...So the saying goes. The problem for manager Terry Skiverton, and for the Board of Yeovil Town is that dawn may yet be some time off. Think things can't get worse after last night's desperately disappointing 4-2 loss at Hartlepool? Believe me, they can. Anyone who was at Huish Park to see the Glovers lose 1-3 to Merthyr Tydfil back in 1994 knows exactly how bad it can get.
Thus far in Skivo's managerial career the Huish Park crowd has, by and large, been pretty supportive of him and the things he's been trying to do. Judging by the postings on the green room II over the last week or so that support is eroding fast. I spoke about a tipping point being reached after the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth three weeks ago and said then that I thought Skivo deserved the chance to at least stay in charge until January. I've changed my mind now. On Saturday we have a home game against Carlisle United. If ever a game has been a must-win game then this one is surely it. Anything less than three points will be unacceptable.
I'm finding this a hard blog to write. It's not nice to be contemplating the demise of Mr Yeovil, the man who has done so much on the pitch to get us where we are today. But the hard truth is that Skivo as a manager has been found out this season. His team - and it is his team, he's the one who has signed the players and who asked us at the start of the season to judge him on how they performed - has been found wanting in the basics of both attack and defence. It makes me angry and upset to see a good man floundering, but I'm not so much angry with Skivo. I'm angry with the men who have put him in this unenviable position, I'm angry with the Board.
It's the Board who should be looking at themselves today. Yes, by and large they've kept the club solvent, the small matter of a million pound loss in the last financial year nothwithstanding; but it's they who have allowed the club to stagnate over the last few years, who have failed to build on the legacy left by Gary Johnson and Jon Goddard-Watts. It's the Board who have allowed mediocre non-entities to keep positions of influence in the club and who do nothing but alienate fans and take revenue streams and potential revenue streams away from the club. It's the Board who hounded out the previous manager Russell Slade on wholly spurious grounds and then cynically appointed the one man guaranteed to unite the fanbase behind them, even though we all knew Skivo was the cheap option to end all cheap options and that it would probably all end in tears. And now, most cynical of all, it's the Board who have split the land assets of the Huish Park site away from the football operation and have the temerity and chutzpah to tell us that there's no other way to attract new investment into the club. New investment? Don't make me laugh. I could tell you stories, doubtless many of you reading this could tell me stories too about people, fans, potential investors with money, ready and willing to invest in the club in the past but who have always been turned away. And why were they turned away? Because they wanted a say in how their money was spent and our glorious leaders weren't prepared to dilute their power and their shareholdings in the club. Self-interest rules.
Skivo's time is probably up. But this current Board's time should also be up. There's a lot of rumours flying around the town at the moment. I myself have heard from several different sources that offers have been made or are in the process of being made to buy the club from it's current owners. I only hope the rumours are true. John Fry and Norman Hayward have shown themselves to be unwilling and unable to either attract investment to the club or to invest themselves. On top of that they have allowed a culture of failure to thrive at Huish Park. If they have any true feeling for the club then they should dissolve the holding company they have created, give the football club back the land assets they have taken from it, and last but not least, sell up. Go, and go now. Leave with your legacy more-or-less intact. It's time for real change.
Showing posts with label John Fry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Fry. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Tipping point reached?
There comes a time in the affairs of struggling football clubs that fans can, in the fullness of time, look back at and say, "There. That was the point when I knew things had to change, and change quickly." It's the tipping point, the time when fans stop being patient and giving the benefit of the doubt; the time the boos start and the abuse rains down from the stands to the pitch and the dugout, and, if there's any justice, to the posh seats in the Main Stand where the Board sits.
Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth may just have been the tipping point in Terry Skiverton's reign as manager of Yeovil Town FC. It's not so much the loss that people have found hard to take, after all Bournemouth are way up there in the league table and have only dropped 4 points at home all season - no-one with any sense seriously expected the Glovers to get much if anything from the game. No, it's the manner of the loss that's the problem. The same old problems on view, the powder-puff attack, the meaningless long-balls, and most damning of all, the cluelessness in defence. Add to that the dissent shown when Adam Virgo was substituted and Sam Williams angry reaction to the Glovers supporters jeering of him when he was hauled off; it all adds up to the feeling that events are conspiring to undermine the manager and his staff. Just at the time he needs a bit of luck to go his way, he's getting none.
Having said, he's not helping himself. In my last blog I asked why, when it's patently obvious that the defence is the weak link in the team, did Skivo bring in another striker on loan (Adam Phillip)? To compound that why did he then add another attacking player, winger Ivan Sproule, on a month's loan from Bristol City? Especially when, according to City boss Keith Millen, Sproule's objective was to get match-fit in order to challenge for a place in City's first team in the new year. If he's not match-fit, why the hell is he playing for us? Now, at last, the gaffer's talking about bringing a defender in (and as I write it's been announced that 18-year-old Leicester defender Tom Parkes has signed on a month's loan), but he's beginning to resemble the little boy sticking his finger into holes in the dyke while the water is lapping up to his chin and rising steadily.
The last 7 league games tell their own story: Won 0, drawn 1, lost 6, goals for 9, goals against 17. We are now 23rd in the league, 6 points away from safety and with the worst goal difference in the division. We now require play-off attaining form to guarantee League One football next season. The bookies make us 10/11 on to be relegated at the end of the season, and it's not often at this stage of the season that the bookies are wrong. We have a huge mountain to climb.
And what is the Board doing, while all around them Rome burns? Fiddling, obviously! Not content with the ludicrous decision to increase ticket prices by £1 all round in January, chairman John Fry has today decided to insult supporters intelligence further by announcing an announcement that there may be an announcement concerning improved facilities at the club in a few weeks time; that is, there may be an announcement in a few weeks time, not miraculously improved facilities, obviously. It seems the Board have been talking to the South Somerset District Council amongst others, which of course brings the long-delayed Sportzone project to mind, though maybe I'm guilty of making 2+2 equal 5 there. Talks are evidently on-going with interested parties, including the Council, with Fry saying: "At this stage I am optimistic of a positive outcome which it is anticipated will provide economic benefits to the town and the club." And, of course those economic benefits will also go to the main shareholders in Yeovil Town Holdings Ltd, the company that now owns the land surrounding Huish Park on which any development will take place. And the main 2 shareholders? Club chairman John Fry and club owner Norman Hayward. Let's watch this space, though it's got to be said we've had this kind of talk from Fry many times in the past and nothing has ever come of it.
Back to Skivo and I suppose it's time I got off the fence. Should he stay or should he go? I'm reluctantly coming round to the view that time is running out for him to turn things around. I am naturally reluctant to call for a manager's head even at the worst of times as I strongly believe that continuity is the best policy nine times out of ten; I'm also reluctant to see change for changes sake simply because all too often you're better off with the devil you know. However there does come a time when one cannot ignore the signs of failure all around and indeed it becomes unfair to everyone - not least the man himself - to keep an obviously out-of-his-depth incumbent in a job. Not that I think we're quite at that stage yet, but the signs aren't good. For what it's worth I would give Skivo the next month to find a winning formula. By January he'll have been in the job a month shy of 2 years. That's long enough to make his mark and show he's got what it takes to turn things around. The ball's in his court.
In the meantime we all get a break from football league action this weekend with a trip to Hartlepool in the 2nd round of the FA Cup, weather permitting. The bookies make the home side evens favourites, the draw is priced at 12/5 and a Glovers win at 27/10. My fiver, more in hope than expectation and proving once and for all the old adage about a fool and his money, is going on the draw. The running total tells you all you need to know about what kind of season we've had up 'til now: -£30.25p. Perhaps the best outcome of all this weekend would be for the game to be postponed. At least that way we would definitely be in the hat for the 3rd round draw!
Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth may just have been the tipping point in Terry Skiverton's reign as manager of Yeovil Town FC. It's not so much the loss that people have found hard to take, after all Bournemouth are way up there in the league table and have only dropped 4 points at home all season - no-one with any sense seriously expected the Glovers to get much if anything from the game. No, it's the manner of the loss that's the problem. The same old problems on view, the powder-puff attack, the meaningless long-balls, and most damning of all, the cluelessness in defence. Add to that the dissent shown when Adam Virgo was substituted and Sam Williams angry reaction to the Glovers supporters jeering of him when he was hauled off; it all adds up to the feeling that events are conspiring to undermine the manager and his staff. Just at the time he needs a bit of luck to go his way, he's getting none.
Having said, he's not helping himself. In my last blog I asked why, when it's patently obvious that the defence is the weak link in the team, did Skivo bring in another striker on loan (Adam Phillip)? To compound that why did he then add another attacking player, winger Ivan Sproule, on a month's loan from Bristol City? Especially when, according to City boss Keith Millen, Sproule's objective was to get match-fit in order to challenge for a place in City's first team in the new year. If he's not match-fit, why the hell is he playing for us? Now, at last, the gaffer's talking about bringing a defender in (and as I write it's been announced that 18-year-old Leicester defender Tom Parkes has signed on a month's loan), but he's beginning to resemble the little boy sticking his finger into holes in the dyke while the water is lapping up to his chin and rising steadily.
The last 7 league games tell their own story: Won 0, drawn 1, lost 6, goals for 9, goals against 17. We are now 23rd in the league, 6 points away from safety and with the worst goal difference in the division. We now require play-off attaining form to guarantee League One football next season. The bookies make us 10/11 on to be relegated at the end of the season, and it's not often at this stage of the season that the bookies are wrong. We have a huge mountain to climb.
And what is the Board doing, while all around them Rome burns? Fiddling, obviously! Not content with the ludicrous decision to increase ticket prices by £1 all round in January, chairman John Fry has today decided to insult supporters intelligence further by announcing an announcement that there may be an announcement concerning improved facilities at the club in a few weeks time; that is, there may be an announcement in a few weeks time, not miraculously improved facilities, obviously. It seems the Board have been talking to the South Somerset District Council amongst others, which of course brings the long-delayed Sportzone project to mind, though maybe I'm guilty of making 2+2 equal 5 there. Talks are evidently on-going with interested parties, including the Council, with Fry saying: "At this stage I am optimistic of a positive outcome which it is anticipated will provide economic benefits to the town and the club." And, of course those economic benefits will also go to the main shareholders in Yeovil Town Holdings Ltd, the company that now owns the land surrounding Huish Park on which any development will take place. And the main 2 shareholders? Club chairman John Fry and club owner Norman Hayward. Let's watch this space, though it's got to be said we've had this kind of talk from Fry many times in the past and nothing has ever come of it.
Back to Skivo and I suppose it's time I got off the fence. Should he stay or should he go? I'm reluctantly coming round to the view that time is running out for him to turn things around. I am naturally reluctant to call for a manager's head even at the worst of times as I strongly believe that continuity is the best policy nine times out of ten; I'm also reluctant to see change for changes sake simply because all too often you're better off with the devil you know. However there does come a time when one cannot ignore the signs of failure all around and indeed it becomes unfair to everyone - not least the man himself - to keep an obviously out-of-his-depth incumbent in a job. Not that I think we're quite at that stage yet, but the signs aren't good. For what it's worth I would give Skivo the next month to find a winning formula. By January he'll have been in the job a month shy of 2 years. That's long enough to make his mark and show he's got what it takes to turn things around. The ball's in his court.
In the meantime we all get a break from football league action this weekend with a trip to Hartlepool in the 2nd round of the FA Cup, weather permitting. The bookies make the home side evens favourites, the draw is priced at 12/5 and a Glovers win at 27/10. My fiver, more in hope than expectation and proving once and for all the old adage about a fool and his money, is going on the draw. The running total tells you all you need to know about what kind of season we've had up 'til now: -£30.25p. Perhaps the best outcome of all this weekend would be for the game to be postponed. At least that way we would definitely be in the hat for the 3rd round draw!
Monday, 1 November 2010
The Time Has Come
The Time Has Come - blog post by Cruncher
My first ever blog also had this title, looking ahead on Scratch's Pride of Somerset to what was Skivo's first full season at the helm. Now I feel it's time to dust the header down and use it again, because when all is combined I am uncertain about our destiny. Uncertainty can't run forever - the time has come, for, er... something.
To be honest about where we are, my view is that we are no longer just a poorer club in League One but a weaker one - and there is a difference.
Gates are running considerably higher than last year after seven home League games, at an average near 4,800 compared to around the 4,200 mark at the same stage last year. Don't let that fool you though, there have been more of the higher-attended games in this year's opening batch and even those have seen a significant drop on the same fixtures last year, in fact all corresponding fixtures are down bar the Leyton Orient match (the bald guy, he always could draw 'em in). The most telling fact is that the home section of the home crowd is still dwindling. The time had already come in previous years, on this topic.
As for the Board, my perception is this: Mr. Hayward capitalised the club to suit Mr. Fry's purpose of keeping out all and sundry. While this might be admirable to keep out the rogues and the inept, it also unfortunately keeps out the bright sparks with their fresh thinking who would roll up their sleeves to increase gate revenue as well as establish permanent money-making schemes. As I see it, Holdingsgate (as Taff usefully christened it) is in lieu of making progress in a proper and safe way. And I would hold to that even if separation of the club's land turned out to be some fantastic venture in the long run, because I don't agree with putting off (for example) local or supporter investment - with accompanied ideas, enthusiasm and endeavour - in favour of a punt with the club's plot.
In any case, the land separation route does not appear to be a plan that was made with specific investors already in mind - or else where is the next step of getting in the finance? As time drags on without even a hint of development specifics, it seems more and more likely that the separation is in case a chance comes our way, rather than separating assets to suit money already lined-up. Perhaps it might be viewed as reasonable for the club to do it that way, but if the club sets aside its prime assets for a hope that doesn't materialise, the club's land remains unprotected to potential risk in the future.
I still green-tintedly believe that Terry Skiverton can eventually get us up to dizzy heights, or at least achieve 20th place or better year after year. At the same time, the-never-gets-sorted has its accumulative effect, nagging away. If the time doesn't at least appear on the horizon fairly soon, we won't have the strength to hold on to what we've got.
With immense admiration and respect for a lot of the good past work, for the Board and for the future, the time may well have come. If someone of the right stuff comes knocking on their door, I hope the Board would see it that way too. Equally, anyone knocking on the door needs to have a clear vision to revive gates and create revenue streams.
Mr. Fry can proudly take acclaim for a marvellous chunk of our history, which took us from rising above the brink of oblivion to the brink of entering the Championship. If anything, it is that 2006-07 push to near-promotion which clearly endorses the message that all good things come to an end, as our Chairman had cast off the prudent cloak he had long donned. That was a gamble then, and Holdingsgate is a gamble now. What happened subsequently with Slade's pay-off (presumably followed by another following an unwise club statement) also gives the clear message that error can follow error once a wrong turning has been made.
A quick word about the manager and the Chief Executive: as far as I can see, Terry Skiverton is too constrained by compromises, especially for a rookie. My instinct is that his time has not come, and I back him to continue. Martyn Starnes may or may not be excellent, it is hard to tell while he his not given the free-reign that normally goes with the role. Would their allegiance to the present rulers be enough for their downfall if a new owner arrived? - Maybe, maybe not. It could just as likely be the making of 'em.
Cruncher
My first ever blog also had this title, looking ahead on Scratch's Pride of Somerset to what was Skivo's first full season at the helm. Now I feel it's time to dust the header down and use it again, because when all is combined I am uncertain about our destiny. Uncertainty can't run forever - the time has come, for, er... something.
To be honest about where we are, my view is that we are no longer just a poorer club in League One but a weaker one - and there is a difference.
Gates are running considerably higher than last year after seven home League games, at an average near 4,800 compared to around the 4,200 mark at the same stage last year. Don't let that fool you though, there have been more of the higher-attended games in this year's opening batch and even those have seen a significant drop on the same fixtures last year, in fact all corresponding fixtures are down bar the Leyton Orient match (the bald guy, he always could draw 'em in). The most telling fact is that the home section of the home crowd is still dwindling. The time had already come in previous years, on this topic.
As for the Board, my perception is this: Mr. Hayward capitalised the club to suit Mr. Fry's purpose of keeping out all and sundry. While this might be admirable to keep out the rogues and the inept, it also unfortunately keeps out the bright sparks with their fresh thinking who would roll up their sleeves to increase gate revenue as well as establish permanent money-making schemes. As I see it, Holdingsgate (as Taff usefully christened it) is in lieu of making progress in a proper and safe way. And I would hold to that even if separation of the club's land turned out to be some fantastic venture in the long run, because I don't agree with putting off (for example) local or supporter investment - with accompanied ideas, enthusiasm and endeavour - in favour of a punt with the club's plot.
In any case, the land separation route does not appear to be a plan that was made with specific investors already in mind - or else where is the next step of getting in the finance? As time drags on without even a hint of development specifics, it seems more and more likely that the separation is in case a chance comes our way, rather than separating assets to suit money already lined-up. Perhaps it might be viewed as reasonable for the club to do it that way, but if the club sets aside its prime assets for a hope that doesn't materialise, the club's land remains unprotected to potential risk in the future.
I still green-tintedly believe that Terry Skiverton can eventually get us up to dizzy heights, or at least achieve 20th place or better year after year. At the same time, the-never-gets-sorted has its accumulative effect, nagging away. If the time doesn't at least appear on the horizon fairly soon, we won't have the strength to hold on to what we've got.
With immense admiration and respect for a lot of the good past work, for the Board and for the future, the time may well have come. If someone of the right stuff comes knocking on their door, I hope the Board would see it that way too. Equally, anyone knocking on the door needs to have a clear vision to revive gates and create revenue streams.
Mr. Fry can proudly take acclaim for a marvellous chunk of our history, which took us from rising above the brink of oblivion to the brink of entering the Championship. If anything, it is that 2006-07 push to near-promotion which clearly endorses the message that all good things come to an end, as our Chairman had cast off the prudent cloak he had long donned. That was a gamble then, and Holdingsgate is a gamble now. What happened subsequently with Slade's pay-off (presumably followed by another following an unwise club statement) also gives the clear message that error can follow error once a wrong turning has been made.
A quick word about the manager and the Chief Executive: as far as I can see, Terry Skiverton is too constrained by compromises, especially for a rookie. My instinct is that his time has not come, and I back him to continue. Martyn Starnes may or may not be excellent, it is hard to tell while he his not given the free-reign that normally goes with the role. Would their allegiance to the present rulers be enough for their downfall if a new owner arrived? - Maybe, maybe not. It could just as likely be the making of 'em.
Cruncher
Monday, 27 September 2010
It's just like deja-vu all over again
I'm not going to say much about Saturday's 1-3 loss to Exeter City, mainly because I wasn't there but also because from the various reports I've read it sounds very similar to the last time we played the Grecians at home, which also resulted in a 1-3 loss. At any rate the result leaves the Glovers one place above the relegation zone with the worst goal difference in the division. We now play Southampton at home tomorrow night, followed by away games at fellow strugglers Walsall and a resurgent Rochdale. It's not hard to imagine that by the time we get back to Huish Park to entertain Sheffield Wednesday on October 16th that not only will we be by then firmly in the relegation zone but quite possibly bottom of the league. What's going wrong?
The abysmal goal difference figure provides the answer in my view. Quite simply we haven't replaced Steven Caulker and Terrell Forbes with players of the same quality. It would perhaps help if Adam Virgo was allowed to play regularly with Paul Huntington and not be shifted to wherever the latest injury crisis has occurred, but even then they both have the turning circle and acceleration from a standing start of a rusty oil tanker, so we're still vulnerable to pacey attacks. We weren't helped on Saturday by Craig Alcock's absence and in hindsight I'm sure Skivo will be regretting his decision to move Virgo to right back and bring in Stefan Stam to partner Huntington, but a manager lives and dies by such decisions and right now Skivo's judgement and tactical nous is being scrutinised as much as it ever has been by a fanbase - those of us that are left - getting increasingly impatient with poor results and worse performances.
Of course it's far too early in the season for real panic to set in and I would argue very strongly that Skivo deserves a lot more time and patience yet for his achievements in keeping us in the League One last season and the year before. But I do wonder if he'll get that time. As I said above we have a tough run of four games coming up now and on current form one can't see us picking up many points if any. All it will take is a few 'sack the Board' chants at the Sheffield Wednesday game for those at the top to start worrying about their own skins, and if there's one thing we do know about John Fry and Norman Hayward is that they can act with ruthless efficiency when criticism is directed at them. If I was Skivo I would be looking over both shoulders and praying for some results and clean sheets over the next fortnight. That Sheffield Wednesday game just might become pivotal otherwise.
As for tomorrow night's game the bookies unsurprisingly make the Saints evens favourites to win the match, with the draw at 5/2 and a home win at 13/5. I'd love to put my fiver on the home win but being realistic the draw looks much better value. Well, if we're being honest a Southampton win is the most likely outcome, but I I'm not going to start betting against us just yet. My fiver's going on the draw. Running total: -£7.25p. I hear a certain well-known local dentist has put £20 on the Glovers winning tomorrow night, let's hope his faith is rewarded. And if he loses then we will all know why a filling is so soddin' expensive these days.
It was sad to see the news that Len Harris has passed away, aged 73. I'm old enough myself to have just caught him in action at the end of his YTFC career, as part of the Southern League winning side in 1971 until he retired from the game a year later. He clocked up an incredible 691 appearances for the Glovers, a record that will surely now never be broken. Like so many others I remember him from my time at Yeovil School and used to see him pretty much every day walking to the College as it was then after the grammar school closed. He always used to smile and nod, and always had time for a chat. A nice man and he will be missed. Dellboy's appreciation of Len, written in 2003, is a must read.
Just read: Sepulchre by Kate Mosse. Not quite an horror story and not quite a romance and not quite an historical tale and not quite a murder thriller either; rather a mix of all four. Slow going at times but Mosse is such a good writer that it kept my interest for all it's 500-odd pages. Must try Labyrinth next....
The abysmal goal difference figure provides the answer in my view. Quite simply we haven't replaced Steven Caulker and Terrell Forbes with players of the same quality. It would perhaps help if Adam Virgo was allowed to play regularly with Paul Huntington and not be shifted to wherever the latest injury crisis has occurred, but even then they both have the turning circle and acceleration from a standing start of a rusty oil tanker, so we're still vulnerable to pacey attacks. We weren't helped on Saturday by Craig Alcock's absence and in hindsight I'm sure Skivo will be regretting his decision to move Virgo to right back and bring in Stefan Stam to partner Huntington, but a manager lives and dies by such decisions and right now Skivo's judgement and tactical nous is being scrutinised as much as it ever has been by a fanbase - those of us that are left - getting increasingly impatient with poor results and worse performances.
Of course it's far too early in the season for real panic to set in and I would argue very strongly that Skivo deserves a lot more time and patience yet for his achievements in keeping us in the League One last season and the year before. But I do wonder if he'll get that time. As I said above we have a tough run of four games coming up now and on current form one can't see us picking up many points if any. All it will take is a few 'sack the Board' chants at the Sheffield Wednesday game for those at the top to start worrying about their own skins, and if there's one thing we do know about John Fry and Norman Hayward is that they can act with ruthless efficiency when criticism is directed at them. If I was Skivo I would be looking over both shoulders and praying for some results and clean sheets over the next fortnight. That Sheffield Wednesday game just might become pivotal otherwise.
As for tomorrow night's game the bookies unsurprisingly make the Saints evens favourites to win the match, with the draw at 5/2 and a home win at 13/5. I'd love to put my fiver on the home win but being realistic the draw looks much better value. Well, if we're being honest a Southampton win is the most likely outcome, but I I'm not going to start betting against us just yet. My fiver's going on the draw. Running total: -£7.25p. I hear a certain well-known local dentist has put £20 on the Glovers winning tomorrow night, let's hope his faith is rewarded. And if he loses then we will all know why a filling is so soddin' expensive these days.
It was sad to see the news that Len Harris has passed away, aged 73. I'm old enough myself to have just caught him in action at the end of his YTFC career, as part of the Southern League winning side in 1971 until he retired from the game a year later. He clocked up an incredible 691 appearances for the Glovers, a record that will surely now never be broken. Like so many others I remember him from my time at Yeovil School and used to see him pretty much every day walking to the College as it was then after the grammar school closed. He always used to smile and nod, and always had time for a chat. A nice man and he will be missed. Dellboy's appreciation of Len, written in 2003, is a must read.
Just read: Sepulchre by Kate Mosse. Not quite an horror story and not quite a romance and not quite an historical tale and not quite a murder thriller either; rather a mix of all four. Slow going at times but Mosse is such a good writer that it kept my interest for all it's 500-odd pages. Must try Labyrinth next....
Friday, 20 August 2010
Local press letting fans down
I haven't received my invitation for a chat with club chairman John Fry and Chief Executive Martyn Starnes yet, but judging by the comments made by some on the achieve by unity forum then I'm sure it's only a matter of time. It seems that the Chairman and CEO are willing to conduct one-on-one meetings with virtually anyone who asks them, which makes their apparently wilful refusal to otherwise comment on the ongoing Yeovil Town Holding Company saga very hard to understand.
It's not just the YTFC Board who are conspicuous by their silence however. So far all the running in publicising the story has been made by unofficial and independent supporters groups and websites/blogs, aided and abetted by the wonderful and tenacious Matt Scott, author of the Digger column in The Guardian newspaper. One would have thought that as the national press has now started to pick up on supporters' concerns over Holdingsgate (as I am now beginning to think of it) that the local press might have seen fit to make their own enquiries into the situation, but so far neither the Western Gazette nor the Yeovil Express have featured the story at all, other than the Gazette's initial interview with John Fry back in the first week of June, which was when the club first announced its intentions.
As I understand it the Capital Glovers sent their open letter to the Board to the Gazette and asked the paper to print it. I'm told that the paper then contacted the club to see if they wanted a right to reply to the letter, but the club refused, saying they wanted to respond to the Capital Glovers direct - despite telling the Capital Glovers that they hadn't received the open letter! Whatever, the Gazette have been holding the open letter for 3 weeks now and evidently have no intention of printing it without some kind of reply from the club, who evidently have no intention of replying - a completely unsatisfactory state of affairs. And what of the Yeovil Express? There's no bigger fan of the club than Express editor Steve Sowden but again, the silence from the paper on Holdingsgate is deafening. It's becoming clear that the local press are very good at reporting on the usual activities of the club, but when it comes to the unusual then they're found wanting. It's fortunate that The Guardian isn't as shy.
Does it matter that the local press is so backwards in coming forwards? Not as much as it did before the advent of the internet. Nowadays more fans are more informed than they used to be due to the influence of the net, but nevertheless a significant number of supporters still rely on the press and particularly the local press for their YTFC news and views. And it's these supporters who are being let down by the lack of coverage on Holdingsgate. It would be nice to think that both the Gazette and the Express could rediscover some independence and indeed some balls by the time they publish next week's editions of their respective papers, but I won't be holding my breath. The club says 'jump', they only ask 'how high'.
With some relief, it's back to why we are all here, the football. The Glovers entertain Hartlepool United tomorrow at Huish Park, with the visitors reeling somewhat after the unexpected resignation of former manager Chris Turner this week. Glovers boss Terry Skiverton has signed former Watford midfielder Billy Gibson on a 6-month deal and he will presumably go straight into Saturday's squad. Missing will be the suspended JP Kalala and almost certainly missing will be the almost certainly injured Luke Freeman; but on the plus side both Dean Bowditch and Andy Welsh should return from injury, so happy days there. Skivo's main selection dilemma will be in the central midfield spot - will Ed Upson or Rob Kiernan partner Luke Ayling in the middle? I would go for Upson initially, but Skivo may prefer Kiernan's defensive nous. We will see tomorrow.
The bookies make the Glovers favourites for the win at 11/10. The draw is priced at 12/5 and a Hartlepool win is also at 12/5. My fiver is going very firmly on the home win. Running total: -£4.25p. Come on you Greens!
It's not just the YTFC Board who are conspicuous by their silence however. So far all the running in publicising the story has been made by unofficial and independent supporters groups and websites/blogs, aided and abetted by the wonderful and tenacious Matt Scott, author of the Digger column in The Guardian newspaper. One would have thought that as the national press has now started to pick up on supporters' concerns over Holdingsgate (as I am now beginning to think of it) that the local press might have seen fit to make their own enquiries into the situation, but so far neither the Western Gazette nor the Yeovil Express have featured the story at all, other than the Gazette's initial interview with John Fry back in the first week of June, which was when the club first announced its intentions.
As I understand it the Capital Glovers sent their open letter to the Board to the Gazette and asked the paper to print it. I'm told that the paper then contacted the club to see if they wanted a right to reply to the letter, but the club refused, saying they wanted to respond to the Capital Glovers direct - despite telling the Capital Glovers that they hadn't received the open letter! Whatever, the Gazette have been holding the open letter for 3 weeks now and evidently have no intention of printing it without some kind of reply from the club, who evidently have no intention of replying - a completely unsatisfactory state of affairs. And what of the Yeovil Express? There's no bigger fan of the club than Express editor Steve Sowden but again, the silence from the paper on Holdingsgate is deafening. It's becoming clear that the local press are very good at reporting on the usual activities of the club, but when it comes to the unusual then they're found wanting. It's fortunate that The Guardian isn't as shy.
Does it matter that the local press is so backwards in coming forwards? Not as much as it did before the advent of the internet. Nowadays more fans are more informed than they used to be due to the influence of the net, but nevertheless a significant number of supporters still rely on the press and particularly the local press for their YTFC news and views. And it's these supporters who are being let down by the lack of coverage on Holdingsgate. It would be nice to think that both the Gazette and the Express could rediscover some independence and indeed some balls by the time they publish next week's editions of their respective papers, but I won't be holding my breath. The club says 'jump', they only ask 'how high'.
With some relief, it's back to why we are all here, the football. The Glovers entertain Hartlepool United tomorrow at Huish Park, with the visitors reeling somewhat after the unexpected resignation of former manager Chris Turner this week. Glovers boss Terry Skiverton has signed former Watford midfielder Billy Gibson on a 6-month deal and he will presumably go straight into Saturday's squad. Missing will be the suspended JP Kalala and almost certainly missing will be the almost certainly injured Luke Freeman; but on the plus side both Dean Bowditch and Andy Welsh should return from injury, so happy days there. Skivo's main selection dilemma will be in the central midfield spot - will Ed Upson or Rob Kiernan partner Luke Ayling in the middle? I would go for Upson initially, but Skivo may prefer Kiernan's defensive nous. We will see tomorrow.
The bookies make the Glovers favourites for the win at 11/10. The draw is priced at 12/5 and a Hartlepool win is also at 12/5. My fiver is going very firmly on the home win. Running total: -£4.25p. Come on you Greens!
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Can you hear the Yeovil sing ...?
Cruncher is back with a follow-up to his blog of last week, 'Get over the hump'. Is there anybody out there listening?
Can you hear the Yeovil sing? I can't hear a ...
Well, you know the rhyme. Although there are some signs of warming up the vocal chords for a performance or two. Once the Board went for the ostrich technique, it was inevitable that they would invite more criticism and less trust. Just as it was clear that once Matt Scott was on the scent of the shareholders documents, that he would eventually find them. This is increasingly becoming a saga about inevitabilities; if the Board remain obstinate, there is no doubt Digger's spade-work will be followed up until eventually he starts up the JCB. The more you bury yer head in the sand, the easier it is to get yer arse kicked.
On motive, I remain open-minded. I do, however, see why the wider view may be falling the other way, largely due to the lack of explanation and debate. For all that is good at the club, silence and non-engagement unfortunately is a common theme, meaning a bolted-door policy over the years on other matters has now impacted on this single vital issue, to affect the benefit of doubt: one of the afore-mentioned inevitabilities.
As it happens, based on John Fry's long service and how the club is perceived in the wider football world, my instinct remains that there is good intention - though I sincerely wish the route avoided separation. I wish also that local and/or supporter investment had been sought as a preferential strategy, including accepting well-chosen new directors for their input and ideas as well as their money.
Apart from The Guardian, the press have been shy while supporters have been penned-in like sheep subdued by a wall of silence. On this issue, that has a proven as well as a potential risk, sheep don't stay penned-in for ever. The silence of the lambs has ended, the flock has broken free to find its voice with questions, and the club needs to find its own voice with comprehensive answers. Digger breaking through the topsoil does seem to have got the club reaching for the throat-spray. Let us hope that what they do say addresses the issues full-on, especially with regard to safeguarding the club and ensuring it benefits wholly from its own assets.
No-one wants development to be off-agenda, this small club needs to create revenue. The opportunity is there for the club to understand, then explain and engage, and then to achieve by unity. A lack of such action though will compound an opposite and divisive effect. With crowds having dwindled significantly compared to a few years back, that is relevant to the here-and-now, as well as the future. 'Achieve by Unity' is the club's motto, and (as the Guardian article highlighted) the Charter also demands debate on such issues.
I noticed Denison Till and their belief in asset-separation alongside understanding of 'football difficulties' a couple of months ago, when searching around to find more clues in general. I made and repeated a general enquiry that was not responded to, though accept an explanation given. Since Digger's disclosure that the club is consulting with them I contacted them again, combining my initial general points with YTFC relevance.
Consultant Andrew Lindsay (while understandably and politely expressing his unavailability to comment specifically or to continue a dialogue) sang the praises of the Yeovil directors, as he had done to Digger, confidently assessing the Yeovil Board as ranking high on integrity and commitment to both club and community, in his many years of experience; also re-assuring (without detail) that the proposed route was both safe and wise; and he viewed the current Yeovil business model as notably superior to how most lower league clubs were run.
All well and good. Now it is time for the Yeovil Board to sing the praise of their own proposals, and that will inevitably have to include detail. The Capital Glovers Open Letter was a fair and respectful open-minded approach, which I would ask the club to note as reflecting the general view of a great many of us. I know that others are making similar approaches and seeking other routes of help and advice - as is the inevitable outcome when explanation goes AWOL. If that compounded further, the collective opinion would strongly suspect that satisfactory explanation was not possible - the worst scenario.
This is not a stand-off from uninformed (oh the irony) supporters, but a plea from a realistic support that wants to be allowed to share a vision that they want proven as an exciting way forward they can take part in. Sing up.
Cruncher
Can you hear the Yeovil sing? I can't hear a ...
Well, you know the rhyme. Although there are some signs of warming up the vocal chords for a performance or two. Once the Board went for the ostrich technique, it was inevitable that they would invite more criticism and less trust. Just as it was clear that once Matt Scott was on the scent of the shareholders documents, that he would eventually find them. This is increasingly becoming a saga about inevitabilities; if the Board remain obstinate, there is no doubt Digger's spade-work will be followed up until eventually he starts up the JCB. The more you bury yer head in the sand, the easier it is to get yer arse kicked.
On motive, I remain open-minded. I do, however, see why the wider view may be falling the other way, largely due to the lack of explanation and debate. For all that is good at the club, silence and non-engagement unfortunately is a common theme, meaning a bolted-door policy over the years on other matters has now impacted on this single vital issue, to affect the benefit of doubt: one of the afore-mentioned inevitabilities.
As it happens, based on John Fry's long service and how the club is perceived in the wider football world, my instinct remains that there is good intention - though I sincerely wish the route avoided separation. I wish also that local and/or supporter investment had been sought as a preferential strategy, including accepting well-chosen new directors for their input and ideas as well as their money.
Apart from The Guardian, the press have been shy while supporters have been penned-in like sheep subdued by a wall of silence. On this issue, that has a proven as well as a potential risk, sheep don't stay penned-in for ever. The silence of the lambs has ended, the flock has broken free to find its voice with questions, and the club needs to find its own voice with comprehensive answers. Digger breaking through the topsoil does seem to have got the club reaching for the throat-spray. Let us hope that what they do say addresses the issues full-on, especially with regard to safeguarding the club and ensuring it benefits wholly from its own assets.
No-one wants development to be off-agenda, this small club needs to create revenue. The opportunity is there for the club to understand, then explain and engage, and then to achieve by unity. A lack of such action though will compound an opposite and divisive effect. With crowds having dwindled significantly compared to a few years back, that is relevant to the here-and-now, as well as the future. 'Achieve by Unity' is the club's motto, and (as the Guardian article highlighted) the Charter also demands debate on such issues.
I noticed Denison Till and their belief in asset-separation alongside understanding of 'football difficulties' a couple of months ago, when searching around to find more clues in general. I made and repeated a general enquiry that was not responded to, though accept an explanation given. Since Digger's disclosure that the club is consulting with them I contacted them again, combining my initial general points with YTFC relevance.
Consultant Andrew Lindsay (while understandably and politely expressing his unavailability to comment specifically or to continue a dialogue) sang the praises of the Yeovil directors, as he had done to Digger, confidently assessing the Yeovil Board as ranking high on integrity and commitment to both club and community, in his many years of experience; also re-assuring (without detail) that the proposed route was both safe and wise; and he viewed the current Yeovil business model as notably superior to how most lower league clubs were run.
All well and good. Now it is time for the Yeovil Board to sing the praise of their own proposals, and that will inevitably have to include detail. The Capital Glovers Open Letter was a fair and respectful open-minded approach, which I would ask the club to note as reflecting the general view of a great many of us. I know that others are making similar approaches and seeking other routes of help and advice - as is the inevitable outcome when explanation goes AWOL. If that compounded further, the collective opinion would strongly suspect that satisfactory explanation was not possible - the worst scenario.
This is not a stand-off from uninformed (oh the irony) supporters, but a plea from a realistic support that wants to be allowed to share a vision that they want proven as an exciting way forward they can take part in. Sing up.
Cruncher
Monday, 9 August 2010
Get Over The Hump
Guest-blogger time. Cruncher is back with a powerful plea to the Board to start talking....
Get Over The Hump
Time is moving on, and the questions and worries about the club's restructuring plans continue to be met with a castle-wall of silence. As an enthusiastic manager with an enterprising on-field approach who can also easily connect with the support, Terry Skiverton is a promising prospect to bring more through the gate. It is worrying, though, that he might be hindered by the Board's reluctance to illuminate about their own enterprising endeavours.
On one hand there is much to draw in new punters and to re-enthuse old ones to return. On the other, the club is advocating what has proved elsewhere to be significant risk in divorcing the football club from its ground - and then significantly compounding that with no explanation. It's a subjective view, but I tend to think it feasible that while Skiverton is drumming up more support, the wall of silence could cause the potential returning masses to, at best, dither.
The first crowd of the season could be read two ways: disappointing because it was down by a couple hundred on last year's opener; or encouraging because three hundred more turned up than for Orient's last visit - which is significant because last year it was also an August fixture. Which leads me to conclude unsurprisingly that nothing can be concluded after one game just as equally with attendances as with on-field prospects. I do think though that the end of August sum total attendance compared to last August might be an early measure, and even tomorrow's Crystal Palace Carling Cup crowd will be interesting to compare against last year's 3,860, for the Norwich encounter at the same stage of the competition.
Anyway, we'll have to see. It's the dilemma that I particularly want to mention and for the Board to note its significance: a feeling that we could indeed be taking small exciting steps to better things, yet coinciding with a great and rational fear of where the restructuring proposals could lead. They need to appreciate that this is what is in hearts and minds at this time, including no doubt in those that are 'dithering' about either finding out what Huish Park is like, or returning to the fold. It is real, and needs to addressed.
For what this club both needs and wants, Terry Skiverton's approach to developing this club hits the mark. A clear long-term objective to continue on an upward climb, committed to sourcing and developing talented youngsters to play to an entertaining attacking plan. Combine this with his understanding of the perspective from the supporter and the press, as an effective and enthusiastic communicator, then Skiverton shows potential to follow the successful eras of Alec Stock, Mike Hughes and Gary Johnson that defined the football club.
John Fry, like all of us, may acquire criticism on specific issues, but he has also certainly done enough for this club to have earned his place in the history of the club as firmly as anyone. That though adds to the enigma. Start talking to us. When it comes to matters so important as ground, I like my terra to be firma.
I particularly enjoyed DNB's post on the Achieve by Unity forum about the last twenty years of wonderful mixed emotion since the move from the old Huish - I want someone doing that with similar fond memories in another twenty years. Matt Scott of The Guardian has learned that his persistence has given the club 'the hump'. Time for the club to get over their hump. Martin Starnes has stressed in The Western Gazette the need for people to attend games - while welcome to hear, it falls on the club to look into all aspects of why people may not be attending.
How frustrating it would be to negate the good efforts of the management team, and indeed the good efforts of many years of good practice with John Fry at the helm. Silence or insufficient communication though has been a long-standing bugbear - but all those occasions added up together cannot amount to the need for words as does this singularly important restructuring issue.
As the line says, 'Silence like a cancer grows ...'
Cruncher
Get Over The Hump
Time is moving on, and the questions and worries about the club's restructuring plans continue to be met with a castle-wall of silence. As an enthusiastic manager with an enterprising on-field approach who can also easily connect with the support, Terry Skiverton is a promising prospect to bring more through the gate. It is worrying, though, that he might be hindered by the Board's reluctance to illuminate about their own enterprising endeavours.
On one hand there is much to draw in new punters and to re-enthuse old ones to return. On the other, the club is advocating what has proved elsewhere to be significant risk in divorcing the football club from its ground - and then significantly compounding that with no explanation. It's a subjective view, but I tend to think it feasible that while Skiverton is drumming up more support, the wall of silence could cause the potential returning masses to, at best, dither.
The first crowd of the season could be read two ways: disappointing because it was down by a couple hundred on last year's opener; or encouraging because three hundred more turned up than for Orient's last visit - which is significant because last year it was also an August fixture. Which leads me to conclude unsurprisingly that nothing can be concluded after one game just as equally with attendances as with on-field prospects. I do think though that the end of August sum total attendance compared to last August might be an early measure, and even tomorrow's Crystal Palace Carling Cup crowd will be interesting to compare against last year's 3,860, for the Norwich encounter at the same stage of the competition.
Anyway, we'll have to see. It's the dilemma that I particularly want to mention and for the Board to note its significance: a feeling that we could indeed be taking small exciting steps to better things, yet coinciding with a great and rational fear of where the restructuring proposals could lead. They need to appreciate that this is what is in hearts and minds at this time, including no doubt in those that are 'dithering' about either finding out what Huish Park is like, or returning to the fold. It is real, and needs to addressed.
For what this club both needs and wants, Terry Skiverton's approach to developing this club hits the mark. A clear long-term objective to continue on an upward climb, committed to sourcing and developing talented youngsters to play to an entertaining attacking plan. Combine this with his understanding of the perspective from the supporter and the press, as an effective and enthusiastic communicator, then Skiverton shows potential to follow the successful eras of Alec Stock, Mike Hughes and Gary Johnson that defined the football club.
John Fry, like all of us, may acquire criticism on specific issues, but he has also certainly done enough for this club to have earned his place in the history of the club as firmly as anyone. That though adds to the enigma. Start talking to us. When it comes to matters so important as ground, I like my terra to be firma.
I particularly enjoyed DNB's post on the Achieve by Unity forum about the last twenty years of wonderful mixed emotion since the move from the old Huish - I want someone doing that with similar fond memories in another twenty years. Matt Scott of The Guardian has learned that his persistence has given the club 'the hump'. Time for the club to get over their hump. Martin Starnes has stressed in The Western Gazette the need for people to attend games - while welcome to hear, it falls on the club to look into all aspects of why people may not be attending.
How frustrating it would be to negate the good efforts of the management team, and indeed the good efforts of many years of good practice with John Fry at the helm. Silence or insufficient communication though has been a long-standing bugbear - but all those occasions added up together cannot amount to the need for words as does this singularly important restructuring issue.
As the line says, 'Silence like a cancer grows ...'
Cruncher
Friday, 23 July 2010
Silence from the boardroom is deafening
A few weeks ago the board announced plans to form a new company - Yeovil Town Holdings Ltd - to coexist alongside the existing company, Yeovil Football and Athletic Club Ltd. The reason for this as far as one could glean from the titbits of information doled out by the club was to separate the club's property assets from it's football operation. The property assets - in other words Huish Park Stadium and the surrounding land - would be owned by the new company with the football operation run by the existing company.
Since then we've heard nothing, at least nothing from the club. We found out this week that South Somerset District Council have earmarked approximately half of the Huish Park site as one of 7 possibilities on which the proposed Yeovil Sportzone - a multi-million pound development including a 50m swimming pool, gym, indoor tennis centre and climbing centre - might be built. One might have thought that such a potentially important development on the Huish Park site would have been worth a comment from the board, even if it was just to confirm that fans would still have somewhere to park their cars should the proposed development go ahead, but as usual the silence from the boadroom is deafening.
It might be that the Sportzone proposals have nothing to do with formation of the new Holding Company at the club, and indeed it would seem highly unlikely that any such large-scale development would be given the go-ahead at Huish Park when there would appear to be at the very least several more advantageous sites around the Yeovil area; nevertheless is it a coincidence that these proposals have come to light just after the board's separation of the stadium and grounds from the club's football operation?
The history of clubs going down the road of splitting property assets from their football operations is a short and unhappy one. AFC Bournemouth, Southend Utd, Rotherham and Crystal Palace are all recent examples and warnings. In this case silence is not golden, the board owe supporters a full explanation of what they are doing and why they are doing it. Chairman John Fry is very fond of claiming that the club is run transparently and openly. It's time for him to prove it.
Back to the football: There's still no real movement to report in terms of Skivo adding to his squad, though the gaffer has said this week that he has a verbal agreement in place to sign a keeper on loan. ITK's suggest that David Button of Tottenham or Elliot Parish of Aston Villa are possibilities, and either would be very acceptable; but I'm still hoping that Alex McCarthy might yet fancy another season in deepest Somerset. Time will tell.
As far as the rest of the squad is concerned there's been no additions or subtractions that we've been told about this week and Skivo has said he's only looking for a couple more players to complete the squad. Which would give us a senior squad of around 16 players by my maths, not even enough for a full bench without the addition of a few academy lads. Again, time will tell and with another fortnight before the start of the season proper Skivo still has room for manoeuvre.
Tomorrow sees the visit of Manchester United's reserve side for Darren Way's testimonial game. I know a lot of people don't agree with the very idea of testimonial's in this day and age and to be honest I do have some sympathy with that point of view, but if ever there deserves to be an exception to that general rule then surely this is it. Good luck to Weasel for tomorrow.
Just Read: We Joined The Navy by John Winton: Actually this must be about the 30th time I've read this book and it still makes me laugh even now. Written in 1959, it's a wonderfully warm and witty look at life as a cadet in the Royal Navy and even though it's very dated it's still well worth reading, both for the humour and as a chronicle of more innocent times. Wonderful.
Since then we've heard nothing, at least nothing from the club. We found out this week that South Somerset District Council have earmarked approximately half of the Huish Park site as one of 7 possibilities on which the proposed Yeovil Sportzone - a multi-million pound development including a 50m swimming pool, gym, indoor tennis centre and climbing centre - might be built. One might have thought that such a potentially important development on the Huish Park site would have been worth a comment from the board, even if it was just to confirm that fans would still have somewhere to park their cars should the proposed development go ahead, but as usual the silence from the boadroom is deafening.
It might be that the Sportzone proposals have nothing to do with formation of the new Holding Company at the club, and indeed it would seem highly unlikely that any such large-scale development would be given the go-ahead at Huish Park when there would appear to be at the very least several more advantageous sites around the Yeovil area; nevertheless is it a coincidence that these proposals have come to light just after the board's separation of the stadium and grounds from the club's football operation?
The history of clubs going down the road of splitting property assets from their football operations is a short and unhappy one. AFC Bournemouth, Southend Utd, Rotherham and Crystal Palace are all recent examples and warnings. In this case silence is not golden, the board owe supporters a full explanation of what they are doing and why they are doing it. Chairman John Fry is very fond of claiming that the club is run transparently and openly. It's time for him to prove it.
Back to the football: There's still no real movement to report in terms of Skivo adding to his squad, though the gaffer has said this week that he has a verbal agreement in place to sign a keeper on loan. ITK's suggest that David Button of Tottenham or Elliot Parish of Aston Villa are possibilities, and either would be very acceptable; but I'm still hoping that Alex McCarthy might yet fancy another season in deepest Somerset. Time will tell.
As far as the rest of the squad is concerned there's been no additions or subtractions that we've been told about this week and Skivo has said he's only looking for a couple more players to complete the squad. Which would give us a senior squad of around 16 players by my maths, not even enough for a full bench without the addition of a few academy lads. Again, time will tell and with another fortnight before the start of the season proper Skivo still has room for manoeuvre.
Tomorrow sees the visit of Manchester United's reserve side for Darren Way's testimonial game. I know a lot of people don't agree with the very idea of testimonial's in this day and age and to be honest I do have some sympathy with that point of view, but if ever there deserves to be an exception to that general rule then surely this is it. Good luck to Weasel for tomorrow.
Just Read: We Joined The Navy by John Winton: Actually this must be about the 30th time I've read this book and it still makes me laugh even now. Written in 1959, it's a wonderfully warm and witty look at life as a cadet in the Royal Navy and even though it's very dated it's still well worth reading, both for the humour and as a chronicle of more innocent times. Wonderful.
Friday, 29 May 2009
Perceptions and season ticket sales
That was a relief! Barcelona did the business in the Champions League Final to stuff Man Utd 2-0 and give those who believe the Premiership is the be-all and end-all of the beautiful game some pause for thought. And they did it the best way, by completely outplaying Ferguson's men over the 90 minutes with intelligent, passing football. The only way the result could have been any sweeter was if Barca had scored the four goals their domination deserved, but I'll take the 2-0 quite happily. There was a time - before the arrival of the Premiership - when I would wish each and every English or British team good luck in European competition and hope they would win, but not any more, particularly the so-called Big 4. The disproportionate amount of money they take out of the domestic game is nothing short of scandalous and in fact the sooner the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal fuck off into a fully-fledged European Superleague the better off the rest of us will be.
Grrrrrr. Anyway, back on planet Earth and Chris Weale is the latest of our former loanees to find himself a new club, flying Uncle Gary's nest at last to sign for Leicester City. Good luck to him there. I think he was probably the most important of the loan signings we made over the last couple of months of the season. He dominated his penalty area and gave the defence a huge boost of confidence after Josh Wagenaar's less than commanding displays and without him I think we could well have gone down, even with the injection of goals the Spurs lads gave us. He deserves the chance to establish himself as the no.1 at a genuinely big club and now he's got it. Good luck Wealey! And good luck to us too, we're going to need it if Josh really is our main keeper next season.
No news on anyone else. None of the out-of-contract three have signed up as yet, with Terrel Forbes in particular moaning in the Western Gazette that he's yet to receive anything in writing from the club. At the same time and in the same paper Andy Welsh says that he's agreed terms with club but - as with Forbes - he's yet to receive anything in writing. Business as usual then! I did have hopes when Martyn Starnes took over from John Fry as chief executive that decision-making would be streamlined. I always vaguely assumed that the club's general procrastination in business matters was due to Mr Fry having too much on his plate as chairman and chief executive leading to delay and obfuscation (what a lovely word! Obfuscation, mmmmm), but what we are finding is another level of bureaucracy added instead with Starnes doing all the negotiating and then reporting back to Fry. Who in turn reports to Hayward. All this takes time and in the meantime the real world moves on and we lose players we thought were ours, because other clubs aren't paralysed by inertia and are capable of making quick decisions. The more things change, the more they remain the bleedin' same.
On the positive side, season tickets sales are well up, having just gone over the 2,000 barrier compared to just over 1,000 at this time last season. I'm frankly astonished at this. Fair play to the club on this issue, they've obviously got the pricing right and not even the board's biggest critic can argue that the replacement of Russell Slade with Skivo wasn't popular with the majority of supporters; even if the majority of supporters may be missing the fact that Skivo's results, if extrapolated throughout the season would have seen us relegated. Perceptions are what count, and the perception is that Skivo's team plays attractive, attacking football, whereas it was the opposite under Slade's tenure.
It's not a perception I particularly share. The only difference I've seen under Skivo is that the team are attempting to play at a faster tempo these days, the football otherwise is similar. Before the arrival of the Spurs boys and (for one game as it turned out) David Noble we were losing and occasionally drawing - 2 points from 19 I believe - and had slipped into the relegation zone. The loanees literally made all the difference, and of course Skivo deserves big credit for recognizing where we were weak and filling in those gaps. Nevertheless, without those players the football being served up was just as dull and uncreative as anything served up by Slade's teams - the difference was that at least Slade's team won now and then.
Still and all, hopefully my worries are unfounded and we'll start the season all guns blazing. Judging by the season ticket sales most fans apparently believe we will!
Currently reading: Quantico by Greg Bear. I've really enjoyed Bear's previous books, such as ,The Forge of God, Anvil of the Stars, Eternity, Eon, Queen of Angels, Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children; so I was looking forward to this one. Quantico is science-fiction still, but sf set in the very near future rather than the far future. It's basically a spy thriller with a technological twist. It's a book that I nearly put aside on several occasions but eventually did finish, more out of a sense of duty than because I really enjoyed it. Can't really recommend it, it's not up to any of the above-named titles' standards.
Grrrrrr. Anyway, back on planet Earth and Chris Weale is the latest of our former loanees to find himself a new club, flying Uncle Gary's nest at last to sign for Leicester City. Good luck to him there. I think he was probably the most important of the loan signings we made over the last couple of months of the season. He dominated his penalty area and gave the defence a huge boost of confidence after Josh Wagenaar's less than commanding displays and without him I think we could well have gone down, even with the injection of goals the Spurs lads gave us. He deserves the chance to establish himself as the no.1 at a genuinely big club and now he's got it. Good luck Wealey! And good luck to us too, we're going to need it if Josh really is our main keeper next season.
No news on anyone else. None of the out-of-contract three have signed up as yet, with Terrel Forbes in particular moaning in the Western Gazette that he's yet to receive anything in writing from the club. At the same time and in the same paper Andy Welsh says that he's agreed terms with club but - as with Forbes - he's yet to receive anything in writing. Business as usual then! I did have hopes when Martyn Starnes took over from John Fry as chief executive that decision-making would be streamlined. I always vaguely assumed that the club's general procrastination in business matters was due to Mr Fry having too much on his plate as chairman and chief executive leading to delay and obfuscation (what a lovely word! Obfuscation, mmmmm), but what we are finding is another level of bureaucracy added instead with Starnes doing all the negotiating and then reporting back to Fry. Who in turn reports to Hayward. All this takes time and in the meantime the real world moves on and we lose players we thought were ours, because other clubs aren't paralysed by inertia and are capable of making quick decisions. The more things change, the more they remain the bleedin' same.
On the positive side, season tickets sales are well up, having just gone over the 2,000 barrier compared to just over 1,000 at this time last season. I'm frankly astonished at this. Fair play to the club on this issue, they've obviously got the pricing right and not even the board's biggest critic can argue that the replacement of Russell Slade with Skivo wasn't popular with the majority of supporters; even if the majority of supporters may be missing the fact that Skivo's results, if extrapolated throughout the season would have seen us relegated. Perceptions are what count, and the perception is that Skivo's team plays attractive, attacking football, whereas it was the opposite under Slade's tenure.
It's not a perception I particularly share. The only difference I've seen under Skivo is that the team are attempting to play at a faster tempo these days, the football otherwise is similar. Before the arrival of the Spurs boys and (for one game as it turned out) David Noble we were losing and occasionally drawing - 2 points from 19 I believe - and had slipped into the relegation zone. The loanees literally made all the difference, and of course Skivo deserves big credit for recognizing where we were weak and filling in those gaps. Nevertheless, without those players the football being served up was just as dull and uncreative as anything served up by Slade's teams - the difference was that at least Slade's team won now and then.
Still and all, hopefully my worries are unfounded and we'll start the season all guns blazing. Judging by the season ticket sales most fans apparently believe we will!
Currently reading: Quantico by Greg Bear. I've really enjoyed Bear's previous books, such as ,The Forge of God, Anvil of the Stars, Eternity, Eon, Queen of Angels, Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children; so I was looking forward to this one. Quantico is science-fiction still, but sf set in the very near future rather than the far future. It's basically a spy thriller with a technological twist. It's a book that I nearly put aside on several occasions but eventually did finish, more out of a sense of duty than because I really enjoyed it. Can't really recommend it, it's not up to any of the above-named titles' standards.
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