v Chertsey

[mal316]

Shows he's a good manager because he gets linked to posts at higher levels ie Wycombe,Chesham and now,Hayes.He would be ideal for Slough but we appear to be satisfied to stay in this league and never challenge properly for the title.

 

3Spirit, what you have to ask yourself is why did no one employ him after he was let go from Windsor & Eton and why has no one employed him after he left Windsor?

 

Also, why has he been linked with all these clubs but never got the job?

[Rother]

this sleeping giant of non-league football...

 

I think we are sadly deluding ourselves...

 

 

You don't say.

[3spirit]

3Spirit, what you have to ask yourself is why did no one employ him after he was let go from Windsor & Eton and why has no one employed him after he left Windsor?

 

Also, why has he been linked with all these clubs but never got the job?

 

Mal316, you've seen a lot of Keith Scott's football management at Windsor. I've seen a lot of Steve Bateman's football management at Slough. I've seen a few games of Keith Scott's teams over the years.

 

I have no axe to grind about Steve Bateman as a man and he seems a decent,hard working,honest guy. Keith Scott obviously tries to get money to boost his playing squad and so, Windsor, seemed to have let him have what he wanted, thus nearly bankrupting them in the process.

 

From the outside looking in, Slough seem to have a healthy budget at our current level but we are different to the old Windsor regime,in the fact we have a prudent chairman and board.

 

To be honest,I wouldn't mind if Keith Scott joined forces with Steve Bateman and we had joint-managers, although I wouldn't have thought either would be happy with that arrangement.

 

Keith Scott has failed to get Windsor up from the Combined Counties League[they were runners-up] but has achieved success with Windsor and Leighton in the past.

Steve Bateman has had his successes,too but at this present time seems to be struggling to get anywhere near becoming automatic champions and it appears evident that his teams are looking to get promoted via the play-offs. Which this season we have failed to do again.Although this term we never even made the play-offs!

 

No one can predict if Keith Scott would do any better than Steve Bateman's efforts but Slough currently need some other ideas and input,as to how we get out of this division,as we have hit a brick wall and appear to be failing to progress.

 

Steve Bateman is a good manager and will easily get another job. Maybe with some team like Northwood, Uxbridge or even with a team struggling higher up like Harrow or Banbury. Steve has brought quality players to our club and given the team the stability we needed after a few seasons of struggling in the relegation zones.No one can take away what he's achieved and at times,his teams have played delightful football.

 

However, Steve, like all football managers,has his faults,which most of the regular Slough supporters recognise and change appears to be necessary.

We can hang on to Steve for another few years or we can take a risk,in trying another way, with another manager.

The unenviable decision is not up to me but in my opinion, I would take that risk, as the players at our club need a shake up. Just as they did when Steve Bateman arrived for Derek Sweetman.

[3spirit]

Steve Bateman would even have the possibility of coming back after a few seasons.Being that we now know what he offers.

[Bernie Gogan]

Unfortunately we are where we are, one of the better clubs at Step 4, and until we get our own ground and an income stream to go with it we'll continue to struggle to achieve this promotion we all very much want. Good luck to Burnham (and BSYCOB if they make it), but sometimes it can be a step too far for such clubs (Bedworth?). I'd forego promotion to stay in business, look what happened when we were over ambitious back in 1990, that was the start of what we have now, no ground, relegation 2 levels (3 levels thanks to Conference expansion).

 

Memories are short, not so long ago we very nearly didn't have a club, so we've got something to be grateful for.

 

Steve Bateman to stay, no criticism from me of his efforts. The players will know they've under performed against some clubs, we all know about those games and there were too many of them this season. I'm sure the 2 Steves will review and return with a plan for next season, which will once again see us challenging for promotion.

 

Just remember there's a budget, we stay within it, we survive to fight on. Be careful who or what you wish for, we really don't want another Thorne in our side and the downward spiral that created.

 

COYR

[hotspur]

Back in the day manager Bob Gibbs had a lot of success with Slough, but it still took Tommy Lawrence to take us to the Amateur cup final and improve our reputation no end.

[Mark44]

Unfortunately hotspur this is not the 70's and it doesn't work like that.

 

As said in above posts nobody knows the budget. What I do know is Bateman has always competed since he took over and in the 11 seasons I have watched slough the best regime has been his. In the promotion hint every year.

 

I think we should keep him and we know we will be up there. He is also a likeable character and does not cause negative press so good for our stadium plans and our image

[mann]

Echo all that Bernie Gogan says also of course by going up a division entrance prices increase and without other streams of income ie bar takings and tea bar takings maybe it would be a step to far as I believe Bedworth found out this year surely it is better to be ready than going as you suggest gung ho and gambling as it appears Windsor and Farnborough have done and find out we no longer have a club to support

[Nathan]

People seem to be forgetting that we're playing at our lowest level for some considerable time. With our resources, we should in in the promotion hunt, regardless of who the manager is!

Edited April 28, 2013 by Nathan

[Nathan]

And if money was really a concern should we go up, why don't the club say so at the beginning and prevent all the expectations and heartbreak? Why spend big on players who aren't cheap if it would be better, on the whole, to not go up?

[Edinburgh Rebel]

I don't think that Bedworth are a good comparison at all. They hadn't been anywhere near promotion for years until they got promoted last season with a one-off good season (you have to go back to 1997 to find the last time they had finished in the top 10). Slough have been challenging for promotion for four seasons in a row which suggests to me that step 3 would not result in relegation straight back.

[RebelsAndBlues]

Some valid (yet) mixed bag of points made here. We want Steve Bateman to go, we want Steve Bateman to stay, we wan't to get promoted, we don't want to get promoted.

 

The discussion doesnts seem to just be about the manager, but whether we (as fans) are happy (and settling) for the league were in.

 

I read someone post a few weeks back that they would be happy that we stay in this lower league because there is less travelling to do than if we get promoted???

 

Whoever the manager is (which is one debate), as a fan, I want to see us promoted (even if it means me having to pay an extra quid or two) to follow the Rebels in a higher league.

[3spirit]

Some valid (yet) mixed bag of points made here. We want Steve Bateman to go, we want Steve Bateman to stay, we wan't to get promoted, we don't want to get promoted.

 

The discussion doesnts seem to just be about the manager, but whether we (as fans) are happy (and settling) for the league were in.

 

I read someone post a few weeks back that they would be happy that we stay in this lower league because there is less travelling to do than if we get promoted???

 

Whoever the manager is (which is one debate), as a fan, I want to see us promoted (even if it means me having to pay an extra quid or two) to follow the Rebels in a higher league.

 

I may have been the fan who said that the good thing about the current league we're in,is that we get plenty of local matches but that doesn't mean I don't want to see Slough promoted.I would like us to be aiming for the Conference South,not just out of this division.

We all understand Rome wasn't built in a day and so we have to be careful that we don't overstretch ourselves.

 

Nobody wants Slough to over spend but I don't buy this logic that because we ground share we are missing loads of income. If anything I would have thought we don't have the high overheads that teams that own their ground have.

 

Slough have never been great at getting sponsorship deals. I certainly don't blame the club in this matter.I blame the short-sighted companies on Europe's biggest trading estate[if it still is?].

 

Success attracts investors,though.Stagnating doesn't.

If we're going to wallow in this division,we should be building a team with youngsters and cheaper players than we're currently doing,as this season we've wasted money on a big squad of proven players.They were supposed to be getting the club promoted, unfortunately for whatever reason,they have fallen short,again.

 

If we are that hard up,we should cut costs but I can't see for the life of me how we can be as poor as many teams in this division,given our healthy attendances compared to the very paltry ones most of the other sides in this division get.

[Mark44]

You raise an interesting point on how we are missing revenue streams. It is one I have discussed before..

 

For example,

 

We get around 250 people at home games paying an average of say £6. This gives us £1500, say we also print 100 programmes and make a profit of £1 on each, so totalling £1600 income.

We then have to pay Rent of say £400 plus other overheads which leaves say £800 for players........

 

If we move back to Slough we could realistically get 500 at home as we will gain a buzz in the town, especially the younger people living around the Arbour Vale areas towards Wexham and Central Slough. At the same average this gives us £3000.

We then print 250 programmes so get £250 profit.

Each person spends say £4 on either alcohol or food giving £2000

We will also increase sponsorship etc.

 

Therefore I believe that althoug we will also increase overheads our playing budget could double.....

 

I of course have no idea on actual numbers and have plucked the above out of thin air but the principle is that we will get more money back in Slough

[Sue]

Nathan exactly what are "our resources" then.

 

Every one goes on about our healthy budget but who knows what it is, and to be honest its none of our buisiness. We can all listen to tittle tattle and gossip doesnt make it true.

 

As for Slough being a laughing stock I probably think thats more to do with some of the mindless and unhelpfull comments posted on here to be honest.

 

Also for any players or managers reading these posts you can count on two hands the people that post regularly (me included) and they dont speak for the other hundred and so regular supporters that attend games.

 

Get a grip for gods sake, the most important thing for Slough is to keep going and hopefully get our own ground.

[3spirit]

Nathan exactly what are "our resources" then.

 

Every one goes on about our healthy budget but who knows what it is, and to be honest its none of our buisiness. We can all listen to tittle tattle and gossip doesnt make it true.

 

As for Slough being a laughing stock I probably think thats more to do with some of the mindless and unhelpfull comments posted on here to be honest.

 

Also for any players or managers reading these posts you can count on two hands the people that post regularly (me included) and they dont speak for the other hundred and so regular supporters that attend games.

 

Get a grip for gods sake, the most important thing for Slough is to keep going and hopefully get our own ground.

 

I do not agree with you, Sue [there's a surprise!] ha ha ha. The forum is for any Slough fan and 95% of the comments aren't mindless or unhelpful.That is only the way you view it. Nothing is closed to an open mind.

 

Look, we all know and appreciate the efforts of the stalwarts and volunteers at the club [yourself very much included]. We also know that those closer to the runnings of the football club are going to be loyal and protective of anything deemed as a slur against all things Slough Town FC but that really isn't what this forum should be about.

 

Fans should be allowed to voice openly what they think. That is what a forum is.  So please let everyone have their say.  

[Nathan]

Nathan exactly what are "our resources" then.

 

Every one goes on about our healthy budget but who knows what it is, and to be honest its none of our buisiness. We can all listen to tittle tattle and gossip doesnt make it true.

 

Sue, (I honestly don't want to get into a slanging match with you ) but if, as some people on here are implying, we're constantly living on the edge and getting promoted might throw us off, then the budget is very much our business (although maybe not the technical details).

 

Our stated aim each season is to get promoted, and I honestly think that Steve Easterbrook has more sense than to throw money we don't have at that aim!

 

No, I don't know how precisely much is it, but with our gate receipts considerably higher than most clubs in this division, the astute financial leadership of Mr Easterbrook, and with the £30,000 odd prize money from our FA Cup run (that some people use justify our season and failure) plus however much we'll get from the replay pot, I can't imagine it would be inconsiderable.

 

I feel that we shouldn't be hoping to scrape into the play-offs year in year out, but that we should be looking to win the league (and if we don't manage that, then having a side that can hold it's nerve in the play-offs). That's just how I see it.

[Irishadrian]

I would like to ask a question about our budget.Whenever people suggest that our budget should have seen us comfortably out of this league the riposte from some members is always the same   no-one knows what the budget is   OK if no-one knows what the budget is  how do you know we havent just failed again with the best budget in the league ?  or where is there any persuasive evidence that any of the successful teams has a bigger budget than us?

[mann]

firstly my reference to Bedworth was the fact that this season  their average home gate was 181 southern league averages Slough  Town had an average of 236 if you take off 50 people paying at the gate as an average to pay for us to play at Beaconsfield that gives us more or less the same amount given that Bedworth have their own ground and therefore will get tea bar and club house profits on top that all the time we do not have our own home other clubs will get the benefit of us playing there now I don't know what our budget is but if you take away the rent the club has to pay to whoever then surely although our gates may be higher than most clubs at our level the outlay of I assume at least 50 people coming through the gate takes our budget down to the same as almost all the other teams in our league unless of course someone is paying out of their own pocket 

[Mark44]

Well said Mann

 

I would hope we are not playing above our means and value that more than promotion to keep long term stability