Said it before.....

[Sponsor of Beer]

And I see that Mercer has gone to Ilford

 

Not a bad move by Stuart Margolis. It will be interesting to see if he moves for any of the other Town players currently performing for Brimsdown.

[andyetfc]

'It is clear that 370 were prepared to pay £8 (£5 concessions yesterday)' from Steph.

 

I was not prepared to pay the £8.00, but did so becasue I wanted to see the Town play. Let's be honest, yesterday's admission was hiked up because ETFC were in town. We did not have an option as to whether to accept the charge or not as I couldn't see any supporter refusing to pay and going home.

 

I agree that we have to be realistic but need to take into account not just entrance fees. Have to look at sponsorship income, players' fees expenses, travelling expenses, kit, equipment, the facilities we paly at.etc, etc, etc. All costs money which is something that not a lot of clubs have.

 

Maybe it's time to start looking outside of the box to generate new income?

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Quote:

lovely stuff said:
I'm also worried about the ambition (or at least pragmatism) of our board.I think Softie recently said that we as a club could not financially sustain being promoted (or words to that effect).

I know the board do everything possible to raise funds and are doing a great job of it,but talk like that does not inspire confidence amounst the supporters about future progression.(or at least progression in the next 2 to 3 years).

OK I'm confident with all the fund raising we will break even at the end of this season which will be a tremendous achievement in our first year at this level of football. There is no businessman to underwrite our expenses, no bar takings, no nightclub and each year we keep meeting our debts and moving onwards and upwards. That achievement should inspire you it does me.

None of us wants to get to a higher level of football to find we come back down again for whatever reason. We need to sustain the business model. The old club regularly sustained large losses but without an underwriter the books still have to balance.

If we go straight up into the Premier I like you will be overjoyed - no if's no but's. We then will find a budget to upgrade the ground to provide the necessary facilities for that level and fund a team.

Your Board is working hard on a number of projects such as our own ground, preseason matches which if any of them come off we will all be very pleased. Beat up on the Board if you wish but you will get more respect from me if you get the money in to sustain the business model.

We now know we can financially sustain the club at this level but we all want to go higher. It is my personal opinion we can sustain the club at the next level up if we have no gaps in the programme, the pitch side hoardings and sponsors for each of the stands. If we can do that then just maybe we have a business model for the next level of football. Increase ticket prices will help but we need to sell the club lottery across the whole borough. Help get the money in Jim would be very happy to spend it. Ambition we have it by the bucket load. Challenge - Do you have enough ambition to come out with me onto the street and door-knock to get the sponsorship in?

I don't want to survive at Ryman Premier level I want to win it and move on to Conference level. But we need to balance the books with a sustainable business model or we will be relegated in the first season at the higher level.

[lovely stuff]

I think Wood charge that for every game.

[Steph]

Quote:

andyetfc said:
'It is clear that 370 were prepared to pay £8 (£5 concessions yesterday)' from Steph.

I was not prepared to pay the £8.00, but did so becasue I wanted to see the Town play. Let's be honest, yesterday's admission was hiked up because ETFC were in town. We did not have an option as to whether to accept the charge or not as I couldn't see any supporter refusing to pay and going home.

Andy as you know I have walked away from a game that I thought was too highly priced. I still have the ladder in the car.

I thought £8 was steep but we were watching first and second in the league and BW are in the last 8 of the Trophy. I understood we were going to see 2 class sides at our level of football and I was not disappointed the match was worth the entrance fee.

[lovely stuff]

Quote:

We now know we can financially sustain the club at this level but we all want to go higher. It is my personal opinion we can sustain the club at the next level up if we have no gaps in the programme, the pitch side hoardings and sponsors for each of the stands. If we can do that then just maybe we have a business model for the next level of football. Increase ticket prices will help but we need to sell the club lottery across the whole borough. Help get the money in Jim would be very happy to spend it. Ambition we have it by the bucket load. Challenge - Do you have enough ambition to come out with me onto the street and door-knock to get the sponsorship in?

 

I don't want to survive at Ryman Premier level I want to win it and move on to Conference level. But we need to balance the books with a sustainable business model or we will be relegated in the first season at the higher level

.

 

So are you saying that the board would rather the club did go up next season? Yes or No.

From your post and that of Softie. It would seem the board would be happier with the team staying put in this league for a few more seasons.Is that an honest accessment of the situation?

 

Have Cheshunt got a bussiness plan? Have they got a third of the supporters that we have? Do they sell loterry tickets/50/50's/programmes in the same numbers we do.Do they have a big money backer.The answer to all those questions is NO!

 

But they are still surviving in the premier (even with Loizou),when they had a decent manager (leese) they were near the Top ,and they did this with very little money or support.

 

If we added two decent strikers and a good centre half to the squad we already have.We could confortably finish mid-table of the premier next season.Don't forget the Premier is NOT the same league as EFC used to play in before the spilt.That is basically called the Conference South now.The Premier is for all intents and purposes the old Ryman Div1.We over estimated the strengh of this league.It seems we are falling into the trap of doing so with the league above as well.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Quote:

lovely stuff said:
So are you saying that the board would rather the club did go up next season season? Yes or No.
From your post and that of Softie. It would seem the board would be happier with the team staying put in this league for a few more seasons.Is that an honest accessment of the situation?

Have Cheshunt got a bussiness plan? Have they got a third of the supporters that we have? Do they sell loterry tickets/50/50's/programmes in the same numbers we do.Do they have a big money backer.The answer to all those questions is NO!

But they are still surviving in the premier (even with Loizou),when they had a decent manager (leese) they were near the Top ,and they did this with very little money or support.

I can't speak on behalf of the board that is down to others. However I don't think I'm giving too much away to say everybody I have spoken to about it is palpably excited about our position in the table and would rather get first or second rather in the table and go up rather than the luck of the playoffs where none of us would be comfortable. Read my lips I am excited and would like to go up if opportunity presented.

I'm not interested in Cheshunt FC, never have been and I don't know enough to comment on their business model.

[TopGun]

Lovely stuff you seem to forget...... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/doah.gif" alt="" />

 

cheshunt have two clubhouses working for them and both are in regular use .Thats where the bulk of their income comes from. Most clubs have to make do with one clubhouse but luckily for cheshunt they have the two.

[lovely stuff]

Lazarou had one of the major function and venue rooms in London (called the Starlight).It still run at a loss (or at least they did for the last few seasons of being at Southbury Rd).

 

Top Gun,Do you know what percentage of the money raised in hiring the clubhouse out for functions actually goes into keeping the club afloat?I suspect bar money from matchdays is handed over,but i doubt much function money is filtered down.

Don't forget that Town take at least £750 per home game MORE than cheshunt do through the turnstile.Add in 50/50's, programmes..etc and its probably nearer a £1000 per home game more than cheshunt.I doubt any more than that is given back to Cheshunt FC through bar and function money each home game.

[The Invisible Man]

I find it extremely hard to believe that the Board, or any member of it, wishes to prevent the club achieving as much as possible in every competition entered, the ultimate aim being to win it. Such a wish, or action on those lines, would require the resignation of any such member, I would think!

[lovely stuff]

I'm not suggesting that the board don't want the club to do well,or are not doing a great job.I'm just suggesting that they might be a little bit pesamistic or a bit negative about our viablilty as a Premier club.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Quote:

lovely stuff said:
I'm not suggesting that the board don't want the club to do well,or are not doing a great job.I'm just suggesting that they might be a little bit pesamistic or a bit negative about our viablilty as a Premier club.

Isn't it better to be pessimistic and achieve than enormously optimistic and fail to achieve?

[rayw]

Quote:

OldTowner said:
LS
Perhaps we have come too far, too quick, in our short history.
Football Clubs need cash and you cannot keep asking 300 or so supporters to keep paying.
At the end of the day a "Supporters Club" cannot progress up to Conference level due to financial instability.
Expectations are high and our current position is great, BUT, If the Club are to progress they WILL need a Money Man to come in. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/boxing.gif" alt="" />

Hope your wrong ETFC are special innthe way they are run.
But i think more could be done to raise money. More games could be sponsored and maybe the club should start up a fund to pay for new stands that are needed before finding a new ground.

[Southport - TOWNER]

Quote:

rayw said:


.......
....
More games could be sponsored and maybe the club should start up a fund to pay for new stands that are needed before finding a new ground.

THANK YOU for your kind offer; just let me know which game you want to sponsor, or if you want to sponsor the ball, there is no problem

If you don't want to do it personally but know a company or organisation that wants to get involved in sponsorship, point them in my direction.

[Squadron Leader]

Quote:

TopGun said:
Lovely stuff you seem to forget...... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/doah.gif" alt="" />

cheshunt have two clubhouses working for them and both are in regular use .Thats where the bulk of their income comes from. Most clubs have to make do with one clubhouse but luckily for cheshunt they have the two.

We at ETFC desperately need our own Social Cluib to enable us to raise the funds needed to be able to compete at Ryman Premier Level. I personnally believe that the "Board" should be seen to be doing more to enable this to happen.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" />

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Quote:

Squadron Leader said:
We at ETFC desperately need our own Social Cluib to enable us to raise the funds needed to be able to compete at Ryman Premier Level. I personnally believe that the "Board" should be seen to be doing more to enable this to happen.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" />

A fair point Squadron Leader - If you have any opinion as to a venue that might suit then by all means research it some more and make a proposal. They can only say no.

[Squadron Leader]

Quote:

Softie said:

Quote:

Squadron Leader said:
We at ETFC desperately need our own Social Cluib to enable us to raise the funds needed to be able to compete at Ryman Premier Level. I personnally believe that the "Board" should be seen to be doing more to enable this to happen.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" />

A fair point Squadron Leader - If you have any opinion as to a venue that might suit then by all means research it some more and make a proposal. They can only say no.

I don't have anywhere in mind myself, but maybe it would be a good idea to put it to our Supporters, perhaps one of them might have somewhere in mind.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" />

[Southport - TOWNER]

there is a pub at the junction of Hertford rd/Cedar Ave that is empty, anybody fancy investing in that and make it into a Town venue?

 

 

also the Happy Pig is closed down (must be a sad porker now!)

[Squadron Leader]

Quote:

Southport - TOWNER said:
there is a pub at the junction of Hertford rd/Cedar Ave that is empty, anybody fancy investing in that and make it into a Town venue?


also the Happy Pig is closed down (must be a sad porker now!)

The pub corner Cedar Ave/Hertford Road seemed to close under strange circumstances.

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bisou.gif" alt="" />

[Diver1830]

An also wont you have trouble fitting the Floodlights in ??

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/alk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/boxing.gif" alt="" />