Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities.

big red
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 29, 2017 17:03:28 GMT Creepy Crawley likes this

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Post by big red on Sept 29, 2017 17:03:28 GMT

When and where did it go wong is what I have been asking myself a lot lately.
With the amount of money put in by Hong kong paul why are we in such a different position to Burton and Fleetwood.?
Who in my opinion we have and still could have more potential than.
It was going so well but the death of Bruce was a massive factor why we didnt kick on and also HK paul staying in the shadows, Bruce would have no doubt stabalised the club once we reached league 1, but the 2 guys who came in as managing directors failed big time..
I cant remember the first guys name but Dunford was awful and in my opinion is the reason for our demise. He thought we were a bigger club than we were and and because we had money we didnt need to attract fans , they should just turn up....I went to one of his surgery with a list as long as my arm with ideas on how to attract support and increase our fan base but nothing was implamented , he seemed to want to rely on Hk pauls money and let things take their coarse.
I know a lot has been made about our lack of support but has it really been that bad considering the poor standard of football over the last 3 or 4 years? Even I have felt like giving up numerous times over this period..But how many differnt people have been to watch us over that period ? I bet most of the 10,000 who travelled to old trafford have been at least once.
I have been on the bus home and have been speaking to liverpudlians who live in horley and welsh people from smallfied who attended as home fans, I have never seen them again!
We could have increased our fan base massively if we had done things in the right way and had offered people something but we just increased the prices if you turned up on the day and started to play crap football, and stopped listening to the fans.
I feel very angry that we messed up our big chance, and now we are most likely paying mega money to Harry kewell to take us into oblivion, we have done it so so wrong.
Hong Kong paul did so much for this club, I also feel sorry for him it didnt work out and that he didnt get much appreciation, the loss of Bruce and the wrong MD messed up our chance.
We should have made it work , but there is no reason that we still couldnt make it work..I would welcome paul back anyday..
sorry for punctuation etc as im not very good at that kind of thing

Last Edit: Sept 29, 2017 17:12:23 GMT by big red

Simon
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 29, 2017 17:39:35 GMT via mobile damo and jb like this

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Post by Simon on Sept 29, 2017 17:39:35 GMT

Completely disagree I'm afraid. Of course we all enjoyed the promotions and cup runs, but it was no more sustainable than it was when Chas Majeed was throwing money at the likes of Daryl Clare.

We won the Conference paying League 1 wages, and when we got to League 1 we were losing £6,600 a day even on the gates we got then. It was inevitable PH would get bored and so it proved.

In fact the whole business of an anonymous benefactor running the club from half the world away was flawed as were some of the charades that were played out (who remembers the forum where we had Dave Pottinger's 'my money my shares' statement and Mrs Carter's outburst about all the CTSA money coming from Man U game which I personally proved was bullshit).

As for Michael Dunford, I didn't really warm to the guy but he was simply acting to instructions from above and I don't hold him responsible.

Lets face it the club has little affinity with the people of Crawley, from HK as manager (despite Ziya Eren's bluster about someone who knew Crawley) to the journeyman like Verheydt, Kaby, Sanoh etc signed on 2/3 year contracts.

History is littered with clubs who at one point had 'money men' and as soon as the benefactor loses interest the club descends back to where it came from. The only positive I can see is the club was sold before yet another administration.

Burton Albion is a totally different case, Ben Robinson has built it from the bottom up with proper community foundations not by throwing cash around. Reserves, academy, U18s, Ladies Team and so on.

I'm not as convinced on the potential either. Crawley has never been a big football town, Palace, the London clubs and Brighton less than an hour away. It will take a generation to change that mentality. Then again football has changed totally, TV money talks and from the next contract there will be live FL games streamed on the web.

All very sad, and I must say these days I get as much enjoyment at a Rymans level game than I do seeing us suffer another limp defeat to the likes of Newport and Port Vale.

mickf
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 10:59:52 GMT jb likes this

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Post by mickf on Sept 30, 2017 10:59:52 GMT

Sept 29, 2017 17:39:35 GMT Simon said:

Completely disagree I'm afraid. Of course we all enjoyed the promotions and cup runs, but it was no more sustainable than it was when Chas Majeed was throwing money at the likes of Daryl Clare.

We won the Conference paying League 1 wages, and when we got to League 1 we were losing £6,600 a day even on the gates we got then. It was inevitable PH would get bored and so it proved.

In fact the whole business of an anonymous benefactor running the club from half the world away was flawed as were some of the charades that were played out (who remembers the forum where we had Dave Pottinger's 'my money my shares' statement and Mrs Carter's outburst about all the CTSA money coming from Man U game which I personally proved was bullshit).

As for Michael Dunford, I didn't really warm to the guy but he was simply acting to instructions from above and I don't hold him responsible.

Lets face it the club has little affinity with the people of Crawley, from HK as manager (despite Ziya Eren's bluster about someone who knew Crawley) to the journeyman like Verheydt, Kaby, Sanoh etc signed on 2/3 year contracts.

History is littered with clubs who at one point had 'money men' and as soon as the benefactor loses interest the club descends back to where it came from. The only positive I can see is the club was sold before yet another administration.

Burton Albion is a totally different case, Ben Robinson has built it from the bottom up with proper community foundations not by throwing cash around. Reserves, academy, U18s, Ladies Team and so on.

I'm not as convinced on the potential either. Crawley has never been a big football town, Palace, the London clubs and Brighton less than an hour away. It will take a generation to change that mentality. Then again football has changed totally, TV money talks and from the next contract there will be live FL games streamed on the web.

All very sad, and I must say these days I get as much enjoyment at a Rymans level game than I do seeing us suffer another limp defeat to the likes of Newport and Port Vale.

Burton may have all those teams but with their level of support which over the years has not been that different to ours, Robinson must have been chucking money into the 1st team as pretty much all of those players are not going to be playing in the Championship for the love of Burton and the crowds they got in Lge 1 and now couldnt sustain that level? Fleetwood are another who have a rich benefactor who through his business has "issues" with some of his customers and is not universally popular but finds way to introduce a fortune into a club who are never going to be much bigger support wise? Forest Green another of the media darlings have spent a fortune of wages, agents fees etc while pushing their "eco" credentials.
I think it is as much the people of Crawley not having any affinity or sympathy with the issues and costs of running a football league club, while at the same time being more than willing to throw hard earned cash at already super rich clubs and players who have no more affinity with their local area than any big business.
Your point regarding Rymans is one often used as is the "badge of honour" statements on here by some in saying I am not coming to matches any more etc etc. I could probably say (in fact I do!!) "I would rather watch Crawley playing sparkling football in beating Barnet" after watching another limp PL game or another game where the "carrier bags" with all their millions couldnt raise a shot on target in a game? Yes we are crap at home at the moment and we have signed some crap, but when havent clubs done the same? I am as critical as most but do take exception with those who want to rub the clubs nose in the dirt because they are not as good as the armchair fans see on their expensive Sky or BT packages, or we dont have the charm of a cheaply assembled non league outfit. I personally dont watch very much Champions League pantomime, PL or usually dire Championship games on tv but will tune in to watch a Conference or FA Cup game because I can relate it more closely to us (the football often isnt very good!) but it doesnt mean I want to jump ship - that isnt what "supporting" your club is about is it?
Our Community Foundation does much good work in trying to generate interest in the club alongside the general community work they do and should be applauded. The problem seems to be that as we introduce younger fans in one end, the old or cynical or disillusioned or glory hunters disappear the other!

Simon
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Posts: 2,236

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 11:40:30 GMT

Quote

Post by Simon on Sept 30, 2017 11:40:30 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 10:59:52 GMT mickf said:

Burton may have all those teams but with their level of support which over the years has not been that different to ours, Robinson must have been chucking money into the 1st team as pretty much all of those players are not going to be playing in the Championship for the love of Burton and the crowds they got in Lge 1 and now couldnt sustain that level? Fleetwood are another who have a rich benefactor who through his business has "issues" with some of his customers and is not universally popular but finds way to introduce a fortune into a club who are never going to be much bigger support wise? Forest Green another of the media darlings have spent a fortune of wages, agents fees etc while pushing their "eco" credentials.
I think it is as much the people of Crawley not having any affinity or sympathy with the issues and costs of running a football league club, while at the same time being more than willing to throw hard earned cash at already super rich clubs and players who have no more affinity with their local area than any big business.
Your point regarding Rymans is one often used as is the "badge of honour" statements on here by some in saying I am not coming to matches any more etc etc. I could probably say (in fact I do!!) "I would rather watch Crawley playing sparkling football in beating Barnet" after watching another limp PL game or another game where the "carrier bags" with all their millions couldnt raise a shot on target in a game? Yes we are crap at home at the moment and we have signed some crap, but when havent clubs done the same? I am as critical as most but do take exception with those who want to rub the clubs nose in the dirt because they are not as good as the armchair fans see on their expensive Sky or BT packages, or we dont have the charm of a cheaply assembled non league outfit. I personally dont watch very much Champions League pantomime, PL or usually dire Championship games on tv but will tune in to watch a Conference or FA Cup game because I can relate it more closely to us (the football often isnt very good!) but it doesnt mean I want to jump ship - that isnt what "supporting" your club is about is it?
Our Community Foundation does much good work in trying to generate interest in the club alongside the general community work they do and should be applauded. The problem seems to be that as we introduce younger fans in one end, the old or cynical or disillusioned or glory hunters disappear the other!

Rather than guessing I would recommend you get hold of a copy of Burton's accounts and have a look. You will find that far from being subsidised by Robinson, they actually MADE A PROFIT when they won League 1. You will find out that Robinson has lent them £300,000 in 10 years (Eren lent us £1m last season alone and HKP was putting in millions every season). You will also see that their finances are based on reinvesting the money they made in their cup run in 2006 (yes, 11 years ago) and a very successful commercial set up. And transfer profits (like Jackson Irvine).

As for the supporting your club bit, well maybe for the die hards, but I would suggest that Tuesday's crowd shows that there are not many mugs who will continue paying £18 plus a game indefinitely for the tripe we have been putting on at the Broadfield over the last 2/3 years. Crap at home "at the moment"?? Come on, what about the last 4 years?Like you I have been watching Crawley a long time (since 1989 interspersed with about 6 years working abroad), however this year was the first time for a long time that I seriously considered giving it up and eventually only renewed to give Eren the benefit of the doubt. In fact I would probably have changed my mind if I hadn't paid up before that calamitous first press conference where Kewell had little idea and Feeney sat there like a grinning buffoon.

There is a long way to go still, but I think if we don't do something today the trap door will start opening commercially as well as on the management front.

History Harold
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 11:45:38 GMT

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Post by History Harold on Sept 30, 2017 11:45:38 GMT

Some excellent points and an interesting discussion. When the CEO was the one between Alan Williams and Dunford, they gave away thousands of free tickets AND offered special deals such as buy 1 get 1 free AND STILL the gates did not improve in the long term. IMHO the most we can get in the lower divisions is an average of 2,500 ish if we are playing well. However, with gates dropping below 1,500, regardless of loving his "family" the owner cannot sustain losses indefinitely and will soon lose interest. If that is the case, the light at the end of the tunnel will be an oncoming train. I hate to think what the gate will be today, but it is a must win game against Carlisle.

r15srn
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Posts: 209

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 12:28:22 GMT

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Post by r15srn on Sept 30, 2017 12:28:22 GMT

Sept 29, 2017 17:39:35 GMT Simon said:

Completely disagree I'm afraid. Of course we all enjoyed the promotions and cup runs, but it was no more sustainable than it was when Chas Majeed was throwing money at the likes of Daryl Clare.

We won the Conference paying League 1 wages, and when we got to League 1 we were losing £6,600 a day even on the gates we got then. It was inevitable PH would get bored and so it proved.

In fact the whole business of an anonymous benefactor running the club from half the world away was flawed as were some of the charades that were played out (who remembers the forum where we had Dave Pottinger's 'my money my shares' statement and Mrs Carter's outburst about all the CTSA money coming from Man U game which I personally proved was bullshit).

As for Michael Dunford, I didn't really warm to the guy but he was simply acting to instructions from above and I don't hold him responsible.

Lets face it the club has little affinity with the people of Crawley, from HK as manager (despite Ziya Eren's bluster about someone who knew Crawley) to the journeyman like Verheydt, Kaby, Sanoh etc signed on 2/3 year contracts.

History is littered with clubs who at one point had 'money men' and as soon as the benefactor loses interest the club descends back to where it came from. The only positive I can see is the club was sold before yet another administration.

Burton Albion is a totally different case, Ben Robinson has built it from the bottom up with proper community foundations not by throwing cash around. Reserves, academy, U18s, Ladies Team and so on.

I'm not as convinced on the potential either. Crawley has never been a big football town, Palace, the London clubs and Brighton less than an hour away. It will take a generation to change that mentality. Then again football has changed totally, TV money talks and from the next contract there will be live FL games streamed on the web.

All very sad, and I must say these days I get as much enjoyment at a Rymans level game than I do seeing us suffer another limp defeat to the likes of Newport and Port Vale.

Well written post Simon....obviously onto chapter 2...😀😀

mickf
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Posts: 529

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 13:03:14 GMT

Quote

Post by mickf on Sept 30, 2017 13:03:14 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 11:40:30 GMT Simon said:

Sept 30, 2017 10:59:52 GMT mickf said:

Burton may have all those teams but with their level of support which over the years has not been that different to ours, Robinson must have been chucking money into the 1st team as pretty much all of those players are not going to be playing in the Championship for the love of Burton and the crowds they got in Lge 1 and now couldnt sustain that level? Fleetwood are another who have a rich benefactor who through his business has "issues" with some of his customers and is not universally popular but finds way to introduce a fortune into a club who are never going to be much bigger support wise? Forest Green another of the media darlings have spent a fortune of wages, agents fees etc while pushing their "eco" credentials.
I think it is as much the people of Crawley not having any affinity or sympathy with the issues and costs of running a football league club, while at the same time being more than willing to throw hard earned cash at already super rich clubs and players who have no more affinity with their local area than any big business.
Your point regarding Rymans is one often used as is the "badge of honour" statements on here by some in saying I am not coming to matches any more etc etc. I could probably say (in fact I do!!) "I would rather watch Crawley playing sparkling football in beating Barnet" after watching another limp PL game or another game where the "carrier bags" with all their millions couldnt raise a shot on target in a game? Yes we are crap at home at the moment and we have signed some crap, but when havent clubs done the same? I am as critical as most but do take exception with those who want to rub the clubs nose in the dirt because they are not as good as the armchair fans see on their expensive Sky or BT packages, or we dont have the charm of a cheaply assembled non league outfit. I personally dont watch very much Champions League pantomime, PL or usually dire Championship games on tv but will tune in to watch a Conference or FA Cup game because I can relate it more closely to us (the football often isnt very good!) but it doesnt mean I want to jump ship - that isnt what "supporting" your club is about is it?
Our Community Foundation does much good work in trying to generate interest in the club alongside the general community work they do and should be applauded. The problem seems to be that as we introduce younger fans in one end, the old or cynical or disillusioned or glory hunters disappear the other!

Rather than guessing I would recommend you get hold of a copy of Burton's accounts and have a look. You will find that far from being subsidised by Robinson, they actually MADE A PROFIT when they won League 1. You will find out that Robinson has lent them £300,000 in 10 years (Eren lent us £1m last season alone and HKP was putting in millions every season). You will also see that their finances are based on reinvesting the money they made in their cup run in 2006 (yes, 11 years ago) and a very successful commercial set up. And transfer profits (like Jackson Irvine).

As for the supporting your club bit, well maybe for the die hards, but I would suggest that Tuesday's crowd shows that there are not many mugs who will continue paying £18 plus a game indefinitely for the tripe we have been putting on at the Broadfield over the last 2/3 years. Crap at home "at the moment"?? Come on, what about the last 4 years?Like you I have been watching Crawley a long time (since 1989 interspersed with about 6 years working abroad), however this year was the first time for a long time that I seriously considered giving it up and eventually only renewed to give Eren the benefit of the doubt. In fact I would probably have changed my mind if I hadn't paid up before that calamitous first press conference where Kewell had little idea and Feeney sat there like a grinning buffoon.

There is a long way to go still, but I think if we don't do something today the trap door will start opening commercially as well as on the management front.

Not in any way belittling Burton's achievements and they have done very well as have Accrington Stanley, Exeter etc etc. I did see Robinson in the press say that the cup money paid the debt on the stadium but have not studied in detail the situation with loans, investments but is it not true there are many ways to put money in or take it out of a club. We were always told we didnt owe any money and didnt have any huge debts during Bruce W reign.
I posted earlier in the week that we have been crap at home for at least three season so if you want to pick up on my most recent post and our current plight feel free.

Simon
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 13:18:49 GMT via mobile

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Post by Simon on Sept 30, 2017 13:18:49 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 13:03:14 GMT mickf said:

Not in any way belittling Burton's achievements and they have done very well as have Accrington Stanley, Exeter etc etc. I did see Robinson in the press say that the cup money paid the debt on the stadium but have not studied in detail the situation with loans, investments but is it not true there are many ways to put money in or take it out of a club. We were always told we didnt owe any money and didnt have any huge debts during Bruce W reign.
I posted earlier in the week that we have been crap at home for at least three season so if you want to pick up on my most recent post and our current plight feel free.

Basically the owners can put money in by loan or capital.

If you put it in as a loan then the implication is that it is repayable (I believe that is what our owner has done). However it isn't easy to do that under financial fair play rules.

PH always put his money in as share capital which isn't repayable.

Robinson hasn't done either apart from the loan in 2006 and £50k a couple of years ago.

I didn't see the other post you refer to but these days it isn't as easy as 'you support the club and that's it'. Youngsters these days have a lot more options for spending their cash and paying £18 (or thereabouts) every other week to see us get stuffed isn't on the agenda.

1 shot on target in two games against Notts Co and Newport I believe....gripping stuff....wasn't Kewell giving it large at the recent fans forum about the number of chances we had?

Last Edit: Sept 30, 2017 13:20:47 GMT by Simon

lee66
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 13:30:37 GMT via mobile

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Post by lee66 on Sept 30, 2017 13:30:37 GMT

[quote author="Simon" source="/post/3797/thread" . Crawley has never been a big football town, Palace, the London clubs and Brighton less than an hour away. It will take a generation to change that [/quote]

Are you serious Simon.Crawley was a huge football town back in the day.We had so many teams playing in the Crawley leagues we had to make them play Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
Every factory and company had at least 2 or 3 teams.We had club houses and socual clubs all over the town alongside all the other clubs taking up every council pitch there was going.Lets not forget the massive amount of youth teams that played from every age group as well.Then we had the rest of the town following the clubs they were born near or parents supported.
To say Crawley has never been a big football town is just plain wrong.

Last Edit: Sept 30, 2017 13:35:31 GMT by lee66

Simon
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 14:44:54 GMT via mobile jb likes this

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Post by Simon on Sept 30, 2017 14:44:54 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 13:30:37 GMT lee66 said:

[Source] Simon said:

Crawley has never been a big football town, Palace, the London clubs and Brighton less than an hour away. It will take a generation to change that

Are you serious Simon.Crawley was a huge football town back in the day.We had so many teams playing in the Crawley leagues we had to make them play Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
Every factory and company had at least 2 or 3 teams.We had club houses and socual clubs all over the town alongside all the other clubs taking up every council pitch there was going.Lets not forget the massive amount of youth teams that played from every age group as well.Then we had the rest of the town following the clubs they were born near or parents supported.
To say Crawley has never been a big football town is just plain wrong.

You are talking about playing. I'm talking about people watching Crawley Town FC. Two completely different things.

Our support has always been limited, even 'back in the day'. When I started watching in the late 80s we were getting around 350 and that was an improvement on most of the 80s when it was around 200.

Let's not kid ourselves that the people of Crawley (or even the footballers of Crawley) have ever supported their local club.

lee66
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Posts: 88

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 15:15:45 GMT via mobile jb likes this

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Post by lee66 on Sept 30, 2017 15:15:45 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 14:44:54 GMT Simon said:

Sept 30, 2017 13:30:37 GMT lee66 said:

Are you serious Simon.Crawley was a huge football town back in the day.We had so many teams playing in the Crawley leagues we had to make them play Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
Every factory and company had at least 2 or 3 teams.We had club houses and socual clubs all over the town alongside all the other clubs taking up every council pitch there was going.Lets not forget the massive amount of youth teams that played from every age group as well.Then we had the rest of the town following the clubs they were born near or parents supported.
To say Crawley has never been a big football town is just plain wrong.

You are talking about playing. I'm talking about people watching Crawley Town FC. Two completely different things.

Our support has always been limited, even 'back in the day'. When I started watching in the late 80s we were getting around 350 and that was an improvement on most of the 80s when it was around 200.

Let's not kid ourselves that the people of Crawley (or even the footballers of Crawley) have ever supported their local club.

Yeah id agree with that.
Its a strange relatiobship the town has with the club.We all know people that dont go to games but will look out for their results or ask how theyre getting on.
We got the towns attention back in 2010/11 but unfortunatly blew it.

Red, Red & Red
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Posts: 2,217

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 17:15:56 GMT via mobile

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Post by Red, Red & Red on Sept 30, 2017 17:15:56 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 15:15:45 GMT lee66 said:

Sept 30, 2017 14:44:54 GMT Simon said:

You are talking about playing. I'm talking about people watching Crawley Town FC. Two completely different things.

Our support has always been limited, even 'back in the day'. When I started watching in the late 80s we were getting around 350 and that was an improvement on most of the 80s when it was around 200.

Let's not kid ourselves that the people of Crawley (or even the footballers of Crawley) have ever supported their local club.

Yeah id agree with that.
Its a strange relatiobship the town has with the club.We all know people that dont go to games but will look out for their results or ask how theyre getting on.
We got the towns attention back in 2010/11 but unfortunatly blew it.

Cup success could galvanise interest and what side does HK put out?

damo
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Posts: 377

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 19:38:53 GMT hickmottsenior likes this

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Post by damo on Sept 30, 2017 19:38:53 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 11:40:30 GMT Simon said:

Sept 30, 2017 10:59:52 GMT mickf said:

Burton may have all those teams but with their level of support which over the years has not been that different to ours, Robinson must have been chucking money into the 1st team as pretty much all of those players are not going to be playing in the Championship for the love of Burton and the crowds they got in Lge 1 and now couldnt sustain that level? Fleetwood are another who have a rich benefactor who through his business has "issues" with some of his customers and is not universally popular but finds way to introduce a fortune into a club who are never going to be much bigger support wise? Forest Green another of the media darlings have spent a fortune of wages, agents fees etc while pushing their "eco" credentials.
I think it is as much the people of Crawley not having any affinity or sympathy with the issues and costs of running a football league club, while at the same time being more than willing to throw hard earned cash at already super rich clubs and players who have no more affinity with their local area than any big business.
Your point regarding Rymans is one often used as is the "badge of honour" statements on here by some in saying I am not coming to matches any more etc etc. I could probably say (in fact I do!!) "I would rather watch Crawley playing sparkling football in beating Barnet" after watching another limp PL game or another game where the "carrier bags" with all their millions couldnt raise a shot on target in a game? Yes we are crap at home at the moment and we have signed some crap, but when havent clubs done the same? I am as critical as most but do take exception with those who want to rub the clubs nose in the dirt because they are not as good as the armchair fans see on their expensive Sky or BT packages, or we dont have the charm of a cheaply assembled non league outfit. I personally dont watch very much Champions League pantomime, PL or usually dire Championship games on tv but will tune in to watch a Conference or FA Cup game because I can relate it more closely to us (the football often isnt very good!) but it doesnt mean I want to jump ship - that isnt what "supporting" your club is about is it?
Our Community Foundation does much good work in trying to generate interest in the club alongside the general community work they do and should be applauded. The problem seems to be that as we introduce younger fans in one end, the old or cynical or disillusioned or glory hunters disappear the other!

Rather than guessing I would recommend you get hold of a copy of Burton's accounts and have a look. You will find that far from being subsidised by Robinson, they actually MADE A PROFIT when they won League 1. You will find out that Robinson has lent them £300,000 in 10 years (Eren lent us £1m last season alone and HKP was putting in millions every season). You will also see that their finances are based on reinvesting the money they made in their cup run in 2006 (yes, 11 years ago) and a very successful commercial set up. And transfer profits (like Jackson Irvine).

As for the supporting your club bit, well maybe for the die hards, but I would suggest that Tuesday's crowd shows that there are not many mugs who will continue paying £18 plus a game indefinitely for the tripe we have been putting on at the Broadfield over the last 2/3 years. Crap at home "at the moment"?? Come on, what about the last 4 years?Like you I have been watching Crawley a long time (since 1989 interspersed with about 6 years working abroad), however this year was the first time for a long time that I seriously considered giving it up and eventually only renewed to give Eren the benefit of the doubt. In fact I would probably have changed my mind if I hadn't paid up before that calamitous first press conference where Kewell had little idea and Feeney sat there like a grinning buffoon.

There is a long way to go still, but I think if we don't do something today the trap door will start opening commercially as well as on the management front.

This for me says it all in a nutshell. I can't claim I was there back in the Town Mead days - I wasn't . I started in 2008 when the club was already on an upward trajectory. The last 3 seasons have been such hard work and this year I just haven't felt the compulsion to go down (although this is partly due to my son - who has supported CTFC since he was 8 and always come with me - getting a Saturday job). I have my own (Cardiff related) reasons for not being a Feeney fan, and the Kewell/Feeney stewardship left me cold before the season even started. If anyone accused me of supporting my local team when times were good, then turning my back during the rough times, I would have to accept that they have a point. However, I'm someone that has spent 10 years at least trying to provide my support, and I'm just not prepared to part with the heard-earned any more. Hardly surprising that locals with an even lower level of previous involvement continue to shun the club.

Alex BH
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Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 22:13:20 GMT Grumpy Git likes this

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Post by Alex BH on Sept 30, 2017 22:13:20 GMT

Even during our first season in League One, in our highest ever finish in the top half of League One, we struggled to get 3000 home fans regularly. A lot of our attendance figures were boosted by playing some big clubs like Sheffield United and some local teams like Orient and Gillingham who all brought a large follwing with them. Then of course, there's the hundreds, possibly thousands of freebee's given out around that time to local schools etc. and we still had poor attendances.

Even after 2 successive promotions and 2 excellent cup runs featuring a trip to Old Trafford to play one of the biggest clubs in the world on live TV we still couldn't capture the imagination (well sustained support) of the town of Crawley and the wider West Sussex area.

We reached a relatively high standard, we played some big games against Premier League and Championship opposition in the cup, we've played good football and reached out to the local community and still they aren't really interested.

It's going to be long time before we can be anywhere near the likes of Burton in the Championship, where I'm sure we'd all rather be and the owners have said they want us to be.

We're going to have build the club back up again after peaking in the top half of League One. I think it'll take a while to get back up to League One and back up to the heights of 3000- 4000 home attendances let alone get where we want the club to be at even higher attendances and a higher standard of football after 4 seasons of absolute dross being served up coupled with mismanagement in the backroom as well as on the pitch. We'll have to win back what little support and trust from the fans we had a few years ago!

The club needs to rethink everything, from the top down- player recruitment, management and coaching structure, youth structure and academy (or lack of), backroom staff, catering etc. and come up with a viable plan.

I thought Mr Eren and co could be the ones to do it, like Theresa May, they talk a good game, but have so far failed deliver and our rapidly losing the trust and respect of the fans.

Bianchiboy
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Posts: 56

Hong kong Paul and the missed opportunities. Sept 30, 2017 22:34:44 GMT via mobile Alex BH likes this

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Post by Bianchiboy on Sept 30, 2017 22:34:44 GMT

Sept 30, 2017 14:44:54 GMT Simon said:

Sept 30, 2017 13:30:37 GMT lee66 said:

Are you serious Simon.Crawley was a huge football town back in the day.We had so many teams playing in the Crawley leagues we had to make them play Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
Every factory and company had at least 2 or 3 teams.We had club houses and socual clubs all over the town alongside all the other clubs taking up every council pitch there was going.Lets not forget the massive amount of youth teams that played from every age group as well.Then we had the rest of the town following the clubs they were born near or parents supported.
To say Crawley has never been a big football town is just plain wrong.

You are talking about playing. I'm talking about people watching Crawley Town FC. Two completely different things.

Our support has always been limited, even 'back in the day'. When I started watching in the late 80s we were getting around 350 and that was an improvement on most of the 80s when it was around 200.

Let's not kid ourselves that the people of Crawley (or even the footballers of Crawley) have ever supported their local club.

There are many people who love their football in Crawley town, they just don’t love Crawley Town FC.