A Serious Thread....

[micls]

The biggest problem is my view is attendances are too low. What have we now going to the 5 Prem games each w/e, 10,000 or 11,000 on avg ? and 2,500 for the 6 FD ?

I remember reading an article in the Herlad 20 yrs ago when it said we could be on trouble as the overall crowds have dropped below 20k.:eek:
This is just an excuse imo.

Clubs go into a season knowing they wont be getting 10k at a game. Therefore the budget should reflect that. When it doesnt and clubs still get into trouble then attendances cannot be blamed.

You might be able to blame attendances on us not having a stronger league, not doing better in Europe etc but you can't blame them for incompetent financial planning

[micls]

Finanical prudence and good governance is assured by becoming a members club?

:confused:He didn't say that.

He said fans should be coming together and ensuring their club is sustainable. Not that fans coming together will make the club sustainable.

Fans can protect he future of their clubs if they run them, that doesn't mean they always will, but they are in a position to.

[Mr A]

The fans of the club are more likely to have the long term sustainability of the club at heart and are less likely to walk away when things go pear shaped.

I believe that fans groups at each club making it clear that they want sustainability and prudence would be an important step towards reigning in the insanity. I believe that real progress in the league must be driven by the clubs themselves and that the fans are ultimately the people most likely to make this happen.

That doesn't mean that the fans won't get carried away, be incompetent idiots or whatever, or that every club should be fan owned, but a well organized Trust at the very least is a must have for clubs in my opinion.

[osarusan]

You might be able to blame attendances on us not having a stronger league, not doing better in Europe etc but you can't blame them for incompetent financial planning
100% spot on excellent correct.

[Ezeikial]

:confused:He didn't say that.

He said fans should be coming together and ensuring their club is sustainable. Not that fans coming together will make the club sustainable.

Fans can protect he future of their clubs if they run them, that doesn't mean they always will, but they are in a position to.


The fans of the club are more likely to have the long term sustainability of the club at heart and are less likely to walk away when things go pear shaped.

I believe that fans groups at each club making it clear that they want sustainability and prudence would be an important step towards reigning in the insanity. I believe that real progress in the league must be driven by the clubs themselves and that the fans are ultimately the people most likely to make this happen.

That doesn't mean that the fans won't get carried away, be incompetent idiots or whatever, or that every club should be fan owned, but a well organized Trust at the very least is a must have for clubs in my opinion.

I agree with the core of both these posts. My earlier post was simply pointing out that it does not automatically follow that a fan owned club (members club or co-operative) will act wisely and prudently.

It is also a sad irony that it usually takes a crises within a club to galvanise real action by a significant proportion of fans. Supporting an exisiting Trust, or setting up one where none exists, should be a high prioirity of all genuine fans in this current climate.

[micls]

It is also a sad irony that it usually takes a crises within a club to galvanise real action by a significant proportion of fans. Supporting an exisiting Trust, or setting up one where none exists, should be a high prioirity of all genuine fans in this current climate.

On the trust issue, our trust was well on the way before the crisis, derry have had one for a while, as have sligo, galway and dundalk etc.

Obviously people are far more willing to dip into the pockets in a crisis, but once the trust/procedures are in place youre in a far better position than if you've nothing at all anyway, when the crisis does come.