Playing budget cut confirmed...

[Southampton Gull]

So it's Buckle off to a club with more funds then, you could not blame him, & he will more than likely get a wage rise at the same time

I don't think this news will make one iota of difference to that possibility.

We all know he's ambitious, and if he gets the right offer it wouldn't matter if his budget was increased or decreased, he'll still go on, can't blame him for that.

My worst fears realised, we were looking at bringing in a real gem of a forward, proven at this level and a name that would shock most, but we were close to signing someone that would definitely know where the back of the net is.

I would now expect the club to look to cash in on one or two of our assets now, Ellis would be the one I expect to move on, but there was a lot of interest in Benyon as well during the summer. At least with Lee out of the way we now have someone at the club who can spot potential a mile off.

One point, for brucie, I agree with your condemnation of the Camara deal, but he was a Colin Lee signing, forced on Buckle, nothing like the acquisition of Senda who will turn out to be a very good player for us.

[Plymouthgull]

Am I the only one p***** off with this news? I understand the need to cut the budget but blame the board. I am sick and tired of the club talking about developments and nobody talking about growth. All succcesful businesses have a strategy for growth so why not TUFC? Unless we really start to address the issue of gettting more people through the turnstiles we will be faced with the prospect of always selling our best assests.
I am a bit bored with our chairman being a 'nice guy', standing on the tearracing as 'one of us' (about three feet away from me in fact). Id rather he concentrated his energies on being a bit more 'hard nosed' and demand an effectvie strategy for growth from all involved at the club including the fans.
I am serious about this, I do not want to grow old and die with the feeling that I supported a club that had no ambition. I also cannot stand those fans who are happy for us to simply be a league club in division 2 - God, I hate people with no ambition. Rant over - off for a very LARGE one!!

[Southampton Gull]

I find I tend to agree with most of what you've said in the past about this issue, and I know it's a bugbear for you and I agree with most of your post except for blaming the Board in this instance.

They've welcomed Thea to the Board, I presume not expecting a further investment in the Club but for her to protect the previous investment, made while her husband Paul was a Board member. It's very unfortunate that Colin Lee fought out such a high settlement at a time when the Club were set to invest a considerable proportion of their budget to land a "name" striker in this division. That's had to be put on hold as the Club found a way to fulfill their commitment to Colin Lee.

I'm sure that our Board are very ambitious, but the recession is obviously causing a lot of fans not to turn up as often as they would otherwise. They've done us proud so far, but like you, I think they need to come up with some ideas to encourage people to make the journey to Plainmoor, especially the youngsters.

[Modgull]

Memo to all so-called, ex and potential supporters (I reckon Brucie falls into all three categories!):

This has been coming for a long time. I have gone on record before about the consequences of lack of support for the Club and unsustainable pricing policies such as last year's season ticket deal. The fact is:

*We are a small club who can't offer transfer fees or big wages

*We therefore have to rely on young, unproven talent or older, experienced players in the autumn of their careers

*Unless we can get more (not less, Brucie!) through the turnstiles there will be no loanees coming in or quality signings in the January window

*Withdrawing our support - and therefore our money - will not improve things

*Continuing our commitment, attending matches (pay attention Brucie!) and encouraging others to attend - perhaps offering lifts and trying to emphasise the positive aspects of supporting a small, friendly and unfashionable club - has more chance of bringing about the outcome we all desire - a winning team!

Money isn't everything - look at Bradford City and the mess they are in with close to 10,000 crowds - and we all need to do a bit more to make a difference and get through this current problem. Walk away from it and TUFC will find itself in the BSP or worse.

[Dave]

This is a subject dear to my heart and have written quite alot recently about it,the key word is 'ambition' however it seems to be an ever decreasing circle,many stay way fans say iam not coming back until the club show ambition,many arm chair premier league fans will say,i wont go an watch tufc,until they show ambition...on the flip side,with out the extra gate money from these people , how can the club show ambition.

For me it is not all down to the recsession/unemployment ,I am not critising the board in general as they have done a fantastic job,however i do question wehter they have just excepted this as the reason,i have picked on Shrewsbury very similar recent history ,they have a higher unemployment record than the bay,a town also effected by the down turn,yet there gates have risen from 3-4000 in 2002,to a current level of 5-6000.

Do not know what the answer is,some the club have to get potential young fans ,and i mean 20-30 year olds believeing that it does wish to progress to a higher level,the fans will then come,because at the moment the club is doing a good job of winning new children as fans,its hanging on to them when there 18 plus,and have the means to go to premier league matchs,or are of the the bright lights of the big city's looking for high paid career's.

[usagullmichigan]

Lack of ambition has been around at TUFC for decades. I know many Torquay fans who have stopped going since the 80's for that very reason. I don't think its the recession really. I think the club show very little to the supporters ( i have said many times promotioing the club for one) supporters just grow tired of the same thing every time week in week out year on year. Its not cheap to watch Torquay and if you get the feeling the club is not trying to achieve anything why should you get off your arse in the winter to pay to watch that?

[Burnhamgull]

I agree with those who criticise the lack of ambition but the recession is a much bigger reason for the drop in gates. I have held a season ticket for the past few seasons but this year I had to make a decision whether I could afford it and the answer was no.

I have an 80 mile journey down to homes games (small compared to the trip made by some on here) so I need money for fuel, food, drink and finally the entrance fee. All in, a home costs me around £35 and if I take my daughter, I'm pushing through £50 for one game.

On top of that, I work for a company in the private sector who supply the public sector. With the public sector cuts being announced across the country, my employer has also had to make cuts and recently I had to take a 10% drop in salary. The job market is poor so there are no alternatives.

This is the story for many people and I think it doesn't matter how much the club try to promote themselves in the bay, people simply can't afford to go at the moment.

[BernardB]

When Frank O'Farrell first came to the club he brought in several of his pals from West Ham who were very near the end of their playing careers. What they lacked in speed they made up in experience, intelligence and anticipation. It was a very successful strategy and I've often wondered why other managers don't follow it. I know Buckle doesn't have the same level of contacts but maybe it could be an attractive offer to make to a small group of ageing players - carry on playing with your mates for a few years while establishing a family base in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Stay here for ever if you like but, if you have to move on to find a job in more populous parts, you and your family will have had a very nice interlude.

The other thing to say about that first O'Farrell era was - they were very good to watch!

[yellow]

Is the cut in the budget the same amount as C Lee s payoff?

Shame on someone on the board for letting that situation happen. That was a huge liability to put on the club. :x

BernardB

Unfortunately the world moved on.

I think the disparity in wages between the top flight and the fourth tier was far less then than it is these days.

The fact that the first time was good to watch suggests that the second time this strategy didn t (or probably more accurately couldn t) work and was less so...

Wasn t it very much a West Ham old boys based thing as well?

You could probably argue that Bucks employed a contacts based strategy when he started out and brought in the likes of Sills, Hargreaves and Phillips.

It worked again in the short term at a non-league level, but I don t think it is a sustainable strategy.

[brucie]

Burnham - your similar to me then, around 80 miles to home games. I have had a season ticket for donkey's years but decided against it this year. Lack of any ambition by the club and current board was one of the reason I made my decision.
I am afraid we have Simon Baker on the radio this morning saying we need another five hundred on the gate. Well we are not going to get them with the current strategy in place, thats for sure.

[wodger-of-Awabia]

Memo to all so-called, ex and potential supporters (I reckon Brucie falls into all three categories!):

This has been coming for a long time. I have gone on record before about the consequences of lack of support for the Club and unsustainable pricing policies such as last year's season ticket deal. The fact is:

*We are a small club who can't offer transfer fees or big wages

*We therefore have to rely on young, unproven talent or older, experienced players in the autumn of their careers

*Unless we can get more (not less, Brucie!) through the turnstiles there will be no loanees coming in or quality signings in the January window

*Withdrawing our support - and therefore our money - will not improve things

*Continuing our commitment, attending matches (pay attention Brucie!) and encouraging others to attend - perhaps offering lifts and trying to emphasise the positive aspects of supporting a small, friendly and unfashionable club - has more chance of bringing about the outcome we all desire - a winning team!

Money isn't everything - look at Bradford City and the mess they are in with close to 10,000 crowds - and we all need to do a bit more to make a difference and get through this current problem. Walk away from it and TUFC will find itself in the BSP or worse.

Last season Bradfords 10,000 + crowds were nearly all season ticket holders at less than £6.00 per game!

[nananana]

Is it just me...

According to all accounts all we needed yesterday was someone to stick the ball in the back of the net. Enter this new striker Dave mentioned...three points! Move back to the top of the table, more people through the gates...

And what's up with this Colin Lee. Yes, TUFC do owe him money, no one has a problem with that. But why does someone who expresses such love and affection for the club put us in such a prediciment. It might just cost us our league status! Surely, as the man is quite obviously loaded, he can take the money in installments...ten thou' a year maybe!

...Is it just me!




Note No alcohol has passed my lips today. So if anyone takes umbrage to this it must be because i'm crap at posting!

[Dave]

You can dress it up however you like,Colin Lee was made redundant ,iam not here to defend Colin Lee 's position or the clubs,he is entitled to his money why should he take it in installments,i dont think he is so well off ,to start his new buisness with out the pay off from tufc,he is entitled to move with his life,as are the club post Colin Lee.

Our board of directors are not niave,they knew only to well when they took the action they did regards Colin Lee that a pay off would be required,i would think that the money was set aside for it aswell.

Whats happened hear is likely to be a combination of things,Colin Lee's pay of which would have been budgeted for,along with gates stuck at 2500 or below,already 2 matchs with out sponsorship,and maybe Thea Bristow,has joined the board simply to protect there families investment rather than expanding it,which would have lead to the board being wisely reluctant to take futher finacial risks.

This budget cut has not put us in imdediate danger of going back to the conference,look at bournemouth and dagenham,achieved promotion on less of a budget than what Paul Buckle has enjoyed.

Our current squad is more than good enough to stay in this league,the club will have to sit tight ,then go again when things off the field improve.

[Southampton Gull]

Is it just me...

According to all accounts all we needed yesterday was someone to stick the ball in the back of the net. Enter this new striker Dave mentioned...three points! Move back to the top of the table, more people through the gates...

And what's up with this Colin Lee. Yes, TUFC do owe him money, no one has a problem with that. But why does someone who expresses such love and affection for the club put us in such a prediciment. It might just cost us our league status! Surely, as the man is quite obviously loaded, he can take the money in installments...ten thou' a year maybe!

...Is it just me!




Note No alcohol has passed my lips today. So if anyone takes umbrage to this it must be because i'm crap at posting!

I actually agree with you 100% (shock, horror )

Dave, money wasn't put aside, hence the 100k cut in the playing budget, as HoH says, that would have paid for the striker I know we were very very interested in. In my mind, this has put us back a year, which some might say isn't a bad thing, but I disagree, we have ambitious players, players we might be able to keep hold of if we were in with a chance of promotion, maybe that would also include the manager, we all know he's ambitious too.

Colin Lee deserves nothing but disdain in my book, he did well out of us, I am of the opinion that we did well in spite of him. Others may disagree but for all his meddling I'll stand by my opinion of the man.

[Dave_Pougher]

Memo to all so-called, ex and potential supporters (I reckon Brucie falls into all three categories!):

This has been coming for a long time. I have gone on record before about the consequences of lack of support for the Club and unsustainable pricing policies such as last year's season ticket deal. The fact is:

*We are a small club who can't offer transfer fees or big wages

*We therefore have to rely on young, unproven talent or older, experienced players in the autumn of their careers

*Unless we can get more (not less, Brucie!) through the turnstiles there will be no loanees coming in or quality signings in the January window

*Withdrawing our support - and therefore our money - will not improve things

*Continuing our commitment, attending matches (pay attention Brucie!) and encouraging others to attend - perhaps offering lifts and trying to emphasise the positive aspects of supporting a small, friendly and unfashionable club - has more chance of bringing about the outcome we all desire - a winning team!

Money isn't everything - look at Bradford City and the mess they are in with close to 10,000 crowds - and we all need to do a bit more to make a difference and get through this current problem. Walk away from it and TUFC will find itself in the BSP or worse.

With respect I feel your being a bit hard on brucie there and people like him.
I attended the Macclesfield game (my first of the season, bar WSM pre season) because it was the first game I could afford. Theres NO OTHER REASON I haven't made the journey before that. The performance and the "match experience" after my long, wait hardly inspired me to start saving agin as fast as I could.

Baring a one off £10 entrance incentive or the like I can't see me attending for another five matches. Am I now to think that my long awaited first game support was not appreciated?