yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Find it amazing that a club that has existed for very few years are builing a ground from scratch that would be capable of holding our biggest gate this season, went past today and all the groundworks are complete and the steel structures have going up for the stands, dont know if they will be in there new home for next season it just makes me wonder why firstly our new stand is going up at a snails pace and secondly how are they financing it on crowds of a couple of thousand ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddogs Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 By raising 5 million always helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 how did they manage that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddogs Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 2 million worth of grants etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 are we not entitled to any grants, for one surely the council should chip in ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserable git Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 If things go to plan the ground should be complete for Sept/Oct of next season. A large proportion of the fans money has been raised by a Community Shares scheme. Approx £1.9 million has currently been raised in this manner with about 1500 members contributing. They don't have any major sponsors, nor do they accept shirt sponsorship. In addition, the fans have run all sorts of fund raising events which have raised about £750,000. Another simple example of this is that at every home game they have barrels into which fans deposit their loose change; over the five/six years this has been running they've raised £50,000. Comedy nights, sportsman's dinners, race nights, and all manner of other events abound. Membership is running at about 3,100 and rising. Season tickets are purchased on the basis of 'pay what you can afford' with a min. £90. Walk up prices remain at £8 for adults and £2 for kids. Admittedly attendances have declined somewhat in the last two years (haven't they everywhere), but once they have their own ground they are confident these will pick up. Footballing wise they aren't setting the world alight, but that's because they aren't prepared to speculate with the playing budget, promotion isn't the be all and end all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 maybe some lessons to be learned there, fair play to all involved, thanks for taking the time to post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Community Share Schemes which qualifies for tax relief, grants, development funds, membership schemes and fund raising events - to name but a few. What you can see is the main stand and enterance going up now I think. What is also important is the connections FC have made in the non-league scene, with a lot of help from friends in the league a deal with Northwich Victoria with the blessing of 1874 Northwich was struck so that their iconic Dane Bank Stand will be used as the North Stand. It'll be ready for next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 looking at the initial capacity of 5000 they may well out grow that who knows, worked with a couple of supporters a couple of years ago and they went home and away, exciting times ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Footballing wise they aren't setting the world alight, but that's because they aren't prepared to speculate with the playing budget, promotion isn't the be all and end all. Good point; for instance North Ferriby, Hednesford last year (who are doing well in the Conference North) and AFC Fylde and Chorley this year have spent quite a bit (for NPL standards) to get out of the division - where FC have spent nothing and still managed to be placed in the playoffs in 4 out of 6 attempts, is a great achievement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Is it just a stand is their anything else that goes with it? The idea of Fc United seems all well and good when they are competing in the pub leagues and they get about 1500 and everyone gets 1 man and his dog they can charge hardly anything and compete very easily. If they were to get to football league level they have to sacrifice a few of their principles if they are able to compete. I also think they are closet communists who are full of :censored:. Since taking over at United 9 years ago the glaziers have delivered 5 premiership titles 1 champions leagues and 3 league cups they have turned in record profits and even broke their club transfer record last month £37million on one player. They also still play at old Trafford and it's still called old Trafford. It hasn't lead to the death of Manchester United and the debt is manageable. Edited February 24, 2014 by GlossopLatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 looking at the plans they are having 4 stands built its a community club and built on those principals they should do okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeroyboy Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) how did they manage that ? The $5m is fully funded: £1.5m from supporters and the rest from a number of grants and donations. The total includes $500,000 from Manchester Council. Trying to compare FC United with Oldham Athletic is not realistic. There is unlikely to be a precedent to match what FC United have done - wealthy supporters of a wealthy club breaking away to form another club with the generic name of the 'mother' club. And taking an initial groundswell of 3 or 4 thousand readymade fans with them. FC United are totally unique in modern football and owe it all to a group of fairly wealthy people with a vision, business acumen and fans dedicated enough to get it off the ground. SORRY ABOUT THE INCORRECT FORMAT - CORRECTED BELOW. Edited February 24, 2014 by mikeroyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 looking at the plans they are having 4 stands built its a community club and built on those principals they should do okay. At that level yeah but if they want to go higher they are going to need more than that how long before they get bored of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 im not sure the couple of fans i knew supported their team the same as i do mine, they seem to have a vision at least and the fans seem to be involved most of all though they are making it happen, which is more than can be said for us who cant even run a trust or even know its purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeroyboy Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 how did they manage that ? The $5m is fully funded: £1.5m from supporters and the rest from a number of grants and donations. The total includes $500,000 from Manchester Council. Trying to compare FC United with Oldham Athletic is not realistic. There is unlikely to be a precedent to match what FC United have done - wealthy supporters of a wealthy club breaking away to form another club with the generic name of the 'mother' club. And taking an initial groundswell of 3 or 4 thousand readymade fans with them. FC United are totally unique in modern football and owe it all to a group of fairly wealthy people with a vision, business acumen and fans dedicated enough to get it off the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Is it just a stand is their anything else that goes with it? The idea of Fc United seems all well and good when they are competing in the pub leagues and they get about 1500 and everyone gets 1 man and his dog they can charge hardly anything and compete very easily. If they were to get to football league level they have to sacrifice a few of their principles if they are able to compete. I also think they are closet communists who are full of :censored:. Since taking over at United 9 years ago the glaziers have delivered 5 premiership titles 1 champions leagues and 3 league cups they have turned in record profits and even broke their club transfer record last month £37million on one player. They also still play at old Trafford and it's still called old Trafford. It hasn't lead to the death of Manchester United and the debt is manageable. I think forfeiting promotion to a league which demands too much would be a serious option. Clearly there would be more financial pressures as the club rises through the league, it won't overstretch itself to chase quick targets, or to claim a position in the league it cannot sustain. The transfer thing is tricky, one has to take into account the net spend. As for Glazer and the finance - read Andy Green (andersred), he knows more than anyone I have read on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 im not sure the couple of fans i knew supported their team the same as i do mine, they seem to have a vision at least and the fans seem to be involved most of all though they are making it happen, which is more than can be said for us who cant even run a trust or even know its purpose. Lots of people come into football with a vision after a while they get bored of throwing their money away and while the romance of the idea might still be there. It will come to a point where reality bites they will get bored of pub football and want something different. As for our problems well the trust problems come down to a lack of leadership knowone knows what it does. Our ground problems due to bad decision making from the club and the council for years. We are starting to get somewhere now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserable git Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) One of the biggest threats to FC's long term future is in fact possible success; there may come a point when the membership have to vote on whether they accept promotion into the football league. I suspect that with the one member one vote system it might be too close to call. Acceptance might be perceived as selling out the principles upon which the club were founded. Declining might result in many members departing. In the mean time thousands are enjoying the ride. The club is largely run by volunteers with only 3 or 4 full time staff; on match days they have around 120 volunteers doing all sorts of jobs stewarding, turnstiles, programme sellers, all manner of other things. In their own ground some things will change but use of volunteers will remain an intrinsic part of their success. Edited February 24, 2014 by miserable git Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 yes hopefully we are I share the same sentiments but think FC will be in it for the long haul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I think forfeiting promotion to a league which demands too much would be a serious option. Clearly there would be more financial pressures as the club rises through the league, it won't overstretch itself to chase quick targets, or to claim a position in the league it cannot sustain. The transfer thing is tricky, one has to take into account the net spend. As for Glazer and the finance - read Andy Green (andersred), he knows more than anyone I have read on the subject. They will advance or die. What would they do in the same league in 5 years time with 300 fans in that stadium? Their fans might have fallen out of love with paying for top flight football but they still seem to respond to winning most weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 This thread has made my IPad puke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 ooooh poorly Ipad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I think forfeiting promotion to a league which demands too much would be a serious option. Clearly there would be more financial pressures as the club rises through the league, it won't overstretch itself to chase quick targets, or to claim a position in the league it cannot sustain. The transfer thing is tricky, one has to take into account the net spend. As for Glazer and the finance - read Andy Green (andersred), he knows more than anyone I have read on the subject. Surely that's going to alienate some of the fans after a while if they have to forefeit promotion continuously to live within their means? Maybe not now they are still a young club but after a number of years the fans will start to change their mind and ask questions about the ethos of the whole thing if they don't see progress. Their will surely come a point where they will have to accept higher ticket prices and sponsorship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) are we not entitled to any grants, for one surely the council should chip in ?Councils have no obligation to subsidise football clubs. In the case of the new Latics stand there is a commitment from OMBC to chuck £800k towards the "community facilities" it provides. This is probably in lieu of being sued for the mess they made of the charitable land in Failsworth. In addition, I'd expect Latics to have applied for a Football Foundation (formerly Football Trust) grant of £750,000. The application should be successful. Edited February 25, 2014 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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