Sons' sorrow

[Frank Quitely]

So apart from flaky Pixie Lott, a website from Hell and a pitch like soggy pakora everything's tickety-boo ?

[Sweet Pete]

Enjoyed the podcast as ever. Thought Aitken came across well.

[microdave]

Only one point from our last three away games isn't title winning form and we got lucky gaining points in the previous two at Bonnyrigg and Albion Rovers. I'm a wee bit surprised that Stirling are still snapping at our heels and not ahead of us already given that points return. 

And even though we're unbeaten at home, I fear the pitch is going to cost us in (at least) one of the upcoming games a la Alloa last year.

[Clarko_son]

8 minutes ago, microdave said:

 And even though we're unbeaten at home, I fear the pitch is going to cost us in (at least) one of the upcoming games a la Alloa last year.

Probably not going to help it's having matches played on it

25th and 28th Feb

4th 7th 11th 16th and 18th March

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

1 hour ago, microdave said:

I'm a wee bit surprised that Stirling are still snapping at our heels and not ahead of us already given that points return. 

We had a run of postponements and when we got back to playing a lot of the momentum had gone. We're still stuttering a wee bit but the attitude of the players is first class. Salvaging a point when 2 down with our keeper sent off (unjustly in my opinion but I'll need to see the highlights to be sure) after only 14 minutes says a lot about the boys' self belief. But there's a very long way to go.  It will probably come down to Stirling and Dumbarton for the title but I wouldn't rule out annan either. Injuries and suspensions are going to be key. 

[microdave]

21 minutes ago, TheVoiceofReason said:

We had a run of postponements and when we got back to playing a lot of the momentum had gone. We're still stuttering a wee bit but the attitude of the players is first class. Salvaging a point when 2 down with our keeper sent off (unjustly in my opinion but I'll need to see the highlights to be sure) after only 14 minutes says a lot about the boys' self belief. But there's a very long way to go.  It will probably come down to Stirling and Dumbarton for the title but I wouldn't rule out annan either. Injuries and suspensions are going to be key. 

Aye, I had a wee look at your last few games and I'm not sure I'd realised how long you'd gone without playing. I suppose I was surprised you've not overtaken us since you've only played one game fewer than us. Looking from the outside, that was definitely a point gained today.

Having blown some smoke up Stirling's arse, I hope Forfar hand it to you next week

[TheVoiceofReason]

1 hour ago, microdave said:

Aye, I had a wee look at your last few games and I'm not sure I'd realised how long you'd gone without playing. I suppose I was surprised you've not overtaken us since you've only played one game fewer than us. Looking from the outside, that was definitely a point gained today.

Having blown some smoke up Stirling's arse, I hope Forfar hand it to you next week

Mr Grieve (referee) appears to have been a factor too.  So digging out results when you're not playing all that well and not getting too many breaks is important.  I think our game at forfar will be tough too.  They're revitalised under ray McKinnon and had a decent squad to begin with. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

13 hours ago, microdave said:

Only one point from our last three away games isn't title winning form and we got lucky gaining points in the previous two at Bonnyrigg and Albion Rovers. I'm a wee bit surprised that Stirling are still snapping at our heels and not ahead of us already given that points return. 

And even though we're unbeaten at home, I fear the pitch is going to cost us in (at least) one of the upcoming games a la Alloa last year.

The situation with the pitch is largely self-inflicted, and I suspect the decision to host Rangers B was made primarily on financial grounds.  Who made that decision isn't clear but I wouldn't be surprised if pressure was put on the club board by the majority shareholder.  As neither the club ownership or the club Chairman make any public statements about anything then we can only speculate.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by O'Kelly Isley III

[BallochSonsFan]

It was almost certainly due to financial consideration. It would be interesting to know how much we actually make from the deal and whether or not the £35k we lost from the non-payment of sponsorship money would have been enough for us to cancel the Rangers B deal?

There's an argument that unfortunately the club needs every single copper it can get its hands on and if Rangers B are paying good money then we're not in the position to refuse. There's also an argument that if it isnt good money then the damage to our pitch might cost us promotion and that costs us far more money in the long run.

As much as fans don't really like them, the ideal solution would be a synthetic surface. But those cost a decent 6 figure sum and are financially beyond us without new investment or some serious grant money.

[Clarko_son]

A figure I had heard was that Rangers B use of the ground accounted for about 10% of our income for last season. 

I was trying to see if I could find out what that was in £ terms and see that Cognitive Capital are overdue for a confirmation statement, their company accounts and have been served with a strike off notice on companies house

[O'Kelly Isley III]

33 minutes ago, BallochSonsFan said:

It was almost certainly due to financial consideration. It would be interesting to know how much we actually make from the deal and whether or not the £35k we lost from the non-payment of sponsorship money would have been enough for us to cancel the Rangers B deal?

There's an argument that unfortunately the club needs every single copper it can get its hands on and if Rangers B are paying good money then we're not in the position to refuse. There's also an argument that if it isnt good money then the damage to our pitch might cost us promotion and that costs us far more money in the long run.

As much as fans don't really like them, the ideal solution would be a synthetic surface. But those cost a decent 6 figure sum and are financially beyond us without new investment or some serious grant money.

Every club needs every penny but very few of them agree to a sponsorship deal with an individual who had already welched on a previous deal.  And this has hee-haw to do with ground-sharing.

As for the 'good money' from that ground-sharing, say it was £1500* a game, that would amount to £30k over 20 games - how does that sound against potentially hindering promotion ?

(* just my guess ).

[The Moonster]

It's clear the cash we take in isn't enough to service the maintenance costs of having two teams play on the pitch, so I fail to see what we gain from it. Although I don't doubt having a local groundsman who didn't have an obsession with sand would improve things immeasurably. We've survived without their cash before and will survive without their cash in future, but if we want to move up the leagues and attract footballers to the club instead of hammer throwers then the board need to dedicate a bit of resource to improving the pitch. 

[Sons Fan]

59 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

It's clear the cash we take in isn't enough to service the maintenance costs of having two teams play on the pitch, so I fail to see what we gain from it. Although I don't doubt having a local groundsman who didn't have an obsession with sand would improve things immeasurably. We've survived without their cash before and will survive without their cash in future, but if we want to move up the leagues and attract footballers to the club instead of hammer throwers then the board need to dedicate a bit of resource to improving the pitch. 

I mean I know nothing about pitches and their maintenance but I tent to agree that a local groundsman would make sense. When Dumbarton Rock looked after it it was in a lot better condition. Granted only 1 team played on it AFAIK.

Surely at the start of the season someone in the know about pitches could say if two teams playing on it would work or to do that you need to do xyz. 

[FifeSons]

With 5 out of the next 6 at home, we really need to go and put a strong run together. Essential we win the next two, with Stranraer away after that.

[Sweet Pete]

1 hour ago, FifeSons said:

With 5 out of the next 6 at home, we really need to go and put a strong run together. Essential we win the next two, with Stranraer away after that.

Big phase of the season coming up. In 6 games' time we'll have a better idea of whether we finish with a title, or slide into playoff ignominy.

[Clarko_son]

I was a bit surprised to hear about this although I have absolutely no idea what the circumstances are behind it all. As much as tribute nights etc aren't really my thing they would've brought some money, bit of community engagement and all that good stuff.

The statement there doesn't say about it but the bar was run by them as it well was it not?

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Is the guy who runs the company/dresses up as Freddie Mercury not also on the board?

[Clarko_son]

3 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

Is the guy who runs the company/dresses up as Freddie Mercury not also on the board?

He is indeed, an associate director whatever that means

[BallochSonsFan]

Deeply concerning. The various events were never my thing, but they brought in money. Money that the club really needs.

We're reaching a point where the board need to be open and transparent. Exactly what state are club finances in? Who is doing what at the club? Do we even have a functioning local club board or are we reliant on good will and a few folk trying desperately to rearrange the deck chairs as somebody mentions something about an iceberg in the distance?

The club's dodgy absentee owner remains the biggest danger but I'm massively concerned that our local club board are divorced from reality. And that starts with the chairman.

[Sweet Pete]

That's not so good. Jim's a smashing guy and since he took over you can actually get a decent pint in the bar now. Hard to tell much from that statement, without purely speculating on what could be behind it.