Thetownend.com

When Power took over he came in and tried to control everything as he knew he had to get the club back on an even footing (if you believe that we were £4-5m a year overspend).

He recruited managers that would play under his rules which were to use the loan market primarily and to try to play the way that would get premier league teams to loan their players (Tottenham, Liverpool & Chelsea mainly so far).

Unfortunately it seems he realised he made a massive mistake in trying to do everything and the first sign of that to me was bringing in Sherwood who (supposedly) took control of all player recruitment and worked with the manager / coach on implementing different tactics for the team.

The other sign to me was Waterford, they brought in a new manager, DOF and then replaced the majority of their team and they seem to be flying high (although in a poor league). They have a mixture of old a new (got a couple in their late 30's)

Come the end of the season, he has sacked the manager / coach and 2 of the other backroom staff, and gone on record saying that the new manager will have full control over transfers, that leads to my question.

Has Power learnt a very big lesson in running a football club? Has he thrown in the towel on his vision and realised that he got it wrong?

More likely is that relegation has hit him hard in the pocket. I think he knows he's gonna have to get us back up at the first attempt otherwise his personal cash flow will dry up.

Money will be a big factor yes, he said after the Scunthorpe game that relegation would hit the club for about £1m but likely more

So yes I think he's realised his setup didn't work and it certainly won't work in L2. Hopefully new manager can be his own man without interference from Power and TT.

It will cost the club an initial £1m I am sure but if he gets in the right manager who can bring in the right players then crowds will go up I am certain, to possibly higher levels than this season which averaged 6,783 whereas under the Paolo the average in L2 was 8,400 not to mention the extra revenue that a better manager may bring in with extra sales in merchandise etc. obviously IF the right man is appointed.

So in answer to your question....no I don't think Power has learnt a lesson in running a football club its just that the club (and ultimately him) have been hit hard in the wallet so hes going all out to get us back at the first attempt while not overspending as we did last time round, but I am sure we will have a very healthy top 3 L2 budget this coming season.

The prospect of falling to the conference does stance things to owners. They tend to not want that.

I don't think Power has anything to learn. He knew and continues to know what his strategy is, and the risk/reward associated.

He also hasn't done anything yet to address the issues, the noises are encouraging, but the proof is in the pudding.

Up to now his player recruitment MO had been to say the right thing and get linked to stupid bids for out of reach players, then fail to deliver on either.

will he do the same with the manager, lets see..

I think the lesson he will have learned, is that because of the money loss, further austerity will need to be imposed on the club.

Staffing positions cut won't necessarily be replaced and we'll see more things like as now the club shop being closed.

Other savings will be attempted by dispensing with overnight stops for away games, players washing their own kit etc.

The new man/woman, might have control over recruitment, but the budget will dictate signings will be last minute to save on wages and can only be non league and kids from the Prem reject trials, + the maximum amount of loans.

So any changes will be cosmetic at best and the backdrop going into the season will be trying to ensure FL status

Utter drivel, Reg.

The club shop has closed at the end of every season I can remember going back at least a decade, that is the norm.

The pursuit of Steve Evans suggests a welcome change in approach from Power and is a clear indication we are looking for an immediate return to League 1.
 

 :notworthy:

If Chang decrees, it must come to pass.

I see the PC brigade have another recruit ::)

Total bs reg, the club shop is closed for a few weeks to restock for the new shirts / merchandise for the new season and why have a shop open when the season is finished, it's wasting money then. As chang said, it's been going on for many years.

Are you on the FB group as you would fit right in with Christian and his cronies  ::)

It is however a money saving exercise as stated. If you wish to think Power has had a Damascene conversion, it is of course your perogative.

The big lesson Power needs to learn is to tell that shitbag bottling cunt Sherwood to fuck off. I hear he chose the team at Charlton so is / was still fucking involved. The sooner he gets a full time job and can fuck off the better. If that cunt is hanging around like a piece of shit you can't shake off your shoe the new manager is fucked regardless of who he is. 
The appointment of the new manager is massive. If its JFH then pit would give me optimism. If its someone like Drummey then its business as usual.
Im struggling to see Power being hands off.

No he hasn't learnt a lesson. He will think he knows better than anyone else. That much has always been crystal clear. Until he accepts that he doesn't then fuck all will change.

I don't like it when Chang is right  :(

Makes you question reality itself, doesn't it.

I think half the problem is that Power thinks this too

Power is an evil genius.

So maybe we'll have some more cash for transfer funds now his ransomware's been unleashed? That must have brought in a few quid :)

So he chose the team a week after appearing on Goals on Sunday and stating he was only involved with the club for a short period weeks ago?  What a complete grade a wanker.

Yes, lucky guess probably, but he evened it up by stating that we are pursuing Steve Evans. We don't know if Power is trying to get Evans or not; it's pure speculation and highly unlikely as he would have to pay Mansfield compensation.

You've clearly forgotten that Chang is ITK and has no use for speculation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw)

He hasnt learnt anything.

Just a change of plan in relation to making the business more successful, rather than the disaster of this.

I expect an underwhelming appointment hyped up ala Williams ' the best coach I'm the league'. We will be told hes fully in charge of everything. Can you really see Power doing a U turn on everything he has put in place?! I cant!

Usual case of saying the right thing without any substance or any evidence of real change.

More of the same ,with FL survival my target next season being my personal target.

I will be there...enjoying or suffering.

Let's wait until the next manager is announced, if we get a JFH then it would point to lessons being learned, if it's more in the mould of Williams we have cause for concern.

That sounds like learning something to me. Otherwise why not keep things the same

Watching the Blackpool v Luton playoff and one of the commentators talked about how Scott Cuthbert had played in two Wembley finals the last one being with Leyton Orient and look where they are now from only thre seasons ago. The other commentator then said "...and that is what can happen when owners get it wrong"

A Leopard never changes his spots,  I must admit that i've heard so much BS come out of Powers mouth that everything he says is a complete and utter lie. How many times  has he said i will be recruiting early, and it usually ends up 2 weeks before the season starts. Can you really believe that he is going to get a manager in, in the next couple of weeks, i'm afraid i cant!.... There are 11 weeks before the season starts again, and at the moment all there is, is specuation, has anyone been interviewed yet?

Archibald been interviewed and I know its not going to be him as manager from a good source I don't know the reason but I would imagine others have been interviewed as well and wouldn't be surprised if this week or next week and announcement is made.

How many times have we heard 'Sherwood has left the club', 'Sherwood has no input into the team' etc.
Can't believe a word the man says.

On this point... I think there's a difference between a lie, and not delivering on a promise. In fairness to Power, we signed Goddard right after the season ended. I can't really call him a liar for not getting business done early, I don't believe for a second he was sat around going "mwa hahaha I will sign no one until August" I just think we were probably beaten by other clubs to a lot of the players he wanted. That's not lying.

This, this and this

Unfortunately there is a few people who believe Power didn't sign anyone just to save 1 month of player wages  ::)

Buying a player is like buying a house, you put an offer in then wait while the owner makes their decision, you then might have to raise your offer and then get all the surveys and mortgage sorted before you can move in. In an ideal world you can move in within weeks but you could be waiting 2 months. We were supposedly in for the Peterborough player but had an offer rejected, he then went to Northampton.

No Gareth. Buying a club is like buying a house.  :)

You're Bob Holt's unacknowledged bastard offspring, aren't you? Suddenly it all makes sense

Corrected for you?

tbf, he's a bit younger and more coherent

What Bob Holt?  ;)

Quoted just in case he's Chang'd it..

But he just rambles on about shit and uses dodgy analogies all the time.

So does Holt to be fair.

:)

From http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/15299221.Sherwood_poised_to_end_Town_tenure/ & his call into BBC Wilts yesterday.


I am really hoping that the final part is true and now we are over the debt free hurdle, the club will be ran more traditionally (still on a budget) but with less focus on selling players. I can see why he did it, no body wants to own a business losing half a million a month but the way he chose only worked for a short term and relies on quite a lot of luck.

Like almost every other club we'll still need to sell players on a consistent basis. As regards club debt I doubt we are debt free - we'll owe Power personally instead of outside debtors.

I think Power cocked-up big time thinking we could 'limp over the line' to avoid relegation. If he really is loosening the purse strings I'm sure he thought it would be to attempt to go up from L1 not to regain L1 status from L2.

Strangely, I'm quite looking forward to next season

Certainly it is the first season where we go into with our FL status under question. Wouldn't say the prospect particularly thrills me though.

it's certainly one of the more interesting close seasons. what happens next....

we'll talk about excited or otherwise one we have a manager and some players

One thing at a time Batch....be patient...manager first ;)

We are supposedly debt free to him apart from funds he put into the club in December, we became debt free to him in July last year (again supposedly).

I would guess that he won't let us get into massive debt (to him personally) so the budgets will reflect the division we are in but sounds like next season that philosophy has gone out of the window just so we get promoted.

Broken record Reg. in a recent post to me you said you didn't seriously expect to be in a relegation battle and that it was said tongue in cheek and then post after post of fl status and relegation drivel follows

I don't recognise this post.... I do recall you saying that stats showed a 3/10 chance of going straight down, to which I agreed that it suggests odds against, but also evidence that it can happen.

I also said if we're not a club in crisis, then we're a club being chronically mismanaged.  So far, albeit early close season, I've yet to see much evidence of a change.

Your exact words:

So it's not something you seriously entertain but something that you will continually refer to  :hmmm:

It wasn't a 3/10 chance of going down either, it's 3 teams from the last 10 seasons.

Never seriously entertained until now. This is the reality of our present condition. You may have belief that Power is a changed man.... I need a lot more convincing.

 Two weeks ago you never seriously entertained the thought, then power has sacked Williams, got rid of shit players, confirmed one of the highest budgets in the league and said that model will change and manager will have 100% control of signings. Following this news you have changed your mind and relegation is a possibility.

All good, your entitled to your opinion

To be fair words are cheap. So far we don;t know who the manager will be, we don't know if the shit players will be replaced by bigger shit and the budget is unknown. Power is saying all the right things but its the actions that will convince most, not words.
This is as massive a pre season as I can remember. Reg is right that going out the league is a possibility but very easily avoided, as was relegation last year. Power fucked that right up, so many clear signposts and so many shit decisions or non decisions. In fact, its still difficult to put last season into context. Power maybe a football man but Mr Mghoo would have done better.
I think everyone has a right to be cynical at the moment. All power has to do stop the cynicism is do what he says he will do.

Absolutely; firstly we don't have a new manager...secondly the man who we don't have, who is in charge of signings has offered 1 goal in 3 years Jermaine Hylton new terms. Power told us last season we had a top ten budget.....

I think it is going to be difficult to attract the right calibre of boss required, he's then going to have to recruit the right type of player and develop the new style of play.

It's a daunting prospect. We'll need to get back to basics... maybe it will work, but the possibility that it might not has to be considered given events over the last couple of seasons, when so many decisions taken have gone so badly wrong.

Proof before belief is pretty prevalent in the fanbase to be fair.
-------
I'm still amazed we offered contacts to the goal machine and the incredible sulk. Makes me also think the new man must be known and consulted.

Can't for the life of me think why 'I recruited badly' Power would make that call on his Todd.

Suppose it may be a derisory offer that will let the new man leave it, or increase it as he sees fit. But you'd think that would apply to Smith too.

Probably overthinking this? Or any other ideas wtf the case is here..

I can understand offering contracts to Branco and Nathan, but not Hylton or Yaser or NSSJO. It can't be with a view to getting a fee as they're too old. What would be the point in someone who wants to play a more direct game being handed Yas as one of his key players? 

Of course words are cheap and power may not do any of these things. I'm highlighting the fact that in two weeks of Reg has changed his mind and turns every post into a relegation theory.

Everything is a prediction at the moment, everything.

Offering Hylton a contract produces no further evidence to either argument of relegation.

Spouting relegation ideas constantly in May with absolutely no idea who will be in charge and which signings we will make. regardless of our recruitment there are also 23 other teams playing in league 2 with their own issues to sort out with attendances and budgets a fraction of ours.

Basically I'm saying fucking cheer up

You're trying to reason with Reg?

Think that through, and consider the futility of your efforts.

I can see Hylton scoring goals in League 2. I think he has something about him. Playing an odd game in a struggling team wouldn't have helped his confidence. Utilise his pace and play at a quicker tempo and I think he could do well.

Hylton needs to stay fit and hit the ground running.

Doesn't seem like too much to ask..!

Jermaine looks to me like a non league footballer... he does run around a bit, but there's a bit more to it than that.

A decent striker tends to have a trademark sort of goal in him, the better they are the more trademark goals.  So some stikers we got from non league... Jimmy Quinn, strong in the air and a shot like a mule, you could see how he would score. Charlie Austin, decent enough in the air, if the ball found him in and around the box, he found a way of sticking it away.

Colin Gordon, again strong in the air, could do pen box finishing.  I just don't see anything in Jermaine that looks like an eye for goal.

I accept that sometimes it just clicks for a player at a certain club at a certain time, look at someone like Bryan Wade, proper non league lad from Trowbridge yet managed 10 goals in his first season.

Bryan's trademark was the diving header or bundle the ball over the line after an aerial bombardment.

Hylton's a woeful footballer, very, very limited and frankly I am amazed he has been offered a contract by a football league club and that is us having seen first hand just what he offers (nothing).

If he signs it then we'll also have to endure at least another season of fans tediously saying he hasn't been giving a chance and deserves a run in the team - he's proven to be out of his depth.

What on earth Power is playing at here I really don't know  :no:

Hylton for the league's top scorer has to be worth a punt, then!

I agree with Reg and Chang,Hylton is dogshit at best and getting the best out of him will prduce fuck all.
He probably would find it hard to stock shelves at Tesco

:eek:

 :jumpy: :jumpy: :jumpy: :jumpy: :jumpy: :jumpy:

Dogshit is a bit harsh, but somewhat lacking composure in front of goal - enough for him to slip back into non league (then score a few, leading to misplaced 'why did we let him go'

I think dogshit sums him up perfectly

Bet he doesnt sign it and signs for Forest Green. He was a Cooper recommendation and signing wasnt he?

They do score too many goals at the moment,his signing would out an end to that.
Besides doesn't the owner like shit on his pitch.

There's not necessarily a lot wrong with being a non league footballer, with the occasional foray into Div 4....take Paul Benson, very decent at Conference level scored a few in Div 4 here and there, but definitely his level.

Jermaine could possibly make a go of it in the Conference.... hopefully not with us  :)

Another who has had a tidy, mostly non league career is Scott Doe... loads of games for the likes of Weymouth and  D and R.

Doe is still only 28 presumably the same age as Theo Walcott, as Town were looking at Doe, when Walcott was spotted playing in the same kids team.

I assumed Cooper would take him when Jermaine went to Guisley.... I'd imagine he'd have the budget for better.

Obika was spotted in nailsworth earlier

Is Hylton under 24 ?

Maybe it is a ploy by Power to offer him a shit contract so he leaves but can get a fee or a sell on clause for him just in case.

Cynical ? me ? never

Going by the FB group, all season ticket holders next season are getting refunds in form of gift vouchers, this is then also likely the second announcement Bilko hinted at which is a reduction in s/t and ticket prices?

refunds for what reason?

Relegation? it's not going to be massive amounts, probably only 10/15% but all season ticket holders will get a letter with a gift voucher.

interesting... welcome if true with one or two caveats!

What did they give us back last time we went down? 40 quid or somehing wasnt it?

Has Power learnt his lesson......... NO!
Couple of weeks ago he was saying we would have one of the biggest budgets in this league, then we hear from Flitcroft that we couldn't afford some of the players that have been transferred already this season.
I quote from the adver,
“Recruitment wise, I don’t think we could have afforded the players who are at the top end,” added Flitcroft.

“I have been working strategically with Leicester and have been speaking to so many different people and looking at every U23 game going.

“Those players have already been signed by the real big hitters in League One and the big hitters in League Two. We probably weren’t in the market for them.
So here we go again, more Bullshit !!!!

My recommendation would be to not believe everything one reads. Let's just wait and see who gets signed and how the manager (and his yet to be announce backroom team) gets the team to play.

No need to get so excited just yet. We're not the only team to have not made a signing. Flitcroft is just through the door and there will be loads of players in the Thompson and Obika bracket seeing what offers are on the table and making a choice on their next moves in the coming weeks.

I strongly doubt Flitcroft would be here if he didn't like what he saw regarding the budget and already said the reason he took a while to accept our offer was because he wanted assurances he'd be building the squad.

If we get to August and all we've signed is 8 loanees and a bunch of 21 year olds I'll be joining you in the bullshit calling but for now I'm looking forward to what Flitcroft puts together.

This hurts my head

Do you really expect a manager to come out and say our budget is massive, how effing productive would that be

Flitcroft said the same at Bury to be fair, as pointed out in the other thread.

So he's been looking at some youngsters. Does that mean he definitely intends to have a very young squad? Of course it fucking well doesn't.

It is possible to have some younger players in a squad complemented with older heads. He might even want just one or two youngsters, did that not cross your mind redjed? There's fuck-all wrong with that. In fact, I think it's a good thing.

He's not even made a signing yet and you're complaining about his signings already. Think that through.