Eastwood, The FA and our club

[RobYeltz]

Knowledge and truth are out there, adjust your horizons.

I can see what is happening at the club, and I'm fully aware of how to do my research, I can also speak to people who know far more than I. Referring to people as 'fools', because they may not now as much as you is rude. I'm not keen on your arrogant, obnoxious attitude so I'll leave my thoughts away from this thread.

[RaidenYeltz]

'What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.'

Sir Bobby Robson, who would have been 81 today.

Sums up perfectly why I've fell in love with Halesowen. Professional football has lost sight of this. Football shouldn't be about business. We shouldn't concern ourselves about who's doing what behind the scenes in the board room.

We should only concern our selves with Halesowen Town FC on the pitch where it counts.

[RobYeltz]

'What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.'

Sir Bobby Robson, who would have been 81 today.

Sums up perfectly why I've fell in love with Halesowen. Professional football has lost sight of this. Football shouldn't be about business. We shouldn't concern ourselves about who's doing what behind the scenes in the board room.

We should only concern our selves with Halesowen Town FC on the pitch where it counts.

Whilst in essence I shouldn't disagree with you, if things invarioubly do go wrong then at this level of football there might not be a club left. It's credit to the relevant people who saved the club sometime ago that Halesowen Town is still Halesowen Town and not AFC Halesowen. I understand peoples cautiousness and feel it is right to be a critical friend. What I don't agree with is the patronising of others who don't claim to be in the know or are as aware.

[RaidenYeltz]

Very true, I suppose.

If / when we ever get into a mess due to being miss-managed again, then that's the time to act. I can't see what good it'll do pointing the fingers now? I don't think it'll help worrying about and questioning such things, when all is seemingly well.

As fans we should first and foremost support the club on the field. People come and go, but the football club we support stays the same.

While I'm not saying totally ignore the financial side, as you rightly say it could end Halesowen Town FC as we know it.

But given the mess we've been through, is this likely? (without taking such things likely), it's my understanding that there's a fund / trust in place to save the club should the time arise?

In either case, if the 'truth' is out there as suggested above, then surely that person should be crying wolf louder, so to speak? If it's that worrying to him.

I don't think there's any reason to believe wrong doings are going on or we're struggling for cash that bad.

In essence I'm aware of what can and has happened, but I believe ultimately we've got the support to come through it and as a result will just concentrate on the playing side. That's what I was trying to get across!

[watsisnerm]

can i just say, from someone who is `in the know` that the imortant thing is what happens on the pitch and that is down to a good manager his staff and team and they are there due to the wage budget that is available to them and those monies WILL be forth coming till the end off the season. so lets enjoy the football and hopefully the results, because if theres something ive realised over the last 30 odd years its to make the most of enjoying the good times when they`re here...and these ARE good times!!

[YeltzDoc]

I've desperately tried to keep out of this one, but, hey-ho.

Unfortunately, there's no fighting fund or trust to keep the club afloat. I haven't seen the books of the club for a few years but it has always been the case that the club needs about 20-30K of investment every year, above whatever comes from the gate / clubhouse / sponsors etc to keep afloat.

In years where we are well supported this figure is less (it's good this year but the days of 800+ averages seem a long way away), in years where we have a lot of sponsors, this figure is also less. But I've seen many sets of accounts of the old HTFC and it has never been less that about 10-15K.

We are all indebted to the people who have put this money into the club in the past, but the beast needs to be constantly fed.

The concern that HH started this thread with, is that we don't know that this investment is secured from here on. Now, we are not naïve enough to believe that this is an unusual situation - I'm sure many, if not most, clubs at our level live from hand-to-mouth.

I believe that a huge amount of investment from Mike has been ploughed into the club over the last couple of years, and he deserves our thanks for his great financial efforts in getting the club to its position today but it's a great burden for one man to bear in the long term.

Steve's position with Eastwood may have nothing to do with us, it may be a symptom of his finances or it may mean any number of other things.

The fact that the owner of the limited company that is HTFC is a figure that we never see, is another concern. Should we assume that Steve is a shadow director of the club? And if so, why is this arrangement the case?

There are rumours, and I clearly state that again, rumours, of the FA "investigating" a combination of us, Eastwood and Steve for the situation at that club and how it ties to us, if it does at all.

These questions create uncertainty and nervousness amongst the supporters, especially those who are more involved in the club, or those whose interests lie beyond supporting the lads on the pitch.

That doesn't mean that these supporters are superior to those who just come along for the football - everyone has the right to support in their own way - but equally their questions do not mean that they are trouble makers or some form of "clique".

The issues surrounding ownership, funding and our situation with respect to Eastwood and the FA may be a problem, or they may not be.


A statement from the club would surely sort the situation out

[Colin Bobble]

Has Lord Lutley been dishing out the rose tinted specs again? I love the Happy Clappy brigade, 'we're alright, damn everyone else' I hear the cry.

Solidarity begins at home for sure (in Halesowen anyway).

I refer you all to my post above, the point of which seems to have evaded most people and which has generated essays and much general back slapping and happy clapping in response.

The point is there seems a certain smugness emanating from the majority on how well things are going, to the extent of totally disregarding the demise of other clubs. I think the biggest worry was what happens if Eastwood's playing record is expunged! When this club was up to the ears in brown smelly stuff, I believe any type of support from other football supporters was gratefully received. Well it doesn't seem to be being reciprocated.

Look at the trend growing in fans owned clubs, operating a sustainable model for financial management, which doesn't rely on a 'sugar daddy' majority shareholder. Things are only going one way here and gathering pace. Consider if you think HTFC could be somewhere on that route in the future?

[BBNOW100]

I don't think YeltzDoc could have put it much better frankly. This thread is long enough so I'll try and keep it short and sweet, but in a nutshell we're second in the league and attendances are rising so let's not get into a flap over nothing.

[YeltzDoc]

I'm just going to have a little tidy up of this thread as it's an important topic that's getting lost in trolling.

[RobYeltz]

Players giving their all on the pitch, a superb manager and coaching staff, finances in place for the team for the season, ground improvements making us the smartest ground in the league, crowds up significantly, 60-100 away followers everywhere we go, a nice smart bar that generates us income and some folk still aren't happy.
I'm not suggesting everything is right with the club, yes criticise if you see fit, but at least make it constructive and be gracious enough to acknowledge the good that is going on.

Oh, and my dad is bigger than your dad!