Cheltenham

[ronnie21]

Just read that they lost £28,000 last season (it seems they are relatively up to date with their accounts!) yet we are told we are losing £750,000 a season.  Now compare Cheltenham's average gate, they have few corporate facilities and I don't remember too many big money transfers leaving Whaddon Road, and then look at our average gate.  Makes you wonder doesn't it? :shock:

[bigbobjoylove]

Cheltenham also charge considerably less for tickets than ourselves.

[Reg Smeeton]

The mere fact that they are a properly run club probably explains why they managed to pass us by in a similar amount of time en route from Nationwide South as we've fallen from the CCC.

[DV]

I expect a play off semi final and a final which they won probably helped!

[reeves4england]

I expect a play off semi final and a final which they won probably helped!

This here deity maketh a good point

[ronnie21]

I expect a play off semi final and a final which they won probably helped!

Would they make the odd £725,000 from that??  Think about it, their turnover is just about 30% of ours, a play-off final would not make that much difference.  No dipping in the till at Whaddon Road I'd say! :roll:

[Give us an S]

I think there wages and bonuses system is a lot better and cheaper than ours too

[pauld]

£700-£800k's worth better? Plus I don't remember reading that 'Nam got £1.2m worth of investment last summer either which seems to have "disappeared". So do you really think we're paying £2m in bonuses? Come on. Stack it any way you like, there's plenty of examples of other clubs higher up than we are in the league system managing better financial figures on lower gates, lower turnover, lower revenue all round. Forget this crap that football clubs cannot be run at anything other than a massive loss outside the top six. Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Stockport, Cheltenham, Colchester, Southend - all clubs run at a profit or small loss, most higher up than we are, all much smaller clubs than Swindon no matter how you want to spin it. How much longer are we prepared to put up with this "Oh well, this is how it is in lower league football" shit? Good governance, a well-run club, professional management, a proper business plan, engaging with the community - it's not rocket science.

[mattboyslim]

Agree Rob - expect lower clubs to struggle but prudent financing can make it a lot close to break even - especially one charging £20 for tickets with the biggest crowd in the basement league.  Cheltenahm may have made the POs but we have sold a good few players of late and paid next to nothing in fees, whereas I think tha last player cheltenham made a few quid on was Michael Duff IIRC.

[Lumps]

Whilst not wanting to leap to the defence of the board, I'd guess that there is a crucial factor, which itself admittedly stems from our rather turbulent financial history that might influence the clubs current inability to make the books balance. That is:

We don't own the ground and therefore have to pay a rent to the LA based on our gates at every home game. That's must cost us a few hundred grand a year easy.

[RobertT]

approx £200k at most on average is the rent.

Play off appearances should make little difference as we are always told the player bonuses etc eat up the ticket receipts for these types of games, or is that just us as well?

[janaage]

I think Reg makes a good point, I was talking to a mate about the possiblility of a lot of badly run league clubs being replaced by well run non league clubs who stick to budget.

With clubs like ours playing russian roulette with creditors there could be a real possibility than traditionally smaller clubs gain league status whilst the long term league members slowly slip down the footballing pyramid.

Well it wasted a few minutes discussing that at the time.