Time to furlough

[Gowboy]

I may have missed it but as far as I am aware Motherwell have not furloughed anyone. Given the First Minister has stated (again) that large gatherings are not going to happen for a long time, is it not time we moved to furlough staff, including players? A number of our competitors have done so, thereby getting access to Government funding (80% of salary up to £2500 per month). If we are not doing so we are giving them a financial advantage going forward as our funds are drained to a greater extent than theirs. If we want to play fair by our staff (which I am sure we do) I think we should go into furlough but top up the salaries to the full amount staff are due. I understand furloughing may involve some form of restrictions on what we can do in terms of providing training routines, dietary advice etc but the players, surely, can maintain the programmes they were already on under their own steam.

[Handsome_Devil]

Timely enough, UEFA have basically just said we can call the season now with no repercussions. There will, almost certainly, be no football for months.

I broadly trust the club leadership - they have after all done brilliantly financially. They are not stupid and they will not make decisions on the whim of it.

Nonetheless, in the circumstances they have not done enough to explain the decision about not furloughing staff. I appreciate they cannot share every detail with us all the time but a hint to the thought process is needed when:

1) going against the commercial wisdom of virtually the entire league.
2) selling season tickets to for a product no one can describe or say if when/will be available while asking for charity donations and WS boosts
3) Motherwell fans - as taxpayers - are effectively subsidising our rivals but not our own club. To paraphrase the famous quote, the government does not have any money, it spends the people's money. We are in the utterly bizarre situation where the club are apparently refusing to accept communal help while asking the same, small fanbase - themselves with their own financial concerns - for cash in various ways detailed above.

I am normally very relaxed about the WS errors because of human nature, the scale of the club/role, unrealistic expectations and so...but this is not a good look.

[sieb1886]

Timely enough, UEFA have basically just said we can call the season now with no repercussions. There will, almost certainly, be no football for months.

I broadly trust the club leadership - they have after all done brilliantly financially. They are not stupid and they will not make decisions on the whim of it.

Nonetheless, in the circumstances they have not done enough to explain the decision about not furloughing staff. I appreciate they cannot share every detail with us all the time but a hint to the thought process is needed when:

1) going against the commercial wisdom of virtually the entire league.
2) selling season tickets to for a product no one can describe or say if when/will be available while asking for charity donations and WS boosts
3) Motherwell fans - as taxpayers - are effectively subsidising our rivals but not our own club. To paraphrase the famous quote, the government does not have any money, it spends the people's money. We are in the utterly bizarre situation where the club are apparently refusing to accept communal help while asking the same, small fanbase - themselves with their own financial concerns - for cash in various ways detailed above.

I am normally very relaxed about the WS errors because of human nature, the scale of the club/role, unrealistic expectations and so...but this is not a good look.

Your point 3 synopsis is spot on HD; been throwing that issue around in my head for the last 10 days. Makes no sense at all that 'furlough' hasn't kicked in at MFC - commercially, or on a business level. I, like you, may have missed a statement about 'furlough' for our Club ... but if we have, it needs clarified ASAP. Been impressed by our Board the past 18 months, and hope to Christ we haven't missed the boat to register for 'C-19 Job Retention Scheme'. More so, 'cos I've already committed my well-earned cash to renewing the ST. If I've done that, like the other 1,200 to date, we need, and, deserve answers.

[Handsome_Devil]

A mate said on Saturday you had until the end of April to register.

I'd expect us to do it this week. The logic might have been that on course for more money from third, we kept going until the last moment incase football resumed but now can't wait any longer.

[sieb1886]

A mate said on Saturday you had until the end of April to register.

I'd expect us to do it this week. The logic might have been that on course for more money from third, we kept going until the last moment incase football resumed but now can't wait any longer.

Could be the reason - if so, another example of us upholding our moral values, whilst others don't. We'll likely see a statement from Chairman reflecting some sort of view like that. However, how long the Govt will continue to pay 80% of the nation's pay pokes is open to question ... despite their claim of 'however long it takes' 5 weeks back !

[dazlhigh]

Could be the reason - if so, another example of us upholding our moral values, whilst others don't. We'll likely see a statement from Chairman reflecting some sort of view like that. However, how long the Govt will continue to pay 80% of the nation's pay pokes is open to question ... despite their claim of 'however long it takes' 5 weeks back !

It is.I'm afraid, time to apply - if we don't we could well come out of this worse off than clubs with little support, less ambition and in greater debt (and little pitch maintenance). Not comfortable, but it's time.
Apropos that 'vote', I thought that the whole thing was shocking, and the whole story needs to come out. But now? The minister at Dalziel North many years ago gave me some sound advice:- 'Before you open your mouth, ask yourself 'How will it help?'. If it won't help, keep you mouth shut for the time being'. However justified - and they are! - the demands for an inquiry into the background to 'Dundee', the risk is that, just at the moment, another rammy could conceivably make things worse for a huge proportion of the member clubs. It could take a tin - opener to more than one can of worms. I hope that the Rangers / Hearts / Stranraer bid falls.....but only for the time being.

[Handsome_Devil]

https://t.co/pOPtoZdxAr?amp=1

Now done.

[jwok]

The relevant pasage...

The board continues to work to best safeguard the club’s finances and to plan for all potential scenarios. The vast majority of our staff and our playing squad are furloughed as we make use of the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and this makes a significant difference to our financial stability.

Some core staff have been retained to continue the club’s ongoing operations and to help plan for what comes next.

[sieb1886]

The relevant pasage...

The board continues to work to best safeguard the club’s finances and to plan for all potential scenarios. The vast majority of our staff and our playing squad are furloughed as we make use of the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and this makes a significant difference to our financial stability.

Some core staff have been retained to continue the club’s ongoing operations and to help plan for what comes next.

I thought we'd furlough a lot earlier than we did. That said, makes me think we hung fire to see what the crack was with this SPFL vote carry-on, as well as keeping an eye on European goings-on. Question ... did we enter furlough before the French League was called, or after? If after, I reckon the Board have figured our League will be called, and we end up 3rd, with a much more massive payout than budgeted for. Hence, the delay in furloughing. If it works out that way, we've got some master strategists at the helm.

[texaco cup]

After many years of criticising the club and board for the way the have conducted themselves with off the field matters, I have to applaud them for taking IMO the only sensible option to furlough most of the staff