Thetownend.com

Just gone 8 am and no thread, apathy reigns.

2 nil win today just to keep the faint hope alive.
Very faint.

6212 with 56 hardy norvern souls

Another draw in the wind and rain

That sounds pretty much like it.

0-0

Meh

A rousing 3-1 with 365 nearly-Scots.

Can’t be arsed for this one, tbh.

Snap. I’m at the stage where I’m looking forward for this god awful season to end.

I’m on holiday for the play off final anyway so watching us lose pathetically to DF’s Mansfield at Wembley hardly appeals.

It’s been a strange old season, for sure. All most of us have seen is shite home performances yet we are on the verge of the play offs.

How did that happen?

Keeping up the consistency thingy, a home win and they’ll score.

On a separate note, what time does the LL open? Thinking of having a footy extravaganza with my lad today seeing as the Mrs has pissed off up the smoke for the day. Scouse v Scouse, Town v Plastic Jocks then Manc v Manc at my local.

Don't think that's going to happen,  their current form is as bad as ours !!!, Can't see either side making the play offs, unless there is a dramatic turnaround in results.  Flitcroft certainly causing a rift between Mansfield fans.  Their forum  - Stagsnet  -  has already had a 'Flitcroft Out'  page for several weeks,  seems like they didn't believe us like we didn't believe the Bury fans.     Well worth viewing.

With Carlisle's current form being WDLDLWWWWDDDWL (the 3 defeats against high flying Mansfield, Lincoln and Notts County) I cant see past a 0-3 Defeat ending our play off hopes in front of 5,938 with 255 suedo jocks making the trip down.

They have only ever won at the CG once in 21 visits back in 2011 with Swindon winning 10 and drawing 10, but we all know long unbeaten records are there to be broken and several have this season already.

In free fall. 10-13 points max for them including today’s home game v Crewe.

Plus we have it in our locker to be hideous at home this season!

Home form has been little better than relegation form, but away form has been championship standard! its been unusual.

To be consistent with inconsistent form this season, I guess we're due a win.

The rest of this month we have 3 home, 2 away, all very winnable. Win them all and we’re in the PO. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

2-1 Town

Loss today 2-1 carsile have no faith in power or anyone anymore i just want my swindon back.

What is "My Swindon"?

A fictitious  place

Well "my Swindon" would be languishing in the middle to lower reaches of Div 3 not in much relegation bother and not bothering the play offs, perennially under achieving for a town of its size who aren't bad at home and pretty rubbish away from home who flirt with promotion to the top 2 divisions occassionally but in the main are a middling div 3 club.

We haven’t done too well in the ‘must wins’ of late.

If this is a ‘must win’, then I predict a 1-1 draw.

If this is a ‘dead rubber’ then I’ll go for 2-1 to Swindon.

Hopefully Richards is over his injury and starts today alongside Woolery, although Mullin has a good shout at a starting spot too.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Lancashire back today too.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaLoooCWsAAQDgQ.png:large)

Gordon is a surprise.Thought McD or Mullin would have started

Mayo must be carrying an injury to not even be on the bench.

I like the look of Richards alongside Woolery, last week they linked up well.

Not convinced by Gordon, I have yet to see him do much for us, he lacks pace and crossing ability but I am willing to be proven wrong today, he must be playing a more central role filling in for Anderson.

McDermott played by far his best game for us last week and probably deserved a starting slot over Gordon IMO.

Like that team today, quite confident.
3.0 Swindon - 20/1 so whacked a tenner on.

Optimistic, we haven't kept a clean sheet in 8 games.

All runs come to an end.  ;)

Fingers crossed!

I just can't see after the last few matches where 3 goals and a clean sheet will come from, I hope I am wrong.

Amazingly I am still getting a buzz.COYR

Carlisles kit is fucking attrocious.

The ref is a big old unit!

no idea what gordon has done, but it's not good. looks like shoulder. he's a goner

Gordon down with a twisted ankle.

Could be, looked like his ankle gave way to me but thats not an ankle they are looking at.

Yeah hes holding his shoulder doesn't look like he will carry on.

Gas and air and a stretcher for Gordon.

McDermott coming on for Gordon.

So that’s Norris and Gordon both out with serious shoulder problems.

Flitcroft Out!

0-2 already

We really do seem unlucky when it comes to injuries.

Taylor free kick tests the keeper from all of 40 yards out.

Oh dear Flitcroft

Lovely little nutmeg from McD sets up a nice move.

how the fuck have we missed that

Swindon playing some good attacking football.

Town header cleared off the line after a corner.

Silly booking for Dunne.

If there is ever such a thing as a great foul, that was it by Dunne.

Stopped a dangerous counter attack and let us regroup

Carlisle also passing the ball around well.

Great cross in by McD but just over Richards head.

Moore not coming out to collect free balls is concerning, puts the defenders under unnecessary danger.

Superb break from Swindon, long ball finds Woolery who can't quite get his cross to Richards at the far post.

Good deep cross from Hussey just not quite enough height to clear the keeper.

Mansfield 1-4

haha Flitcroft you cunt

Woolery chooses the wrong option in taking his man on and shooting rather than the quick pass back to Richards.

Echoed!

I wonder if Crewe have ever scored 4 away from home in the first half before?

He’s got the reverse Midas touch.

I see Yeovil, yet again, have had 2 sent off already

Banned for Tuesday?

Yeovil down to 9. could be tiring and useful suspensions for Tuesday

Didn’t that happen the last time we played Yeovil?

Definately, unless appealed.

Taylor free kick just over from 25 yards.

Carlisle Striker Hallam Hope taken off injured.

I have to admit to getting considerable enjoyment out of the Flitcroft/Mansfield situation.

1-4

Fuck. Me.  8)

Yes but it was 3 players banned that day.

Banks nice theatrical dive!

Banks, Hussey and Taylor are linking up well today down the left.

Yeah thought so! :)

Unlucky foul given against Woolery after he ran 30 yards to keep a pass in play.

Lovely long sliding tackle from McD and the Carlisle man makes a meal of it.

Our final ball has been poor again so far, but when we have managed to find either of the front two there touch has let them down.

Carlisle definately have come to try and play football today making it a fairly open game.

7 mins added time.

Dunne is passing the ball well today again and is playing better again other than his one very bad tackle that he was rightly booked for.

Nice interplay between Knoyle and McD ending in McD shooting straight at their keeper.

Lovely cross form Banks just beyond Taylor.

0-0 HT not a bad game we were the better side and created more chances but didn't really look like scoring.

Nobody is playing badly but Richards and Woolery are a little off the pace after a good start.

Mansfield score gets announced twice over tannoy :)

We need to step this up, because at the moment I can't see where a goal is going to come from.

yeah it's fairly even but don't look like scoring from open play

Yet again with other results the door is open. We’ve failed to take advantage before, today is the last chance saloon I think.

Feels like D Day to me. Scrambled winner in the 90th will do fine...but we need to get those 3 points.

McD from 20 yards tests the keeper.

Dunne from 20 yards tests the keeper.

Getting closer?

The gobby number 28 booked for arguing with the lino and ref!

Certainly getting shots in but not testing the keeper too much they are simple saves.

Good cross into the near post from Taylor just saved.

Great cross in from Taylor inches from Richards head.

Good corner onto Purkiss head just over the bar.

Lots of gamesmanship from Carlisle.

Coventry now losing we HAVE to take advantage

Lovely cross in by McD inches away from a touch.

Good ball into Banks from Knoyle just falls behind him in the box.

Taylor putting some good balls in but nobody challenging for them, Richards and Woolery both a bit off today.

Crosses by the plenty.surely one will result in a goal

Mullin and Anderson warming up as Moore makes a decent save.

Only if there is someone near the end of the cross which at the moment there isn't!

I would bring Mullin on for Woolery to liven it up a bit.

McD wanted too many touches but the ball falls to Woolery straight at the keeper from 20 yards.

Taylor another great cross inches from Woolery.

Anderson on for Lancashire...wierd one.

Strange sub.

Lancashire is up there for my MoM today.

Banks shoots high from all of 30 yards out.

Att 5807  :eek:

McD good cross in flicked wide by the defender.

McD just inside the box has a good shot blocked.

Good pressing by Town again shot just over.

I would bring on Mullin for Richards or Woolery to change it up a bit.

Not going to be again is it?

Lovely twists and turns from Banks floats a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box.

McGivern stripping off about to come on.

Richards rugby tackled down just outside the box 25 yards or so.

Terrible resulting free kick from Taylor.

McGivern on for Richards.

McGivern on for Richards.
Two very strange subs.

McGivern slotting at as solo centre back it seems.

Hussey makes a brilliant run but fluffs the cross.

Knoyle goes down holding his ankle.

5,877 crowd.

Taylor nearly makes them pay for a mistake at the back.

Solid save from Moore.

Another corner to Town, thats 9.

Brown shouldn't have taken Lancashire off.  They then brought on a big unit and he had to bring Mcgivern on to revert back to a back 4.  Complete waste of a sub.  Time is ticking .....

Headed wide by Purkiss.

3 mins left of added time.

gave it everything, just didn't quite have enough. no complaints.

Overall I think we deserved it but couldnt get a toe or head onto one of the 30 or more crosses we put into dangerous positions today.

McDermott, Dunne and Banks all played well, Lancashire and Purkiss had good games, Knoyle, Hussey and Taylor all played quite well too.

Moore was solid in goal today.

Richards and Woolery weren't up to the task, Woolery better than Richards but neither looked like scoring today.

McGivern looked handy when he came on, Anderson played as a striker and looked out of position.

Still not all over but very very difficult to get into the play offs now.

Very frustrating.  The effort was there as was a much better way of playing, but the lack of quality is hampering us.  Today, both Taylor and Hussey can go and sever their left feet, stick them in a vat of acid and let them dissolve.  Their final ball was fucking useless and their flank was the key for us today.  So many opportunities to put the defence under pressure ended up in shanked or dribbled balls in.

It's a shame Flitcroft survived his December slump, I think with a Manager trying to mold the team the way we are now and a few of the right sort of players we could have pushed on a little more.  It's just a case of being close but not close enough now.

Suprisingly still only 2 points off 7th.

McDermott also reminded me of why I wasn't so sure on him, he is like a headless chicken.  If only someone could give the guy a brain he'd be quite good.

How many times is Matty T going to put a cross in at the post before there's someone actually there  :no:

you would think a lump like Norris would be perfect for the the crosses we put in. imagine a Paul Benson/barry corr in this side.

it's disappointing again. but yet again we are still in the mix and until we aren't we need to think that we can do it. a clean sheet is an obvious bonus

Not sure what to say really.

The only real action in the first half was winding up their #3. Oh we had one that looked to have been cleared off the line, but other than that...

Second half we lumped the ball in the box a billion times, but never really looked like scoring. They put in a shift, but it wasn't quite enough.

The league table looks tantalising, but we don't look like a team making the playoffs to me right now. The trouble is, I bet fans of all three of us after that 7th place are saying the same. Still Coventry's to lose though.

Shouldn’t Richard be thriving on the service?

he should and has looked poor recently. obviously not fit but not much choice to play. the more we don't lool like scoring it's  whether we throw a twine on and see what happens. he should be on as sub at least the more the others fail to make an impact of the bench 

The thing I'm surprised is that PB hasn't brought in an out of contract CAM or Forward. I know when Richards clicks he's great but we can't rely on just him and if he's carrying a slight injury too. In any case I agree, while we're still in the play off hunt we can still do it. Plenty of twists and turns yet to come.

We have struggled all season to break teams down at home and not won by more than a single goal for nearly all our wins at home.

Maybe the Flitcroft hoofball disguised that actually we never had goals in us in the first place and with Flitcroft gone that gap is now exposed.

The only saviour is other teams are getting the jitters and there is still time to do a late sneak into the playoffs. We have never done that in our history before.

Sent from my HTC U11

So history is telling us that this is our chance/turn to break that trend :)

 3 draws is like a win, according to Luke, Chap 1 Verse 1.

Another game where we got plenty of crosses in and yet again mostly shite. Taylor put plenty of effort in but was crap. Richards was crap. both of them, however, are owed the odd poor performance. Woollery was dogshit with no presence matched by Anderson who despite coming off the bench put in less effort than Taylor and Richards.
Moore did most things well and was pretty solid. Purkiss and Lancashire were both more than decent. Knoyle was ok. Hussey, like Taylor couldn't cross and has had better days.
McDermott was my MOM. Banks was crap first half but good second. Dunne looks a completely different player since Brown arrived and I thought he had a decent game.
Wasn't as bad as other games but its not going to pack them in. There is still very little entertainment on offer.

Did anybody catch what Power had to say in his pre match chat on the radio?

Bits, one interesting point was it is the club trying buying the ground as an asset not Lee Power.

Aren't they one and the same.

It's been a few hours but:,

1. Shocked by Flitcroft decision, timing not good
 2. Brown top of list, deal done pretty quickly. Whole club seems to have had a lift.
3. Happy for Taylor to run the team for that week while looked at options. Disappointed with performance v cheltenham so went with new man
4. The football club have presented to council re ground, waiting for response. Expected in summer following elections and other council internal meetings.
5. Only real option for club going forward whether he's owner or not.
6. Pleased with lowish Agent fees as trying to run club as a business hence £2 million top up this season unlike previous owners, hence previous administrations.
7. Disappointed with recent results but still aiming for playoffs. All owners can now see all games live on a laptop thanks to EFL.
8. Next season plans, contracts, budgets, manager all up in air due to unknown end of season position. Understands fans reluctance re season tickets if league still unknown, may not renew if Div 4

He implied that if he wasn't the owner the ground would go with the club.

Thanks for this. Much appreciated. Some very interesting points.

Late thoughts, back in Devon now!  We went Exec as a birthday celebration - excellent food but service left a bit to be desired!!  Disappointing game, plentry of endeavour but once again no end product.  Surprised to see certain comments re McDermot - I thought he added very little to the team but it is all aboiut opinions!  Thought Moore looked better today, although Brown was getting frustrated with him not releasing the ball quickly, hardly won anything in the air in the final third but persisted in hitting long high balls up to non-existent hold-up guys.  Disappointed in Woollery, has the ability be a great no. 10 just behind the front two.

How is that surprising when that’s been the line communicated every single time this has been brought up?

Is RCC injured or just shit?

Both I think.

In fairness to Moore, without doing anything special, he played well yesterday. Took crosses, held shots and got his kicks away. He still sticks too closely to his line, and is certainly not a long term first choice, but hopefully it gives him a bit of a boost for the next few games.

I thought that considering our league two status we played like an average league two team playing at home. Plenty of endeavour, especially in the second half but no real quality, simple. However PB dressed up the next fixture on the radio it IS a must win game. We do not have the luxury of ten games to kick on we have five. The team cannot solely rely on other teams to drop points as sure they will. Still optimistic but nothing more. The last game of the season at home to Accy needing a win fills me with foreboding. If AS have won the league, they’re not going to want to have us piss on their fireworks by just turning up and rolling over for us.

I am still surprised that we have not won any of our last 4 games yet are still well and truly in the play off mix.

A win Tuesday and we will be right back into thick of it.

The only fault with his display yesterday was that he was not quick enough releasing the ball. On a couple of occasions Woolery and Richards were two on two and an early kick could have put real pressure on their defence. At one stage Brown gesticulated to him to get it moving quicker.

Yeovil are better on the road than at Huish Park, they're won their last 2 at ColU and then put 6 on Cov.   We've a 100% losing record for Tuesday nights at the CG for this season. In other words a very difficult game, from which a winning outcome would be a surprise.  Hopefully suspensions for the Glovers might help.

They may have won their last 2 but thats 50% of all the away games they have won this season, they have lost 10 on their travels.

Their fans are very optimistic though about beating us, but then they were before the game at Huish.

Their current form is LLLLDWWL

In the early part of the season their home form was decent, away terrible, that's turned round to some extent. 

Ignore him, it's the usual selective bullshit. Our "100% Tuesday night losing record" amounts to 2 narrow defeats against promotion-chasing teams, the most recent of which was in mid-October.

In any case, those stretch back to the days when our old chum "Flitters" was in charge. You know, the one who was going to lead Mansfield on to automatic promotion.

Nevertheless it is a 100% losing midweek home record.  Similarly when Flitters left we were in the PO slots and now we're not.

No point crying over spilt milk... I for one won't blame Brown if he can't get us up.

With Reg on this one... I felt we were a top ten side but not quite good enough to go up before Flitters fucked off.

I think it was Robert T that said during the Crawley game that it was clear that it was going to take time for us to be able to change the way we play.

He has made us harder to beat but clearly we are struggling to create clear cut chances. Hopefully his ideas are being taken on board and it will click on Tuesday night.

I hope that PB decides to stay with us next season no matter what league we are in, I think he will get in his own men that play the way he wants, I think we could be quite successful under his managership.

We have seen a few signs that we are better already IMO than under flipflop.

I think if he gets similar support from Power that Flip Flop got he’ll be here. But there are only so many jobs that become available.

Depends if the short term was his idea or Power’s.

We get plenty of crosses in but either very little quality or lack of movement from the forwards. Nobody attacks the ball particularly at the front post. Also when was the last time one of our players challenged the keeper in the air for a cross.
I hope brown stays. I think we look a bit more solid and probably not too far from being decent at this level but just short at the moment. That's not browns fault. You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.

I think Ajose would have loved that service yesterday but as a target man who attacks the near post I don't think we have had one since Benson was with us.

Richards is a good defensive forward but hes not a target man or an out and out striker and going to the near post for flick ons or attacking the goal isn't part of his game even though he has got a couple like that already, saying that he is far from fitness at the moment.

I don't know if Twine would play that way if given a chance, I have never seen him play or what his style is but now could be a good chance to blood him, he has a great record at U18 level and got a few for 'Nam earlier in the season too.

I know its a big step up from that level but if you are good enough.....and yes I know hes not the new messiah.

I can't recall us ever having a 'quick release' keeper, but it's all about % play these days.
Would be great to see a keeper who is encouraged to start a counter with quick distribution at the risk of losing possession.

To be fair there were a few occasions when Flitcroft had a go at Lawrence for not releasing quickly enough, but LV does tend to play the game at his own pace.

But yes, Moore had a solid game yesterday.

The pace of Woolery needs to be utilised a lot better than it is at the moment, both from the keeper and midfield.
He needs to improve his awareness as well and no need for him to get caught offside.

Well, if Dunne’s improvement is down to PB, then you would hope, given time, he could get the best out of Woolery and Anderson.

Both have underperformed massively this season, but have shown occasional glimpses that they are both more than good enough. As with teams, individual consistency is the key to success.

Yeah I agree. Brown has to make do with what we have currently. Wherever we are next season, he’ll be wanting his own players, it will be interesting to see who Southend release come the end of the season.

Flitters recruited a side spending about 20 odd K on agents fees. PB at Sarfend spent 10 times that amount.  No doubt Power would give similar support next season, but would Brown be able to operate under those constraints and would he want to try?

I don't know.  My feeling that short term suited both... PB because do well and he'll get something better, without the need for a buy out... Power as it is cheap. The Flitters buy out + his wage, probably covers Brown's fee.

Phil Brown’s appointment doesn’t feel long-term to me. I half expect Alan McLoughlin to be in charge and Joe Romanski at the back for the Accrington game (if the P-O’s are out-of-sight by then)

It doesn't feel long term to me either, not sure why just have a feeling.

I think PB is still holding out that Sunderland will be relegated and Coleman sacked so he can apply there.

he was certainly talking short term as a definite when he was talking about Norris earlier in the week.

could just be his way, just think he'll be expecting to get better offers.

Why do you say that mate? I didn't hear or read it TBF, what did he say?

Nicky Hammond used to get rid of it too quickly sometimes when he first played for us, to our detriment from time to time.

I remember a game at Peterborough in about 92 when he miskicked a clearance straight to Tony Adcock for them to equalise 3-3. Pretty sure Sean Taylor scored 2 for us and one for them that day and Micky Hazard had a goal disallowed that would have been a tremendous bit of team football.

Amazing random games you can remember and I could barely tell you about any of the games this season.

Yeah it was live on ITV Taylor scored a hattrick, 2 for us and one for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arNdYQTyKyA

Hammonds kicking was pretty awful most of the time TBF.

Glenn Hoddle "The goals we gave away were just giveaways."
Classic!

I'm the same, can remember things about games 20/30+ years ago, recent games not so much (if at all)

Ditto.

Seems to be a common thing!

Me too, but then again it's normal. The mid 80s until the mid 90s was a pretty memorable period to be a Town fan, with 3 great managers - each with his own great team. Since then, apart from the occasional season (notably the promotion season with Di Canio) it's been nothing special and often shite.

I get the feeling listening to him he may be interested but it would depend on the club meeting his ambitions, which you would expect free rein on the playing side to move and sign players and a hearty budget.

Let's hope he does stay as we could be in a flitcroft situation again with nothing setup in pre season, players signed late, new manager not knowing current players, chairman deciding on contracts etc.

And next season transfer window closes early, so having someone in already that knows the club and knows players abilities to play how he wants would be a huge bonus.

If we had PB for next season and was allowed (like DF tbh) to have a free reign on transfers. PB would build a squad capable of challenging in L1. I wouldn't be too surprised to see someone like Michael Turner roll up at the SN1 next season, pending PB's confirmed future.

The next few weeks are going to be pivotal in our medium term future... we're in a dangerous place.

The hoped for stability of at least having a competent Div 4 manager in  Flitcroft, who was able to operate on a relative shoestring under Power in Div 4 has gone, further the waters have been muddied by Power's interest in owning the CG.

His stated aim of owning the ground to grease a sell out, could be compromised by a change of administration at SBC, I doubt a Lib/Lab grouping would sanction a sale to him, rather than the Trust.

This could leave a situation whereby he's looking for an exit, and all he has to sell is a club at its lowest ebb for 35 years, with little in the way of assets and a dwindling crowd base.

This would mean a summer strategy of being put on life support to tick over before the exit door beckons.  A bit like last season's "limp over the line" to Div 3 safety approach.

The positives are that we are reasonably debt free, so nothing like the sale of Ritchie (not that we've got anyone of value) for a song, in order to pay short term bills and the Trust look active enough, to step in and create an Exeter/Wycombe style club.

I have no idea if PB will be here next season and I'm not even going to try to read in between the lines of interviews etc. I do think he'd be about the best we could hope for at this level though.

fair enough, as long as he and power thrash it out quickly should we not make the playoffs ...

Why do you think this? The new boss might get free rein, but it will have to be within the budget.  There's nothing to suggest that budget would be of the sort of scale Brown is used to working with.... ( see agent's fees)

Power didn't let the Manage take full control before last season, previous behaviour is not always an accurate predictor of the future.

find it hard to believe he will chuck another 2 million at it, assuming that figures not smoke and mirrors.

can't say I blame him if so, not that exciting for us fans though.

but this season isn't over yet I suppose

Exeter, Wycombe and Accy have shown this season, that you can compete in Div 4 with a modest budget, but all of those have in common a manager who has been there a length of time and been cut some slack during the hard times.

of course low budget teams can compete.

I bet higher budget teams are statistically more likely to succeed though.

Despite popular FB belief, I doubt power wants to be in division 4.

While previous form shouldn't be an indicator of future outcomes, my reason for thinking that PB can assemble a squad (if here and given license to) for the future is based on his previous trend of promoting teams. The levels can be relative, especially in relation to Hull (even though they saw an accelerated rise through the levels over about 5/6 years), his exploits at Southend could be similar. In the sense that in this moment were are probably similar clubs (in fact we have better history).

 I think it purely boils down to a conversation (pending club position) between Chairman and Manager, at seasons end. If PB can convince Power of the direction he wants to take Town and by which means, then there is no reason why an agreement can't be met. Of course, it depends what both parties want, if most of that matches, and how they intend to execute that plan. That will be decided more so in around a months time. Still many strands to many factors though yet. That's my thought anyway :)

The £2m figure Power mentioned on the radio might need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

I would be surprised if that figure injected is exclusively playing and transfer budget but maybe includes wider costs of running the club and possibly projects like the training ground?.

Undoubtedly income and gate money is down but the EFL FFP salary cap rules stop director loans for player salary costs. LP has lent money in the past and seems to clawed some back from transfer fees and, as those dry up, had to put some back.

With PB it could be a chicken and egg situation. Do these 10 games give LP and PB to size each other up. PB could convince LP to commit a similar playing budget based on what he does now and PB gets a feel of what needs to be done and if LP is committed.

Sent from my HTC U11

Exeter and Wycombe have both this season pushed their budgets with a top 10 budget for the division, your statement is true for Accrington though.

Absolutely this, this season is hurting Power because the longer we are in this division the less money he can make, talking about shooting himself in the foot.

Some of our fans who express their thoughts on FB group etc should really be not allowed out of their padded cells long enough to use the interwebs.

Assuming our last season's capitulation was incompetence rather than volition, leads me to think that Power is looking to cut his losses and will soon sell up.

Power has always said he will sell the club if a decent offer comes in, hes never said anything to the contrary, if we get promoted then obviously the club is in a better position to find a more profitable buyer.

I don't think Power will undersell, not ever.

I've said it before but I think he is looking for a way out. Waterford are doing really well in Ireland so would make sense for him to focus his efforts there.

All of those clubs had near misses at promotion last year and have retained their squads to come back again this season.

Think Power's always been willing to sell. It's more a question of is anyone willing to buy? We may want to be careful what we wish for, remember what happened last time we had an owner desperate to dump the club - we might not get so lucky* next time round



* It's all relative

Absolutely, the amount of "serious" buyers out there is extremely low in fact nobody has come forward even suggesting they will buy the club so I don't think selling now would be at all viable for Power.

And yes fans to have to be very careful of what they wish for, Jed Mctwatty comes to mind, not to mention the owners of local rivals Poxfraud and Bristol Rovers who's new owners promise so much but are delivering nothing and only it it for what they can get out of the clubs. There are a LOT of owners like that.

TBF I would rather we have Power than Sisu at Coventry, Oystons at Blackpool et al.

We could be a lot lot worse off, and yes as Tails said the buying of Waterford may well be where he wants to concentrait his efforts long term.

With the financial rewards of games in europe that is a massive incentive, spend 1/4 what he does with Swindon for 10x the revenue based upon qualifying for europe. No brainer really.

Interestingly this came up when I was looking at something else on Wiki this morning...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_owners_of_English_football_clubs 

So us and Barnet don't have an owner according to that...

But with the appointment of the chap from waterford seemingly onto Power's payroll and his interest in the aussie club suggest he is looking to add another club to his stable, not sure how may other clubs out there are like Waterford in that put a bit of money in and they can be pushing for europe where the money is made, although they need to get to the group stages for any real money and I'm not sure if they can really achieve that short term.

Although elsewhere on wikipedia they acknowledge that Tony Kleanthous has been the owner since 1994:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Kleanthous

As always, be careful with your sauces

Certainly he's going to struggle to find an Australian club to buy that will be able to push for Europe ....

Look, if the Convicts can get in the Eurovision Song Contest, then a place in UEFA comps should be a piece of piss.  After all they recently moved from Oceania to Asia in FIFA comps.

See I read into that the complete opposite! His job was to find worldwide project opportunities or some bollocks wasn't it? So it seems like he wants to expand his footballing 'empire' elsewhere.

The difference in wealthy backers the higher up each league you go is pretty astronimcal.

Even if we got to the Championship then how could we compete with almost every backer having a wealth of between 500m and £16B! barring a couple of paupers like Norwich, Millwall, Hull and Sheff U whos combined total is a mere £750m.

Yes I know it doesn't always relate to how much they are willing to put into their "ventures" but having the money there if needed must be good.

There are a lot of figures missing in our league but I know Yeovils owner has a wealth of around £100m after selling Screwfix and Cheltenhams Paul Baker and Simon Keswick combined wealth of over £700m, Mansfields John Radford worth in excess of £200m (allegedly).

I've said this before and have been met with the very fair response that we simply don't know who may be interested in buying us. We aren't for sale so it could be argued why would anyone come forward?

That is true but all I can think of is that nobody else came forward last time when Jed/Power bought the club so I am just inclined to think nothing along those lines has changed in the intermediate years.

It doesn’t matter what the wealth of any owner is to some extent. It’s how much of that wealth they are prepared to invest in the club.

What was the motivation of that Russkie who bought Muff - apart from probable laundering. Why pick a pissy little 3rd division club with no history, no fan base and a Noddy stadium.

Other interested parties might have been put off by the timescale or maybe wanted the club put into administration first?

Apparently a buyer had been lined up in the previous summer but passed away if I recall.
Couldn't find a record of any altruistic billionaires keeling over in the summer of 2012.

Are you sure? What about the debts? If Power is accurate in as much as we kind of have very little or none then i’d Say a lot has changed. What is more if he manages to get the free hold on SN1 then that again funadamentaly shifts the dynamic of the clubs desirability to third parties.

That is possible, the timescale was short for the takeover but surely an interested party wouldn't be put off by such things if they really were interested?

I had not heard the rumour you say about a buyer being lined up, that one did not make its way down to Somerset...interesting, or was it just fan talk? enlighten me WB as I have not heard of that before. I am now intreagued!

I always assumed that the potential owner who passed away was Nigel Eady?

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/22/The_Final_Countdown_single.png/220px-The_Final_Countdown_single.png)

Well the fuck off great big debt to Black still remains to be paid if anything is ever done to the ground, plus (and I cannot be arsed to look) if Power has paid off the 'debts' by 'loans' its essentially going to be the same thing if he sells?

He died in January 2012?

I vaguely recall the lined up buyer, but always suspected it was a bit of a myth to pacify the fan base, that or perhaps he got scared off by the debts from 1850 that the club had to pay off?

Edit - found this which seems to suggest that the Eady executors cannot give the money to the Trust without the club ratifying any such decision, which rather changes the complexion of things?

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/13492984.It_s_Eady_money_for_Town/

He could probably have got much the same with us and cheaper!  :D

From Andrew Black shortly after PDC jumped ship. Looks like the deal, in 2011, wouldn't have been sanctioned by the league anyway.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/10245156.Black_reveals_all_on_Twitter/

Cheers WB passed me by totally!

Who was/is Spencer?

Phil Spencer, PDC's agent.

Ah. I missed the PdC era unfortunately.

Phil Brown reads the forum!