The future

[Ste Story]

Jesus [SwearFilter] we must be the most pessimistic doom merchants in football.

[Jonty]

Jonty they had Emma doing a good job and they got rid of her !

I don’t know the reasons why. It’s not an easy job, I’m sure, but that is the challenge the club faces. To make supporting the club in any way possible and at a price that is affordable to all-whether it be the fans coming through the gates with good ticket deals (which I think we have), to having a pre/post match pint in the Crossbar, keeping custom in the club. Sponsorship opportunities that are affordable to all. Small returns (if any at all) but the crucial part is to get ordinary fans on board with it all. I feel that is we lost all of that and need to get that back. The club needs to have the fans on board and be involved. It’s not easy, especially if we are not getting the results on the pitch. There are massive areas for improvement. But all except the results are entirely within the gift of the club.

[Ste Story]

Jesus [SwearFilter] we must be the most pessimistic doom merchants in football.

Why are people so obsessed with statements and soundbites from the chairman. They complain when he does make statements but then moan if they don't hear from him every two minutes...

If we get relegated it will be a disaster and alot of people will no doubt be very very angry and upset. That being said, the mistakes have been made throughout the season, and aren't anything a statement from Casson with 6 games remaining is going to fix... him not releasing a statement when staying up is still in our hands (albeit unlikely) isnt really relevant to any plans to sell the hand for houses or ship out to America or whatever you want to decide is the only outcome...

[Soulboy]

I think circumstances have changed since Paul took on the club. The cost of funding a non league club with dwindling support was something I don’t think he anticipated.
We’ve not had a decent manager since he too over. Edmondson was out of his depth ability wise and elsewhere. Cox was boring on the pitch but allegedly not off it. Moore was a ridiculous appointment and is the the key decision of this season that costs in points lost and ££.
Pennock has inherited an indifferent squad and has disappointed too. If we stay up I will shake his hand but we shouldn’t be where we are frankly. He has to do it as have the players who are paid very well..but do any care?
What the future holds we don’t know but I really hope we stay up and the funding and management is placed to go again for the not impossible dream. One fact that will continue is the support for the club will remain and Barrow afc will go on....

[tictactoe]

Jesus [SwearFilter] we must be the most pessimistic doom merchants in football.

Why are people so obsessed with statements and soundbites from the chairman. They complain when he does make statements but then moan if they don't hear from him every two minutes...

If we get relegated it will be a disaster and alot of people will no doubt be very very angry and upset. That being said, the mistakes have been made throughout the season, and aren't anything a statement from Casson with 6 games remaining is going to fix... him not releasing a statement when staying up is still in our hands (albeit unlikely) isnt really relevant to any plans to sell the hand for houses or ship out to America or whatever you want to decide is the only outcome...

I personally don’t want another statement from him cause they’re shite anyway

I’m more interested in people’s thoughts about how they see things panning out from here

[Ste Story]

Panning out from here?

I think we'll probably get relegated. I think everyone will be very very angry and the Chester home game will be a particularly unsavoury moment in our history.

But a bit of perspective will come eventually, we'll realise that actually we don't have a god given right to be in the conference or to be challenging for play offs. We'll realise that actually our gates of a little over a thousand aren't going to sustain challenges for the play offs, and that sustained crowds and consistency are what's needed, as the majority of teams who got promoted out of this league at the fifth or sixth time of asking will testify.

Hopefully Casson will also get some perspective that the club doesn't have a god given right to get those fans either. People arent going to pay £17 a match to come to a fallen down shit tip of a stadium with weeds growing out the concrete, frost covers left out to rot for 6 months and no real improvement save for vital patch up works.

To be honest I'm not really sure what the options are should we stay up. We saw last season that even doing well our crowds won't increase, and if we are going to do well then our budgets will exceed our gates to the point where any pricey ground improvements are incredibly speculative if not downright financial mismanagement in themselves.

Then on the flip side if we go down who knows if we can find the right balance between a competent budget to keep crowds and actually rebuild the squad and fanbase and then keeping some spare cash in the kitty to improve the ground. I really don't want to go to the likes of Altrincham and Bradford Park Venue when I spent my weekend in London and at Leyton Orient on Saturday, but nor do I particularly want to watch the club go bankrupt on a bunch of mercenaries while trying to compete with much bigger clubs as our own [SwearFilter]-ridden ground rots slowly into the ground.

Getting angry at Casson for not spunking millions of pounds of his own money won't really help anyone, but I think it's clear now that the honeymoon period is well over, mistakes have to be learnt from and whatever league we're in next season it's going to be a [SwearFilter] difficult slog back from here.

[sambino]

Panning out from here?

I think we'll probably get relegated. I think everyone will be very very angry and the Chester home game will be a particularly unsavoury moment in our history.

But a bit of perspective will come eventually, we'll realise that actually we don't have a god given right to be in the conference or to be challenging for play offs. We'll realise that actually our gates of a little over a thousand aren't going to sustain challenges for the play offs, and that sustained crowds and consistency are what's needed, as the majority of teams who got promoted out of this league at the fifth or sixth time of asking will testify.

Hopefully Casson will also get some perspective that the club doesn't have a god given right to get those fans either. People arent going to pay £17 a match to come to a fallen down shit tip of a stadium with weeds growing out the concrete, frost covers left out to rot for 6 months and no real improvement save for vital patch up works.

To be honest I'm not really sure what the options are should we stay up. We saw last season that even doing well our crowds won't increase, and if we are going to do well then our budgets will exceed our gates to the point where any pricey ground improvements are incredibly speculative if not downright financial mismanagement in themselves.

Then on the flip side if we go down who knows if we can find the right balance between a competent budget to keep crowds and actually rebuild the squad and fanbase and then keeping some spare cash in the kitty to improve the ground. I really don't want to go to the likes of Altrincham and Bradford Park Venue when I spent my weekend in London and at Leyton Orient on Saturday, but nor do I particularly want to watch the club go bankrupt on a bunch of mercenaries while trying to compete with much bigger clubs as our own [SwearFilter] ground rots slowly into the ground.

Getting angry at Casson for not spunking millions of pounds of his own money won't really help anyone, but I think it's clear now that the honeymoon period is well over, mistakes have to be learnt from and whatever league we're in next season it's going to be a [SwearFilter] difficult slog back from here.

Excellent post Ste and mirrors a lot of my thoughts, Getting bigger crowds after this season whatever league we are in will be difficult. Hopefully we will get a squad together who can play as a team and have a bond with the fans which I thinks been lacking for a few seasons now.

[mulholland]

If Casson had put his money into building a new, decent ground then attendances would've doubled. We, the true supporters, would've had a lot more patience as well with what was going on 'on' the pitch and Casson would've then had his lasting-legacy. It was, and is, his biggest mistake the ground and I've said it from day one. Had a few opposing opinions from people on here who were saying we'd get bigger grants once we were back in the league (if only!) but that's just water-on-the-pitch...I mean under-the-speedway-track now.

[ant]

Infrastructure first for me. Talk about Match day experience being key, then we`ve no chance of bringing in decent`sh crowds if we`re standing about in a run down unfriendly environment. jeez, last few years i darent even have a cuppa cha at home two hrs before a game cos i don`t wanna go take a slash in the 1950`s crap holes we call toilets. And why should we have to walk to other end of ground for portable cabins? Get infrastructure sorted and build on it. Know lots of people who will not attend simply because of the bog situation and not just the football it self. Match day experience should not be about the likes of this. and yes, away fans should be able to have decent roof over their heads when it`s p.ing down! They pay their money too! Dont want to hear that they should pay for the stands to shelter then. A good match day experience should be for all fans at HS. Home or away.

[ant]

If Casson had put his money into building a new, decent ground then attendances would've doubled. We, the true supporters, would've had a lot more patience as well with what was going on 'on' the pitch and Casson would've then had his lasting-legacy. It was, and is, his biggest mistake the ground and I've said it from day one. Had a few opposing opinions from people on here who were saying we'd get bigger grants once we were back in the league (if only!) but that's just water-on-the-pitch...I mean under-the-speedway-track now.

+1

[tictactoe]

Is there only me that doesn’t give a shit what ground I watch the football in as long as there is decent football to watch? I’m not bothered about a new stadium and can’t see it happening just give me a team playing decent football giving their all and progressing

I’m not a Casson fan never have been but he promised a lot and basically hasn’t delivered. Am I surprised? No

I also don’t think we have a right to be in this league - we are at the moment and hope we stay there but if we don’t I’ll still watch next season if there’s a team to watch

[HenneysKnee]

I thought similar until we went to Fylde and saw just how much a difference the new (superb!) ground had made compared to the old one

[Wintergreen]

There's one thing - we are all connected mainly on here and the Trust would be our means of keeping the club going should the plug be pulled. However, we have to be given the club back for free or we are finished. That would be PC's legacy that he had a good go which ultimately failed, but gave the club back to the supporters. I think we would all have to be happy with that.

[Jo am back]

Is there only me that doesn’t give a shit what ground I watch the football in as long as there is decent football to watch? I’m not bothered about a new stadium and can’t see it happening just give me a team playing decent football giving their all and progressing

I’m not a Casson fan never have been but he promised a lot and basically hasn’t delivered. Am I surprised? No

I also don’t think we have a right to be in this league - we are at the moment and hope we stay there but if we don’t I’ll still watch next season if there’s a team to watch

No it is not only you, the supporters like you and me who to be honest dont give a flying [SwearFilter] about this mythical “ matchday experience”are the ones who dont come on here moaning at every opportunity. Ninety percent of supporters who turn up for a match do so in the 15 minuets leading up to kick off and then leave at full time.”matchday experience” my arse, we are non league,what i pay my money for is to watch my team put in a hundred percent,if that happens i go home happy. Fylde built a new ground so what, its modern, its pleasing on the eye, but give me holker st anyday.

[Freya]

Is there only me that doesn’t give a shit what ground I watch the football in as long as there is decent football to watch? I’m not bothered about a new stadium and can’t see it happening just give me a team playing decent football giving their all and progressing

I’m not a Casson fan never have been but he promised a lot and basically hasn’t delivered. Am I surprised? No

I also don’t think we have a right to be in this league - we are at the moment and hope we stay there but if we don’t I’ll still watch next season if there’s a team to watch

No it is not only you, the supporters like you and me who to be honest dont give a flying [SwearFilter] about this mythical “ matchday experience”are the ones who dont come on here moaning at every opportunity. Ninety percent of supporters who turn up for a match do so in the 15 minuets leading up to kick off and then leave at full time.”matchday experience” my arse, we are non league,what i pay my money for is to watch my team put in a hundred percent,if that happens i go home happy. Fylde built a new ground so what, its modern, its pleasing on the eye, but give me holker st anyday.

You're probably speaking for the core die hard supporters who will watch is wherever we play but at the end of the day we'll struggle to attract floating/new fans with Holker Street. I've lost track of the amount of people who told me they won't go cos it's a shit hole and we simply cannot survive on just the core support.

90% of fans may well only turn up 15 mins before kick off but is that not because there's [SwearFilter] all to do around the ground before it?

What do you mean Fylde built a new ground so what? I couldn't make it when we played there so haven't seen it for myself but I think the increase in attendance speaks for itself there.