Slow on the uptake?

[MikeSB]

Yes, its a great business model for the Directors. How much has our major shareholder put into this club over the last 25 years?

IF the intent of the academy was to keep us a reasonable standard L1 club with a burst into the play offs then that would be the measure I would be happy with. But that isn't the purpose or the business model is it. Its to ensure we sell players on, many who think they are better than they are and so that in itself is counter productive. If we could play with 11 kids and fans would turn up to pa 22 pounds a match, then that would be the ideal scenario for them.

I was looking just now at that Oldham player who played us off the pitch here and he was a 29 year old midfielder who scored 27 goals in 70 odd games or something and he was signed from a Scottish league club and is now an Oldham fans favourite for obvious reasons. Now I cannot see how we cannot sign two or three players of this calibre whilst blooding our own kids at the same time. I thought that w

[MikeSB]

How can we justify paying a retired person like Dario 2000 pounds a week and a cut in transfer fees and yet can't sign a couple of decent players for a few quid extra on the wage bill?

I think its because the club dare not tell him he is relic of past glories and so keep paying the man. Its a great business model that does that..

Does SD and any other Academy Coaches and Managers get a cut in any transfer money? It may well be that is where all the money is going as well as some Directors payday loan scheme. Surely all the facilities at RH are now paid for as that was one excuse why half a million a year was needed? You can see if we need all these managers and coaches are needed for academy status the money won't go far.

But then the business model is not to get ordinary L1 standard players from the academy is it. We haven't received a million this close season as none are good enough and why the need to bring in all those youngsters. I wonder whether they will follow Max Cla

[AmericanAlex]

So...the club's been run this way for over 20 years now.

Why are you even a fan of Crewe, if I may ask?

[somersetcrewe]

So...the club's been run this way for over 20 years now.

Why are you even a fan of Crewe, if I may ask?

Been trying to fathom that one out myself - still struggling!!
And it's not as if this guy is a "fly by night, jump on the bandwagon because we've been and won at Wembley twice in 3 years"-type supporter. He's made no secret of the fact that's he's been around a while!

Should know better - or go and support Port Vale!

Opinions are one thing but spewing out the same old crass nonsense is something else altogether.
Change the record, Mike.
We are where we are, we are what we are - and that's what makes us what we are!
I for one am quite happy with that.
Ups and downs are part and parcel of football for clubs like us - all part of the mystique of the game!
Roll on August!

[AmericanAlex]

Ups and downs are part and parcel of football for clubs like us - all part of the mystique of the game!
Roll on August!

que sera sera

[ChalkDust]

Are the management being a bit too cautious,in bringing in new players,or is it once bitten twice shy.
Shrewsbury,not only have a new manager,but have signed seven(7) new players,our Mark amongst them.
If were not careful we could end up with the players no one else wants.
As always your comments are welcome.

Shrewsbury don't have an academy to run and they get better gates than us which helps.

So their budget will be better than ours because of the fore mentioned above.

[MikeSB]

So...the club's been run this way for over 20 years now.

Why are you even a fan of Crewe, if I may ask?

Well, I have probably been an Alex fan longer than most on here. Circa 1955, anyone beat that?

Being a fan does not mean having to agree with managers and directors of the club that will change and have have always changed. Problem is most have only seen one manager who is a virtual dictator and you all believe in the 'ethos' that they have preached to you.

Shrewsbury is a good comparison as they are very similar to us and have never had an academy but we have had spells better than them and vice versa. The point made is that they can thus afford better players than us and seemingly as other clubs can too. How on earth do all these lower league clubs exist year after year as most don't have sugar daddies to bail them out?

Most fans have been brainwashed into the club telling you that without the academy, we would

[Gobstopper]

I think most of us know where the money has gone we have a blood sucker on the board who sees CAFC as his own personal cash cow. On top of that the academy costs around A£500000 a year to operate, which doesn't leave us with much to run the squad. Teams like Shrewsbury and Fleetwood have committed backers who are prepared to put money into the club, even Port Vales chairman puts his hand in his pocket, we have a guy who likes to take money out of the club. We are a club that does generate cash through selling its players, that keeps us in business but it also gives the likes of Hassle the opportunity to take out a substantial amount of money, so we will always be at a disadvantage.

[MikeSB]

One good example of mindless thinking which is an oxymoron.

Why do we expect fans to watch football matches in the coldest months of the year with the worst conditions for the pitch and not during the best months of the year eg May to July when we could watch in shirt sleeves on a Friday evening?

Why not start the season on April first until New Years day as the culmination? With the three month break Jan-March?

As said before, the PL could carry on as we are now and that would enable millions of TV money to come in to the lower leagues during those three months and so a win win for everyone.

Its all because that is how its always been and most will or should know that was because it was that way because Cricket took preference in that summer break and not because it was too hot for soccer etc.

So why is not this on any agenda when all these league clubs get to meet? When was the last time we even heard it discussed?

How many more fans could we attract by doing this? Or isn

[Proggs]

Spot on Mike SB. The Academy is only run for the Hangers On.and Stormin Norman business,The Team gets very little benifit, as if there any good there Gone in 60 seconds.

Well done, you have won the "stupid post of the year" award AND the "I'm a bell-end award". Congrats.