Will your club survive the crisis?

[Optipez]

We've released some info:

The Trust (who own the club) have forwarded £20k to keep cashflow going

Club has received nothing yet regarding furlough money (I'm assuming we've stopped paying staff weeks ago and they will be back-dated, who knows)

Our current outgoings are therefore about £10k a month

National League has paid every club £50k, which was due to be paid in the summer

We need to pay £100k rent in September (as mentioned, I'm sure this will not be strictly enforced)

I wouldn't bank on the university not wanting payment. That sector is about to get splattered in a way it never has before. Foreign student numbers are going to fall off a cliff and it's entirely possible that some lesser universities that weren't doing great financially before are going to go bust. I know a little about this sector, it's already asked for and been refused a £2 billion handout, they're going to be cutting costs and desperate for revenue.

 

[Railway Blue]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1256120890242355202

quite a good update from us today. Lots of detail about the funding we’ve received so far etc.

Seems like you've got a decent company secretary. Good luck Spirites when it all gets going again. You deserve better.

 

[CFC91]

Seems like you've got a decent company secretary. Good luck Spirites when it all gets going again. You deserve better.

Ironically he and the current chairman and board are the ones many have wanted out and have been boycotting and protesting against for 2 or 3 years but I agree this statement is pretty good, a much different tone and actually quite open and honest.

If the board had taken this approach years ago they probably wouldnt have been forced out by the fans - that's if the takeover survives this, and that's probably a big if.

 

[Fleetfanwest]

The government is already getting twitchy about the furlough payment.
Comments like 'people are getting too used to being home etc.' it won't be long before they start reducing the payment , forcing people back to work when it is clearly not safe.
Their incompetence in handling the whole crisis has not just led to the highest death rate in Europe but will inevitably lead to businesses going bust, and football clubs will be some of the first to go.

 

[John Still]

The government is already getting twitchy about the furlough payment.
Comments like 'people are getting too used to being home etc.' it won't be long before they start reducing the payment , forcing people back to work when it is clearly not safe.
Their incompetence in handling the whole crisis has not just led to the highest death rate in Europe but will inevitably lead to businesses going bust, and football clubs will be some of the first to go.

There are many factors to the amount of deaths we have, yes some is down to government incompetence but there are many other factors like population density and obesity are two huge factors. People forget that we’re the most obese country in europe and this disease has been taking obese people. They mention BAME folk are suffering more than white folk but fail to mention 72% of BAME adults are overweight.

 

[B2TF]

Yeah course we will. If we don't we'll just reform, again. It's easy.

 

[Raymondo316]

Well our owner has already come out and said playing behind close doors is a no go for us. So christ knows what we will do if the National League actually plan to go a head with that idea whenever football returns.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

There are many factors to the amount of deaths we have, yes some is down to government incompetence but there are many other factors like population density and obesity are two huge factors. People forget that we’re the most obese country in europe and this disease has been taking obese people. They mention BAME folk are suffering more than white folk but fail to mention 72% of BAME adults are overweight.

Nah, population density is no excuse - Cumbria has more than double the amount of covid deaths per 100,000 than the Netherlands (SIX times more densely populated than Cumbria). We are on a fucking island - it should have been easy.

 

[Optipez]

It's not ideal but if you charge £10 per game home and away for TV coverage I don't see why it wouldn't be feasible. You cut out all the stewarding and policing costs for a start.
My season ticket works out at around £14 a game and I would pay for the TV coverage at £10 to help the club, I already have when in L2 and there were a couple of international weekends where you could pay for a live stream. Local radio provided the commentary, there wasn't any buffering and the pictures were fine if not multi camera Sky standard. Without some revenue the pyramid could collapse, the leagues need nursing through this and by getting revenue for home and away matches it would significantly increase revenue.
Notts could quite possibly average 3000 per week home and away x £10 as opposed to 4,500 at £17 allowing for discounts and the like for home games only.
In hard times you've got to be proactive, you can't just give up. An earlier post bemoaned the government nudging us all back to work as it's not safe. I can't argue with that but without a vaccine or herd immunity it may not be safe for literally years so unless we're happy to let our clubs go under I think televising football will have to be seriously considered.

 

[chipmunx]

Nah, population density is no excuse - Cumbria has more than double the amount of covid deaths per 100,000 than the Netherlands (SIX times more densely populated than Cumbria). We are on a fucking island - it should have been easy.

we're rapidly approaching 1 person in every 1000 in Cumbria that's died from this already....

 

[chipmunx]

This taken from a facebook post from the owner of the Barrow Fans Forum - who is a fully qualified serving paramedic;-

So this graph shows Coronavirus infection rates for the entire country broken down to local area.

That big red line? That's Barrow. Our infection rate per 100,000 people is more than 50% HIGHER than anywhere else, more people per 100,000 are infected in Barrow than anywhere in the entire country.

 

[#Beebot]

Well our owner has already come out and said playing behind close doors is a no go for us. So christ knows what we will do if the National League actually plan to go a head with that idea whenever football returns.

I don't think they will. The whole thing is on hold until next year I think.

Though having said that, the "no football until a vaccine" strategy currently being deployed in the Netherlands isn't viable as well. There needs to be some attempt to move towards a new normal. Clubs at this level should be working towards a new model with lower wages and safety precautions inside grounds over the next few months.

As the laughably messy discussions currently being held in the Premier League show though, there seems to be a no can do attitude to resumption, certainly in comparison to Germany.

 

[John Still]

Nah, population density is no excuse - Cumbria has more than double the amount of covid deaths per 100,000 than the Netherlands (SIX times more densely populated than Cumbria). We are on a fucking island - it should have been easy.

It’s a pandemic and with incompetent governments and communist countries it was never going to work. We all know the disease started in December and was covered up by the Chinese until late January, by then far too late to react. I get it you hate tory’s, I hate all politicians it’s an outdated old boys clubs from centuries ago that is no longer fit for purpose.

 

[doveranddover]

with the way things are going [& if the league hadn't ended the season] perhaps we could have have finished this season next year?
Not ideal obviously

 

[Monkey Tennis]

This taken from a facebook post from the owner of the Barrow Fans Forum - who is a fully qualified serving paramedic;-

So this graph shows Coronavirus infection rates for the entire country broken down to local area.

That big red line? That's Barrow. Our infection rate per 100,000 people is more than 50% HIGHER than anywhere else, more people per 100,000 are infected in Barrow than anywhere in the entire country.

View attachment 12729

I've heard that Barrow's infection rate is abnormally high because there has been significantly more testing in the area. I'm inclined to believe it, as the hospital wards are well under capacity.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

It’s a pandemic and with incompetent governments and communist countries it was never going to work. We all know the disease started in December and was covered up by the Chinese until late January, by then far too late to react. I get it you hate tory’s, I hate all politicians it’s an outdated old boys clubs from centuries ago that is no longer fit for purpose.

The whole problem was the pissing about between the end of January and mid-March.

 

[chipmunx]

I've heard that Barrow's infection rate is abnormally high because there has been significantly more testing in the area. I'm inclined to believe it, as the hospital wards are well under capacity.

Possibly - Ste did post something about that too.

 

[Railway Blue]

There are many factors to the amount of deaths we have, yes some is down to government incompetence but there are many other factors like population density and obesity are two huge factors. People forget that we’re the most obese country in europe and this disease has been taking obese people. They mention BAME folk are suffering more than white folk but fail to mention 72% of BAME adults are overweight.

 

[Railway Blue]

Yes I heard that from a friend . Haven't heard it mentioned on the BBC. Perhaps they don't want to be labelled fat-ist. I have a BMI of 28 which makes me borderline obese, but I'm healthy, fit and usually a gym regular. I won't have a clue if I'm in a vulnerable group. I'm nearly 70 and have recovered from 3 cancers.

 

[B2TF]

72% of BAME adults are overweight.

That's weighcist man! Bad John.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

We've released some info:

The Trust (who own the club) have forwarded £20k to keep cashflow going

Club has received nothing yet regarding furlough money (I'm assuming we've stopped paying staff weeks ago and they will be back-dated, who knows)

Our current outgoings are therefore about £10k a month

National League has paid every club £50k, which was due to be paid in the summer

We need to pay £100k rent in September (as mentioned, I'm sure this will not be strictly enforced)

Pools haven't took up the offer of the £50,000 loan.

 

[Master D]

Is it a loan??

 

[Chief Rocka]

I was under the impression it was simply an advance and what we would've got.

 

[Master D]

I was under the impression it was simply an advance and what we would've got.

That’s how our club have explained it. It’s money that gets paid in September usually but it’s been brought forward.

Saying that, our club could be lying seeing as they lie about everything else.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Is it a loan??

Mis read the post.
I thought you meant the £50,000
each club would receive from the Premiership donation,that had to be paid back.

 

[Darlofan97]

No that’s been twisted. All he said was as an example, there were 17 vacant beds in one of his homes. Nothing about deaths or corona, wasn’t even part of the conversation, and per year that’s worth 500 grand which puts him in a weaker position to subsidise losses.

That’s absolute rubbish. It was not twisted at all.

When Singh was asked how his businesses were doing in this current situation, he said:

"One of the care homes we have got, we've had some deaths in there....17 residents........17 beds empty basically.....that equates to £10,000-£11,000 per week, and you can do the maths, that is over half a million pound a year and that's just one home". "Erm, and as everybody knows we do property development...."

So yes - there was absolutely a mention of deaths in the current situation, and no condolences were passed on to the families. Don’t say it was twisted - when it wasn’t.

On a separate note, interesting to see Raj begin to request investment (£200k) via an Equity Participation Scheme at Pools. He is making the same noises now as he did back in 2011/2012. Be wary.

 

[Soup Ladle]

That’s absolute rubbish. It was not twisted at all.

When Singh was asked how his businesses were doing in this current situation, he said:

"One of the care homes we have got, we've had some deaths in there....17 residents........17 beds empty basically.....that equates to £10,000-£11,000 per week, and you can do the maths, that is over half a million pound a year and that's just one home". "Erm, and as everybody knows we do property development...."

So yes - there was absolutely a mention of deaths in the current situation, and no condolences were passed on to the families. Don’t say it was twisted - when it wasn’t.

On a separate note, interesting to see Raj begin to request investment (£200k) via an Equity Participation Scheme at Pools. He is making the same noises now as he did back in 2011/2012. Be wary.

I'm not gonna bother listening to it again, maybe you're right but as I heard it only once I didn't hear him mention deaths.

BTW I know we're more than likely fucked.

 

[Darlofan97]

I'm not gonna bother listening to it again, maybe you're right but as I heard it only once I didn't hear him mention deaths.

BTW I know we're more than likely fucked.

That’s fair enough.

Honestly, I hold no kind of grudge or wish Pools ill health - probably because I’m not old enough to recall the rivalry. I only take a keen interest because of Singh.

From the outside looking in, the best case scenario is the club goes bust and then re-forms as a fan-owned club playing at the (council owned) Vic.

You’d automatically be in a far better position than we ever were in, as you’d have no debt and will be playing in Hartlepool. You would walk the lower leagues and probably have enough behind you financially to sustain a National League side.

The noises from Singh are worrying, and so is the fact he keeps on covering substantial losses as loans. He did the same at Darlo.

 

[Soup Ladle]

That’s fair enough.

Honestly, I hold no kind of grudge or wish Pools ill health - probably because I’m not old enough to recall the rivalry. I only take a keen interest because of Singh.

From the outside looking in, the best case scenario is the club goes bust and then re-forms as a fan-owned club playing at the (council owned) Vic.

You’d automatically be in a far better position than we ever were in, as you’d have no debt and will be playing in Hartlepool. You would walk the lower leagues and probably have enough behind you financially to sustain a National League side.

The noises from Singh are worrying, and so is the fact he keeps on covering substantial losses as loans. He did the same at Darlo.

Nah, no chance of us re-forming properly. Too many factions in the support base vying for power and there's this weird anti-trust thing going on. Members getting attacked physically and verbally at games, several of them I know quite well. Can't see how that'll heel itself. If this club folds that's me done forever. Not getting involved in the political shite going on.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Our Chief Exec 'mutually' left his position this week, fuck knows where that leaves us, we're literally a one man marching band right now.

Edit: Sounds like ex Darlo Chief Exec Martin Jesper is taking over