The Squad List (2024/25 Edition)

[Audrey]

Tbh, if I had to pay £25 on the day I would have stopped going by now, but if I had a ST all paid for I’d still go and suck it up.

[No Longer Posh Red]

9,500 yesterday when the season has already fallen apart was phenomenal.

I don’t believe that figure, as has been said they count all ST’s regardless of whether they attend or not, and there were at least a dozen empty seats around us yesterday when normally there aren’t any.

However, even for that the crowd numbers have been really good this season & I do worry that they are going to drop next year

[adje]

Cant win.

We sell him and everyone thinks we should have kept him
We keep him for the rest of the season and he leaves for free and everyone thinks we should have sold him.

He wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference to our season.

Not the way he was performing definitely. MC Eachran is an upgrade in my opinion

[Oaksey Moonraker]

And I'm not giving the club the credit for the ground purchase either. They got a one in a lifetime bequest from a benefactor and took an existing deal that the Trust had with the council and trustees. Clem just happened to be a) in the seat when the music stopped and b) not Lee Power.

Clem had to pay off the £2M debenture to Andrew Black (or whoever owned it) which was due to be repaid if the club was sold or the ground redeveloped. So there is a cost to owning the ground if the sale deal means we have to start redevelopment.

I think there's a cutting back in the budget this season or a least not throwing money on the squad. I guess the difficulty is coming out and saying there are other priorities so maybe they keep the illusion going (and gates up).

[Jimmy Quinn]

I vaguely remember reading that we had a top six budget for this season but may be wrong.

[Pookemon]

I vaguely remember reading that we had a top six budget for this season but may be wrong.

I'm pretty sure that was never said and not sure how anyone would know exactly before season.     Competitive was what I remember hearing, which could mean anything.

[Jimmy Quinn]

I'm pretty sure that was never said and not sure how anyone would know exactly before season.     Competitive was what I remember hearing, which could mean anything.

You maybe right and think top six was mentioned on here a while ago.

[Legends-Lounge]

Maybe everyone should banish anything fiscally related to playing budgets implied, inferred or otherwise relating to any previous or future season for that matter. A bit like beauty, in the eye of the beholder.

[Jimmy Quinn]

We're run out of things to debate😀

[Batch]

And I'm not giving the club the credit for the ground purchase either. They got a one in a lifetime bequest from a benefactor and took an existing deal that the Trust had with the council and trustees. Clem just happened to be a) in the seat when the music stopped and b) not Lee Power.

but there must have been a fair whack of work put in.

the debenture point has been made above.
Yes Clem will want that money back one day, no problem with that.
------
I do agree though that behind the scenes appears to be completely in firefighting mode, stretched resource side and somewhat disorganised.

that's without touching recruitment

[Batch]

I get that, but if Reed isnt going to sign a new contract, surely its better to cash in instead of getting nothing for him? Apparently he came back to pre season training the most out of shape out of the squad. No wonder the manager didnt fancy him.

if you think he would be key to our promotion you'd sacrifice that cash in.

He wasn't, but I was still  initially extremely pissed off to see him and Gladwin go.

But since then the injuries, suspensions and the squad just not being good enough means I think the club got it right - with hindsight.

I think retaining Reed and Gladwin would have had us a bit higher up the table, just not enough

mcE has been a more than adequate replacement for this season's Reed. But that this was not really by design but through Morris is a worry if we are persisting with the way we largely recruited this  season.

I've no idea on overall budget including transfer fees, but most of the players you'd think of as 'big earners' are gone. something that may limit our recruitment options. we'll see

[Jimmy Quinn]

Also Rob Hunt equally good right or left back

[NotHarryAgombar]

I thought Gladwin jumped because Crawley offered a 2.5 year deal, whereas we would only have offered a further year - not unreasonably given his age and injury record, although we have missed the control he brought to midfield post January.

The finances for next season will be interesting - sustainability has to be the correct approach (even if Clem had extremely deep pockets - which, while wealthy he doesn’t have limitless cash) - not least because the Club needs to survive if Clem can’t continue for any reason (we saw what happened when Black pulled out).
I heard that there were some very onerous clauses in the debentures which is why it’s important they have been bought out by Clem, but no doubt that has reduced any cash available for other purposes.
Season ticket pricing has been talked about a lot but I think they got the increase about right - for me the over 65 concession means £290 in the Arkells which is still only £12.60 a game - but inevitably those who complain loudest about teh price rise will also be the ones who want us to pay for more high earners - the balance has to be right - should we have a couple of very high earners or more “slightly above L2 average” earners to provide more depth?

One thing which is clear - a cup run (or two) are hugely significant in terms of increasing revenue, and this year we got knocked out straight away in all 3 cups. That needs to be better planned next season.

[Matt71]

Currently over our playing budget according to journalist on Twitter.
This lot should reduce that !!
Parsons
Aguiar
Williams
Jepcott
Hutton
Harris
Devine
Darcy
Adeloye
Roberts
Baudry
Dabre

[Jimmy Quinn]

Why not play Roberts & Parsons in the remaining 10 games.