The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[railwayend]

9 minutes ago, AyrExile said:

That will be the same with most clubs. Money is drying up in every day life for all and not many companies will avoid it. The timing of our new capital investment also couldn't be any worse but difficult to time these things

If I’m right I think the new stand pretty much trebles our now defunct match day hospitality capacity. This is massive as it’s here that we can out gun some of our rivals as opposed to just turnstile numbers (which are also hugely important). Also this also opens us up to St Johnstone esq revenue streams . That and keeping us dry and free from seagull shit . Yes this infrastructure addition is a must !

[Trogdor]

I'm looking forward to the game today.

I'm really not sure what to expect. It should be a decent test as Stirling are on the up, having won League 2. They've also been scoring for fun. Puting 6 past Dundonald Bluebell and 5 past Civil Service Strollers without reply.

Our team is obviously a work in progress. I'm looking forward to see the new guys (particularly Murphy) and I'm hoping with Dipo away that we won't go route 1 all the time! 

I think we'll shade this but it'll be a tight affair. 2-1 to the good guys.

[Roxanne's man]

Will the trialist be signing then? Counting Ashford as the soul winger

Edited July 15, 2023 by Roxanne's man

[GaryMc93]

Regarding the new stand a business club facility always seemed like a bad idea in the post covid WFH era so no big deal that's scrapped.

As for Ecrepont, I wouldn't worry if I was him. The last highly rated LB we had that a manager deemed not good enough has won promotion and played in the top flight more times than we have. Finn clearly had ability as a youngster but training can only do so much without a manager willing to give regular game time in your own position and overlook a few mistakes (he does for Reading).

[diegomarahenry]

If we have gone from breaking even to almost making a 6 figure loss, then that is concerning. especially when you take in to account the best selling shirts, the hub and record season ticket sales as well as average gates being up. 

However, it is always better that football clubs at this level plead poverty. 

[super_carson]

My issue with Bullen's assessment of Ecrepont is that he hasn't really given him much of a chance, especially when compared to Reading. I don't think it's a bad thing that Bullen has made these comments publicly, but I would just hope he's had these conversations with the players privately first. 

Ecrepont has been reduced to loan spells, cameo appearances off of the bench or being played out of position. Yes, I understand that he'll see him in training but it's not really the same as a game.  I think it's fairly obvious that Bullen has his favourites, we saw that with O'Connor last season and we are seeing it with Ecrepont now. 

[D'Jaffo]

10 hours ago, Thumper said:

I dearly hope every single pronoun in that sentence was intended to refer to Lee Bullen and not the single c**t that kept Lee Bullen in a job this year.

I don't imagine Ecrepont could be feeling worse tonight either.

Nothing said tonight would be a surprise to Ecrepont. Those discussions have taken place and Bullen didn’t say anything out of turn. 
 

He saw Dipo every day so I’d say he’s more than qualified to speak on his state of mind and he said he was offered help in the shape of the club psychologist but he refused. 

9 hours ago, Mod1967 said:

Very unprofessional if he had a go at Dipo, the lad single handedly made our season, how would he like it if someone stood up at an open forum and criticized him say...you want to have seen the big thick managers performance up at FALKIRK for instance, if I remember he openly mentioned that Tomi Adeloye had issues last year, which at the time I thought disgraceful, maybe Bully should concentrate in getting his teams to play football. 

On the similar subject a director saying any player is shite whether they've left or not is disgusting, again maybe the directors should concentrate on improving the clubs communication,ST administration and in the 21st century their media infrastructure, we maybe are improving but that is incredibly unprofessional. 

Obviously if it was all said, as I wasn't there. 

No one called anyone shite. Wullie Houston said he was surprised at the drop off in Jordan Houston. Said he was flying when we first brought him in and then he had a couple bad injuries which affected him and the targeting of him from the crowd didn’t help either. Said he hopes he get back to his best at QOS as he can be a good player. 

[railwayend]

11 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

we have gone from breaking even to almost making a 6 figure loss,

Other way round , but yes low profile , the grey man is the way to go . 
 

Ironically todays game is pretty big given qualification from our group will May bring in a cash windfall (much needed) . We are going into it a bit light but it is what it is …

[D'Jaffo]

13 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

If we have gone from breaking even to almost making a 6 figure loss, then that is concerning. especially when you take in to account the best selling shirts, the hub and record season ticket sales as well as average gates being up. 

However, it is always better that football clubs at this level plead poverty. 

Yeah I was surprised that they said that Mark McKenzies goal up at Inverness effectively meant they broke even however I’d imagine they would’ve invested heavily in Mullin and Maguires contracts.

They’ll want clubs and players to think they aren’t flush with cash even after selling Dipo so they can get a fair deal on incomings. I’d imagine that was a big part of trying to get Ruari Paton back in April before Akinyemi was leaving. 

[No_Problemo]

9 minutes ago, super_carson said:

My issue with Bullen's assessment of Ecrepont is that he hasn't really given him much of a chance, especially when compared to Reading. I don't think it's a bad thing that Bullen has made these comments publicly, but I would just hope he's had these conversations with the players privately first. 

Ecrepont has been reduced to loan spells, cameo appearances off of the bench or being played out of position. Yes, I understand that he'll see him in training but it's not really the same as a game.  I think it's fairly obvious that Bullen has his favourites, we saw that with O'Connor last season and we are seeing it with Ecrepont now. 

Bullen will have seen Ecrepont in numerous reserve games and on loan at Stranraer too so it isn’t just based on training. 

[AyrExile]

38 minutes ago, railwayend said:

If I’m right I think the new stand pretty much trebles our now defunct match day hospitality capacity. This is massive as it’s here that we can out gun some of our rivals as opposed to just turnstile numbers (which are also hugely important). Also this also opens us up to St Johnstone esq revenue streams . That and keeping us dry and free from seagull shit . Yes this infrastructure addition is a must !

Yes it will be a great addition to help boost our team on the park. St Johnstone seem to do well but they might also have found a good location. Not good for the average fan but being next to the main road should keep their business facility busy all week 

[Mod1967]

Just now, D'Jaffo said:

Nothing said tonight would be a surprise to Ecrepont. Those discussions have taken place and Bullen didn’t say anything out of turn. 
 

He saw Dipo every day so I’d say he’s more than qualified to speak on his state of mind and he said he was offered help in the shape of the club psychologist but he refused. 

No one called anyone shite. Wullie Houston said he was surprised at the drop off in Jordan Houston. Said he was flying when we first brought him in and then he had a couple bad injuries which affected him and the targeting of him from the crowd didn’t help either. Said he hopes he get back to his best at QOS as he can be a good player. 

Yip I apologise, my mate who was there put me straight, I did say however IF IT WAS ACTUALLY SAID I was quoting someone else on here who said the director said Houston was shite, however I shouldn't have jumped in with size 10s, lesson learned for me. 

I do think these open forums are dangerous I we talk about individuals especially those who've left, far better in my opinion to Thank them for their service and wish them well, just my opinion 

Lesson learned for me!!!

[Trogdor]

Aye, finishing Second and a Scottish Cup quarter final run and we only broke even? I think there is a bit of managing the message there. 

Otherwise, there are serious questions over our budgeting and how we are operating the club from an I&E perspective. That would not be a sustainable way to operate.

Were any one off costs cited as to why we were on course for a six figure loss? Is that where they talked about games being moved and away attendances and moving kick off times? I'm all for moving the kick off time later on a Saturday. You can make a day of it then.

 

[Superhursty7]

Connor McLennan still has not got a club since leaving Aberdeen he's one I would like to see us take a punt on.

[diegomarahenry]

10 hours ago, diegomarahenry said:

There were no real moments of awe and wonder apart from one guy who said rather than asked, When is the communication on the pitch going to get better, at the Thistle game, none of the players were having a go at each other when we were getting beat.

Bullen asked if they were quiet when we beat Thistle at the start of the season or when we.......mentioned other results. He said that a lot of the team are very young and they only have 3 real talkers in the squad and he'd like more, Murphy has bags of experience and oozes class but is a "quiet lad"

One question was, who surprised you most last season, They went round the panel, Bullen said Albinson, Mathie and Smith both said McCallister and the other director (cant remember his name) basically said, Houston was shite! 

 

6 minutes ago, Mod1967 said:

Yip I apologise, my mate who was there put me straight, I did say however IF IT WAS ACTUALLY SAID I was quoting someone else on here who said the director said Houston was shite, however I shouldn't have jumped in with size 10s, lesson learned for me. 

I do think these open forums are dangerous I we talk about individuals especially those who've left, far better in my opinion to Thank them for their service and wish them well, just my opinion 

Lesson learned for me!!!

 

[AyrExile]

14 minutes ago, super_carson said:

My issue with Bullen's assessment of Ecrepont is that he hasn't really given him much of a chance, especially when compared to Reading. I don't think it's a bad thing that Bullen has made these comments publicly, but I would just hope he's had these conversations with the players privately first. 

Ecrepont has been reduced to loan spells, cameo appearances off of the bench or being played out of position. Yes, I understand that he'll see him in training but it's not really the same as a game.  I think it's fairly obvious that Bullen has his favourites, we saw that with O'Connor last season and we are seeing it with Ecrepont now. 

McGinty would be another example although his perseverance paid off as he was decent for half of this season. Still can't remember many other captains having as many bombscare moments tbf but Bullen stuck by him

[honestly united]

3 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

Aye, finishing Second and a Scottish Cup quarter final run and we only broke even? I think there is a bit of managing the message there. 

Otherwise, there are serious questions over our budgeting and how we are operating the club from an I&E perspective. That would not be a sustainable way to operate.

Were any one off costs cited as to why we were on course for a six figure loss? Is that where they talked about games being moved and away attendances and moving kick off times? I'm all for moving the kick off time later on a Saturday. You can make a day of it then.

 

To be fair is the difference in prize money from 2nd to 5th in the 6 figure range?

[AyrExile]

4 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

Aye, finishing Second and a Scottish Cup quarter final run and we only broke even? I think there is a bit of managing the message there. 

Otherwise, there are serious questions over our budgeting and how we are operating the club from an I&E perspective. That would not be a sustainable way to operate.

Were any one off costs cited as to why we were on course for a six figure loss? Is that where they talked about games being moved and away attendances and moving kick off times? I'm all for moving the kick off time later on a Saturday. You can make a day of it then.

 

No doubt operating costs increased markedly but won't explain that change. Guessing the loan players wages must have cost a lot but some of those are good players 

[Richey Edwards]

MATCH DAY

[Trogdor]

11 minutes ago, honestly united said:

To be fair is the difference in prize money from 2nd to 5th in the 6 figure range?

It'll be a decent chunk. That's precisely my point though a 2nd place finish and Scottish Cup quarter final should have been a windfall and a decent profit. We won't do that every season. It shouldn't be break even for us. Unless we heavily invested in the squad and were budgeting for a six figure loss anyway.

9 minutes ago, AyrExile said:

No doubt operating costs increased markedly but won't explain that change. Guessing the loan players wages must have cost a lot but some of those are good players 

Yeah inflation will be hurting the club as it is all businesses.

I think there is maybe a wee bit of creative accounting going on as well. We don't want to be proclaiming that we've made a fortune as demands go up from prospective players and fan expectations with it.