Club statement

[blue nige]

Have to laugh at the irony of all this we despanded the membership scheme so we have one owner.
Now it's suddenly "we" and it's down to us what our future is but we don't have a say in anything that goes on .I can see a few people saying f**k it why should I bother I hope I'm wrong but I can't see any good coming out of this and the other week I was talking about the club building bridges but what does Andrew Casson do the total opposite you couldn't make it up !

[urswick blue]

Let's all get behind the club instead of the negativity. If Casson hadn't said anything he would be accused of secret agenda's. Dammed if he says anything Dammed if he doesn't.

[blue nige]

The fans haven't caused the negativity!

[Andy]

Not been for regularly this season and not posted on here recently but here is my take.
We are back to where we started before Casson took over. A few bits done here and there but we are looking for bigger crowds (Not sure we can average more than 1400), bringing back the lads who looked after the ground and are looking for more input (money) from the fans.
The first game I saw this season made me think back to the bad old days. Nothing had changed.
Looking for an academy and local, connected players has always been something we hope to attain but never have.

I really hope we can build a club that connects with more fans and people in the area and offer dedicated local players who will play for their town but we have been here before and never managed it. Still we live in hope.

[Ste Story]

Hmmmmm.... Feel abit deflated having celebrated staying up last season so much now. You can't really argue with the statement itself. If you look on the confforum at what fans of other clubs have to say, it's stuff like:

Sounds pretty good to me. Directing resources to youth academy and infrastructure will pay off in the long run. Look at Exeter and to a lesser extent us - we’ve had transfer fees of almost £2m or so over the past 4 or 5 years. A club like barrow should, barring a disaster, be able to survive at this level with a sensible budget. There will be plenty of teams worse than you each season.

in terms of not being shit or bust, being realistic, and planning for long term outcomes rather than short term league [SwearFilter], that's about the most progressive thing I've seen from a non league club for a while.

I think that it's a sensible message; one that many other clubs would do well to adopt.

Bit of perspective and calm needed to be honest. It's sensible stuff in the most part, controlling costs so we don't lose money, looking to set up an academy and facilities. He's also right that the club shouldn't be looking to exist outside its means on crowds of less than 1000, any sensible accountant, businessmen or football club chairman would tell you that. In isolation or with any other club it would be very hard to argue with any of it.

BUT... the issue with it all comes put into context with the last 4 years or whatever it's been. It's the promises we've been sold that have failed to materialise, the entire "promise big, deliver small" ethos that has enshrouded the club throughout. Casson and his entourage have either made or allowed to happen so many mistakes, that even our CEO can't bring himself to talk about the money Casson has 'invested' in the club without putting it in inverted commas itself. It's in the most part been completely and utterly wasted, [SwearFilter] up the wall. Given the choice I and probably everyone else on here would have much rather had the last 4 years in the conference north, with a team that's competitive and connects with the fans, while the millions that have been spunked away were put into ground investments... For a portion of that you could have knocked down the crossbar and built new facilities, a sports bar, office facilities, a gym, whatever that could bring in money day to day and look to make us more sustainable.

The statement about "the idea that we will be redeveloping it or building a new stadium is well and truly laid to rest" then going on to say "The goal for future investment would be for Paul Casson to then set aside a sum of money at the start of every season to be used for investment" is very very confusing. Is he saying that redeveloping the ground isn't going to happen? Or it is but based on a sum of money put aside each season? What will "investment" mean?

Because if we're going to just doggy paddle about on reduced budgets with no big improvement off the pitch, why the [SwearFilter] do we need a multi-millionaire american's son in charge? You'd be better off having a local consortium or back to fan ownership, I wonder how much or little business in the town engage with the idea of supporting a multi-millionaire chairman who doesn't seem to be doing much with any investment he receives externally?

All in all you can't argue with what he's doing and saying now (save for some of the general feeling in the statement and shifting of blame), but in view of the last few years I don't think anger is the right emotion, but trepidation and concern is certainly vindicated.

[Soulboy]

The fans are the the life blood of any club.
Staying away doesn’t help does it?
We can and will survive this chapter in our history.

[Lancaster Branch]

A few thoughts, in no particular order, apologies for any repetition

• I'll never moan about how someone else wants to spend their money and their kids inheritance. I can't blame Casson for getting fed up with spending money on the sort of wastrels that football sends your way. I begrudged paying £15 towards some of them last season. I would have been incandescent if my investment had been 6 figures.
• Financially and in terms of setting up the club as a sustainable, community focused venture we've wasted 4 seasons. This will make it harder to get people on board. It can be done but it needs to be done properly. I don't have 100% confidence that it will be. We'll end up with playerlayer running the catering or somesuch.
• There are lots of ways to bring in ancillary revenue - I'd ask the club to pick up the phone and ask Stevenage how they went about their crowdfunding campaign for their new stand. An update on where we are with the Furness Rovers pitch being turned into a placcy pitch would be welcome too. It might take some more significant investment to get some of these schemes up and running but you have to spend money to make money.
• "Do you think we need the money?" Well, obviously we do now. It is time to start regaining the trust of the people that are now being called upon to come together. Time to dust off the leaflets for the FBS accounts and dig out the membership forms for the lottery etc. Time to get the bar run properly, by folk who know how to pour a pint and can get a queue shifted. Tme to get the shop sorted. Time to sort the back office out so that sponsors aren't double booked or don't get the perks they were promised for sponsorships etc. Time to appreciate people who do things for the club for no reward. Time to do all the little things that were neglected because, for a while, everything was solved by a bank transfer from Texas.

[thegaffer77]

Nothing really that new in the statement. Sugar daddy threw a bit of money around for a short time, overachieved and then scraped to survive last season. We are now back to a position where we should have been when he took over, but without the bayliffs knocking on the door. Lots of bridges to build, people to contact and apologies to make to the wonderful voluteers. The lifeblood of the club had been cut off.

Now we are Barrow AFC again, no stupid spending, just backs to wall and fight for everything but on a stable footing. The hopes and dreams of Casson have drifted into the Irish Sea and we have to come back to reality. It's always the hope that kills you. At least they have been honest. Better late than never.

[geobarrovian]

A few thoughts, in no particular order, apologies for any repetition

[*] I'll never moan about how someone else wants to spend their money and their kids inheritance. I can't blame Casson for getting fed up with spending money on the sort of wastrels that football sends your way. I begrudged paying £15 towards some of them last season. I would have been incandescent if my investment had been 6 figures.

[*] Financially and in terms of setting up the club as a sustainable, community focused venture we've wasted 4 seasons. This will make it harder to get people on board. It can be done but it needs to be done properly. I don't have 100% confidence that it will be. We'll end up with playerlayer running the catering or somesuch.

[*] There are lots of ways to bring in ancillary revenue - I'd ask the club to pick up the phone and ask Stevenage how they went about their crowdfunding campaign for their new stand. An update on where we are with the Furness Rovers pitch being turned into a placcy pitch would be welcome too. It might take some more significant investment to get some of these schemes up and running but you have to spend money to make money.

[*] "Do you think we need the money?" Well, obviously we do now. It is time to start regaining the trust of the people that are now being called upon to come together. Time to dust off the leaflets for the FBS accounts and dig out the membership forms for the lottery etc. Time to get the bar run properly, by folk who know how to pour a pint and can get a queue shifted. Tme to get the shop sorted. Time to sort the back office out so that sponsors aren't double booked or don't get the perks they were promised for sponsorships etc. Time to appreciate people who do things for the club for no reward. Time to do all the little things that were neglected because, for a while, everything was solved by a bank transfer from Texas.

Pretty much spot on this, we have to revert to a bottom-up and more grassroots approach to stand any chance here.

[Soulboy]

Please can you explain what this actually means?
I don’t like management talk

[boyliegladbach]

I see a QnA session on the horizon

Its been a while

[Jonty]

BUT... the issue with it all comes put into context with the last 4 years or whatever it's been. It's the promises we've been sold that have failed to materialise, the entire "promise big, deliver small" ethos that has enshrouded the club throughout. Casson and his entourage have either made or allowed to happen so many mistakes, that even our CEO can't bring himself to talk about the money Casson has 'invested' in the club without putting it in inverted commas itself. It's in the most part been completely and utterly wasted, [SwearFilter] up the wall. Given the choice I and probably everyone else on here would have much rather had the last 4 years in the conference north, with a team that's competitive and connects with the fans, while the millions that have been spunked away were put into ground investments... For a portion of that you could have knocked down the crossbar and built new facilities, a sports bar, office facilities, a gym, whatever that could bring in money day to day and look to make us more sustainable.

Agree 100%. When he first came here the immediate focus was on the ground. This was the big selling point. Making the ground a place to attract new fans and provide a 52 week year revenue stream, shop in town, all these things that would have brought in money and provided the platform to grow the club. Instead, he went for success on the pitch and 4 seasons we ended up with an expensive but rubbish team who just weren’t good enough and still no revenue streams other than the Crossbar on match day. Now no money to do the very things he first said he was going to do, all of which would have increased the crowds and increased revenue potential.

[barrowfan]

If Ady does go we already have someone being paid a manager’s wage for the next couple of years!

Already stated that he was on a year by year rolling contract, so I guess either party is free to terminate at this stage.

I was thinking of Mickey Moore Jim. Supposedly on gardening leave with the best part of a two year contact left. Could be just the sort of manager for a revamped cheaper side, and wouldn't cost the club any more than they're now paying, and they save Pennock's wages.

[blue nige]

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Casson takes control at Barrow AFC
Barrow AFC's badge
Barrow-born millionaire businessman Paul Casson has been successful in his bid to buy the town’s football club, subject to FA approval.

It’s a dream come true for the lifelong Bluebirds fan whose plans were overwhelmingly accepted after a vote by the club’s members.

Mr Casson has acquired the Conference North club’s assets for £600,000 with a plan to invest up to £1.8m in the first two years, to bring in new players and improve the Holker Street stadium.

The new board will consist of eight directors, with half of them Jamie Reid, Austin Straker, Russell Dodd and Robert Kett already appointed. A representative from the planned Supporters Trust will also be asked to join the board.

The board will put a comprehensive business plan in place which will see the club back in the Football League within five years.

The new Barrow AFC Chairman Paul Casson said:

“I’m extremely grateful to all the members for giving me their backing as we enter an exciting new era for Barrow AFC.

“There will be ups and downs along the way but I promise that I, and my fellow Directors, will try our hardest to bring success to the club, which is an integral part of the town’s personality and character.

“There is no doubt there is huge potential and a loyal fanbase who will be given the opportunity at the end of year two to buy shares and have a stake in the club.

“We have hit the ground running and are already looking to upgrade the stadium facilities and for a club shop in the town centre.

“We want to make the town proud of its football club and get as many people from the community actively involved with it.

“I can’t think of a more suitable legacy for my late father who I know will be tremendously proud knowing the club in the town he loved is in his family’s stewardship.

“We are only the custodians of the club and one day it will be given back in a more financially stable position having tasted some league success and recognised as a crucial driver in the ongoing development of the town.”

For more information about Barrow AFC, visit www.barrowafc.com


i received one of those share certificates i wonder if that will be on the future agenda?

[barrowfan]

Snip "In terms of the ground, the idea that we will be redeveloping it or building a new stadium is well and truly laid to rest."

Methinks one way Papa Cass could mitigate his loss would be to sell HS for housing and move into Crazy Park!