Next Season

[Josh]

TW just the latest manager taking stick for a below average league campaign. Certainly not his biggest fan. His teams can't defend and he loves picking battles.
However, the simple reality is that we are a bottom 8 NL club.
Wouldn't expect things to magically improve with a new manager.

It probably would be a case of the emperors new clothes if he was replaced. Our aspirations as a club seem to be, not get relegated and hope for a cup run.

I think we were pretty much told that with the make the club sustainable plan - could that be average/mediocre league seasons boosted by significant cup runs? Admittedly a dangerous game to play.

This is why I have asked the chairman the question of what our ambition is for the season. Unfortunately he didn't answer my question(s) as I had to go through the supporter's club but hopefully next time.
He has gone noticeably quiet of late.

[Aldershot_Rob]

It's a million miles away from his original 5 year plan.

[Mytshot]

It's a million miles away from his original 5 year plan.

I’d be interested to know why he feels his plan has gone so badly wrong.

[Silasgoldeen]

It's a million miles away from his original 5 year plan.

"Everyone has a plan until theyre punched in the face" - Mike Tyson

I suspect making plans is a lot easier than delivering them unless you have unlimited money.

[brian bloomfield]

It's a million miles away from his original 5 year plan.

"Everyone has a plan until theyre punched in the face" - Mike Tyson

I suspect making plans is a lot easier than delivering them unless you have unlimited money.

Spot on

1. Debt Free. Needs a huge input of financial resources or a plan agreed with the fan base that we will spend only what we bring in.

2. Promotion to L2. Needs a known winner of a manager / Chairman and a significant increase in the playing budget.

3. The Ground. If we want future growth shelve the EBB development and move. If we want the same, then develop the ground piecemeal with bringing local amenities into the ground that can enhance funding.

Of course there was Covid!!!!

[shotsboy66]

TW just the latest manager taking stick for a below average league campaign. Certainly not his biggest fan. His teams can't defend and he loves picking battles.
However, the simple reality is that we are a bottom 8 NL club.
Wouldn't expect things to magically improve with a new manager.

It probably would be a case of the emperors new clothes if he was replaced. Our aspirations as a club seem to be, not get relegated and hope for a cup run.

Very good point Rob..this is a reason why I feel we will go into the final on May 11th as underdogs.

[Wiltshire Shot]

Sober reality check...

Our budget determines our ability to recruit the best available players. If that doesn't increase significantly, then a reasonably successful season (i.e. cup run, no relegation, a sniff of the play-offs), remains 100% dependent on the nous and experience of the manager and his team, to still find good enough players and mould a team, that will allow us to punch above our weight.

In my opinion, I think we have had that moderate success, both this season and last. So if we want more, then we need more investment, right?

So, thinking positive solutions...

Presuming our board are unable/unwilling to raise more money, if every Shot's fan instead coughed up a £100 for the transfer budget, and thereby became a collective shareholder in some way (don't ask me how, not my area of expertise), that could raise £1 million.

Otherwise, no extra money means no chance of improving our prospects. The choice is therefore simple, we can either:

1. Bitch and moan about it, and blame the usual easy targets.

2. Do something constructive to change our prospects for more success.

3. Just be grateful for the devil we know...

[Ian Pearce]

Remember donating money towards players in January 2018 for a promotion push as we were well placed at the time.

Unfortunately the money was wasted by Waddock on Josh McQuoid and others. This meant we went from possibly title winning to limping into the playoffs in no sort of form.

Would be more in favour of exploring opportunities that turns the people who are going to Wembley but barely ever been inside the EBB to become more regular attendees. Mentioned on another thread nothing seems to be done about that and the current league form is spoiling the occasion and opportunity to really get a better outlook for the club.

[Charles Dickens]

Tommy has to be our second most successful manager since we've been in the National League.

I have waited for the Shots for over 50 years to get to Wembley and he is the only Shots manager to get us there.

This season league wasn't brilliant, but stop winging, nit picking and hopefully we'll finish this season on a high.

Yes you are bang on the money.

Mr Widdrington will sort the team out for next season if the BOD allows him to get on with the job.

The least we can do for now, is to support our team and quit the negetivity.

[brian bloomfield]

Remember donating money towards players in January 2018 for a promotion push as we were well placed at the time.

Unfortunately the money was wasted by Waddock on Josh McQuoid and others. This meant we went from possibly title winning to limping into the playoffs in no sort of form.

Would be more in favour of exploring opportunities that turns the people who are going to Wembley but barely ever been inside the EBB to become more regular attendees. Mentioned on another thread nothing seems to be done about that and the current league form is spoiling the occasion and opportunity to really get a better outlook for the club.

From a marketing perspective we are dreadful. Unfortunately we don't have access to Wembley ticketing emails, but there is an opportunity at Wembley to do some good external marketing.

Winning in 2 weeks time will do a lot of good.

[WTF]

Sober reality check...

Our budget determines our ability to recruit the best available players. If that doesn't increase significantly, then a reasonably successful season (i.e. cup run, no relegation, a sniff of the play-offs), remains 100% dependent on the nous and experience of the manager and his team, to still find good enough players and mould a team, that will allow us to punch above our weight.

In my opinion, I think we have had that moderate success, both this season and last. So if we want more, then we need more investment, right?

So, thinking positive solutions...

Presuming our board are unable/unwilling to raise more money, if every Shot's fan instead coughed up a £100 for the transfer budget, and thereby became a collective shareholder in some way (don't ask me how, not my area of expertise), that could raise £1 million.

Otherwise, no extra money means no chance of improving our prospects. The choice is therefore simple, we can either:

1. Bitch and moan about it, and blame the usual easy targets.

2. Do something constructive to change our prospects for more success.

3. Just be grateful for the devil we know...

The marketing of our club is beyond pathetic. I presume it's because we don't have a marketeer at the club but just a social media guy.

[ShotOnTarget]

We would be very lucky indeed to ever find a better manager than Tommy, who has done as well as anyone could with the resources he has, but I do feel he may be destined for better things and if he does go I would certainly thank him and wish him all the very best for the future.

I agree with you. He hasn't got everything right but he's done far better than many of his predecessors. This season has been a roller coaster and there's been a correlation with the injuries which has stretched the squad, a squad built on, reportedly, a challenging budget. Arguably, without the injuries, upper mid-table would have likely been achieved.

I really don't know how supporters set their expectations, but it seems more to do with fans wanting success rather than applying pragmatism.

[brian bloomfield]

£1,000,000 at £100 a pop would mean 10,000 people coughing up, it's not going to happen. Just £250k would dramatically improve our budget as long as we don't sign injury prone players.

Pushing the playing budget is always a risk and I'm sure most people are risk averse.

We've done ok, with the tools at hand.

[Wokingham Shot]

If fans wanted to do something like that you are better off aiming to create a revenue generating asset which meant there could be regular contributions rather than just a one off that could achieve nothing.

Years ago (maybe 25) I floated the idea on here of a savings scheme that could be used in 5 years time or so to set up a supporters home (match day bar committee room, merchandise shop etc). I had seen (still do) these all over Bel/NL/Ger and they always appear to do well.

300 people putting aside £10 a month would generate £180k in 5 years.

Needless to say most of the responses were telling me why it wouldn't work.

[Turnkey]

Mr Widdrington will sort the team out for next season if the BOD allows him to get on with the job.

That’s a bold statement, what actual evidence to you have to back it up? All I see is an incompetent clown who only secured safety with 90 minutes of the season left because another team lost. A clown the paid money for a striker he thinks is better than Tolaj but he’s barely given a kick to all season, and of course, laid down funds for his useless son.

I wouldn’t trust him with my granddaughters piggy bank let alone next seasons budget. For me, the sooner he fvcks off the better.