Tough Times Indeed...

[PuB]

https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2020/july/snooker-tables/

Edit: posted in the wrong section, oops.

 

[Indian Dan]

Plymouth and Donny both announce redundancies.

Coming to a club near you soon.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

It’s bound to happen, we financially are one of the better off clubs too

 

[Indian Dan]

No doubt. It was always going to be about now the shit would hit the fan as money eventually runs out. Could be at least another couple of months before any money starts to come in again.

2 payrolls to pay with no income?

 

[Luke Imp]

6 redundancies from us in total - 3 of those voluntary redundancies.

Ticket office manager (been with us 38 years so probably coming up to retirement), another ticket office staff member, two venue staff and performance analyst (academy, I think).

 

[Hooped Wizard]

It’s bound to happen, we financially are one of the better off clubs too

Are we? A lot of people like to state this without much proof.

 

[Boz]

Given some of the remarks made when TRFC had to make redundancies as a result of our demotion and the consequent £1 million projected drop in income, it is noteable that other less affected sides are also having to cut staff.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Are we? A lot of people like to state this without much proof.

We don’t have players on ridiculous contracts, we have club Doncaster which does help but we certainly aren’t immune from the effects of Covid. We are certainly in a better position than Sunderland and about half of all Championship clubs. The test will be on how quickly fans can attend again and how many will have the confidence to do so. We are definitely at risk along with about 80% of all EFL clubs if revenue streams don’t start soon.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Given some of the remarks made when TRFC had to make redundancies as a result of our demotion and the consequent £1 million projected drop in income, it is noteable that other less affected sides are also having to cut staff.

Boz
I am genuinely interested to know how Rovers are expecting income to drop by £1m by being demoted.
There will be practically zero difference in TV money, prize money etc. So I can only assume you are talking about gate receipts.
Working on a 23 home game season With ticket prices between £20-25 then you must be expecting your crowds to decrease by 2,000 to 2,500 per week.
Do you really believe 2,500 fewer fans will watch you in league 2 compared to league 1?

 

[Plumbob]

Cash problems with Evans as manager? Now I know it's serious!

 

[Luke Imp]

Boz
I am genuinely interested to know how Rovers are expecting income to drop by £1m by being demoted.
There will be practically zero difference in TV money, prize money etc. So I can only assume you are talking about gate receipts.
Working on a 23 home game season With ticket prices between £20-25 then you must be expecting your crowds to decrease by 2,000 to 2,500 per week.
Do you really believe 2,500 fewer fans will watch you in league 2 compared to league 1?

It's about £300k difference, I think.

It'll be lower sponsorship payments, lower attendances and therefore lower catering, programme, merchandise etc as well.

 

[Boz]

Boz
I am genuinely interested to know how Rovers are expecting income to drop by £1m by being demoted.
There will be practically zero difference in TV money, prize money etc. So I can only assume you are talking about gate receipts.
Working on a 23 home game season With ticket prices between £20-25 then you must be expecting your crowds to decrease by 2,000 to 2,500 per week.
Do you really believe 2,500 fewer fans will watch you in league 2 compared to league 1?

It's about £300k difference, I think.

It'll be lower sponsorship payments, lower attendances and therefore lower catering, programme, merchandise etc as well.

The figures aren't mine, they were in a statement by Mark Palios on the day of the vote to demote us. The next day 20 redundancies wef the end of this month were announced, which suggests the original remarks weren't just sabre rattling. Mark by profession is an accountant and on the most recently published accounts relating to the previous season had significantly reduced the level of loss we were running at. As a result of the responsible way he has run the club, I tend to accept that he knows what he's talking about, but have no further detail.

 

[PuB]

Why were the staff made redundant (the club would have to pay them off at some considerable expense) rather than placed on the furlough scheme?

 

[Boz]

Why were the staff made redundant (the club would have to pay them off at some considerable expense) rather than placed on the furlough scheme?

Again, I have no further detail. Details of who has been made redundant have not been publicised, Shaun Garnett on the coaching staff and one of the technical support staff are suggested on the playing side. Playing staff and some others have been furloughed.

 

[Luke Imp]

The figures aren't mine, they were in a statement by Mark Palios on the day of the vote to demote us. The next day 20 redundancies wef the end of this month were announced, which suggests the original remarks weren't just sabre rattling. Mark by profession is an accountant and on the most recently published accounts relating to the previous season had significantly reduced the level of loss we were running at. As a result of the responsible way he has run the club, I tend to accept that he knows what he's talking about, but have no further detail.

When we got promoted, we were working on a £1m figure so it'll not be too far off.

 

[Fedora Dale]

I'd have thought there would be a big drop in away followings in L2. Bradford and Port Vale would bring big numbers, maybe Scunthorpe and/or Grimsby, but not many more that I can think of.

That's if away fans are allowed at all...

 

[PuB]

Overall there can’t be that much difference between the number of away fans at games can there?

 

[Luke Imp]

I think there has been for us, I bet nearly double the amount of last season. I seem to recall the average away attendance at SB last season was around 400, and that including sell-out Mansfield and Grimsby games.

This season there was Portsmouth, Ipswich, Peterborough, Rotherham, Sunderland. Bolton was postponed and that was a sell-out, likewise we missed out on Coventry and Doncaster because of Covid.

 

[PuB]

Probably because no one wants to come here tbh, but I don’t think it would make any particular difference which league we were in. Certainly wouldn’t account for a huge gap in our finances.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Overall there can’t be that much difference between the number of away fans at games can there?

We maybe notice it more at Rochdale, because we can accommodate just over 3000.

Replacing 3000 Sunderland fans with 100 Crawley fans gives a difference in gate receipts (assuming an average £20 per ticket) of £58k for one match if I've got my sums right. OK, most differences won't be as large, but even so, it would add up over a season.

 

[PuB]

Undoubtedly you get the odd Sunderland, but then you have the MK Dons and Fleetwood. I’d love to see overall average away attendances for both divisions.

 

[Luke Imp]

Probably because no one wants to come here tbh, but I don’t think it would make any particular difference which league we were in. Certainly wouldn’t account for a huge gap in our finances.

Yeah I think there's a double whammy for us in terms of bigger sides and more local games.

We lose Coventry and Rotherham but gain Plymouth and Swindon so it'll be down next season I imagine.

Undoubtedly you get the odd Sunderland, but then you have the MK Dons and Fleetwood. I’d love to see overall average away attendances for both divisions.

djs or Plumbob are probably the ones for that, I think they keep tabs of away attendances and can probably give last seasons divisional average for L1 and L2.

 

[Plumbob]

Yeah I think there's a double whammy for us in terms of bigger sides and more local games.

We lose Coventry and Rotherham but gain Plymouth and Swindon so it'll be down next season I imagine.


djs or Plumbob are probably the ones for that, I think they keep tabs of away attendances and can probably give last seasons divisional average for L1 and L2.

Not me Luke, I don't even read the "away attendance" thread on Vitals. I, kind of, get the feeling it's "look how many we take away", "my dad's bigger than yours" bollocks. But, I may be wrong!

 

[Luke Imp]

Not me Luke, I don't even read the "away attendance" thread on Vitals. I, kind of, get the feeling it's "look how many we take away", "my dad's bigger than yours" bollocks. But, I may be wrong!

Ah right, could have sworn you used to take the L2 away figures down a couple of seasons ago. No idea who I was thinking of then.

 

[Indian Dan]

Fans back by October according to the blond buffoon.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Fans back by October according to the blond buffoon.

Mid-flu season, I can’t see how that can end in tears

 

[Indian Dan]

Also large concerts allowed

 

[WhiteRussian]

Undoubtedly you get the odd Sunderland, but then you have the MK Dons and Fleetwood. I’d love to see overall average away attendances for both divisions.

Excuse me, we had a higher average away attendance than Gillingham this season. 388 for us, 366 for you so

 

[PuB]

Excuse me, we had a higher average away attendance than Gillingham this season. 388 for us, 366 for you so

Maybe because we’re tucked away in the south east corner, and you’re, erm, not.