Zanzala

To be honest i would rather watch Smyth and he aint ours, at this point in time, maybe later if he comes too a bit, ok.
 
He played one of the Trickatrump games early on (Macc maybe) and showed what he CAN do. He bullied, hareassed, shoulder barged, and just generally 'bullied' their defence. It was a joy to watch and i remember thinking there and then that this was the player Coley spoke about. He needs time. When he 'mans up' mentally and physically he'll be a beast


But not league One Spartacus. I'm sure we'll get over the line this season and I'm also sure that thoughts for next season will maybe include integrating players with experience of the league.
That will need investment and also mean less reliance on the loan market.
There could be quite a shake up of the squad next season.
 
But not league One Spartacus. I'm sure we'll get over the line this season and I'm also sure that thoughts for next season will maybe include integrating players with experience of the league.
That will need investment and also mean less reliance on the loan market.
There could be quite a shake up of the squad next season.

I get your point 28, but my thoughts on Zz are that he needs more belief. The game against Macc seemed like it couldve been a beginning, pretty sure he got a few of his goals around that time as well. What will be will be for that young man i just cant help thinking he's another Kurtis Guthrie
 
But not league One Spartacus. I'm sure we'll get over the line this season and I'm also sure that thoughts for next season will maybe include integrating players with experience of the league.
That will need investment and also mean less reliance on the loan market.
There could be quite a shake up of the squad next season.

League one experience costs not just a fee but the bigger stumbling block wages can't personally see that much of a budget increase maybe as we grow the income side which is slowly happening yes but I wouldn't expect to much too soon, hopefully if the training facility is up and running for the start of the season that in itself is a bit more of a pull in attracting the right players but they have to want to come.
 
Well I previously mentioned this on a previous thread.
If the budget remains the same then the loan market it is.
If the loan market it is then on the pitch there will be little or no progress.
If everyone is happy with this and I understand many fans with long standing history with the club will be, that's great.
It will only become a problem if or when expectation grows from the stands and terraces.
Not for me personally but I accept four years in doesn't qualify me as having an opinion.
The club to date has decided infrastructure is the priority investment wise.
I just think having toiled to get to this elevated status it would be a damn shame to risk that due to a lack of investment in the squad.
 
It doesn't matter whether you are "only" four years in everyone is entitled to their opinion and I also know that many people prefer some money to be spent on infrastructure after years of hearing away fans often commenting "what a s**thole this is" and similar. It has been good to hear away fans saying that they have had a great day what agreat atmosphere we have at the Wham.
 
At the time of Andy Holt coming in the club was virtually skint and was facing the end, now with new ownership and someone guiding the ship we have through various incentives and infrastructure improvements the budget is as I said before is slowly growing it will get better but it will not happen overnight staying up is the priority at this time.
 
The club to date has decided infrastructure is the priority investment wise.
I just think having toiled to get to this elevated status it would be a damn shame to risk that due to a lack of investment in the squad.

When we won the NPL we had a tidy little ground and our zero or one full time staff was ample. All money was redirected to the playing squad. Three years later we exceeded expectation and won The Conference. TV monies aside there was no great increase in revenue but wages sky rocketed. Since then it was always the case that every spare penny went into the squad leaving us on a trail of increasing debt and rapid decline of facilities.

The next ten years saw us go from being the poorest club with the poorest facilities, to being far and away the poorest club with disgusting facilities. Andy came in, put his hand on the tiller and turned us into a profitable club. That said we still have the poorest facilities and are still the poorest club (with the possible exception of Morecambe). We have competed admirably during that period which is testament to Coleman.

If we doubled our playing budget we would still be in the bottom 3 or 4 clubs of League 2, but would be back to the cycle of having no money to pay bills or improve infrastructure.

It might be 'little Stanley' mentality but i am more than happy to see little progress on the pitch for the foreseeable future. If we drop back to L2 this year, or next year, then so what? We can be a force again in that league. If crowds drop again then so what? We've increased our ability to maximise away fan income with the new stand.

Some clubs spend success windfall money on gambling for more success, we're spending ours on cementing what we have as a club rather than a team
 
As I alluded to before I am not a seasoned campaigner so take on board everything that the long standing supporters say.
I see it as a balancing act.
We’ve made a huge profit on Jackson and Donacien but precious little went back into the playing budget.
A little investment in the front line and centre mid could have made a massive difference this year.
Next year will be even tougher because assuming this is the way the club moves on then inevitably we’ll cash our chips in on a few nuggets.
Sykes Johnson Clark ?
If that happens and the profit ploughed into infastructure how do we replace them ?
Total admiration for Andy Holt and what he’s achieved so I’m assuming there’s a game plan in place.
 
If we drop back to L2 this year, or next year, then so what? We can be a force again in that league. If crowds drop again then so what? We've increased our ability to maximise away fan income with the new stand.

if we did go down this season the newer fans we have got this season will in the main fall away again. season ticket sales will drop under the 1000 mark again and you,ll have a nice new stand for the 50 odd crawley fans again. there is no guarentee we would storm back either. ask yeovil fans about the benefits of relegation as they could have the benefit of a day out in dover next season.
 
In an ideal world we should be saying that a token figure, 50% say, goes back in, but we wouldnt be able to afford the wages next year if we havent sold more nuggets.

Last yrar for example, our transfer fees received would have been almost the same as our annual turnover. As a £5m a year club we would be highly competitive in L2, and able to tread water in L1 ... but without sales a £2.5m club is only just competitive in the conference.

I trust Andy implicitly, but he needs to find a way of doubling our turnover so the income can be budgeted for rather than hoped for
 
There will be a point where the building work is completed and the facilities are how Holty wants. That isn't a million miles away in my view. 2-3 years. Once that happens, I'd imagine alot more money will be going in to the playing budget.

Interesting as well that we are now signing players 'for the future'

Andy Scott - I am a massive fan of his and he had a successful loan spell at Stalybridge Celtic earlier in the season (scored an absolute beauty of a free kick on his debut from 30yards out - 'ey 28 could solve our set piece problems haha!!)

Okera Simmonds - highly rated from the people I've spoke to and had other offers elsewhere - ex Liverpool and Blackburn youth striker. Seen him a few times in training and he's very Kayden Jackson esque with his play.
 
Aymen Josh. Youre right of course. There IS a ceiling on what we can or will do to the ground.

Main stand/clubhouse/changing rooms ... majoritively paid for by the Donacien money providing the plans dont get too grand. My understanding is that the stand itself remains as it is, existing clubhouse and changing rooms get demolished, replaced and joined together, concourse included.

Away end ... a lot of background works are underway as part of the new stand. Will probably be minimal with a roof and concourse similar to the Clayton End. Paid for by the next transfer or cup run?

Community Hub ... paid for externally, ongoing issues, not really relevant but will still be great for the club

Training ground ... seems King Georges is now the preferred option, with costs lower than building from scratch in Read. Paid for by the Jackson transfer with probably some to come back to the club

Once those 2 things are done at The Wham he will probably take a look at how to increase commercial activity, probably put a huge push in for increasing fan base (reduced prices?) and then we're as done as we can be
 
There will be a point where the building work is completed and the facilities are how Holty wants. That isn't a million miles away in my view. 2-3 years. Once that happens, I'd imagine alot more money will be going in to the playing budget.



Three years is a long time in football mate .......... but if the die hards are happy game on.
 
Three years is a long time in football mate .......... but if the die hards are happy game on.[/QUOTE]

Y'see. I'm a bit like you 28 in the sense that I have only been following Stanley for 7 years or so. I also have a strong background in football and some good connections.

Whilst I agree in some respect about keeping the 'die hards' happy - I do feel that the club has to move on with our without there acceptance.

I mention this in the nicest way possible, but having attended Q&A's with the supporters club with Andy, John, Jimmy, DB etc, I do feel that "some" people cannot let go of the past and, as with many walks of life, are not acceptable of change, regardless of success.

Hopefully within those 2-3 years, we will have made ourselves a comfortable League 1 outfit, and with everything else falling into place, whose to say we couldn't challenge once again.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I for one am much more thankful we were promoted when we were, rather than 3 years ago.
 
I see your point Josh (letting go of the past), but we have to be mjndful of 1893, 1912ish, 1962, 1966, and 2009. Its not just for the die hards, but tomorrows die hards. The club's existence is paramount rather than the current elevated status. I hope that the current elevated status continues but it cant be at the expense of running the club within its means. If that means an imminent return to L2 or below then personally Id take it
 
I see your point Josh (letting go of the past), but we have to be mjndful of 1893, 1912ish, 1962, 1966, and 2009. Its not just for the die hards, but tomorrows die hards.

its fine to remember the past but not to let it affect the present or the future. do think a lot of older fans {i mean time supporting stanley not their actual age** do seam to miss the good old non league days and not 100 per cent behind the modernisation of the club done by andy holt.
 
I see your point Josh (letting go of the past), but we have to be mjndful of 1893, 1912ish, 1962, 1966, and 2009. Its not just for the die hards, but tomorrows die hards.

its fine to remember the past but not to let it affect the present or the future. do think a lot of older fans {i mean time supporting stanley not their actual age** do seam to miss the good old non league days and not 100 per cent behind the modernisation of the club done by andy holt.
I definitely look back on the non league days with oodles of affection, doesn't mean to say I'm not thrilled with how our club has evolved but those times should absolutely never be forgotten.
The work that Andy has done/is doing is fantastic but there wouldn't have been anything to build up but for the sterling work done by his predecessors to ensure we even stayed in existence. Make no mistake, the troubles in 2009 would have caused a repeat of the 1962 situation.
I'm probably not always completely in agreement with everything the club does but that's not just now, it's always been the case - doesn't mean i'm not backing Andy Holt, just that I don't follow anyone with blind faith & if there's something that doesn't feel right I speak up about it, that's another really good thing about our club - there's usually someone who'll listen
 
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