Rest of the season?

Discussion of all things related to the club and first team
Post Reply
Cliffp
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:20 pm

Please accept my apologies if I’m being a bit thick here or missing something obvious but as I understand it the majority of the clubs in NLN/NLS received a grant (not loan) of a minimum £30,000 per month to cover revenue shortfall in the period Oct, Nov, Dec 2020. Therefore at least £90,000 in total.

So how many league games with associated revenue lost due to no supporters in the ground during the same period? 9? Average attendance of say 600 per game and assuming a gate receipt figure of £10 per spectator =£54,000 in lost gate income.

I appreciate there is also an associated loss of additional sales eg bar and food but if there is no sale then presume no cost of sale either which offsets some of the lost revenue. So in summary as I see it, some clubs seem to have done quite well from the grant and I’m not suggesting we as a club have done well, been fairly or unfairly compensated through the grant but seems strange that some clubs who seemingly did ok now want the season null and voided?
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

You're right some clubs with low average gates did very well out of the grants and of course the with much higher gates did disproportionately badly. Hence all the bitter recriminations over how the original allocation was handled. Without knowing each individual club's finances it is hard to say if some clubs are actually in a position to fund a few more weeks play from the original allocation. Some may have used the funds as a substitute for external funding from shareholders and are now reluctant to put in further funds as they see the season likely to end. Others may have used the bonus funds to increase their player budgets. We are probably not going to find out. Some clubs are in a genuine position of hardship, some are perhaps acting mote out of self interest. If you felt hard done by from the original grant distribution e.g Dulwich it must stick in the craw to now be asked to get a loan from Sport England to fund the rest of the season. Undoubtedly there will be some clubs who have benefitted but legitimately cannot see their way through to the end of the season without further grants - and I would suspect that we would be one of those.

It is hard to escape the conclusion that the whole situation has been woefully managed by the League and that there is very little unity across the various divisions such that the National League could easily break up if matters are not resolved swiftly. One has to question whether Step 2 should have ever been treated as elite in the first place as this seems one of the root causes of the current predicament. However, the I doubt the season would have started if the grant situation had been properly understood and we could have been spared most of this mess. That "misunderstanding" seems to sit squarely with the League and DCMS.
Jamie
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:51 am

It seems some clubs seem worried about being public with their feelings.
What clubs need to remember is, the league board/committee is in place to represent the best interests of it's members (the clubs). Just like with the FA.
Clubs pay into the system, and should be able to talk freely (as long as not libellous or not factual), giving their opinions and views on the situation.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

I understand the league are now asking clubs to vote before the 28 day deadline so I guess we will see a decision one way or the other by the weekend. In the meantime, some clubs are receiving letters from the league asking whether they will fulfil Saturday’s fixtures and threatening sanctions.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Those clubs that failed/ refused to play on Saturday have now been officially notified they are being sanctioned. This is going to go down well. A number of clubs could start with points deduction next season or fines they can’t pay this season. If the League doesn’t give any meaningful punishment then their authority will be lost ( if not already) or other clubs will protest.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Some critical comments from Marc White, chairman of Dorking, today about our decision to vote null and void. His helpful suggestion is that we should have voted to continue and fielded our Academy side to save money. Now we may have to do that if the votes to finish are not carried and we are forced to play on. The fact that Dorking would be playing a number of weakened sides is clearly not part of his thinking or the fact that we as one of Dorking’s closest challengers would drop out of contention. He now wants the league to give a separate vote to NLS on whether to continue.
TW3 Beaver
Posts: 585
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:56 am
Location: Lampton Village

TW2-Beaver wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 5:39 pm The Tonbridge programme editorial expressed the view that we need to stop thinking in terms of rigid start/end dates to seasons. Just pause until whenever fans are allowed in then complete the current season, before worrying about the next.
I know things have moved on since this, but this season should have been forgotten about, and completed last season, easy to say now I know, and I don't think anyone thought we would still be in this position.
Last edited by TW3 Beaver on Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lord Elpus
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

Tony wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:10 pm Some critical comments from Marc White, chairman of Dorking, today about our decision to vote null and void.
Well that's actually really good. Doing the opposite of what Marc White thinks is probably the best approach anyway.
HamptonMad
Posts: 874
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:56 pm

Marc White wants all the teams to complete the league with there youth teams. While his high earners play and win the league. Well its not going to happen. We will enjoy taking another 4 points off you next season.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Tonbridge have now furloughed their entire first team squad and will field a scratch side if required to play on. Are we doing anything similar? Due to be away at Concord Tuesday evening.
Rob Overfield
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:49 am
Contact:

Dorking owner and manager Marc White is having a temper tantrum...

https://twitter.com/ollie_bayliss/statu ... 13348?s=21
HamptonMad
Posts: 874
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:56 pm

Every Club has a man with a Temper Tantrum. Single child that wants his own way.
Post Reply