Congratulations and Welcome Forest Green Rovers

[AmberRich]

Is there going to be a goodbye thread for when FGR go plummeting back down the leagues like Histon are doing right now?

 

[shoddycollins]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football..._the_day&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

No class whatsoever

I think is the sort of thing that winds most people up about FGR, that their owner clearly knows nothing about football (or at least nothing about the lower leagues) so most of what he says just seems to support the idea that he bought the club purely to boost his own profile. Tinpotters are welcome here when they're perceived to have done it in a proper and sustainable manner, such as Accrington Stanley, Burton, Morecambe, Dog & Duck and Luton Town, then it's worthy of the whole fairy-tale story. This idea that someone like Vince can just buy any team, mould it into an extension of his own ego and pay his way ahead of clubs like Tranmere rankles somewhat. Same goes for Fleetwood just so you know it's not purely anti FGR sentiment, they were a good solid Conference fixture for many years and given the size of Nailsworth that should have been commended.

 

[Chris FGR]

I think is the sort of thing that winds most people up about FGR, that their owner clearly knows nothing about football (or at least nothing about the lower leagues) so most of what he says just seems to support the idea that he bought the club purely to boost his own profile. Tinpotters are welcome here when they're perceived to have done it in a proper and sustainable manner, such as Accrington Stanley, Burton, Morecambe, Dog & Duck and Luton Town, then it's worthy of the whole fairy-tale story. This idea that someone like Vince can just buy any team, mould it into an extension of his own ego and pay his way ahead of clubs like Tranmere rankles somewhat. Same goes for Fleetwood just so you know it's not purely anti FGR sentiment, they were a good solid Conference fixture for many years and given the size of Nailsworth that should have been commended.

Dunno if you remember but you played us long before the takeover, before the ground move even, in your 1 year down in the Conference. You won 3-0 at ours and we somehow managed to win 1-0 up at Brunton Park which derailed your title challenge. You still went up though.

I remember it cos a mate of mine was from Carlisle originally and took the piss massively all year about how shit we were and how you were gonna absolutely destroy us up there, which seemed likely given your win at ours.

 

[dog]

Except, that after 5 years as a full-time club in 2010, the club were going part-time due to full-time football being unsustainable. Fortunately, Vince's money saved the club. But then you already knew that.

If, and admittedly at the moment it's a massive if, Vince doesn't get his Eco-Park, he will pull out and he will leave the club with the debt he's thrust upon them (is it £5m now?). The club will not be able to pay that back and within a year or two it will be a 128 years down the drain.

You hope.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

I presume there are plenty of ways to get round Financial Fair Play rules in the EFL? If not FGR will have a problem. Other bankrolled village teams like Fleetwood seem to have been able to circumvent them so presumably not.

It's never a problem in the wild west of the National League since there are no rules there on what % of turnover can be spent on wages.

 

[FGR Stroud]

how many will FGR bring to local matches next season?

Probably not quite as many as Fleetwood.

 

[FrankTheTank]

I think what DV meant to say is that, comparatively speaking, it is easier to get into League One than League Two due to available promotion places. At least I hope he meant that.

Yeah that's what he meant, but he does help himself with the way he articulates himself
sometimes!

 

[Si Robin]

You hope.

I don't. I used to like FGR and I hate to see clubs going to the wall. That is precisely why I'm so against Vince, Ecotricity and what they have done to FGR.

The money will dry up at some point, it always does, and when it does, it's impossible to see FGR being anything but another Rushden.

 

[PuB]

I presume there are plenty of ways to get round Financial Fair Play rules in the EFL? If not FGR will have a problem. Other bankrolled village teams like Fleetwood seem to have been able to circumvent them so presumably not.

It's never a problem in the wild west of the National League since there are no rules there on what % of turnover can be spent on wages.

Plenty of ways around it unfortunately, Vince can sponsor a quorn burger and put as much money in to the club as he likes. All it does is stop owners from putting money in in the form of loans (which don't count towards turnover).

 

[Pablosammy]

I've got little against the fans. However, I hate the way their story is peddled as some fairytale, when in fact, it's simply the result of many millions of quids.

I find their whole 'sustainable' tag to be the epitome of irony.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

I've got little against the fans. However, I hate the way their story is peddled as some fairytale, when in fact, it's simply the result of many millions of quids.

I find their whole 'sustainable' tag to be the epitome of irony.

I do admire Vince Dale's stance on veganism and the like, and I think it's very laudable. However, spunking £2 million or £3 million or whatever it is away every year on FGR is kind of the opposite of what he is trying to do with Ecotricity and sustainable energy. It's about as far away from being sustainable as it's possible to be and personally I don't think that it is a very good advert for his business.

 

[veggieeater]

You do have to factor in the publicity that Ecotricity get from it all as well as the overall Vegan movement (That I dont actually agree with at all. Vince lives on a Common which would be nothing like what it is now without the cows that graze it annually) Im sure theres the tax offsets that occur too, Another paradigm of course in that he is a donor and strong supporter of Labour.
I imagine poor Chesterfield would be happy to have Vinces money at the moment TBF.
The whole of football is wrecked by and large by moneys. It simply aint fair. As we all know its not just money that gets you places though thank goodness.

 

[genesimmons]

You do have to factor in the publicity that Ecotricity get from it all as well as the overall Vegan movement (That I dont actually agree with at all. Vince lives on a Common which would be nothing like what it is now without the cows that graze it annually) Im sure theres the tax offsets that occur too, Another paradigm of course in that he is a donor and strong supporter of Labour.
I imagine poor Chesterfield would be happy to have Vinces money at the moment TBF.
The whole of football is wrecked by and large by moneys. It simply aint fair. As we all know its not just money that gets you places though thank goodness.

A towns chesterfield size could sustain a championship side good ground too just need someone that cares about club. Yet small places like Wharton (AFC flyde) and Fleetwood have millions ploughed in. At least the forest green owner is showing a bit ambition.

 

[Chris FGR]

A towns chesterfield size could sustain a championship side good ground too just need someone that cares about club. Yet small places like Wharton (AFC flyde) and Fleetwood have millions ploughed in. At least the forest green owner is showing a bit ambition.

Yeah nothing wrong with ambition imo, if you've got the money why not go for it and try and get success? Lots of potential Bournemouth's around the lower leagues.

Btw reckon Aspin's building a good side up there. Hope you challenge next year, always like our trips there.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I do admire Vince Dale's stance on veganism and the like, and I think it's very laudable. However, spunking £2 million or £3 million or whatever it is away every year on FGR is kind of the opposite of what he is trying to do with Ecotricity and sustainable energy. It's about as far away from being sustainable as it's possible to be and personally I don't think that it is a very good advert for his business.

Well his claim is it will be just about self-sustaining on even our rubbish crowds now we're in the FL with the added income that brings. Seems not entirely plausible to me but like everything else he does there is a plan rather than just an endless commitment to chucking money at it.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Now they are in the FL the wages, signing on fees and yearly outgoings will rocket.
Players and their agents will know how much money he has and will demand over the odds to come.
That £2-3m will quickly become £4-5m a year if they aren't careful.

 

[AdamStag]

A towns chesterfield size could sustain a championship side good ground too just need someone that cares about club. Yet small places like Wharton (AFC flyde) and Fleetwood have millions ploughed in. At least the forest green owner is showing a bit ambition.

Chesterfield, Mansfield and the like couldn't sustainably be in the championship at all, it's obviously possible given the likes of Burton and Rotherham, but it wouldn't be our natural level.

We've spent marginally more time in league 2 than league 1 in our history, and I can't see Chesterfields record deviating far from that.

 

[genesimmons]

Chesterfield, Mansfield and the like couldn't sustainably be in the championship at all, it's obviously possible given the likes of Burton and Rotherham, but it wouldn't be our natural level.

We've spent marginally more time in league 2 than league 1 in our history, and I can't see Chesterfields record deviating far from that.

Believe me if the money rolled in they could. Look at rotherham, burton, scunthorpe and yeovil all recently been in championship. I think burnley is similiar size to chesterfield and they have been champiobship and beyond for years. Also take into account chesterfields good transport links. They just need a dale vince style backer

 

[genesimmons]

Now they are in the FL the wages, signing on fees and yearly outgoings will rocket.
Players and their agents will know how much money he has and will demand over the odds to come.
That £2-3m will quickly become £4-5m a year if they aren't careful.

Not so sure that much is needed. How do accrington and morecambe get by

 

[Chris FGR]

Well no one can accuse Vince of not being ambitious enough.

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co...._ruling_out_Premier_League_football_one_day/#

 

[AdamStag]

Well no one can accuse Vince of not being ambitious enough.

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co...._ruling_out_Premier_League_football_one_day/#

I'm also not ruling out that I'll walk on the moon

 

[genesimmons]

Well no one can accuse Vince of not being ambitious enough.

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co...._ruling_out_Premier_League_football_one_day/#

Hes been a bit over ambitious there and setting the club up for ridicule with such a bold statement. Possible yeah but realisticly not very likely

 

[Chris FGR]

Hes been a bit over ambitious there and setting the club up for ridicule with such a bold statement. Possible yeah but realisticly not very likely

I dunno, to me what this says is he's got a long term plan to push the club on and sees real potential for growth. We might not make the Prem but to become a well established Football League club getting good crowds would still be awesome.

 

[Davidimp]

What is the catchment area for FGR?
Lincoln itself is around 100,000 and with North Hykeham and the surrounding villages it's around 150-160,000.

 

[Gladders]

Well no one can accuse Vince of not being ambitious enough.

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co...._ruling_out_Premier_League_football_one_day/#

Says it all about him and FGR when he thinks real fans have a second club!

 

[FGRJC]

Says it all about him and FGR when he thinks real fans have a second club!

No its just called being realistic.. There's quite a few people who just sit and home and watch premier league matches each weekend, why not get them to watch proper football!

 

[AdamStag]

No its just called being realistic.. There's quite a few people who just sit and home and watch premier league matches each weekend, why not get them to watch proper football!

But they wouldn't be a fan of that club? You can only have 1 (well in my eyes)

Can you have another club you look out for? Yeah, mines Chelsea - my step dad follows them and I was interested in 1994 - long, long, long before they became anything like they are now. Would I choose them over Mansfield? Nah

 

[GTFCfish]

Well no one can accuse Vince of not being ambitious enough.

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co...._ruling_out_Premier_League_football_one_day/#

Yeah but how can any man with this haircut expect to be taken seriously:?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

But they wouldn't be a fan of that club? You can only have 1 (well in my eyes)

Can you have another club you look out for? Yeah, mines Chelsea - my step dad follows them and I was interested in 1994 - long, long, long before they became anything like they are now. Would I choose them over Mansfield? Nah

I presume he means just someone who might turn up to watch us while officially a supporter of some prem team, which would be good for revenue reasons at least. Certainly have met a bloke at a few aways who is a Stoke season ticket holder but comes to ours when they're not playing/he can't get. Not saying I get that either but there you go.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

We've all tried to overcome that issue though and there's a reason why for the most part clubs at our level's attendances haven't skyrocketed from where they were 20 years ago, because that audience just will not come. It's not something unique to FGR, if clubs in cities like Cambridge, Exeter, Nottingham etc. can't attract a couple of thousand extra PL armchair dwellers consistently then a club in Nailsworth (or a junction of the M5 in the future) sure as hell isn't going to.

Look at the crowds all the "traditional non-league" teams get in the FL, they are all still piss poor, Burton only got 4.5k home fans in their first ever season in the Championship, Fleetwood 2.7k in their best ever season, these fans don't just turn up out of nowhere. You'll obviously see an overall increase whilst you're in the league because of away fans, you'll get a few more home fans too, but if you suddenly think you're gonna whip up 4k home fans out of nowhere on a regular basis, even in a new stadium, then you're kidding yourselves.

Of course with the money that is behind you the crowds quite frankly don't matter at this point in your immediate future, but if the spending goes on and the crowds do what they have with every other non-league club that's ever come up (i.e. next to fuck all), then there'll be a bite on the backside at some point in the future, and with the level of delusion that Mr. Vince speaks with on a frequent basis then I'd have thought it's pretty easy to see why a lot of people trot that line out all the time...