Our future

By Arthur1/9/2021 12:17Wed Sep 1 12:17:26 2021

Views: 764

When the new owners took over the football club we were promised that the club would be in the Football League within 10 years. There is as much truth in that statement as there is in Joe Biden’s belief that the allies time in Afghanistan was a success. We were also promised that the club would be self funding. To achieve that promise we would need to increase the club’s income. Potential owners were not falling over themselves to buy an already profitable club. We have two main sources of income: Sponsorship and bums on seats. Both require success on the field. I think the club are relying too much on the boost the budget scheme for the playing staff. The manager, in his column in the programme on Saturday said he had a squad large enough to play 11 a side in training - surely too big as they all have to be paid. From what we saw on Saturday we had three players (Numbers 5, 7 and 11 (Won’t use names)) who are capable of playing at the level in the league we are registered. I am not denigrating the rest, they are playing to the best of their ability but are simply out of their depth. This led to Saturday’s heavy defeat to a side who had lost their first two matches. The way we are playing we will struggle to exceed our all time low of four points in a season and relegation early in the New Year. Continual losses is hardly going to attract fans and potential newcomers. We could compete against Staines Lammas and Wraysbury. To play at that level would mean lower prices on the gate and smaller income, although the supporters would be able to watch competitive football. This may mean increased attendance, although the fan base of visiting teams is much lower the further down the pyramid you go. The team needs investment. The supporters are giving all they can. In order to get the club self funding there is no doubt the club needs to make the initial investment in players (look at Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool for examples). If this does not happen the future of the club seems to be increasingly bleak.