So sitting 3rd two home games where's as Exeter have an away and a home and Lincoln 2 away games possibility of being top by Tue night ?

Nobody getting carried away it's like we are not allowed to talk about it "promotion" but we look really good even with a few second string players in were beating a young Chelsea.....all strikers seem to be doing there bit...

So what's people's thought are we still happy to avoid relegation ?

My view is league 2 is a great league....however I would be disappointed if we didn't get a play off spot

Top half is success for me. Competing in playoffs or higher bloody superb.

Not sure if either scenario is realistic, so much can change during the season as yet. Not least any comings ang goings, especially amongst our loan players in January. Of course the other question a promotion would raise is would it actually be beneficial to the club currently? It appears obvious that as a trust owned club we do not raise enough money from trust members to sustain a league2 side let alone a league1 side. Average wage budget of 3.6 million? I have stated on other forums that I don't believe there are currently any investors willing to become part of a hybrid system of ownership. Would it increase the possibility though if we were a league 1 side? If so given the sums raised by trust members in comparison with the amount required by investors wouldn't trust ownership be a small minority of a hybrid model?

Personally whilst I would love promotion I think a period of stability in league 2 is crucial.

There was a good article by Penman this week with interesting points and comparisons from last weeks supporters directors presentation meeting. I think there is even a realisation as to where we are at the moment and how difficult it is.

- The average yearly loss of a league 2 club is £500k, Notts County are currently losing at least £1.5m a year.

- The average yearly wage bill in league 1 is £3.6m

- Wrexham have increased their revenue by £100k a year since becoming trust owned 7 years ago equating to an extra £700k with average attendances close to 5,000.

- Wimbledon raise £300k a year with a budget bonus scheme.

- Exeter raise over £100k a year through donations

- Newport County raise £32k

- Wycombe, despite being in league 1 held an open meeting in September which highlighted the short comings and financial difficulties they currently face.

- Notts County Chairman Alan Hardy regrets taking over the club.

- 30% of wealthy benefactors are looking to get out of league 1 & 2 clubs in the next 18 months

- Brentford and Portsmouth were once trust owned yet sold out to businessmen with a positive outcome. Brentford's chairman has invested over £100m and Portsmouth's new owner has promised £10m that has yet to be delivered - A word of caution though, Stockport County and Notts County were once fan owned.

- The goodwill by volunteers, local businesses etc towards a community club is worth over £400k in staffing levels set against private owners/ benefactors where fans would be less likely to donate their time for nothing.

- It's not investors we need it's benefactors.

- Benefactors without a deep affiliation to the club run the risk of losing interest and leaving the club in a more perilous financial position- (as we've witnessed)

My feeling is that the supporters will up their donations and Flynn will have support in January should he need it, but the new generations of supporters need to realise that aside from the heights at the top of the old third division in the early 80's, 3rd in league 2 is really as good as it gets for Newport County without a major benefactor.

Ignoring the politics, my view at the moment is I want us to get to 48 points first. Once we do that I will be relieved.

If we get to 48 points by Christmas we are looking good. By the end of January, we are in with a good chance. By the end of Feb, maybe. By the end of March, mid table. By the end of April early May, phew, tfft.

At the moment I still believe we will end up a place or two outside the play offs.

I don't think surviving in league 1 is realistic as Spiderman points out. I would be happy with 65 points and positive goal difference, it's an improvement on last year and we have so far been playing better football. I think we need year on year growth, trying to grow attendance and trust membership/donations continued steady progression in the league and increasing our "brand" in the area is how to do this.

Spiderman wrote:Personally whilst I would love promotion I think a period of stability in league 2 is crucial.

There was a good article by Penman this week with interesting points and comparisons from last weeks supporters directors presentation meeting. I think there is even a realisation as to where we are at the moment and how difficult it is.

- The average yearly loss of a league 2 club is £500k, Notts County are currently losing at least £1.5m a year.

- The average yearly wage bill in league 1 is £3.6m

- Wrexham have increased their revenue by £100k a year since becoming trust owned 7 years ago equating to an extra £700k with average attendances close to 5,000.

- Wimbledon raise £300k a year with a budget bonus scheme.

- Exeter raise over £100k a year through donations

- Newport County raise £32k

- Wycombe, despite being in league 1 held an open meeting in September which highlighted the short comings and financial difficulties they currently face.

- Notts County Chairman Alan Hardy regrets taking over the club.

- 30% of wealthy benefactors are looking to get out of league 1 & 2 clubs in the next 18 months

- Brentford and Portsmouth were once trust owned yet sold out to businessmen with a positive outcome. Brentford's chairman has invested over £100m and Portsmouth's new owner has promised £10m that has yet to be delivered - A word of caution though, Stockport County and Notts County were once fan owned.

- The goodwill by volunteers, local businesses etc towards a community club is worth over £400k in staffing levels set against private owners/ benefactors where fans would be less likely to donate their time for nothing.

- It's not investors we need it's benefactors.

- Benefactors without a deep affiliation to the club run the risk of losing interest and leaving the club in a more perilous financial position- (as we've witnessed)

My feeling is that the supporters will up their donations and Flynn will have support in January should he need it, but the new generations of supporters need to realise that aside from the heights at the top of the old third division in the early 80's, 3rd in league 2 is really as good as it gets for Newport County without a major benefactor.

Good summation

Spiderman wrote:Personally whilst I would love promotion I think a period of stability in league 2 is crucial.

There was a good article by Penman this week with interesting points and comparisons from last weeks supporters directors presentation meeting. I think there is even a realisation as to where we are at the moment and how difficult it is.

- The average yearly loss of a league 2 club is £500k, Notts County are currently losing at least £1.5m a year.

- The average yearly wage bill in league 1 is £3.6m

- Wrexham have increased their revenue by £100k a year since becoming trust owned 7 years ago equating to an extra £700k with average attendances close to 5,000.

- Wimbledon raise £300k a year with a budget bonus scheme.

- Exeter raise over £100k a year through donations

- Newport County raise £32k

- Wycombe, despite being in league 1 held an open meeting in September which highlighted the short comings and financial difficulties they currently face.

- Notts County Chairman Alan Hardy regrets taking over the club.

- 30% of wealthy benefactors are looking to get out of league 1 & 2 clubs in the next 18 months

- Brentford and Portsmouth were once trust owned yet sold out to businessmen with a positive outcome. Brentford's chairman has invested over £100m and Portsmouth's new owner has promised £10m that has yet to be delivered - A word of caution though, Stockport County and Notts County were once fan owned.

- The goodwill by volunteers, local businesses etc towards a community club is worth over £400k in staffing levels set against private owners/ benefactors where fans would be less likely to donate their time for nothing.

- It's not investors we need it's benefactors.

- Benefactors without a deep affiliation to the club run the risk of losing interest and leaving the club in a more perilous financial position- (as we've witnessed)

My feeling is that the supporters will up their donations and Flynn will have support in January should he need it, but the new generations of supporters need to realise that aside from the heights at the top of the old third division in the early 80's, 3rd in league 2 is really as good as it gets for Newport County without a major benefactor.

Re. your final paragraph, I realise it's ancient history for some, but we did achieve promotion to the old Div. 2 (now the Championship) in 1939,. Unfortunately, the outbreak of war prevented us from knowing how we would have fared over the season.

Totally different era of course in the 30's with no television. Were we not getting crowds of 10, 000 in those times which presumably would have been enough to finance the club?

I really don't get the whole "we can't afford to get promoted" rubbish.

As a fan owned club, if it were by some miracle to happen, it's very simple.

"Listen guys, we're playing above our station. We won't risk the clubs future so the budget is the budget. We should finish bottom but with your help we might just be able to pull off a miracle. Come and help us achieve the impossible".

Job done.

rncfc wrote:I really don't get the whole "we can't afford to get promoted" rubbish.

As a fan owned club, if it were by some miracle to happen, it's very simple.

"Listen guys, we're playing above our station. We won't risk the clubs future so the budget is the budget. We should finish bottom but with your help we might just be able to pull off a miracle. Come and help us achieve the impossible".

Job done.

If as you put it 'by some miracle it happens' then of course the 'we can't afford to get promoted' hypothesis will be irrelevent, and we will have to do our best wihin the budget we have. I'm sure i read somewhere recently that Accrington haven't increased their budget beyond £1 point something million. They seem to be doing OK.

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:Totally different era of course in the 30's with no television. Were we not getting crowds of 10, 000 in those times which presumably would have been enough to finance the club?

Agreed, however it only cost 5p to get in and 10,000 attendance was often quoted as a break - even figure.

Cornish Exile wrote:

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:Totally different era of course in the 30's with no television. Were we not getting crowds of 10, 000 in those times which presumably would have been enough to finance the club?

Agreed, however it only cost 5p to get in and 10,000 attendance was often quoted as a break - even figure.

Presumbly the old one shilling? I wonder what a 10,000 attendance would finance nowadays?

Spiderman wrote:Personally whilst I would love promotion I think a period of stability in league 2 is crucial.

There was a good article by Penman this week with interesting points and comparisons from last weeks supporters directors presentation meeting. I think there is even a realisation as to where we are at the moment and how difficult it is.

- The average yearly loss of a league 2 club is £500k, Notts County are currently losing at least £1.5m a year.

- The average yearly wage bill in league 1 is £3.6m

- Wrexham have increased their revenue by £100k a year since becoming trust owned 7 years ago equating to an extra £700k with average attendances close to 5,000.

- Wimbledon raise £300k a year with a budget bonus scheme.

- Exeter raise over £100k a year through donations

- Newport County raise £32k

- Wycombe, despite being in league 1 held an open meeting in September which highlighted the short comings and financial difficulties they currently face.

- Notts County Chairman Alan Hardy regrets taking over the club.

- 30% of wealthy benefactors are looking to get out of league 1 & 2 clubs in the next 18 months

- Brentford and Portsmouth were once trust owned yet sold out to businessmen with a positive outcome. Brentford's chairman has invested over £100m and Portsmouth's new owner has promised £10m that has yet to be delivered - A word of caution though, Stockport County and Notts County were once fan owned.

- The goodwill by volunteers, local businesses etc towards a community club is worth over £400k in staffing levels set against private owners/ benefactors where fans would be less likely to donate their time for nothing.

- It's not investors we need it's benefactors.

- Benefactors without a deep affiliation to the club run the risk of losing interest and leaving the club in a more perilous financial position- (as we've witnessed)

My feeling is that the supporters will up their donations and Flynn will have support in January should he need it, but the new generations of supporters need to realise that aside from the heights at the top of the old third division in the early 80's, 3rd in league 2 is really as good as it gets for Newport County without a major benefactor.

Quite

I think Spiderman's reply is very good.
For me, as soon as we hit 50 points I will class that as a succesful season, given our circumstances.
However, should we go up , my view is that unless we are reckless with our budget we would have to go down twice to be out of the Football League ( which I believe would kill us off ).