Time to Invest

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Where is Darius Henderson nowadays?

Watford and doing well.

He brings other strikers into play you see.

We should have signed in the close season

Trev Benj
or
Shipperley (yes I know hes ex palace)
or
Iwelumo
or
Windass
or
Barry Hayles
or
(insert journeyman tried and tested striker here)

 

[CHAPPERS]

450k? Blimey, are they MENTALS? He's good but not worth that.

We should move for LUMO in January then.

 

[caz99]

when are people going to stop using the withdean stadium as an excuse. this issue has been clarified its now about the football and we need points.

 

[parks]

I have no idea how the wage bill is looking this year, but it is interesting, looking at the 2004 accounts that if we compare ourselves with supposedly the next worst revenue generating club in the Championship how we compare financially:

Crewe Albion

Turnover £5.2mm £4.62mm

Profit (loss) £1mm (£1.82mm)

Wage Bill £2.395mm £2.849mm

Employees 289 70

Net Assets £8.75mm (£9.882mm)

This is taken from the operating companies, the Board have a holding structure to separate out the football club from other operations, but does consolidate the results of the club, but also has loans from directors/shareholders so that the Net asset position looks marginally better (halved) in the Holding company.

I think what is interesting is that our wage bill is (was, Dec 04) higher that Crewe's, on lower turnover.

I am amazed that the club continues to function and I would imagine that the Board have come very close to trading insolvently (which is against the law). Between Dec 04 (the last accounts) and now, there have been some notable sales (Virgs, Currie, Dannyetc.) and we have lost them from the wage bill and those retirees which again will improve the position. However, what these numbers show I think is just how poor our financial predicament is. I would imagine that reduction in debt is the most important thing on the minds of the Board, and whilst staying up is important, we still have a fight on our hands financially.

It really is quite worrying I think!

 

[Albion Dan]

when are people going to stop using the withdean stadium as an excuse. this issue has been clarified its now about the football and we need points.

Where has anyone said Withdean is the reason? I think the fact we have spent next to nothing on what was already the worst squad in the division is the problem?

I can honestly not see any manager doing any better with the current team and finances. in fact I think Mcghee has worked miracles to keep us in touch with teams goint right up to mid table.

 

[The Large One]

I dont think we can blame it on the lack of cash only. I think there comes a time when we have to stop relying on the brighton sob story. we have got our ground thank god and now we have to start getting some points. some of it is mcghee. you cant constantly blame players.

The 'excuse' of Withdean was just as perfectly valid before the decision as it has been since that day. On a day-to-day basis, nothing has changed. We are still skint, and living hand-to-mouth - there's no new money available.

So if one were to blame our predicament before, it's perfectly valid to blame it now. Of course, if you don't believe that's the case, that's a different matter.

 

[The Large One]

Watford and doing well.

He brings other strikers into play you see.

We should have signed in the close season

Trev Benj
or
Shipperley (yes I know hes ex palace)
or
Iwelumo
or
Windass
or
Barry Hayles
or
(insert journeyman tried and tested striker here)

Of course, they wanted to come here to a cash-strapped club with no guaranteed future at the time on wages a quarter of what they're used to. Apart from that, it's a no-brainer.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Of course, they wanted to come here to a cash-strapped club with no guaranteed future at the time on wages a quarter of what they're used to. Apart from that, it's a no-brainer.

Though we did have 250 of coke money to spend.

 

[The Large One]

Though we did have 250 of coke money to spend.

...which the club has endeavoured to stretch to three or four years rather one or two for some knackered old journeyman, who equally may or may not produce the goods for us. (Paul Kitson, anyone?)

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

...which the club has endeavoured to stretch to three or four years rather one or two for some knackered old journeyman, who equally may or may not produce the goods for us. (Paul Kitson, anyone?)

The strikers mentioned above do not have a reputation for being injured like sicknote kitson.

Sorry but a journeyman is excactly what we need. With the service carole, jarrett and Fruity are supplying theyd be banging them in from all angles.

Also I have noticed our set pieces are awful and that IS down to the manager. We scored against Palace from a corner. That took 15 games....Im not bothering to look at last year. Will probably be another 15 games before we threaten the opponents goal from a set piece.

Its basic. Put it under the crossbar or near the penalty spot. Defenders nightmare.

 

[dunno]

I agree that we probably should have got a Shipperley type when we had the chance - I was surprised when we got El-Turi bearing in mind he is/was a complete unknown. The only way we will get another striker now is to offload one or two as we have 6 already!!! I don't think Leon is prolific enough at this level (yes I know he got 27 golas - IN THE LEAGUE BELOW!!!) - I see him more as a provider, either as a second striker or in midfield.

I still think a left back is a priority though and as much as I think OGH has been brilliant at right back I would like to see a 'proper' right back there (ie) Dodd. I just think our defence would be more solid with 4 recognised defenders - who think and position themselves as defenders. The other option would be to play 3 at the back like Wolves - but I don't think we have got the players for that (too small and not fast enough!!).

A central midfielder is needed as well - unless Reidy is put there??

 

[Rusco]

...which the club has endeavoured to stretch to three or four years rather one or two for some knackered old journeyman, who equally may or may not produce the goods for us. (Paul Kitson, anyone?)

............. but can the club afford at this time to invest for the future? I think not! We need players for this season and this season alone, not 3 years down the line because we may not even be in the league by then.

From what I've seen, I don't think CKR has it, whether it is attitude, skill, or application he just doesn't have it. I would rather have seen the Coke cash spent on someone who is a bit older and wiser and who would get us 15 goals this season to keep us in this division. So what if we only got one season out of them, by staying in this division and with Falmer approved there is every chance we could attract similar players again next season.

 

[The Large One]

The strikers mentioned above do not have a reputation for being injured like sicknote kitson.

Sorry but a journeyman is excactly what we need. With the service carole, jarrett and Fruity are supplying theyd be banging them in from all angles.

Also I have noticed our set pieces are awful and that IS down to the manager. We scored against Palace from a corner. That took 15 games....Im not bothering to look at last year. Will probably be another 15 games before we threaten the opponents goal from a set piece.

Its basic. Put it under the crossbar or near the penalty spot. Defenders nightmare.

So set-pieces are the be-all and end-all? Admittedly that, as a general rule, we are shite at them (although the goal at Burnley away was from a set-piece), but there are more ways of scoring than that.

What happens when the journeyman comes to the end of his tenure - get another, then another. These people's wage demands are bloody expensive compared to what we've got.

This is an argument of long-term stability in the squad versus short-termist glory.

Yes, we are struggling to raise ourselves above the levell we're at, but I firmly believe that this squad under this manager can do it. And I have seen plenty to encourage me along those lines. We were frustrated against Wolves because we SHOULD have won but didn't. Now if it looks as though we have no chance of winning any games, then I would worry. Just because won as many as we could or should have is missing the point.

I believe our BIGGEST problem is not putting away more of the chances we are creating (and we are creating a fair few). Now it's not beyond the wit of any manager or player (for both are responsible) to see about addressing this issue. Someone soon is in for a hiding, and that will create confidence, which will bring results which will create more confidence.

Whatever, we're competing a damn site better and playing a lot better than this time last year, which gives me plenty of hope. I'll worry about the stats on the last day of the season.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Wasn't Hammonds goal against Derby from a free-kick?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I believe our BIGGEST problem is not putting away more of the chances we are creating (and we are creating a fair few). Now it's not beyond the wit of any manager or player (for both are responsible) to see about addressing this issue..

Again, as our manager was a striker (and a damn good one at that) this is VERY worrying indeed wouldnt you agree?

Added to our ineptitude at set pieces it doesnt look to good

 

[The Large One]

Again, as our manager was a striker (and a damn good one at that) this is VERY worrying indeed wouldnt you agree?

Added to our ineptitude at set pieces it doesnt look to good

At present it's concerning. But not TOO concerning.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I wish TLO would just shut it.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I wish TLO would just shut it.

I wish that he would send me that logo....

 

[CHAPPERS]

Yeah. Shut it and send UB the logo, Alan.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

This is Kev's mum posting isn't it? C'mon, be honest now...

Nope, my mum couldn't work a keyboard.