Swindon Town v Doncaster Rovers Matchday Thread

[Nemo]

Because behind the scenes it’s still a bit of a shambles as they are still under staffed.

You only have to look at the fact that someone from the foundation is acting as a temporary club secretary (as mentioned in here) and the club were looking for volunteers to deliver lunch to the training ground.

Does it worry anyone else that we're (seemingly) still short staffed behind the scenes? I'm completely sympathetic to the fact they took over a basket case and the Trust volunteers etc. helping out short term were totally fine by me. But Clem/Angus have been in charge for almost two years now, you'd kind of imagine we'd be better set up behind the scenes with the right people in the right roles. Are finances that tight that we can't afford admin staff?

[Bob's Orange]

Because behind the scenes it’s still a bit of a shambles as they are still under staffed.

You only have to look at the fact that someone from the foundation is acting as a temporary club secretary (as mentioned in here) and the club were looking for volunteers to deliver lunch to the training ground.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. I'm led to believe that we are still well behind the curve with regards to staffing the club off the field. The club appears to be cutting corners by not properly recruiting and paying the market rates for these positions. I'd be surprised if Morris and Brand (if he ever gets here) put up with an alleged lack of professionality behind the scenes.

[Bob's Orange]

That lunch thing is really puzzling. Surely one of the youth team can drive and there is a van or two lying around.

It also screams Sunday League doesn't it?

[Posh Red]

Does it worry anyone else that we're (seemingly) still short staffed behind the scenes? I'm completely sympathetic to the fact they took over a basket case and the Trust volunteers etc. helping out short term were totally fine by me. But Clem/Angus have been in charge for almost two years now, you'd kind of imagine we'd be better set up behind the scenes with the right people in the right roles. Are finances that tight that we can't afford admin staff?

TBF to Clem/Rob they have focused on getting money in and getting the debts down, which they have done really well. As a fan they have looked to try and improve our experience & most of the stuff that’s struggling is not impacting us, but you have to think at some point they need to sort it out.

I know that there are things they are keen to do, but are just not willing to spend a lot on doing it, rather trying to rely on volunteers & goodwill.

I’d be loathed to knock them as it feels like they are trying to do the right things

[ThreeDrawsMentality]

Sadly it's an indictment of lower league football. Even money clubs like FGR rely on volunteers to bring lunch to training ground etc.

[DMC]

Sadly it's an indictment of lower league football. Even money clubs like FGR rely on volunteers to bring lunch to training ground etc.

Yeah nearly all league 2 teams are doing it now you are right

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

What’s wrong with Deliveroo

[Batch]

What’s wrong with Deliveroo

Its a fucker of a cycle to Calne

[BambooToTheFuture]

It also screams Sunday League doesn't it?

Or even...tinpot!

I hate to be downbeat about the club I bloody love but with all the delays (yes we can all agree that the club "was saved" and there are some great actions in progress AND I fully understand that we can't expect everything at once) that seem to happen, the recurring theme/issue does seem to be STFC.

*A red flag for me at present is it appears no experienced managers want to work for Town. By that, I don't mean dinosaurs. Whilst Jody Morris seems like an exciting prospect (which let's face it, that honeymoon period won't last long no matter how much hope we have), I personally would have much preferred him as an assistant. There's nothing wrong with giving someone a chance of course but surely that's better via transition?

All the managers appointed exclusively under Clem have never managed before, they've either been an academy/dev style coach (Garner), an internal appointment (Lindsey) or a relatively well known former pro, who is an experienced no.2 and "might" be ready for management (Morris). It's possible had someone like Morris been the first kind of managerial appointment I'd look at it in a different way but it does seem to be that there is something that is just making experienced football managers stay away (once they know what's what). It can't purely be "the model" as Garner and Lindsey were at the club before SdM started his mobile phone salesman type of pitches.

I want Morris to do well (it may not seem like it from the above) and I hope he does but surely at the same time it is fine to ask questions and be doubtful, especially when the infrastructure of the club appears to be incredibly fragile?

The bottom line for me is, if the club can afford to pay Charlie Austin's wages (and a very good bit of business that has been) then they can definitely afford to pay/hire/contract a company to deliver fucking sandwiches (even make them too) and/or other more important operations surrounding the day to day running of the club. Even if you paid every high earner at the club £100 less per week (maybe x8 players), that's c£42k pa reshuffled straight away. Not sure about you lot but last I checked, hiring a sandwich courier for a few hours per week didn't cost that much; not even in Shoreditch

*Mods if you wish, you can move this to the "New Beginnings" Thread or similar if you feel it has taken up the Matchday Fred. Apologies in advance

[DMC]

Or even...tinpot!

I hate to be downbeat about the club I bloody love but with all the delays (yes we can all agree that the club "was saved" and there are some great actions in progress AND I fully understand that we can't expect everything at once) that seem to happen, the recurring theme/issue does seem to be STFC.

*A red flag for me at present is it appears no experienced managers want to work for Town. By that, I don't mean dinosaurs. Whilst Jody Morris seems like an exciting prospect (which let's face it, that honeymoon period won't last long no matter how much hope we have), I personally would have much preferred him as an assistant. There's nothing wrong with giving someone a chance of course but surely that's better via transition?

All the managers appointed exclusively under Clem have never managed before, they've either been an academy/dev style coach (Garner), an internal appointment (Lindsey) or a relatively well known former pro, who is an experienced no.2 and "might" be ready for management (Morris). It's possible had someone like Morris been the first kind of managerial appointment I'd look at it in a different way but it does seem to be that there is something that is just making experienced football managers stay away (once they know what's what). It can't purely be "the model" as Garner and Lindsey were at the club before SdM started his mobile phone salesman type of pitches.

I want Morris to do well (it may not seem like it from the above) and I hope he does but surely at the same time it is fine to ask questions and be doubtful, especially when the infrastructure of the club appears to be incredibly fragile?

The bottom line for me is, if the club can afford to pay Charlie Austin's wages (and a very good bit of business that has been) then they can definitely afford to pay/hire/contract a company to deliver fucking sandwiches (even make them too) and/or other more important operations surrounding the day to day running of the club. Even if you paid every high earner at the club £100 less per week (maybe x8 players), that's c£42k pa reshuffled straight away. Not sure about you lot but last I checked, hiring a sandwich courier for a few hours per week didn't cost that much; not even in Shoreditch

*Mods if you wish, you can move this to the "New Beginnings" Thread or similar if you feel it has taken up the Matchday Fred. Apologies in advance

But why do it if they don't need to? There are people doing it who are happy to so why bother? Mental what people get so upset about. Rattling sums off like the club have not thought about ffs

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I’d hazard a guess that Morris was more expensive than Artell. Any experienced manager that wants to work in L2 probably isn’t much good. You seem to be in prime club bashing mode for some reason.

[DiV]

Or even...tinpot!

I hate to be downbeat about the club I bloody love but with all the delays (yes we can all agree that the club "was saved" and there are some great actions in progress AND I fully understand that we can't expect everything at once) that seem to happen, the recurring theme/issue does seem to be STFC.

*A red flag for me at present is it appears no experienced managers want to work for Town. By that, I don't mean dinosaurs. Whilst Jody Morris seems like an exciting prospect (which let's face it, that honeymoon period won't last long no matter how much hope we have), I personally would have much preferred him as an assistant. There's nothing wrong with giving someone a chance of course but surely that's better via transition?

All the managers appointed exclusively under Clem have never managed before, they've either been an academy/dev style coach (Garner), an internal appointment (Lindsey) or a relatively well known former pro, who is an experienced no.2 and "might" be ready for management (Morris). It's possible had someone like Morris been the first kind of managerial appointment I'd look at it in a different way but it does seem to be that there is something that is just making experienced football managers stay away (once they know what's what). It can't purely be "the model" as Garner and Lindsey were at the club before SdM started his mobile phone salesman type of pitches.

I want Morris to do well (it may not seem like it from the above) and I hope he does but surely at the same time it is fine to ask questions and be doubtful, especially when the infrastructure of the club appears to be incredibly fragile?

The bottom line for me is, if the club can afford to pay Charlie Austin's wages (and a very good bit of business that has been) then they can definitely afford to pay/hire/contract a company to deliver fucking sandwiches (even make them too) and/or other more important operations surrounding the day to day running of the club. Even if you paid every high earner at the club £100 less per week (maybe x8 players), that's c£42k pa reshuffled straight away. Not sure about you lot but last I checked, hiring a sandwich courier for a few hours per week didn't cost that much; not even in Shoreditch

*Mods if you wish, you can move this to the "New Beginnings" Thread or similar if you feel it has taken up the Matchday Fred. Apologies in advance

Garner had managed before.
If Morris wanted to be an assistant manager he’d have probably followed Lampard to Everton?

Fuck knows what everyone’s obsession is with after food training.
JuSt GeT a SaNdwHiCh CoMpAnY tO dO iT - yeah because I’m sure that’s exactly what our players have after training a quickly put together mass produced BLT
GeT a YoUtH tEamEr To DrIvE a VaN - maybe the youth team are training to? Maybe we don’t have a van just sat around? If we did that people would be quick to complain our youth players weren’t good enough and part of the reason was instead of training they were dicking about delivering fucking sandwiches

Of course all of that would go away if we built a new training facility with a kitchen included in say Highworth or something…with a golf course or horse stables

[Pookemon]

I find it reassuring that this is the only off pitch stuff people can find to whinge about.

What a long way we have come in just over 18 months.

[Lardy Cake]

I find it reassuring that this is the only off pitch stuff people can find to whinge about.

What a long way we have come in just over 18 months.

[The Million Pound Man]

Back to Brand- anyone know where the hold up actually is? Appreciate Morris and the club cant officially come out and say what the score is but it seems an odd one. Never known of an Assistant requiring some sort of clearance to get started.

Surely the process is we approach Chelsea and say we want your employee, they say it will cost you this much and we either pay it and take him or we dont pay and he stays... he looks to have left Chelsea but not started here . In any case hoping its resolved ASAP- if hes not in the dugout until after the Sutton game thats 16% of Morris' games for the season without his right hand man, Salford a fifth etc. etc.