Darlo Uncovered

I'm curious as to where people think our priorities should lie going forward.

Should we aim to get back to the football league, even if it means giving up fan control to bring in the necessary investment?

Or stick with the fan ownership model and live within our means, even if it means remaining in non-league?

The dynamics of the FL have changed in regards to finance. You need far more per season now than you did when we were last there (although it was changing then also) and we can say it as many times as we want, but we definitely are not (financially) a FL Club. I'd take competing at this level with the odd flirtation with the playoffs to be fair. Conference would be brilliant (although the travelling is also off-putting).

Surely you can only vote "Maintain fan ownership" if you are still prepared to stick your hand in your pocket for the fundraising this would require? I hope people have voted accordingly!

The travelling is not offputting in the slightest - playing in a national league is something I miss greatly (although I appreciate this does cause extra financial burden)

To answer the poll, we don't actually have a choice. Only 1 man has come forwards wanting to 'invest' (which is a strange word in this context, as there would be no return), and he was wildly unsuitable.

However, there's no reason why, given time and organic growth, we can't become a solid conference team again under fan ownership. Those who think this is our level have bought into our ex-managers propaganda that we can't financially compete at this level. We can. We can't compete with the likes of Salford, but our budget is decent as it is, and we've got money tied up in the 500 club. Continually improving BM, re-establishing the club back in the community, and re-establishing links with local businesses should see our revenues increase further too.

Barring something improbable happening I doubt we'll be in a position to be a football league club again under fan ownership - we'd need to double crowds and find millions for a suitable ground. That breaks my heart a bit. But I wouldn't want to jump into bed with Raj Singh to try and get there. Someone else may eventually come forwards who may appear more suitable, and then fans would have to consider the options . But I think we should all be wary about handing over the keys to anyone who appears to have a big chequebook in a 'FL at all costs' gamble, as I doubt we'd come back from the brink a second time if it went wrong (which is probably the more likely outcome!)

bga wrote:Surely you can only vote "Maintain fan ownership" if you are still prepared to stick your hand in your pocket for the fundraising this would require? I hope people have voted accordingly!

Why?

Fan ownership and finding our level means that whatever level of funding the club can generate supports the level we play at. That could solely be through gate receipts, sponsorship and bits and bobs of other income.

It doesn't mean we have to keep crowdfunding various schemes to drive the club forward as we are now.

Spyman wrote:

bga wrote:Surely you can only vote "Maintain fan ownership" if you are still prepared to stick your hand in your pocket for the fundraising this would require? I hope people have voted accordingly!

Why?

Fan ownership and finding our level means that whatever level of funding the club can generate supports the level we play at. That could solely be through gate receipts, sponsorship and bits and bobs of other income.

It doesn't mean we have to keep crowdfunding various schemes to drive the club forward as we are now.

Interesting point Spyman but I doubt everyone who voted thought about this that deeply. It seems to me that without crowdfunding we will go backwards, I may be wrong. Be very interesting to see last years accounts to June 2017 as this will give a better picture. Club AGM will I guess be in November again?

bga wrote:

Spyman wrote:

bga wrote:Surely you can only vote "Maintain fan ownership" if you are still prepared to stick your hand in your pocket for the fundraising this would require? I hope people have voted accordingly!

Why?

Fan ownership and finding our level means that whatever level of funding the club can generate supports the level we play at. That could solely be through gate receipts, sponsorship and bits and bobs of other income.

It doesn't mean we have to keep crowdfunding various schemes to drive the club forward as we are now.

Interesting point Spyman but I doubt everyone who voted thought about this that deeply. It seems to me that without crowdfunding we will go backwards, I may be wrong. Be very interesting to see last years accounts to June 2017 as this will give a better picture. Club AGM will I guess be in November again?

Not sure - we may go back slightly but the original question was about finding our level, not remaining at our current level.

Once we have the ground improvements paid for, how much crowd-funding/fund raising will be required? Surely on our crowds and with some reasonable sponsorship and off-field activities (hospitality, retail etc) we can sustain a Conference North playing budget without needing further financial input other than for one of expenditures such as further ground improvement?

Neither... something in between for me.

Again somewhere in between, if we can eventually get the right investment. The key term here is 'right investment'. I like to think we'll make it back to the league one day.

I think even fan owned, our natural level should be at least the conference national. This league is just distorted now by a bit of money and some fallen bigger sides.

If there is top be an "investor"/ sugar daddy/ benefactor, then for the long term future of the club that should be somebody who puts money into the club's infrastructure not the playing budget.

At some point the investor is going to stop investing - lack of money, death, boredom etc.

If the money has been used to build up infrastructure, it will always be there and when investor leaves, the ground infrastructure will remain and the playing budget will be unaffected ( as he did not boost that)

If investor puts money into playing budget ( as RS wanted to), then when investor leaves, club are left unable to pay the artifically high wage bill - leading to either or both or financial issues and relegation down the pyramid.

Hardly an unbiased poll is it? "At all costs" yeah, like who is going to vote for something to happen "regardless of the consequences". Its like saying do you want us to go bust or not. Suprisingly people have gone for the 2nd option here.

Yarblockos wrote:Hardly an unbiased poll is it? "At all costs" yeah, like who is going to vote for something to happen "regardless of the consequences". Its like saying do you want us to go bust or not. Suprisingly people have gone for the 2nd option here.

The concerning thing is, 6% of people have voted for this option!

6% of voters would do 'whatever it takes' to get back to the football league.

Spyman wrote:

Yarblockos wrote:Hardly an unbiased poll is it? "At all costs" yeah, like who is going to vote for something to happen "regardless of the consequences". Its like saying do you want us to go bust or not. Suprisingly people have gone for the 2nd option here.

The concerning thing is, 6% of people have voted for this option!

6% of voters would do 'whatever it takes' to get back to the football league.

Yes, but that's actually only two people, and one of them is Raj Singh.

It was a s*** question though, presumably votes for the "at all costs" option are likely to be a vote for "needing external investment". Surely that is possible without selling our souls to the devil but there wasn't an option for that.

I was looking for the option that said "Continue as we are up until we have another option, then we can discuss and vote on it"

Irrelevant poll almost as bad as Brexit question.

Football league at all costs.

bga wrote:

Spyman wrote:

bga wrote:Surely you can only vote "Maintain fan ownership" if you are still prepared to stick your hand in your pocket for the fundraising this would require? I hope people have voted accordingly!

Why?

Fan ownership and finding our level means that whatever level of funding the club can generate supports the level we play at. That could solely be through gate receipts, sponsorship and bits and bobs of other income.

It doesn't mean we have to keep crowdfunding various schemes to drive the club forward as we are now.

Interesting point Spyman but I doubt everyone who voted thought about this that deeply. It seems to me that without crowdfunding we will go backwards, I may be wrong. Be very interesting to see last years accounts to June 2017 as this will give a better picture. Club AGM will I guess be in November again?

More than likely November 16th

The long term goal for me has to be a return to the EFL, however long that may be.

Short Term has to be investment in the ground with a medium term of consolidating a position in the Conference.

Success at any price is not an option, because I fear if our club went tits up again, there'd be no starting again.

Unless I, or another fan win big on Euromillions, no serious external investment is coming anytime soon

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SwansQuaker83 wrote:Neither... something in between for me.

Same for me, I'm open to some sort of investment, if the right person comes along and they can take the club forward to at least the Conference. I very much doubt if the club will still be a fan run club in 10 years time.

couldn't listen to DARLOFANS radio on Saturday 07/10 as we were visiting Bristol and in the morning I found a small garden area named as QUAKERS BURIAL GROUND this filled me a portent of doom for the game. However, when I could get a wifi connection I was pleased to see we are still alive and kicking.

DaveMc wrote:couldn't listen to DARLOFANS radio on Saturday 07/10 as we were visiting Bristol and in the morning I found a small garden area named as QUAKERS BURIAL GROUND this filled me a portent of doom for the game. However, when I could get a wifi connection I was pleased to see we are still alive and kicking.

I think I know the place you mean - just over the road from the large church - St Mary Redcliffe?

yep that's the one