Ask Barry Owen..... The fan representing the fans.

[dfOAFC]

Where do we have to finish for John Sheridan not to get sacked?

 

If I was to suggest to Simon Corney we should stick with him for at least 2 more seasons provided we finish top 10 this year & next, what would his response be?

 

Where do we need to be in the league in January for Chris Taylor not to get sold?

 

Do the directors, the management team & the players read this board on a regular basis and, if so, do they realise the bollocks that can sometimes be spouted is, by & large, not at all representative of the views held by the majority of Oldham Athletic supporters?

[dfOAFC]

Do the directors, the management team & the players read this board on a regular basis and, if so, do they realise the bollocks that can sometimes be spouted is, by & large, not at all representative of the views held by the majority of Oldham Athletic supporters?

 

Oh, and do they feel as uncomfortable & cringey as the rest of us when grown men "move" or "merge" posts?

[wardlelatic]

Oh, and do they feel as uncomfortable & cringey as the rest of us when grown men "move" or "merge" posts?

 

 

 

 

Wow now this is the comment of the Year so far !!!

 

Posts are merged and moved when people post about the same Topic in several different threads, in order to minimise the amount of space needed to run this site, we have to from time to time, merge, move and delete posts in order for the site to run at a speed that enables everyone to use the MB without getting frustrated.

 

Now if you feel uncomfortable & cringey by that !! You want to try and watch Exile and Leeslover out on the pull

[beag_teeets]

When are the season tickets for next season available? Any early indications of pricing? If we are going up will there be a big jump in the price, if so by roughly how much? If we stay down are prices going to stay roughly the same?

[tony4938]

i think the football league put a stop to membership schemes.

that could be why there are now advance prices/on the day prices to compensate.

 

Oh right didn't know that mate, seems a stupid decision to me, If it is true, what was it based on?

[Lookers_Carl]

Last chance people, this thread will be closed tonight. So if you have any more questions to ask barry, ask them now

[garcon]

Given that the development of a new main stand is now on hold until conditions improve, could the club investigate the possibility of a cheap conversion of what's left on the Broadway side into a temporary standing paddock? I think we could attract a few more fans with the option of a standing area for £14/£15, for relatively little initial outlay. A Members' Paddock perhaps? (maybe not, if 'Membership' is no longer an option as stated above). Would the League sanction a 'new' standing area?

[wardlelatic]

I'll be shutting this Thread at 9 pm in order to get your questions to Barry

 

So if you have anything not mentioned ... Get your skates on

[boboafc]

i hope someone prints barrys answer's to all the question's here

[Fruitygoo]

When the club does it's pre-season budget. Do they budget for the team to get knocked out in the first round of every competition, or do they budget for some progress? If so, how far?

[wardlelatic]

When the club does it's pre-season budget. Do they budget for the team to get knocked out in the first round of every competition, or do they budget for some progress? If so, how far?

 

 

I can answer that one for you has Ive been ytold a few times.... The club do NOT budget for any Cup runs, they canot hope for money and can only set budget for monies they Know for certain will be avialable like ST and advertising money

 

 

Cup runs cause problems like the following

 

Extra Matches

Match day expenses

Player Bonuses

Players restrictions

 

 

But the Cups are also a good way for the club to make other revenue has it generates match day revenue not included in ST prices

Prize money for winnning each Round

Any extra Merchanise revenue etc

 

Hope that brief summary helps

[johnny punkster]

Oh right didn't know that mate, seems a stupid decision to me, If it is true, what was it based on?

 

 

if i remember rightly,it goes back to the time the league decided it was unfair to charge away fans a different price to home fans...it was scrapped then.

it is daft IMO. if fans can't afford a season ticket or don't have the chance to get to all home games,therefore not getting one,i think a scheme like we had should be able to run.

i'm a member at barca..it costs me £110 a year and i get discounts on match tickets,priority booking to away games,discounts at the club shop and loads of places in the city etc etc...after each year i'll get back about £60 in discounts ....but the priority in getting tickets is easily worth the other £50 .

[flytrap]

What is the financial value of promotion (roughly speaking) and how does it vary with 1st, 2nd, and playoffs?

[Lags]

Given the best way to increase revenue's in any club is to have a successful side on the pitch are the club and TTA actively seeking another or group of backers to come on board with them?. Is this a possibility to share the club with others or would they rather be soul owners rather than a consortium? Lastly is Danny Gazal still happy to be involved in the club and why do we never hear from him?

[Bring Back Ronnie Moore]

Is there any chance of Pukka Pies being brought back?

[Lags]

Is there any chance of Pukka Pies being brought back?

I hope not. I really cant understand why northerners like pies that aint really pies.

[wardlelatic]

Thankyou all for the questions you have posed. The managers of OWTB have summarised all the subjects to save duplication and I will do my best to provide satisfactory answers to you all. I think you will appreciate that I have also got to work within the confines of confidentiality. My loyalty towards the club is first and foremost in my mind at all times and this goes for the other Directors I work alongside with.

 

Finance.

 

The FA Cup is not something that is budgeted for at the start of the season but any early exits from any cup competition obviously reduces greater revenue coming into the club. Hence this has a knock on effect of limiting various initiatives thereafter The owners have a clear mandate towards their expenditure each year which since they arrived they have often exceed. The FA cup losses as you put do not necessarily mean we have to sell but like any other club at our level offers for players have to be carefully considered when we look at the potential losses for a season.

 

The size of the player budget at Oldham is very good for a number of reasons. You cannot simplify such issues because it as to be considered that a number of clubs having sampled life in the championship are still feeling the effects of large contracts. Likewise at the other end of the scale you have poorer clubs who although being promoted from Div.2 do not have the same sort of resources to meet ours. Equally so you cannot dismiss the fact that crowds influence budgets a great deal and in that sense we are equal or well above average in respect of many other teams in our division.

 

The Board has not yet discussed season ticket prices for next season.

 

 

Management

 

A lot of speculation has occurred over the past few weeks over management issues at the club. Let me get one thing out of the way instantly. It is a pure matter of personal opinion as to what should be aired in private and what should be public. The owners and Board of Directors in your interests have a responsibility to ensure that they get value for money in every quarter of the club. When any individual expresses themselves in the public domain it for them to decide if that creates the right impact. Any allegations of black clouds or rifts have not been born out by recent results and I would like to think that matters are now progressing quite well at the club

 

We have an excellent management team at the club and everyone works together. The manager attends all board meetings and is very much a part of future planning. Everyone is delighted with our position in the league, which we all hope will continue in a positive manner.

 

What tends to happen inside football clubs and even amongst the supporters, is that with early season success, as we have seen, expectations become very high, very early. Therefore when a defeat occurs, certainly when it appears a shock defeat, the disappointment seems to be more intense and annoying certainly when no logic applies. As many of you have experienced you can get used to winning or losing and any shock reversal of fortunes can have an immediate impact.

 

People talk about the futures of managers in football and if I have learned one thing about being a football director, is that you never look too far ahead in many aspects. Managers come and go for many reason and when you achieve success you manager comes under demand.

 

Players

 

Many official at the club believe that Craig Davies has a big part to play in our future and it was in everyone’s interest at this stage of the season for him to get regular football under his belt. We are all conscious about Stockport's position in the league and we are very careful that he cannot play a part in their success, to our expense, whilst our player. I would like to think at this stage as I answer you that he will be back at our club. But like I said, offers can come in that you cannot refuse and the scene can change very quickly.

 

After listen to the management team very carefully the Board of Directors sanctioned the scrapping of the reserve team to play in a league this season. We still play in cup competitions and friendly matches like many other clubs.

 

The management of banned players and their treatment is left with the manager. The Boards of Directors obviously considers and sanctions any disciplinary action necessary.

 

Sean Gregan has the rights of any employee if he is convicted of drink driving. He is contracted to the club to play football and so long as he does that he fulfills his obligations to us. Obviously any breaches of his contract or club rules would be looked at and the manager would have input into such matters. Equally so welfare issues are just as important and again I have learned in football that this can be an area that can be neglected and taken too much for granted. We are fortunate that at Oldham many problems are picked up early and dealt with.

 

We are totally committed to the homegrown rule being debated and Alan Hardy is very much at the forefront of taking our views forward. The youth scheme at Oldham under Tong Phiiiskirk is absolutely essential to our future and one of which we are very proud.

 

The question of a fee being “undisclosed” is very much an agreement between two clubs for no ulterior reasons. It just might be as simple as clubs due to their domestic circumstances not wanting their business to be out in the public domain.

 

The question of Chris Taylor and Lee Hughes is a constant topic everywhere for obvious reason. The players want to stay and the club wants to keep them. If it was only that simple. I could debate this for hours and everyone on the site as expressed the many ways in which both parties could benefit if they stayed or if they went. Quite simply both the club and the players have to look to the future and what is in their interests. We have a given budget which we must adhere too as closely as possible otherwise we finish up in serious difficulty. On the other hand the players are in a job in which they have to make as much money as they can in a short period of time. If you ask me were loyalty comes into it I could not give you an answer.

 

I have been asked about Moussa Dabo and his exit last year. Simply it was not in the clubs financial interest to keep him given his injury record and his likely success for us in the future. City had no bearing on our decision.

 

Stadium Development

 

I am not the designated director for this project but have sufficient knowledge to tell you that the only delay has been caused by the countries plight at present. There is little interest in land purchase at the present time and the owners have to hang in there until land prices become established for developer to move in and start meeting demands for housing. No one is being negative but patience prevails. Good times will come around again. I know it does not look nice having a stand knocked down but I am sure that re-development will commence at the earliest opportunity.

 

Trust Oldham

 

All monies raised through the Trust are for the benefit of the club and cannot be used to subsidise individual causes.

 

The Trust does not usurp the activities of the Supporters Association and as Trustee we look at the interests of the club overall. If you were to ask me what Trustees did in any organization you might not find a simple answer.

 

At Stockport for instance at the time that their existence was in doubt they became quite an active force from being relatively dormant in order to help run the club and indeed they play a very big part in it current running.

 

Other

 

The club would not want to create a designated smoking area at the rear of the stand because they would have to do this is other areas of the ground. It would also be consider a health and safety hazard and as an outside venue would also need to be “policed”. The many disadvantages far outweigh any advantages.

 

In the nest five years the club would expect to be in the Championship and then explore the practicalities of going further.

 

The club is constantly looking at different ideas at bringing new revenue to the club and the idea of part season tickets seems a good idea to me. However these schemes have to be administered. I will address the idea of a 5 game £80 membership with other Directors on your behalf

 

Membership schemes are allowed under Football League rules, but the very purpose for which they became popular no longer allows differentials in prices of admission insofar as it relates to away fans.

 

Yes, many of the Directors, Management and players read the board and I am sure they are able to recognise the negative and positive effects of what is being said. I know they often feel that would like fans to get behind them at home like away and talking to a lot of them they do bleed and hurt like us all. Perhaps you might say they don’t do that enough of the time but I know none of them go out to play badly or to lose. I know also that they appreciate the many positive thing said by some conributors on the site.

[Ackey]

*BUMP*

Come one come all, read what Barry has to say to your questions.

[garcon]

Barry, many thanks for taking the time to answer the questions posted.

 

In merging questions/subject areas I suspect one or two might not have been specifically covered. One I raised was about temporary use of the current space on the Broadway side. Is there any scope for looking into a standing terrace, for example?

[Guest sheridans_world]

Barry, many thanks for taking the time to answer the questions posted.

 

In merging questions/subject areas I suspect one or two might not have been specifically covered. One I raised was about temporary use of the current space on the Broadway side. Is there any scope for looking into a standing terrace, for example?

I think this was covered in another thread. I'm sure league rules state that once a stadium has become 'all seater' you cannot 'go back' to standing.

[garcon]

I think this was covered in another thread. I'm sure league rules state that once a stadium has become 'all seater' you cannot 'go back' to standing.

Thanks Si. I have a feeling you're probably right. Shame really - it'd be a cheap temporary solution and a hopefully a way of getting more fans in at cheaper prices.

[Guest sheridans_world]

Thanks Si. I have a feeling you're probably right. Shame really - it'd be a cheap temporary solution and a hopefully a way of getting more fans in at cheaper prices.

I agree.

 

Under the provisions of the Football Spectators Act 1989 the Football Licensing Authority (FLA) is required to license all designated football matches. Once a club has received a license from the FLA the Local Authority are charged with the responsibility of issuing a Safety Certificate to the Stadium when they are satisfied that it meets with the necessary safety requirements. It is the statutory order within this legislation that currently prevents standing at all seater football stadiums.

 

safe standing

 

Follow the above link - the rest of the site is down at the moment - and it tells you to contact your local MP requesting they sign a certain document, that will register your interest in bringing back standing areas.

 

We cant stand until there is a change in the law and even then the club have to express interest in standing areas.

[oafc0000]

hmmm.... Must say I am disappointed with the response...

 

The things I wanted to know were not really addressed....

[Guest sheridans_world]

hmmm.... Must say I am disappointed with the response...

 

The things I wanted to know were not really addressed.... in depth

 

I believe your questions were mainly on the redevelopment, as Barry has said, the club is being controlled by the current fiscal situation. I think its pretty clear that, even though phase two included the housing and not phase one, the owners will not be investing further in the redevelopment until contracts with developers have been signed and the capital within the land released to fund the development. As for the page on the website, its fairly clear where we are now, planning has been approved, as above, we are waiting for the financial crisis to resolve itself.

[oafc0000]

I believe your questions were mainly on the redevelopment, as Barry has said, the club is being controlled by the current fiscal situation. I think its pretty clear that, even though phase two included the housing and not phase one, the owners will not be investing further in the redevelopment until contracts with developers have been signed and the capital within the land released to fund the development. As for the page on the website, its fairly clear where we are now, planning has been approved, as above, we are waiting for the financial crisis to resolve itself.

 

If this global crisis continues for several years, not allowing the stadium development, how does this effect the 3As outlook on the club. With the stadium redevelopment being so very important for our continued survival Im now obviously very worried for the future.

 

aka... Whats the boards plan if this crisis does not resolve itself any time soon...

 

Probably the single most important question regarding our future....unanswered...

Edited December 8, 2008 by oafc0000