Rest of the season?

Discussion of all things related to the club and first team
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

I think the club are trying to work out how they can continue in the league and what options they have around finance. The picture seems to shift daily so they are not going to rush to conclusions. Some clubs such as Concord and Oxford City are slashing budgets so as to avoid having to take loans. There is an argument that says you could put out your Academy teams for virtually nothing and see out the league fixtures avoiding loans. Basically you write off the season knowing you can’t be relegated or threatened with expulsion. That however, would make a mockery of the competition if some clubs with better financial positions can maintain their full squads. Not surprising that Dorking like this option. The NL executive and many Clubs seem keen to preserve the benefits of elite status and promotion to the EFL which would be lost if the season is declared null and void. There is clearly a degree of self interest in this view but so is there in voting to stop.

So we seem to have the following options: 1) keep going as we are and perhaps take a loan to see if we can gain promotion; 2) get players to take a voluntary cut in wages to see if we can avoid taking a loan and see if a grant might become available But not rely on one being available. 3) if players don’t want to go forward on this basis, bring in players who are prepared to or put out Academy players to supplement, ie. just fulfilling the contractual obligation and writing off the season to the least worst continuation option; 4) vote to null and void the season and hope that vote carries the day.

Taking out a loan on the chance of getting promoted seems a pretty unattractive and risky option to me. You can stay in the league and slash your costs and avoid the loan. Selling that as an option to the players, manager and fans is not an easy one but frankly we are in extraordinary times and I for one would see that as a more rational option.
Lord Elpus
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

All good and valid points Tony. If we take out loans to try and go up, and then DO gain promotion, the added financial pressure of being in the division above would surely be completely unsustainable...
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

That has to be considered of course as we know there will be significant cost associated with ground grading upgrades and higher playing costs. Although the loans being offered are long term and low interest, they still have to be serviced so it just adds to the overall financing requirement. The loan doesn’t do any good for your balance sheet either as it will be funding trading losses rather than an asset. Why would you take out a £100k loan when there was no threat of relegation? On the slim chance that you would win a promotion that would be even more difficult to fund? Better to go again next year without £100K of debt.

Having said all of this I do have real concerns that the whole league outcome would be massively distorted by some teams putting out very weakened squads. There are always financial differences between clubs but changing the landscape fundamentally half way through the season is going to benefit some of the richer clubs over others. If you haven’t already played the weakened teams then you have a massive advantage.
Rob Overfield
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Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:49 am
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TW12 larry wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:04 pm According to FOTMOB and football web pages we are playing Tonbridge on Saturday? Then at home on Tuesday?
Do they know something that we at the club are supposed to know?
The club fixture list on the website has had the information for a little while. These are amended by an external (to the club) moderator based on the league’s agreement and authorisation for the fixture. All this shows that you should keep a close eye on the fixtures this season as they can move around.

Phil and I are still planning for a trip to Tonbridge but we are not sure about Tuesday’s visit from Chippenham.
TW16Brucie
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:21 am
Location: Sunbury on Thames

Rob, will you be doing Radio Beever?
Rob Overfield
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TW12 larry wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 5:32 pm Rob, will you be doing Radio Beever?
(joke) only if an insufficient number of people object... (/joke)
Josh2002
Posts: 532
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:11 am

Tonbridge have put the following statement out on their website. It appears they have advised the league that they don't want to play on Saturday, but may play if sanctions are imposed for failing to fulfill a fixture.

https://www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk/first ... eason/1889
Rob Overfield
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Match is still taking place according to Dick Parsons, who has spoken to them since that statement was published.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

As I said previously, seems that the NL are putting pressure on clubs to play with either threats of fines or expulsion. Given that their own set of resolutions includes the prospect of calling the season null and void, this looks very heavy handed. So if the decision is null and void in a couple of weeks time, they will have just wasted everyone’s time, effort and money. Compared to waiting for the vote what does that achieve?
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Billericay have just announced they will be fielding their U23 team on Saturday to keep contracted players on furlough. The madness begins..
RogerSW
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:04 pm

A diversity of announcements by clubs so far

https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Dulwich have announced they will not play until the League resolves the original reason for suspending games. They make the very good point that the League is forcing clubs into taking risky financial decisions when their own policy is designed to prevent this from happening. There are obviously some unknown reasons why the League is pushing clubs into this position but from the outside it looks a total mess. It might help if they were more transparent about this. The blindingly obvious answer is to keep the suspension in place until the voting is concluded but “legal” reason have meant clubs have 28 days to respond. Was that really necessary? Confidence in league management must be shot and will take some time to repair.
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