Sign of the times?
 

Staff cuts hit Stanley.............sad but true, check out the Official Site.

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Seen it, not good news, but im afraid to say inevitable.

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Where price increases a right move ?

Maybe a chance to offer standing for £10 to see if it could tempt the needed % of people to come to raise income ?

I know times are hard everywhere, but you dont just need to cut back, you need to try new things.

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Agree on the above..,Big changes are afoot and not everyones gona like it .We're not just a football club but a family and this news is completly out of the blue,i'm gutted for thoses whos jobs are on the line,there not just staff who work for the club but friends of mine and yours.:(

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Q our Mr Flanagan from the LET,jumping on this,and the thrill he will get being able to report on the negatives,instead of reporting on the build up to Wednesdays game.

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Have to agree with Simon and Mab. Times are going to get harder and the club needs to look for income generators; but if and when the ideas turn into practice you will need bodies. Cuts could undermine the club by restricting growth just when we need it. Is there no way of utilising the ground and the buildings for other activites without effecting the pitch. Its a big, big space just to be used a couple of days a week.

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:( Cant believe who has been let go at the club unbelievable :(:(

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who has been let go mab?

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I have been told, but it is not definate, that Mark Turner has gone and Mick Shultz has been offered less hours.

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I won't name ppl but this is a sad day for loyal ppl at the club,gutted to say the least for these ppl,these ppl stuck wiv the club through all the bad times when they could of easily walked away and their return is this,a disgrace!

Re: Sign of the times?
 

Disgrace? Like it or not we are in a severe recession the likes of which we haven't seen for decades. ASFC is no different from any other business inso much that it has to remain viable.

Yes its sad that people may have to take cuts in hours or even worse lose their jobs, but this is happening throughout the whole of business.

Sentiment, I'm afraid plays no part......harsh? Perhaps, true? Very.

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Tis a very sad day,no doubt, until if n when the facts/reasons come to light, best to say nowt, its a hard world.

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Yes cuts bks are needed! But loyal staff shudnt be snuffed at

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I feel sorry for anyone currently losing their job, here or anywhere else, and particularly if they are Stanley loyalists. I don't know who has gone or is going but you have to start with those who aren't paying their way. Mick was running the Gold Bond last I knew, so maybe that isn't doing as well as it could or should?

I haven't been to the club for a long time now so have no idea who works there, or how many, but for me these cuts were inevitable and I'm surprised it has taken so long. There was nothing last year to capitalise on the good year that we had or Ilyas taking over the club. April/May should have been huge for the club in terms of getting the message out, yet all we got was silence backed up by 70% season ticket hikes.

Six months have passed yet still there is no movement on the share issue (or have I missed it?) and we have seemingly no sign of a ground sponsor. There does appear to have been some signs of forward thinking, I like the sounds of the sponsor a school deal with the council, but there really isn't anything coming out of the club yet.

As times get harder week by week, then so people will further cut their cloth accordingly and the club will struggle even more to quarter fill the ground. Stanley, and it's community hub vision, need to be right at the forefront of trying to provide a source of family entertainment that is affordable to all.

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Little clubs like ours should be fighting every inch for investment, funding and the souls of men. The guy in the street will feel the harshness of cuts far harder than the more well heeled. If the club continues to fail to attract the working man through the gates and using the ground to its full potential there will be harsher times ahead. Dumping people is not always the answer; putting them to better use could be far more productive if you can get the best out of their experiance and passion. Kill off the passion and you'll kill the club.

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Some of you need a reality check - excluding the abandoned Tranmere game, the club are getting an average of 1545 people through the turnstiles for every home game this season. And that is only because the club got nearly 2500 for the Bradford game. If cuts are not made, then all this hullabaloo to save the club from extinction just a couple of short years ago will have been for nothing. Even our saviour IK cannot conjure up miracles or keep pumping his brass and hard earned into the club. He is not Jack Walker or Roman Abramovich. Ilyas saved the club by paying off the debts, what's the point in then rebuilding the debt? We may not like it, but it is a sign of the times and it is hurting everyone, young and old alike, in business and the man on the street. Why should Accrington Stanley be any different. Yes there is passionate support and yes I am sure people try and urge others to attend matches and yes maybe the £2 entrance fee for tomorrow night might get a few extras in (assuming it is not called off due to weather problems), but it is these extras we need to keep.

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Can't have a game without a safety officer though...

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How long have we been without a safety officer ? :eek::eek::eek:

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in a word - never - If Mick's off for any reason then another steward fills in for him - e.g. Casey or Alan

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Woooosh

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: ;)

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Not true, another steward cannot fill in for the safety officer ... legally

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need i go on:(:(:(:(

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The point is Mark, Jeff says it is "not definate",
Can you not be a safety officer (not you personally) on reduced hours ?? (if this true).
Perhaps if people stopped being so cryptic and say what they mean,
others would not try to fill in the gaps.

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Well my two pence worth on the situation...........

I agree with Outback Ozzy on this issue.

AS ilyas has stated many a time, at current staffing levels the club loses annually £200k a year!!! We simply cannot sustain that over a long period, and if I was ilyas I would be tired of constantly footing the bills, lucky we have such a magnificent man at the helm.

Maybe some people want us to go back to the Whalley days of overspending and getting ourselves an hour from extinction........ AGAIN!!!

Yes its horrible when people get laid off or hours cut, it happened to me 2 years ago, but there is nothing we can do about it, apart from roll our sleeves up and get on with it.

As for generating income, how many times do people want to hear the same story?!?

We need crowds of 2500+ every home game to be on a sound financial footing and we simply are not getting it??? Doesnt help with the price of entering our magnificent stadium does it??! :S

IF we where for example to move, or at least totally re-develop the ground and improve facilities then we give ourselves at a least a chance of improving ourselves.

Like with anything, it takes money to make money im afraid.

One member of staff I believe should be immune is Lewis, who for what he has to work with (in terms of the shop) is doing a magnificent job. Merchandise and ticketing surely is a huge percentage of the clubs income, and to cut his hours is ridiculous IMO.

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Really sad stuff but unavoidable. Blame the previous regime's mismanagement, blame the apathy of the town, blame the commercial department's failures to reverse said apathy... just don't blame Ilyas. He's the only reason we still have a club and is the one trying to make sure we have a club in the future.

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Agreed 100% Shaker.

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One thing we can all do, and I keep trying. Ask your friends, work colleagues, aquaintances, family members, cousins, nearest and dearest to come along to a game. Tomorrow is an ideal opportunity.

If they say no, don't give up keep asking and asking and asking.

We can all do this, its like cold calling, but eventually someone will say yes, and they might well might come again. you get lot's of knock backs but someone will say yes.

I got someone along to the Crewe game. A bit unfortunate it was the Crewe game, but then they have been since. So a success.

Every game, every supporter should be asking someone to come to the next game.

Up the Stanley!

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"you get lot's of knock backs but someone will say yes"

Sounds like my love-life !!!!!! :D

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To quote the old Chinese proverb

YOU CANNOT LEAD A HORSE TO WATER. Yes we can ask, but as Ilyas has said, the ground needs total redevelopment or a completely new rebuild into a plastic stadium ie soulless but with modern facilities. Or redevelop the Crown Ground? We have enough problem with the folks on Livingstone Road (not all residents).

Carrie with regards to safety officer, what qualifications do you need? and why can't another Senior steward do the job? Providing the ground has stewards and a control room with CCTV and radio contact to control the crowd, the club have medical and fire provisions and the steward in question complies with the safety policy of the club then there is no reason why a senior steward not do the duties of safety officer. What do you think happened when Mick was off sick?

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a safety officer has to have or be working towards the nvq level 4 and also has to be deemed a 'competent person' by the council. Also needs to be named on the safety certificate so a steward, whilst they may be competent, cannot simply fill in unless the council have already approved them

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We had somebody fill in when Mick was off sick, so what is the problem ?

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Games on !!

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Nothing, what i mean is that someone can't just fill in on the night last minute they've got to be pre approved. Sorry if that wasn't clear!

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From what I am led to believe, Mark Turner has the both the required qualifications and council clearance.

I further understand that although he will no longer be an employee of the club, he has agreed to continue on a voluntary basis for the time being.

If the above statement is proved to be true, then the guy is to be applauded for his commitment to ASFC.

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Don't understand were yer coming from carrie? i don't know meself, but would assume that problem was looked at immediately? unless yer first post was stirring it? which is my task in life not yours. pmsl.

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You are correct Pete. Mark's ID card does indeed say Deputy Safety Officer

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Update :)

£1million share scheme announced by Accrington Stanley (From Lancashire Telegraph)

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Pitch looked superb,after all the rain we have had recently,and is a credit to Buzzer and the hard work he puts in to safeguard what was a substantial investment in the playing surface.

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Take a picture of it though cause even with the thousands invested as well as all the handwork already undertaken will be undone by reduced hours and huge wage cuts for our lone groundsman....

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Now that really is a sign of the times!:mosher:

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[quote=Outback Ozzy;939447]To quote the old Chinese proverb

YOU CANNOT LEAD A HORSE TO WATER. Yes we can ask, but as Ilyas has said, the ground needs total redevelopment or a completely new rebuild into a plastic stadium ie soulless but with modern facilities. Or redevelop the Crown Ground? We have enough problem with the folks on Livingstone Road (not all residents).

Outback, no BUTS please!!

JUST ASK you friends, colleagues, bretheren to come, it's the football, the atmosphere and the people already at the match that count.

If they don't want to come they won't but don't give up before you start!

UP THE STANLEY!

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JUST ASK you friends, colleagues, bretheren to come, it's the football, the atmosphere and the people already at the match that count.

More power to your elbow, CG.
I also think Stanley's involvement with primary schools is a good idea to generate support. Pester power has made McDonalds and Disney what they are; lots of successful businesses know that the way to a parent's pocket is through their children.
Visiting secondary schools may be too late -they'll either be too cool to be impressed by anyone or already wearing Barca shirts.
But a few visits to the 20+ local primary schools might get the kids wanting to go, especially for a quid - and most will then bring at least one parent.

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Take a moment to think about Mick S. He put his heart and soul into the club, often working 60-70 hours for an absolute pittance. He has been well and truly sh.. on from a great height. He brought many volunteers into the club, who I suspect will no longer be offering their services.:mad:

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The Club is a business and it obviously cannot afford the wages and Ilyas cannot keep paying people out of his own pocket. If you feel so strongly about it why don't you pay the wages.

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Does anyone actually know whats happenin about this new share issue campaign?

Leaflets everywhere on wednesday, and been mentioned in observer and the LET, but yet nothing on the website (as usual) and all it says is text a mobile number of some random bloke, which doesnt seem very reliable.....

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From what I can gather, you can pick up a brochure after the game on saturday and the actual launch is next Friday night

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i note these shares are actually "C" shares, the S.O.S. shares were "B"shares, i assume there are also "A" shares? would someone please explain whats the difference between the different types of share? cos being a numpty i aint a clue,n these things i reckon must be considered.

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Well said that man, 12 years Mick was there doing a sterling job most of which was unseen by the fans and then he,s asked to take a 40% pay cut it,s a joke.
I was one of the many volunteers cajoled by Mick to get involved and at this moment in time I am in two minds as whether I continue or not. having said that I probably will in some capacity as the survival and growth of our little football club is very important to me.

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The A shares were released first, the B shares second and the third will be the C shares. :D

I presume the detail will be in the brochure, fairly sure they will all be equal in terms of voting

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yeh JEFF you are right the club is a business and I totally agree Ilyas cant keep paying out of his own pocket, but without a fulltime safety officer/general dogs body how long do you think its gonna be before the club is in the serious do da with the powers that be!!!!!!
in my opinion not long. And while we are on the subject I would not have got out of bed for the pittance Mick was paid and then he,s asked to take a 40% pay cut I don,t blame him for walking.

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Cheers sherry, its good to see you aint a numpty.:D;)

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Its not totally about the pay cut but it doesn't help:(

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Yep obviously both you and I know of the other issue,s that have resulted in Micks departure, but being gentlemen we will keep it to ourselves and not open it for debate on here. In the end I don,t think he had any option but to leave as he is no different than the rest of us with bills to pay etc, I spoke to him on Thursday and IMHO he is gutted about the situation but on the upside is looking forward to being able to watch a game (wherever it my be) from a fans prospective.

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Crown Ground, or Deepdale???????? :rolleyes: :D :D

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Highbury I think, Fleetwood to me and you lol

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The minimum wage is now £6.08 per hour so Mick must have been offered at least that. If he has had a 40% pay cut he must have been on at least £10.00 per hour before the 40% cut. I don't think that £10.00 per hour is a pittance as some people call it.

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I don't think it's been done that way Jeff. I think it's the hours thats been cut not the hourly wage

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Thought it didn't apply to the players,as some looked liked they got there hours in by 4-00pm Saturday :rolleyes: and were ready for home !!

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I realise that Dave, but I don't think that some others do as they keep saying that people have had their 'wages cut'. Whilst it probably works out the same in the end, having your 'hours cut' and haveing your 'wages cut' are two different things.

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:( On another sad note to come out!!Phil Hackney assistant and right hand man Richard 'Asa' Hartford also left the club last week :(

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Some of the centre of excellence managers also left yesterday due to being asked to
take a wage cut.

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All I,m gonna say JEFF is I know exactly what Micks salary was and your way off the mark.

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Whatever it was, its very sad, but reality needs to be looked at, wi the clubs revenue income, summat had to give simple as, whilst its tough n sad unless those not accepting reality are gonna shell out those folks wages, what else could happen?:confused:

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OK so how does 'Buzzer' keep the pitch in order on part time hours? He should just work on half the pitch and leave the other half.