Furloughing players

[April1972]

Terrible terrible decision. Completely morally wrong. This is not what the Furlough scheme is intended for.
This is a complete bending of the rules.
There are plenty of Companies and individuals out there that have fallen through all the Government funding schemes, grants & loans through now fault of their own and then on the other hand there are businesses like our football club milking the system instead. Wrong on so many levels and a complete disgrace for me.

As opposed to the completely morally correct nation wide lockdown imposed on us by the Government. Grow up a bit the scheme is there to be used doing nothing wrong.

The scheme is there for businesses that can’t afford to pay their staff as they can’t operate due to the restrictions- not to bring in new staff and then furlough the original unwanted staff. I totally stand by my comments as supported by most on here.

[boyliegladbach]

As opposed to the completely morally correct nation wide lockdown imposed on us by the Government. Grow up a bit the scheme is there to be used doing nothing wrong.

The scheme is there for businesses that can’t afford to pay their staff as they can’t operate due to the restrictions- not to bring in new staff and then furlough the original unwanted staff. I totally stand by my comments as supported by most on here.

Correct.

[ChrisCrossy]

Legally it maybe fine... but ethically it's wrong.

This will be one massive PR disaster and a little bit of my love for all things Barrow AFC has gone today if we have taken this approach to cutting costs.

[blumooncrab]

The directors of the club are legally bound to act in the club’s best interests. They also have to act within the law. If this helps the club survive and to stay up , so be it. Not everyone will agree and I can understand the concerns but need to look at the big picture.

[Methuselah]

I totally agree with the latest statement from liverpoolann.The system is available to be used and I like him have people near me who are supposed to be working from home who seem to appear at all hours during the day.They don't seem to work a normal daily shift with a dinner break in the middle.I think the board and chairman are intending for Barrow to be kept on a sound financial footing whilst providing the unused players with an income it makes sense.After all the main aim of the board and most of the supporters is for Barrow to stay in the Football League and progress and if this action achieves that I fully support it.

[PerthBluebird]

48 clubs already done the same.

[boyliegladbach]

48 clubs already done the same.

No they haven't.

[PerthBluebird]

48 clubs already done the same.

No they haven't.

...

[boyliegladbach]

No they haven't.

...

Did they all get new players and furlough the old ones? Or is it referring to shop staff etc?

[Matty]

Furloughing ticket office staff, administration roles etc, fine.

Furloughing players so you can sign a half a squad, not fine.

[Cubbins Paratrooper]

The job retention or furlough scheme was introduced by the Treasury to help enterprise and employers not to manage them. How a company manages furlough to its benefit is open as long as it remains within the law.

Its purpose is to extend support those legally established trading businesses (and in so doing, the PAYE employees) of any description, negatively impacted by the financial meltdown of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was done in the hope that many, though not all, will have at least a reasonable chance of coming through this exceptional turbulence in a reasonable enough shape to be able to continue, re-start trading and/or grow.

In this case, it would appear, if the referenced article is correct, that some of those players no longer in the named squad have been given the opportunity to either to take the furlough offer (no club training with Barrow though 100% of contracted salary, the majority paid by HMRC) or to remain in training with Barrow, albeit with no prospect of playing in the first team, whilst training separately and incurring personal expense in so doing (travel to work costs). A choice, therefore. Individual players who accept the furlough scheme offer would seemingly be allowed to strike up their own arrangements to maintain fitness, possibly with clubs closer to their home, thus giving them the best chance of finding a new club in due course whilst at the same time, receiving full financial support during the period their respective contracts, or at least until the furlough scheme ends, currently earmarked for April 30th. It would then revert to the club to carry the full burden until any contract ran out or was adjusted if and when a player signed for another club.

The type of arrangement, if it has been made between the club and certain players is not unusual, perfectly transparent and completely within the law. It could be argued, as many are doing here, that they do not fall within 'the spirit of the scheme' though how a person feels about its use in these circumstances is for the individual to decide. In the wider context, there was an example, though not a direct parallel, whereby many people who had been made redundant in anticipation of the original scheme ending in Autumn 2020 were then taken back on by companies in order that furlough payments could continue to be made, albeit with no prospect of a job at the end of the extended scheme. This was done in full sight of the Treasury and was actively encouraged. Was this mis-use of funds? Was this outside the spirit of the scheme? Should these people have been put on the dole instead?

The board is following a philosophy that remaining in the EFL is absolutely sacrosanct. To achieve this goal and in line with many supporters calls, the previous football manager was correctly removed, a new manager was quickly appointed and a wide-ranging set of players was brought in during the transfer window. This will have been achieved through blood, sweat and tears underpinned with nimble and agile management using all the legitimate tools available.

Sometimes decisions need to be taken that are not easy ones to make. That is why there is a board of directors.

[Tommylad]

As opposed to the completely morally correct nation wide lockdown imposed on us by the Government. Grow up a bit the scheme is there to be used doing nothing wrong.

The scheme is there for businesses that can’t afford to pay their staff as they can’t operate due to the restrictions- not to bring in new staff and then furlough the original unwanted staff. I totally stand by my comments as supported by most on here.

Government are all shithouses, milk them for every penny you can get.

[4everBlue]

Too many people on here adopting a high moral tone and choking on their halos.Whilst i have reservations about Brown and Hird being dispensed with the most important thing is the club and it’s survival hopefully in the efl.I expect the chairman and board which includes me as a trust member/part owner to do whatever it takes legally to secure this if possible.Whatever people think about where their taxes are going you cannot cherry pick what you finance.There are lots of benefits paid and allowances I don’t agree with but the law dictates it so I accept it.There will be other clubs not knee deep in wealth who will take advantage of this legal option and we would be at a disadvantage if we did not do the same and it is bad enough being in our position at the bottom as it is.
I have not heard anybody on hear talking about all the people who are being paid to work from home who I see regularly in normal office hours shopping taking dog to vets or out with children etc etc and in some cases those furloughed are treating it like a paid holiday from the conversations I have overheard from them in my travels.To me this is also not morally right but a lot of brrovians see nothing wrong with it so I think the critics protest too much.
you may want to be nice barrow afc back in national league with a whimper leaving to wait several more decades to get back but I certainly don’t.
I applaud the chairman’s financial acumen in putting preservation of the club and its ambitions first and he no doubt wrestled with this deciding knowing some people would not be comfortable with it.
Before you start demanding a trust statement is put out condemning this situation bear in mind not all trust members will agree with you and no doubt our reprentative on the board was fully consulted before decision taken.
At the end of the day like it or not we are a business and in order to survive and hopefully employ people in future some times your head must rule your heart.If people don’t support the raffle etc it is sad but those that do support the club will.

Some of the wisest words posted on this topic, well said!

[Moribund]

The scheme is there for businesses that can’t afford to pay their staff as they can’t operate due to the restrictions- not to bring in new staff and then furlough the original unwanted staff. I totally stand by my comments as supported by most on here.

Government are all shithouses, milk them for every penny you can get.

And where do they get that money from?

[HenneysKnee]

Individual players who accept the furlough scheme offer would seemingly be allowed to strike up their own arrangements to maintain fitness, possibly with clubs closer to their home, thus giving them the best chance of finding a new club in due course whilst at the same time, receiving full financial support during the period their respective contracts, or at least until the furlough scheme ends, currently earmarked for April 30th.

If a player is “maintaining his fitness with another club” he is working. Shouldn’t be working whilst on furlough