A plea to the true fans

[BerlinWaller]

Our club needs us more than ever. We don't have a huge fan base to call on which makes every individual that much more important to the club. Every person through that gate today is vital to the club and the hard working staff at all levels.
If you have a mate who normally gets you in for free, don't do it today. If you have a free ticket, try not to use it. If you are hungry, buy a pie instead of waiting until you get home! Lets try and get some money in to the club today and just knock those freebies on the head for this game! Every quid does count and put your club first!

[Gone_Shrimping]

And this also applies to the Bradford match on Wednesday.

Although some have talked of boycotting it to protest about the inclusion of Premier Under 23 sides in the competition we need as much cash as we can get through the gates. The Under 23 sides argument has already been won and its unlikely to be repeated.

So get your money out on Wednesday Night !!

[RedRedWine]

And this also applies to the Bradford match on Wednesday.

Although some have talked of boycotting it to protest about the inclusion of Premier Under 23 sides in the competition we need as much cash as we can get through the gates. The Under 23 sides argument has already been won and its unlikely to be repeated.

So get your money out on Wednesday Night !!

Very good point.

The complimentary ticket argument also needs a serious looking at, but its not one for today. I'm not talking about the media tarts, I'm talking about the people who do f'all and swan around the place like they own it - given the news that club employees haven't been paid for 6 weeks, surely they would be too embarrassed to cash them in today?

[skeletor]

what about the people who get let in by stewards who are relatives or friends?

[RedRedWine]

I view them with the same contempt - just like the people that claim season ticket discount when they are not entitled to it (i.e. they are not a season ticket holder). Again, not one for today - but season ticket discount basically gets you your ticket price knocked off your hospitality price (which is fair enough). If you don't have a season ticket to begin with - but falsely claim that you do to effectively get a free meal for the same or less than your match day ticket price - you are robbing your club... a club that can not afford to pay its employees on time. Hang your heads.

[Westgate Wanderer]

Show the new owners we really do care about our football club whatever happens on the pitch!

[scalehallshrimp]

Been unable to go for months but will be there today

[Keith]

what about the people who get let in by stewards who are relatives or friends?

If you know this is happening and have evidence, report it.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Like Gnasher I wonder what has happened to the gate money for recent matches. Was that not enough to pay staff wages? I also wonder if PMG has received his money for his shares? It's an important piece of information to help work out what is happening.

[Christies Child]

Like Gnasher I wonder what has happened to the gate money for recent matches. Was that not enough to pay staff wages? I also wonder if PMG has received his money for his shares? It's an important piece of information to help work out what is happening.

It doesn't take a maths genius to work out that gate income during a month doesn't cover the monthly wage bill. Assuming that we play 2 home games in a month with an average gate of 1500. Let's be generous and say that the average cost per spectator is £15.00 ( that includes concessions and kids etc).

That would equate to 3000 @ £15.00 which equals £45,000. Assuming that the average salary amongst the players (excluding management and other team support) is £650 per week. A squad of 23 which includes 5 loan players would result in a player wage bill alone during the month of £650 x4 weeks x 23 =£59,800.

On top of that there is the management teams salaries PLUS office and catering staff.

Even if you take into consideration sponsorship, fund raising and match day hospitality income by my reckoning the club has a weekly short fall in income of circa £20,000 per week which the Directors and owners have to self fund.

Little wonder therefore that we are living well above our means.

If I've got my guess estimate figures wrong then I apologise.....maths was never my strong point

[mrpotatohead]

You aren't factoring in any TV revenue, any reason for that ?

[Shrimpy]

On top of that there is the management teams salaries PLUS office and catering staff.

Not to mention other costs such as gas and electric bills for example.

[Gone_Shrimping]

And we lose one sixth of our general income in V.A.T.

i.e. A £12 admission ticket is £10 to the club and £2 to HMRC.

Same applies to beer sales etc etc

[Seasider9601]

On top of that there is the management teams salaries PLUS office and catering staff.

Not to mention other costs such as gas and electric bills for example.

Referees, programme printing, wholesale food & drink purchase, stewarding & policing....

The list goes on.

[Christies Child]

....so all credit to the Board and Chairman (past and current) for their financial input.

Without them our great club and the vast majority of others would be well stuffed.

The day of reckoning will come to one and all at our level until the money that is brought to the game by Sky and others is distributed more fairly and not to the Premier League to finance excessive wage bills for under performing mercenaries.

[KenH]

That would equate to 3000 @ £15.00 which equals £45,000. Assuming that the average salary amongst the players (excluding management and other team support) is £650 per week. A squad of 23 which includes 5 loan players would result in a player wage bill alone during the month of £650 x4 weeks x 23 =£59,800.

No to mention the 3000 people will include several hundred season ticket holders who paid in June/July so that cash will have gone to pay wages and running costs over the Summer. That makes day to day cash flow for the rest of the season even worse!

Wages costs were £2million in 2014/15, so that's £167k per month. Even with the budget cuts, it's highly unlikely to be under £100k per month now.

[Gnasher]

Salaries should come first. By not paying staff, and that includes players, it could put the club in breach of contract leaving them free to go where they please with no penalty / fee for the club.

[SupermarketShrimp]

As I mentioned on Facebook, A couple of bucket collections to help with players petrol costs and expenses in the short term wouldn't go amiss, it'd also look like we actually care.........

[halftimeresults]

You would need permission from the club but I'm willing to help with the bucket collection

[KenH]

Salaries should come first. By not paying staff, and that includes players, it could put the club in breach of contract leaving them free to go where they please with no penalty / fee for the club.

Any business will have conflicting demands when cash flow is tight. Staff are important but so are lots of other things. HMRC won't think twice about raising a winding up petition for late payment of PAYE and VAT. Suppliers won't think twice about putting an account "on hold" and not supplying any more goods and services until arrears are paid. Banks and lenders take action if loan repayments aren't paid as per schedule. Cash flow management is often very difficult and it's often a matter of negotiation and paying regular small instalments to everyone to try to keep things moving. By law, a Board of Directors have to be fair with ALL creditors when it can't pay it's bills - it's illegal to give preference. So, you can't say that salaries should come first.

[Christies Child]

.....ooops...also forgot away travel costs, overnight accommodation, players travel expenses, academy costs.....and a number of other expenses that a full time football club has to find.....basically it looks like we've done well to still be around.

[SupermarketShrimp]

.....ooops...also forgot away travel costs, overnight accommodation, players travel expenses, academy costs.....and a number of other expenses that a full time football club has to find.....basically it looks like we've done well to still be around.

People may have been telling you this for years Neil!

[BoroRedShrimp]

Salaries should come first. By not paying staff, and that includes players, it could put the club in breach of contract leaving them free to go where they please with no penalty / fee for the club.

Any business will have conflicting demands when cash flow is tight. Staff are important but so are lots of other things. HMRC won't think twice about raising a winding up petition for late payment of PAYE and VAT. Suppliers won't think twice about putting an account "on hold" and not supplying any more goods and services until arrears are paid. Banks and lenders take action if loan repayments aren't paid as per schedule. Cash flow management is often very difficult and it's often a matter of negotiation and paying regular small instalments to everyone to try to keep things moving. By law, a Board of Directors have to be fair with ALL creditors when it can't pay it's bills - it's illegal to give preference. So, you can't say that salaries should come first.

When Bury, Oldham & Darlington got in that situation, fans started helping straight away. We are know different. Better to do something now rather than just sit on the fence expecting everything to just take care of it self. By that time we could be in a worse mess. It shows we care as fans to the players and staff thats all.

[SupermarketShrimp]

You would need permission from the club but I'm willing to help with the bucket collection

If this bloody cold has shifted by Wednesday I'll be there for the Bratford game but I'm not doing the drive and shouting unless it is!

[Seasider9601]

.....ooops...also forgot away travel costs, overnight accommodation, players travel expenses, academy costs.....and a number of other expenses that a full time football club has to find.....basically it looks like we've done well to still be around.

People may have been telling you this for years Neil!

For may, read HAVE.