Now is the time we really find out if they mean business, next season is so much down to them. First thing sit Duff down. Pay increase, yes but I'm guessing that's not the only motivation for him.There are two versions: 1. Sorry Michael we're selling your best players from under your feet= he goes. 2. We are going to back you financially within reason. We will try and retain who you want and only sell if they want to go or we get a daft offer and then you can pick a decent replacement = he stays and we go up. Oh and a really crucial point. We make it clear to everyone we will not entertain any offers for any players after end of July AT ALL. We need to avoid the scenario where someone comes in last day of deadline and leaves us high and dry. Other clubs, players, agents etc then know where they stand
That last paragraph is fine, as long as you accept that means we might not be able to sign anyone after the end of July either.
Let's see if the fans mean business too, as it's a two way street. People can't moan about players being sold from the armchair, when they aren't putting cash in to our club.
I’d say the onus is on the owners to win fans back that were lost during Conway’s era of running a player trading scheme rather than a football club.
I’d say they’ve gone a long way to doing that. They’ve got rid of Conway, brought in arguably the 2nd best manager we’ve had, flirted with top 2 and got to the play off final. Fans had fair reason for staying away in the relegation season. The Club now has fair reason to ask them to come back.
I agree. It’s been a very good first 12 months, clearing up some of the mess they inherited and putting together squad and staff. But the issues we’ve had previously, is following up a good year by ripping everything apart. Can they buck that trend?
At least give em a chance. You can see they have made massive in roads so far. Don't forget we have to break even somehow, it may mean someone as to move on.
Highest number of season tickets sold during the early bird for some years apparantly. I think there would be few, if any, that can afford em, not done so. I honestly dont know of any (apart from a few on here that threatened to not come back until Conway and in some cases the entire board in that era was gone). Personally. And of those that said they wouldnt come back and haven't put in an appearance probably never will. Having got out of the habit. How many fans do you genuinely think are still in that position. ?. in comparison to new supporters. Gained, I'd like to say I'd have time for em if they still take that stance but I personally dont. I'd concentrate all my efforts on getting new supporters through the gate. Rather than what may be a handful of stay awayers but that doesn't mean I'd not want em back. It really is their choice. I suspect the club will be trying to entice em back as they will be on the records. Alongside those who lost out on the west stand debacle. I do get that. But those still In protest at the present board need shaking. Cos I dont think they are going anywhere soon and are pumping millions of their own into the club to keep it afloat. Lots will fall to the wayside based on financial difficulties. But I think the club have been more than fair re the ways of paying instead of paying all up front.
Unless we break the cycle of assets being stripped as soon as things are looking up we may as well go non league. I still bridle about the way Pinnock, Lindsey and Moore were sold in the same close season when we needed to be at our strongest. We need to be serious about retaining managers and the core strength of the team. Got to say this summer looks like a really critical time. What are we going to do? Go forwards or backwards?
The problem with that is that there is previous of people putting cash into the club (i.e. ST renewals, new ST purchases) only to find that the prize assets are sold before the next season commences.
I get what you are saying. But I get the impression you seem to think the club hold all the cards. (Of course we all want to see manager and players extend contracts.) But as for every club, they don't. I think the Styles case was a good bit of business. Extension on clubs part exercised and new contract altogether. And that could happen with a few players.
Andersen, Kitching, Connell Probably the core of our squad. We could afford to sell one & manage to give autos a good go next season. Sell 2 or all 3 & it’s no chance, & back to the same old same old. We are always going to be a selling club, but what we need to do is learn to sell at the right time & in the right circumstances. Take the 16/17 season for example, players attracted attention, Alfie Mawson went for a reasonable amount, but it was one player, & easier to replace, which we did in McDonald. But then January rolled round & we sold 3 key players, we were stuffed & any chance of the play offs were spaffed up the wall! It was a disaster.
I am giving them a chance. My first post on this thread was about whether fans would show up. My point was that the onus is on the club to win people over / back, rather than just hope they turn up. I’m hopeful of a better summer this year than after previous good seasons, and if we do, there could be an excellent atmosphere at Oakwell next season
The problem there Orsen is that there aren't enough potential season ticket holders to change the basic finances of the club. We could sell an extra five thousand and it would make little difference to our spending power. We've always sold players to survive. We'll continue to do so. But hopefully more sensibly and effectively than Conman did.
But this is the same for any club, unless they're elite. We have taken some of Forest Green's most prized assets twice, in Cadden and Kitching. Even Arsenal and Liverpool have lost their best players to Man City. We are no different and we have to play our part if we want to continue this progession. Hopefully we will get fair prices now with the new board, rather than as mentioned above, Conway shenanigans. Theyve pumped in more than 6 million this season, will be the same next season - so I wouldnt pin our hopes on not selling any of our better players. Look at the state of Wigan, Derby, Bolton in recent years, plenty of other clubs too. Its sad to lose our best players, but if we didn't we'd be Manchester United. In my opinion the club is in the right direction and this board has earned back my trust, hopefully they will win yours and many others back, but I really hope it feels like a clean slate and not immediately turn into board bashing as soon as something happens (within reason...) Main priority for me is Duff. This man will take us places if we're smart and brave
Ifs butts maybes, if the moneys on the table and the board are happy its a dun deal, money is king in football, and everyother sport. just that.
Last year the owners put in £6.3m. Admittedly a chunk of this (£3m) is to pay the debt to Oakwell Holdings but the owners are putting cash in and putting the cash in to service what looks like a soft debt helps with working capital. This last year recruitment (manager and players) has been markedly more successful, introducing the purchase of older talent (Norwood) alongside players such as Connell and Cadden and our tilt at promotion came somewhat unexpectedly given the debacle of the prior year. Issues like Oulare have been addressed (likely to have cost the club to get him off the books) and relationships between the club and fans are being rebuilt. Neerav said that we should judge by their actions, I think there’s a Latin term for that, but for me our owners have properly stepped up when we were at our lowest ebb. Expect some sales as that is part of the model that allows our club and many others to survive. Despite the setback of Monday the future looks a lot brighter. Time for new heroes both on and off the pitch.