so what do we want first?
 

new set of players approx squad value £500 000

ground development at an estimated £500 000

developing the commercial side which will involve building some new premises etc. approx cost £500 000





these are the things we all keep saying we need, but where does the money come from? you can only do so much at once and it is a small miracle that we have come as far as we have.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

new players!
I think we need 2 new players on loan till the end of the season and then decide when we know which league we are in!

Re: so what do we want first?
 

Should we be satisfied and accept relegation then? We're ok, we've come as far as we can in a short time?? Is that the attitude?

The opportunity was there to move up a gear and adopt a more professional attitude at the club and we blew it!! Being professional in our attitude as a club costs next to nothing. An experienced full-time person to manage the commercial side of the club (image, merchandise, sponsorship, etc) doesn't cost half a million, but it could potentially raise a substantial sum that would help the club move forward. Instead we have a stockless 'shop' for over half a season and some tat for sale on E-bay.

According to your thinking we aren't a League club. We are a little amateur set-up that should be happy to stumble around in the big time for as long as it lasts. On this season's showing, perhaps you're right. :(

Re: so what do we want first?
 

What a very honest post this is.... i couldn't agree more TM

Re: so what do we want first?
 

new set of players approx squad value £500 000

ground development at an estimated £500 000

developing the commercial side which will involve building some new premises etc. approx cost £500 000

We want all three!
Thirty odd years ago the big target was league football. Let the above be the next big target.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

Macca you are always saying it that if we have a roof people will come but to me Tin Monkey has the answer it was the commercial side of the club that we blew and there is no going back on missed oppurtunities.
How I see it is:
The commercial side has been a joke all season - unprofessional
The team started well but are now a joke - semi-professional
The fans have been excellent all season - professional

Re: so what do we want first?
 

In terms of quality Stanley have the best supporters in the League.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

I have to disagree with this. I worked with Joyce Pickles a few times this year, & she has been excellent at her job. Joyce works part time (to my knowledge) for the club. The problem lies with other admin area's. i.e.

We spent nearly £1000 on advertising at the ground, only to find out that our advertising board didn't get erected for nearly 6 weeks. When we phoned up the club we were told that we had to do it ourselves.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

“There are eight million stories in the Naked City,” and this is one of them.

My brother-in-law received equally shoddy treatment over his advertising board. He's had a board on the ground for a number of years, even though he's not a Stanley fan and certainly doesn't 'need' a board on the ground in Accrington. Frankly it's an embarrassment.

It's easy to sit back and be critical all the time, but things like this really wind me up. I know the few staff who are there are probably doing the work of 10 men, but that's the problem. It's heads down and keep ploughing on in the same old way, which just isn't good enough. Like I said earlier, properly trained, experienced staff would pay for themselves and raise more money for the club. Take on 2 full-time staff with experience and give them 12 month contracts based on performance. If they don't pay off after a year then fine, but I honestly think the right staff would raise much more than they cost.
Alot of business is about image and presentation. Stanley is run like businesses were 25 or more years ago. It doesn't cut the mustard in this day and age.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

I did not name names, Joyce if she had been there at the start may have made a difference but I suspect on her own she would have made little headway. The only person who could make difference is Eric Whalley but from what we have seen he seems unwilling to think ahead or employ someone who might have the answers, in the meantime we lose numerous amounts of money every week.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

Getting back to Maccas question,I say put all availiable funds into the squad to boost it.After we have survived the drop,THEN re-evaluate priorities and make the neccesary adjustments within the admin.I fully support the notion that if you take care of the cents,the dollars will look after themselves.In other words,have everything in the back functioning perfectly and then dress your shop window.
When everyone(most) were screaming for a roof,we were riding high looking comfortable.Now its all hands on deck. Survival first,commercial second.

Re: so what do we want first?
 

well thats the problem now is that we cannot spend anything on the squad at this moment.

If and when we do survive the drop we have to work out whether spending money on the squad (which guarantees nothing) is more important than spending money on the ground or spending money on the business development. We need the business side eveloping in order to generate the revenue streams we need to do the other two. But we also need to develop the ground in order to attract and retain new fans. But we also need to BUY new players.

Who'd be a Chairman eh?

Re: so what do we want first?
 

Catch 22 in terms of to attract more fans, sponsers and players we really need to develop the ground, but to do that more revenue is needed and to do that more people need to come through the gate on a matchday and as well as revenue form other streams

Re: so what do we want first?
 

It's not all doom & gloom. Just look at the likes of Carlisle over the past 4/5 seasons. Each season they were fighting against relegation into the conference, now they're in the top half of League 1. Things have to be right on the pitch first. When things are going well, the fans won't mind standing in the rain cheering on the team. When the teams is doing well, more sponsors will come forward.

NOW THAT'S A POSSITIVE CATCH 22.

:D

Re: so what do we want first?
 

Now that is the daftest statement on this site I have seen in ages. The fans DO mind standing in the rain, wind and cold - how many examples of theres no f in roo etc etc do you want. Lets leave the business to the board - obviously mistakes have been made, but they can be rectified and I am sure next season will be a lot better. BTW the club has already started spending by upgrading the lights and don't forget that due to league rules, we have to have seating for 3000 within 3 years of joining the league. The only problem with that is - Do the board try for a new ground in the greater Hyndburn area (not anywhere near junc 6 M65) or do they upgrade the current ground. Huge decisions, and one I am glad I am not a chairman for. Anyone with a huge lottery win please assist the club, everyone else - keep drinking the coke and coke zero to get a decent amount for players.