Torquay United Fans Forum

SuperNickyWroe wrote: ↑20 Mar 2023, 14:32 Why the f*ck would he - or anyone for that matter - want to go to Yeovil?

happytorq wrote: ↑16 Mar 2023, 16:09 A lot of assumptions here that are probably not the case. We have season ticket holders who will contribute to the attendance but will be paying significantly less that £18 a game. I don't know exactly what STs cost, but I'd guess it's about £15 a game, on average. And thats not counting "concession tickets" and Under 18s, which will be cheaper both for STs and for pay-on-the-day. If I had to guess, I'd suggest that the average ticket cost for a home game is somewhere around £16.

You've also not mentioned the non-playing staff that the club employs. Obviously the management and other non-playing football staff are part of it (there are 9 people listed on the website), but there are bar staff, etc. (I think the food places are franchised out, so there's no labour cost there. Although it presumably also means there's a flat revenue from that, too). You've also got a the 'communications officer', and the people who help the club run without getting involved on the playing side. It soon adds up.

You've also assumed that all of that million a year loss (think it's a bit less on the most recent accounts, but that's mostly irrelevant for this excercise) is going on players. What about massively increased energy costs? Running the stadium costs money. Police presence has to be paid for. You've got to make sure the floodlights are on (i saw somebody else mentioned that we get it subsidised, which is news to me), and the heating/showers work in the changing rooms. Stewarding? I believe that costs money.

If you look at the playing side you could go through all 24 and make a case that at least half a dozen of them haven't provided the value for money you might expect. Dan Martin has been injured all season. Hall has been in and out. Crowe hasn't been sighted recently. But that's just part of having a playing squad. (you could definitely make the case that if Martin and Hall had been able to play 25 games each this season we'd already be safe)

I would appreciate some transparency from the club about the budget, but we're never going to get it. Johnson won't say anything (if he hasn't by now), and we know the owner likes to sit in his cave not saying a word. I very much doubt we have a top 4 budget but equally I'd assume we don't have a bottom 4 budget. Have said elsewhere that I do firmly think the plan this year was to bed in new signings, allow Wrexham and Notts to bugger off, and then hopefully have the nucleus of a good team next year. Clearly that hasn't worked and now we're worrying about Dorking's results all week.

Anyway - if we go down the budget will surely have to be reduced. I suspect that'll mean no Moxey, no Hall, probably no Lapslie (I think his contract will be up), and possibly Halstead will leave - he's arguably done enough to get a deal another NL club if he wants.

We'll presumably have 4 or 5 of the players brought in last summer still under contract (at a guess - Jarvis, McGavin, Hanson, Donellan, possibly Crowe). We'd probably offer deals to Moyse, Tomlinson and Koszela on the 'youth' side - because they're likely to be inexpensive - and consider keeping Omar, Marshall, Martin, if we can agree a contract length/amount. Of course, they could fancy their chances elsewhere but all of these have questions to answer and I can't see too many clubs lining up to take them, especially we'd be entitled to a fee for both Omar and Martin if we do offer them..something (they're both under 24 till the autumn). Either way, rebuild incoming - even if we do somehow manage to get out of the shit - yet again.

hector wrote: ↑09 Mar 2023, 19:04 Stick or twist, it really doesn’t matter.

Those shouting for Johnson to go or making polls about whether he should be sacked are really missing the point. Whether he stays or goes will not make a blind bit of difference.

If TUFC were a well-run club where the owners were in it for the football and had a modicum of ambition, then changing the manager might alter things but we have a club owned by Clarke Osborne. The downward trajectory is set and will continue while he owns the club.

No one knows what sort of budget Gary Johnson has to work with unless they are a liar but just look at the squad; it can’t be much and certainly not one that could attract the sort of players we have lost over the last two years.

Just look at the sporting entities that Clarke Osborne has been involved with and what happens to them; TUFC is just the latest in a long line clubs suffering from “managed decline” - changing the manager won’t alter the direction this club is heading. It’s futile when the ownership have no interest in the team prospering.

We are about to suffer relegation to regional football for the second time in five years under Clarke Osborne, our lowest level previously played at almost 100 years ago and yet here we are about to be in the same division as Taunton Town. If Johnson goes just who do people imagine someone as uninterested as Clarke Osborne is going to appoint?

It’s almost as if there are people stupid enough to think things will get better if we change the manager. This isn’t a normal football club so wake up to who the real villain in this piece is.

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑31 Jan 2023, 23:31 Internet must be down in Somerset.........

Chelston TUFC wrote: ↑22 Jan 2023, 20:38 If you watched Match of the Day as stated it would make sense. Clearly you didnt. We are going down like Everton due to disinterested owner, a manager that should have been sacked, no one to score goals, a leaking defence, poor tactics and formation.

Just to clear it up for you

toastkid wrote: ↑19 Jan 2023, 19:37 Dear oh dear!
People complain when Gary doesn't sign anyone, now they complain he signs too many.
They complained when we were losing, next they'll complain if we win.

I say, well done GJ keep up the good work!
Up the gulls!

North Curry House wrote: ↑08 Jan 2023, 13:48 What idiot is thinking we can make the playoffs ? Let us just get out of the bottom four by the end of the season, that should be our ONLY objective.

Dorking, Alsershot and Maidenhead will all drop down the table...we need to take advantage. Three points against Bromley on Tuesday week will help. Let us get behind the team.

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑03 Jan 2023, 20:43 This is why I've always kept faith in Gary Johnson. When he knows exactly where we are at the point it comes time to the final roll the dice who better than him to get it right and avoid being relegated. Calling for him to be sacked in November is just plain stupidity against the backdrop of the ownership of the club. It must be obvious to anyone that our budget wasn't great, he got what we paid for, what he was allowed to within the budget. He doesn't deserve the treatment usually dished out by followers of the Premiersh!te.

DevonBee wrote: ↑03 Jan 2023, 15:25 Downes yes that is laughable
I would rather as was suggested a Hall and Moxey
Appointment until the end of the season.
However as much as I want change, I feel he will see
It out and go at the end of the season .
I am still of the belief with 3 in and 3 out we can still
get out of this disaster. Next signings however he cannot
Bugger up.