Nobby_66
Vital Football Hero
To be fair, we take the piss out of him when he IS here too
Scally has spoken
- Thread starter markinkent
- Start date
Nobby_66
Vital Football Hero
I was wondering what all the "why isn't Scally spending more on players" crew are thinking. Sounds like Scally's frugal approach could be what saves our club in the end
valenciagill
Vital Football Hero
I was wondering what all the "why isn't Scally spending more on players" crew are thinking. Sounds like Scally's frugal approach could be what saves our club in the end
It's crossed my mind too.
shotshy
Vital Champions League
Letās hope so.
Iād like to remain positive but itās still tough
valenciagill
Vital Football Hero
I'm positive about everything mate , maybe too much. We'll be ok , and as PS said , slimmer and more efficient.
It's a bit to early for me to take over the role of predicting the future !
chris who
Vital Champions League
A very difficult time for every chairman at our level. Not least one who depends on the club for a income. That makes it doubly difficult. If he starts refunds the club probably would go under if he doesn't we could lose support especially from those who are struggling. I do have a little sympathy for him but feel that he has seemingly ducked some vital decisions in this letter.Perhaps it will become clearer next time the club released a statement.
OneSirKeefy
Vital Football Hero
Not sure why the opening negative comments on the thread. I just read it and it all sounded pretty good stuff to me. I think we just might be in a lot better position than a lot of other teams.
The main part I took out of it was the comment -
āMy primary task has focussed on ensuring we all have a club to follow when normal Football returns and fans are again safe to enjoy their passion from the terracesā.
Spot on.
I know not everyone will be in a position to, but Iām of the opinion, where they can, fans need to try to support the club. And I think most will. The alternative is no club, no football.
And if that means some kind of bond scheme or other method to raise some funds, then Iāll be in.
The main part I took out of it was the comment -
āMy primary task has focussed on ensuring we all have a club to follow when normal Football returns and fans are again safe to enjoy their passion from the terracesā.
Spot on.
I know not everyone will be in a position to, but Iām of the opinion, where they can, fans need to try to support the club. And I think most will. The alternative is no club, no football.
And if that means some kind of bond scheme or other method to raise some funds, then Iāll be in.
RotherhitheGill
Vital 1st Team Regular
I just love the line "clearing the stadium of unwanted or not required paperwork". Is this Oliver North style with Scally getting rid of any evidence about the Ā£10m debt (Wayne would be in his element) ? 
markinkent
Vital Football Hero
OSK - my negative comments were a bit tongue in cheek but anyone who remembers the last time fans were invited to invest in their football club (shares) will remember that didn't end well for them.
Many fans have already invested in the club through the purchase of advanced season tickets for the next 1 or 2 years. Not to mention outstanding games on the last season ticket or advanced match day ticket purchases . The letter doesn't even give them a passing mention. Not even a "we are not yet in a position to provide options for refunds on outstanding tickets etc.". It actually would have been easy to say "for those with season tickets from last season we hope that fans will help the clubs cashflow by not asking for refunds but we recognise some people will have suffered financially and may need to and the process is ............................For those who are able to forgo a refund the club would like to send you a club shirt as a thankyou". Not to even mention it was wrong in my view.
It should have been mentioned. A comment from him about taking a pay cut in these difficult times would have gone down well. Others at the club have.
I agree that our low cost base this season will help us next season compared to other clubs as we are used to operating at the lower end.
It will be interesting to see what the bond scheme is all about but I doubt if I will be investing. I have Ā£500 of advance tickets purchases with the club at the moment so not ready to donate any more just yet.
bathnightattheminogu
Vital Reserves Team
I know Luton, and Shrewsbury I think, have set up a scheme whereby those season ticket holders who tell the club to keep the money rather than have a refund get their names on a wall or something similar at the ground.
A bit cheesy I know but it is a form of recognition and I believe close to 100% have told the club to keep the money.
Perhaps Paul could offer something similar at Priestfield.
Anyway I am happy to have Scally holding the reins right now rather than one of the many foreignāinvestorsā.
A bit cheesy I know but it is a form of recognition and I believe close to 100% have told the club to keep the money.
Perhaps Paul could offer something similar at Priestfield.
Anyway I am happy to have Scally holding the reins right now rather than one of the many foreignāinvestorsā.
Rob_b100
Vital 1st Team Regular
Good post.
I think we can safely assume our dear leader hasnāt taken a pay cut/deferral else he wouldāve mentioned it to show heās ādoing his bitā as such.
I also invested in the share scheme all those years ago. Now all of that did it as fans understand you donāt buy into a football club to make any money, but to find out they are virtually worthless was disappointing.
As a few have said, I wonāt ask for a refund as I donāt need particularly need it. But there are others that (I am sure) do. Gillingham isnāt the most affluent of areas. Many people work in the hospitality business with only furlough money, or worse still no job at the moment.
A simple we could do with not refunding, but understand some of you need the money, if so please ask. I donāt think people would take the piss, and is a good PR exercise too. Something PS isnāt always great at.
I was wondering what all the "why isn't Scally spending more on players" crew are thinking. Sounds like Scally's frugal approach could be what saves our club in the end
I feel he learned from the ITV fiasco whilst a lot of other chairmen/women still tried to live beyond their means.
D
Deleted member 13556
Guest
How do you know he hasnāt? Just because he hasnāt said publicly doesnāt mean it hasnāt happened!
Trev_GFC
Vital 1st Team Regular
Heās assuming. I donāt want us to go back to the days where everything Scally does or says tends to be judged on whether you hate him or not.
You hate him? Bringing in Evans was a bad appointment. You hate Scally? This statement was bad. You hate him? Letās assume heās going to take Ā£300k out of the club this year, and we wonāt ever hear about any refunds.
Iām willing to wait longer until something does get announced. If nothing gets announced then fine, we can judge him on it.
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Baghdad_Rob
Vital 1st Team Regular
Scally is paid as a consultant and not as an employee of the club. As a result he will have to submit invoices for work done.
If the council have closed down their department dealing with the area that Scally wishes to build a new stadium, and I suspect they probably have reduced the department significantly if not completely, then Scally presumably wouldn't be able to bill for attending meetings that have been cancelled etc. I'm sure he would still be in a position to bill for work down for being in discussions with the banks etc in terms of finance options should the club go into an overdraft in the short term etc.
I expect Scally's invoicing for work down to be less in this accounting period, but we won't actually know this until the company accounts for the 2019-2020 seasons are submitted in a few years time.
I would not be surprised if the company accounts have a note to say some of the money due to Scally have been deferred until the club is up and running as per normal again.
SE1_Gills
Vital 1st Team Regular
This is what I've done with my businesses
RotherhitheGill
Vital 1st Team Regular
Agree about refunds and prior funding for future season tickets, but once again he's shot himself in the foot by not even mentioning it, or of any reduction in his personal remuneration. This leads to speculation and in my case, I naturally assume the worst.
I don't think Scally's letter merits criticism. It leads with some positive stuff about volunteers helping out around the Stadium.
Even the passage about "funding" doesn't come across as "begging".
Here it is:
"On the subject of support, we are working on ways our fans can assist from a financial point of view. I have had many offers of financial help from supporters who just want to ensure their club continues, offers of a few pounds to a few thousand pounds, some gifts, some loan
Whilst I havenāt, as yet, taken up these kind offers, it is because Iāve been working on a couple of more formal plans along the lines of `bonds` or `crowd funding` schemes."
But with 2,000 (IIRC) fans buying shares - only to find that Scally kept control with over 70% (last time I looked he had 81%) - fans won't make the same mistake again.
Plenty of fans would donate a small amount.
But if Scally wants serious money, surely he has to offer investing fans more security and a "return" ?
A "bond" implies a loan.
As long as GFC remains solvent, bondholders normally have first claim on assets (after HMRC and a few other stakeholders) - i.e. before shareholders.
BUT with Scally controlling 81%, it isn't impossible that GFC could be liquidated with few assets.
Would investing fans have more confidence if Scally raised funds by selling his shares - down to (say ) 30% ?
jogills
Vital Football Hero
Love your positivity OSK and I'm with it but markinkent's response is pertinent.
That will never happen. One of the main reasons why Scally hasnāt found a significant investor is that he is unwilling to relinquish control of the club.
