bank, the FOGFC are a charitable trust, which means the money can be used for specific ventures, so those who pledge money to the group will do so in the knowledge that the money will be going to the strengthening of the team - and in this case, a striker.

Fortune-West: Paid for by the fans back in 1995

FOGFC are already accepting donations - and have been pre-pledged well over a thousand pounds already, so they are hopeful of reaching their target. Fan fundraising for players isn't entirely new to Gillingham FC. The club's supporters helped raise the transfer fee for the purchase of a raw young striker by the name of Leo Fortune-West - and he went on to be hugely successful for the club and is revered as a Gills hero to this day. The hope is we can repeat the feat and unearth another Gills hero.

The official launch of the scheme takes place in the Saunders Suite at Priestfield at midday on Saturday - and all Gills fans are welcome to attend to find out more and register their support. Fans are asked to enter the main entrance for the Business Centre if they plan on attending.