THE BUDGET

[Neil Williams 53]

Whatever the average entrance cost per head, presumably VAT has to be paid to the exchequer? If that is the case then using £16 as suggested might be an average entrance fee then the club would only net £12.80 per head. I might be wrong on the VAT front but I’m guessing it’s payable on gate receipts?

[Wolborough]

Prediction - we will go down
Prediction - Koszela released at this season’s end
Prediction - Possibly Torquay United’s final season
Opinion - Miracle of epic proportions required!

[happytorq]

I also saw this as a two year project simply because of the number of new players in the squsd. I don't think the idea though was to lay low whilst Wrexham and Notts County buggered off, remember they were both splashing the cash last season and didn't go up, so there was no guarantee they would go up this year and one them still has to face the play offs.

Even if CO had decided to loosen the purse strings and bring in more expensive players, we still wouldn't have financial muscle to compete with those two. It was obvious after last season - when Wrexham were already bringing in League 1-level players - that they'd go big again this time around. I don't know what Notts have spent but it's guaranteed it's more than 22 teams in this division, by quite some way. Interestingly, their star striker was recruited from an NLN side so it goes to show that there are decent players coming up from lower divisions.

I think the point I was trying to make was that given the significantly larger budgets that those two teams in particular have, there was no value to be had by spending big. Instead, it make sesne to bring in youngish players who can bed in and improve together over the course of the season, hopefully getting to the point bny the summer that they're already a decent side with perhaps just one or two additions required to complete in a division that would be absent at least one of those big spenders. That was the percentage play, anyway.

as hilarious as I think it'd be to see Notts get to 105 points this season and still not get promoted, from a TUFC perspective it's probably advantageous having both of those sides out of the league, leaving the rest of us to compete on a somewhat more even playing field.

edit - didn't include it when I quoted you above, but I agree with you on Koszela. Assuming were are in NLS he has to be given a chance to prove that he has a future in the professional game. We've been paying him for too long to suddenly decide when we're at our lowest ebb that he can't do the job. I think most of us would love it if he came into the squad and starting performing really well - if for nothing else than it'd be nice to see somewbody from what we can charitably call our 'youth set-up' actually contribute on the pitch.

[culmstockgull]

It seems an odd conclusion that we should stack out squad last summer with players that were never going to show the required potential for more than a 12 month, that makes no sense at all, if we had a development squad or the odd one or two then I can get my head around that idea but we have six or seven who fall into that category. As a manager I do not think for one minute last summerJohnson or any other manager sat down and thought we havent got a chance this season, because that same reasoning must effect 80 odd clubs in the leagues above us. Yes we may get rid of wrexham and notts county, the super spenders, but next season we could have any number of teams like , halifax, chesterfield, oldham, even southend who have now cleared their money troubles all coming to that same conclusion for one season lets try and buy promotion and we will yet again be on the same postion.
As for Koszela he has more chances to impress than any player that I know and only because he is related to our ex chairman, even before he broke his ankle he was struggling to score for dorchester and they are in the southern league.

[dawlishmatt]

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.

You also have to factor in the 2 F A cup matches against Derby which each club received £67,500 for live TV coverage and a similar amount for the replay along with the gate receipts which must total at least £150,000.

[SuperNickyWroe]

You also have to factor in the 2 F A cup matches against Derby which each club received £67,500 for live TV coverage and a similar amount for the replay along with the gate receipts which must total at least £150,000.

And how has that been spent?
That's if it has of course.....