National League 2017-18

[Bendubz]

You can easily name 8-9 teams that had a budget bigger than ours last season. If any clubs have smaller budgets then us and get double out attendances they should be embarassed. Before you mention parachute payments it is all being used to pay off the council loan we got for that shiny stand you all pay £21 to sit in.

Since last season only one club with a smaller budget than you got close to double your attendances (nearly 1000 more on home average attendances), you could have at least tried not to hide who you're on about.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Pretty sure Sutton Utd and Solihull Moors are still part-time too.

Sutton are part-time. We train 2 mornings a week.

 

[EnglishRed]

Maybe I'm thick but I can't understand how fans here just seemingly make a calculation of each other's budgets and it's not really based on anything. I've occasionally visited this board for several seasons and it's always been the same.

Is there an equation to follow like average crowd x pies sold x squad size divided by toilets rolls used per match day with the square root of the club's floodlights diameter, or something along those lines.

There's a lot of adapting to do getting relegated down here, that's for sure.

People obviously don't know other teams budgets (or even their own clubs budget unless they are Eastleigh Fan) but from things that get said you can make educated guesses and broadly categorise clubs. The biggest spending teams are obvious.

 

[genesimmons]

Except in Gatehead's case, whose chairman admitted his club would need gates of 3000 to break even on the money he chucks in every year-they get about 900.

Or Eastleigh, who let everyone in for free 4 or 5 times a season because their chairman chucks in millions and they don't need the gate money. Do the math.

Or Forest Green, whose accounts showed the chairman was bunging them over £3,000,000 year after year after year (and they were still shit).

Would you complain if someone was hoying money at halifax to get them to the football league FOR THE 1ST TIME, probably not

 

[Railway Blue]

Just looked on the silkmen forum for the first time ever after we signed Andy Halls and surprised that Macc fans consider themselves a bigger club than Chester. How do they reckon that. 71 years in FL compared to about a dozen. Even though we had an absolute shit season our crowds are around 35 to 40% bigger. The fact that we only train 3 mornings a week is probably the reason why we were so poor from Christmas last season.

 

[genesimmons]

Macclesfield are a older club

 

[The_Boss]

Just looked on the silkmen forum for the first time ever after we signed Andy Halls and surprised that Macc fans consider themselves a bigger

I'd always consider Chester a "bigger" club due to size of town, history and crowds. I guess it's a bit of a bummer for us to see players sign for what is perceived a "part time" club over what can offer. Like has been said elsewhere though Andy Hall has his own personal fitness business so maybe it's just a better fit for him.

 

[Benfcht]

Macclesfield are a older club

my local kids football team is also an older club than chester, your point is?

 

[Railway Blue]

Folk dont. They are just doing an educated guess

If you follow non-league for any length of time as we at Chester have you get a feeling for these things. I would guess that Lincoln's budget was around £700k this season after their windfall from the Australian backer. The money from the cup run has enabled them to pay off historical debts to the Co-op Bank. I'm guessing also that they're sitting on at least a £million after last season's exploits and the large increase in attendances.

 

[genesimmons]

If you follow non-league for any length of time as we at Chester have you get a feeling for these things. I would guess that Lincoln's budget was around £700k this season after their windfall from the Australian backer. The money from the cup run has enabled them to pay off historical debts to the Co-op Bank. I'm guessing also that they're sitting on at least a £million after last season's exploits and the large increase in attendances.

Followed non league for about 20 year and i knew the what a budget would be to challenge promotion as departing gateshead chairman stated at a supportere club talk in

 

[genesimmons]

my local kids football team is also an older club than chester, your point is?

Just all these claims from phoenix clubs about all there history and been ex football league and that

 

[B2TF]

I'd always consider Chester a "bigger" club due to size of town, history and crowds. I guess it's a bit of a bummer for us to see players sign for what is perceived a "part time" club over what can offer. Like has been said elsewhere though Andy Hall has his own personal fitness business so maybe it's just a better fit for him.

And how exactly ARE you full time? You get half the gates that Chester get, you don't even match our gates - somebody MUST be putting money in. Just one more Tin Potter buying a place above their station.

 

[genesimmons]

And how exactly ARE you full time? You get half the gates that Chester get, you don't even match our gates - somebody MUST be putting money in. Just one more Tin Potter buying a place above their station.

Yes maybe someone is putting money in who could well be a fan too. Not that anyone would complain if they had someone similiar at there club.

 

[EnglishRed]

Macclesfield have NO MONEY as we are repeatedly told.

The players play for the love of the game and love for Sir John Askey.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

During our time in the league we were always one of the smallest clubs, problem is a lot of Macc fans see as on a par with the likes of Lincoln and Wrexham as were were in the same league as them for ages, have played them more than most teams over the last 15 years and then ending up playing them in non-league. The reality is these clubs are much, much bigger than Macc; someone like Kidderminster would've been a more accurate yardstick to measure ourselves by. Therefore a proportion of our fans have an inflated view of Macc's "place" in the football world and expect us to be getting promoted from this league/at least challenging at the top end. While more and more money seems to be pouring into football (at all levels), Macc's financial situation is, at best, stagnant. Our ownership - and Horton then King times - almost ruined us, destroying the "savings" we had, rinsing through money from our league days and turning us from a club that lived within our means and was doing alright to desperately struggling. We have since recovered from the Horton debacle and the King "experiment"/disaster, but our absent, disinterested ownership prevents us making real progress.

I don't entirely believe Askey's claim that we had the lowest budget in the league at the start of the 16/17 season and take a lot of the "need money" stuff with a pinch of salt; a lot of it is to try and pressure the owner to give him some support, or encourage someone else to try and invest. However, we do not have any significant cash coming beyond gate receipts etc., beating Walsall was near-vital for the prize money at the time. It allowed us to carry on, get the TV money and sell players in Jan and give us a financial boost. No idea what our budget is for the season coming and it how it really compares with the millionaire-funded and going-for-it clubs, but clearly not enough to convince players who have stuck with us for the last few years staying on. Ultimately, the only way we're going up out of this league is someone with a shed load of cash buys the club, or Askey (if he stays) manages to "unearth" 4 or 5 great players (who have the same effect as Dennis) all at once.

Edit - That's a large amount of text, I don't expect anyone to actually read it. Apologies.

 

[SomeMightShay]

Don't get me started on unrealistic ambitions. We have some that because we had a few years back in the FL a decade ago, we should be expecting to mount a promotion challenge next year despite having a part time squad, no training facilities of our own and a mid table average attendance.

If we're not 6 points clear by the October some will be calling for the gaffers head.

 

[John Still]

How is it embarrassing to live within your means? We're 100% fan owned and get 2,000 crowds and more or less break even every year, allowing a £325k budget. Simple as that.

Where does all your money magically come from then?

Apologies may have been a bit harsh with that comment.

It's not all about gate money, many other streams of revenue. We have a 14 hour day social club in operation 7 days a week and 3 functions rooms used many times during the week for events like boxing, weddings, funerals other parties, all sorts of different clubs too. Just employed a new commercial manager too.

Only this season will we see an actual financial backer who is not loaning the money to the club like previously but giving it to us £1.25m over 5 years but some of this for off the field improvements.

The reason that people know budgets is probably the closeness of fans to boards at this level.

 

[B2TF]

Don't get me started on unrealistic ambitions. We have some that because we had a few years back in the FL a decade ago we should be expecting to mount a promotiin challenge next year despite having a part time squad no training facilities of our own and a mid table average attendance.

If we're not 6 points clear by the October some will be calling for the gaffers head.

It won't be pretty, that's for sure, but I think we could be dark horses again, coz I'm a Billyver.

 

[yellow]

Don't get me started on unrealistic ambitions. We have some that because we had a few years back in the FL a decade ago we should be expecting to mount a promotiin challenge next year despite having a part time squad no training facilities of our own and a mid table average attendance.

If we're not 6 points clear by the October some will be calling for the gaffers head.

You mean to say that the 8,000 who turned up for the final won't be there every week? #bandwagon

 

[GEORGE]

Tranmere have to win it or go up at least next season or they will be down there for years. I actually think they will go up possibly with Wrexham.

 

[SomeMightShay]

You mean to say that the 8,000 who turned up for the final won't be there every week? #bandwagon

Yup pretty much like the 2500 that turned up to watch FGR at Wembley won't be there week in week out.

 

[SomeMightShay]

Tranmere have to win it or go up at least next season or they will be down there for years. I actually think they will go up possibly with Wrexham.

And Ladies and Gentlemen we have the first "It'll be Wrexham's year" of the summer.

 

[Boz]

Tranmere have to win it or go up at least next season or they will be down there for years. I actually think they will go up possibly with Wrexham.

Don't now about that. We're always going to be one of the sides with a decent budget for this league, while the Palioi are involved. However can see attendances dipping if we don't go up next season.

 

[genesimmons]

Tranmere have to win it or go up at least next season or they will be down there for years. I actually think they will go up possibly with Wrexham.

Yeah theres always a big ex football league team who have not been doing much in the conference for a while then like lincoln all of a sudden they flying and bt sport are makeing a meal of them. Gotta be wrexhams turn next season

 

[EnglishRed]

And Ladies and Gentlemen we have the first "It'll be Wrexham's year" of the summer.

I'm not sure. It's always our year next year. A no jam today type deal.

 

[Boz]

Wrecsam haven't got a particularly big squad, as a lot were shipped out. Their finances aren't bolstered by new investment, so far as I know, while their new manager is relatively inexperienced, will he have the knowledge to adapt if things start going wrong? Don't accept the muggins turn idea regarding who goes up. If Wrecsam can steer clear of injuries to key players, given some of the quality brought in, could certainly see them in play-off contention.

 

[Gibber_McGee]

Wrecsam haven't got a particularly big squad, as a lot were shipped out. Their finances aren't bolstered by new investment, so far as I know, while their new manager is relatively inexperienced, will he have the knowledge to adapt if things start going wrong? Don't accept the muggins turn idea regarding who goes up. If Wrecsam can steer clear of injuries to key players, given some of the quality brought in, could certainly see them in play-off contention.

Apparently our budget has increased this season - we have had sell on fees from the sale of players like Neil Taylor to Villa and Jordan Davies to Brighton, plus the fans raised an additional £50k to add to the budget over the last few months. But yes, no large influx of cash.

The manager is looking to have a smaller squad made up of higher quality players - which is the opposite of the approach Gary Mills took.

 

[EnglishRed]

Squads are starting to take shape. Pre-season training just about to start...I love this time of year. Also for us old league clubs, too long down here, it's a chance to renew acquaintences with clubs we haven't played for a while. With Hartlepool down here one memory in particular pops out for me. We had a mixed season that year but we had some proper club cult hero's playing (Juan Ugarte, Carlos Edwards and Denis Lawrence and a young Ben Foster in goal)

Apologies to most other people who won't care about this at all!

 

[B2TF]

Squads are starting to take shape. Pre-season training just about to start...I love this time of year. Also for us old league clubs, too long down here, it's a chance to renew acquaintences with clubs we haven't played for a while. With Hartlepool down here one memory in particular pops out for me. We had a mixed season that year but we had some proper club cult hero's playing (Juan Ugarte, Carlos Edwards and Denis Lawrence and a young Ben Foster in goal)

Apologies to most other people who won't care about this at all!

Great stuff pal, that's the Wrexham I quickly came to know and love- always play to win. Our brotherhood of Great & Historic Football League clubs are the living, beating heart of English football.

Here's some more of "the heart and soul of the British game" -

 

[Chief Rocka]

Great stuff pal, that's the Wrexham I quickly came to know and love- always play to win. Our brotherhood of Great & Historic Football League clubs are the living, beating heart of English football.

Here's some more of "the heart and soul of the British game" -

My first away game this, without watching the video back I think Horsfield scored then went off injured? It all kicked off at half time in our end, few fans ran on the pitch and got into that stand behind the goal, then started fighting with the police and themselves.