Statement from Board

[M0ufMk3]

That’s a good take and if sustainability was all they talked about it would be fair enough. It’s the arguing that night is day when it comes to what we’ve seen on the pitch that I think most people are objecting to.

Every team we’ve left to face has something to play for, if we lose all 5 or similar then the statement will be seen even less favourably.

Exactly this. We all should know deep down that we have pretty damned good owners, but what was concerning about the release is how they appeared to have watched different games. Of course we have been lucky/unlucky and results are unarguable, what fands have seen with their eyes, repeated ad infinitum has been a catalogue of errors.

[jackal2]

We have good, intelligent and forward thinking owners and they have something called a strategy that will not only keep us away from those pitfalls but also keep us moving forward, albeit a bit slower than some people want to accept.

I find it strange how many football fans seem to assume they have a right to expect every decision a club makes to accord with their own particular opinion at any given time.

Notts County isn't fan-owned, it's privately owned, so the owners have every right to set the strategy and do things their way.

If I invested millions of pounds in buying or sustaining a football club then make absolutely no mistake, it would be run the way I believed was right, otherwise what's the point? Whether my methods ultimately succeeded or failed, at least I could look back and own that success or failure. Imagine spending that amount of money, failing, and looking back thinking "I didn't even follow the strategy I believed in!"

A privately owned football club has no obligation whatsoever to explain its decisions, but of course the owners of Notts County - being the kind of people they are - do engage with us through statements at various intervals. This shows respect for the fans and an appreciation of their importance to the club, and I'm sure the owners would want the fans to be 'onside' wherever possible, but there will inevitably be times when at least some of the fan base will have a different view about what should happen next.

For example, I'm far from convinced about Stuart Maynard's ability to lead us into next season, and have said so, but I accept that it's not my decision to make as an individual, and I don't expect the club to bow to my particular opinion or whim as a condition of providing support. It would be impossible to run a football club (or any business) that way.

Even when the club was owned/run by supporters, it quickly became apparent that you cannot please all the fans all of the time. That was the closest we'll ever come to the club being run like a democracy, but in situations where the fanbase opinion was divided, someone ultimately had to make a decision which would please some and upset others.

I certainly don't think the club statement is "arrogant". In fact, you could say if there is any arrogance going on, it's from certain fans who expect the club to make every decision in accordance with what they want as individuals, with the implied threat that they will withdraw support if that doesn't happen. Of course it's the fans' prerogative not to attend games or buy season tickets if they wish, but the idea that the club should constantly meet all of their desires - for instance over whether to keep or sack the Head Coach - is ridiculous and impossible.

There have been several occasions over the years when I've either disagreed with a managerial appointment, felt the manager should be sacked, and/or disliked the way of playing - the Steve Thompson era being the classic example - and I've expressed my view strongly on message boards like this - but being a Notts 'supporter' I saw it through, accepting that others may have a different view, that I wasn't the ultimate decision-maker, and that being happy or unhappy at certain times is all part and parcel of following a club.

[TheBlackHorse]

... so the moaners with the memory of a gnat seem to have forgotten how lucky we were in the play off v Chesterfield; who were the better side on the day. Game after game, in the NL, we rode our luck and but for our excellent forwards we would still be there. The moaners also seem to have forgotten what a shambles of a club we were - and we supported 'the shirt' through thick and mostly thin. Now we have some stability, some still seem to think there is a magic money tree and would have us do 'a Wrexham'. No thank you very much ... been there, seen the result. The only reason to look back would be to ask the Bros' why they didn't invest in the defence last Summer(?). I don't buy that we give the promotion winning players the chance to adapt to D2 - that's emotional cr ap; my own view is that the Bros' weren't prepared to spend bigger than their budget - but that's only a guess. If it was 'the budget' factor then good for them, it's their decision. Maybe their was a way to communicate this; without telling some of the players they're u.s. I would sooner have a club which is financially sound and building steadily. Sometimes it's better to take a few steps back (and learn) than go forward headlong. COYP's

[51Magpie]

Well said Jackal. That one had me looking for a 'like' button.

[TheBlackHorse]

... jackal ... spot on ...

[Notts78]

I find it strange how many football fans seem to assume they have a right to expect every decision a club makes to accord with their own particular opinion at any given time.

Notts County isn't fan-owned, it's privately owned, so the owners have every right to set the strategy and do things their way.

If I invested millions of pounds in buying or sustaining a football club then make absolutely no mistake, it would be run the way I believed was right, otherwise what's the point? Whether my methods ultimately succeeded or failed, at least I could look back and own that success or failure. Imagine spending that amount of money, failing, and looking back thinking "I didn't even follow the strategy I believed in!"

A privately owned football club has no obligation whatsoever to explain its decisions, but of course the owners of Notts County - being the kind of people they are - do engage with us through statements at various intervals. This shows respect for the fans and an appreciation of their importance to the club, and I'm sure the owners would want the fans to be 'onside' wherever possible, but there will inevitably be times when at least some of the fan base will have a different view about what should happen next.

For example, I'm far from convinced about Stuart Maynard's ability to lead us into next season, and have said so, but I accept that it's not my decision to make as an individual, and I don't expect the club to bow to my particular opinion or whim as a condition of providing support. It would be impossible to run a football club (or any business) that way.

Even when the club was owned/run by supporters, it quickly became apparent that you cannot please all the fans all of the time. That was the closest we'll ever come to the club being run like a democracy, but in situations where the fanbase opinion was divided, someone ultimately had to make a decision which would please some and upset others.

I certainly don't think the club statement is "arrogant". In fact, you could say if there is any arrogance going on, it's from certain fans who expect the club to make every decision in accordance with what they want as individuals, with the implied threat that they will withdraw support if that doesn't happen. Of course it's the fans' prerogative not to attend games or buy season tickets if they wish, but the idea that the club should constantly meet all of their desires - for instance over whether to keep or sack the Head Coach - is ridiculous and impossible.

There have been several occasions over the years when I've either disagreed with a managerial appointment, felt the manager should be sacked, and/or disliked the way of playing - the Steve Thompson era being the classic example - and I've expressed my view strongly on message boards like this - but being a Notts 'supporter' I saw it through, accepting that others may have a different view, that I wasn't the ultimate decision-maker, and that being happy or unhappy at certain times is all part and parcel of following a club.

Exactly this. Though somehow a fan who spends let’s say £500 per season to watch home games feel that they have some devine right to have a say.

I feel the main reason folk that are upset with the statement is due to the apparent support for the current head coach. The statement was clear to me that results have not been acceptable. Defensive frailties were highlighted and the club will aim to rectify this in the summer.

[Notts78]

... so the moaners with the memory of a gnat seem to have forgotten how lucky we were in the play off v Chesterfield; who were the better side on the day. Game after game, in the NL, we rode our luck and but for our excellent forwards we would still be there. The moaners also seem to have forgotten what a shambles of a club we were - and we supported 'the shirt' through thick and mostly thin. Now we have some stability, some still seem to think there is a magic money tree and would have us do 'a Wrexham'. No thank you very much ... been there, seen the result. The only reason to look back would be to ask the Bros' why they didn't invest in the defence last Summer(?). I don't buy that we give the promotion
winning players the chance to adapt to D2 - that's emotional cr ap; my own view is that the Bros' weren't prepared to spend bigger than their budget - but that's only a guess. If it was 'the budget' factor then good for them, it's their decision. Maybe there was a way to communicate this; without telling some of the players they're u.s. I would sooner have a club which is financially sound and building steadily. Sometimes it's better to take a few steps back (and learn) than go forward headlong. COYP's

IMO I don’t think players were retained for emotional OR budget reasons. We have seen with many new players that they take an age to be properly integrated in to the starting 11. Primarily whilst they get used to the way we play. Had we got 2/3 new defenders we’d have started from scratch and potentially been worse off than we are now.
Although, like you, I’d like to see an overhaul of the frail defence. However, I am confident that there won’t be. We may bring in 1 or 2 depending if players are released.
The club have stopped that ridiculous overhaul of squads every season, where we often saw 10plus new players. It’s a positive that we don’t as players can grow, especially with the expected style that is demanded.

[AlanNic]

I agree, dissatisfaction with the manager is spilling over onto the owners. Truth is neither the owners or SM are responsible for the catastrophic errors costing us points or games recently. Let’s get behind the owners, the manager and the players and leave the vitriol (and the bedsheets) at home.

[Woodypie]

Two things spring to mind: if it is all down to bad luck what's the point of all this metrics malarkey, and, Stewart must have killed an albatross.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

... so the moaners with the memory of a gnat seem to have forgotten how lucky we were in the play off v Chesterfield; who were the better side on the day. Game after game, in the NL, we rode our luck and but for our excellent forwards we would still be there. The moaners also seem to have forgotten what a shambles of a club we were - and we supported 'the shirt' through thick and mostly thin. Now we have some stability, some still seem to think there is a magic money tree and would have us do 'a Wrexham'. No thank you very much ... been there, seen the result. The only reason to look back would be to ask the Bros' why they didn't invest in the defence last Summer(?). I don't buy that we give the promotion winning players the chance to adapt to D2 - that's emotional cr ap; my own view is that the Bros' weren't prepared to spend bigger than their budget - but that's only a guess. If it was 'the budget' factor then good for them, it's their decision. Maybe their was a way to communicate this; without telling some of the players they're u.s. I would sooner have a club which is financially sound and building steadily. Sometimes it's better to take a few steps back (and learn) than go forward headlong. COYP's

Apart from the first 10 minutes that coincided with Slocombe losing his head, we were the better team, they didn't have a sniff so don't get how we were "lucky" in the final