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Nerima Spireite, on 14 February 2018 - 06:03 PM, said:

Action - both physical and on social media needed now. Let’s get these parasites out.

I'm usually wrong, but my reading of why Carson keeps mentioning the latest consortium is that the club will be changing hands soon, with all negotiations including requests for non refundable deposits confidential. He's priming us.

[SpireiteFitzy]

A boycott. Make them watch in front of a mostly deserted ground. Not only a complete embarrassment for them but a loud and clear indicator that they will no longer be tolerated. As long as people continue to go through the gates they won't care a jot about fan feeling.

#notapennymore

This post has been edited by SpireiteFitzy: 14 February 2018 - 06:27 PM

[Stockholm Spireite]

Ok, I braved it. Here's your quotes from the interview:

Shortfall on the end of the month, mainly wages. Wages usually between 190-210k per month and we're roughly 150k short.
Question that could have been asked: Where EXACTLY is the money being spent during the rest of the month? Be specific in your answer, Ashley.

It's a worry that the shortfall is continual but they're looking forward(!) to next season in terms of how they do things differently. Apparently, they pushed the boat on the wages but it hasn't turned out how they wanted it to...but it's ok, because next year they're going to be addressing this.
Question that could have been asked: How EXACTLY are you addressing this? Be specific in your answer, Ashley.

Jack knows what the budget is for next year and the plan is too get the club in a position where is it's self-sustaining.
Question that could have been asked: How EXACTLY are you addressing this? Be specific in your answer, Ashley.
Further question: You have a pan for a self-sustaining club? Are you high right now?

The costs are under control and we're making ongoing savings. Michael Dunford looking at every cost centre at the club and making reductions.
Question that could have been asked: Where and how are you making savings? What are the impacts of those savings? Be specific in your answer, Ashley.

Dramatically saving on costs with the academy.
Just leave Mark Smith alone, alright? Don't ruin one good thing I like about the club.

Between December and the end of the financial year there's probably a shortfall of 600k
Question that could have been asked: You said last year that you had a plan to balance the books. What was it and how come it failed so miserably? Be specific in your answer, Ashley?

25k per month was being paid to the old coaching squad. Some are paid with 3 months notice, some with 6 months notice and 9 months notice with Danny Wilson, so you keep paying it. It's a quarter of a million that's dead money.
Question that could have been asked: And how long until Gary Caldwell is paid off? You know, the highest paid manager in Chesterfield history, with a 12 month, rolling contract...

On being asked if do you feel responsibly and accountability for that, those people being your appointments:
well there has to be to the board and we take it on the chin and a lot of it is the benefit of hindsight.
Question: Since when does hindsight = accountability?

We should have started the new season with a new manager and new squad and we got that wrong.
But no apology for not getting rid of Caldwell sooner than you should have? And you did start the new season with a new squad...

On the takeover:
Chinese deal is dead in the water. Talking with another interested party; AC and DA independently. The trouble is, until you put pen to paper, you can't say anything.
Question: Then why oh why did you open your stupid mouth before the i's had been dotted and t's crossed? You really just can't help yourself, can you? If you have your own hallmark at the Assay Office, surely it's a steaming turd?

On the deposit:
It wasn't 500k, t was 5% of the overall deal. It was not non-refundable.
Question: Then why did you spout off about it being a 500k non-refundable deposit?

It was a goodwill gesture, put some money in YOUR solicitor's account and keep it there - a lot like buying a car, really.

On the payment schedule:
There's the mortgage, debenture loans and ex-directors that need to be paid every month and if that amount isn't paid, then DA would have to make the shortfall and he doesn't want to do that.
Question: That doesn't really expedite the deal, then, does it?

Then the remainder of the amount to paid over 3 years. Not a single payment, DA's been very generous in my (AC's) opinion.


"Toby spoke of mis-trust between the buyers and the club. Was it just yourself and Dave Allen or did you have advisers?" Brilliant, Karen. Worthy of an award, IMHO.
There was DA, me and John Croot. JC brought them to the table and they did speak with him on a regular basis
Question: So it only went sideways after you got involved and made a statement?

The man with the purse strings was in the UK on business and said this was a priority, and then overnight something else cropped up and during that 2 weeks never made any effort to talk to DA or myself.
Question: And are you surprised by that, especially after you got involved? Do you see where this could have gone bad?

Question from Karen: "Did you try and contact him?"
No, not at all...it was John Croot that kept phoning them
Probably pointless after he's already said 'see you later'

Question from Karen: Where are we with the new consortium - have they seen the accounts, paid a non-refundable deposit; have they been asked for that yet?
I'd really rather not go into details. They've had everything that they need in terms of information.

Question from Karen: "What's your message to the fans, now we're getting to the end of the season and we're (the club position) unsettled at the moment?"
Got to stick behind the team, got to support JL. Be patient as we have 1 new signings...belief that we can get out of this mess and enjoy league football next year.
Be patient? How many games left and this clown is asking for patience?

Question from Karen: "AGM is coming up; are you expecting a fair evening. Are you comfortable with the questions that will be asked? Do you understand where fans concerns are?"
They're always very interesting. I'm expecting to get quite a lot of stick; some of it fair, some of it unfair. I'm not the only person on the board, there are other people that can express opinions.
Question: Which parts are unfair and will you apologise unreservedly for the stick that is "fair" - there's a number of calamities that stop with you? There may be others on the board, but they are small-fry in the decision-making process. You have control over them as you are DA's right hand man. Don't expect to deflect anything onto them that is your responsibility.

At the end of the day, we've got nothing to hide and as far as I'm concerned, the club is being run honestly...there's nothing that's going to come out that we've tried to hide away
Question: based on your previous lack of judgement, are you the best qualified person to make a statement like that?
A patio or a swimming pool is harder to dig up than a garden if you've buried something you want to hide (not speaking from experience!)

I'm off for a long shower after miring myself in such a way. Enjoy your evening, folks.

[dim view]

Stockholm Spireite, on 14 February 2018 - 06:32 PM, said:

Ok, I braved it. Here's your quotes from the interview:

At the end of the day, we've got nothing to hide and as far as I'm concerned, the club is being run honestly...there's nothing that's going to come out that we've tried to hide away

Wow. Where do we start?
Were the accounts of CFC and the Development Centre run independently or were they integrated?

[ELTON 2020]

Westbars Spireite, on 14 February 2018 - 05:36 PM, said:

Yep. Perhaps the next home game requires a serious effort at a public protest. I'd suggest a mass pitch incursion to get the game called off but while we have a chance of survival I wouldn't want anything that could genuinely affect the players (not that much could make them worse).

It might give them a proverbial kick up the****

[Les Ashmore]

I remember well when Cooky was here going out one evening for a meal with him and the discussion led to players and the different quality of players.

He had a simple philosophy which is now being proven correct, He said simply, "Pay peanuts, Get monkeys" when I asked what he meant he said this -

"To get a decent player you HAVE to pay agents fees, if you don't pay agents fees you get what they cant sell, It's simple really"

He Added - " Ok it may cost about 100k in fees but if you don't pay that it costs more in the end because of loss of income, Bad Showing, Lower fanbase"

It also pays in the long run because if you get a player through an agent and he improves the future sale also improves and more than covers the agent's fees

so, all in all, it's a win-win situation.

I Believe that this season especially is proving him 100% correct

[RikShaw]

SpireiteFitzy, on 14 February 2018 - 06:20 PM, said:

A boycott. Make them watch in front of a mostly deserted ground. Not only a complete embarrassment for them but a loud and clear indicator that they will no longer be tolerated. As long as people continue to go through the gates they won't care a jot about fan feeling.

#notapennymore

Exactly where I'm at. Starve them of income to force them out.

[brianclose]

Les Ashmore, on 15 February 2018 - 10:10 AM, said:

I remember well when Cooky was here going out one evening for a meal with him and the discussion led to players and the different quality of players.

He had a simple philosophy which is now being proven correct, He said simply, "Pay peanuts, Get monkeys" when I asked what he meant he said this -

"To get a decent player you HAVE to pay agents fees, if you don't pay agents fees you get what they cant sell, It's simple really"

He Added - " Ok it may cost about 100k in fees but if you don't pay that it costs more in the end because of loss of income, Bad Showing, Lower fanbase"

It also pays in the long run because if you get a player through an agent and he improves the future sale also improves and more than covers the agent's fees

so, all in all, it's a win-win situation.

I Believe that this season especially is proving him 100% correct

This is all very well apart from the fact that our finances were no better under Cooky, and despite cup runs, promotions, massive player sales, full houses etc we still haemorrhaged money at probably a greater rate than we are doing now.

[Paul Fisher]

Les Ashmore, on 15 February 2018 - 10:10 AM, said:

I remember well when Cooky was here going out one evening for a meal with him and the discussion led to players and the different quality of players.

He had a simple philosophy which is now being proven correct, He said simply, "Pay peanuts, Get monkeys" when I asked what he meant he said this -

"To get a decent player you HAVE to pay agents fees, if you don't pay agents fees you get what they cant sell, It's simple really"

He Added - " Ok it may cost about 100k in fees but if you don't pay that it costs more in the end because of loss of income, Bad Showing, Lower fanbase"

It also pays in the long run because if you get a player through an agent and he improves the future sale also improves and more than covers the agent's fees

so, all in all, it's a win-win situation.

I Believe that this season especially is proving him 100% correct

Cookie's philosophy with regards to the best players is right, however, we lost a million pounds (on an already sky high debt) trying to reach League One and then he wanted to re-invent the team, get rid of Evatt and Hird but was told to get rid of Roberts because Dave Allen said we couldn't afford him. Cook then got in a huff and somehow got the side in the play-offs despite having no extra money from the summer of 2014.

This football club needed to reduce it's costs gradually not with immediate effect, it need to save money in other areas first before re-inventing the squad, had Cookie been explained this then I'm certain he would have stayed. Instead we got a pig-headed owner with no football business brain and some very costly mistakes, all of which could have been avoided and how we find ourselves today in huge debt and a squad which is heading one way and a fanbase which is diminishing by the match. Is it Dave Allen's fault, yes, is it Ashley Carson's fault, probably not, but to me he hasn't a first clue how to run a football club, about as much as Chris Turner in fact, which says a lot.

Carson say's they have cut costs in the Academy. An area which could bring money into the club through developing player sales. Ok, it's not an area that has been hugely fruitful but I would say that this is financial suicide. They need to stop paying players cast amount of wages on long contracts. Minimum wages with bonus to reward performance on one-year deals, not two year deals on 5k a week. Next season, if JL can be bothered to stay for next season (I wouldn't blame him if he left under this board) then he'll still be harnessed by players on long term contracts for squad members he doesn't want, O'Grady, Wiseman, Anyon, German, Brewster, Binnom- Williams to name a few.

To put a bleak future on this, we aren't coming back up next year if we go down, we also won't go out of business but cutting costs in the wrong areas needs to stop.

[essexspireman]

I thought Wiseman had gone?

[brianclose]

essexspireman, on 15 February 2018 - 12:16 PM, said:

I thought Wiseman had gone?

Loaned