To go full time or not?

[FleetFanatic]

I think that this must have been an old AGM as the news about wishing to go full-time is rather old in itself.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

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I think that this must have been an old AGM as the news about wishing to go full-time is rather old in itself.

 

There was an AGM at the end of Jan. Altho I couldn't get there, I did receive the invite.

 

Interesting times for the club, did hear a whisper that full time footballers would be with us next season. But like others I am concerned how we can afford it on our current gates. There must be money being made available from somewhere, but information is not forthcoming.

 

 

 

 

 

Up the Fleet - London Branch

[Guest]

I would have thought the club would go full time over a transitional period. Some players part time, some full time. Maybe that's what will happen next season.

[Robbo]

Yeh, surely the clubs thinking must be that we could just take on only around half a dozen full timers at first. And then depending on whether there is a continuation in the rise of our average gates in following seasons we can then decide whether to scrap the idea for now, or whether to go all the way full time. I'm sure that we could find a bankroller from somewhere to finance the first few full timers, but this is taking a risk if this money disappeared. Money from the gates is the only safe way to finance a full time move over a long period of time, but I don't see no reason why we can't use a bankroller to finance the first step.

[Stu M]

Plus we'd also have to have something of a transition, whereby those not wanting to go full-time would leave and then we'd have to sign new full-time players. So not something that could be done by just saying "Right, next season we'll be full time".

[UP FLEET]

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Much as I share Gary's ambitions for the club, it will simply come down to economics.I am not sure what the weekly wage bill is, but it must be in the region £4,000 - £5,000, not including the manager (is he full time?)and staff.
Let's be generous and say it is £4,000, with average gates of 1,200 we are probably netting around £12,000 every other week plus other income, but less other costs which will be numerous - so there is absolutely no way the club have a surplus of £8,000 every other week. If you take yesterday as an instance, the preparation and travel to Carlisle, plus a week of no gate income and gate last Saturday of well under 1,000 (ok I guess the gate was shaved a bit as all clubs do for Cup ties), but the bottom line is that the club probably operated at a loss last week.
Obviously any continuation of gates dipping under the 1,000 mark has obvious implications.
To go full time and to attract the right players, you really have got to be talking about a minimum weekly wage of £500.00 per player based on a squad of say 16, plus a few part timers. This will then double the weekly outlay and associated costs. If we barely break even now, can we guarantee that the fan base will more than double in order to cover this ? Ok it might have the potential to do this long term, but this would be an immediate requirement.
In the current climate the club and the fans have to either accept that if it is to remain part time, a mid table place is the best it is ever going to achieve, if it goes full time - who knows ? There are no certanties.
The club has reached a major crossroads and it is certainly time for ambitous thinking, but realism has to have the final say.
By the way this was written by Richard Anson - I coud not be bothered to do all the registering palava ! Regards to all who know me !

Interesting, given all of the moaning about unregistered, anonymous posters on here, that this (give or take a couple of factual errors pointed out by David) is one of the most sensible postings in this thread. If, as David suggests, money may be available for full-time football next season, then this is of course encouraging (although I would be interested to hear where this money is coming from, given that full-time football isn't really advisable based on income from attendances etc. alone). But caution has to be taken. When people talk about an 'opportunity' to go full-time, what they really mean is that they are scared at seeing other Conference sides gradually going full-time and feel a frantic need to keep up with the Joneses.

j.c i was reading that and thinking the self same thing, until i got down to your thread and you beat me to it.Its a shame a few of these anonymous readers ruin it for the rest, keep the sensible threads like this one and people may think differently. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Hempstead Gaz]

Clearly it would be a huge decision for the club to make, and full time football would suit some players more than others.

For example, players like Moussa, Dukebox, Harrhy, Luke Moore, Pullen, Manny,Prothers, Ben would (probably) revel in the chance to train every day and huge improvements in their game would become quickly apparent.

Others such as MacCarthy, Skins, Jacko, would decline the offer as they are in the twilight of their conference careers, but would stay around as part-time squad players.

For the first couple of years I fully expect a transition from P/T to F/T - perhaps 10 - 12 full timers in the first year.

It is always a bit dependant on the individual players outside work. Clearly Skins would not want to give up a retail managers job, but a skilled tradesperson, such as Prothers (plumber?) will always be able to fall back on his trade when he retires from football.

I have no doubt that our younger players would leap at the chance, any 19 - 23 year old would.

Some good arguements both ways with valid pro's and cons.

[JimGNFC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aldershot/4254769.stm

 

Interview with the Aldershot Manager, Terry Brown about the effect going Full-Time has had on the Club. Definately worth a read if GNFC are considering going full time.

[FleetFanatic]

The financial implications seem too large to risk right now without adequate support or a decent backer.

[Robbo]

Well if the Shots are finding it difficult with the attendances they get, I'd have to say I think we'd have very little chance with what we get at the moment.