[Albion] McGhee 99% likely to leave by end of week!

[dcseagull]

As I live in a world of fantasy how about , assuming we stayed at Withdean, building an 8000 all seater stand on the site occupied by the South Stand, with changing rooms offices etc under neath as mentioned by me earlier. Then seal off the entrances etc at the existing end of the ground and move them up to the Western end so that the entrance and exits are taken away from the road leading down to the railway tunnel. A large number of supporters when then disperse away from the ground in the opposite direction of the tunnel thus relieving the conjestion.

I also heard a chinese whisper that the club have had or are having a feasability study completed on how many seats they can get into Withdean. Is this plan B in case!!!

This is classic stuff. Keep 'em coming.

 

[BensGrandad]

They aren't his sidekicks though; are they? I thought he inherited most of them.

They may not have been his choice and may have been forced upon him but he has, we assume, instructed them in the duties he expects of them so they are his sidekicks.

 

[London Irish]

As I live in a world of fantasy how about , assuming we stayed at Withdean, building an 8000 all seater stand on the site occupied by the South Stand, with changing rooms offices etc under neath as mentioned by me earlier. Then seal off the entrances etc at the existing end of the ground and move them up to the Western end so that the entrance and exits are taken away from the road leading down to the railway tunnel. A large number of supporters when then disperse away from the ground in the opposite direction of the tunnel thus relieving the conjestion.

What you seem to be saying here is releasing all - what 12,000? - supporters directly on to the driveway outside John Catt's house. I like the cut of your jib young man.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I also heard a chinese whisper that the club have had or are having a feasability study completed on how many seats they can get into Withdean. Is this plan B in case!!!

No. It was evidence presented to the Public Inquiry.

From the Inspector's Report:-

(iii) Withdean

6.84 Withdean is an alternative site, but only on the basis of a limited capacity. BHCC as
owner and planning authority, has only been prepared to grant permission for its use since
1999 on a short-term temporary basis. No evidence has been put forward to contradict
BHFC’s case that the most recently approved increase in the capacity from 7000 to 9000
marks the absolute limits of expansion on the current site.

6.85 To increase the capacity further would require acquisition of land in various ownerships
and tenure; there is not available a large enough site to accommodate a stadium of the scale
required (along with necessary car and coach parking facilities) to secure the Club’s future.
Relocation of the existing athletics and other sporting facilities would be necessary, as
would the demolition of the Sportsman PH. The existing park-and-ride site would go and
there are no obvious sites for replacement and additional park-and-ride facilities - it is
estimated that about 3000 spaces would be needed.

6.86 The Club’s evidence is that a smaller stadium (less than 20000 capacity) is not viable. The
break-even point between income and expenditure, using current costs as a basis for the
calculation and making certain assumptions about Football League income levels and player
salary-capping criteria, is estimated to be 18000. Yet this does not take into account the cost
of additional borrowings that would need to be raised to fund the planning and development
of a new stadium as well as replacement facilities for the existing athletics stadium, squash
courts, tennis courts and gymnasium and the cost of purchasing the lease of the public house.
Also there would be further costs involved in dealing with necessary improvements to the
infrastructure surrounding the stadium. To cover all these costs an average attendance in
excess of 20000 is required.

6.87 It is also the case that a 22000 capacity stadium is not capable of being supported by the
local highway and other transport infrastructure; and this, in turn, gives rise to serious
crowd safety concerns. For example, the nature and layout of roads in the surrounding area
are such that, for public safety reasons, many would have to be closed to traffic before and
after matches; this includes London Road, one of the main roads into the city. This road
might have to be utilised as a park-and-ride drop-off point or nearby open spaces would have
to be developed for that purpose and as a bus and coach park. The Tongdean Lane bridge
through which spectators from those locations would have to pass is very narrow and would
be a major constraint on their easy and safe movement; many others, including train
travellers, would have to take that route too. The network of roads around the stadium
would inhibit the operation of satisfactory crowd control measures and thereby add to the
congestion and dangers in the movement of spectators, especially after matches.
Furthermore, Preston Park railway station, with its narrow platforms and their restricted
means of access, would have difficulty coping with large numbers of spectators arriving in a
short space of time.

6.88 Even if improvements were made to the Tongdean Lane bridge, the railway station and
other infrastructure, this would remain a dangerous location in which to develop a 22000
capacity stadium.

6.89 Moreover, the effect on the local residential community would clearly be substantial if
such a major development were built within the heart of the residential community of
Withdean. Given the strength of opposition from FPC regarding the Falmer proposal, it
takes little imagination to envisage the extent of objection which would ensue if the
permanent 22000 capacity stadium were to be located in the dense residential area
surrounding Withdean.





NOTE:-

The references to a need to achieve average attendances of 18-20,000 (in order to make the stadium viable) are references to the required attendances at Withdean - taking the additional construction and access costs into account. Falmer achieves viability with average attendances in the order of 13,500.

 

[BensGrandad]

What you seem to be saying here is releasing all - what 12,000? - supporters directly on to the driveway outside John Catt's house. I like the cut of your jib young man.

Did I not say 8,000 to exit by that way sorry if I didn't make it crystal clear and I do not think that you are in any position to address me as young man which I certainly am not when my youngest son is probably older and much wiser than you.

 

[me_me]

who do all the McGhee haters actually want to become our manager?

I cant see any of the people you suggest wanting to come here, we have no money, no stadium,and a very low wage budget. and if we do get someone good come along, how long until they leave for a better club or just because they cant stand the lack of money? McGhee is willing to stay and has promised not to quit even though the future is looking pretty bleak.

I think McGhee has done well and should atleast be given a chance till november to sort the squad out.

He got us promoted which you guys seem to forget.

He has tried incredibly hard to get players here and its not his fault that none want to come.

Would you want to come to a club with poor training facilities, who cant afford to give you a decent wage and who dont have a proper stadium, when you can go to a club who can provide it all?


just had to get that off my chest

 

[BensGrandad]

No. It was evidence presented to the Public Inquiry.

From the Inspector's Report:-

(iii) Withdean


6.86 The Club’s evidence is that a smaller stadium (less than 20000 capacity) is not viable. The
break-even point between income and expenditure, using current costs as a basis for the
calculation and making certain assumptions about Football League income levels and player
salary-capping criteria, is estimated to be 18000. Yet this does not take into account the cost
of additional borrowings that would need to be raised to fund the planning and development
of a new stadium as well as replacement facilities for the existing athletics stadium, squash
courts, tennis courts and gymnasium and the cost of purchasing the lease of the public house.
Also there would be further costs involved in dealing with necessary improvements to the
infrastructure surrounding the stadium. To cover all these costs an average attendance in
excess of 20000 is required.

.

If I am reading this correctly, if I am not please tell me, to make Withdean a viable alternative would neccesitate gates in excess of 18,000 nearing the 20,000 mark but to borrow 60 % of the cost of Falmer (£50m at the last count) would only need an average gate of 13,500 as was stated on here earlier as quoted by MP.

Simple maths tell you that at £30 per game the total turn over without any expenses or club running costs etc with a capacity of 13,500 per game it would take nearly 5 seasons to repay the loan that is without calculating any interest.

Sorry cannot see that please explain.

 

[London Irish]

Did I not say 8,000 to exit by that way sorry if I didn't make it crystal clear and I do not think that you are in any position to address me as young man which I certainly am not when my youngest son is probably older and much wiser than you.

Oh it was you Brian, thought it had to be that young whippersnapper Ben stealing on to the computer while you had retired with a gin to watch 10 Years Younger Bikini Special.

 

[London Irish]

who do all the McGhee haters actually want to become our manager?

In reality, they haven't got a clue - same old cocktail of fantasy football and no-hopers.

Let's hope "Mr Major Investor" has more of a fecking clue given the absolute shit he has now landed us in.

 

[BensGrandad]

Oh it was you Brian, thought it had to be that young whippersnapper Ben stealing on to the computer while you had retired with a gin to watch 10 Years Younger Bikini Special.

No I can assure you that it is me and I do not drink Gin I used to drink Remy but the quack said no more so I don't.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

who do all the McGhee haters actually want to become our manager?

I cant see any of the people you suggest wanting to come here, we have no money, no stadium,and a very low wage budget.

DK always gets a STACK of big name applications for the manager's job when it's up for grabs. It might not pay much, but it sure pays more than the dole. OK, they all use it as a stepping stone to big name jobs, but both sides know that going into the deal.

 

[Icy Gull]

who do all the McGhee haters actually want to become our manager?

I cant see any of the people you suggest wanting to come here, we have no money, no stadium,and a very low wage budget. and if we do get someone good come along, how long until they leave for a better club or just because they cant stand the lack of money? McGhee is willing to stay and has promised not to quit even though the future is looking pretty bleak.

I think McGhee has done well and should atleast be given a chance till november to sort the squad out.

He got us promoted which you guys seem to forget.

He has tried incredibly hard to get players here and its not his fault that none want to come.

Would you want to come to a club with poor training facilities, who cant afford to give you a decent wage and who dont have a proper stadium, when you can go to a club who can provide it all?


just had to get that off my chest

Someone trying to rebuild their reputation could be interested and although I am biased and feel the same as you re McGhee, I cannot see an Adams, Taylor, Coppell or McGhee out there. if one does appear by being sacked I doubt we'll get 1st dibs on him.

We could well end up with a situation where nobody is appointed until just before the season starts and the board are signing players just like DK did before the Hinshelwood fiasco. Come October I hope we are not ruing the actions of the board and if they are gonna sack MM, I hope they have someone lined up already otherwise we could be about to do a Rotherham. They got rid of a proven manager and look what happened to them

 

[BensGrandad]

In reality, they haven't got a clue - same old cocktail of fantasy football and no-hopers.

Let's hope "Mr Major Investor" has more of a fecking clue given the absolute shit he has now landed us in.

I will lay my cards on the table.

I believe that we should keep MM and sack BB and DW which I have said many times, move Dean Wilkins up to Ast Manager and aappoint a new Youth Team manager from within the club and if needed give them the position whilst still retaining their playing registration in case they are needed to play for the first team.

If on Dec 1st we are not in the top 2 sack MM, but he must be given the money to sign some extra players.

Invite this myserious invester to join the board and if he is willing to invest a major amount make him Chairman, the problem here is that the only single person with sufficient shares to facilitate such a move is DK. Would he move aside? Would he consider a position as Club President in recognition of what he has done.

I cannot see us selling many players as we did last year with Virgo and Currie as I do not believe that we have any that would command a reasonably acceptable fee.

 

[Barry Izbak]

If McGhee goes, he'll end up in a better job with more prospects because he's a good manager and we were delighted to get him when he came here.

And we'll end up with someone who doesn't realise what a hopeless job it is at Withdean and who doesn't give a toss about the Albion but just wants a manager's job.

Investor ? I'll never forget what happened last time we attracted an investor. And I'll never forgive those f***ing bastards

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

There will be no shortage of people applying for the job.

Several of those will be able to do a better job of motivating our players than MM.

I'm afraid that this time Booker and White will have to go as well.

 

[The Large One]

If I am reading this correctly, if I am not please tell me, to make Withdean a viable alternative would neccesitate gates in excess of 18,000 nearing the 20,000 mark but to borrow 60 % of the cost of Falmer (£50m at the last count) would only need an average gate of 13,500 as was stated on here earlier as quoted by MP.

Simple maths tell you that at £30 per game the total turn over without any expenses or club running costs etc with a capacity of 13,500 per game it would take nearly 5 seasons to repay the loan that is without calculating any interest.

Sorry cannot see that please explain.

I would have to go back and check, but I believe that the club - sorry, stadium company - intends to pay back the loan/mortgage (whatever the word is) over 40 years.

 

[Beach Hut]

The commercial department, along with MM have created a situation where the board are looking at a wash out on season ticket renewals.

This is what is causing the issue here.

 

[BensGrandad]

I would have to go back and check, but I believe that the club - sorry, stadium company - intends to pay back the loan/mortgage (whatever the word is) over 40 years.

Are you serious 40 years. If thats the case I and the majority on here will never see them solvent.

 

[The Large One]

That's a MAXIMUM of 40 years. If we can exceed that break-even figure, or do well commercially (including other people using the stadium for more than just football), then that period of time would be shortened.

The only thing is I don't know who is responsible for the repayments. I assume it's the Stadium Holding Company Ltd (whatever it's called), of which the Albion would be the main contributors, but doubtless the Universities and City Council have to chip in their fair share.

What happens in case of default on the payments, I daresay some safeguard or other is being put in.

 

[Ernest]

The commercial department, along with MM have created a situation where the board are looking at a wash out on season ticket renewals.

This is what is causing the issue here.

Exactly young man, if we had THUMPED Stoke people would have finished the season on an optimistic note so any waverers for season ticket renewals might have been tempted to stump up that 500 quid.