Juanjo Bataller: Fertiberia’s and the council’s support is crucial to keeping us among handball’s elite

The ordinary general meeting reviewed the accounts and presented the season’s budget, while Sagunto Council’s Sports Councillor confirmed that the new sports hall opposite the cemetery will be Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto’s new home next season (2023–24).

Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto held its Ordinary General Meeting of Members this Friday, 18 November, attended by more than 40 members. The event began with the reading and approval of the previous minutes, approval of the financial matters and authorisation for the board and the club president to sign banking documents, as well as approval of changes to the board and the accounts. The presidium consisted of president Juanjo Bataller, accompanied by Rafa Manzano, the club treasurer, and Javier López Espes, the club secretary.

Regarding the accounts for the previous and current seasons, Rafa Manzano gave an annual overview and stated that the 2021 financial year ended with a deficit of €4,013.75. The 2021–22 season ended with a surplus of €28,671, ‘which will cover the deficit from the previous season’, as Manzano explained. As for the accounts for the season as a whole, Manzano explained the income received, mainly from sponsors, with Fertiberia being the principal one. He listed the grants received by the club, such as those from Sagunto Council and other regional institutions. Manzano stated that ‘Over the years, the club neither makes a profit nor a loss; we operate within roughly the same financial range. In other words, we spend everything we bring in, and we do not spend more than we have. The club’s assets are stable.’

Manzano added that the club had prepared a budget for the 2022/2023 season of €485,000 in both income and expenditure (the total budget for the entire club), €13,000 more than in the previous season. ‘We operate at more or less the same figure as in recent years.’ Manzano clarified. In response, the red-and-white president, Juanjo Bataller, added that ‘once again, the club has received support from Fertiberia, Sagunto Council, the Generalitat, the Provincial Council and the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation’.

Bataller expressed his gratitude to Fertiberia but said that ‘we need to finalise Fertiberia’s sponsorship for next season as soon as possible. I thank Mayor Darío Moreno for his efforts and hope he will maintain them for next season. The Trinidad Alfonso Foundation also intends to continue.’  The red-and-white supporters also received much praise: ‘the conduct of our members is worthy of the greatest respect, and I am proud to preside over a club with supporters like these’.

Regarding sporting matters, Bataller told the members that: ‘Last season we were one point short of promotion to ASOBAL, but we did not know until July whether we had Fertiberia’s support, and it was very difficult to sign players. The support of Fertiberia, the council and Trinidad Alfonso is crucial to keeping us among the elite of Spanish handball. This year we have kept a strong core and signed four players, as well as promoting academy player David López to the first team. We have two fewer players than last season, which will be offset by junior players. I ask the supporters to continue backing the group so that we can achieve promotion’,

Bataller reviewed all the results of the academy teams from the previous season and thanked the former sporting director, José Gabaldón, for his work over recent years. 

Regarding the new sports hall, Javier Raro, a councillor on Sagunto Council, said that ‘the sports hall is practically finished; only details to the parquet flooring and finishing the paintwork on certain elements remain. What we do expect to take longer is Iberdrola’s electricity connection. What I can confirm is that the sports hall opposite the cemetery will be Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto’s new home in the 2023–24 season, and hopefully the first team will be in ASOBAL.’

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.