Alan G Bryant wrote:I agree with you Exile. I also think many
supporters with true passion feel the same and I think these fans will increase their donations over the coming weeks/months.

Ultimately if it is important to you, you will find a way, if it is not important to you, you will find an excuse.

I intend to increase my subscription - I have no need to know what the plans are; I just want to help if I can. Same as when I bought shares - I knew I'd never see that money again, but hoped it would help. However, I disagree with your assertion that, if it's important you'll find a way and, if not, an excuse. I can't be the only person on a limited income (small pension) who, with the best will in the world, cannot find spare money all the time. I will do what I can but, if it affects the rest of my life, I may have to stop in future. I'd love to splash the cash, but I can't (that's my excuse for not giving more).

Alan G Bryant wrote:I agree with you Exile. I also think many
supporters with true passion feel the same and I think these fans will increase their donations over the coming weeks/months.

Ultimately if it is important to you, you will find a way, if it is not important to you, you will find an excuse.

Your last paragraph is incredibly insensitive and extremely unfair to those supporters who for whatever reason are not able to donate.
If you are in any way connected to the running of this club in any official capacity you are actually part of the problem, or at least your attitude is.

Try embracing, not alienating.

If we don’t need to prioritise the recruitment of a competent Commercial Manager, then the Club can’t be that short of cash!

However we all know that is not true, so I find myself now seriously questioning the competency in the governance of the Club as I think that, due to a lack of entrepreneurial skills, they are in danger of leading us over a financial cliff.

Happy to contribute more providing that it is not just funding egos and is a case of chucking good money after bad.
1) Have we been told what is breakeven this season?
2) Have we been told what the financial (P&L) performance is so far this year?
3) Have we been told what the state of the current cash flow position is like?
All information the Board should readily have available to them, and in my view should be shared quarterly with all stakeholders. If not, then why not?

Investors expect regular performance updates from their investments to help formulate judgements, why should County be any different?
So let’s understand the quantum of the financial hole that we are faced with, that way I suspect the supporter help may be greater, but please don’t treat us like Lemmings.

newgroundrodney wrote:

Alan G Bryant wrote:I agree with you Exile. I also think many
supporters with true passion feel the same and I think these fans will increase their donations over the coming weeks/months.

Ultimately if it is important to you, you will find a way, if it is not important to you, you will find an excuse.

Your last paragraph is incredibly insensitive and extremely unfair to those supporters who for whatever reason are not able to donate.
If you are in any way connected to the running of this club in any official capacity you are actually part of the problem, or at least your attitude is.

Try embracing, not alienating.

Think most people could afford the 5 pounds a month which is the 'bronze' tier but of course there will always be exceptions, this could be some people who can't and some who won't- that's the way it is. As for 'embracing or alienating' I don't buy this 'all or nothing' philosophy. I just hope that as many people as possible participate in the re-launched trust donation scheme.

rgds Dave

Taunton Iron Cider wrote:If we don’t need to prioritise the recruitment of a competent Commercial Manager, then the Club can’t be that short of cash!

However we all know that is not true, so I find myself now seriously questioning the competency in the governance of the Club as I think that, due to a lack of entrepreneurial skills, they are in danger of leading us over a financial cliff.

Happy to contribute more providing that it is not just funding egos and is a case of chucking good money after bad.
1) Have we been told what is breakeven this season?
2) Have we been told what the financial (P&L) performance is so far this year?
3) Have we been told what the state of the current cash flow position is like?
All information the Board should readily have available to them, and in my view should be shared quarterly with all stakeholders. If not, then why not?

Investors expect regular performance updates from their investments to help formulate judgements, why should County be any different?
So let’s understand the quantum of the financial hole that we are faced with, that way I suspect the supporter help may be greater, but please don’t treat us like Lemmings.

From a commercial point of view I believe our club is inept and unprofessional.
I firmly believe the club took it's eye off the financial ball during our cup run last season. I've seen it before with small businesses and especially with charities where they have a cash windfall then sit back thinking all their problems are over. Before they know it the cash has run out. Sounds familiar? Any sort of windfall should be an invitation to progress not sitback.
Now everything from the club seems to consist of the revenue from the shop and especially Bar Amber. Both very good projects that I am sure will provide valuable funding for the club. Feels to me like the familiar malaise is setting in. I can imaging the conversation within the club going along the lines of " OK, we've got the money coming in from Bar Amber so we don't need to replace the commercial manager".
I could be wrong, I hope so. It's just I've seen that sort of mentality many times in the past and the pattern looks familiar with The County.
The BoD need to invest to accumulate. An amateur, unprofessional commercial structure will be the undoing of our club more quickly than anything. Conversely and active well run set up will prove to be the launch pad for future success.

'The BoD need to invest to acculmulate', Look forward to hearing your ideas on how that can happen

How about employing a professional commercial manager with experience within a sporting environment.
If he/she cannot produce revenue greater than the salary they have employed the wrong person.
That is called speculating to accumulate. Simple really isn't it.

allontheamber wrote:How about employing a professional commercial manager with experience within a sporting environment.
If he/she cannot produce revenue greater than the salary they have employed the wrong person.
That is called speculating to accumulate. Simple really isn't it.

Unfortunately whilst I think you're correct, doing the obvious and simple things seems to be beyond our board of directors. Their only strategy seems to be asking supporters to give them more money to spend as they see fit.

I wonder how much we paid the last commercial manager compared to how much money she generated? Silly me, information like that is commercially sensitive.

allontheamber wrote:How about employing a professional commercial manager with experience within a sporting environment.
If he/she cannot produce revenue greater than the salary they have employed the wrong person.
That is called speculating to accumulate. Simple really isn't it.

Fair comment. I wasn't seeing that obvious balance of salary versus gained revenue as speculating to acculate.

How about bringing Wattsy back. He brought in the biggest sponsorship the club have ever had, he knows the club and the area and also has a full contact book?

Sad indictment of our club that Wotsee probably sees Hereford as a bigger club than Newport.
After his previous employment with NCAFC I fear we are more likely to see pigs flying over RP than a returning Wotsee.

allontheamber wrote:Sad indictment of our club that Wotsee probably sees Hereford as a bigger club than Newport.
After his previous employment with NCAFC I fear we are more likely to see pigs flying over RP than a returning Wotsee.

I make no comment as to whether he is correct or not. However it is clear from both an informant and an email which I have seen, that Gavin Foxall has a very low opinion of Wotsee.

Odd. As I understand it Hereford seem to have a very high opinion of him. Maybe people at Hereford don't feel threatened by him.

allontheamber wrote:Odd. As I understand it Hereford seem to have a very high opinion of him. Maybe people at Hereford don't feel threatened by him.

Whatever can be said is that we have not had it so good since he left.