Barrow AFC.net

Ralph wrote:

The Real Slim a former member of this forum wrote: I know who Austin is, I've met him on a few occasions. He is a retired teacher who ran a Sunday League side in the 80s. When I say an actual chief exec I mean someone who has some business background, someone who has some imagination, someone to take the club forward rather than just do the (very) basic operations.

He's a retired headmaster, not just a teacher.

Quorn weren't a Sunday League .

Thanks for supporting my point no end

The Real Slim a former member of this forum wrote:

Ralph wrote: He's a retired headmaster, not just a teacher.
Quorn weren't a Sunday League .

Thanks for supporting my point no end

No, this doesn't support your point. It does the opposite.

Being a head-master has similar responsibilities to those in the (private) business sector. They have to control budgets, hire staff, etc. Most schools are run as a business with considerable government involvement (interference?), but if anything running a school has more in common with running Barrow AFC than we may realise, in that, the need for good community relations is more pressing with a school than with a business.

Football isn't big business, Simon Kuper's excellent book, Soccernomics, makes the point that most supermarkets have a higher financial turnover than Premier League clubs.

I don't understand why you don't rate Straker just because he doesn't come from a business background. I have heard nothing but good things about him, both from the local football community and more importantly from the business community as well, he is well thought of, and I believe is doing a good job for BAFC.

Ralph wrote:

The Real Slim a former member of this forum wrote:
Thanks for supporting my point no end

No, this doesn't support your point. It does the opposite.

Being a head-master has similar responsibilities to those in the (private) business sector. They have to control budgets, hire staff, etc. Most schools are run as a business with considerable government involvement (interference?), but if anything running a school has more in common with running Barrow AFC than we may realise, in that, the need for good community relations is more pressing with a school than with a business.

Football isn't big business, Simon Kuper's excellent book, Soccernomics, makes the point that most supermarkets have a higher financial turnover than Premier League clubs.

I don't understand why you don't rate Straker just because he doesn't come from a business background. I have heard nothing but good things about him, both from the local football community and more importantly from the business community as well, he is well thought of, and I believe is doing a good job for BAFC.

Wake up Ralph.

How is football not a big business? What are you on about? We are are in an age were Billions of £'s are spent just so that a company can have the right to show the games on TV and make even more through advertisement. A day and age where a player can earn £600k in a single week. A player can be bought for £90m who doesnt even really have to play that well or improve a side as long as he sells shirts abroad.

Look at Fyldes Chief Exec who they employed in October. Former Chief Exec at Oldham through some pretty tough years. The clubs owner said on his arrival:

"Neil has a wealth of experience and he has been involved with Oldham for many years. Not only does he know how to run a football club but importantly how to run one where every pound is maximized and costs controlled"

Seems really odd that you say football isn't a big business, yet lots of people employed in these roles come from Business related roles mainly to keep an eye on cash flow.

Fyldes chief exec did all that without having to dish out detentions or struggle to avoid relegation from the Leicestershire Senior League with an amateur Saturday football side who at the time were the equivalent of todays Holker OB.

Ralph wrote:

The Real Slim a former member of this forum wrote:
Thanks for supporting my point no end

No, this doesn't support your point. It does the opposite.

Being a head-master has similar responsibilities to those in the (private) business sector. They have to control budgets, hire staff, etc. Most schools are run as a business with considerable government involvement (interference?), but if anything running a school has more in common with running Barrow AFC than we may realise, in that, the need for good community relations is more pressing with a school than with a business.

Football isn't big business, Simon Kuper's excellent book, Soccernomics, makes the point that most supermarkets have a higher financial turnover than Premier League clubs.

I don't understand why you don't rate Straker just because he doesn't come from a business background. I have heard nothing but good things about him, both from the local football community and more importantly from the business community as well, he is well thought of, and I believe is doing a good job for BAFC.

Yes; the role does have similar responsibilities. I come from a teaching background and many teaching skills are transferrable to business. Many business managers have been recruited from the teaching professions.

However, the club does seem a little lacking with regard to innovative marketing strategies.
A person with a professional Maketing/Sales background is what's required imo.

The Tomahawk Kid wrote:

Ralph wrote:
No, this doesn't support your point. It does the opposite.

Being a head-master has similar responsibilities to those in the (private) business sector. They have to control budgets, hire staff, etc. Most schools are run as a business with considerable government involvement (interference?), but if anything running a school has more in common with running Barrow AFC than we may realise, in that, the need for good community relations is more pressing with a school than with a business.

Football isn't big business, Simon Kuper's excellent book, Soccernomics, makes the point that most supermarkets have a higher financial turnover than Premier League clubs.

I don't understand why you don't rate Straker just because he doesn't come from a business background. I have heard nothing but good things about him, both from the local football community and more importantly from the business community as well, he is well thought of, and I believe is doing a good job for BAFC.

Yes; the role does have similar responsibilities. I come from a teaching background and many teaching skills are transferrable to business. Many business managers have been recruited from the teaching professions.

However, the club does seem a little lacking with regard to innovative marketing strategies.
A person with a professional Maketing/Sales background is what's required imo.

Skills are definitely transferable both ways imo...

However, there are lots of different types of leaders within organisations. Some are great at delivering day to day functions e.g. Managing budgets, hiring staff, general organization etc. others are more visionary and have the ability to see beyond the here and now. They put strategies in place to get to the next level - maybe this is the role of Mr Casson.

It is difficult to get one person who has the skills to do all of this and be on the ground at the same time to knit everything together...

Managing budgets/hiring staff etc etc could be done by a General Manager who Austin Straker appears to be from what I read on here.

A person with a professional Maketing/Sales background is what's required.
Mr. Casson is trying to 'Brand' Barrow AFC - isn't he?

The Tomahawk Kid wrote:Managing budgets/hiring staff etc etc could be done by a General Manager who Austin Straker appears to be from what I read on here.

A person with a professional Maketing/Sales background is what's required.
Mr. Casson is trying to 'Brand' Barrow AFC - isn't he?

Straker is supposed to be a Chief Exec. The club either needs a Chief Exec with a footballing/business background or they need to further employ a general manager who keeps things ticking over and spawns new ideas.

Brings us back round to the shard again. What came out of all that money wasting nonsense?

Someone with a Marketing/Media Sales background is what's needed. With innovative ideas. That's the way forward
Poor Branding/Advertising - that's where we've been going wrong for so long.

29th April on the horizon.
Hope someone at the club has thought about applying for road closure around the ground, if its needed, to take old floodlight towers down. I think it was stated that road closure application takes about two months to process if I remember correctly.

Just to confirm, the old floodlights will be coming down at the end of this season. The plan is for them to be dismantled from inside the ground.

spirit of 1990 wrote:Just to confirm, the old floodlights will be coming down at the end of this season. The plan is for them to be dismantled from inside the ground.

Has a contractor been appointed?
Has a confirmed date been set to start work?

BillyBlue wrote:

spirit of 1990 wrote:Just to confirm, the old floodlights will be coming down at the end of this season. The plan is for them to be dismantled from inside the ground.

Has a contractor been appointed?
Has a confirmed date been set to start work?

I think I know who the contractors are but not 100% on that so I won't mention a name in case I've got it wrong, I could find out if it's important to you though.
Regarding when - "as soon as the season finishes" is what I was told, I'm assuming there wont be much messing about.

At last, not just light at the end of the tunnel, but other places besides!!!

spirit of 1990 wrote:I'm assuming there wont be much messing about.

This would be a first

The Real Slim a former member of this forum wrote:

spirit of 1990 wrote:I'm assuming there wont be much messing about.

This would be a first

Now now....stop editing my posts to suit your points.....play fair.