Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-3 Gateshead

[SuperRonnieP]

If recruitment had been better pre the first embargo we would never have sunk into the slump that eventually led to the present situation. Obviously Martin was overall to blame for the financial siuation but bad management played its part. The basic problems begin and end with results on the pitch. Getting back to L2 does not of course guarantee sustainability but would be a start and should at least reduce unsustainability.

It wasn't just bad recruitment and bad management though. Every single aspect of running a successful club was allowed to rot and fester under Martin's mismanagement and all of that now needs to be rebuilt.

Clubs who get out of this league either have a sugar daddy owner like Wrexham, or have been really well run for years and have built a club on solid foundations that can sustain a quality squad and coaching set up e.g. Bromley. It's the latter for us with Cosu.

 

[defender05]

Partially - they also highlighted hiring out the training ground which I guess may come sooner. They're not aiming to become sustainable overnight - thankfully. I think it's a 5yr plan - sounds a touch ambitious but not impossible

In order to hire out the training ground they first have to complete it and install the 4g pitch, with lights, which can be use all year round. They will also have to compete with the other ones currently available, and people will use the cheapest one not just because it's Southend's.

 

[GDM]

In order to hire out the training ground they first have to complete it and install the 4g pitch, with lights, which can be use all year round. They will also have to compete with the other ones currently available, and people will use the cheapest one not just because it's Southend's.

Fortunately there is a massive shortage of 4g pitches with many local teams having to go out to pitsea at everley leisure centre to train...I'm pretty sure, and I'm sure they have already done the analysis on this, that once opened it'll be full every evening, plus Im sure a club would make this their home ground for weekend matches. That and the east stand is the only chance of sustainability. Much more important than people worrying about our crowds dropping by couple of thousand!

 

[GDM]

I hope the consortium does not find out the hard way that running successful IT companies that enjoyed a work from home bonanza during the Covid pandemic is somewhat different from running a football club, a results driven business. If we are stuck in the hellhole of the NL for five years or more attendances will surely drop to unsustainable levels reminiscent of the early 80s. Spending what little money there is on refurbishing a crumbling stadium will not result in success on the pitch, which is essential for survival. Getting back to the EFL should be number one priority, in fact the only priority otherwise there is little point to making up the numbers in the fifth tier.

It won't drop to the level of the early 80s - we have a core of 3 / 3.5K that will always get seasons tickets. Plus there will always be 1.5K / 2K through the door. The lowest it'll ever be is 5K, which cash wise isn't a massive difference to 7.5K now, especially when compared to the money the training pitches and east stand will generate on a non-match day.
At much as we might hate it the regeneration is much more important than the football for the next 5 years...

 

[blues exile]

It won't drop to the level of the early 80s - we have a core of 3 / 3.5K that will always get seasons tickets. Plus there will always be 1.5K / 2K through the door. The lowest it'll ever be is 5K, which cash wise isn't a massive difference to 7.5K now, especially when compared to the money the training pitches and east stand will generate on a non-match day.
At much as we might hate it the regeneration is much more important than the football for the next 5 years...

Disagree entirely. It's a results driven branch of the entertainment industry. Only success on the pitch will guarantee continued gates at the present level. People will find better things to do on a Saturday afternoon if we are still languishing in the NL in five years time. Also natural wastage due to age or moving away. Where are their replacements going to come from?. Gates of 2k are quite likely by 2030 or sooner if nothing has changed

 

[Tommy2holes]

It won't drop to the level of the early 80s - we have a core of 3 / 3.5K that will always get seasons tickets. Plus there will always be 1.5K / 2K through the door. The lowest it'll ever be is 5K, which cash wise isn't a massive difference to 7.5K now, especially when compared to the money the training pitches and east stand will generate on a non-match day.
At much as we might hate it the regeneration is much more important than the football for the next 5 years...

Not make much difference?

Will easily be 500k-800k loss

If we are going for the title in this league then I'd say 8k-10k could be possible

 

[Thor1]

.

Not make much difference?

Will easily be 500k-800k loss

If we are going for the title in this league then I'd say 8k-10k could be possible

I thought around 40k a home game which falls into your bracket. Not to be sniffed at.

 

[Liam AAS]

Our slide out of the FL was as a result of poor recruitment of players and bad choices of management and nothing to do with non match day revenue or lack of it and our return to it will only happen when we start to assemble a promotion winning side under progressive management. Whether this is now in progress is yet to be seen but all the other stuff is just a distraction. Supporters want to see a wininng, entertaining team, the rest is not of any great interest to the average fan I would suggest.

I completely agree. But that doesnt mean it isn't relevant or important.

 

[Liam AAS]

Disagree entirely. It's a results driven branch of the entertainment industry. Only success on the pitch will guarantee continued gates at the present level. People will find better things to do on a Saturday afternoon if we are still languishing in the NL in five years time. Also natural wastage due to age or moving away. Where are their replacements going to come from?. Gates of 2k are quite likely by 2030 or sooner if nothing has changed

You're absolutely right, which is why making sure that Roots Hall is able to bring in £ for more than 4hrs every fortnight is the primary objective of COSU.

If they can find and maximise those revenue streams, gate reciepts won't dictacte the playing budget.

 

[overseas shrimper]

There reliant on funding from Martin's FF development which is bit worrying considering Martin's track record of delivering nothing. They also would need some sort of loan to cover the short fall from the Martin's as they would only be receiving 7-9 million from FF development.

Up to £12m (if they get anything). They also alluded to various gap funding, not necessarily loans.

 

[OldBlueLady]

This post match thread is now anything but!!!

 

[Medway Blue]

If recruitment had been better pre the first embargo we would never have sunk into the slump that eventually led to the present situation. Obviously Martin was overall to blame for the financial siuation but bad management played its part. The basic problems begin and end with results on the pitch. Getting back to L2 does not of course guarantee sustainability but would be a start and should at least reduce unsustainability.

You could have the chicken and egg argument all day, but ultimately, the reason for embargoes and poor recruitment around that L2 season, was because there wasn't enough money.

There wasn't enough money because the club didnt generate enough revenue by itself, and the ability of the owner to loan money to put into the club diminished.

100% this..

Mid table and boring football won't sustain crowds no matter how good the beer and burgers are.

Perhaps not, but when success and casual fans eventually return, it won't be all be built on a weak AF house of cards, and has a chance of being sustained.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

You're absolutely right, which is why making sure that Roots Hall is able to bring in £ for more than 4hrs every fortnight is the primary objective of COSU.

If they can find and maximise those revenue streams, gate reciepts won't dictacte the playing budget.

Exactly right. Appreciate it's comparing apples and oranges, but look at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Completely designed to extract money out of peoples pockets from the bars that pour beer from the bottom of the glass (very quickly) to having a go-kart track underneath one of the stands.

Club shop full of stuff to buy for the one match a year patrons. Cue Ted Dibiase's intro music... (one for the 80s kids there).

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Exactly right. Appreciate it's comparing apples and oranges, but look at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Completely designed to extract money out of peoples pockets from the bars that pour beer from the bottom of the glass (very quickly) to having a go-kart track underneath one of the stands.

Club shop full of stuff to buy for the one match a year patrons. Cue Ted Dibiase's intro music... (one for the 80s kids there).

I took my son to the Spurs stadium last season and not only were the queues very long but the food was ridiculously overpriced (decent though). Queues at half time I don't think can be avoided but if the food/drink on offer is decent fans will spend cash. The better the facilities and the more on offer the more money the club makes and it might lure the odd fan away from the Railway or the Spread before the match. Last goodness knows how many years, we've not even really made an effort to this end. It was always 'ah we're moving to a new stadium soon anyway'.