AGM Report

[Spanner]

...and increased gate receipts from playing more games that we never had 2 seasons ago.

On the other hand, average attendance is way down on 2 years ago though isn't it? And hospitality figures were well down in at least first few games of this season.

[barrowfan]

And hospitality figures were well down in at least first few games of this season.

That was explained by TK at the meeting. The special offers in previous seasons were popular but not cost effective. He suggested that although the corporate numbers are down the income hasn't been affected that much.

[Always Ultra]

It just staggers me that the BOD are still making lame excuses for turning away willing volunteers, and that the club's entire marketing strategy is still "Why don't you ask your mate to come?".

If we don't get a volunteer marketing/sales team in we will cease to exist. It's completely embarassing. How much debt do we have to be in before they wake up? We have no revenue.

[John Very Little]

With regard to the voting of directors, whilst nobody voted against any directors not everyone raised their hand to vote for some directors yet John Mackay said it was unanimous for all directors - this wasn't true. About 20% of the room never raised their hand to vote for John Mackay and not everyone voted for each of the other directors.

Yes to do it properly you should also ask people to raise their hands if they are abstaining. It's John's first time in that job and I'm sure he'll do it right next time! No big deal.

It is a big deal though as the AGM's should be conducted correctly.
We don't know if all of those who attended were actually members as there were no checks on arrival. Non-members shouldn't have been allowed to attend.
John also had to be reminded about conducting the votes correctly rather than just passing motions by everyones verbal agreement or nodding their head or whatever so that it was a vote by people showing their hands.
Following my post I've received a message from Steve Patton to say that the election/re-election of directors will be recorded as 'elected by majority', not 'unanimously' as mentioned at the AGM.

[olbarrafancumbak]

Some very hypocritical remarks being made imo.... People still want to point the finger of blame towards the board regarding volunteers BUT when it came to it and people were asked to be put onto the list of volunteers I dont think it quite echo'd the enthusiasm of the forum!

Im not siding with the board in any way but you have to respect the confidentiality factors within the club! FFS you cant just let any tom, [SwearFilter] or harry man the phone/shop but you can interview volunteer candidates just like you would if you were going to employ them, so it does swing both ways.

Is there anyone out there who could take on some of the PR work or even just help the club along a little? with live in a world of cyber media and it really shouldnt be a problem to pass info, promote etc etc.

[The Real Slim Azza]

Tony Keen came off as a perfect professional. Didn't put a foot wrong he really added some inspiration into me with the way he was talking.

[barrowfan]

Tony Keen came off as a perfect professional. Didn't put a foot wrong he really added some inspiration into me with the way he was talking.

After hearing his presentation I certainly had some sympathy with his position and that of the BOD.

Yes - they've made mistakes and they are the first to recognise that. Hopefully they will accept offers of help that they deem to be in the interests of the club.

I find it disappointing that some people on here continue to twine about them. Yes they are not perfect but they are fighting to keep this club alive, and putting their own money in to do so. People who think they could do better had an opportunity to put themselves forward for election but nobody did.

Those people will have another opportunity to do so at the next AGM which is scheduled before the end of March.

I suggest all those who are still not satisfied with the performance of the board put themselves forward for election. Get together a convincing case why you should be there and I'm sure the membership will give you every chance to prove that you can do better.

After a splendid win today now is the time for EVERYONE without exception to get behind the board and the team and make sure we are still in the top flight of semi pro football next season.

[phud]

I find it disappointing that some people on here continue to twine about them.

Is it because they string us along?

[spirit of 1990]

Is it because they string us along?

It just staggers me that the BOD are still making lame excuses for turning away willing volunteers, and that the club's entire marketing strategy is still "Why don't you ask your mate to come?".

If we don't get a volunteer marketing/sales team in we will cease to exist. It's completely embarassing. How much debt do we have to be in before they wake up? We have no revenue.

Why were you both (& others) not asking these questions at the AGM?

This is what concerns me, people are quite willing to come on here/at work/EM web site & continually question but not do anything more about it.

It's a straight enough question - why did you not ask for answers at the AGM?

[Reg]

Hard to believe that it hasn't been mentioned yet that TK said I was 'brilliant'.

At least people at the club know my worth.

First it was Matt Henney confirming that 'Reg knows his stuff' and now TK has confirmed my brilliance.

That should silence the doubters

[Jim]

Hard to believe that it hasn't been mentioned yet that TK said I was 'brilliant'.

At least people at the club know my worth.

First it was Matt Henney confirming that 'Reg knows his stuff' and now TK has confirmed my brilliance.

That should silence the doubters

More bullshit from the Board!

[spirit of 1990]

Hard to believe that it hasn't been mentioned yet that TK said I was 'brilliant'.

At least people at the club know my worth.

First it was Matt Henney confirming that 'Reg knows his stuff' and now TK has confirmed my brilliance.

That should silence the doubters

It WAS at the end of the night & he had been knocking them Stiegals back!!!

[K-Man]

Is it because they string us along?

It just staggers me that the BOD are still making lame excuses for turning away willing volunteers, and that the club's entire marketing strategy is still "Why don't you ask your mate to come?".

If we don't get a volunteer marketing/sales team in we will cease to exist. It's completely embarassing. How much debt do we have to be in before they wake up? We have no revenue.

Why were you both (& others) not asking these questions at the AGM?

This is what concerns me, people are quite willing to come on here/at work/EM web site & continually question but not do anything more about it.

It's a straight enough question - why did you not ask for answers at the AGM?

Maybe they (like myself) couldn't be in attendance ? xx

[Three Lie Ins]

TK presented a breakdown of costs to show how the club were struggling to afford Conference Premier football now. The average wage that we are paying is approx. £475 gross but there are variations in the figure, multiply this by 42 weeks and 18 players = £359K. Projected current gates will generate an income of 223K and this is the shortfall the club have to make up this season but is manageable as there is also Cup and Trophy prize money as well as hospitality and other things.

Manageable? I find those figures alarming. Assume a total cost base circa £500M, (£360K wages, £140K other costs - travel, training facilities, ground maintenance, rates, police, debt interest, etc). Gates at £223K are less than 50% of required income to break even, leaving a deficit of £277k. Having said that the gate estimate is conservative being equivalent to attendance of 800 for 23 home league matches, but even allowing for over prudence there is still a hell of a deficit to make up and we are highly reliant on unpredictable cup runs. To break even or make a profit we have to throw sixes every time, something that is impossible. As for the loans from the Directors, realistically these are gifts, as there would seem no way the Club could afford to repay. A big thank you to the Directors. The abuse of TK by members of the public is deplorable.

[John Very Little]

Manageable? I find those figures alarming. Assume a total cost base circa £500M, (£360K wages, £140K other costs - travel, training facilities, ground maintenance, rates, police, debt interest, etc). Gates at £223K are less than 50% of required income to break even, leaving a deficit of £277k. Having said that the gate estimate is conservative being equivalent to attendance of 800 for 23 home league matches, but even allowing for over prudence there is still a hell of a deficit to make up and we are highly reliant on unpredictable cup runs. To break even or make a profit we have to throw sixes every time, something that is impossible.

Again not true, if you'd actually bothered to read my earlier post you'd have seen about the other non-football income. This totalled 291K 2 seasons ago. I believe that more could be done with the use of more people helping out at the club to help reduce costs and generate income but as Always Ultra mentioned their only strategy seems to be 'bring your mates along'.

On the point about volunteers I very much doubt the club would allow them to be done what is needed and when its offered in many ways they aren't interested. The volunteer forms the club did came out way too late after the season started when they'd [SwearFilter] off everyone over the summer with their broken promises and inactivity. People have spoke to board members about helping out long before the somewhat formal volunteer forms came. Sometimes doing a lot of the small things are whats needed as an example even if its only volunteers delivering raffle tickets and memebership cards or dropping off raffle prizes for example just to save on postage, picking up Lottery money etc. I also don't agree with TK's assessment about confidentiality issues at the Shop, this club will never move forward with that sort of attitude.