Corney's latest statement

[Diego_Sideburns]

From tonight's rarely wrong Chron:

 

Future of the squad is in the public’s hands — Latics director

Reporter: Michael Yarwood

Date online: 25/08/2008

 

MANAGING director Simon Corney has issued a stark warning that cash-strapped Athletic may be forced to sell one of their star players.

 

Mr Corney admitted he was “gutted and upset” to see a crowd of only 4,673 for Saturday’s game with Cheltenham — and he said the lack of support could cost Athletic a chance of promotion.

 

He said: “This is something I need to talk about because it’s vital to the future and central to our hopes of reaching the Championship.

 

“We’ve put together a good squad of players, headed by a good management team, but we simply cannot sustain it with attendances like this.

 

“I understand it’s expensive, people are struggling and others might be on holiday but, seriously, the future of this squad is completely in the hands of the public.

 

“There are no worries about the club itself because we’ve engineered it so there won’t be any danger, but our destiny is not in our own hands.

 

“We beat Cheltenham with a fantastic performance, but the shine was taken off when a crowd of 4,600 was announced.

 

“It was very, very disappointing. I was gutted and upset, and I just wish the peripheral fans realised we have been backed into a corner.

 

“The way things are, we can’t keep our squad going on such low gates and we’ve got no choice but to look at other ways of raising money.

 

“We are doing all we can to hold on to our players, but it’s a genuine and major concern because we can’t keep doing that forever.

 

“In the budget we allow ourselves to lose a lot of money by getting crowds of between 5,500 and 6,000. We actually need 7,500 to break even, but 6,000 is manageable — the figure on Saturday definitely wasn’t.

 

“In no way am I pouring cold water on a great start to the season. It has been tremendous and I know some people will say I’m being negative, but I’m afraid it’s the truth.

 

“Keeping this team and squad together is dependent on people attending games. I’m not screaming and shouting about it, I just want everyone to realise our situation.

 

“If 1,000 more fans came through the turnstiles we could cover half of our weekly losses (of around £15,000) and maybe even bring more players in.

 

“We won our first two league games, including a great victory at Leeds, and then only 4,600 turned up here the following week. We have a very good team this season and, for many reasons, I hope people come along to see it.”

 

Athletic’s average league gate last term was 5,327 — a 16-per-cent drop on the previous year and their lowest since 2000/2001.

 

They have turned down several bids for players but don’t have another home match before the transfer window shuts next week.

 

Athletic defender Paul Black (18) has joined Barrow, of the Blue Square Premier, in a one-month loan deal.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Diego_Sideburns

[Alec1954]

After the game, in the pub, I spoke to two Latics fans who no longer go. But they both said that there were thinking of going.

 

Asked why they didn't go.. the answer was the same. £20 = 10 pints of beer. Now, irrespective of habits, the simple fact is that for a working class town, £20 is too much for Third Division football.

 

Any answer has to involve incentives for supporters to come back to football and leave shopping/boozing/TV.

 

Drop the price I say.

[leeslover]

After the game, in the pub, I spoke to two Latics fans who no longer go. But they both said that there were thinking of going.

 

Asked why they didn't go.. the answer was the same. £20 = 10 pints of beer. Now, irrespective of habits, the simple fact is that for a working class town, £20 is too much for Third Division football.

 

Any answer has to involve incentives for supporters to come back to football and leave shopping/boozing/TV.

 

Drop the price I say.

£16 = 8 pints of beer, £14 = 7. I just don't think it would make a great deal of difference.

[fleetwood Blue]

I believe this is corneys way of telling us he has had an offer to good to resist for taylor, 750k would cover all losses.

[Mouldy_old_maki]

I did see quite a few latics fans at Leeds fest, not enough to warrant that crowd tho!

[laticsmad]

It's not just the price. We have been in this blasted league for years now and really need to get out for a new leash of life. If we sell 1 of our star players whilst on such a good run then I am afraid it would be bye bye from me. I'm sorry the owners knew what they were taking on so it is up to them to draw in the crowds.

[pjkent]

I feel for TTA's and can understand Simon Corneys dismay, however, you need only look at some of the other attendances in our division on Saturday to see it's not just us. It is, after all, a bank holiday weekend. Lots of people are away or doing other things for the weekend and speaking personally, I find the long school holiday period more expensive than when the kids are in school.

 

Scunthorpe.......Att. 4,717

Northampton.....Att. 4,402

Leyton Orient....Att. 3,803

Hartlepool Utd...Att. 3,945

Crewe Alex.......Att. 4,160

 

Some very poor attendances.

 

I will be eternally grateful to TTA's for what they have done/are doing for us and I hope they will give it until at least the January transfer window before they consider selling anyone. (Assuming attendances don't improve).

 

Here's hoping.

[Lags]

Said it the other day we need another 1000 on the gate. A few seasons back when our backs were to the wall with a :censored:e team we were getting 6000 into BP. It's steadilly dropped off after a few seasons of under acheiving. Sure we got into the play off's the season before last but it wasn't great football and that as taken it's toll. If the side produce good winning football the £20 will not be an issue, because people want to be a part of it and be entertained. The trouble is here is that it takes time for the public to come back, it wont happen over a few games, it takes a period of good winning football with something along the way that sparks real interest, an Everton for example. Posted the other day about when the crowds actually started flocking to BP during the time Royle built his exciting team. It was the cup runs that got the crowds interested, once they were and came they saw the entertainment first hand and wanted more. We didn't get promotion (due purely to being snowed under with games in hand) but the crowds were there from the off the next season. I just hope this side can sustain this early form and that TTA can stick in there that little bit longer and get that interest going.

[TheBigDog]

It's not just the price. We have been in this blasted league for years now and really need to get out for a new leash of life. If we sell 1 of our star players whilst on such a good run then I am afraid it would be bye bye from me. I'm sorry the owners knew what they were taking on so it is up to them to draw in the crowds.

 

Gee Laticsmad - you are a hard man huh? If all it takes for you to say bye bye is the sale of one player then I have to shake my head in disappointment. And as for 'it's up to the owners to draw in the crowds' it beggars belief.

 

Latics mad? I don't think so - I suggest that you change your name to 'Glory Hunter or Fairweather fan' much more appropriate I think

[Markoasis]

It's not just the price. We have been in this blasted league for years now and really need to get out for a new leash of life. If we sell 1 of our star players whilst on such a good run then I am afraid it would be bye bye from me. I'm sorry the owners knew what they were taking on so it is up to them to draw in the crowds.

 

 

you are kidding right ??..... because I ain't never been hooked in yet.

[Lags]

In addition to my above post. The crowd for Huddersfield in the next round of the cup included (thou not all) some of those that get temtped to go to Everton. But we turned in a drab performance and loss which just told the floaters Everton was a flash in the pan as per usual. Had we won that a few would have stayed to the next league game and so it grows. Thats what this club needs...a real run of entertaining football.

[laticsmad]

Gee Laticsmad - you are a hard man huh? If all it takes for you to say bye bye is the sale of one player then I have to shake my head in disappointment. And as for 'it's up to the owners to draw in the crowds' it beggars belief.

 

Latics mad? I don't think so - I suggest that you change your name to 'Glory Hunter or Fairweather fan' much more appropriate I think

 

If the crowds are not coming to the game then yes it stands to reason that tta should do something, cut tickets prices etc.. As for me being a glory hunter, well 25 years of supporting the club through thick and thin should tell you otherwise. Sounds like corney is having another whinge. Time to stop blackmailing the fans who are already going wit, we might have to sell 1 of our best players, and try something new such as reducing ticket prices/season tickets.

[Lags]

If the crowds are not coming to the game then yes it stands to reason that tta should do something, cut tickets prices etc.. As for me being a glory hunter, well 25 years of supporting the club through thick and thin should tell you otherwise. Sounds like corney is having another whinge. Time to stop blackmailing the fans who are already going wit, we might have to sell 1 of our best players, and try something new such as reducing ticket prices/season tickets.

 

Corney isn't preaching to the likes of you and I who go brother. In fact I bet they wished they had another 4000 like us who are Latics to the core and spend accordingly. It's the others in Oldham he is getting at, you know the types, them that sit in the pub claiming to have an interest in Latics cos they used to go years ago and that they're Oldhamers and proud.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Lags

[BigfinLatic]

Here we go again....

 

Again... not having a go at TTA and everything they have done... they are saviours of our club and we are eternally grateful...

 

But for gods sake... its bank holiday weekend, slap bang in the middle of the summer holidays, and we are playing one of the most uninspiring teams in the entrire football league, who bring a pittance, after Leeds and rochdale which were two expensive away days...

 

For frigs sake, what do you expect, you can bang on about the football we are playing all you want, but that was always going to be one of the lowest (if not the lowest) crowd of the season.

 

I'm always worried that still they dont understand the way the mind of the peripheral fan works. If TTA expect them to turn up for Cheltenham at home, they are sadly mistaken, and that is a knee jerk reaction....

 

if he wants to be angry at someone get angry at the bloody fixture computer... or perhaps all those clubs who failed to get promoted/got relegated instead of Cheltenham... tell you what simon, lets swap Cheltenham & Yeovil for Bratfud and Rockerdale... Perhaps we could also just play Leeds every week?

 

We need more fans, granted, but to come out with this after Cheltenham at home is just a bit too emotive, yet again....

Edited August 25, 2008 by BigfinLatic

[fleetwood Blue]

its a catch 22 situation, does the t.t.a. Keep the faith with shez's squad and we hopefully keep on winning to attract more supporters, or do they cash in on a prize assett who's value has probably soared due to our good start to the season thus balancing the books but disrupting a winning team.

[laticsmad]

Corney isn't preaching to the likes of you and I who go brother. In fact I bet they wished they had another 4000 like us who are Latics to the core and spend accordingly. It's the others in Oldham he is getting at, you know the types, them that sit in the pub claiming to have an interest in Latics cos they used to go years ago and that they're Oldhamers and proud.

 

fair enough! Threatening to sell a player is a pretty low act imo. fair enough if they had really tried hard to get new supporters through the door then I cud understand them selling but can you honestly say they have tried reducing ticket, and other such schemes! At the end of the day, I dont think it is just down to cost of ticket cause matchday prices have been stuck at £20 for 3 years now. I don't know what the answer is to be honest!

[oafc1955]

After the game, in the pub, I spoke to two Latics fans who no longer go. But they both said that there were thinking of going.

 

Asked why they didn't go.. the answer was the same. £20 = 10 pints of beer. Now, irrespective of habits, the simple fact is that for a working class town, £20 is too much for Third Division football.

 

Any answer has to involve incentives for supporters to come back to football and leave shopping/boozing/TV.

 

Drop the price I say.

 

I can understand when Corney says the squad is not sustainable on crowds of under 5000 but you have to look at it over a full season. We are only 2 home games into the new season so I'm hopeful that the crowds will increase and IF we continue to produce results and entertain as we have so far then I'm optimistic our average come May will be nearer 7000.

 

We've had 15 or so years of absolute rubbish to contend with and I can understand people staying away. We are in the middle of a resession...people are losing their jobs...people are losing their homes...we have the worlds most famous club only 20minutes away and another premiership club even closer.

 

We have to earn our support and thus, it is unfortunately, totally related to our performances on the pitch...get that right and we have a fighting chance.

 

Through no fault of TTA we have a three sided stadium for the foreseable future with poor facilities.... TV Coverage of the premier league is at saturation point and it's £20 to get in to watch 3rd division football, people are going to choose which home games they attend.

 

Millwall and Cheltenham are really not games that would capture the imagination of the Oldham public are they?

 

I think we're 2 good results away from the start of an upturn in attendances...4 points from Colchester and Tranmere and we should get upwards of 6000 against M K Dons.

 

It's not going to happen overnight and like the Joe Royle era It's going to be a gradual increase over the course of the season and only if we continue to challenge.

 

Sorry if that's doom and gloom but I'm being realistic...Aren't I ????

[Markoasis]

My feeling is this 'announcement' is not only to softern the blow but to also apportion part blame on the fans when a certain player leaves in the next week or so.

 

 

Although saying that ... this is almost the same statement SC comes out with every three months or so

[pdw76]

It's not just the price. We have been in this blasted league for years now and really need to get out for a new leash of life. If we sell 1 of our star players whilst on such a good run then I am afraid it would be bye bye from me. I'm sorry the owners knew what they were taking on so it is up to them to draw in the crowds.

 

It is you're right... and you are supposed to be one of them, now you're saying you will stop going... unbelievable! What more can they do?????

[laticsmad]

Here we go again....

 

Again... not having a go at TTA and everything they have done... they are saviours of our club and we are eternally grateful...

 

But for gods sake... its bank holiday weekend, slap bang in the middle of the summer holidays, and we are playing one of the most uninspiring teams in the entrire football league, who bring a pittance, after Leeds and rochdale which were two expensive away days...

 

For frigs sake, what do you expect, you can bang on about the football we are playing all you want, but that was always going to be one of the lowest (if not the lowest) crowd of the season.

 

I'm always worried that still they dont understand the way the mind of the peripheral fan works. If TTA expect them to turn up for Cheltenham at home, they are sadly mistaken, and that is a knee jerk reaction....

 

if he wants to be angry at someone get angry at the bloody fixture computer... or perhaps all those clubs who failed to get promoted/got relegated instead of Cheltenham... tell you what simon, lets swap Cheltenham & Yeovil for Bratfud and Rockerdale... Perhaps we could also just play Leeds every week?

 

We need more fans, granted, but to come out with this after Cheltenham at home is just a bit too emotive, yet again....

Agree with everything you say but it is a fact that attendances have gone progressively worse for the last 3 seasons and it is something that needs to be addressed! don't see how threatening to sell a player is actually going to improve the situation??

[laticsmad]

It is you're right... and you are supposed to be one of them, now you're saying you will stop going... unbelievable! What more can they do?????

 

perhaps a slight over reaction in the heat of the moment after reading the article but if we sold now it would test my loyalty like never before.

[fleetwood Blue]

My feeling is this 'announcement' is not only to softern the blow but to also apportion part blame on the fans when a certain player leaves in the next week or so.

My thoughts exactly mark, have donny replaced paul green yet

[BigfinLatic]

Sorry if that's doom and gloom but I'm being realistic...Aren't I ????

 

Absolutely spot on with everything you say.

 

Its exactly why I sometimes cringe when Simon Corney opens his mouth, I just dont think he gets the fan on the street sometimes. Everything is against watching 3rd Division foortball at the moment, and he says stuff like this after two really average opponents at the strt of the season.

 

To be honest, if I was one on the stay-at-homes reading that, decising whether to go to the next home game, I would probably feel right royally frigged off by such a pompus message - and decide against it.

 

Let the football speak for itself, let the season progress, and let some of the better teams show up at BP before the toys come out of the pram yet again...

 

My feeling is this 'announcement' is not only to softern the blow but to also apportion the blame on the fans when a certain player leaves in the next week or so.

 

If this is true, well words fail me... if that is genuinely going to be the reason they sell, and say that these two matches gates have influenced the decision, then that is verry very petty and shortsighted.

 

I can accept we are a selling club, and certain offers are too good to refuse... but to sell on the basis of a poor crowd Vs Cheltenham, well that is laughable.... and the start of a cysle that will lead to even smaller crowds....

[laticsmad]

Absolutely spot on with everything you say.

 

Its exactly why I sometimes cringe when Simon Corney opens his mouth, I just dont think he gets the fan on the street sometimes. Everything is against watching 3rd Division foortball at the moment, and he says stuff like this after two really average opponents at the strt of the season.

 

To be honest, if I was one on the stay-at-homes reading that, decising whether to go to the next home game, I would probably feel right royally frigged off by such a pompus message - and decide against it.

 

Let the football speak for itself, let the season progress, and let some of the better teams show up at BP before the toys come out of the pram yet again...

If this is true, well words fail me... if that is genuinely going to be the reason they sell, and say that these two matches gates have influenced the decision, then that is verry very petty and shortsighted.

 

I can accept we are a selling club, and certain offers are too good to refuse... but to sell on the basis of a poor crowd Vs Cheltenham, well that is laughable.... and the start of a cysle that will lead to even smaller crowds....

 

exactly! selling 1 of our better players now when on such a good run will only result in a further reduction in attendances imo.

Edited August 25, 2008 by laticsmad

[RichardOafc]

From tonight's raely wrong Chron:

 

Future of the squad is in the public’s hands — Latics director

Reporter: Michael Yarwood

Date online: 25/08/2008

 

MANAGING director Simon Corney has issued a stark warning that cash-strapped Athletic may be forced to sell one of their star players.

 

Mr Corney admitted he was “gutted and upset” to see a crowd of only 4,673 for Saturday’s game with Cheltenham — and he said the lack of support could cost Athletic a chance of promotion.

 

He said: “This is something I need to talk about because it’s vital to the future and central to our hopes of reaching the Championship.

 

“We’ve put together a good squad of players, headed by a good management team, but we simply cannot sustain it with attendances like this.

 

“I understand it’s expensive, people are struggling and others might be on holiday but, seriously, the future of this squad is completely in the hands of the public.

 

“There are no worries about the club itself because we’ve engineered it so there won’t be any danger, but our destiny is not in our own hands.

 

“We beat Cheltenham with a fantastic performance, but the shine was taken off when a crowd of 4,600 was announced.

 

“It was very, very disappointing. I was gutted and upset, and I just wish the peripheral fans realised we have been backed into a corner.

 

“The way things are, we can’t keep our squad going on such low gates and we’ve got no choice but to look at other ways of raising money.

 

“We are doing all we can to hold on to our players, but it’s a genuine and major concern because we can’t keep doing that forever.

 

“In the budget we allow ourselves to lose a lot of money by getting crowds of between 5,500 and 6,000. We actually need 7,500 to break even, but 6,000 is manageable — the figure on Saturday definitely wasn’t.

 

“In no way am I pouring cold water on a great start to the season. It has been tremendous and I know some people will say I’m being negative, but I’m afraid it’s the truth.

 

“Keeping this team and squad together is dependent on people attending games. I’m not screaming and shouting about it, I just want everyone to realise our situation.

 

“If 1,000 more fans came through the turnstiles we could cover half of our weekly losses (of around £15,000) and maybe even bring more players in.

 

“We won our first two league games, including a great victory at Leeds, and then only 4,600 turned up here the following week. We have a very good team this season and, for many reasons, I hope people come along to see it.”

 

Athletic’s average league gate last term was 5,327 — a 16-per-cent drop on the previous year and their lowest since 2000/2001.

 

They have turned down several bids for players but don’t have another home match before the transfer window shuts next week.

 

Athletic defender Paul Black (18) has joined Barrow, of the Blue Square Premier, in a one-month loan deal.

i was gutted in truth that so few turned up,i agree there giving us money and the towns not giving its support,campaigne needs to be raised ,maybe a leaflet through every door of the bourgh fiver for adult 2 quid for kids.