Gulu United Football Club is in a desperate drive to mobilize funds that will ensure it doesn't go out of business after waiting 20 years to return to the National Super League.
There was much rejoicing last year when Gulu United returned to the national stage. However the joy was short lived. The club has remained at the bottom of the league table with only thee points from nearly twenty games.
Poor performance is just one of the team's problems.
Leo Adraa, the Gulu United coach, blames the crisis at the club on the poor administration by the club managers. He says the bad management has resulted into inadequate funding, poor player support and widespread demoralization.
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Geoffrey Akena, the assistant coach, is however optimistic that the Gulu United fortunes could turn around soon and the team will survive relegation.
Still, he is realistic about what is needed for success. He says the club needs more than 1.5 million shillings to transport, feed and accommodate the players and the officials. Without the money, Akena says, the future of Gulu United is doomed.
The club has embarked on an aggressive drive to mobilize the fans to raise funds.
Akena says past team of managers kept fans out of the affairs of the club. He says he hopes to use his experience of playing with teams like Express, Villa, KCC, SCOUL, and Kenya breweries to improve the performance and fan interest in the club.
Martin Ojok, one of the Gulu United players, says he is disappointed debut performance, but he and his co-players are ready to lift up their club.
The problems at the club have not escaped the attention of the public.
Aldo Otto, the Gulu district sports officer says he has tried in vain to help the managers to properly run the club.
Meanwhile, a group of fans have jumped on the latest attempt to revamp the club and are personally raising public support. They have even taken their campaign online to the popular social networking site, Facebook.
The fans will meet this Friday to map out a comprehensive way of helping the club.
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