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Post by bonecrusher on Jan 2, 2018 8:35:19 GMT
I don't normally start threads on here but reading through the forum this morning the levels of negativity are getting toxic and horribly divisive (and I include myself in this at times).
Yes, 2017 was terrible, yes we have made some big mistakes on and off the field, yes we can be realistic that relegation looks likely but way too many of you have completely given up, and some are even proclaiming the death of the club again. It's not helpful and, whilst the players have lots to answer for if we give up, they certainly will. Now is not the time to completely give up
We are a community club and we should be proud of who we are and what we have done. We know our resources are limited and I'm not suggesting sticking headss in the sand and pretending we don't have problems both on or off the pitch but it is time to unite so that whatever happens by the end of the season we can plan properly for the next phase of Chester FC.
Be realistic, but stop this defeatist, woe is me approach and don't give up. There are still 20 odd games left.
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Post by Al on Jan 2, 2018 8:43:30 GMT
I don't normally start threads on here but reading through the forum this morning the levels of negativity are getting toxic and horribly divisive (and I include myself in this at times). Yes, 2017 was terrible, yes we have made some big mistakes on and off the field, yes we can be realistic that relegation looks likely but way too many of you have completely given up, and some are even proclaiming the death of the club again. It's not helpful and, whilst the players have lots to answer for if we give up, they certainly will. Now is not the time to completely give up We are a community club and we should be proud of who we are and what we have done. We know our resources are limited and I'm not suggesting sticking headss in the sand and pretending we don't have problems both on or off the pitch but it is time to unite so that whatever happens by the end of the season we can plan properly for the next phase of Chester FC. Be realistic, but stop this defeatist, woe is me approach and don't give up. There are still 20 odd games left. "Some proclaiming the death of the club" No, one poster has said it actually. We need to be united and get this board out of the club. They have collectively brought this absolute shambles upon us and should be held to account for it as well. In addition all the many other areas which they have continually failed to deliver. Needs a clearout ASAP
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Post by bonecrusher on Jan 2, 2018 8:46:09 GMT
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Post by Al on Jan 2, 2018 8:55:05 GMT
Yeah so you've just proven my point.
Blue4Eva proclaims the death of the club. No-one else has.
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Post by gone4eva on Jan 2, 2018 9:00:45 GMT
Be realistic, but stop this defeatist, woe is me approach and don't give up. There are still 20 odd games left. Have you read what the manager has said? Rather than having a pop at threads on here, perhaps take it up with him and the Board first as they are setting the tone. No loans, and play the kids. Woo!
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Post by shango on Jan 2, 2018 9:23:31 GMT
It certainly wont be the death of the club for me if we go down or even worse end up in the evo stik league.I'm sure we'll still have a loyal following.
Never usually agree with Blue4eva but i was thinking last night how staggering a ball's up the last 18 month's have and the board must acknowledge their part in it.
Didnt we have the biggest budget we've ever had since being in the conference this season..and to say it's been pissed away is an understatement.
I am one of the last to point finger's at the board as without them we dont have a club but at this point i fear we really are looking at an entire rebuild.
Whoever take's over the running of the club probably wont hit the ground running either so patience will be needed on all side's.Many dummies will be spat out during the rough ride of the next few month's i bet.
Simple isnt it -you either turn up when were in conf north or you dont.
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Post by billyw on Jan 2, 2018 9:49:40 GMT
It's very difficult to find any positives but as far as the loaners returning to their parent clubs is snyone really going to miss the likes of Bell, Udoh and Anderson. Hall-Johnson will be s big loss. At least it will give the likes of Chappell, Davies and Joyce the opportunity to step up and along with the experience of LRT, McComb, Halls and White and the tactical genius that is Bignot, we'll be fine.
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Post by bonecrusher on Jan 2, 2018 10:31:32 GMT
Yeah so you've just proven my point.
Blue4Eva proclaims the death of the club. No-one else has.
Apologies - I misread your original post as no-one, rather than "no, one..."
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Post by bonecrusher on Jan 2, 2018 10:34:12 GMT
Be realistic, but stop this defeatist, woe is me approach and don't give up. There are still 20 odd games left. Have you read what the manager has said? Rather than having a pop at threads on here, perhaps take it up with him and the Board first as they are setting the tone. No loans, and play the kids. Woo! Yes I'll have a chat with Bignot at our next meeting... Look, just because he says it doesn't mean we all have to reflect it. I'm not trying to have a pop at people on here - just saying that consistent negativity is not helping and its not the time to give up. Seriously I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll spend my energy supporting the club.
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Post by tarvinblue on Jan 2, 2018 11:24:00 GMT
It's sad to see the current state of affairs. We should be united on and off the field, through good times and bad. Unfortunately, the common goal that we all shared and bought into through those early years appears to have disappeared, replaced instead by apathy and self interest from those on the inside. A wedge has firmly been planted between those on the inside and those on the outside. This wedge has created divides in the fan base - some being on the side of the board/management and others not being. More and more people are disillusioned by the fact that the board don't represent them or the club that we all bought into at the beginning. Their decisions don't represent the fan base and, it would appear, they lack the ability to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Questions are continually asked about what they are doing and this is met with a stony silence. Again, this just re-enforces the perception that they aren't fulfilling their duties and continues to create this deep mis-trust.The only solution is for new blood to join the board - people who have that vision and can start working towards it. The current board then have an option - they either work to their elected roles or they step down. Continuing to operate in the way they have for the last 3 years is not an option if we are to move forwards. I don't know where Mark Maguire sits in all this. Clearly he is a very influential character at the football club and it's hard to imagine that a lot happens down there without his say so. However, ultimately, his is answerable to the board and we go back to the same problem again.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Jan 2, 2018 12:38:48 GMT
Six years ago today we had 3,560 turn up to watch us play Nantwich. Relegation will not be the "death of the club" at all. Yes, it was new and exciting and there was somewhat of a bandwagon that there won't be next time (whenever that might be) but obviously a lot of people used to come and watch us then that don't watch us now. They won't be lost forever if we get the fan-owned, community ethos and affordable football right - which can happen with the right people in the boardroom.
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Post by chesterken on Jan 2, 2018 12:44:25 GMT
Have you read what the manager has said? Rather than having a pop at threads on here, perhaps take it up with him and the Board first as they are setting the tone. No loans, and play the kids. Woo! Yes I'll have a chat with Bignot at our next meeting... Look, just because he says it doesn't mean we all have to reflect it. I'm not trying to have a pop at people on here - just saying that consistent negativity is not helping and its not the time to give up. Seriously I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll spend my energy supporting the club. Don’t stop bothering Bonecrusher your original comments were spot on, we don’t give up we fight to the end, that said we need to stop acting like relegation is the end of this club.it would be a big blow if we were to go down but not the end of the world,all the fall out from this season needs to be sorted at the end of the season not now. Talk of sacking the Manager and board now is just ridiculous, let’s keep on supporting the club as long as the team are giving it 100% and have the fallout from this mess at the right time.
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Post by Al on Jan 2, 2018 13:15:05 GMT
Six years ago today we had 3,560 turn up to watch us play Nantwich. Relegation will not be the "death of the club" at all. Yes, it was new and exciting and there was somewhat of a bandwagon that there won't be next time (whenever that might be) but obviously a lot of people used to come and watch us then that don't watch us now. They won't be lost forever if we get the fan-owned, community ethos and affordable football right - which can happen with the right people in the boardroom. Exactly right, I've said it countless times but those 3 promotions in 3 years were built upon a foundation of sand. We all lapped it up at the, but we're now suffering from the lack of investment in infrastructure off the field.
We cannot compete with financially backed clubs, because we can't generate enough money from other sources away from matchdays. The only answer successive boards have had, since re-birth is to hike up the admission prices in the hope that - if we keep winning they'll still come.
Well, we kept winning and since 2011/12 the average gates have dropped year on year.
Instead of doing what we set out to do in the Guildhall Meeting and build a true affordable community football club, which is fully inclusive for all, we've become or rather, becoming, just like CCFC was, a club that looks likely to be permanently skint, lurching from one crisis to another.
An opportunity has been missed with CFC, and we are to blame for it. Why? Because we've allowed successive boards to take their eyes off the ball regards our off field development. We've not held successive boards to account for the lack of progress we've made in certain areas off the field. CFU Memberships have never grown significantly, we don't advertise those fundraising initiatives we do have well enough, such as Squadbuilder, Seals Lottery, 50/50 Half Time tickets, and don't get me started with Cestrian 10 this year!
We have been wasteful with what money we did have in the early years with employing Neil Young as a Full Time Manager for a part-time team, signing many unnecessary players in those first 2 years, Lee Trundle for example. We've wasted money with various other boardroom mistakes, the lack of financial controls that led to money going ' missing', the employment of several poor paid employees, one of which still remains in a role that was never advertised.
Admission after that first title win should have been frozen. And strict controls placed over the playing budget. We then should have looked to develop our fundraising team, in order to start generating the money to extend the bar as well as other areas such as the 4G Pitches behind the Terrace.
In order for us to get back into a period of growth for the club, we can either take the hit now, and look to re-plan our pricing structure for next season as a Conference North club in the understanding that we won't be expecting an immediate return back to the Conference, or we carry on with the norm by charging the same prices, and accepting that our core fanbase is now 1,400.
The second option of 'same old, same old" is not what any of us signed up to at the Guildhall Meeting. We all believed in the vision of a truly inclusive football club for everyone in our Community. It's about time we reviewed our operation and went back to working towards that goal.
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Post by Al on Jan 2, 2018 13:21:20 GMT
Yes I'll have a chat with Bignot at our next meeting... Look, just because he says it doesn't mean we all have to reflect it. I'm not trying to have a pop at people on here - just saying that consistent negativity is not helping and its not the time to give up. Seriously I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll spend my energy supporting the club. Don’t stop bothering Bonecrusher your original comments were spot on, we don’t give up we fight to the end, that said we need to stop acting like relegation is the end of this club.it would be a big blow if we were to go down but not the end of the world,all the fall out from this season needs to be sorted at the end of the season not now. Talk of sacking the Manager and board now is just ridiculous, let’s keep on supporting the club as long as the team are giving it 100% and have the fallout from this mess at the right time.Sorry Ken but I cannot agree whatsoever about backing this board to the hilt. We all need to be asking questions of their contributions to the club. It's called Accountability. Blindly following them, and just accepting what they say and do on a day to day basis will cause more harm than good in the short and long term.
It is absolutely essential that every single one of us, CFU Members and Non-Members ask the questions that need to be asked of the board and paid employees.
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Post by chesterken on Jan 2, 2018 13:34:36 GMT
Don’t stop bothering Bonecrusher your original comments were spot on, we don’t give up we fight to the end, that said we need to stop acting like relegation is the end of this club.it would be a big blow if we were to go down but not the end of the world,all the fall out from this season needs to be sorted at the end of the season not now. Talk of sacking the Manager and board now is just ridiculous, let’s keep on supporting the club as long as the team are giving it 100% and have the fallout from this mess at the right time.Sorry Ken but I cannot agree whatsoever about backing this board to the hilt. We all need to be asking questions of their contributions to the club. It's called Accountability. Blindly following them, and just accepting what they say and do on a day to day basis will cause more harm than good in the short and long term.
It is absolutely essential that every single one of us, CFU Members and Non-Members ask the questions that need to be asked of the board and paid employees.
I agree with you that questions need to be asked and answers given but this has to be treated more as a inquiry at the end of the season , it would be more like a Lynch mob if it was to take place now.
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Post by Al on Jan 2, 2018 13:55:28 GMT
Sorry Ken but I cannot agree whatsoever about backing this board to the hilt. We all need to be asking questions of their contributions to the club. It's called Accountability. Blindly following them, and just accepting what they say and do on a day to day basis will cause more harm than good in the short and long term.
It is absolutely essential that every single one of us, CFU Members and Non-Members ask the questions that need to be asked of the board and paid employees.
I agree with you that questions need to be asked and answers given but this has to be treated more as a inquiry at the end of the season , it would be more like a Lynch mob if it was to take place now. Sorry Ken, but letting them off until the end of the season is no good at all. In fact it's quite a dangerous stance to take in my opinion.
We need answers starting at the next CFU Meeting. There are questions to ask of the board, specifically a number of things that were raised at the last informal meeting which have not materialised, plus the comments of our manager relating to the loan signings going back to their respective clubs and no replacements being brought in.
In addition we need to push hard for answers regards the state of our finances. They also need to be held to account for the Cestrian10 debacle.
Blindly following this lot and allowing them a free reign will damage us more than we are already.
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Post by Hannibal on Jan 2, 2018 14:00:50 GMT
I agree with you that questions need to be asked and answers given but this has to be treated more as a inquiry at the end of the season , it would be more like a Lynch mob if it was to take place now. Sorry Ken, but letting them off until the end of the season is no good at all. In fact it's quite a dangerous stance to take in my opinion.
We need answers starting at the next CFU Meeting. There are questions to ask of the board, specifically a number of things that were raised at the last informal meeting which have not materialised, plus the comments of our manager relating to the loan signings going back to their respective clubs and no replacements being brought in.
In addition we need to push hard for answers regards the state of our finances. They also need to be held to account for the Cestrian10 debacle.
Blindly following this lot and allowing them a free reign will damage us more than we are already.
When's the next meeting. I haven't been for years due to a Thursday being a day I do something else. Hoping I can attend meetings in the foreseeable future.
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Post by tarvinblue on Jan 2, 2018 14:03:13 GMT
I agree with you that questions need to be asked and answers given but this has to be treated more as a inquiry at the end of the season , it would be more like a Lynch mob if it was to take place now. Sorry Ken, but letting them off until the end of the season is no good at all. In fact it's quite a dangerous stance to take in my opinion.
We need answers starting at the next CFU Meeting. There are questions to ask of the board, specifically a number of things that were raised at the last informal meeting which have not materialised, plus the comments of our manager relating to the loan signings going back to their respective clubs and no replacements being brought in.
In addition we need to push hard for answers regards the state of our finances. They also need to be held to account for the Cestrian10 debacle.
Blindly following this lot and allowing them a free reign will damage us more than we are already.
I think it's absolutely essential that as many CFU members as possible make it to the meeting in January and ask these questions. Too many of those meetings are a love-in between the board and their groupies. A single voice at one of those meetings just gets shouted down; a significant number might get heard. You can guarantee that you will be fed false promises and pipe line ideas, but at least you know you are challenging them and can come back to those promises at a future meeting. They need to be held to account and put under pressure publically if we are to challenge the status quo. It has to be strength of numbers to achieve it though. There's no way a lone voice or two will achieve that.
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Post by Captain Duff on Jan 2, 2018 14:25:39 GMT
Be realistic, but stop this defeatist, woe is me approach and don't give up. There are still 20 odd games left. Correct. I would hate to have some of the negative moaners beside me in any sort of a fight. The very same people who want the players to show fight and passion and a never say die attitude have none of that themselves, not one once of it. Embarrassing.
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Post by spencerwhelanleftpeg on Jan 2, 2018 15:15:10 GMT
I agree entirely with the toxic nature of negativity. We’ve had that problem at home games for many years going back to the old CCFC. Something does need to change though. We can’t allow this current regime to cause any more damage than what they currently have. Before anyone comes to their defence. The facts are there and they have left us sitting in the seat we currently occupy. That seat needs upgrading pretty quickly. If you consider what’s occurred since April etc and how difficult this is likely to be to repair with dwindling support and finances. Ask this question if all that has gone on this year had been seemingly caused by a private owner or backer you can just imagine the uproar and comments on here. The current regime need to provide answers and honesty regarding finances. If we are to progress people need to feel like it’s their/ our club. Presently that certainly isn’t the case.
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Post by sqzl on Jan 2, 2018 15:28:37 GMT
In relation to the original post, I don't understand what's hard for people to accept about us not being able to afford additions in Jan. It's almost like people blame Bignot for this because of his comments. He's clearly suggesting there is nothing for him in terms of budget and he has to work with what we've got, which of course isn't ideal, but its JMc to blame for throwing the largest budget we've had since reforming down the drain. I must admit, despite being a Chester fan, i would hate to play for us! The atmosphere before games is toxic, huge division over the managerial appointment in the first place (which was obvious on here when Bignot won the poll with about 37%! of the vote) I don't wish to offend anyone, or sound ageist, but it's like going to sit around a bunch of grumpy old farts that want to have a whinge for a couple of hours at the home games where i'm sat, worst period i've endured being a Chester fan. Really debating a season ticket next year, regardless of whether we stay up. Much prefer away games at least the majority get behind the team.
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Post by paulinem on Jan 2, 2018 22:11:31 GMT
Six years ago today we had 3,560 turn up to watch us play Nantwich. Relegation will not be the "death of the club" at all. Yes, it was new and exciting and there was somewhat of a bandwagon that there won't be next time (whenever that might be) but obviously a lot of people used to come and watch us then that don't watch us now. They won't be lost forever if we get the fan-owned, community ethos and affordable football right - which can happen with the right people in the boardroom. Exactly right, I've said it countless times but those 3 promotions in 3 years were built upon a foundation of sand. We all lapped it up at the, but we're now suffering from the lack of investment in infrastructure off the field.
We cannot compete with financially backed clubs, because we can't generate enough money from other sources away from matchdays. The only answer successive boards have had, since re-birth is to hike up the admission prices in the hope that - if we keep winning they'll still come.
Well, we kept winning and since 2011/12 the average gates have dropped year on year.
Instead of doing what we set out to do in the Guildhall Meeting and build a true affordable community football club, which is fully inclusive for all, we've become or rather, becoming, just like CCFC was, a club that looks likely to be permanently skint, lurching from one crisis to another.
An opportunity has been missed with CFC, and we are to blame for it. Why? Because we've allowed successive boards to take their eyes off the ball regards our off field development. We've not held successive boards to account for the lack of progress we've made in certain areas off the field. CFU Memberships have never grown significantly, we don't advertise those fundraising initiatives we do have well enough, such as Squadbuilder, Seals Lottery, 50/50 Half Time tickets, and don't get me started with Cestrian 10 this year!
We have been wasteful with what money we did have in the early years with employing Neil Young as a Full Time Manager for a part-time team, signing many unnecessary players in those first 2 years, Lee Trundle for example. We've wasted money with various other boardroom mistakes, the lack of financial controls that led to money going ' missing', the employment of several poor paid employees, one of which still remains in a role that was never advertised.
Admission after that first title win should have been frozen. And strict controls placed over the playing budget. We then should have looked to develop our fundraising team, in order to start generating the money to extend the bar as well as other areas such as the 4G Pitches behind the Terrace.
In order for us to get back into a period of growth for the club, we can either take the hit now, and look to re-plan our pricing structure for next season as a Conference North club in the understanding that we won't be expecting an immediate return back to the Conference, or we carry on with the norm by charging the same prices, and accepting that our core fanbase is now 1,400.
The second option of 'same old, same old" is not what any of us signed up to at the Guildhall Meeting. We all believed in the vision of a truly inclusive football club for everyone in our Community. It's about time we reviewed our operation and went back to working towards that goal.
[ Really good post Al. There’s a lot of flak being directed at the Board at present as everyone is rightly getting worried about our current position. Let’s not forget that many of the Board members are probably there because someone else persuaded them to stand! I don’t recall a major clamour of supporters to stand for the Board so in our search for changes I don’t think suggesting the whole Board should change but they do desperately need a lot more help from all of is but they fo need to let us know where these weaknesses are. And we shouldn’t forget either that when we first reformed our then Chief Executive had a full time staff member in Ann Wiggins.
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