Coronavirus

[Raymondo316]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1274226829763776512

 

[chief]

Ha ha ha no need for that. It's the wkd

Are you still going to obsess over us from the level below?

Going down, going down, going down.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Ha ha ha no need for that. It's the wkd

 

[Fyldefan]

Are you still going to obsess over us from the level below?

Going down, going down, going down.

Obsess over Wrexham? Think you're on about someone else. No feelings either way and we haven't gone down yet. Still think we're getting saved somehow

 

[GEORGE]

Obsess over Wrexham? Think you're on about someone else. No feelings either way and we haven't gone down yet. Still think we're getting saved somehow

Well as it looks like the play offs for NLS & NLN will take place ( I believe only waiting on Gateshead ) You'll be going down. Also what I have read regarding your chairman -- I hope you do.

 

[Fyldefan]

Well as it looks like the play offs for NLS & NLN will take place ( I believe only waiting on Gateshead ) You'll be going down. Also what I have read regarding your chairman -- I hope you do.

Cheers george

 

[DarkSithLord]

Well as it looks like the play offs for NLS & NLN will take place ( I believe only waiting on Gateshead ) You'll be going down. Also what I have read regarding your chairman -- I hope you do.

Gateshead have confirmed they are taking part in the play offs.

Fylde are going down

 

[MrGloverLover]

Grahem Roberts 1979-80 Season - WEYMOUTH - PL 29 Scored 6. Sold to Spurs by WEYMOUTH for £35.000 in May 1980.

Fair enough, bit early for me.

 

[#Beebot]

Glad to see you back at the top tier of non-league. It's been a hard slog and you've absolutely earned it by keeping your club going and rebuilding from some very low points.

I'm not a hive fan, to me it's like visiting a different club. Even more so if this weeks planning application goes through.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1274244684261601280

Am I the only one who likes it? It's ridiculously OTT, vulgar and borderline dystopian but THL is so dour that that's kind of a good thing.

 

[#Beebot]

Did I read correctly that South Shields now have a £200k legal bill after their challenge to the FA over the null and void of their league?

I didn't support null and void, but if they really have been stupid enough to build up a legal bill of that size then it's hard to feel sorry for them. Incredibly reckless.

 

[PuB]

Don’t they have lots of cash anyway? I agree it’s reckless regardless

 

[Super_horns]

I did read their league committee actually agreed to void the season which the FA just ratified.

So should South Shields be suing their own league ?

 

[#Beebot]

I did read their league committee actually agreed to void the season which the FA just ratified.

So should South Shields be suing their own league ?

The voting system was horrible - there were four options, only one of them was null and void, it got the most votes but nowhere near a majority, but they just decided to go with it anyway.

The legal route was always going to be a waste of time and money. I'm amazed they didn't pull out once the costs got anywhere near six figures.

 

[Luke Imp]

I didn't support null and void, but if they really have been stupid enough to build up a legal bill of that size then it's hard to feel sorry for them. Incredibly reckless.

Reads like they have to pay all legal fees, not just theirs. Even if we're assuming it's a 50/50 split, that's still a stupid amount of money to be throwing at it.

Would have been better off throwing that into next seasons budget and winning the league again.

 

[CFC91]

Latest insightful update for us

Staff

All staff including the players, with a couple of exceptions, continue to be furloughed. I have been talking to the manager regarding him returning to work, but until I have a clearer picture from the National League, the entire football side remain furloughed.
I did make enquiries regarding the ten contracted players just having some light training sessions and a bit of bonding, but any of this is deemed as work and as furloughed they are prevented from doing so, which is a shame.
Money is still extremely tight and we have submitted our third furlough payment claim, which is for £112,210. The wages total this month is £122,347 so we have a shortfall of just over £10,000. Cash coming into the club is currently very low, mainly sponsorship payments and now the sale of replica shirts.
Dave Allen will probably have to inject about £35,000 this month. Cashflow continues to be extremely tight and I must thank suppliers who have been very patient with us, whilst we drag ourselves through this surreal situation.
National League
So we finally all voted on concluding the season with agreement on allocating the final points and I was delighted to see that Barrow AFC were justifiably promoted to the EFL League Two. I would like to think I was one of the first to congratulate Ian Evatt on his achievement. I can’t, however, help feeling very envious!
We still have no direction on what is going to happen going forward with starting next season. There are discussions about September, but with no direction yet on behind closed doors or not, we still can’t plan anything.
Pitch and Training Ground
Absolutely not talking about grass, but the pitch is doing fine and growing well. For those who are concerned, Liam from Premier Pitches is giving it lots of TLC and I am confident that it will look amazing when we eventually kick off once again.
Season Tickets
Sadly, there are still no plans as to when we will be announcing the new season ticket prices and when we will be putting them on sale. Once we know when the season will start, we can work back from this and then start to sell them. The ticketing software update is currently in progress and scheduled to be completed today.
Spire Lotto
Angie is currently speaking to all of our amazing collectors and everyone is itching to get back to work and start collecting again. Even Jeff Hall is not wanting to be left out, so we will be looking to finalise details during July and hopefully start the Spire Lotto once again. All I would say is that it would help if you could possibly pay for four weeks at a time, reducing the amount of times the collectors have to call.
Retail/Replica Kits
Lisa and Angie are going to be kept un-furloughed and continue to process online sales. Sales online are averaging £1,500 a week and to date we have sold nearly 200 shirts, which is an amazing achievement.
I have not received any updates on when the away kit will be delivered. It is looking like the end of July, but apparently we can have one in black by the end of next week!
We will be opening the Club Superstore from next week. It will open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, between 10am and 2pm. Stadium manager Dean informs me that he will have Lisa and Angie firmly pinned behind a Perspex protective sheet at the till, which is a sight worth popping down to see in itself!
Stadium Signage
The new Technique Learning Solutions signage will be erected anytime now. Dean is working with the company who have been contracted with the order. Technique Learning Solutions will be covering all costs as part of the agreement.
Cashless Stadium
This project is moving forward and I think with the exception of programmes being sold on matchdays, everything else will be cashless.
Players
The manager is still in discussion with target players but furlough continues to delay further developments until we have some further guidance from the National League.
We are sadly unable to commit to any new signings yet, as much as we would like to.
The appointment of an assistant manager, fitness coach and goalkeeping coach still remain in the pending file.
Both injured players, Laurance Maguire and Haydn Hollis, are making extremely good progress, Claire informs me that Laurance is fit enough to return to pre-season training now and will be ready for the start of the new season. In fact, I am sure she told me that he looks fitter than his brother!! Haydn is also making extremely good progress and should also be good for pre-season. Luke Coddington requires a small procedure before he can commence training. Well, I call it small, if removing wires from your shoulder is 'small'. This has been delayed by the Covid-19, but we now have a date of July 2 for his procedure, providing he tests negative on a Covid-19 test, two days before the operation. Hopefully he will return to rehabilitation soon after.

I have talked to John Pemberton about when we will be able to bring the remaining players back off furlough and conduct some training with them, to get them back into a working environment and also for their mental health and wellbeing. But we would then also need to bring other staff back in, including the physio and all of this would cost the club over £10,000 a week so, for now, we simply cannot afford to do it.
I have been asked about Liam Cooper’s contract and if anything was put into it for CFC to gain any bonus if Leeds United were to gain promotion, whilst Liam was still a player for them. Well, for all of you who 'hate Leeds', I suggest you start cheering for them. We do have a clause that pays us a significant bonus if they gain promotion to the Premier League. As you can imagine, the contract is subject to confidentiality, no surprise, but it is a six-figure sum.
Chesterfield FC Academy
The academy will sadly close at the end of June and Neil Cluxton will move over to the Community Trust to head up their new CFC Junior & Youth Academy. I would like to thank all of the academy staff for their hard work. We have operated a professionally run academy over the past 18 months but without funding from the EFL, we had to take the sad decision to close. I wish Neil and all of the staff the best for the future.
Conference and Banqueting
So the green light has been given for July 4. Maddie is looking at ways for us to re-open by the end of July, but nothing is ever straightforward. We currently have a lot of out of date barrels that the brewery has agreed to exchange. We are still trying to gain agreement to drip feed these to us. Also, we just need to work out best ways for use of toilets and access etc.
Club Sale
We still receive interest and another 'tyre kicker' bites the dust this week. However, I can’t fault the Community Trust and Mike Goodwin’s desire and relentless persistence to take over. After quite a few twists and turns, I do feel that progress has been made again. I think my forecasts on a completion date are proving to be a jinx and so all I will say is that nothing is dead in the water - keep the faith! Your club needs to go to the right custodians going forward.
Finally, Dave Allen and I continue to send our very best wishes to you all.
Stay Safe, Stay Alert - please don’t get complacent and we hope to see everyone return to the football club as soon as possible.

 

[Luke Imp]

What's the hold up with the sale? I thought it as a simple Trust purchase? Seems to have dragged on a while now (understandable over the last 3 months).

 

[Master D]

Reading between the lines it sounds like there’s an offer on the table to take us over from fan ownership.

 

[CFC91]

What's the hold up with the sale? I thought it as a simple Trust purchase? Seems to have dragged on a while now (understandable over the last 3 months).

The Trusts money is from 3 local councils. Obviously the current situation means they’ve got other things on their plate slowing it down which is understandable

 

[Luke Imp]

The Trusts money is from 3 local councils. Obviously the current situation means they’ve got other things on their plate slowing it down which is understandable

If they're relying on Council money, I can't see that happening anymore. I'm surprised local Councils are even involved full stop tbh.

 

[CFC91]

If they're relying on Council money, I can't see that happening anymore. I'm surprised local Councils are even involved full stop tbh.

You're not alone but it seems to still be on the table by all accounts.

I think the Trusts work out in the wider community outside of the football side helps, as well as the recognising the long term importance of the football club to the Town.

They are rumoured to be getting the club debt free, with the ground and hospitality for next to nothing so potentially they can make it viable. Their business plan has been approved by the Charities Commission so they must have some plans to make it viable/profitable.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Apparently fans to be allowed back in grounds from October...

 

[Master D]

Apparently fans to be allowed back in grounds from October...

That’s good but last thing I want to do is go and watch us play. Regardless of a pandemic.

 

[Super_horns]

Apparently fans to be allowed back in grounds from October...

There were some plans for how this might work reported last week.

No half-time toilets, no away fans: talks held over supporters' return to grounds

Closing toilets at half-time, filling one in every three seats and a ban on away support are some of the ideas being considered to help get fans back into grounds next season

www.google.co.uk

 

[#Beebot]

There were some plans for how this might work reported last week.

No half-time toilets, no away fans: talks held over supporters' return to grounds

Closing toilets at half-time, filling one in every three seats and a ban on away support are some of the ideas being considered to help get fans back into grounds next season

www.google.co.uk

"But the “brush past” risk when fans are moving around the ground is of greater concern."

I take it the people behind these proposals haven't been to a supermarket at any point in the past 4 months.

 

[Super_horns]

Or just outside really.

Been out on some occasions and people aren't always in a great rush to leave room.

 

[shoddycollins]

Apparently fans to be allowed back in grounds from October...

Assuming that October is a bit late in the year for the season to start the question I'm interested in is whether the fixture list is generated in the same manner as usual and then if a key fixture such as local derby ends up being played behind closed doors, so be it. If one team ends up with more home games scheduled behind closed doors than another then that's just bad luck.

I think they should 'rig' the system to put those less popular games early in the season similar to the way they put those games on Tuesday nights currently, while also ensuring each team has played an equal number of home and away games before fans are allowed back in

It won't be easy or faultless of course . Not everyone can be away to Crawley in the same four to six week period

 

[John Still]

Given the capacity of stadium and crowds this should be very easily to implement, if they are starting indoor performances and keeping pubs open time to get these outdoor events started sooner as it will only return and worsen in the winter (see Melbourne). There comes a point when you just have to learn with it like we do the flu, it’s about just being sensible.

it’s madness I can got for a few pints inside our clubhouse with 70 others and for as many hours as I wish but can’t watch a 90 minute football match outside in a 25% full stadium, makes no sense whatsoever.

My guess is pre season in August and season starting September at reduced capacity, we could be the lab rats on this one.

 

[Luke Imp]

Are the NL going to be working off a similar % capacity to the EFL?

 

[John Still]

Are the NL going to be working off a similar % capacity to the EFL?

NL statement due in January!

 

[chipmunx]

NL statement due in January!

*2022