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Post by Lobster on Feb 17, 2017 9:07:59 GMT
It would be helpful if some of the posters on here who no longer attend home games on a regular basis could give their reasons for staying away. In my case it's just circumstantial - I've got a young daughter now and find my free time and finances are becoming less and less every year. That's what happens though, people's lives change. In theory there should be a person or persons a bit younger than me, with the free time and disposable income I had five years ago. |
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ctid
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Post by ctid on Feb 17, 2017 9:09:47 GMT
What has Mark Maguire actually done since joining the club?
All I see is loads of 'statements' from the website
All I keep hearing is he is 'protecting' the club
Did well protecting one of his previous clubs Stockport..... Went into Administration.
So by the sounds of it if don't sell Hughes going to be making a loss, what is he doing about this?
People have mentioned he is 'shrewd' based on what?!
Actions speak louder than words and all I hear from Maguire is the usual CEO speak and making himself look and sound good.
IMO he's taking a risk waiting for tribunal for Hughes it could Back fire
At least I now can buy my Tranmere ticket online.... That will help with the reported 20K we are going to lose.
Chester FC's original model was to be in the football league in 10 years that's never going to happen or even get close
As a club at the moment on and off the field we are going no where
Next season similar squad smaller budget = mid table
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2017 9:18:34 GMT
Next season similar squad smaller budget = mid table I'd take that! |
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Post by Al on Feb 17, 2017 9:19:12 GMT
Mid table?
That's wishful thinking!
This division will keep getting harder year on year. Every year clubs blow more and more money on their budget and we again potentially some very cash rich clubs coming up, plus parachute payment backed clubs dropping down.
Our budget will be bottom 6. If we finish 5th from bottom next season it will be an achievement.
Clubs board need to do everything possible to boost the gate before the end of the season. No fannying about give Tranmere the South and West Stand, move our few ST holders to the main stand for this game and minimise our losses.
Promote the games today. Alan I've said this on the old forum and I'll say it on here again use Facebook and Social Media functionality "Like and Share" to promote the game with the opportunity for a winner plus a friend to an "all inclusive Chester FC experience" before, during, and after the Tranmere game and each and every home game we have left between now and the end of the season.
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Post by paulie on Feb 17, 2017 9:24:39 GMT
It would be helpful if some of the posters on here who no longer attend home games on a regular basis could give their reasons for staying away. Used to be a regular attendee, but a 15 month old son, changes to my shift pattern in work which include weekends, Mrs also working occasional weekends. Il be lucky to do 5 Saturday home matches this season. |
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Post by Charfield Blue on Feb 17, 2017 9:27:08 GMT
I've got to be honest I don't believe in all this fan owned community club nonsense, it's all well and good until reality kicks in and all the happy clappers realise we haven't got a pot to p*ss in. We need investment and fast. End of.  We've never had a pot to piss in? Not since i started supporting this club in the late seventies anyhow. Once or twice we were given a fictional pot. The first fictional pot cost us our ground, the second our very existence. |
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Post by Blue Merkin on Feb 17, 2017 10:04:10 GMT
In 90% of the games I've been to this season I have come away disappointed. I have to admit I think twice about going to games now. I come away feeling I have not enjoyed what I have seen on the pitch, at times the team seem disorganised and shambolic.
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muzzy
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Post by muzzy on Feb 17, 2017 10:08:38 GMT
It is a sad day when everyone is relying on the youth set up to have to bail the club out financially.
Maybe one day its inception and the fact it is run by predominantly volunteers may get the credit it deserves.
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Post by agl on Feb 17, 2017 10:14:21 GMT
What has Mark Maguire actually done since joining the club? All I see is loads of 'statements' from the website All I keep hearing is he is 'protecting' the club Did well protecting one of his previous clubs Stockport..... Went into Administration. So by the sounds of it if don't sell Hughes going to be making a loss, what is he doing about this? People have mentioned he is 'shrewd' based on what?! Actions speak louder than words and all I hear from Maguire is the usual CEO speak and making himself look and sound good. IMO he's taking a risk waiting for tribunal for Hughes it could Back fire At least I now can buy my Tranmere ticket online.... That will help with the reported 20K we are going to lose. Chester FC's original model was to be in the football league in 10 years that's never going to happen or even get close As a club at the moment on and off the field we are going no where Next season similar squad smaller budget = mid table Depressing when you read posts like this. Nothing positive to say, just negativity, drivel and attacking individual employees. Same poster will be asking why no one bothers to stand for board election. |
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Post by Al on Feb 17, 2017 10:17:22 GMT
At least they're asking questions relevant to our current financial situation rather than spending 15min talking about pa volume and litter ffs.
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Post by Blockhead on Feb 17, 2017 10:21:33 GMT
I've got to be honest I don't believe in all this fan owned community club nonsense, it's all well and good until reality kicks in and all the happy clappers realise we haven't got a pot to p*ss in. We need investment and fast. End of. There is no such thing as investment in football. 'Investment' implies a return. Pumping money into a football club is not an investment. It's only done by those who want the power and status of being a sugar daddy or have ulterior (verging on criminal) motives. We have a sustainable model, and although there will be seasons where make a loss, there will also be seasons where we make a profit, providing the membership all pull in the right direction. |
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Post by Al on Feb 17, 2017 10:31:37 GMT
I've got to be honest I don't believe in all this fan owned community club nonsense, it's all well and good until reality kicks in and all the happy clappers realise we haven't got a pot to p*ss in. We need investment and fast. End of. There is no such thing as investment in football. 'Investment' implies a return. Pumping money into a football club is not an investment. It's only done by those who want the power and status of being a sugar daddy or have ulterior (verging on criminal) motives. We have a sustainable model, and although there will be seasons where make a loss, there will also be seasons where we make a profit, providing the membership all pull in the right direction. The entire point though is that the model currently is NOT sustainable. It will only BE sustainable if we sell players or go on a cup run. We should not be having to rely on transfer fees and cup run monies for us to break even. There are too many risks associated to that. Sales or Cup run money should be there to add to what we already have in reserve so that we can reinvest in the club and grow sustainably. Have we not learnt our lessons from our past experiences? |
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ctid
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Post by ctid on Feb 17, 2017 10:39:32 GMT
What has Mark Maguire actually done since joining the club? All I see is loads of 'statements' from the website All I keep hearing is he is 'protecting' the club Did well protecting one of his previous clubs Stockport..... Went into Administration. So by the sounds of it if don't sell Hughes going to be making a loss, what is he doing about this? People have mentioned he is 'shrewd' based on what?! Actions speak louder than words and all I hear from Maguire is the usual CEO speak and making himself look and sound good. IMO he's taking a risk waiting for tribunal for Hughes it could Back fire At least I now can buy my Tranmere ticket online.... That will help with the reported 20K we are going to lose. Chester FC's original model was to be in the football league in 10 years that's never going to happen or even get close As a club at the moment on and off the field we are going no where Next season similar squad smaller budget = mid table Depressing when you read posts like this. Nothing positive to say, just negativity, drivel and attacking individual employees. Same poster will be asking why no one bothers to stand for board election. Attacking indivuals?! Think I'm well in my right to question the highest paid member of the club when I feel he hasn't really done anything to bring revenue into the club? As someone mentioned have we not learnt lessons? Pinning our hopes on a sale of a player to keep the club in the black. How can you take many positives from the CFU meeting? Are fans happy with being mid-lower table for the foreseeable? Realistically regardless of what Maguire says we're no way near the Football League for a very long time His job is to bring revenue into the football club not rely on a sale of player to bring money in He took Stockport into administration!! We can all just carry on believing everything he says but as mentioned actions speak louder than words |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2017 10:42:04 GMT
the problem with supporting non league clubs is casual fans come along after watching sky sports premiere football and expect to see the same skills .then we get the what a load of rubbish. I won't go there again these are part time players in a fan owned club all I need to see is effort occasional wins and mid table finish. I've supported the club since 1953 hence my user name
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Post by Blockhead on Feb 17, 2017 10:47:16 GMT
There is no such thing as investment in football. 'Investment' implies a return. Pumping money into a football club is not an investment. It's only done by those who want the power and status of being a sugar daddy or have ulterior (verging on criminal) motives. We have a sustainable model, and although there will be seasons where make a loss, there will also be seasons where we make a profit, providing the membership all pull in the right direction. The entire point though is that the model currently is NOT sustainable. It will only BE sustainable if we sell players or go on a cup run. We should not be having to rely on transfer fees and cup run monies for us to break even. There are too many risks associated to that. Sales or Cup run money should be there to add to what we already have in reserve so that we can reinvest in the club and grow sustainably. Have we not learnt our lessons from our past experiences? It is sustainable. This season we will make a loss because attendances are lower than forecasted. Had we budgeted correctly, the model is fine. Next season we should be setting a budget lower than the average attendance. Then, come January, if we make a success of boosting attendances, the budget can have a boost also. The challenge is getting attendances/off field income up to a level at which we will have the budget to compete for the play offs. The problem is not with the model. |
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Post by Si on Feb 17, 2017 11:22:05 GMT
I think the issue of crowds is a problem across the board in lower level football to be honest. Work colleagues or mates I've tempted down are initially reluctant to pay the entrance fee......they usually expect that it's going to cost them about a tenner and are shocked when its more - even though our prices are reasonable compared across the league the average joe who's coming down for the first time doesn't realise that. Then we turn in bad performance and its light years away from what they watch on the tv and their minds are made up.....why pay to watch crap. Its very difficult to engage with those who don't have a current affinity for Chester, hence why I think we need to throw everything at getting kids in because they are the ones who can be convinced and as we all know once you get the bug then you're Chester FC for life.
Looking at things from a football point of view, the projected loss gives us an indication of the restrictions Macca is working under and why we couldn't just blow 15k on buying Ryan Lloyd in January etc. Unless crowds improve then its likely we'll be looking at a reduced player budget next season, making Macca's job even harder. I know it didn't exactly work well in the past but I'd like to see another campaign for funds to boost the 17/18 playing budget. No Steve Burr has a dream t shirts, no Jordan Chappell hand towels......just contributions to the playing budget to give us every chance of competing at this level.
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Post by Bluesontop on Feb 17, 2017 11:23:46 GMT
So we set a budget lower than the average attendance, Conference North here we come!!!!!!! That is probably our level using this ridiculous ownership model though. Never mind at least the owners can ask questions about the PA system and litter at meetings and congratulate themselves on being part of a fan owned lower than mid table conference north team. Excellent, we've got so much to look forward to. No ambition. No future. No hope. Up the CFU  Unbelievable.
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Post by Blockhead on Feb 17, 2017 11:29:46 GMT
So we set a budget lower than the average attendance, Conference North here we come!!!!!!! That is probably our level using this ridiculous ownership model though. Never mind at least the owners can ask questions about the PA system and litter at meetings and congratulate themselves on being part of a fan owned lower than mid table conference north team. Excellent, we've got so much to look forward to. No ambition. No future. No hope. Up the CFU Unbelievable.
Setting a budget lower than the average attendance doesn't mean that's what you actually end up spending. It gives scope for increases throughout the season, based on income, which is sustainable. Setting ambitious budgets is the reason for many clubs downfall. The ambition should be shown by Macca and the players, not by finances. Plenty of clubs achieve at this level without astronomical budgets. |
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Post by Si on Feb 17, 2017 11:37:41 GMT
So we set a budget lower than the average attendance, Conference North here we come!!!!!!! That is probably our level using this ridiculous ownership model though. Never mind at least the owners can ask questions about the PA system and litter at meetings and congratulate themselves on being part of a fan owned lower than mid table conference north team. Excellent, we've got so much to look forward to. No ambition. No future. No hope. Up the CFU Unbelievable.
I understand that the model we have does give us limitations in how far we can go, or at least how long it might take us to get to where we want to be, but what is the alternative.....outside investment? Why on earth would anyone want to invest in Chester FC? This is why in recent years we've only ever attracted crooked businessmen, mad men and outright criminals who put their money into the club, and it never ends well. In an ideal world it would be great if someone genuine decided to invest in us but short of a Chester fan winning the lottery then I just don't see it, and so we make do with what we have. For someone looking into the club with a view to investing they will see season upon season of declining crowds, a playing squad that has only ever been mid table at best since returning to this level with about 3 assets who could earn us a few quid, a ground at the arse end of nowhere - basically someone investing would need to know there are going to be running at a loss, nobody makes money at this level without cup runs and selling players. I'd certainly welcome some form of outside investment (30% stake etc) but never again should this club be at the mercy of one businessman - we just need to get better at what we do currently. |
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Post by Lobster on Feb 17, 2017 12:03:22 GMT
Big Si's post is about the best on this thread. Sadly a lot of the rest just seems like finger-jabbing and moaning about things we can't do much about, a bit like ranting at a poor person for being poor.
There's nothing we can do about money that may have been foolishly spent in the early years. I don't remember too many people complaining at the time, and it's a totally different board now anyway.
I just think we are where we are. Our attendances have always been a bone of contention and there may be small things we can do to improve them a bit, but it won't happen overnight. For the foreseeable future, we've got to work with what we've got and if that means a bottom six budget and even the possibility we can't compete at this level, well, tough I suppose. It might sound depressing, but I think maybe I'm less depressed than many for the fact that I can accept it.
If, like me, you strongly believe in the concept of supporter ownership, perhaps a more effective way to vent your spleen is to get involved with groups like Supporters Direct and pressuring the people that could be giving clubs like ours a break. Write to the Conference and tell them to introduce Financial Fair Play to stop jokers like Forest Green running up seven-figure losses every year and still stuffing it up in the playoffs. Write to the Football League and ask them whether they really think parachute payments and two-up, two-down are fair on the clubs below. Even ask the FA to consider fan ownership rules like they have in Germany. The Bayern v Arsenal game the other night showed that it's not exactly harming the quality of their teams.
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Post by iandychesterfc on Feb 17, 2017 12:23:48 GMT
This is the problem when the height of this clubs ambition is "at least we have a club to support" It is the crippling lack of ambition and any desire to do anything other than what is being done at other clubs which is leading to the apathy people have towards the club. Pipe up all you like, but crowds are down, volunteer numbers are down and we can't even bloody co-ppt a board let alone have to elect one. No-one is interested, you had your fun and won some trophies and then pissed everyone off with price hikes "to compete" Feel for Alan, damage is done, club is going the same way as AFC Telford as it is unsustainable on these gates. Ouch. |
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Post by Ian H Block on Feb 17, 2017 12:24:26 GMT
So we set a budget lower than the average attendance, Conference North here we come!!!!!!! That is probably our level using this ridiculous ownership model though. Never mind at least the owners can ask questions about the PA system and litter at meetings and congratulate themselves on being part of a fan owned lower than mid table conference north team. Excellent, we've got so much to look forward to. No ambition. No future. No hope. Up the CFU Unbelievable.
I understand that the model we have does give us limitations in how far we can go, or at least how long it might take us to get to where we want to be, but what is the alternative.....outside investment? Why on earth would anyone want to invest in Chester FC? This is why in recent years we've only ever attracted crooked businessmen, mad men and outright criminals who put their money into the club, and it never ends well. In an ideal world it would be great if someone genuine decided to invest in us but short of a Chester fan winning the lottery then I just don't see it, and so we make do with what we have. For someone looking into the club with a view to investing they will see season upon season of declining crowds, a playing squad that has only ever been mid table at best since returning to this level with about 3 assets who could earn us a few quid, a ground at the arse end of nowhere - basically someone investing would need to know there are going to be running at a loss, nobody makes money at this level without cup runs and selling players. I'd certainly welcome some form of outside investment (30% stake etc) but never again should this club be at the mercy of one businessman - we just need to get better at what we do currently. We are merely limited by our own ambition and endeavours. |
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Post by Al on Feb 17, 2017 12:32:32 GMT
Big Si's post is about the best on this thread. Sadly a lot of the rest just seems like finger-jabbing and moaning about things we can't do much about, a bit like ranting at a poor person for being poor. There's nothing we can do about money that may have been foolishly spent in the early years. I don't remember too many people complaining at the time, and it's a totally different board now anyway. I just think we are where we are. Our attendances have always been a bone of contention and there may be small things we can do to improve them a bit, but it won't happen overnight. For the foreseeable future, we've got to work with what we've got and if that means a bottom six budget and even the possibility we can't compete at this level, well, tough I suppose. It might sound depressing, but I think maybe I'm less depressed than many for the fact that I can accept it. If, like me, you strongly believe in the concept of supporter ownership, perhaps a more effective way to vent your spleen is to get involved with groups like Supporters Direct and pressuring the people that could be giving clubs like ours a break. Write to the Conference and tell them to introduce Financial Fair Play to stop jokers like Forest Green running up seven-figure losses every year and still stuffing it up in the playoffs. Write to the Football League and ask them whether they really think parachute payments and two-up, two-down are fair on the clubs below. Even ask the FA to consider fan ownership rules like they have in Germany. The Bayern v Arsenal game the other night showed that it's not exactly harming the quality of their teams. What about money that continuously gets spent foolishly? I do not agree with the "we are where we are" attitude and to suck it up. It's attitudes like it that are one of the problems we face. It is OUR DUTY, no, OUR RIGHT as supporters and CFU members to question the club operationally. To just allow things to go down the pan with a "ho hum, nothing I can do about it" attitude will kill this club. |
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Post by Ian H Block on Feb 17, 2017 12:34:13 GMT
What money is that then?
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Post by Al on Feb 17, 2017 12:36:05 GMT
Wages for full time off the field employees whose pre match role it is to sit playing on solitaire... |
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Post by Wortleyblue on Feb 17, 2017 12:44:03 GMT
So we set a budget lower than the average attendance, Conference North here we come!!!!!!! That is probably our level using this ridiculous ownership model though. Never mind at least the owners can ask questions about the PA system and litter at meetings and congratulate themselves on being part of a fan owned lower than mid table conference north team. Excellent, we've got so much to look forward to. No ambition. No future. No hope. Up the CFU Unbelievable.
BOT we all have ambition and hope and there is always a future but you can be assured if it wasnt for the CFU we would have no club to be ambitiuos and hopefull for. You come across as a bloke who has a lot of passion for what he believes in and I suspect that includes CFC so why not get yourself on the board and push your ideas (if you have any other than going down the gutterman vaughn etc route) for the future of our club. I have and always will be passionate about Chester Football Club since the cold day in January 1962 when I saw my first game v Hartlepool which ended 4-4 and believe me I would if I could stand to be on the board and try and help the club move forward. So come on BOT what would you do to ensure this club becomes sustainable without the we need a sugardaddy bollocks |
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Post by Firestick Frank on Feb 17, 2017 12:52:00 GMT
I know it's been said above that there's no point talking about what happened in the past but the situation we are in now is, in my opinion, borne out of running before we could walk and spending unnecessarily obscene amounts of money in order to do so in an attempt to match a frankly dangerous target of FL in ten years. Did we really need the likes of Gritton, Proudlock, Trundle?
As a club we are still not ready for the Conference. Some of us said it at the time but we're shouted down - we should've gradually built the club up to a position where it can be sustainable because relying on cup runs certainly isn't a sustainable proposition. We failed to take advantage of the feel good factor of the first couple of seasons. I know I've said it many times before but the smack in the face of a price hike 24 hours after Hereford went bust to reprieve our Conference status was a massive kick in the bollocks and pissed a lot of people off. The CT, as I've said elsewhere, are doing superb work with schools and junior teams but it's a shame this wasn't being done when we were smashing teams 6-0. That's been and gone now, but I really feel we've missed our chance. Another year or two to get the infrastructure built up lower down the leagues would've been better. I disagree that crowds would've disappeared had we not bought our way to three titles before we could walk (let's be honest we were no different then to the Salfords and the Fyldes are now other than ownership model). The chance has gone now because we are still punching well above our weight as a club and next season could see over half the division considered as big budget clubs looking at the bottom of League Two and the teams looking likely to come up plus the likes of Sutton's cup money.
Staying in the division year on year is an achievement for now, that's how it is. But I really believe it could've been so much more in hindsight had we not blown the budgets and blitzed our way up the leagues.
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Post by Jethro's Tull on Feb 17, 2017 13:04:50 GMT
Yes but Jeff banks is now best friends with Colin Murray so it was all worth it.
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Post by paulie on Feb 17, 2017 13:14:31 GMT
I know it's been said above that there's no point talking about what happened in the past but the situation we are in now is, in my opinion, borne out of running before we could walk and spending unnecessarily obscene amounts of money in order to do so in an attempt to match a frankly dangerous target of FL in ten years. Did we really need the likes of Gritton, Proudlock, Trundle? As a club we are still not ready for the Conference. Some of us said it at the time but we're shouted down - we should've gradually built the club up to a position where it can be sustainable because relying on cup runs certainly isn't a sustainable proposition. We failed to take advantage of the feel good factor of the first couple of seasons. I know I've said it many times before but the smack in the face of a price hike 24 hours after Hereford went bust to reprieve our Conference status was a massive kick in the bollocks and pissed a lot of people off. The CT, as I've said elsewhere, are doing superb work with schools and junior teams but it's a shame this wasn't being done when we were smashing teams 6-0. That's been and gone now, but I really feel we've missed our chance. Another year or two to get the infrastructure built up lower down the leagues would've been better. I disagree that crowds would've disappeared had we not bought our way to three titles before we could walk (let's be honest we were no different then to the Salfords and the Fyldes are now other than ownership model). The chance has gone now because we are still punching well above our weight as a club and next season could see over half the division considered as big budget clubs looking at the bottom of League Two and the teams looking likely to come up plus the likes of Sutton's cup money. Staying in the division year on year is an achievement for now, that's how it is. But I really believe it could've been so much more in hindsight had we not blown the budgets and blitzed our way up the leagues. Top post |
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Post by Krankie's Ghost on Feb 17, 2017 13:17:29 GMT
I know it's been said above that there's no point talking about what happened in the past but the situation we are in now is, in my opinion, borne out of running before we could walk and spending unnecessarily obscene amounts of money in order to do so in an attempt to match a frankly dangerous target of FL in ten years. Did we really need the likes of Gritton, Proudlock, Trundle? As a club we are still not ready for the Conference. Some of us said it at the time but we're shouted down - we should've gradually built the club up to a position where it can be sustainable because relying on cup runs certainly isn't a sustainable proposition. We failed to take advantage of the feel good factor of the first couple of seasons. I know I've said it many times before but the smack in the face of a price hike 24 hours after Hereford went bust to reprieve our Conference status was a massive kick in the bollocks and pissed a lot of people off. The CT, as I've said elsewhere, are doing superb work with schools and junior teams but it's a shame this wasn't being done when we were smashing teams 6-0. That's been and gone now, but I really feel we've missed our chance. Another year or two to get the infrastructure built up lower down the leagues would've been better. I disagree that crowds would've disappeared had we not bought our way to three titles before we could walk (let's be honest we were no different then to the Salfords and the Fyldes are now other than ownership model). The chance has gone now because we are still punching well above our weight as a club and next season could see over half the division considered as big budget clubs looking at the bottom of League Two and the teams looking likely to come up plus the likes of Sutton's cup money. Staying in the division year on year is an achievement for now, that's how it is. But I really believe it could've been so much more in hindsight had we not blown the budgets and blitzed our way up the leagues. Top post it was always going to be that way though. It was incredibly short-sighted to abandon any attempt to keep or even grow crowds in the early years in favour of price-hikes. we all knew where this was going with that approach, mid table conference at best on gates of 1600-1800 |
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