BPAS PODCAST: 27th Nov '23, S4E19: 1-4 Good / 1-4 Bad

[BPAS]

This week, Andy and Matt are joined by Mike Keegan to discuss this week's ups and downs, which included a 1-4 away win at second top Barnet and a 1-4 home defeat to second bottom Ebbsfleet. You couldn't make it up. Except, you could.

 

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[True Tic]

Another good podcast from the team with Mike Keegan as guest. Thanks lads. 

[Dave_Og]

Can't imagine we will get anyone worth having on loan from local Premier League clubs.  The likes of Bolton much more realistic

[League one forever]

Good listen as usual fellas.
 

I think Andy’s point about the budget is fair. 
 

It’s hard to see how signings can be done before the summer, after DU was backed to the hilt and you then have his pay off. You’ve also got Nuttal on relatively big money- who is going to take him and pay all his wages in our league? No one. 
 

Having said that- is it realistic that Mellon took the job on the agreement we couldn’t/wouldn’t sign anyone until the summer. . . I find that hard to believe. 
 

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, if the club can help they will- but ‘major’ signings are out. 

Edited November 27, 2023 by League one forever

[Monty Burns]

1 hour ago, League one forever said:

Good listen as usual fellas.
 

I think Andy’s point about the budget is fair. 
 

It’s hard to see how signings can be done before the summer, after DU was backed to the hilt and you then have his pay off. You’ve also got Nuttal on relatively big money- who is going to take him and pay all his wages in our league? No one. 
 

Having said that- is it realistic that Mellon took the job on the agreement we couldn’t/wouldn’t sign anyone until the summer. . . I find that hard to believe. 
 

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, if the club can help they will- but ‘major’ signings are out. 

it is only hard to inagine it bc we are not used to it!

no way MM took the job with £0 transfer budget and the respect he has shown it so far by totally wringing the first team squad that he inherited has probably earned him a bit more.

[nzlatic]

22 minutes ago, Monty Burns said:

it is only hard to inagine it bc we are not used to it!

no way MM took the job with £0 transfer budget and the respect he has shown it so far by totally wringing the first team squad that he inherited has probably earned him a bit more.

Agree with this. We’ll have used most of budget, not all. Just like every other club probably. 

[Monty Burns]

was said on the pod, poss by Matt, that the exec type stuff was a sell out. which (alongside merch and tickets) is how we help make sure the budget stays decent and available.

wide men (both defensive and offensive) and central midfield pleaseeeeeee

[Lee Sinnott]

Regardless of the budget we have, the current squad is more than capable of getting us into the top 7 of the Vauxhall Conference, and that's before we even mention the fact we have a serial promotion winner in the dugout...

[League one forever]

8 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Regardless of the budget we have, the current squad is more than capable of getting us into the top 7 of the Vauxhall Conference,

Aye, it’s easy to forget how shit you can be and still finish 7th. 

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, nzlatic said:

Agree with this. We’ll have used most of budget, not all. Just like every other club probably. 

 

1 hour ago, Monty Burns said:

was said on the pod, poss by Matt, that the exec type stuff was a sell out. which (alongside merch and tickets) is how we help make sure the budget stays decent and available.

wide men (both defensive and offensive) and central midfield pleaseeeeeee

If Norwood is on anywhere near the 4/5k people seem to think he is,  then  any decent player will want circa 2k a week.

 

If they come in Jan the minimum they’ll sign for is 18 months. 
 

If we want 3 good additions- that’s 150k per player in wages. 
 

After all the infrastructure spending, I don’t think we’ve got a 450k additional playing budget just lying around for Mellon to spend. 
 

 

 

* I hope of course the above is bollocks and Frank can afford to keep giving managers whatever they want. But I highly doubt it. 
 

 

[TheBigDog]

29 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Regardless of the budget we have, the current squad is more than capable of getting us into the top 7 of the Vauxhall Conference, and that's before we even mention the fact we have a serial promotion winner in the dugout...

On paper yes - it all depends if MM can instil into the players the consistency he talks of.

[oafc1955]

54 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Regardless of the budget we have, the current squad is more than capable of getting us into the top 7 of the Vauxhall Conference, and that's before we even mention the fact we have a serial promotion winner in the dugout...

On paper we have what looks like an adequate squad. Looking at the Barnet & Woking games you would think so however the games against relegation threatened Fylde & Ebbsfleet paint a completely different picture.

I think Mellon has sussed a few of these players out and has already decided that we need a few additions.

[nzlatic]

58 minutes ago, League one forever said:

 

If Norwood is on anywhere near the 4/5k people seem to think he is,  then  any decent player will want circa 2k a week.

 

If they come in Jan the minimum they’ll sign for is 18 months. 
 

If we want 3 good additions- that’s 150k per player in wages. 
 

After all the infrastructure spending, I don’t think we’ve got a 450k additional playing budget just lying around for Mellon to spend. 
 

 

 

* I hope of course the above is bollocks and Frank can afford to keep giving managers whatever they want. But I highly doubt it. 
 

 

I’d have thought that it would be standard practice to allow room in the budget for signings during the season. Plus unbudgeted for income will help like player sales (1st team or youth). 
 

If we need to strengthen I’d expect the club to have accounted for it in some way as most teams do need to do that. Granted it won’t be enough for an overhaul!

[oafc1955]

2 hours ago, Monty Burns said:

was said on the pod, poss by Matt, that the exec type stuff was a sell out. which (alongside merch and tickets) is how we help make sure the budget stays decent and available.

wide men (both defensive and offensive) and central midfield pleaseeeeeee

We can also factor in the income from the OEC, gym, & fans bar that we didn’t have before.

[Dave_Og]

52 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

We can also factor in the income from the OEC, gym, & fans bar that we didn’t have before.

 

They were known at budgeting time though

[yarddog73]

Car parks are making a fortune for the club as well as other revenue streams, unfortunately the board now seem to be airing on the side of caution after going all in with Unsworth.  

 

We need players Mellon will know that and hopefully he's got two or three lined up to come in, third place has to be the aim and a home playoff really should still be the target.

[BP1960]

8 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Car parks are making a fortune for the club as well as other revenue streams, unfortunately the board now seem to be airing on the side of caution after going all in with Unsworth.  

 

We need players Mellon will know that and hopefully he's got two or three lined up to come in, third place has to be the aim and a home playoff really should still be the target.

 

I see some of the pot holes behind the RRE  car park been filled in. Probably gone unnoticed by many but well done by the board.

Just need to fill in the midfield holes now.

 

[League one forever]

I always have a wry smile when fans think the club is making enough money to create a surplus just waiting to be spent. Frank made a 5 million loan available to the club- why? Because even the best forecast of all revenue streams combined won’t get us to near break even. All non playing staff wages, Utility bills, infrastructure, maintenance, hidden costs ( IE sacking a manager) player insurance, travel and accommodation to away games, oh and a healthy playing budget.  So as with most football clubs we need our owner to help make up for a shortfall. 
 

If Mellon is allowed to bring a few in, it will be the Rothwell’s generosity- not club generated income.  

[deyres42]

39 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Car parks are making a fortune for the club as well as other revenue streams, unfortunately the board now seem to be airing on the side of caution after going all in with Unsworth.  

 

We need players Mellon will know that and hopefully he's got two or three lined up to come in, third place has to be the aim and a home playoff really should still be the target.

No chance we are making up twelve points in half a season, fourth place the absolute best we could hope for.

[Worcester Owl]

1 hour ago, League one forever said:

I always have a wry smile when fans think the club is making enough money to create a surplus just waiting to be spent. Frank made a 5 million loan available to the club- why? Because even the best forecast of all revenue streams combined won’t get us to near break even. All non playing staff wages, Utility bills, infrastructure, maintenance, hidden costs ( IE sacking a manager) player insurance, travel and accommodation to away games, oh and a healthy playing budget.  So as with most football clubs we need our owner to help make up for a shortfall. 
 

If Mellon is allowed to bring a few in, it will be the Rothwell’s generosity- not club generated income.  

100%, spot on.

[Monty Burns]

3 hours ago, League one forever said:

 

If Norwood is on anywhere near the 4/5k people seem to think he is,  then  any decent player will want circa 2k a week.

 

If they come in Jan the minimum they’ll sign for is 18 months. 
 

If we want 3 good additions- that’s 150k per player in wages. 
 

After all the infrastructure spending, I don’t think we’ve got a 450k additional playing budget just lying around for Mellon to spend. 
 

 

 

* I hope of course the above is bollocks and Frank can afford to keep giving managers whatever they want. But I highly doubt it. 
 

 

£5M float init

[Lee Sinnott]

2 hours ago, yarddog73 said:

Car parks are making a fortune for the club as well as other revenue streams, unfortunately the board now seem to be airing on the side of caution after going all in with Unsworth.  

 

We need players Mellon will know that and hopefully he's got two or three lined up to come in, third place has to be the aim and a home playoff really should still be the target.

I reckon we'll end up with another two of his Tranmere promotion side here soon enough...

[League one forever]

23 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

I reckon we'll end up with another two of his Tranmere promotion side here soon enough...

Players who have won promotion tend to forget what they did to achieve it when they come to us. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

3 hours ago, Lee Sinnott said:

I reckon we'll end up with another two of his Tranmere promotion side here soon enough...

Assuming we're talking the National League promotion, I took a look at team that played Boreham Wood in the play off final, and discounted those that had either retired or were last seen playing for their local pub. It left these:

Oliver Norburn (Midfield) - 31yo Now captain at Blackpool. Rule him out.
Andy Cook (Forward) - 33yo Now at Bradford and a regular starter. Rule him out.
Josh Ginnelly (Midfielder) - 26yo Now at Swansea City. Out for rest of season after injury in September. Rule him out.
Connor Jennings (Forward) - 32yo Still at Tranmere. Seems an ever present but you never know, could be a swap for Nuttall for example. Seems very similar to Willoughby too so I'd rank this as unlikely.
Liam Ridehalgh (Left Back) - 32yo Now at Bradford and a regular starter. I doubt a replacement for Kitching is high on the priority list myelf. Rule him out.
Emmanuel Monthe (Centre Half) - 28YO Now at Northampton. Certainly don't need any central defenders and the big man is a firm ficture at Northampton. Rule him out.

 

So let's look at the L1 Play-off final team, with similar parameters.
 

Keiron Morris (Winger) - 29yo Still at Tranmere. Was quoted as saying "I love it here" in May. Virtual ever present in their side this season and Mellon was quoted back then as "He's the best player in the league". Unlikely, but could be a target next season.
Ollie Banks (Midfielder) - 31yo Now at Chesterfield. You've got to do some crazy mental gymnastics to expect Ollie to slap in a transfer request, leave the actual HMS Pisstheleague to come to the team who's fans were having Twitter rows with his dad.

Harvey Gilmour (Midfielder) - 24yo Now at Rochdale. Well, he wouldn't have to move far, after all. Signed a two year deal last summer and has played all season. I can't see us a) paying a big fee to prize him away and b) him leaving on loan in the middle of a play-off chase.
Ben Pringle (Midfielder) - 34yo Now at Fleetwood United in the UAE. Disturbingly, he seems the most likely candidate. Loads of experience, a creative midfielder and probably affordable on a short-term deal. He seemed a bit past it when he came on loan 5-6 years ago despite still being in his twenties but it was two divisions further up. Possible. 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

He also had Jonny Smith on loan the season before we did. He's out of favour at Wigan. Might be a loan prospect and what a loan that would be.