AGM Report

[madplumpy]

I found Tony Keen's presentation very interesting.

He was trying to give people an insight into what it was like to be a member of the board. From the picture he painted it's not the sort of job many would like to do.

The picture came across of a group of people who are dedicated to what they do - which is to keep the club afloat.

The point he made about looking at the current members' club was well made. Most of the board have lent money to the club. If they wanted that money out for whatever reason the club would be put under an extremely challenging position. And what if one of them was actually voted out? If they left their money in they would no longer have a say in how it was used. Catch 22 or what?

He also told of a night he and some friends went into a pub in Ulverston. As he walked past a table of young lads they started on him. 'There's that [SwearFilter] who's on the Barrow board. [SwearFilter]!'

His friends said 'what's all that about' He said both he and his dad have to endure this almost every time they go out.

This really is completely unacceptable.

Whatever anyone thinks of the efforts they are making nobody deserves that sort of treatment. It must make you just want to say 'I've had enough!' And if you do what happens to the club?

The message came across that the club is not in a good position but the debt is being managed and we are coming out of the other side.

Spot on that Barrowfan

Another point that TK made regarding a question posed about the 'lack of communication' that comes from the club, is that we shouldnt forget we are still an extremely small club at this level. TK made comarisons between us and Stockport. Total staffing levels at Barrow consist of the volunteer (unpaid) board members and 2 full time paid employees in the Crossbar/office,
Stockport County in comparison have 60+ full time employees which includes 3 full time press officers!

[sempre contigo]

I found Tony Keen's presentation very interesting.

He was trying to give people an insight into what it was like to be a member of the board. From the picture he painted it's not the sort of job many would like to do.

The picture came across of a group of people who are dedicated to what they do - which is to keep the club afloat.

The point he made about looking at the current members' club was well made. Most of the board have lent money to the club. If they wanted that money out for whatever reason the club would be put under an extremely challenging position. And what if one of them was actually voted out? If they left their money in they would no longer have a say in how it was used. Catch 22 or what?

He also told of a night he and some friends went into a pub in Ulverston. As he walked past a table of young lads they started on him. 'There's that [SwearFilter] who's on the Barrow board. [SwearFilter]!'

His friends said 'what's all that about' He said both he and his dad have to endure this almost every time they go out.

This really is completely unacceptable.

Whatever anyone thinks of the efforts they are making nobody deserves that sort of treatment. It must make you just want to say 'I've had enough!' And if you do what happens to the club?

The message came across that the club is not in a good position but the debt is being managed and we are coming out of the other side.

Spot on that Barrowfan

Another point that TK made regarding a question posed about the 'lack of communication' that comes from the club, is that we shouldnt forget we are still an extremely small club at this level. TK made comarisons between us and Stockport. Total staffing levels at Barrow consist of the volunteer (unpaid) board members and 2 full time paid employees in the Crossbar/office,
Stockport County in comparison have 60+ full time employees which includes 3 full time press officers!

Astonishing that... Just shows what we are up against.

[Richard Ingham]

That (I think) was in response to a question about why the Gateshead Trophy tie switch wasnt on the Official Site. It turned out some of the board only found at 5.30pm last night!!

With only 7 of them on the board, most of whom are still working full time, it is not always easy to update things instantly. Also at the moment, Russ Dodd*, who is normally the conduit which such information comes through, is at home in his sick bed and not as up to speed as normal hence the lack of updates on the OS.

*Get well soon Russ btw.

[Steeley]

Cheers for the info guys, appreciated

[John Very Little]

In 2009/2010 the average league attendance was 1,253.
In 2010/2011 the average league attendance was 1,214.
Was this discussed any further? It would seem that the club is heavily reliant upon (unpredictable) cup income to survive.

Not true - if I had to explain every single detail the posting would be 3 or 4 times as long.
The overall football income and expenditure doesn't just depend on Cup Prize money as there was TV and Sponsorship money reduction, the wage bill was higher per week compared to the previous season and there were other factors such as reduced income in other areas than gate and prize money. The club was still growing the previous season and the board expected that to continue and got a supposedly better standard of players that didn't perform as well as expected and crowds and other things were down (when they were budgeted on being higher) as well as money earned from the Cup/Trophy being less.
Although the club made a lot less cash they also had a lot less expenses and bonuses to pay out as a result of the Cup runs which as mentioned in last years AGM didn't produce the cash many thought they did.

On the points about communication the board said at one of the the 2 AGM's in 2004 that they aren't good at communication and intended to improve it then and have been saying it ever since - we're still waiting? Better communicatuion would solve some of the negativity issues yet I made this point last night and it was clearly ignored by TK and lost on them.

[Spanner]

Thanks for the summary John - very much appreciated.

[barrowfan]

Better communicatuion would solve some of the negativity issues yet I made this point last night and it was clearly ignored by TK and lost on them.

Not from where I was sat!

Perhaps you didn't hear him say that they know their shortcomings with PR and would welcome some help.

[tictactoe]

I didn't buy the excuse about why the club haven't accepted peoples help I.e confidentiality.

I have offered to help in the shop and office many times. Granted I can be pretty gobby on here, at matches etc but I also know when to keep it shut! I worked in law for many years where privacy and confidentiality is paramount and in my current job the same applies, so if they'd bothered to get in touch with me and probably others aswell, they would know that offers of help could have been taken up. That is why I didnt fill in a form that john mckay was giving out, you can only offer so many times before you realise there's in point.

BTW anyone who wasn't a member could have attended because no-one was checking.

[Jim]

I didn't buy the excuse about why the club haven't accepted peoples help I.e confidentiality.
.

If you think it's an excuse, what do you think is the real reason?

[watcher]

While what you say is true with regard to the lack of use of the offers of assistance from you and others, surely at this point in time you could put your personal grievance(s) behind you and offer once again???? As you have said you have experience in dealing with 'confidentiality' issues in the past and know when to keep quiet, you seem just the sort of help they need. Did you mention your 'legal experience' in your offers of assistance? this may have swayed them????
Also, I agree totally with the issue around membership checks before the meeting, but if you raise THAT issue here, why didn't you raise it last night with the powers that be?

[bobbie moore]

See EM got it right again 'addressing the 50 or so members' i thought it was more like 100,but then as said earlier any one could have attended so obviously EM knew all the members present

[corner 91]

See EM got it right again 'addressing the 50 or so members' i thought it was more like 100,but then as said earlier any one could have attended so obviously EM knew all the members present

I don't think the ability to count is a pre-requite to become a journalist; definitely more than 50 there.

[barrowaberdeen]

Went the way I expected but not being there it doesn't feel the board (who i have a lot of time for most of) were pushed hard enough frankly. However, this may be wrong and I couldn't go, so hey ho.

It's stuff we all knew anyway and the BOD have put their own cash in to keep it going, although some of the mistakes were down to the board post Wembley.
Nobody has made anything other than a load of hassle doing the job.

The council, who are against the football, can ram it.

It is absolute [SwearFilter] people couldn't help in the shop- that's really insulting frankly.

[Reg]

Went the way I expected but not being there it doesn't feel the board (who i have a lot of time for most of) were pushed hard enough frankly. However, this may be wrong and I couldn't go, so hey ho.

I was there and much as I moan and whinge, I really don't see the point in giving them a hard time over what's already been done, especially when they have ploughed £122k in, which is a figure that has likely risen a lot further than that by now!

What I will do, is give people a hard time if they don't start making visible and tangible changes.

Things have to change - and quick! If we carry on with this same business model beyond this season, it will be beyond stupid.

We don't just need to look at the constitution, we need to look at our approach to the football side of things before next season! Remaining full time, as we are now is clearly not an option. We must go back to being part time and dramatically reduce costs.

We have another AGM before the end of the season. Then is the time to ask the searching questions. Last night just seemed like a time to take stock. I'm very disappointed that the accounts only went to June 2011, I hope that we'll get a more up to date picture in March.

[madplumpy]

It is absolute [SwearFilter] people couldn't help in the shop- that's really insulting frankly.

I dont think it was insulting in the slightest! and personally I can understand the reasons given for not wanting any 'outside help' over that period!!