By Samindra Kunti
August 19 – Dutch club Roda JC’s financial woes have been aggravated by shirt sponsor Solland Solar filing for bankruptcy. The club is at least €1.3 million in debt.
Last month Solland Solar failed to pay €36,300 to Roda JC as part of its sponsorship agreement with the Eredivisie club – Solland Solar only became the shirt sponsor of the Kerkrade-based club at the start of the season.
Solland Solar is a manufacturer of solar cells, using cutting edge production methods. Since 2008 the Heerlen-based company has struggled financially. This month FNV, a union, filed for bankruptcy on behalf of the company’s 70 employees, who have not been paid for the last three months.
Roda JC have refused to comment on the problems at Solland Solar, the club’s main sponsor, but Roda chairman Wim Collard sent a legal notice to remind the sponsor of its obligations. The club has accrued at least €1.3 million of debts, according to Collard. In the 2013/14 season Roda JC were relegated from the topflight, resulting in a deficit of €2.7 million, but have since returned to the top league.
Collard promised to inject Roda JC with €3.5 million, but has so far failed deliver. Roda JC’s chairman has also faced Kerkrade’s town hall after the club couldn’t pay €400,000 to rent its Parkstad Limburg stadium.
The Dutch FA KNVB list Roda JC as a category 1 club in terms of financial problems. The club need to put their accounts in order within three years or they risk losing their professional license.
Roda JC currently sit in ninth spot in the Eredivisie table with three points. They defeated Heracles Almelo 3-1 and succumbed to Vitesse 3-0.
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