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Post by jmgull on Jun 9, 2009 16:56:38 GMT
...Well it was invieitable wasn't it? Goes to show how important winning THAT wembley final was! Since the end of the season we have seen several departures from the club.....first Sally the comm.manager, the assistant groundsman, the physio and now today Paul Compton the youth team coach, there's a good chance that their may well have been others too but not announced publically. These roles will, in most cases, be filled by other ways and means, you can bet your bottom dollar that in every case a decent saving has been made. The board gambled on winning back our league status as quickly as possible with a serious investment in players obviously and an expensive infrastructure off the field......and it paid off, thank god! It seems that we will still be spending quite heavily on players for next season, so something had to give.....the off field expenses needed to be trimmed and they have been. Year 1......with the novelty factor and cup runs we broke even, Year 2 and the casual fans didnt come back so we lost 300k.....now is the time to be prudent, yes we can expect more revenue coming into the club with league status and all that it means but will the TUFC fans come back in numbers?  Any business facing such losses know that they need to stop the flow straight away and turn it around as quickly as possible. The season ticket sales will help the gates to a tune of 1100 or so.......these people are in the main regulars anyway, so will we get a further 1900 pay on the day fans? Not unless we're flirting with the play off zone i reckon. A season of consolidation (do we do those  ?) will be what the club are budgeting for i would assume, so 2.5k ish would be a sensible figure. Virtually every business in Torbay is making cuts.....the general consensus is that revenues in this area are around 15% down due to the recession. TUFC are facing worse than that, of course. I for one am pleased to see that our board are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the future of this club is safe for the forseeable future and that we have every chance of competing in the "real" league for many years to come. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jun 9, 2009 17:15:34 GMT
You have to applaud the board for the money they have put in to win back our proper place in the football league. When the number of paying fans dropped last season, they put their hands in their own pockets to ensure we had the best chance possible of promotion.
I was only thinking yesterday that no matter how deep their pockets might be, they would not really be wanting to keep putting in more and more money each season.
I'm sure we will now see the club trying to live within its means and making the cuts to the backroom staff is the best way to save money and try and put out a completive side on the pitch, that will be able to keep our league status.
Yes money is tight for so many and the real fears about still having a job next week is a real problem here in South Devon, I know its the same all over the country, but with wages being very low here, many do not have the savings to far back on in hard times.
There are a few green shoots of recovery starting to show( not yet for the company I work for) and the best we can hope is that by the start of the season things look a bit brighter.
Only because we need the locals to show the board just how grateful we are for all the cash and hard work they have put in to make us feel really proud about our club again.
I think gates may only be around the 2500 for home fans, but we will see more away fans at most matches so I'm hoping the average will be over the 3000 and even more I hope.
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Post by ohtobeatplainmoor on Jun 9, 2009 18:10:04 GMT
Mark Burd's assistant went to a another job at Yeovil and Sally's departure is entirely unrelated to cuts. Not sure as to the reason of Compo or Davey's departures, but both roles are going to be replaced. I guess that they would represent a saving - although given that the club have very much not "scrimped and saved" they will go for the best calibre replacements that they can afford.
With regards to spending heavily on the pitch, I'm not sure that there will be any significant changes - just a 4 or 5 new signings.
Christie, Woods, Poke and Dsane would be fairly big savings from the wage bill so I don't think there would be much of a net increase - if at all.
I definately agree with you about the importance of winning the Play-off final JM (and the rest of what you said) - the Directors have backed the club heavily and surely they couldn't have contributed to back us at the same level in the BSP as they did last season and the season before.
Their contributions were very much "pump priming" - making the initial outlay to get things going. Sadly, the combination of poor gates and the recession has surely had an impact on their efforts.
I would definately be very happy with a "season of consolidation"!. These are troubling financial times - I think thinks would be a whole lot more difficult if we hadn't made it back to the "promised land"!
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jerry
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Post by jerry on Jun 9, 2009 18:17:04 GMT
Compos departure is unlikely to be due to cost cutting as the £180,000 extra we get from the football league is ring fenced for the youth team.
Maybe freeing up a space for a certain Mr. Hargreaves to fulfil a player/youth coach role next season?
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Jun 9, 2009 19:36:34 GMT
Goes to show how important winning THAT wembley final was! Probally one of the most important wins in Torquay History. |
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Post by aussie on Jun 9, 2009 19:50:03 GMT
Cut backs no, streamlining yes. Improvements to the club given the financial climate! Shrewed and intelligent management of club interests, thats how I see it and yes my glasses are very rose tinted, at the moment anyway, that might wear off a bit but I`m still buzzing from Wembley, so rose they will be! Joking aside, I think the board have their feet firmly on the ground and aren`t getting carried away with the success of promotion, yet again I think they are making some good decisions. We will compete with in our means and we will compete well!
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jun 9, 2009 21:58:20 GMT
Goes to show how important winning THAT wembley final was!..... Year 1......with the novelty factor and cup runs we broke even, Year 2 and the casual fans didnt come back so we lost 300k.... I totally agree on the importance of that win - I really believe a loss would have left us in a very difficult position. As regards this year's financial loss, it could actually be quite a bit more than £300k - the article says REVENUE has dropped by £300k and expenditure, or at least the player budget, has increased as well. As I've hinted before, no reasonable person could expect the Board to keep throwing money at the club as it has been doing. Thank God that if we are set for a little "stabilising", then that will be stabilising our place INSIDE the Football League not OUTSIDE it. There are many clubs in the League in a far worse financial state than us. |
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Post by stuartB on Jun 9, 2009 22:06:02 GMT
Last year might have been do or die but even though the directors have had to put their hand in their pockets (thanks much appreciated) next year is already better
we get more money from the football league, over 1000 season tickets already, increased crowds, two shirt sponsors, increased commercial activity.
things are not going to be too bad but we cannot be complacent
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Post by buster on Jun 10, 2009 12:02:15 GMT
I totally support the board in whatever decision they make. Some I may not have made myself but you have to respect what they have achieved to date so they clearly know far better than I.
My only slight concern would be that the league does not fully reward clubs like Utd who are being very prudent with their finances. I remember back in Batesons days that we balanced the books and even made small profits to the detriment of things on the field, whilst other clubs spent like no tomorrow.
I would like to see the league take a stronger stance with regards the finances and facilities of its members.
buster
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merse
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Post by merse on Jun 10, 2009 16:36:59 GMT
 I think we're all intelligent and understanding enough to realise that this very serious recession and it's subsequent effect on the income not only of the football club but that of the individual directors themselves is a cyclical occurrence that thankfully only comes round once in a blue moon. Having said that, the bottom line is that financial prudence HAS to take priority and thus the budget available might well not be enough to retain certain members of staff. On a personal note, nine years ago I was able to devote a lot more of my time and spend a good deal of my disposable income on Torquay United. Now it's a different tale with three kids and a rapidly diminishing income over the past nine months. Just as it would be totally irresponsible of me to say "to hell with it" and carry on as before, I have had to make a lot of personally disappointing cut backs and sit tight waiting for the "good times" to come round again. On the work front, there has been a sign for the past three weeks of a return to last year's income levels but of course I still have this years expense to underwrite....................of course it is no different for me than it is with those charged with the wellbeing and welfare of OUR football club. I have every confidence that things are being done in the correct manner and I trust that everyone else does to.
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Any business facing such losses know that they need to stop the flow straight away and turn it around as quickly as possible.
?) will be what the club are budgeting for i would assume, so 2.5k ish would be a sensible figure.
