Is this the way to (Amarillo) relegation?

[Womble98]

Not saying that offering free season tickets to kids is a bad idea by any means, but it slants the reliability of the attendances doesn't it?

 

[DippyDon]

Not saying that offering free season tickets to kids is a bad idea by any means, but it slants the reliability of the attendances doesn't it?

Not really, we still have to 'sell' for want of a better word, those tickets so we know how many have gone, and like every club we have a total amount of season tickets that is added on to the individual match tickets that have been used for the game.
Our attendance figures look too big mainly down to the number of season ticket holders and the size of the stadium. When you consider each block holds around 800 seats and we are all spread out because of the people in the corners that refuse to move when the option of closing the corners for league games come about, it's no wonder that the ground looks emptier than it actually is

 

[Womble98]

I can never understand why clubs which fail to fill large chunks of the ground don't just close them and group everyone together.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

They're not coming up bud so I put 6.
Still a travesty that they've been down there that long.

For "travesty" see comedy gold

 

[Camdenite]

I can never understand why clubs which fail to fill large chunks of the ground don't just close them and group everyone together.

We agree on something!

Our issue is that back in the summer of 2007 the club was holding open days for people to select their seats and it was never considered as an issue (not that we thought we'd sell it out, but just naivety on the clubs part). At the time the cheapest seats were in the corner and so a fair number got S/T's there.

Since then we've made it the same price as the Cowshed and East Wing but S/T holders there don't want to give up their seats amongst friends and on the back few rows to be possibly split up and be on a lower row in The Cowshed. Understandable, but frustrating in terms of the extra cost of stewarding and filling The Cowshed. Most other clubs would have enforced closure (see Villa and the Trinity Road Upper announcement this week) and relocated everyone, but, as we know, we're not like most clubs...

 

[Camdenite]

Not really, we still have to 'sell' for want of a better word, those tickets so we know how many have gone, and like every club we have a total amount of season tickets that is added on to the individual match tickets that have been used for the game.

It's worth adding that those under 12 Free Season Tickets are limited to two per family and there must be a full paying adult purchasing one too. Same goes for match day sales.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Said it before and will say it again, the only positive I see regards to MK is their community/family policy

 

[Pagnell]

We gained 2,000 new S/T holders this season. 1,200 of them have already renewed for next year. We'll be average 10K next season, and probably a fair bit more if we do OK.

I've already been cajoled into renewing the daughter's MK Dons season ticket. She says she's looking forward to winning some games again.

 

[hodge]

I've already been cajoled into renewing the daughter's MK Dons season ticket. She says she's looking forward to winning some games again.

She's BetterCallSaul ?

 

[JJH]

Only Rotherham and MK Dons had a lower wage bill than us this season, so looking at it it's probably an achievement we've kept ourselves up. I expect that to change massively next season.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

I've already been cajoled into renewing the daughter's MK Dons season ticket. She says she's looking forward to winning some games again.

Childline still exists right?

 

[Pagnell]

She's over 16, and no longer takes a blind bit of notice of anything I say, including about football.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

She's over 16, and no longer takes a blind bit of notice of anything I say, including about football.

16? And you're buying her ST? What's she got on you?

 

[Third Team Lucky]

She's over 16, and no longer takes a blind bit of notice of anything I say, including about football.

Gotta love female empowerment

 

[JJH]

16? And you're buying her ST? What's she got on you?

Obligatory to stay in education until you're 18 now fella, unless she has a part-time job on the weekends (which I presume she doesn't, given she's a ST holder).

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Obligatory to stay in education until you're 18 now fella, unless she has a part-time job on the weekends (which I presume she doesn't, given she's a ST holder).

Things really have changed, I saved up for mine at sixteen, paper round, milk round, Christmas money etc. Kids these days lack that shit.

Though being a tad hypocritical I've bought our young un her first ST next season as a 16th birthday present

 

[BCFC David]

Only Rotherham and MK Dons had a lower wage bill than us this season, so looking at it it's probably an achievement we've kept ourselves up. I expect that to change massively next season.

This a fact? Can't imagine Prestons being higher than ours.

 

[JJH]

This a fact? Can't imagine Prestons being higher than ours.

Stockhausen reckons so!

 

[TomPNE94]

Stockhausen reckons so!

Can't remember who it was, Nixon possibly, said we had a bottom 3 budget back in Dec/Jan.

 

[JJH]

Can't remember who it was, Nixon possibly, said we had a bottom 3 budget back in Dec/Jan.

- they're both as bad as each other, so I don't know who to believe on this one.

 

[MagpieBee]

Our is supposedly still the 5th smallest, just ahead of the promoted sides and Rothers.

For the last few seasons we've paid out a lot in bonuses, but don't think it'll be anywhere near what we had last season this year

 

[JJH]

Our is supposedly still the 5th smallest, just ahead of the promoted sides and Rothers.

For the last few seasons we've paid out a lot in bonuses, but don't think it'll be anywhere near what we had last season this year

Yours is £17.7m which is 'mid-table', according to our local journalist who is a Brentford fan.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Whoever wrote that is talking absolute fucking testicles!

Ours last year was £12m including ALL staff and directors.

Brentfords was £15m from the GROUP accounts

 

[Destruction]

Said it before and will say it again, the only positive I see regards to MK is their community/family policy

When you start a football club overnight you've got to be hands on when it comes to starting a fanbase too.

Only Rotherham and MK Dons had a lower wage bill than us this season, so looking at it it's probably an achievement we've kept ourselves up. I expect that to change massively next season.

There is absolutely no chance your wage bill is smaller than ours. I bet whatever you're paying for Tomlin and Odemwinge is more than our entire first eleven are paid.

 

[JJH]

Don't shoot the messenger chaps.

 

[wiganmudhuts28]

ours was around 10mil in league one hahahha shocking really

 

[MagpieBee]

Whoever wrote that is talking absolute fucking testicles!

Ours last year was £12m including ALL staff and directors.

Brentfords was £15m from the GROUP accounts

Last year was much higher. Most of ours is paid out in bonuses, and we did quite well last year!

If we don't make the play offs the wage bill is much much lower.

 

[RUFC1986]

To be fair, having seen the discussion on Wage Bills, what an achievement ours is to avoid Relegation for the second successive Season on the lowest budget. Just shows, with the right recruitment, a Management and Coaching Staff who not how to get results, then you really can attain your goals.

Warnock for me is now playing a good game in my opinion. I think he wants to stay and is hinting at the Chairman to raise investment. Snippets like 'I'm managing in The Championship, but I'd like that 8th Promotion' and telling everyone that the club needs to invest in the Training Facilities is his way of getting the club to move forward. I think you'll see him stay at New York. And if he does stay, with the added Financial Input, you wont see us struggle like the previous two seasons.

 

[AnkleBiter]

Surely added financial input would see you live way beyond your means though? And for what, finishing a few places higher?
This is the headache for the smaller clubs, do you go for it but risk financial instability, or live within your means but risk boring your fans? The only things that could bring a return on that investment would be the play offs (let's be realistic) or a good cup run.

 

[RUFC1986]

I can see your point, but I think the club believe there are a lot of external sponsorship opportunities that have not been explored. Plus as I understand, with us having the lowest wage budget in the division, the club have not, for want of a better term 'maxed out' the income we are currently generating. It's time to loosen the buckle slightly.

Your point illustrates perfectly our next conundrum as a Football Club. The Ground Capacity is 12,031 I believe, so the most we can ever get for a game is approx. 11,750. We are averaging just under 10k. and what has kept that figure down, is our inability to give away supporters anymore than 2500. Should we be positive, extend the ground to 16k and estimate an average support of 13k with more away supporters and the ability as a home fan to buy tickets on the day with your mates, not just scattered around on your own. Or worry that we do a Doncaster and have 5/6k rattling around in and empty Stadium??