I understand it’s also the leaking undersoil heating that will be a big part of the cost. Years of under investment in that stadium coming home to roost.
We were told losing £500k a year would kill us, now it's £3.5m which is fine if we go up and stay there, or if he's paying , it just doesn't seem sustainable, you'd need thousands more people per game before the expansion/ extra bits
RC said we’ve had the same pitch for c20 years ! most clubs replace the pitch every 5 years. So I assume replacing the pitch is something more than relaying it. It’s been relayed many times over the last 20 years has it not.
What does replacing the pitch vs relaying it entail ?
Wonder if the trust kept in touch with the wealthy footballers groups who were interested in taking us on ….😂 the trust may have taken the wrong option . It seems like the cohigs were full of bs and pretty stupid to believe you could pay high wages and survive outside the championship. Higher ticket costs, food and in my opinion pretty poor football has kept the crowds low. Not hopeful this will end well.
Tbf, the state of the club then wasn't being marooned in the bottom of the league. We'd cut our wage budget by a phenomenal amount and the Trust had no way of figuring it out. It would've been far worse than 15th in L1
The point now isn't to reflect on what we've led ourselves into, but what we can do to fix this situation.
I overflew the ground in July this year in a private plane. It certainly looked like the pitch (all the grass a least) had been removed and was being worked on.
I don't think any of this is malicious, he wants a champ club getting big crowds each week but the trust have been too weak, we should have only allowed sensible investment and overspend, not let it get to huge losses before any of the big ticket investment
@prufrock_91 spot on - we did not have much of a choice at all when RC came along, and would have ended up in administration. I think if there had been any feasible way of remaining fan owned, we would have done so.
Ultimately, this is also an indictment on football as a whole, which is structured and governed so terribly that clubs playing the most popular sport in the world cannot be run sustainably (or are encouraged not too by the overspending of others).
My take is what the football club owner wants to do and the Trust can afford are poles apart. It was always going to be so. I’ve always struggled with the Trust concept - a nice idea but where’s the money coming from? Too many people think £30 a year makes them some sort of player.
And what can you make of an organisation that can’t even arrange for its members to join an online meeting. Or arrange for the use of a microphone.
Listening in to people who have no idea how to use a computer has been some light relief though! Coughing, farting, medical discussions, plus a couple of mansplainers shouting from the ether at every opportunity.
I can’t get the zoom link to work but from what I’m hearing it sounds a bit of a fait accompli It’s worrying but am I right that FALL retain the ownership of the ground
Well well well, what a surprise... do you know of many, if any supporters of American owned clubs that are happy ? No, because they are all about the money and getting what they can. I've never been brave enough to say anything before as I knew I'd probably get banned, but wish I had, as I could now say told you so.
BTW, after tonight ALL trust committee members should be voted out
The competitive nature of sport plus the potential rewards are always going to create financial havoc. Ironically there is an American solution to this that might work (or provide more stability) and that's getting rid of relegation. Hmmm.
Can’t half wonder why on earth we’re employing that (ex?) Palace CEO as a footballing consultant. He’s adding F-all value for his salary as far as I’m concerned.
Comments
Can we vote for no white elephant roads please?
I understand it’s also the leaking undersoil heating that will be a big part of the cost. Years of under investment in that stadium coming home to roost.
What the heck are we relaying it with? Gold?!
Any chance someone can summarise the meeting for those of us who struggled to get in via zoom?
We were told losing £500k a year would kill us, now it's £3.5m which is fine if we go up and stay there, or if he's paying , it just doesn't seem sustainable, you'd need thousands more people per game before the expansion/ extra bits
Rob said in the summer that we got money from Derby but due to legalities he can’t confirm how much
RC said we’ve had the same pitch for c20 years ! most clubs replace the pitch every 5 years. So I assume replacing the pitch is something more than relaying it. It’s been relayed many times over the last 20 years has it not.
What does replacing the pitch vs relaying it entail ?
We’re fucked.
Wonder if the trust kept in touch with the wealthy footballers groups who were interested in taking us on ….😂 the trust may have taken the wrong option . It seems like the cohigs were full of bs and pretty stupid to believe you could pay high wages and survive outside the championship. Higher ticket costs, food and in my opinion pretty poor football has kept the crowds low. Not hopeful this will end well.
I was hoping for a little more detail than that but assumed that was the gist of it overall
Tbf, the state of the club then wasn't being marooned in the bottom of the league. We'd cut our wage budget by a phenomenal amount and the Trust had no way of figuring it out. It would've been far worse than 15th in L1
The point now isn't to reflect on what we've led ourselves into, but what we can do to fix this situation.
The last few years have been a blast but the phrase 'Up like a firework, down like a stick' is coming to mind.
Well I got as far as 'your host will let you in shortly'
About 10 mins ago
I overflew the ground in July this year in a private plane. It certainly looked like the pitch (all the grass a least) had been removed and was being worked on.
Remember Steve Hayes. Same again but with a smile and an American accent.
I don't think any of this is malicious, he wants a champ club getting big crowds each week but the trust have been too weak, we should have only allowed sensible investment and overspend, not let it get to huge losses before any of the big ticket investment
@prufrock_91 spot on - we did not have much of a choice at all when RC came along, and would have ended up in administration. I think if there had been any feasible way of remaining fan owned, we would have done so.
Ultimately, this is also an indictment on football as a whole, which is structured and governed so terribly that clubs playing the most popular sport in the world cannot be run sustainably (or are encouraged not too by the overspending of others).
And me
My take is what the football club owner wants to do and the Trust can afford are poles apart. It was always going to be so. I’ve always struggled with the Trust concept - a nice idea but where’s the money coming from? Too many people think £30 a year makes them some sort of player.
And what can you make of an organisation that can’t even arrange for its members to join an online meeting. Or arrange for the use of a microphone.
Listening in to people who have no idea how to use a computer has been some light relief though! Coughing, farting, medical discussions, plus a couple of mansplainers shouting from the ether at every opportunity.
Alternative view: he deliberately overspent in order to eventually force through a 100% takeover. I'm not saying either is correct.
I gave up after seeing that message for 15 minutes.
I can’t get the zoom link to work but from what I’m hearing it sounds a bit of a fait accompli It’s worrying but am I right that FALL retain the ownership of the ground
At least he's not trying to make us the tenant for some other sports club....
yet.
Yes, that’s the case.
Well well well, what a surprise... do you know of many, if any supporters of American owned clubs that are happy ? No, because they are all about the money and getting what they can. I've never been brave enough to say anything before as I knew I'd probably get banned, but wish I had, as I could now say told you so.
BTW, after tonight ALL trust committee members should be voted out
And why would he bother seeing as we're signing it over regardless??
And for what purpose, if he bankrupts us do you think he's going to have lots of offers to buy at a premium?
The competitive nature of sport plus the potential rewards are always going to create financial havoc. Ironically there is an American solution to this that might work (or provide more stability) and that's getting rid of relegation. Hmmm.
Can a town like High Wycombe, which isn’t a traditional footballing town, really sustain a Championship football club?
Can’t half wonder why on earth we’re employing that (ex?) Palace CEO as a footballing consultant. He’s adding F-all value for his salary as far as I’m concerned.
Can’t hear the questions