Fletcher out

WAS at the game,given we were penned in our own half for most of the second it had 2-0 to Crawley written all over it we did'nt look like scoring .However the morale of the story is that if you keep trying and stay in the game a chance may come along,and thanks to a bit of creativity by Blanchard we took it.Crawley were definitely misfiring yesterday and were a victim of their own gamesmanship and arrogance.They are a superb team in my opinion and almost certainly get promotion (again) so a good point.BUT we are still in the mire and at risk of being cast adrift still.

I can see glimpses of good football from our team, but so often we are second to the ball, standing off and playing hoofball. Agree Crawley were having an off day yesterday and we were lucky, but a point is still a point.

I think we can play better with the team we have, but needs better management. That isn't going to happen any time soon and we will need to ride our luck a bit more yet.

Good to see you at least put a bit of logic behind the owners behaviour, Iggy, unlike the stooges who just repeat and wist whatever is the fire fighting mood music of the moment.
I don't see a couple of weeks in January makes any difference at all, and QPR didn't seem to suffer from new manager's disease yesterday.

But you are right, this season, right from the outset, was sacrificed on a prayer, in order top save the ex owners a million or two. What is plainly grating for some is that james Brent said he would do everything he could to keep the team in the league. He is plainly not wanting to do that yet, I believe 'saving his bullets' is the saying of the week, a euphemism for I'm keeping my wallet shut It's dangerous prevarication to save a few grand. And it certinly doesn't say to me he's champing at the bit to build a team that is capble of winning this Division 4 and get us 'back performing where we belong'. It says he's hedging his bets.
It all smells of a favour to a 'wartime buddy'. I thought we had been told the club was more important than that. sort of thing.

I think that my main gripe with Brent is this, we are told we have an honest new owner with morals and integrity ect. ect. When he took control and then later in the season he quite clearly said "I will do whatever it takes to stay in this league", not a direct quote but the jist of it, it would have been more accurate if he had said, "I have no money that I am prepared to invest in the team at the moment and to be able to afford to bring in a couple of older more experienced players we will appoint a player manager instead of getting a direct replacement for PR". I will trust in Brent when he has earned that trust, until then don't believe the hype, I sure as hell don't.

Spot on.

I don't see what Brent has done wrong? We are steering ourselves away from relegation with a couple of decent signings in Purse and Chadwick. Don't forget we were hindered by taking one point from the first 9 league games.

Our current form since then should ensure we achieve league safety whilst being financially prudent and beginning to pay off our debts.

Northampton spent £7 Million and hired Aidy Boothroyd, the experienced manager some were calling out for here. I must check where all that investment has taken them? I bet they're storming the league.

Enjoy Life wrote:

I don't see what Brent has done wrong? We are steering ourselves away from relegation with a couple of decent signings in Purse and Chadwick. Don't forget we were hindered by taking one point from the first 9 league games.

Our current form since then should ensure we achieve league safety whilst being financially prudent and beginning to pay off our debts.

Northampton spent £7 Million and hired Aidy Boothroyd, the experienced manager some were calling out for here. I must check where all that investment has taken them? I bet they're storming the league.

Brent hasn't done anything. That's the problem.

He basically said that this is a big club and will do his utmost to assure league status - or that was what was understood from his comments. So far he has done nothing of the sort except coming out with a thinly veiled We've got money, but we cannot spend it because of the old financial constraints placed upon us, I'm going to be open and honest, etc ,etc which I take to mean that I'm not spending any money and we will have to stand on our own 22 feet. He's a lot of piss and wind so far, with no substance. Either he is intent on PAFC remaining a league club or he isn't. If he is, then he needs to put his hand in his pocket. No one ever said he would make any money from football, and if he thinks he will, he's sadly mistaken.

People forget we are hamstrung by the wages cap and The Football League keeping an extremely close eye on the finances of PAFC because of the situation we found ourselves in . We are being watched much much closer than other Clubs . There would appear to be Clubs who are far outspending on what is their turnover . How on earth Crawley manage it on their small crowds I have no idea . There should be no way turnover could be artificially inflated in this division .

Lets not forget it was the previous Board who destroyed our Club by their financial mismanagement . They should be investigated by the authorties and punished . They won't be though so it just encourages others to do the same . Don't shoot the messenger .

There are ways around the wage cap though, and Brent giving it all the 'integrity and open honesty' stuff is just a euphemism for 'I'm not spending any money' and using the FL as an excuse.

Don't ever forget too, he was always the 'reluctant bidder' and I'm still not sure of his motives and future plans. Are you?

This wage cap is very convenient for brent. It's the perfect excuse.

Cerbera wrote:

There are ways around the wage cap though, and Brent giving it all the 'integrity and open honesty' stuff is just a euphemism for 'I'm not spending any money' and using the FL as an excuse.

Don't ever forget too, he was always the 'reluctant bidder' and I'm still not sure of his motives and future plans. Are you?

Believe me PAFC is under a financial microsope by The League - ANY attempt to get around the rules would definitely be found out and quickly . We are being given tons more attention by them than any other Club . If we did cheat they would jump all over us and we would be in a worse position than we are now . Fancy another points deduction ? Because that is what we would get .

You can of course choose not to believe me but thems the facts .

Bloody hell Freathy! I'm starting to agree with you more and more. This can't be healthy, surely?


ETA: gg that may well be true, but it is as Freathy says damned convenient!

Freathy wrote:

This wage cap is very convenient for brent. It's the perfect excuse.

Absolute nonsense - see my post on the subject . If we were to suffer a points deduction because of financial cheating you would be the first to criticise

So some of you are willing to take the risk of a points deduction by cheating ? we wouldn't get away with it .

No, not cheating. Circumventing the guidelines set out by the FL.

There are no 'rules' as you put it, they are guidelines set out by the FL that are largely self regulated by the clubs. Hence why Big Mike can rename the real SJP the Sports Direct Stadium. Why Crawley can buy successive promotions, why Brent won't spend any money!

Did the FL pay any attention to what was happening at Home Park during the reigns of Stapes, Todd or Guilfoyle? THAT is when there should have been scrutiny and action. Will they take any interest and/or action now that we have Brent?

This whole "we are under scrutiny from the FL" reminds me of the "we cant afford to go into administration because we cant afford the admin fees" myth that was going around a year ago.

I am not saying we should cheat (I don't think anyone wants that), but we have to be smart and trying to fob people off with a convenient excuse is not going to wash with me.

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Did the FL pay any attention to what was happening at Home Park during the reigns of Stapes, Todd or Guilfoyle? THAT is when there should have been scrutiny and action. Will they take any interest and/or action now that we have Brent?

This whole "we are under scrutiny from the FL" reminds me of the "we cant afford to go into administration because we cant afford the admin fees" myth that was going around a year ago.

I am not saying we should cheat (I don't think anyone wants that), but we have to be smart and trying to fob people off with a convenient excuse is not going to wash with me.

We weren't watched closely then but we are now .

The 'rules' are surely being circumevented by plenty of other L2 clubs. As has been said how the hell are Crawley attracting such players with their gates and meagre turnover? If crawley haven't set off alarm bells at the FL then no-one will!

Brent is using this as an excuse not to invest.

Freathy wrote:

The 'rules' are surely being circumevented by plenty of other L2 clubs. As has been said how the hell are Crawley attracting such players with their gates and meagre turnover? If crawley haven't set off alarm bells at the FL then no-one will!

Brent is using this as an excuse not to invest.

I think Crawley may well come under scrutiny or maybe they already are . Its been mentioned that they may have to move some players on . |its possible they could win promotion and lose out after an investigation . we'll see .

Perhaps GG people would take more notice of your point of view if we had some proof of this close scrutiny by the FL, where is this written because it does to my suspicious mind seem more than a bit convenient.

greengenes wrote:

Freathy wrote:

The 'rules' are surely being circumevented by plenty of other L2 clubs. As has been said how the hell are Crawley attracting such players with their gates and meagre turnover? If crawley haven't set off alarm bells at the FL then no-one will!

Brent is using this as an excuse not to invest.

I think Crawley may well come under scrutiny or maybe they already are . Its been mentioned that they may have to move some players on . |its possible they could win promotion and lose out after an investigation . we'll see .

I bet crawley don't move any players on and I bet they're not deducted any points.

Also if Brent is the most intelligent and astute business man ever to grace the earth (as some would have you believe) how come he cannot work out how to get a loan striker in? All you would need to do is send a couple of loanees back, not rocket science and wouldn't cost anything.

I believe we are still paying a significant portion of Damien Johnsons wages. Why not end his contract to free up some more of the 55%?

Yes, I fully understand that it would cost a lot to end his contract. Call it, oh I don't know, investment for example.

What I don't know is if the money saved not paying DJ's wages would be enough for another striker?

Thoughts?

greengenes wrote:

Freathy wrote:

This wage cap is very convenient for brent. It's the perfect excuse.

Absolute nonsense - see my post on the subject . If we were to suffer a points deduction because of financial cheating you would be the first to criticise

Greengenes, why are you trying to dress yourself up as an authority on current affairs?

There is a massive difference between knowing something, and sitting down all doey-eyed while someone spins you the party line, so that you can then trot off and preach the sermon as Gospel.

CRackin game on tv innit ?

Just think, Nool's headless chicken, Buz n Dan play against these guys........ and SEB .