The League 2 equivalent of financial fair play has a number of convenient loopholes within it that allow clubs to meet the regulations yet manage to have a more competitive budget than the headline regulations would seem to allow. The best loophole for us to use if we want to achieve this is being able to use 100% of donations from the Trust as part of the playing budget.

Amberexile wrote:The League 2 equivalent of financial fair play has a number of convenient loopholes within it that allow clubs to meet the regulations yet manage to have a more competitive budget than the headline regulations would seem to allow. The best loophole for us to use if we want to achieve this is being able to use 100% of donations from the Trust as part of the playing budget.

And what would be the affect on FFP if we used none of the donations on players?

newgroundrodney wrote:

Amberexile wrote:The League 2 equivalent of financial fair play has a number of convenient loopholes within it that allow clubs to meet the regulations yet manage to have a more competitive budget than the headline regulations would seem to allow. The best loophole for us to use if we want to achieve this is being able to use 100% of donations from the Trust as part of the playing budget.

And what would be the affect on FFP if we used none of the donations on players?

Our players budget would reduce by between 50% and 100% of donations.

Fourthousand wrote:

Alan G Bryant wrote:Interesting thread this and to make another point.

I hope some of the more vociferous critics on here can now see how difficult it is to employ staff to keep a shop open 9-5 , employ a competent CEO , a full time commercial department , an I.T manager to identify what supporters have not received an email , enough ticketing staff to service a cup run every 12 months and team able to compete in league 2.
Admittedly the club could do all of the above, but it would certainly be to the detriment of the playing squad.

What we have is Hobson’s choice. We can speak to someone in the commercial department every day , stroll up and get our tickets for a premier league team within minutes or we can have the likes of Amond , Matt and Labadie wearing our shirt. At the moment , we cannot have both.

Excellent pont and one I fully agree with. I would also add that when there are 'specifics' brought up on this board, there is little consideration to the 'round'/ the context (as outlined in the above post). Page upon page last season on fans demanding a costly ticketing system based on loyalty points is a good example.

Indeed yes, an excellent well reasoned post from Alan. And I can see why you agree. The great thing about reasoned debate is it allows for ideas to be put against each other and problems to be solved. I can well see Alan's dilemma, Hobson's choice indeed when it comes to all those different jobs.

My only thought is that perhaps it might be possible to appoint a competent person to multi-task. Run the shop for five hours a day for three days. Answer emails for an hour a day for five days. Spend five hours a week making sure records are up to date. Spend five hours on ticketing. And in a 35 hour week five hours left over for all the other little jobs which need doing.

A competent general manager would in my view alleviate the problem Alan so rightly sees.

Amberexile wrote:

newgroundrodney wrote:

Amberexile wrote:The League 2 equivalent of financial fair play has a number of convenient loopholes within it that allow clubs to meet the regulations yet manage to have a more competitive budget than the headline regulations would seem to allow. The best loophole for us to use if we want to achieve this is being able to use 100% of donations from the Trust as part of the playing budget.

And what would be the affect on FFP if we used none of the donations on players?

Our players budget would reduce by between 50% and 100% of donations.

So you might say 75% of donations? .... so if £360,000 were donated, that's something in the order of £270,000 wiped off the players' budget ? Certainly £180,000 at the lower 50% estimate that you state?
See, why is none of this ever explained to fans? Why do we only ever scratch the surface? Why does it take a 'football governance expert' (my words - meant genuinely, not sarcastically) to explain this on a fans' forum?
Well, I stand well and truly corrected. More than that, I now value my Gold donations even more when realising just HOW much could be lost to the budget.
I've said this before I know, but I wish to 'god' you lived in Newport. If you ever run for election, you'll have my vote.

He would have mine also , although living in Newport is not a prerequisite to joining the board.

Alan G Bryant wrote:He would have mine also , although living in Newport is not a prerequisite to joining the board.

No, it's not, but the number of meetings required to attend, makes it impractical to someone living too far away. IIRC, Amberexile lives in Sheffield. I live in Cardiff and find the travelling would prevent me from standing, not that many would even vote for me. I consider myself exiled by circumstance, if not distance.

I stress this is only my opinion and is not meant as a criticism of those who hold other views.

I believe in fans ownership. I believe it should be done through a trust. I believe that as Newport County supporters we are all equal, and that the view and entitlement of trust members should be equal. I also believe that there should only be one class of membership. Having platinum, gold, silver and bronze is decisive. It reminds me of Messrs Cleese, Barker and Corbett. I am a silver member, I look up to him because he is a gold member, but I look down on him, because he is a bronze member. I know my place. (Sorry if you're under 60)

Now rightly that leaves a economic deficit. And that is not a good idea. But for me this problem is easy enough to resolve.

All of us who have ever bought shares did so in the knowledge that we were making a donation to the club. Therefore sell benefits but do it independently of trust membership. Silver Season ticket. £400. Seat in the Stand, complimentary programme. Gold Season ticket, £500 as per the silver but tea and biscuits at half time and twice a season get to sit between Gavin and Kevin. Platinum season ticket £600. As per gold with free hospitality bar entry. Or variations thereof.

For me, if we are to build a club it has to be a community of equals. The trust membership should be on a basis of equality and available to all. Other views are available but this is mine.

newgroundrodney wrote:

Amberexile wrote:

newgroundrodney wrote:
Our players budget would reduce by between 50% and 100% of donations.

So you might say 75% of donations? .... so if £360,000 were donated, that's something in the order of £270,000 wiped off the players' budget ? Certainly £180,000 at the lower 50% estimate that you state?
See, why is none of this ever explained to fans? Why do we only ever scratch the surface? Why does it take a 'football governance expert' (my words - meant genuinely, not sarcastically) to explain this on a fans' forum?
Well, I stand well and truly corrected. More than that, I now value my Gold donations even more when realising just HOW much could be lost to the budget.
I've said this before I know, but I wish to 'god' you lived in Newport. If you ever run for election, you'll have my vote.

I have no idea whether Paul's idea is practical. I don't say that as a criticism but as an observation of every idea at an inchoate phase. But here's the thing.

Newport County have a fan base of thousands. All of whom have ideas. Most of these ideas don't work, but some will. When the club speak of better communication it never happens. Not because anyone involved with Newport County has some evil plot but because they fail to listen. The club appear to me to think that communication begins and ends with telling supporters what they intend to do. Seldom if ever saying what do you think we should do.

An example. Neil Cork suggested that the Fraser Franks testimonial could be live streamed on YouTube with fans watching the game on air invited to make a contribution. Would this idea have created extra income for the club and Fraser? I don't know. What would it have cost? Nothing. Was it worth a try? Yes. Did it happen? No.

When it comes to ideas, it's not restricted do the board. Communication is a two way street.

newgroundrodney wrote:

Alan G Bryant wrote:He would have mine also , although living in Newport is not a prerequisite to joining the board.

No, it's not, but the number of meetings required to attend, makes it impractical to someone living too far away. IIRC, Amberexile lives in Sheffield. I live in Cardiff and find the travelling would prevent me from standing, not that many would even vote for me. I consider myself exiled by circumstance, if not distance.

I wouldn't worry about who'd vote for you, we've had one person fail to get elected in the past two attempts at running elections and 10 who have made it.

I agree regarding meeting attendance, Cardiff would be a pain and a time sink - Southampton for me makes it entirely unfeasible (as does the requirement to travel to aways). It's doesn't look like it's exactly fun for anyone who also has a job.

I think the idea that people only contribute in crisis has some weight, the issue is conveying that if they don't we'll ALWAYS be in crisis.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:I stress this is only my opinion and is not meant as a criticism of those who hold other views.

I believe in fans ownership. I believe it should be done through a trust. I believe that as Newport County supporters we are all equal, and that the view and entitlement of trust members should be equal. I also believe that there should only be one class of membership. Having platinum, gold, silver and bronze is decisive. It reminds me of Messrs Cleese, Barker and Corbett. I am a silver member, I look up to him because he is a gold member, but I look down on him, because he is a bronze member. I know my place. (Sorry if you're under 60)

Now rightly that leaves a economic deficit. And that is not a good idea. But for me this problem is easy enough to resolve.

All of us who have ever bought shares did so in the knowledge that we were making a donation to the club. Therefore sell benefits but do it independently of trust membership. Silver Season ticket. £400. Seat in the Stand, complimentary programme. Gold Season ticket, £500 as per the silver but tea and biscuits at half time and twice a season get to sit between Gavin and Kevin. Platinum season ticket £600. As per gold with free hospitality bar entry. Or variations thereof.

For me, if we are to build a club it has to be a community of equals. The trust membership should be on a basis of equality and available to all. Other views are available but this is mine.

Hello Brendan,I'm slightly confused here.You appear to be against the Gold,silver tiers yet you are also saying how effective and well organised it is.Which is it?.

Percy plunkett wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:I stress this is only my opinion and is not meant as a criticism of those who hold other views.

I believe in fans ownership. I believe it should be done through a trust. I believe that as Newport County supporters we are all equal, and that the view and entitlement of trust members should be equal. I also believe that there should only be one class of membership. Having platinum, gold, silver and bronze is decisive. It reminds me of Messrs Cleese, Barker and Corbett. I am a silver member, I look up to him because he is a gold member, but I look down on him, because he is a bronze member. I know my place. (Sorry if you're under 60)

Now rightly that leaves a economic deficit. And that is not a good idea. But for me this problem is easy enough to resolve.

All of us who have ever bought shares did so in the knowledge that we were making a donation to the club. Therefore sell benefits but do it independently of trust membership. Silver Season ticket. £400. Seat in the Stand, complimentary programme. Gold Season ticket, £500 as per the silver but tea and biscuits at half time and twice a season get to sit between Gavin and Kevin. Platinum season ticket £600. As per gold with free hospitality bar entry. Or variations thereof.

For me, if we are to build a club it has to be a community of equals. The trust membership should be on a basis of equality and available to all. Other views are available but this is mine.

Hello Brendan,I'm slightly confused here.You appear to be against the Gold,silver tiers yet you are also saying how effective and well organised it is.Which is it?.

Morning Percy,

Like many people you seem to be unable to grasp the concept that something can have both positive and negative qualities at the same time.

Let me give you an extreme example from a few years back. A robbery took place at Heathrow airport. An extremely well organized gang doused the security guards with petrol to ensure their compliance. Threatening to set a lighted match to them if they attempted to raise the alarm or impede the robbery in any way.

So you see Percy being well organized doesn't make something necessarily right.

You are now a little more educated than you were. I don't ask for your thanks indeed it is I who must thank you. I derive great pleasure for helping people understand these concepts. It's not easy, indeed when I was about nine I would have needed help understanding this nuanced position.

Afternoon Brendan,you are indeed very intelligent,you have degrees to prove it and photos of you in a gown,holding a scroll and throwing your cap in the air shouting wee with other graduates on the count of three.I was bottom of the dunces class but,my I bring your attention to your comment where you say the Platinum to Bronze system was decisive.I take that to mean a positive spin being put on it.Maybe you can dumb it down for me to understand what you actually meant but please,can you leave terrorists out of this one.

Percy plunkett wrote:Afternoon Brendan,you are indeed very intelligent,you have degrees to prove it and photos of you in a gown,holding a scroll and throwing your cap in the air shouting wee with other graduates on the count of three.I was bottom of the dunces class but,my I bring your attention to your comment where you say the Platinum to Bronze system was decisive.I take that to mean a positive spin being put on it.Maybe you can dumb it down for me to understand what you actually meant but please,can you leave terrorists out of this one.

I wouldn't blow any smoke up his arse ....or put yourself down....he's still a poor man's Malvolio.

Fourthousand wrote:

Percy plunkett wrote:Afternoon Brendan,you are indeed very intelligent,you have degrees to prove it and photos of you in a gown,holding a scroll and throwing your cap in the air shouting wee with other graduates on the count of three.I was bottom of the dunces class but,my I bring your attention to your comment where you say the Platinum to Bronze system was decisive.I take that to mean a positive spin being put on it.Maybe you can dumb it down for me to understand what you actually meant but please,can you leave terrorists out of this one.

I wouldn't blow any smoke up his arse ....or put yourself down....he's still a poor man's Malvolio.

I knew you liked kissing arse but didn't realize that one of your little peccadilloes was to blow smoke up people's backsides. I can't say I am disappointed that I don't figure in your somewhat bizarre little fantasies, but so long as you only do this with other consenting adults far be it from me to censure.