Floodlights

[mickmike wilson]

We had big problems with Vaughan and i worry for the club's survival.

Ah, you're back onto the money again Pedro! it must be Saturday Perhaps more things should've/could've been done on the ground but its very very inaccurate to say "he bought an asset and done little" Its been mentioned time & time again on here what has been done, but FWIW...
Boiler system, Main stand shot blasted/sprayed, pitch work, X Bar refurbished, windows replaced, roof above the X Bar made watertight, new corporate room, massive water butt, floodlights, player investment - going FT, a good sized budget for recruitment, keeping hold of two players that bids came in for where previously we would have had to cash in straight away, a FT commercial manager, a manager who we could NEVER have afforded three years ago, a scouting network, a promotion and into the play-offs of the National league beating teams like Lincoln, Tranmere, Eastleigh & D&R along the way. Then there's the smaller things like new stewards cabin, new first aid cabin, rental of porta-loo's.
Looking at that lot there's about 75% of it that we wouldn't have bothered with previously through lack of money - the rest would simply have sent us under.
Like I say, there's things that I would consider that need doing straight away, proper toilets being one, but overall and looking back to where we were three years ago...it's not too bad is it?

In true Monty Python style, Yeah but besides all that Investment in just 2 short years at the helm Ian :What has he done for us:

[mickmike wilson]

Yes some great points raised here, I like Jonty's plan the best but Ian's is more practible & cost way less & be less inconvenient etc but it all depends on what PC's plans are for our sustainability & what realistic level of football we could survive in.

In an ideal world maybe a mixture of both would do, Especially if we could more the Pitch further towards the Soccer Bar area the the Holker St end could be something special with Bars & Shops open underneath the stand you could access from the Street etc & Any Steelworks end built high enough to keep most of the Wind & Rain from effecting the winter games & make the whole place bearable in the bad winters etc.

[glasgow_blue]

I personally have given up asking any questions or expecting any redevelopment of Holker Street. It ain't gonna happen. Why would Paul Casson fork out anything when he's got a dedicated team of volunteers doing what's needed, when it's needed? Totally respect the folk doing all this work, I know they are Barrow through and through but it does make the owners job a lot easier. Again, i reiterate i'm not having a go at the maintainance crew but i do wonder what would happen if they said NO, we ain't doing it, it's up to you, you own it, you deal with it.

[BoltonBlue]

I personally have given up asking any questions or expecting any redevelopment of Holker Street. It ain't gonna happen. Why would Paul Casson fork out anything when he's got a dedicated team of volunteers doing what's needed, when it's needed? Totally respect the folk doing all this work, I know they are Barrow through and through but it does make the owners job a lot easier. Again, i reiterate i'm not having a go at the maintainance crew but i do wonder what would happen if they said NO, we ain't doing it, it's up to you, you own it, you deal with it.

Maybe that's part of the plan, to stand back and observe how proactive the people of Barrow are as a community in developing things at the club without further finances from PC.

[Hadrian]

I thought Fylde took over four years from starting to explore new ground possibilities then a further three years plus from announcing their final preferred location to moving in to Mill Farm? Could still be quicker than York, of course; the white rose mob will need lots of time to think very, very carefully before spending t'brass...

Meanwhile I shall await with interest the explanation from Pedro of how impending Brexit will have reduced costs by 20%.

[mickycarrol]

Like Groundhog Day reading all these posts to be brutally honest..... the ground hasn't changed for years, since in fact the infamous Mr Vaughan bought the stand! It's nothing short of a disgrace HS and Casson should not have made his promises at the forum when he took over as they are clearly not being delivered. Today for example we may as well have not bothered turning the floodlights on they were that dim and made virtually no difference at all. I also [SwearFilter] on my feet using the luxury toilet facilities and got wet in the rain because we only have 2 roofs to shelter under..... must be in the bottom 2-3 grounds in this league I'd say Guisley and North Ferriby after that I'm struggling to think of a ground with poorer facilities than us!!

[Nigel Bamford]

Meanwhile I shall await with interest the explanation from Pedro of how impending Brexit will have reduced costs by 20%.

Far be it for me to speak for Pedro but my guess is that the devaluation in the pound vis a vis the USD means his dollars can buy proportionately more pounds sterling.

[barrowfan]

The trouble with Brexit is it's completely altering balance sheets and debt etcetera but the plain fact is you have the same money in the bank this week as you did last - assuming of course you haven't spent any or added to it.

It's all a paper exercise.

[Pedro]

I thought Fylde took over four years from starting to explore new ground possibilities then a further three years plus from announcing their final preferred location to moving in to Mill Farm? Could still be quicker than York, of course; the white rose mob will need lots of time to think very, very carefully before spending t'brass...

Meanwhile I shall await with interest the explanation from Pedro of how impending Brexit will have reduced costs by 20%.

Easy investment coming from the USA the £ has fallen against the dollar by 20 percent since Brexit vote.

[Pedro]

Ah, you're back onto the money again Pedro! it must be Saturday Perhaps more things should've/could've been done on the ground but its very very inaccurate to say "he bought an asset and done little" Its been mentioned time & time again on here what has been done, but FWIW...
Boiler system, Main stand shot blasted/sprayed, pitch work, X Bar refurbished, windows replaced, roof above the X Bar made watertight, new corporate room, massive water butt, floodlights, player investment - going FT, a good sized budget for recruitment, keeping hold of two players that bids came in for where previously we would have had to cash in straight away, a FT commercial manager, a manager who we could NEVER have afforded three years ago, a scouting network, a promotion and into the play-offs of the National league beating teams like Lincoln, Tranmere, Eastleigh & D&R along the way. Then there's the smaller things like new stewards cabin, new first aid cabin, rental of porta-loo's.
Looking at that lot there's about 75% of it that we wouldn't have bothered with previously through lack of money - the rest would simply have sent us under.
Like I say, there's things that I would consider that need doing straight away, proper toilets being one, but overall and looking back to where we were three years ago...it's not too bad is it?

In true Monty Python style, Yeah but besides all that Investment in just 2 short years at the helm Ian :What has he done for us:

If you take ownership of a property you should due diligence and accept responsibility.

Take your point but maybe we should tell the National League we will only field 9 players a game to save wages
Maybe a supporter could take a player back to theres for a hot shower.
The Commercial part should pay for its self if done correctly.

Look he has bought a neglected run down ground and he is having to do ESSENTIAL maintenance.I think the maintenance work required has come as a shock.

The players Cox has brought are developing and being nurtured by him .
The one forward I wished we could have kept left.
It's a Forum so sorry if I upset anyone.

[John Very Little]

but it all depends on what PC's plans are for our sustainability & what realistic level of football we could survive in.

Sustainability is a myth for a team like us and again PC was talking rubbish at the Forum when he said we could be sustainable. We lost 827K the season before last when we won Conf North. How on earth do you create that sort of cash on gates of circa 1300 in the National League? Another 200 on the gate per game would generate 50-60K what about the other 770K?

[Sefton Aubergine]

but it all depends on what PC's plans are for our sustainability & what realistic level of football we could survive in.

Sustainability is a myth for a team like us and again PC was talking rubbish at the Forum when he said we could be sustainable. We lost 827K the season before last when we won Conf North. How on earth do you create that sort of cash on gates of circa 1300 in the National League? Another 200 on the gate per game would generate 50-60K what about the other 770K?

Assuming there was decent investment in the ground, and more importantly the corporate facilities do you really think that it would only add 200 to the average attendance? I'm asking a question rather than suggesting you are wrong.

Barrow has a realistic catchment population of an immediate 50,000 and a wider 70,000 why is the attendance averaging 1,300, is it mainly the match day experience? Do people stay away because of the stadium?

I honestly believe the potential is there and adding a 1000 to the average attendance realistic and more importantly tripling the season ticket sales but only after major investment in the facilities. Just as an example an eight seat corporate box sells for anywhere between £5,000 to £8,000 per season, what if you have twenty boxes, would they all be taken up?

What do folk think the Crossbar earns for the club? I don't just mean on match days but all week. What could a bigger, better more, modern venue earn?

[Stu1]

What does "match day experience" really mean ?

[Sefton Aubergine]

What does "match day experience" really mean ?

Good question...
For some it is simple, a pie, pint and a reasonable view from a terrace. For those people the least the club should provide is the said pie and pint and clean toilets.

More increasingly, even at smaller or lower league clubs it is better food and drink and a greater selection. It may mean indoor facilities with TV screens showing the live scores as they come in. It can mean business men with clients, season ticket holders, or premium price supporters arriving hours before a game and leaving hours afterwards fully fed and watered.

It can be surprising how much money a club can earn with decent corporate facilities.

[BoltonBlue]

Sustainability is a myth for a team like us and again PC was talking rubbish at the Forum when he said we could be sustainable. We lost 827K the season before last when we won Conf North. How on earth do you create that sort of cash on gates of circa 1300 in the National League? Another 200 on the gate per game would generate 50-60K what about the other 770K?

Assuming there was decent investment in the ground, and more importantly the corporate facilities do you really think that it would only add 200 to the average attendance? I'm asking a question rather than suggesting you are wrong.

Barrow has a realistic catchment population of an immediate 50,000 and a wider 70,000 why is the attendance averaging 1,300, is it mainly the match day experience? Do people stay away because of the stadium?

I honestly believe the potential is there and adding a 1000 to the average attendance realistic and more importantly tripling the season ticket sales but only after major investment in the facilities. Just as an example an eight seat corporate box sells for anywhere between £5,000 to £8,000 per season, what if you have twenty boxes, would they all be taken up?

What do folk think the Crossbar earns for the club? I don't just mean on match days but all week. What could a bigger, better more, modern venue earn?

IMO circa 3k+ every home game is easily achievable with vast improvement on facilities & if the club engaged in the catchment area. Nearly 1400 turned up yesterday knowing they were going to get [SwearFilter] wet through with virtually zero facilities to enjoy.

I know for a fact many parents won't send their kids to HS because the ground is a dive. I also know this to be a reason a few business haven't got on board re sponsorship/advertisement. I grew up watching the soccer under the HSE roof, it's where I met my mates to watch games & enjoyed many BAFC memories. It was fashionable in the town to watch the soccer at that time, it's definitely not now.

The club can be sustainable. The Steelworks end has the potential to be a big all year round earner. A hotel there (especially with a shortage of accommodation in the town would be full mostly all year) with rentable offices for local businesses, classrooms for training courses (various government funding would be available), that's without even tapping into match day corporate revenue, bars & shops at the HSE, merchandising.. its achievable if the club wanted it enough.