"Shall we fill this ground for you?"

[Blues 'n twos]

:goodun:

I can't imagine that you'll see out this economic downturn without going into administration, so I'd suggest you lot need to worry about the next monthly VAT payment.;)

The only thing you can imagine (which you do quite often) is your sister butt naked with her 3 legs a kimbo!!!

 

[southend4ever]

A few more days of these inbreds plus half term next week and then we can enjoy our board again.

 

[WeAreGoingUp]

Er, no. I cannot imagine anybody watching the game last night- other than your deluded self- would come to that conclusion.

We won 2-0. We're not in debt. We're 4th, 2 points from third with a game in hand, rather than 2 points from relegation. We have a real new stadium (not a pretend one).

And on Cowling - yes he will come out eventually - but so far he's invested magnificent amounts, helped us get the stadium, and bought all the shares so he's the sole owner. He won't pull out now, or any time soon - there'd be no point. Those millions he's put in would just go to waste. If we don't get promoted to the Championship in the next few years, then maybe.

 

[Blues 'n twos]

We won 2-0. We're not in debt. We're 4th, 2 points from third with a game in hand, rather than 2 points from relegation. We have a real new stadium (not a pretend one).

And on Cowling - yes he will come out eventually - but so far he's invested magnificent amounts, helped us get the stadium, and bought all the shares so he's the sole owner. He won't pull out now, or any time soon - there'd be no point. Those millions he's put in would just go to waste. If we don't get promoted to the Championship in the next few years, then maybe.

Enjoy your dream while it lasts for soon the alarm clock of life is going to wake you up and reallity will hit you hard, the conference awaits when the money runs out!

 

[BrettieAngell]

We won 2-0. We're not in debt. We're 4th, 2 points from third with a game in hand, rather than 2 points from relegation. We have a real new stadium (not a pretend one).

And on Cowling - yes he will come out eventually - but so far he's invested magnificent amounts, helped us get the stadium, and bought all the shares so he's the sole owner. He won't pull out now, or any time soon - there'd be no point. Those millions he's put in would just go to waste. If we don't get promoted to the Championship in the next few years, then maybe.

And yet still you're still a 2 bit club with **** all fans!

 

[WeAreGoingUp]

And yet still you're still a 2 bit club with **** all fans!

At least we're not a two bit club with average fans, like our dearest Essex rivals.

 

[canveyshrimper]

We won 2-0. We're not in debt. We're 4th, 2 points from third with a game in hand, rather than 2 points from relegation. We have a real new stadium (not a pretend one).

And on Cowling - yes he will come out eventually - but so far he's invested magnificent amounts, helped us get the stadium, and bought all the shares so he's the sole owner. He won't pull out now, or any time soon - there'd be no point. Those millions he's put in would just go to waste. If we don't get promoted to the Championship in the next few years, then maybe.

Don't you think those two points are related?

 

[BrettieAngell]

Don't you think those two points are related?

A bit like him and his girlfriend!

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

Don't you think those two points are related?

I can see why some may think that but in reality they are not.

Cowling wanted to invest in the squad, training ground etc so rather than loaning the money to the club (thus putting us in debt) he chose to issue further shares to himself for an extra £2 million or so. He's also used his company Jobserve to sponsor one of the stands to generate more income, again without putting us in debt.

Of course he could sell up at any time if he wanted, although it's very unlikely in the short/mid term as he wouldn't get back what he'd put in unless we were a Champship club at that point.

We have been very lucky with Robbie as he's chosen to invest in us without putting us at financial risk. If he went, we wouldn't be in debt although a new regime may try to run us within our means and as you well know, on our small attendances that would be an end to some of the players/transfer fee's/wages that we currently enjoy.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I can see why some may think that but in reality they are not.

Cowling wanted to invest in the squad, training ground etc so rather than loaning the money to the club (thus putting us in debt) he chose to issue further shares to himself for an extra £2 million or so. He's also used his company Jobserve to sponsor one of the stands to generate more income, again without putting us in debt.

Of course he could sell up at any time if he wanted, although it's very unlikely in the short/mid term as he wouldn't get back what he'd put in unless we were a Champship club at that point.

We have been very lucky with Robbie as he's chosen to invest in us without putting us at financial risk. If he went, we wouldn't be in debt although a new regime may try to run us within our means and as you well know, on our small attendances that would be an end to some of the players/transfer fee's/wages that we currently enjoy.

Fair enough and I hope that you are right as apart from Franchise FC I don't want to see any of our fellow clubs (and in particular us) go down the financial gurgler.

However, and possibly making something out of nothing, it's rumoured that Gold & Sullivan are looking for another investor in Wet Spam, and knowing Mr Cowling's a supporter of the Spammers he could be tempted to shuffle off to Upton Park. Having said that if what is said is true West Ham are an economic basket case, so he may be best suited to stay put.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Fair enough and I hope that you are right as apart from Franchise FC I don't want to see any of our fellow clubs (and in particular us) go down the financial gurgler.

However, and possibly making something out of nothing, it's rumoured that Gold & Sullivan are looking for another investor in Wet Spam, and knowing Mr Cowling's a supporter of the Spammers he could be tempted to shuffle off to Upton Park. Having said that if what is said is true West Ham are an economic basket case, so he may be best suited to stay put.

£35 million spent on Dyer and Ljundberg for a combined total of about 40 games! Says it all.

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

Fair enough and I hope that you are right as apart from Franchise FC I don't want to see any of our fellow clubs (and in particular us) go down the financial gurgler.

However, and possibly making something out of nothing, it's rumoured that Gold & Sullivan are looking for another investor in Wet Spam, and knowing Mr Cowling's a supporter of the Spammers he could be tempted to shuffle off to Upton Park. Having said that if what is said is true West Ham are an economic basket case, so he may be best suited to stay put.

This thing about Cowling being a West Ham is slightly exaggerated - his brother was a West Ham fan and then when he made his millions JobServe sponsored West Ham kit - Cowling is a football fan and did enjoy going to West Ham but the reports of him being some kind of die-hard Hammer are wide of the mark (thankfully!)

Besides, even if he wanted to invest, he'd have to sell us and there aren't that many people around who'd want to buy us for the sort of money Robbie would want at the moment.

Cowling enjoys being a Chairman too which is another factor - i can't see him wanting just to be a "silent" director.

Still, time will tell i guess.

 

[DTS]

We won 2-0. We're not in debt. We're 4th, 2 points from third with a game in hand, rather than 2 points from relegation. We have a real new stadium (not a pretend one).

And on Cowling - yes he will come out eventually - but so far he's invested magnificent amounts, helped us get the stadium, and bought all the shares so he's the sole owner. He won't pull out now, or any time soon - there'd be no point. Those millions he's put in would just go to waste. If we don't get promoted to the Championship in the next few years, then maybe.

Your crowds wont support champioship football, your capacity will never allow you to compete at championship level. You are doing better than us over the past few years but form is temporary. On almost any topic you choose other than current form you are behind us.

As I have said elsewhere enjoy you moments of glory as before you know it you will be back where you started - a average lower league side.

 

[NZamba Legend]

We have a real new stadium

Which is still worse than our old one.

 

[WeAreGoingUp]

Your crowds wont support champioship football, your capacity will never allow you to compete at championship level. You are doing better than us over the past few years but form is temporary. On almost any topic you choose other than current form you are behind us.

As I have said elsewhere enjoy you moments of glory as before you know it you will be back where you started - a average lower league side.

Our crowds have risen 30% in 3 years, and there's room to be expanded.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Our crowds have risen 30% in 3 years, and there's room to be expanded.

Most of that would be away fans.

 

[nevereatwhitesnow]

Your crowds wont support champioship football, your capacity will never allow you to compete at championship level. You are doing better than us over the past few years but form is temporary. On almost any topic you choose other than current form you are behind us.

As I have said elsewhere enjoy you moments of glory as before you know it you will be back where you started - a average lower league side.

Unfortunately we have many "part-time" supporters as Colchester in general doesn't get behind the club (too many Ipswich fans stemming from the vast difference in playing levels going back to the late 70's)

Having said that we have reached reasonable levels of home support for some games - 7000+ home fans for Southampton, 7500+ for Norwich etc BUT the casual fans won't drag themselves up to the stadium on a Tuesday night to watch Carlise/MK dons (or when the game is on Sky as in last night).

Promotion would put the average home attendance up significantly, there is no doubt of that. In terms of capacity the structure of the stadium will allow it be expanded easily and fairly cheaply to 12,500 then 18,000 if it were ever to be required but that wouldn't happen unless we were able to sustain Championship football (2+ seasons for a start)

We now have a good platform, very good squad, good manager, new training ground planned, no debt and a stadium the generates a lot of non-match day income, it's up to the team - if we do get promoted Cowling will bankroll a good attempt at keeping there and the crowds will go up.

You do have a massive advantage in terms of a bigger and loyal fanbase, you do have an excellent manager (for now at least) but you are lagging in terms of stadium revenue (non-match day), you do have debt, a small squad and a Chairman that doesn't seem to be backing the manager financially - Perhaps the new stadium (if/when it happens) will open up greater potential for you, though that would depend largely on who would actually benefit from the revenue I suppose?

 

[WeAreGoingUp]

Most of that would be away fans.

In league 1? I doubt away crowds have massively increased excluding the big few i.e charlton/norwich/leeds - although Southampton and Charlton only brought around 1000 each.

 

[BrettieAngell]

In league 1? I doubt away crowds have massively increased excluding the big few i.e charlton/norwich/leeds - although Southampton and Charlton only brought around 1000 each.

Leeds - 3,000 (5,800 home)
Charlton - 2,000 (5,000 home)
Saints - 1,677 (6,800 home)
Norwich - 1,946 (8,000 home?)
Us - 1,500? (5,000 home)

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Promotion would put the average home attendance up significantly, there is no doubt of that. In terms of capacity the structure of the stadium will allow it be expanded easily and fairly cheaply to 12,500 then 18,000 if it were ever to be required but that wouldn't happen unless we were able to sustain Championship football (2+ seasons for a start)

We now have a good platform, very good squad, good manager, new training ground planned, no debt and a stadium the generates a lot of non-match day income, it's up to the team - if we do get promoted Cowling will bankroll a good attempt at keeping there and the crowds will go up.

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