Breaking News SZ & Trust meeting with RM Tuesday.

[Napster]

Please ask Ron what provision he has made for the future of the club in the event of his death/ill-health.

Blimey. Are you planning to bump him off?

 

[Beefy]

Just the one(ish) suggested question from me

How long, based on our currect projected cashflows can the club survive without receiving financial investment from an external source?

When is the monthly tax bill due? That's your answer.

For the record, you lot shouldn't be going in with two dozen questions. You should go in with three or four core questions (the ones ESB mentioned, IMO) and just make sure that you get proper and detailed answers to those. A lot of the rest just look like point-scoring.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Have you ever thought about writing a fictional novel?

Ever heard the story about the boy who cried wolf?

Have you ever told a lie?

What is your relationship with the cleaner? I bet she was given a few false promises too

 

[Mick]

Well Mick, that was a rounded and reasonable stance but it also supports what I said. The Q and A is pointless and its time to see actions and not hear words.

That's because I am, a rounded (a bit too rounded !) and reasonable person !

I still think if RM is in favour of this meeting and it's a very short time slot he is using it to disseminate something.

 

[Smiffy]

Last year the clubs auditor said this:

“The directors are confident the parent company will continue to provide the necessary funds to the company through its financing facilities. However, there can be no certainty in these matters. This indicates the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

Have those views changed since release of the latest accounts? And who/what are the "financing facilities" now?

 

[Hotman]

Last year the clubs auditor said this:

“The directors are confident the parent company will continue to provide the necessary funds to the company through its financing facilities. However, there can be no certainty in these matters. This indicates the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

Have those views changed since release of the latest accounts? And who/what are the "financing facilities" now?

Off topic... but if the 'directors' (RM) didn't believe this, they would be legally obliged to appoint administrators. So I doubt he will admit that publicly!

The questions, I believe, should be focused on the stability of the club post-development - in particular whether FF will be self-funding at say 70% occupancy without rent payable from SUFC (as SUFC cannot sustain market rent).

 

[Beefy]

Last year the clubs auditor said this:

“The directors are confident the parent company will continue to provide the necessary funds to the company through its financing facilities. However, there can be no certainty in these matters. This indicates the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

Have those views changed since release of the latest accounts? And who/what are the "financing facilities" now?

That auditor's warning will be on pretty much every club's books because pretty much every club will not generate enough cash to cover its outgoings and is completely relient on a parent company to provide financing facilities.

The important question isn't who is providing the funds to allow us to continue, it's how long can we have faith that these financing facilities will actually be there. Are we going to be able to continue stumbling along for the next two, three years until the economy picks up or are things going to have to come to a head before that.

 

[Gremlin]

Please ask Ron what provision he has made for the future of the club in the event of his death/ill-health.

Blimey. Are you planning to bump him off?

Napster, I suspect you realise this is quite a good question!

 

[Napster]

Napster, I suspect you realise this is quite a good question!

Indeed I do!

 

[united we stand]

If we only have 30-45 minutes, then I'd probably say that questions relating to future ownership/revenue of FF aren't particularly pertinent. Although they've become increasingly sparse over the last two years in particular, the likelihood is we'll have another opportunity to press RM on those issues if/before the project is completed.

Questions need to be limited to our immediate future. What loss are we currently running at per month, what's the break-even attendance, how does RM intend for us to meet our liabilities on a month-to-month basis, what is the current involvement of Sainsbury's in the running of the club, how are negotiations going with the Pizza Man and/or contractors. Basically, information relating to how RM intends to keep the club limping along until such a time that we can move into FF.

The above make a lot of sense to me.

The only other thing I would add is a question on attendences. Basically does Ron realise that he is the reason that some people stay away , and is he willing to swallow hos pride and change the way he acts/communicates to try and get the supporters base on side? Ron is part of the problem, is he willing to change to be part of the solution as well?

 

[ldnfatso]

What's Mrs Ron's net worth?

 

[Blues 'n twos]

How has a club with better average gates than many in L2, and some in L1 (those without wealthy backers) and a wage bill comparitable to most of their contempories, has a reasonable transfer record, and no longer has to buy onions, still lose so much per month? is'nt this just poor management??

 

[sufcrocks]

I would like RM to be asked, What is the contingency plan for the club IF Sainsburys move us out before (or even if) the Fossetts Farm stadium is completed? Are the board looking at ground sharing options?

 

[Eastblack]

Can you ask how the tender process for the works on FF is going? When does he expect to be on site and when are the results of the "name the stadium road competition" going to be announced?

 

[Smiffy]

The above make a lot of sense to me.

The only other thing I would add is a question on attendences. Basically does Ron realise that he is the reason that some people stay away , and is he willing to swallow hos pride and change the way he acts/communicates to try and get the supporters base on side? Ron is part of the problem, is he willing to change to be part of the solution as well?

Those that are staying away, wont be back until he leaves unfortunately. And as we know, that is probably a long way away.

 

[ldnfatso]

How much are Great Wakering gonna charge us to ground share?

 

[londonblue]

Questions need to be limited to our immediate future. What loss are we currently running at per month, what's the break-even attendance, how does RM intend for us to meet our liabilities on a month-to-month basis, what is the current involvement of Sainsbury's in the running of the club, how are negotiations going with the Pizza Man and/or contractors. Basically, information relating to how RM intends to keep the club limping along until such a time that we can move into FF.

Agreed

For the record, you lot shouldn't be going in with two dozen questions. You should go in with three or four core questions (the ones ESB mentioned, IMO) and just make sure that you get proper and detailed answers to those. A lot of the rest just look like point-scoring.

Also agreed. And to that end I would ask:

Assuming PS identifies who he wants, what has to happen for us to sign said player?

The reason for this question is that it blows away the myth that PS hasn't identified anyone. We all know he has, and we all know one of them is currently training with us. You can therefore start from a point of truth, and not have to waste valuable minutes discussing whether or not PS has identified anyone. It then comes down to the embargo, and the immediate financial issues that surround the club.

And I would continue to explore and question in fine detail the answer that is given, because we know that the detail is usually in what RM doesn't say, rather than what he does say.

 

[Beefy]

How has a club with better average gates than many in L2, and some in L1 (those without wealthy backers) and a wage bill comparitable to most of their contempories, has a reasonable transfer record, and no longer has to buy onions, still lose so much per month? is'nt this just poor management??

But those clubs will also be losing as much, or slightly more or slightly less per month. It's a fundamental part of the 'business' model.

Orient would be a comparable club with a comparable fan base and Barry Hearn made the point last week that they have lost money in 18 out of the last 19 years. I think the one that they made money on was the one where they had a decent cup run a couple of years ago.

Colchester's accounts make us look like Microsoft.

 

[Jam_Man]

May give an insight in to where unnecessary expenses can be saved

Analysing individual costs is not feasible in a short meeting and I dont think McNasty will be pouring over the accounts and expenses.

Im sure there are areas if you did a full audit money could be saved, but the purpose of the meeting should be to get an insight into where we are may be headed.

The question how much are we losing each month and can his companies subsidise the losses is the big question.

Colchester's accounts make us look like Microsoft.

Hopefully not because they are Apple :smile:

 

[Tampa Blue]

One question that you could ask, is why have the supporters been granted such a small amount of time. If he really wanted to be honest and open and improve the 'relationship' then a few hours would seem more appropriate.

30 minutes seems like lip service again to me.