SeasideEssexXile
Vital Football Legend
I have highlighted the section that we will o doubt be talking about.
IMO - very poorly worded.
Structured Dialogue Meeting – Monday 22nd February 2021 at 7pm
In attendance: Steve Rowland (SLO) James Ashton (Tangerine Seasiders) Phil Corbett (Yorkshire Seasiders) Ryan Jackson Scott Koudellas (Tangerine Knights) Fiona Martin (BSA) Karen McGuiness (BASIL) David Ragozzino (MSG) John Rigby (Leyland & Chorley Seasiders) Derek Spence (Former Players Association) Robert Whittaker (BST) Ben Mansford (BFC – CEO) Brett Gerrity (BFC – Director) Linton Brown (BFC – Chief Commercial Officer) Nick Horne (BFC – Club Secretary) Please would the Club look into holding an online fans forum similar to the recent one held by Fleetwood Town? It is important for all supporters to feel some connection with the staff at BFC, both playing and non-playing. Even in normal times it is especially important for exiles, who may not be able to attend matches at Bloomfield Road as frequently as Fylde coast residents. (BASIL) BM – We all miss having a live forum. We are hoping for some degree of normality to return and then possibly we can look to doing a live fans forum around football. We believe that as a Club we are very much available and accessible. The Structured Dialogue Meetings are regular and provide access to Board Directors and Senior Management with the range of questions set by the fans. In the meantime, we are continuing to increase our output from players and work on their engagement with fans during the current pandemic and Covid issues. While Simon would love to be available to join more sessions, Simon plays a pivotal role in his business which allows him to support the Club the way he does. For the good of the Club is it important that Simon continues to focus on the day job. When is the Club going to build the training ground? (Various) BG – This question has been asked in various formats by all supporter groups. The new training ground will cost in the region of £10-12million to build and there are no grants, no financial assistance or handouts available. This is money that will need to come from the Sadler families’ personal account. Season ticket sales amount to an income of around £700,000 to put the proposed facility cost into perspective. The Club is set to lose around £4million this season. So that is £16 million that would need funding before anything else if we were to build now. Covid has affected revenue streams and the salary cap has now been abandoned which may again force wage costs up. Despite the heavy financial losses the Club has continued to strengthen by paying transfer fees at a time where a lot of clubs in League One are concerned about economic survival, let alone making a £12million investment in a training ground. This is an expensive and major investment for Simon to make and we need to ensure that the correct location is selected and that it is future proof. There is a measured process being undertaken which takes time but we are making progress. Investment like this simply cannot be rushed. Squires Gate has been significantly improved and the first team squad are far better catered for than they have ever been.
Simon does get a little fed up of hearing some people repeatedly asking about season ticket refunds when he is personally investing and keeping the Club alive financially to the tune that I have already alluded to. While there is the desire to build the training ground and better the infrastructure of the Club, his enthusiasm may be diminished when a small number of supporters demand refunds upon tickets that were advertised and sold with everyone aware that the season may not happen. The Club was honest and open when selling the tickets and has provided iFollow coverage to all supporters who are entitled to it. I should emphasise that this is a minority of people who are moaning but a vocal minority and they are in danger of jeopardising the good work that is going on. Simon is not going to do all that is needed on his own, he needs the supporters alongside him, he has to feel that the financial burden is being shared and if he starts to doubt that he is less incentivised to invest further. The majority of fans are doing an amazing job with the ticket sales, iFollow, the buying of merchandise and generally supporting the Club however they can. They have been brilliant whilst themselves going through difficult economic times. The board are very grateful. We know what fantastic supporters the Club has and we value you greatly. When Simon says he’s going to do something, he will do it but please be patient. A message to some supporters is, don’t kill the golden goose, there is not another Simon Sadler out there waiting to take over.
Given that it is unlikely that 2020/21 season ticket holders will be able to attend live home matches, how is the Club planning to compensate them for the 2021/22 season? And given many other clubs have offered refunds to 2020/21 season ticket holders, why did the Club not offer season ticket holders the option to take a season break to protect their existing preferred seats? (BSA) BM – We believe we answered this type of question at the last meeting. We waited late to put our season tickets on sale when the EFL confirmed the season would run and the Government gave encouraging statements on fans attending games. We made it clear in our sales literature that any season ticket holder who couldn’t attend a game would be given an iFollow access code and on this basis we reserved the right to keep the season ticket monies. We believe we offered a fair range of pricing options and made our terms and conditions very clear at the outset. Also, as discussed above, Simon has continued to invest in the Club at a time when the Club has experienced millions of pounds worth of further losses due to Covid. When fans bought these Season Tickets, Simon invested in the squad. We will consider the existing Season Ticket holders when we review our pricing model for next season. The Sports Ground Safety Authority has found that safe standing can have a positive impact on spectator safety. Is there scope to introduce this for a section of the North Stand - as other clubs have done? Could it be financed by a crowdfunding initiative? (BST) BM – At this moment in time, especially after Covid, the Club has other more pressing financial requirements rather than changing safe seating to a safe standing area. This initiative could be considered when we redevelop the East Stand. Does the abandonment of the salary cap proposals help or hinder us going forward? (YS) BG – As a Club we voted for the Salary Cap as we believed it was a suitable mechanism to curb the exorbitant wage inflation that was been experienced across League One and League Two. We also believed it would aid the sustainability of lower league clubs and seek to prevent instances like Bury and Bolton happening again. Therefore, it is disappointing to see what has happened with the cap while the Covid implications are still being felt across the economy and football. Squad limits remain in place. Hopefully, wages will remain sensible and enable us to continue to build towards what we want to achieve - a squad capable of returning to the Championship. Companies House data suggests that the Club's operating model is based upon four companies. Is this correct? If so, could you give us some insight as to how you arrived at this? And what is the overall, aggregated financial status of the group as a whole? (BST) BM – Simon took advice from leading accountants and lawyers about how to hold the various Club and property assets which resulted in the current structure. This structure is not uncommon. It would not be right for us to go into any further detail. How do you feel the balance of the squad is? Is there a good balance between experienced pros and young players, and is a squad made up of young players sufficient to achieve promotion? Does building a squad of young talent mean that this is being produced for future sale/profit of these players, and does that help us gain promotion? (BSA) BM – We have a more balanced squad after the last two windows. The majority of players have their best years in front of us. We are far from one of the younger sides in the league and have experience in the likes of Maxwell, Madine, Husband, Stewart, Dougall and Turton. The squad isn’t as youthful and inexperienced as some early criticism suggested. As we look to gain promotion back to the Championship, we will be competing with clubs that have parachute payments and more significant commercial revenue generating capabilities. Therefore, if the Club can identify and recruit players who can grow to produce transfer profit, then such profit will enable us to compete and support Simon. Clubs like Brentford have shown this can be successful. The Club’s goal isto be in the Championship and above. Hopefully people are starting to see this squad is more capable than some of the early season results suggested. With many of our first team players out with injuries and the amount of congested fixtures we have coming up is this causing any concerns at the Club?
IMO - very poorly worded.
Structured Dialogue Meeting – Monday 22nd February 2021 at 7pm
In attendance: Steve Rowland (SLO) James Ashton (Tangerine Seasiders) Phil Corbett (Yorkshire Seasiders) Ryan Jackson Scott Koudellas (Tangerine Knights) Fiona Martin (BSA) Karen McGuiness (BASIL) David Ragozzino (MSG) John Rigby (Leyland & Chorley Seasiders) Derek Spence (Former Players Association) Robert Whittaker (BST) Ben Mansford (BFC – CEO) Brett Gerrity (BFC – Director) Linton Brown (BFC – Chief Commercial Officer) Nick Horne (BFC – Club Secretary) Please would the Club look into holding an online fans forum similar to the recent one held by Fleetwood Town? It is important for all supporters to feel some connection with the staff at BFC, both playing and non-playing. Even in normal times it is especially important for exiles, who may not be able to attend matches at Bloomfield Road as frequently as Fylde coast residents. (BASIL) BM – We all miss having a live forum. We are hoping for some degree of normality to return and then possibly we can look to doing a live fans forum around football. We believe that as a Club we are very much available and accessible. The Structured Dialogue Meetings are regular and provide access to Board Directors and Senior Management with the range of questions set by the fans. In the meantime, we are continuing to increase our output from players and work on their engagement with fans during the current pandemic and Covid issues. While Simon would love to be available to join more sessions, Simon plays a pivotal role in his business which allows him to support the Club the way he does. For the good of the Club is it important that Simon continues to focus on the day job. When is the Club going to build the training ground? (Various) BG – This question has been asked in various formats by all supporter groups. The new training ground will cost in the region of £10-12million to build and there are no grants, no financial assistance or handouts available. This is money that will need to come from the Sadler families’ personal account. Season ticket sales amount to an income of around £700,000 to put the proposed facility cost into perspective. The Club is set to lose around £4million this season. So that is £16 million that would need funding before anything else if we were to build now. Covid has affected revenue streams and the salary cap has now been abandoned which may again force wage costs up. Despite the heavy financial losses the Club has continued to strengthen by paying transfer fees at a time where a lot of clubs in League One are concerned about economic survival, let alone making a £12million investment in a training ground. This is an expensive and major investment for Simon to make and we need to ensure that the correct location is selected and that it is future proof. There is a measured process being undertaken which takes time but we are making progress. Investment like this simply cannot be rushed. Squires Gate has been significantly improved and the first team squad are far better catered for than they have ever been.
Simon does get a little fed up of hearing some people repeatedly asking about season ticket refunds when he is personally investing and keeping the Club alive financially to the tune that I have already alluded to. While there is the desire to build the training ground and better the infrastructure of the Club, his enthusiasm may be diminished when a small number of supporters demand refunds upon tickets that were advertised and sold with everyone aware that the season may not happen. The Club was honest and open when selling the tickets and has provided iFollow coverage to all supporters who are entitled to it. I should emphasise that this is a minority of people who are moaning but a vocal minority and they are in danger of jeopardising the good work that is going on. Simon is not going to do all that is needed on his own, he needs the supporters alongside him, he has to feel that the financial burden is being shared and if he starts to doubt that he is less incentivised to invest further. The majority of fans are doing an amazing job with the ticket sales, iFollow, the buying of merchandise and generally supporting the Club however they can. They have been brilliant whilst themselves going through difficult economic times. The board are very grateful. We know what fantastic supporters the Club has and we value you greatly. When Simon says he’s going to do something, he will do it but please be patient. A message to some supporters is, don’t kill the golden goose, there is not another Simon Sadler out there waiting to take over.
Given that it is unlikely that 2020/21 season ticket holders will be able to attend live home matches, how is the Club planning to compensate them for the 2021/22 season? And given many other clubs have offered refunds to 2020/21 season ticket holders, why did the Club not offer season ticket holders the option to take a season break to protect their existing preferred seats? (BSA) BM – We believe we answered this type of question at the last meeting. We waited late to put our season tickets on sale when the EFL confirmed the season would run and the Government gave encouraging statements on fans attending games. We made it clear in our sales literature that any season ticket holder who couldn’t attend a game would be given an iFollow access code and on this basis we reserved the right to keep the season ticket monies. We believe we offered a fair range of pricing options and made our terms and conditions very clear at the outset. Also, as discussed above, Simon has continued to invest in the Club at a time when the Club has experienced millions of pounds worth of further losses due to Covid. When fans bought these Season Tickets, Simon invested in the squad. We will consider the existing Season Ticket holders when we review our pricing model for next season. The Sports Ground Safety Authority has found that safe standing can have a positive impact on spectator safety. Is there scope to introduce this for a section of the North Stand - as other clubs have done? Could it be financed by a crowdfunding initiative? (BST) BM – At this moment in time, especially after Covid, the Club has other more pressing financial requirements rather than changing safe seating to a safe standing area. This initiative could be considered when we redevelop the East Stand. Does the abandonment of the salary cap proposals help or hinder us going forward? (YS) BG – As a Club we voted for the Salary Cap as we believed it was a suitable mechanism to curb the exorbitant wage inflation that was been experienced across League One and League Two. We also believed it would aid the sustainability of lower league clubs and seek to prevent instances like Bury and Bolton happening again. Therefore, it is disappointing to see what has happened with the cap while the Covid implications are still being felt across the economy and football. Squad limits remain in place. Hopefully, wages will remain sensible and enable us to continue to build towards what we want to achieve - a squad capable of returning to the Championship. Companies House data suggests that the Club's operating model is based upon four companies. Is this correct? If so, could you give us some insight as to how you arrived at this? And what is the overall, aggregated financial status of the group as a whole? (BST) BM – Simon took advice from leading accountants and lawyers about how to hold the various Club and property assets which resulted in the current structure. This structure is not uncommon. It would not be right for us to go into any further detail. How do you feel the balance of the squad is? Is there a good balance between experienced pros and young players, and is a squad made up of young players sufficient to achieve promotion? Does building a squad of young talent mean that this is being produced for future sale/profit of these players, and does that help us gain promotion? (BSA) BM – We have a more balanced squad after the last two windows. The majority of players have their best years in front of us. We are far from one of the younger sides in the league and have experience in the likes of Maxwell, Madine, Husband, Stewart, Dougall and Turton. The squad isn’t as youthful and inexperienced as some early criticism suggested. As we look to gain promotion back to the Championship, we will be competing with clubs that have parachute payments and more significant commercial revenue generating capabilities. Therefore, if the Club can identify and recruit players who can grow to produce transfer profit, then such profit will enable us to compete and support Simon. Clubs like Brentford have shown this can be successful. The Club’s goal isto be in the Championship and above. Hopefully people are starting to see this squad is more capable than some of the early season results suggested. With many of our first team players out with injuries and the amount of congested fixtures we have coming up is this causing any concerns at the Club?