That’s true. But there’s more to running a club than chucking a relatively more amount of cash at it.
If we take freehold property deals out of it and concentrate on football decisions then let’s compare JB’s appointments with LP’s. JB picked up the reins with us being a a bottom half fourth division club whilst LP picked them up with us being a recently relegated fourth division club.
JB went Chris Nicholl, Jan Sorensen, Ray Graydon, Colin Lee. The first three “benefited” from a full time Director of Football in Paul Taylor.
LP has gone Darrell Clarke, Brian Dutton, Matty Taylor, Michael Flynn. We thought a Director of Football was a good idea for a bit and for that moment we thought Jamie Fullerton was the man for the job.
We’ve never had much money. Which is why the personnel who run the football bit of a football club are so so important. Nicholl, Sorensen, Graydon and Lee didn’t have much money relative to the league’s they were competing in but in conjunction with a Director of Football and a football management infrastructure backing them up they made a very good job of it. John Barnwell and Dean Keates were backed but both got us relegated because they weren’t very good. Paul Merson had a fine squad of players but wasn’t a very good manager.
Therefore the job of the board isn’t just to raise funds. It is also to ensure that football recruitment is prioritised above everything else because that defines success and failure. At Walsall, the lack of funds means it is more important than at most places. And this regime has made far too many mistakes in that regard. On form, we are one more mistake away from another serious flirtation with non league.
Totally get that PT. No fan wants the Saddlers to throw cash we haven’t got that jeopardises the clubs future, I’ve been clear on that since I was protesting to SOS in the 80’s. Chucking cash about is not an expectation most of us fans have.
But many do expect the cash we do have to be invested into the playing side of the club & that hasn’t been the case, for decades.
I’m bored of sh*t football, hardly ever making the top ten let alone the playoffs and having rebuilds & false dawns on rinse repeat.
As you say we’re one poor decision away from non league. We need change in the boardroom and we need it now.
As for the Rico money it’s disappeared like my lump on 4-2 money.
All I wanna do is see us attack teams and try and win football matches
I’m not interested in all the politics
I don’t understand the politics
I just want us to win occasionally
From the exact playbook of accusing Funk of “despising” people at Walsall FC, which if from memory you apologised for. So maybe heed your own advice when it comes to debating skills.
Not true, I am very careful to describe when I am speculating.
When it comes to Walsall FC, suspicion and distrust that has been imparted by decades of a regime based on manipulating events to suit financial self-interest at the expense of the football club. As I have repeated several times now, this latest set of transactions has benefitted Bonser to the tune of millions (in the usual absence of any transparency insert number), and has yet to bring any tangible benefit to Walsall FC, or, more importantly, any blueprint for future benefits. That is not only a factual statement, but it is one in the context of the incredulous scenario of the same individuals remaining in posts in respect of the running of the club.
Nope. The fact that the same people are still there stinks the place out.
Yet another thread that disintegrates into conspiracy and absurd theories. This always allows the club to just ignore valid and genuine questions which need to be answered. There is no conspiracy. If we received £3m, it went through as income. If we spent that £3m somewhere, it is reflected in the costs, any payment to Bonser does not relate to the P&L!! Gamble is in position because he has fulfilled his remit (as far as we know) in keeping the club solvent and, as PT mentioned, in terms of business, as a model to other clubs. He remains, for now, because he continues to meet the targets set him by his bosses. If he doesn’t then I would expect action to be taken. Bonser will, of course, have built in potential monies from Henry into the sale agreement - Belph points out why in a very clear way.
However, there are real questions to be asked about last year’s accounts and, as yet, I’ve not seen them asked or certainly not answered - why did costs jump so high, to well above pre-covid levels? Pomlett used the “post covid” as an excuse but it doesn’t wash because of that comparison with pre-covid. I think he might also have mentioned rising costs, but these accounts were from before heavy inflation hit. So where, specifically, have the costs risen? Playing staff? In which case, we are not seeing the return on investment we would expect. Additional director salaries? Not according to the notes to the accounts. It remains a mystery to me. The big question is whether they regard this step change in costs as permanent or a one-off? And was it just a coincidence that these high costs coincided with Trivela taking over? Lots of very valid, unanswered questions that need to be put forward by those with knowledge of such matters, and I know there are quite a few on this board.
Well said geordiesaddler. Thankfully there are a few of us who can see through the sham that is being created by the Club. We have a right to know the truth and what is gojng, on a why. This is our Club, not theirs. At best they are guardians for a short period of time. Instead this last 25 years, Walsall FC has been turned into a self–profitising vassal to feed the greed of a few. We cannot let this continue unquestioned.
At the moment the Club seems to be submerged in apathy. I have never known a period like this where the performances and results have been some of the worst i can ever remember in 48 years of supporting our beloved Club, and the majority of fans have not shown our disgust at results and the lack of quality over the past 20 games. I bet the Board think it is great that only a few boos ring out at half time and full time. They must thing we are mugs!!!
At least 1.5m coming in for Rico then at some point in last 12 months.
Yet 500k or whatever Mansfield wanted couldn’t be found at any point in last six months to sign DJ when the club already have transparent evidence this wasn’t only a big crowd favourite but a very good striker at this level.
Results since have been a disaster. Hopefully Trivela guys will learn some lessons for the summer.
Probably a long shot but is there any more money if Brentford make europe while Rico plays for them as they’re not that far off 7th in the prem.
Another good post asking the key question. I think part of the answer lies in the withdrawal of government support and the fact the club did its best to keep people employed throughout the pandemic and its aftermath but it would be good for the Club to explain the details. As for the rest of the stuff I have opted out of commenting for the time being as I have little time for all this conspiracy stuff which is getting ridiculous. One minute LP is a thick logistics guy who couldn’t run a whelk stall and the next he is some sort of financial mastermind using the Club to line his pockets despite the fact there is little evidence of either.
Yes, this is where I get perplexed because these silly theories are easily dismissed by the club and, in doing so, they dismiss all fans’ views and have the perfect opt-out when it comes to fan involvement.
In terms of those costs, I appreciate that government subsidy stopped, but then didn’t business get back to “normal” then? And, as I say, costs have increased significantly from pre-covid levels so, even if subsidies did cease, costs should only have gone back to pre-covid levels, surely? My feeling is that there may be some costs or write-offs dumped in there, or perhaps a different interpretation of an accounting policy. But, of course, we never get to see that information and so, as was the case all through the Bonser years, us fans are left guessing and speculating, which is invariably uhelpful.
Again, it’s just speculation on my part, but from experience, these things are more likely to happen when there is change going on (sale) or a significant event that affects the company (Covid).
As you alluded to earlier though, LP said there had been significant cost increase. Given the commercial side of the business was virtually ticking along during that time, it’s reasonable to deduce that much of it was on the football side.
Yes, I think what you link to is very relevant. As part of preparing for the sale, realisable value will have been looked at and assets valued accordingly (at lower of cost and realisable value). Which still begs the question as to which assets this applies to and why we considered them to have a higher value previously. And also, of course, this would suggest that this is not an ongoing cost and therefore the £700k loss is a one-off - something that you might expect the chairman to mention when talking about the figures!
Only speculation.
My thoughts are that Bonsor - who was in charge when the transfer was negotiated - would have negotiated a percentage of any future Rico add on to be paid to himself as part of the sale of the club to Pomlett.
Yes could be.
If only we had an SLO who understood the Accounts and how they have been managed or restated or revalued…………
If only we had an SLO who knew the current CEO well enough to ask those questions and share the relevant facts with the fan base…………
If only we had an SLO who knew how to liaise with Supporters rather than hide away as far as possible from real fans that paid their dues and paid for the privilege of watching the matches……….
Oh I forgot. He was we understand Gamble’s boss at the Accountancy Firm for years.
Hides away in the 1888.
Hides in a corner at a fan event or gathering.
A great example of his endearing fan friendly extrovert style was amply demonstrated to me when my Grandson and I sat behind him at the Stockport away league game. One of our classic away performances you will remember. He came in to his seat with a gaggle of 1888ers. All of course knew each other. One of those I know very well and we chatted and he sat next to our esteemed SLO. As I have supported the Club for well over 60 years and encouraged my Grandson to become a Saddler, there was a great opportunity for the SLO to join in and converse and create some sort of bond. He said nothing and indeed looked the other way. No doubt he had a free ticket and a free coach ride whilst ours came out of our pockets.
That says everything to me that the SLO slot was managed and is out of the Russian playbook on appointments.
I agree with many others that the proof of the pudding on the wider issue of the Board structure perhaps needs a little time for Trivela to decide.
Many of us would have cleared out the hasbeens completely straight away.
Many of us would have showed Mole the exit door by now based on many previous screw ups.
Many of us would have brought in a high quality proper CEO straight away and asked Gamble to do the financial job he is best used to.
The next 12 months will be the real test.
By mid-to late July we need to have the building blocks of a promotion campaign in place, and a good idea of what strategy Trivela intend to pursue generally in the medium term that hopefully we can understand and buy into. Any success over the next 12 months will likely depend significantly on what occurs in the summer. More of the same will get nothing more than the same outcomes leading to further decline that will prove more difficult and expensive to turn around. The philosophy of short-term, penny-pinching false economy needs to be binned once and for all, and replaced with investment in a strategy to drive the football club forward, and its up to Trivela to employ people with the necessary skills to evolve and deliver it.
Yes!
Like most, I don’t like Bonsor & what he did to our club, but lets not re visit that situation.
I can just see him putting conditions on the sale of WFC though, dependent on future income such as whatever add ons were negotiated in Rico’s transfer.
