Thetownend.com

Please merge if this has already been kicked off elsewhere, but this feels like a good time to consign 22-23 to the dustbin and start again the pathetic cycle of hope ahead of the new campaign. Here is my wishlist for 2023-24:

- A plan signed off to redevelop the ground, TE and SB first
- 5000+ ST sales and average attendances over 9k
- Miserable negative wanker fans to shut the fuck up and back the team (and Kostiuk on a permanent free to Cheltenham)
- Some serious recruitment including a defensive midfield enforcer like Douglas or Greer and our own goalkeeper (Benda?)
- Harries, Iandolo and Jephcott out please, Williams and Hutton bound to move on
- Secure FBT, McEachran, Austin and possibly Tomlinson
- Keep Khan, Cain, Clayton, Brewitt, Lavinier, Wakeling, Hepburn-Murphy, Minturn
- Jury out on Shade, Adeloye, Devine and so many of the non-league or homegrown long shots who might never make it like Roberts, Aguiar, Dabre, Parsons or Massey and all those kids on the fringes - some need to move on
- Recruit the core of the squad before the return to training
- Don't depend on loan players as number one choices in any position
- Start to involve and help Charlie into a coaching role and badges
- Have a proper close season with a rigorous fitness programme and several decent friendlies with, why not, a club tour for teambuilding
- A higher profile, higher paying main sponsor
- A new strip with no black on it
- A few loaded legit investors to constitute a proper board and reduce the overdependence on Clem
- More clarity and less murkiness around the dubious characters still hovering around our club like Zavier Austin and Adam Hart
- A proper explanation of what the hell the Karachi project is all about

FBT is signed up to the end of next season, it's RHM that's OOC from those you listed (as well as Minturn, Brewitt and we think possibly Lavinier. Some will have options).

Don't disagree with much of what you've written, although Benda is a pipe dream, was starting regularly for Swansea before he did his cruciate in Feb.

I agree with almost all of that apart from if it were me, I'd keep Jephcott and not that arsed on Khan. Too much of a liability.

Largely the same as my list too.

I'd also include some backroom stuff:

Employ a proper marketeer.
Overhaul ticketing completely.
Improve the e-commerce offering.

I’m going to make mine simple

- win football matches.

It's been a while since the CG was seen as a 'fortress'. It would be good if we could start as we mean to go on and start getting on the front foot at the CG. At the moment performances on the pitch are affecting the atmosphere. If we can put in some commanding performances at the CG then maybe we can make it a difficult place to play for opponents. For the last few seasons a lot of teams thay we really should be putting to the sword have come and tickled our bellies.

A decent cup run would be nice.

…would like to hear us sing a song that isn’t ‘…from the West Country’ such a shit, slow, boring song (definitely matches our football this season)
I know these days is all be tolerant but some more hated filled anti Oxford songs wouldn’t go amiss either…

That's a good list Red Frog. Also hope that we stick with Flynn even if we start badly as based on his communications so far he is an impressive individual. I remember Wellens, Di Canio and even Macari all having less than ideal starts and Flynn comes across with a similar level of passion.

To not run out of steak pasties by the start of half time would be good.  ::)

Agree with almost all of that list.

My personal preference would be to get a roof on the SB by the start of the 24/25 season at the latest and use the SB for home fans while a new TE is developed. No idea if there'd be scope for keeping the existing TE structure in place during the building project as Liverpool have done.

On the field, I agree with everything Flynn says he wants to build, but the proof will be in the pudding. If he can get it right and have us pushing the top 3, I can see attendances being in the 5 figures from Christmas onwards. The fanbase is there and is eager to be part of a successful campaign.

As for loans, I'd disagree slightly. Whilst we don't want 5 loanees being key to how we play, having one or two who are a cut above could be the difference between making autos/play-offs and falling short.

You make a good point about prioritising a roof on the Stratton Bank. For a long time we've thought of it as a nice-to-have on an empty space, but if we do want to target promotion we could have a few L1 clubs in 24-25 who might use it: some from among Bolton, Sheff Wed, Derby, Charlton, Pompey, Reading, Oxford and anyone else who comes down, and more will travel if it isn't the embarrassing shithole it currently is.

If the new stadium owning company has any sense, they'd level the Bank and replace it with a new stand in the same vein as the DR stand (with the real focus longer term on the benefits a proper Town End development could bring).  The DR stand was built in a summer, including the demolition of the existing structures/concrete.

The ability to use the bank opens up a lot more opportunities.

Could be used for home fans when the TE is redeveloped
Could be used for away fans, meaning the whole Arkells could be given over to home fans so no segregation is needed.

So a roof, and updated facilities (even if they are temporary) does seem to be a decent option

Carrying that thought on.

Focusing just on the Stadium right now, which is one central pillar to investing in the necessary infrastructure to make us sustainable and support promotions.

Pull together a Five and Ten Year Master Plan over the next couple of months.  That should outline the core priorities and expected timeline for each, plus general funding needs and what benefits each development would bring to the club.

Within that, three core immediate term (next two years) items:

a) Maintenance/fixing of current facilities as required
b) Corporate Boxes in the DR stand
c) Basic structure to replace the existing Bank

Those will ensure we have a safe and useable stadium that runs at max capacity when needed, brings in a new revenue stream that we do not have today and lays the groundwork to start a bigger project on the Town End without impacting BAU revenue during any redevelopment.

Protect what we have, add incremental benefits, lay the foundations for a once in a generation boost to the club.

Agree with all of that. The toilets in the Arkells are unspeakable.

They are also all achievable within a two year time frame  - time to get funding in place, planning permission granted, contractors chosen, demolition work completed and groundworks.  The Bank likely the last bit, two summers from now, build and open from May to August (basic steel frame structure like the DR).

Oh, and assuming we would take two years, you could have the Bank cleared out next summer and replaced with some sort of temporary Corporate facilities in the meantime.  Quite a few of the MLS clubs have this when they have an open end, and it's really what Luton have down one side.  Rake in some extra cash for a season ahead of clearing it all out and building a new stand.

All good plans, but Clem will need to attract more partners than just Jeremy Webb for that lot. Time to see whether he has any useful connections in the UK building industry. And there remains the issue of what sort of permission we can get to build up the SB with local residents' objections. Would be great to see something more than just aspirational drawings over the next few months. Anyone remember the superbowls on Shaw Tip and the Front Garden? Perhaps the artwork for those could go in the Town museum.

As Wrexham have shown, there is money out there.

Certainly any building works will likely come with an ROI - you should be able to source long term capital funding, it's not about having millions upfront.

Sadly I suspect there will be less so after the events of last Thursday, as possibly even less if the currant direction of travel continues.

Ultimately the club will no doubt have professional advisors beavering away already (And I imagine behind the scenes for quite some time already) at it both in terms of what's feasibly going to get planning, what achieves the best returns and who pays for it.

Never going to happen under the current ownership but I'd love to see the club buy and renovate the CG Hotel as part of the stadium 'complex'. Potential for a great outside drinking area, turn the boxing gym into a museum, have a few actual hotel rooms in there and so on. Could be a very characterful home supporters bar rather than somewhere it takes 20 mins to get a pint as long as you don't mind Madness being played at 120dB.

I've been whooshed here. What happened last Thursday?

Heck of a lot easier to build a Travelodge (other perfectly acceptable but soulless boxes are available), lease it to operator and get guaranteed return and incorporate the other bits into the new improved all bells and whistles TE.  

Local elections, government lost Swindon Council and if stays the same will possibly lose at least 1 Swindon MP in c.18 months time. Governments of all colours have a habit of looking much more favourably upon funding applications from friendly areas, hence for instance the PM's leafy constituency in rural north Yorkshire got loads of cash, the shitty areas of the NW not so.

Yup. But this would have more style!