Lewes FC - A disaster waiting to happen

[eastie]

I admit I am not well versed in Conference football and politics but Eastbourne do not seem to be making similar noises. To me they just want to have a crack at the higher level. is this the case or have I missed something? I imagine it is the latter.

Difference is with Eastbourne Boro is that they got their ground grading , infastructure and their financies into the black before they got promotion without any sugardaddy.which helps.
You cant wait until you go up and then say " Oh , we need £250 K this year to upgrade our ground otherwise we will get thrown out of Conference Premier".
How short sighted is that

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Another difference between now and a few years ago is that there's a lot more money floating around at BSP/Conference level.

Most of the teams are full time, even the likes of Crawley (how the hell can Crawley afford to be full time??). There are players at BSP clubs on £3000 per week, mainly at the likes of Stevenage. Imagine being paid £156,000 per year to play non-league football. I presume this is partly down to TV money and also to the high number of former Football League clubs now in the Conference, who bring the wages with them, and have to pay more and more in their desperation to get back up.

Therefore teams coming up are increasingly on a hiding to nothing. Lewes haven't got a prayer as it stands. I can't see Eastbourne setting the place alight either, but at least they appear to have strong foundations, and perhaps a couple of years down the line, once they've established themselves, might wind up going full time.

 

[BigGully]

So not a single club in the recent history of the Conference has built on what they had before and consolidated without the help of a benefactor?

I am sure they're might of been one or two, but can't think of any, especially without a benefactor.

Eastbourne Borough seems to have gradually improved their ground and playing level for the past 20 years, so there might be some hope there, time will tell.

More importantly Lewes has outgrown itself and it is causing a massive headache.

Before they can even compete at the level they have attained, they need to find in excess of £200,000 to upgrade their ground. ( play around with that figure if you wish )

Thats before finding a squad of players that they will need to pay £400-£1000 per week to compete at that level.

With projected crowds of 500 paying £10 a head, to watch an ailing side it might take the most optimistic of consortiums ( or opportunistic ) to find a way to survive at this level.

 

[dougdeep]

To be fair to Lewes though, it isn't easy to get improvements done at the Pan, it's surrounded by history. At Priory Lane it's just surrounded by fields.

 

[BigGully]

To be fair to Lewes though, it isn't easy to get improvements done at the Pan, it's surrounded by history. At Priory Lane it's just surrounded by fields.

I dont think the problem is planning, I am guessing its financial, no doubt.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The problem is that Martin Elliott has turned down the offer of a well-funded consortium that offered to pay for the ground improvements and pump enough resources into the squad and team manager to have a reasonable chance of surviving in the Blue Square Premiership.

 

[jevs]

The problem is that Martin Elliott has turned down the offer of a well-funded consortium that offered to pay for the ground improvements and pump enough resources into the squad and team manager to have a reasonable chance of surviving in the Blue Square Premiership.

Any ideas why Lord B ?

 

[Boroseagull]

Most of the teams are full time, even the likes of Crawley (how the hell can Crawley afford to be full time??). There are players at BSP clubs on £3000 per week, mainly at the likes of Stevenage. Imagine being paid £156,000 per year to play non-league football. I presume this is partly down to TV money and also to the high number of former Football League clubs now in the Conference, who bring the wages with them, and have to pay more and more in their desperation to get back up. QUOTE]


What bollocks!!! Having worked for Stevenage Boro until the end of last season I can personally tell you that the highest earning player [actually 2 of them] were on a salary of £44,000.00 per year. The average first team squad income averaged £32,000.00. Where you grap these figures from I have no idea!

The Conference structure ensures no club can pay more [well not supposed to!] then a set % of gross income. The secret of surviving & paying your way in this league is to maximise other income streams. In the case of Stevenage this is mainly achieved with their superb conference/catering facilities [cheaper than local hotels/conference centres] & all weather sport/training, practise ground.
Of course Setanta money helped a few clubs this year, but they pay only £6000 for a home game & that can, and possibly was, offset by lowered gates due to last minute fixture changes.

Please before you make wild accusations like this, do a little research!

 

[Gully]

Another difference between now and a few years ago is that there's a lot more money floating around at BSP/Conference level.

Most of the teams are full time, even the likes of Crawley (how the hell can Crawley afford to be full time??). There are players at BSP clubs on £3000 per week, mainly at the likes of Stevenage. Imagine being paid £156,000 per year to play non-league football. I presume this is partly down to TV money and also to the high number of former Football League clubs now in the Conference, who bring the wages with them, and have to pay more and more in their desperation to get back up.

Therefore teams coming up are increasingly on a hiding to nothing. Lewes haven't got a prayer as it stands. I can't see Eastbourne setting the place alight either, but at least they appear to have strong foundations, and perhaps a couple of years down the line, once they've established themselves, might wind up going full time.

My understanding is that the clubs get a sum of money each season from Setanta, plus a fee each time a game is screened live. This is where the rub lies, Setanta want to screen games at odd times like Sunday evenings when they don't have anything else to offer, some clubs feel that the fee they receive doesn't even match the amounts lost in match revenue.

The other point about Eastbourne and Lewes surviving in the BSP, I reckon that their chances are reasonable, the clubs coming up from the Southern area tend to be better organised than those from the North...last season it was Histon and Salisbury, the former of whom are a village team from somewhere just outside Cambridge, both of them did pretty well.

 

[Seagulls over Lewes]

Any ideas why Lord B ?

Active Lewes

Without the football club his idea to build on the whole of Lewes will be no more. Elliott is shafting the club to line his pockets and does not care about football. He hardly goes to games and is not wanted at the club.

Sack the Board.

 

[Seagulls over Lewes]

I see that Eastbourne Boro have reputedly signed Sigere and Wormall from Lewes

Wormell a LEGEND

Sigere will be a good signing if he can stay fit which is something he has not done for last two seasons.

 

[seagurn]

Wormell a LEGEND

Sigere will be a good signing if he can stay fit which is something he has not done for last two seasons.

surprised we havn't signed him(Sigere) as i reckon he's very capable of league 1

 

[BigGully]

The problem is that Martin Elliott has turned down the offer of a well-funded consortium that offered to pay for the ground improvements and pump enough resources into the squad and team manager to have a reasonable chance of surviving in the Blue Square Premiership.

OK but wheres the pay off for this consortium. They aint doing for nothing or for the good of the local community are they ?

Is it to develop the adjacent land, into a sports complex etc...etc.

At some point I am sure someone will need to build houses more houses and maybe lots of flats too ;-(

The football club seems to be a liability at this level however you wrap it up.

 

[seagurn]

Surely they would fund the"Active" Lewes by turning round and saying let us build "X" amount of houses and we'll do this and that and line there pockets at the same time as they will do at Ringmer .They wont do it for sweet f.a.?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Martin Elliott has said that his priority is Active Lewes - the plan to create a 'sporting hub' for the town that will bring together the Football Club, Cricket Club, Southdown (Tennis and Hockey) Club, Rugby Club, Athletics Club, South Downs College and LDC's Leisure Centre all into one superdooper sharing of upgraded facilities.

It's a lovely idea, and will cost money. And, no doubt, it will make money for some.

Unfortunately, it means that Martin Elliott can't continue to fund the football club to the extent that it needs to be funded to flourish.

Turning down investment in the football club because it comes from people who don't have Active Lewes at the top of their list of priorities is the action of a man who seems to want to return Lewes FC to the Ryman League.

And there's no sign that his preferred option (the Kevin Keehan appointment) is going to deliver either investment in the ground or a team capable of surviving in the BSP.

The question that everyone is asking is:- Why did Kevin Keehan want to get involved?

 

[BigGully]

Martin Elliott has said that his priority is Active Lewes - the plan to create a 'sporting hub' for the town that will bring together the Football Club, Cricket Club, Southdown (Tennis and Hockey Club), Rugby Club, Athletics Club, South Downs College and LDC's Leisure Centre all into one superdooper sharing of upgraded facilities.

It's a lovely idea, and will cost money. And, no doubt, it will make money for some.

Unfortunately, it means that Martin Elliott can't continue to fund the football club to the extent that it needs to be funded to flourish.

Turning down investment in the football club because it comes from people who don't have Active Lewes at the top of their list of priorities is the action of a man who seems to want to return Lewes FC to the Ryman League.

And there's no sign that his preferred option (the Kevin Keehan appointment) is going to deliver either investment in the ground or a team capable of surviving in the BSP.

The question that everyone is asking is:- Why did Kevin Keehan want to get involved?

So Elliotts gone down the Active Lewes path to try and fund the club.

Which path are the new consortium wishing to go down ??

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Elliott gets his spare cash from being a successful property developer. Over the years, this spare cash has been enough to fund the club's climb from the lower reaches of the Ryman League to where they have got to now.

The consortium seem to be led by a few wealthy locals with a genuine interest in Lewes FC. My guess is that they have about half a million to chuck at a hobby. They seem happy to see the continued involvement of the existing directors in what for them is also basically a hobby. But Elliott is saying no. I guess it's just like any child with a toy. They don't like to share it.

I'm not as convinced as some that Martin Elliott's only motivation is the possibility of building on or next to the Dripping Pan. He's got enough money-making schemes in progress in Lewes to keep anyone happy. The Lewes bus station site, for one. And the Harvey's depot scheme that was plastered all over this week's local paper, for two.

I just wonder whether his growing reputation as the guy who is shafting Lewes FC might bring him trouble with the other developments he's invoved with.

 

[SICKASAGULL]

Big Gulleys line of reasoning equally applies to the Albion,makes you think does it not.?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Does Elliott have some kind of mandate for his Active Lewes scheme? Seems a bit at odds with the demographics of an ageing population. Besides, there's absolutely no reason why these seperate sporting entities can't all continue to develop as completely seperate entities, each at their own pace, accordingf to their own needs. Does Lewes really need a Sports Tzar? Especially one who is a property developer?

Final set of questions that might help throw some light? What is the name of this legendary Football Trust? Presumably it keeps minutes, and is registered somewhere? Who are the trustees? What are their names and professions? How come Elliott's is apparently able to cut them out of the equation and negotiate with LDC for control of the club grounds? Why are the trustees strangely silent?

Post any and all background info here. Cheers

 

[Screaming J]

I'm not as convinced as some that Martin Elliott's only motivation is the possibility of building on or next to the Dripping Pan. He's got enough money-making schemes in progress in Lewes to keep anyone happy. The Lewes bus station site, for one. And the Harvey's depot scheme that was plastered all over this week's local paper, for two.

Have you see the designs for the Harvey's site? I ain't no planner or architect but they look completely inappropriately big for that site if you ask me.