Is our playing budget .....

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 25 Sep 2014, 15:22

..... really so small this season that it is even smaller than part time Telford's????

Well, according to Greavsie in this interview, it would appear it is!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29367079

I am genuinely surprised that even with our "parachute" payment we still have it seems a smaller budget than AFC Telford. I suppose we shouldn't be that surprised as they are a relatively well supported club at this level and in truth would probably be attracting gates at least on a par with us, if not better, if they were in our position now. But, that said, they are historically something of a yo yo club who regularly move between the Conference Premier and the division below, the Conference North.

Whilst things are going extremely well on the pitch, I do get a sense of increasing frustration on the part of the Manager in the way that things are being cut to the bone off the field. Another case in point was the "plea" he made yesterday for a change of policy with regard to overnight stays. It seems that the Board will only sanction such an expense if the journey is more than four and a half hours and as Telford comes in at 4 hours it would seem that as things stand we will be travelling up on the day. Given that we are on the road again on Tuesday, another trip up on the day no doubt, to Forest Green Rovers, you have to wonder what effect this might have on the team.

Hargreaves has already gone on record questioning whether the inordinate number of hamstring injuries suffered this season by the likes of Benyon, Harding, Briscoe and Cameron are directly attributable to the amount of travelling up and back in a day on a coach for hours on end.

He has also gone on record as saying that currently four of our better performers this season are together being paid the equivalent of one wage from our highest earner from last season, whoever that may be. Given our history of never being silly with wages, it suggests that each of these current squad members are giving terrific value for money given that it is unlikely that they are being paid more than four hundred pounds a week, I would guess.

I hope the Board can back Hargreaves at this time, particularly on the issue of overnight stays as I genuinely feel that insisting on cost cutting on overnight stays when you have two tough away trips in the space of four days, could well be a false economy. If the team suffers in terms of performances and points and it continues to lose key players through avoidable injuries then as a consequence we could well end up sliding down the table and the recent hike in attendances will rapidly fall away and income will inevitably drop.

Time for the Board to back the Manager .... do we want promotion, or not? I think we will get our answer soon enough, when we find out whether the team end up travelling tomorrow or they are forced to travel on Saturday which is clearly something that Chris Hargreaves is not happy about, even though he has chosen his words carefully there is no disguising his frustration at this cost cutting.

Behind-the-Gulls · Post by **Behind-the-Gulls** » 25 Sep 2014, 16:00

Behind-the-Gulls · Post by **Behind-the-Gulls** » 25 Sep 2014, 16:10

Didn't realise Telford was such a big town-population of 155,000 and growing fast.170,300 in the borough in total.
Could sustain a team in the Football League if they could get promoted.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 25 Sep 2014, 16:24

With reference specifically to overnight stays, I think we do need to loosen the purse strings. Otherwise, I am extremely pleased that we are no longer as profligate as we were as recently as last season.

Half the reason that Rovers are in the shit that they are is because vastly overpaid and undertalented journeymen have, for a number of years now, been offered a free lunch by that clown Higgs. Two grand or more a week for guys who make Karl Hawley look like a real go-getter is always going to be a recipe for disaster.

It is a lot of money for the boys to stay overnight. It costs much more for the drivers, the coach, the hotel, food, drink, possibly some compensation for the players and staff (a tenner extra in your pay packet for being away from the wife for 24 hours). It all adds up to a massive outlay. Question is, is it a sound, good value investment? You and I won't ever know enough to say for sure, and even those in possession of all the facts would struggle, since it's hard to establish a causal link between staying overnight and winning matches. It's a judgement call for Thea to make (let's not pretend she doesn't get her credit card out every time). She's not reading this, but if she was, I'd like to ask her, ever so 'umbly, to give serious thought to upping the budget just enough to facilitate a handful of extra stays.

Matt.

Dutchgull · Post by **Dutchgull** » 25 Sep 2014, 16:57

CP Gull wrote:..... really so small this season that it is even smaller than part time Telford's????

Well, according to Greavsie in this interview, it would appear it is!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29367079

I am genuinely surprised that even with our "parachute" payment we still have it seems a smaller budget than AFC Telford. I suppose we shouldn't be that surprised as they are a relatively well supported club at this level and in truth would probably be attracting gates at least on a par with us, if not better, if they were in our position now. But, that said, they are historically something of a yo yo club who regularly move between the Conference Premier and the division below, the Conference North.

Whilst things are going extremely well on the pitch, I do get a sense of increasing frustration on the part of the Manager in the way that things are being cut to the bone off the field. Another case in point was the "plea" he made yesterday for a change of policy with regard to overnight stays. It seems that the Board will only sanction such an expense if the journey is more than four and a half hours and as Telford comes in at 4 hours it would seem that as things stand we will be travelling up on the day. Given that we are on the road again on Tuesday, another trip up on the day no doubt, to Forest Green Rovers, you have to wonder what effect this might have on the team.

Hargreaves has already gone on record questioning whether the inordinate number of hamstring injuries suffered this season by the likes of Benyon, Harding, Briscoe and Cameron are directly attributable to the amount of travelling up and back in a day on a coach for hours on end.

He has also gone on record as saying that currently four of our better performers this season are together being paid the equivalent of one wage from our highest earner from last season, whoever that may be. Given our history of never being silly with wages, it suggests that each of these current squad members are giving terrific value for money given that it is unlikely that they are being paid more than four hundred pounds a week, I would guess.

I hope the Board can back Hargreaves at this time, particularly on the issue of overnight stays as I genuinely feel that insisting on cost cutting on overnight stays when you have two tough away trips in the space of four days, could well be a false economy. If the team suffers in terms of performances and points and it continues to lose key players through avoidable injuries then as a consequence we could well end up sliding down the table and the recent hike in attendances will rapidly fall away and income will inevitably drop.

Time for the Board to back the Manager .... do we want promotion, or not? I think we will get our answer soon enough, when we find out whether the team end up travelling tomorrow or they are forced to travel on Saturday which is clearly something that Chris Hargreaves is not happy about, even though he has chosen his words carefully there is no disguising his frustration at this cost cutting.

Superb writing as ever CP !

lucy6lucy · Post by **lucy6lucy** » 25 Sep 2014, 19:52

It's a shame the club directors don't incorporate traffic problems in their 4.5 hour stay over assessment. Being stuck in traffic/road works stresses any normal driver, we don't need addition stress to the players. For goodness sake Telford should be an overnight stay, if they think we can get through Birmingham without traffic issues on a Saturday morning, then they are really from another planet. I personally would donate money to stay over in away matches to allow our players perform better, rather than the idea of donating to the training ground.

barnstaple_buck · Post by **barnstaple_buck** » 25 Sep 2014, 20:56

Firstly let me say that im a Telford fan of 40 years, but since exiled in Devon have followed Torquay avidly since moving here 15 years ago.
These comments by Hargreaves I find bewildering. Telford's budget is one of the smallest in the League-we're part time for christ-sake! Teford haven't paid a penny in transfer fees in assembling the squad, and have received none either! Is he being serious? Is he after more money to top up his parachute?
This League has gained so much momentum over the past six or so years- even since the Gulls were last in it. Telford's average gate of 1,600 is now looking on the low side compared to 10/12 years ago when we dropped out because of going bust, and had to start again at the bottom of the pyramid. We could sustain being a League club but only if we can prevent to flow of support for teams like Wolves, Albion, and Villa- all just a short drive away
Football League Clubs dropping into the Conference have traditionally struggled (Hereford are playing Bideford up here in a week or two!), so what Hargreaves is achieving down there is a real achievement, and I really hope (with a blip on Saturday) it continues, perhaps he should just let his team do the talking.........

chardie · Post by **chardie** » 25 Sep 2014, 21:06

barnstaple_buck wrote:Firstly let me say that im a Telford fan of 40 years, but since exiled in Devon have followed Torquay avidly since moving here 15 years ago.
These comments by Hargreaves I find bewildering. Telford's budget is one of the smallest in the League-we're part time for christ-sake! Teford haven't paid a penny in transfer fees in assembling the squad, and have received none either! Is he being serious? Is he after more money to top up his parachute?
This League has gained so much momentum over the past six or so years- even since the Gulls were last in it. Telford's average gate of 1,600 is now looking on the low side compared to 10/12 years ago when we dropped out because of going bust, and had to start again at the bottom of the pyramid. We could sustain being a League club but only if we can prevent to flow of support for teams like Wolves, Albion, and Villa- all just a short drive away
Football League Clubs dropping into the Conference have traditionally struggled (Hereford are playing Bideford up here in a week or two!), so what Hargreaves is achieving down there is a real achievement, and I really hope (with a blip on Saturday) it continues, perhaps he should just let his team do the talking.........

Apparently the BBC got it wrong and he was referring to FGR and not Telford.

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 25 Sep 2014, 21:45

Ah right, well that makes more sense ...

@InsidePlainmoor twitter
Today's quotes by Chris Hargreaves regarding investment were referring to Forest Green Rovers and not Telford Utd as was stated by the BBC.

As we know, Forest Green Rovers have been chucking a lot of money around for a couple of years now and it's no surprise that their budget is much bigger than ours!!! Shoddy reporting by the BBC though (of which there have been a few examples of late).

Still hope the Manager gets his way on the overnight stay for the game on Saturday though ..

Kit_robin · Post by **Kit_robin** » 25 Sep 2014, 22:47

Was just coming on to say the above as I just watched the interview on you tube

Makes much more sense now!

chippygull · Post by **chippygull** » 26 Sep 2014, 12:43

BBC shoddy? Surely not? Shurely Shome Mishtake? trebles all round.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 26 Sep 2014, 13:39

chardie wrote: That's more like it!

Apparently the BBC got it wrong and he was referring to FGR and not Telford.

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 27 Sep 2014, 20:04

"He has also gone on record as saying that currently four of our better performers this season are together being paid the equivalent of one wage from our highest earner from last season, whoever that may be"

UNBELIEVABLE!

Knill really was completely utterly useless!! How to ruin a football club in 1 season, well f ing done!!

lucy6lucy · Post by **lucy6lucy** » 27 Sep 2014, 20:09

Neal wrote:"He has also gone on record as saying that currently four of our better performers this season are together being paid the equivalent of one wage from our highest earner from last season, whoever that may be"

UNBELIEVABLE!

Knill really was completely utterly useless!! How to ruin a football club in 1 season, well f ing done!!

Either manse or hawley I would imagine

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 27 Sep 2014, 21:13

Bodin.

Matt.

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