[maccawozzagod]

the maths of running a football club are pretty simple

approx 20 players on average of £27k per year is £540k divided by 52 weeks in the year equates to £10 384 per week. I would assume that to be the biggest outgoing.

average crowd this year of 2226 (vastly swelled by a freebie and good away crowds for this season only) x £13 (top side - not allowing for kids and concessions and discounted season tickets) is £28 938 x 23 games (665k) divided by 52 weeks (for a weekly income) is £12 799.

The weekly income (largest) barely covers the weekly expenditure (largest) and that is without factoring in the wages of the admin and management and coaching staff, the utility bills and National Insurance contributions for around 30 staff, matchday policing and stewarding.

There are other revenue streams such as sponsorships etc but it is blatantly obvious that very little cash is spare to update any of the main things such as the team, the ground and the infrastructure. I personally would like to see somebody come in and buy an almost equal with Eric share in the club. Leave Eric on charge and running the business in the shrewd manner that he has, but let some whizzkid put in some muscle that would allow us to compete off the field that would in return allow us to compete higher up the league on the field.

But until such time as the town starts to put its heart into the club then it is very unlikely we will ever get any higher. We all have a part to play in doing this as the town will not do it by themselves. I'm sure you are all aware that the OSC has got off its arse and started putting plans in motion that will increase our standing and finances - you can help to sustain this growth by ensuring you are a member (and next season you will all get your moneysworth out of it), by supporting our events even if it is not quite your cup of tea, by ###### our ****** next season, by offering your services now and again, by just making sure you wear your colours around town as often as possible. If the club cannot change, then we must change and make the club follow us. By showing the club what we can do and what help we can give then maybe we will be taken more seriously and respected as a body of clientele.

I predict that there is still a long way to go yet in the rise of Accrington Stanley BEFORE any fall that would naturally occur. I predict that in three years time you would not recognise the club anymore (or the OSC for that matter) in much the same way as you wouldn't recognise it now from the club that won the Unibond.

We all like a moan and I believe it can be very constructive if the people targetted dont take it personally. But what does annoy me is that many of the people who moan are not willing to try to do anything about it. This time last year I was vocal in my criticism of the Supporters Club, now I chair the damn thing! But, although time consuming and frustrating and head mashingly annoying, I am glad that I have had a go. Mistakes have been made but I truly believe that we have made real and quality progress this year. Hopefully more and more people will join the cause next season and we can become a powerful voice within Accrington Stanley and start to do what a Supporters Club should really be doing. That is to act for and on behalf of the fans to ensure that we get a fair deal, that the club is heading where we want, that everything possible is being done to maximise the potential of the club. To ensure that we are in a position to help the club whenever and wherever possible. I dont want to deliberate over an annual budget of £2000 and where can we spend it, I want to have an income of twenty thousand to argue the toss over.

All aboard?