Forest Green Rovers v Swindon pre match chat and matchday thread

[theakston2k]

When FGR came up their wages to turnover percentage was 196%, the league allows 55%.

DV gets around that just by sponsoring them extra to cover the shortfall.

2014 loss: £2,500,000
2015 loss: £2,890,000
2016 loss: £2,483,624
2017 loss: £2,155,063

The 6 years combined including the promotion season left the with a cumulative operating loss of £12m.

2018 profit: £422,647 (thanks to a new sponsorship deal of £3.5m from Ecotricity).

Their total wage bill, including players, football and non-football staff, was £2.4 million for the 2017 season.

Their turnover went from £2m to £4.9m thanks to the new Ecotricity deal.

DV does not need anyone coming through the gates to fulfil his massive ego trip and get them promoted higher up the leagues. The less people come through the door the more he sponsors them, simple.

Thing is they are a novelty at the moment, the new stadium if it happens will prolong that novelty but once the novelty and marketing value is gone that will be the end of them. I’d be surprised if they exist in a decades time.

[pauld]

They lose about £500k a month which Vince hides with sponsorship from his company

2014 loss: £2,500,000
2015 loss: £2,890,000
2016 loss: £2,483,624
2017 loss: £2,155,063

The 6 years combined including the promotion season left the with a cumulative operating loss of £12m.

2018 profit: £422,647 (thanks to a new sponsorship deal of £3.5m from Ecotricity).

So who's got their figures wrong then?

[theakston2k]

So who's got their figures wrong then?

Well clearly it’s me as I misread an article that said £4.6 million over 2 years. Either way it’s more than 200% their natural income.

[pauld]

Well clearly it’s me as I misread an article that said £4.6 million over 2 years. Either way it’s more than 200% their natural income.

Yeah tbf your point still stands, they're losing shedloads and Vince is making good the shortfall with sponsorship. You could argue he's getting good value for that sponsorship, he and his business have attracted national publicity via his association with FGR

[theakston2k]

Yeah tbf your point still stands, they're losing shedloads and Vince is making good the shortfall with sponsorship. You could argue he's getting good value for that sponsorship, he and his business have attracted national publicity via his association with FGR

Its sad from a footballing point of view that this is allowed to happen as Gloucestershire is really letting it’s football fans down. As well as ripping FGR out of their community you’ve got Gloucester City who have been homeless for 12 years and just as they are about to return to the city they are now going to have FGR encroaching on their catchment area and even telling people to park in Gloucester for games.
I remember when Diamandis wanted to move us to Chippenham, that would have been much the same and killed STFC.

[pauld]

Its sad from a footballing point of view that this is allowed to happen as Gloucestershire is really letting it’s football fans down. As well as ripping FGR out of their community you’ve got Gloucester City who have been homeless for 12 years and just as they are about to return to the city they are now going to have FGR encroaching on their catchment area and even telling people to park in Gloucester for games.

Yes it's wrong. So you can guarantee the FA/FL will nod it through on the bounce

[Batch]

How good is the FGR pitch drainage, what with it being on the side of the mountain?

Its a bit soggy out there. Though there is meant to be a respite later today/tomorrow morning.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Their pitch is kept purposefully soft so their players don’t get injured when throwing themselves to the floor.

Baudry scores tomorrow.

[NotHarryAgombar]

Whilst I want us to win every game, taking the view that our target this year is an automatic promotion place, I think we really need to look at the next fortnight - starting tomorrow, finishing with Bradford on 4th Jan - as a block of five games, and ask what we think would be a good return. There are some short turnarounds, particularly for the Sunday and New Years Day games, and this means that all teams, including us will make changes in starting elevens and on the bench. This increases the unpredictability of results in this period.
My feeling is that 10 or 11 points would be fine, and if it were 9 from 2 wins and 3 draws, given that we are playing several contenders for top 3 in this period that would be ok too. 10 points would see us on 52 from 26 games - meaning something like 32 or 33 points from the remaining 20 games would get us in the top 3.
A win tomorrow would help us on the way to my 5 game target, a draw would not be a disaster (although it would be nice to see Cooper implode again!).
I will be away over Christmas, returning in time to be at the Bradford game, so no predictions from me over the holiday. A happy and peaceful Christmas to all on the TEF.

[reeves4england]

Whilst I want us to win every game, taking the view that our target this year is an automatic promotion place, I think we really need to look at the next fortnight - starting tomorrow, finishing with Bradford on 4th Jan - as a block of five games, and ask what we think would be a good return. There are some short turnarounds, particularly for the Sunday and New Years Day games, and this means that all teams, including us will make changes in starting elevens and on the bench. This increases the unpredictability of results in this period.
My feeling is that 10 or 11 points would be fine, and if it were 9 from 2 wins and 3 draws, given that we are playing several contenders for top 3 in this period that would be ok too. 10 points would see us on 52 from 26 games - meaning something like 32 or 33 points from the remaining 20 games would get us in the top 3.
A win tomorrow would help us on the way to my 5 game target, a draw would not be a disaster (although it would be nice to see Cooper implode again!).
I will be away over Christmas, returning in time to be at the Bradford game, so no predictions from me over the holiday. A happy and peaceful Christmas to all on the TEF.

Looking at the bext 5, as you suggest...

FGR (A) - currently 6th with only one win in their last 5

Cambridge (H) - currently 11th with mixed form, they've beaten Exeter and Crewe this year

Port Vale (A) - currently 10th with mixed form, beaten some good teams but lost to Macclesfield

Plymouth (A) - currently 8th with 3 wins in last 5, could they get distracted ahead of Man City in the FA Cup?

Bradford (H) - currently 5th, mixed form, lacking strength up front

Not an easy run and three wins would be a good return, especially seeing as we've struggled to beat teams in the top 10 so far. 9 points would probably see us stay top.

[singingiiiffy]

How good is the FGR pitch drainage, what with it being on the side of the mountain?

Its a bit soggy out there. Though there is meant to be a respite later today/tomorrow morning.

Sat 26th Oct- Saturday's League Two game between Forest Green Rovers and Crewe Alexandra has been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

[/b]

The only game in the football league to be called off. nearly 50 FA trophy games also fulfilled their fixture that day.

[pauld]

My feeling is that 10 or 11 points would be fine, and if it were 9 from 2 wins and 3 draws

3 draws *is* a win, everyone knows that

[theakston2k]

Wouldn't be surprised if it's called off. All council pitches around here have just had a blanket postponement across them all so although obviously a different standard it shows how sodden the ground is.

[Bob's Orange]

Looking at the bext 5, as you suggest...

FGR (A) - currently 6th with only one win in their last 5

Cambridge (H) - currently 11th with mixed form, they've beaten Exeter and Crewe this year

Port Vale (A) - currently 10th with mixed form, beaten some good teams but lost to Macclesfield

Plymouth (A) - currently 8th with 3 wins in last 5, could they get distracted ahead of Man City in the FA Cup?

Bradford (H) - currently 5th, mixed form, lacking strength up front

Not an easy run and three wins would be a good return, especially seeing as we've struggled to beat teams in the top 10 so far. 9 points would probably see us stay top.

Why would Plymouth care about the Man City v Vale FA Cup tie?

[Jimmy HaveHave]

Not sure why Plymouth would be looking out for Man City when they have been knocked out of the FA Cup but they certainly looked a good team against the Gas and will give us a good game in New Years Day