Burton

[Timmy58]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey to be more accurate ...

Ha ha, yes. All that as well

[frogpole]

My advice is to get behind the team and, yes, the management and support the club.

Bang on !!
In the previous two games, the football has been far more open and attacking - and yes, entertaining...

My personal opinion is that I would like to see us trying to win games, rather than trying not to lose.

[jimmyboldon]

Jesus Christ, the season has not started and the knives are out already. The negativity of some people is so annoying. Business friends are advising you that our board should get rid of the management after 2 months unless things drastically improve. I have never heard anything to ridiculous in all my life. Well, except for reading Mike's posts of course. Normal business bears no resemblance to football. The factors influencing success or failure in football are not the same as the business world. Most football clubs run at a loss. Any business running consistently at a loss would close. That doesn't happen with many football clubs for a number of reasons.

My advice is to get behind the team and, yes, the management and support the club.

Good post Timmy.
I also take exception to the assertion that the greatest majority of our supporters think that the football is dull boring and lifeless and are bored.
Some games I have to agree were pretty dire, but I was never actually bored.

[Timmy58]

Good post Timmy.
I also take exception to the assertion that the greatest majority of our supporters think that the football is dull boring and lifeless and are bored.
Some games I have to agree were pretty dire, but I was never actually bored.

I am not going to try and gloss over the fact we have had one awful season and last season was not, for the most part, great. However, the second half of the season was better. It is all too easy to attack the board for the standard of the team and therefore our play. But we don't have wealthy backers (wealthy by my standards) so we have to cut our coat accordingly. Maybe there would be less criticisms if other clubs did likewise. Truth is that we are operating on a small budget and because of the board I have confidence that we will have a club to support for many years to come. They are not perfect but on the whole are doing a pretty decent job

[MikeSB]

Ha ha, yes. All that as well

Well, had a thousand fans stood in front of the Directors box and said those very few words, then we probably would have a better team to support.

Thing is, fans need to say what needs changing with the team and tactics and for the Directors, managers and coaches to start reading these boards to understand HOW fans feel. By not doing so, they are hiding behind a facade of poor performance and results. They hear the boos but do nothing. If players like Ainsley can't make it in the Fourth Division, then the academy is failing and put out its misery and for the money to go on better players that can be seen now, today and not wait 12 years to see if they will be good enough and actually allow the coaches to drift with the same ideas.

Football is exactly like business where it fails when it's not successful with the public/buyers and much better when its appealing and we win games. Its no good advising the board after 20 games, the sales are on now!

[Timmy58]

Well, had a thousand fans stood in front of the Directors box and said those very few words, then we probably would have a better team to support.

Thing is, fans need to say what needs changing with the team and tactics and for the Directors, managers and coaches to start reading these boards to understand HOW fans feel. By not doing so, they are hiding behind a facade of poor performance and results. They hear the boos but do nothing. If players like Ainsley can't make it in the Fourth Division, then the academy is failing and put out its misery and for the money to go on better players that can be seen now, today and not wait 12 years to see if they will be good enough and actually allow the coaches to drift with the same ideas.

Football is exactly like business where it fails when it's not successful with the public/buyers and much better when its appealing and we win games. Its no good advising the board after 20 games, the sales are on now!

Your constant criticising the existence of the Academy does not really add up. If we scrapped it we would get no income to replace the support we get for having it so chucking money at seasoned pros (mostly looking for a last pay day like in the pre Dario days) is something we could probably do once if at all. The money (Jeez I am getting a bad as you in repeating the same argument but you will keep trotting you our dated views out) we save on paying and playing Academy players goes some way to offsetting the cost of the Academy and compensates a little for not having a million pound sale every year. It is ironic that we have players making their way in the team last season and this season who may well earn us a transfer fee. Probably not a million quid tho. I think they will be few and far between for clubs like us, not through any fault of ours but the obscene ease with which Prem Clubs can shop so easily abroad.
Given the diverse opinions on this board I really don't think anyone from the board or the management team should read this board. Better to listen at forums at the club where it is open to all.

[MikeSB]

Your constant criticising the existence of the Academy does not really add up. If we scrapped it we would get no income to replace the support we get for having it so chucking money at seasoned pros (mostly looking for a last pay day like in the pre Dario days) is something we could probably do once if at all. The money (Jeez I am getting a bad as you in repeating the same argument but you will keep trotting you our dated views out) we save on paying and playing Academy players goes some way to offsetting the cost of the Academy and compensates a little for not having a million pound sale every year. It is ironic that we have players making their way in the team last season and this season who may well earn us a transfer fee. Probably not a million quid tho. I think they will be few and far between for clubs like us, not through any fault of ours but the obscene ease with which Prem Clubs can shop so easily abroad.
Given the diverse opinions on this board I really don't think anyone from the board or the management team should read this board. Better to listen at forums at the club where it is open to all.

OK, copy and paste!

Every club has an academy Timmy, where school kids can get a game of football and the better ones are noticed. The EEEP allows PL to buy our better youngsters at a pittance and they can leave and so what then is the point of a million a season academy? Any player who has spent 15 years in our academy should find it dead easy to be at Div4 level and think of all the millions spent on the academy in that time? 15 years equals 15 million? That is a lot of money for poor players. Most clubs at our level and a lot better supported ones won't have a Cat2 academy as Brentford says, its far too long to wait, far too expensive and they have 17 year olds coming in. I think we should have the same, which ironically os what Dario had for years....PL are ruining the game with some players getting 350 grand a week for kicking a bladder about and now that is really obscene...

We can have a Cat3 or 4 academy and save a huge amount of money. ...

Timmy, why didn't anyone ask how much the academy cost the club at the club forum? I have asked and they won't tell me..

[lukcour]

The replies to my post are precisely what I expected and goes a long way to explain why our team (which I support 100%) has sunk so low. How can you believe everything is fine in the rose garden when for over 2 years we have had a midfield that does not compete, tackle. close down or challenge. Why is it so many players cannot wait to get away.

Timmy could you please explain how our limited budget has anything to do with the dreadfully outdated tactics our management use. The engine room of a professional football team is the midfield and if they do not compete y ou usually fail to win.. In all honesty can you say that our midfield is efficient and competitive.

[jimmyboldon]

Your constant criticising the existence of the Academy does not really add up. If we scrapped it we would get no income to replace the support we get for having it so chucking money at seasoned pros (mostly looking for a last pay day like in the pre Dario days) is something we could probably do once if at all. The money (Jeez I am getting a bad as you in repeating the same argument but you will keep trotting you our dated views out) we save on paying and playing Academy players goes some way to offsetting the cost of the Academy and compensates a little for not having a million pound sale every year. It is ironic that we have players making their way in the team last season and this season who may well earn us a transfer fee. Probably not a million quid tho. I think they will be few and far between for clubs like us, not through any fault of ours but the obscene ease with which Prem Clubs can shop so easily abroad.
Given the diverse opinions on this board I really don't think anyone from the board or the management team should read this board. Better to listen at forums at the club where it is open to all.

Timmy. You appear to be in a similar mindset to what I was in a week or so ago. i.e. replying to and debating with Mike. I took his advice and don’t even read his posts now, never mind responding to them.
I’m in a much better place, stress levels and alcohol consumption both well down. I’d consider it if I were you.
Charles G on the podcast re the academy is worth listening to, and it’s pretty obvious that the academy is here to stay.

[Timmy58]

Timmy. You appear to be in a similar mindset to what I was in a week or so ago. i.e. replying to and debating with Mike. I took his advice and don’t even read his posts now, never mind responding to them.
I’m in a much better place, stress levels and alcohol consumption both well down. I’d consider it if I were you.
Charles G on the podcast re the academy is worth listening to, and it’s pretty obvious that the academy is here to stay.

You are right. No point knocking!
I imagine the Academy is here to stay. I think it works for us. More than one way to measure its success .