The Future

[HolyHell]

The board will soon communicate with the fans but there is work to be done first so that you get the full picture. The current board took over this club on the 1st of January 2020, 10 weeks before covid hit, they guided the club through very financially difficult times and kept it debt free. They protected the managers and players in the face of difficult behaviour by the FA and National league over playing during covid. They give up endless hours of their own time to keep the lights on at the club. They have put there own money in to the club to make sure people get paid.
The current board do not get paid, they volunteer like the rest of the guys that run the bars, man the car park, run the club shop, look after our visitors and collect balls etc etc. It is a thankless task and is perennial under appreciated.

Edited November 15, 2022 by HolyHell

[GlenSTFC]

20 minutes ago, HolyHell said:

The board will soon communicate with the fans but there is work to be done first so that you get the full picture. The current board took over this club on the 1st of January 2020, 10 weeks before covid hit, they guided the club through very financially difficult times and kept it debt free. They protected the managers and players in the face of difficult behaviour by the FA and National league over playing during covid. They give up endless hours of their own time to keep the lights on at the club. They have put there own money in to the club to make sure people get paid.
The current board do not get paid, they volunteer like the rest of the guys that run the bars, man the car park, run the club shop, look after our visitors and collect balls etc etc. It is a thankless task and is perennial under appreciated.

What’s your relationship to the board/club?

[HolyHell]

Close enough to appreciate how hard they work and the sacrifices they have made for our club. 

[GlenSTFC]

7 minutes ago, HolyHell said:

Close enough to appreciate how hard they work and the sacrifices they have made for our club. 

So you’re a family member or close friend of one of the 4 board members? Hopefully this statement you’ve promised will be soon and lay out all the facts.

[Sir Rebel1965]

7 hours ago, HolyHell said:

The board will soon communicate with the fans but there is work to be done first so that you get the full picture. The current board took over this club on the 1st of January 2020, 10 weeks before covid hit, they guided the club through very financially difficult times and kept it debt free. They protected the managers and players in the face of difficult behaviour by the FA and National league over playing during covid. They give up endless hours of their own time to keep the lights on at the club. They have put there own money in to the club to make sure people get paid.
The current board do not get paid, they volunteer like the rest of the guys that run the bars, man the car park, run the club shop, look after our visitors and collect balls etc etc. It is a thankless task and is perennial under appreciated.

They are also the board that got this year's budget extremely wrong and lead to the best managers the club ever had leaving!

Look what happened to Kwazi and Liz who got their budget wrong!

The fans will not forget what caused Neil and Jon to leave.

The statement needs to have the full facts about why the finances are so bad and why the income streams are not there , don't hide behind COVID as there were grants issued.

Since Steve Easterbrook and John Porter left there has been no leadership and direction for the club and it is already throwing away all the gains that Steve, John, Neil and Jon achieved for the club and fans.

What the club needs is a solid backer who wants to build on the progress of the last 10 year's, but there is currently no sign of one.

[SloughFlyer]

27 minutes ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

They are also the board that got this year's budget extremely wrong and lead to the best managers the club ever had leaving!

Look what happened to Kwazi and Liz who got their budget wrong!

The fans will not forget what caused Neil and Jon to leave.

The statement needs to have the full facts about why the finances are so bad and why the income streams are not there , don't hide behind COVID as there were grants issued.

Since Steve Easterbrook and John Porter left there has been no leadership and direction for the club and it is already throwing away all the gains that Steve, John, Neil and Jon achieved for the club and fans.

What the club needs is a solid backer who wants to build on the progress of the last 10 year's, but there is currently no sign of one.

Sir Rebel - I assume this is you volunteering to be that backer and take over from the current people?

I say that not flippantly either as my question is very simple, what if the current board say "you know what, we are fed up with this and we are done"?

It's easy to say "we need a soild backer" etc, but where do you think this solid backer is coming from, the solid backer tree?

So reading your above post, you want the current board to follow Liz and Kwazi and be sacked or resign? Who exactly is going to run the club at that point, the magical football fairies?

Everyone seems to be so keen to get statements by the board with all the details of the club both financial, professional and personal, who the new manager is going to be, what league we are going to be playing in and the 1-3-5-10-20 year future plans etc, etc, etc. I'd say lets allow the board to take some time to get things right and then put out a clear statement of the intent of the club moving forwards.

FWIW - everyone keeps banging on about the finances of the club, and I am sure that is a contributing factor to Neil and Jon leaving, but I for one don't think thats the main one. I know that this situation came close to happening at least once before in the past and that had nothing to do with the finances of the club. Neil and Jon are excellent football managers and more importantly great people. The have built a brilliant reputation for themselves and that was starting to be called into question with results on the pitch and the direction of the club they were figure heads of. The time was right for them to leave and thats fair enough, noone can question their loyalty or dedecation to the cause over the past 10 years or their decision in this case.

People move on from football clubs and the future of Slough Town currently is up in the air, but thats what happens when manager/s resign. The club will now have to look to the future without Neil and Jon and with all due respect to them and what they have achieved (I agree they are the best manager/s we have had) what is to say the next person/s that take over won't take the club to an even more fruitful future and be even better for the club?

[Sir Rebel1965]

All I want is some accountability of the board for what has gone on – they have taken my season ticket money and we are now without a management team and risk losing players and there is a risk of relegation – the talk from the club was “push for playoff places” – misrepresentation? – and yes, I am realistic that relegation is a risk every season.

I agree that there are natural cycles within management and you are right, Neil and Jon had achieved an awful lot and I think they could see it was going to be hard to go further, but to then be undermined with the playing budget probably helped them see the future.

What I would like to see is the plan/strategy from the board of how they are going to go forward. 

Maybe we should all wait and see the statement before any further comments – that is my plan now so I will not be commenting further.

[SloughFlyer]

13 minutes ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

All I want is some accountability of the board for what has gone on – they have taken my season ticket money and we are now without a management team and risk losing players and there is a risk of relegation – the talk from the club was “push for playoff places” – misrepresentation? – and yes, I am realistic that relegation is a risk every season.

I agree that there are natural cycles within management and you are right, Neil and Jon had achieved an awful lot and I think they could see it was going to be hard to go further, but to then be undermined with the playing budget probably helped them see the future.

What I would like to see is the plan/strategy from the board of how they are going to go forward. 

Maybe we should all wait and see the statement before any further comments – that is my plan now so I will not be commenting further.

I think the season ticket money v current league position is slightly off, but I understand 100% what you are saying. I would also point to the league table that currently has us 10 points outside of the playoffs (I never thought they were totally realistic this season looking at the other sides in the league but hey ho). If we go unbeaten until Xmas all of a sudden we'll be knocking on the door once again and be through a couple of rounds of the trophy as well (££££).

How realistic is the above? You only have to look to the performance v St Albans and September in the league to see this isn't beyond the relms of possiblity.

As for the rest of the post, bang on and far more balanced that your previous one. I agree about the plan moving forwards, and hopefully for everyone the board can get this out ASAP.

[Rebellier]

Sir Rebel: 'they have taken my season ticket money '

Lol 😆 

Should the club pay you back cos you're not happy?

FFS 

[Sir Rebel1965]

1 hour ago, Rebellier said:

Sir Rebel: 'they have taken my season ticket money '

Lol 😆 

Should the club pay you back cos you're not happy?

FFS 

And your solution to this mess?

[Reading Rebel]

Surely budgets are as close as they can get estimates of what the club will generate in revenue in the coming season.

If those estimates are way off something has to give.

I think our average gates are around the 550 mark and I would guess that the club would have estimated gates to be around the 600/700 mark?  

Again would the club have factored in for us to get through at least one or two rounds of the FA cup?

We had the bitcoin sponsor back out so again has that cost us a supposed guaranteed sum of money even allowing for the recent new home shirt sponsor?

Has the rent for the ground been increased due to the rising cost of living?

So my guess is that this all adds up to the pre season estimated budget not stretching far enough to last the season and come the new year and unless money can be found from somewhere the budget will be revised downwards with players being asked to take a pay cut and the reason why our managers felt they couldn't remain in charge.

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Stuntman Mark]

The next Supporters Trust AGM is on November 28 at the Barleycorn in Cippenham. I've never been to one of these so can't say for sure how productive they are but it might prove a useful forum to openly discuss your views on the club with other supporters and maybe even decide what can be done as a collective rather than recycle the same debates on here, which is essentially howling at the moon. If you are not a member of the trust now might be an excellent time to do so if you are worried about the future of the club. I'm hoping to pop down for the first time if the diary allows it.

Further details here - https://www.sloughtownsupporterstrust.com/NEWS

[epicrebel]

14 hours ago, Sir Rebel1965 said:

They are also the board that got this year's budget extremely wrong and lead to the best managers the club ever had leaving!

Look what happened to Kwazi and Liz who got their budget wrong!

The fans will not forget what caused Neil and Jon to leave.

The statement needs to have the full facts about why the finances are so bad and why the income streams are not there , don't hide behind COVID as there were grants issued.

Since Steve Easterbrook and John Porter left there has been no leadership and direction for the club and it is already throwing away all the gains that Steve, John, Neil and Jon achieved for the club and fans.

What the club needs is a solid backer who wants to build on the progress of the last 10 year's, but there is currently no sign of one.

So the board has said Neil and Jon left because of the budget?

NO

 

So you'll be finding this person?

NO

 

[epicrebel]

8 hours ago, Stuntman Mark said:

The next Supporters Trust AGM is on November 28 at the Barleycorn in Cippenham. I've never been to one of these so can't say for sure how productive they are but it might prove a useful forum to openly discuss your views on the club with other supporters and maybe even decide what can be done as a collective rather than recycle the same debates on here, which is essentially howling at the moon. If you are not a member of the trust now might be an excellent time to do so if you are worried about the future of the club. I'm hoping to pop down for the first time if the diary allows it.

Further details here - https://www.sloughtownsupporterstrust.com/NEWS

Yes you have to be a member to be at the meeting. 

I am wondering if 1 of the board could attend. 

[Sir Rebel1965]

43 minutes ago, epicrebel said:

So the board has said Neil and Jon left because of the budget?

NO

 

So you'll be finding this person?

NO

 

With comments like that from the Chairman of the supporters trust, it is no surprise I am not a member, and I wonder how many more are also put off?

[3spirit]

14 hours ago, epicrebel said:

Yes you have to be a member to be at the meeting. 

I am wondering if 1 of the board could attend. 

I have been a member of the Trust and do want to rejoin. Alan G has sent me the forms but would rather pay cash. I can't make the Barleycorn meeting but will make an effort to get to a home game and get this sorted.

I understand why Stuntman Mark suggested the supporters trust AGM as a coming together to hear from the board but wouldn't it be better to have an OPEN meeting with ALL Slough Town FC fans who care about the club,at say Arbour Park, or somewhere else near, as not everyone who follow Slough FC are Trust members.

Edited November 17, 2022 by 3spirit

[SloughFlyer]

6 hours ago, 3spirit said:

I have been a member of the Trust and do want to rejoin. Alan G has sent me the forms but would rather pay cash. I can't make the Barleycorn meeting but will make an effort to get to a home game and get this sorted.

I understand why Stuntman Mark suggested the supporters trust AGM as a coming together to hear from the board but wouldn't it be better to have an OPEN meeting with ALL Slough Town FC fans who care about the club,at say Arbour Park, or somewhere else near, as not everyone who follow Slough FC are Trust members.

100% agree with this 3spirit. I think a meeting / opportunity for the board to communicate with fans directly and in person is a good idea, BUT, only when they have something to say and are able to give information about the future. Until that is the case (unless its a brainstorming session / meeting) there isn't much point if they can't actually tell us anything.

[GlenSTFC]

42 minutes ago, SloughFlyer said:

100% agree with this 3spirit. I think a meeting / opportunity for the board to communicate with fans directly and in person is a good idea, BUT, only when they have something to say and are able to give information about the future. Until that is the case (unless its a brainstorming session / meeting) there isn't much point if they can't actually tell us anything.

But they must know if the current budget (assuming it’s not been cut recently) is sustainable or not? If not then any cut would obviously see players depart and lesser players join to plug the holes, which most of us would then fear relegation as quite possibly. As some have said maybe the club feel they can only support a budget that would be competitive in the league below? So there’s quite a lot they could tell us if they want to.

[Rebellier]

For all we know they could be running around trying to sort things out, with perhaps good news at the end of it. Or bad news. We don't need a running commentary on what or who they're dealing with. 

But I do know that the players will be at training tonight and stuff will be spoken about then.

[GlenSTFC]

40 minutes ago, Rebellier said:

For all we know they could be running around trying to sort things out, with perhaps good news at the end of it. Or bad news. We don't need a running commentary on what or who they're dealing with. 

But I do know that the players will be at training tonight and stuff will be spoken about then.

Easy, quick way to stop speculation is to nip it in the bud like our old managers used to many a time on here! But it worked didn’t it?