Will FC get Pwned in the UniBond League First Division?

Originally Posted by twoleftfeet

either way fc losing money...

Yep. I've heard the rent Bury charge is £5,000 per week. That's £#%&!loads to make up, no matter how many mousemats we sell

Originally Posted by Zorg

We will find it much harder in the Northern Premier (i.e. the Unibond), apparently there is a big jump in standard.

I was chatting to a Skelmersdale fan at the Formby away the other night, who said that Skem have been surprised how physical games in the Unibond can be. Verging on brutal, apparently. Since FC tend to be a little lightweight at times in midfield and have been occasionally bullied out of games, that may be an area that the manager will need to address in the event that we win promotion.

Originally Posted by twoleftfeet

from what i understand, bury sold the rights for their catering facilities so all money taken goes to a third party, both from fc games and burys

Correct. The catering at Gigg Lane is awful also, to add insult to injury.

Originally Posted by Riverside

I was chatting to a Skelmersdale fan at the Formby away the other night, who said that Skem have been surprised how physical games in the Unibond can be. Verging on brutal, apparently. Since FC tend to be a little lightweight at times in midfield and have been occasionally bullied out of games, that may be an area that the manager will need to address in the event that we win promotion.

Good point.

We could do with a couple more mentalists in midfield, that's for sure.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Yes, announced at the AGM last week. We are hemmoraging literally thousands every match to pay Bury for the use of Gigg Lane, and we don't get any of the catering receipts - Bury keep all of it. This is why we desperately need to raise enough for a ground of our own, or we could be £#%&!ed in 10 years.

10 years? My understanding is that we would be lucky to survive 5 more years based on current losses. I don't see acquiring our own ground as being realistic in that time frame either, unless a club member is fortunate enough to win the lottery, and the club are fortunate enough for that club member to make a sizeable donation.

In my view, we need to end the Bury ground share as soon as possible and arrange a more affordable ground share, ideally with a non-league club who will also benefit from ground sharing revenue.

Originally Posted by Riverside

10 years? My understanding is that we would be lucky to survive 5 more years based on current losses. I don't see acquiring our own ground as being realistic in that time frame either, unless a club member is fortunate enough to win the lottery, and the club are fortunate enough for that club member to make a sizeable donation.

In my view, we need to end the Bury ground share as soon as possible and arrange a more affordable ground share, ideally with a non-league club who will also benefit from ground sharing revenue.

Yes, I agree. I wasn't able to attend the AGM so what I've said I've picked up from others.

Gigg Lane is too big and too costly for sure.

We should try to buy out Flixton FC then build their ground up, not sure if the owner of Flixton would go for it but it's a great little location and if it had stands all the way around it could easily hold 8-10k which would be perfect for a good few years.

I wouldnt be opposed to some sort of merger down the line either, as long as we can keep our name and identity.

Unibond will be tough and IMO could be the ultimate undoing of FC - We could get stuck there for years...

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Gigg Lane is too big and too costly for sure.

We should try to buy out Flixton FC then build their ground up, not sure if the owner of Flixton would go for it but it's a great little location and if it had stands all the way around it could easily hold 8-10k which would be perfect for a good few years.

I wouldnt be opposed to some sort of merger down the line either, as long as we can keep our name and identity.

Unibond will be tough and IMO could be the ultimate undoing of FC - We could get stuck there for years...

Well, someone else suggested buying Maine Road's ground and sharing it with them. There's a lot of space there. I seem to remember houses immediately behind the Bus Stop at Flixton

I was well up for watching FC (Founder member and all that) on my visits back to the UK, when they announced they would be playing at Droylsden, however when they switched to Bury it became out of the question. Bury is £#%&!ing miles away from Central Manchester. I think FC could get even more fans if they play in Manchester (I wouldn't class Bury as being in Manchester its £#%&!ing yonner central round there). Flixton sounds a bit better.

Originally Posted by Kim Jong-il

I was well up for watching FC (Founder member and all that) on my visits back to the UK, when they announced they would be playing at Droylsden, however when they switched to Bury it became out of the question. Bury is £#%&!ing miles away from Central Manchester. I think FC could get even more fans if they play in Manchester (I wouldn't class Bury as being in Manchester its £#%&!ing yonner central round there). Flixton sounds a bit better.

True, Bury isn't in Manchester, though it's a direct tram journey from Manchester so it's not that hard to get to.

Originally Posted by Zorg

True, Bury isn't in Manchester, though it's a direct tram journey from Manchester so it's not that hard to get to.

True but I can't help but think they shot themselves in the foot straight away taking it to Bury. Fair enough they needed a stadium quick time but they should have switched somewhere cheaper/nearer for the second season.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Gigg Lane is too big and too costly for sure.

We should try to buy out Flixton FC then build their ground up, not sure if the owner of Flixton would go for it but it's a great little location and if it had stands all the way around it could easily hold 8-10k which would be perfect for a good few years.

I wouldnt be opposed to some sort of merger down the line either, as long as we can keep our name and identity.

Unibond will be tough and IMO could be the ultimate undoing of FC - We could get stuck there for years...

A very good mate of mine sits next to the Flixton treasurer at his work, I could sound him out about it if you like see what he has to say.

Originally Posted by Prideofalleurope

Pwned

punished in old old old English.

Originally Posted by Riverside

10 years? My understanding is that we would be lucky to survive 5 more years based on current losses. I don't see acquiring our own ground as being realistic in that time frame either, unless a club member is fortunate enough to win the lottery, and the club are fortunate enough for that club member to make a sizeable donation.

In my view, we need to end the Bury ground share as soon as possible and arrange a more affordable ground share, ideally with a non-league club who will also benefit from ground sharing revenue.

Can you get yourself over to the dark side and let some of the £#%&!ers on there know that.
Most of them think it runs on cheese and moonshine.

Originally Posted by Kim Jong-il

True but I can't help but think they shot themselves in the foot straight away taking it to Bury. Fair enough they needed a stadium quick time but they should have switched somewhere cheaper/nearer for the second season.

As far as I'm aware, Bury was by no means the first choice but the other options were just not viable. There were reasons.

Originally Posted by Zorg

There were reasons.

Yeah I know the dibble squashed the Droylsden idea the @#%&!s. Reckoned they couldn't police it. They would have had to divert resources from harrassing motorists or something. The dibble in Bury don't have such problems apparently as they still use horses and carts there and the only crimes that occur are black pudding theft.

Originally Posted by Kim Jong-il

Yeah I know the dibble squashed the Droylsden idea the @#%&!s. Reckoned they couldn't police it. They would have had to divert resources from harrassing motorists or something. The dibble in Bury don't have such problems apparently as they still use horses and carts there and the only crimes that occur are black pudding theft.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Gigg We should try to buy out Flixton FC ..

I'm sure the Flixton fans would love that.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Yes, announced at the AGM last week. We are hemmoraging literally thousands every match to pay Bury for the use of Gigg Lane, and we don't get any of the catering receipts - Bury keep all of it. This is why we desperately need to raise enough for a ground of our own, or we could be £#%&!ed in 10 years.

That doesn't stop the 'FC Chelsea' comments from certain #@&%!s though.

You could ask Glazer for a loan?

If the worst comes to the worst, we should draw lots to see who has to borrow a shitload of money at ludicrous rates of interest to buy FC, then immediately transfer all the debt onto the club. The other fans will stop going in protest, and have to set up another club for something to do on a Saturday afternoon. Loads of money will be raised in initial donations, and everything will be OK for another couple of years. Apart from the new Glazer bloke who will have to do a Captain Oats and fall on their sword. Admitedly survival will mean a never-ending cycle of boom and bust, and constantly setting up new clubs. And it'll probably get to the point that you can't even remember who you £#%&!ing support any more, but hey it's survival.