Madejski Announcement

[friday fan]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

[Row Z Royal]

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

If you want better batter now, you need to cough up more for it. Costs go up but when revenue doesn't, something has to give.

[Schards#2]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

The analogy is a bit flawed though in as much that you don't feel any undying loyalty to the chip shop in a way that many do to a football club. There simply isn't the option to just take your custom elsewhere.

If you don't like Madejski's approach, there's not much you can do other than bitch about it on here. Personally, I go to football for some entertainment, some excitement, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, to suffer the lows and enjo y the highs, to dare to dream, and any other number of cliches.

The approach of just targetting being financially solvent at the end of every year doesn't really float my boat in a football sense. It might be prudent and sensible but that's not what i really want out of my football and, as a lifelong fan, I don't have the option to just walk away because I don't like how things are.

[Platypuss]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

The analogy is a bit flawed though in as much that you don't feel any undying loyalty to the chip shop in a way that many do to a football club. There simply isn't the option to just take your custom elsewhere.

There is - instead of fish and chips at an alternative outlet you can have a chinese (ie spend your hard-earned on some other form of entertainment which you consider to provide better VfM)

[southbank1871]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

That analagy doesn't really work though does it. As a football fan (unless you're a spoilt child of course), you can't demand anything and unless you decide to stop going completely, you can't choose an alternative team to watch. I personally think it's fairly simple, you either accept that until a new owner comes in, Reading are not going to spend much money at all on new players and will have to rely on cheap finds and the academy; or you make the decision that it's not offering value for money and stop going.

[friday fan]

Schards2 I agree and there within lies the problem, we have our club and true fans wouldn't oxford off to another club. Southbank merely focussed on one line in my post and decided obviously that I would be todays whipping boy for his frustrations. Nothing I could have said would have merited 'i see your point' perhaps his wife or gf said no last night who knows, indedd he might off having a five knuckle shuffle in the loo over the latest portrait of Sir John

[Silver Fox]

Did you think that all worked when you started typing?

[Bandini]

I, for one, shall now insist that my fish and chip shop be run at a loss.

[southbank1871]

I stopped eating fish and chips regularly a few years ago tbf, so I'm not even sure why I entered into this discussion.

[Bandini]

Plastic.

[Terminal Boardom]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

The analogy is a bit flawed though in as much that you don't feel any undying loyalty to the chip shop in a way that many do to a football club. There simply isn't the option to just take your custom elsewhere.

If you don't like Madejski's approach, there's not much you can do other than bitch about it on here. Personally, I go to football for some entertainment, some excitement, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, to suffer the lows and enjo y the highs, to dare to dream, and any other number of cliches.

The approach of just targetting being financially solvent at the end of every year doesn't really float my boat in a football sense. It might be prudent and sensible but that's not what i really want out of my football and, as a lifelong fan, I don't have the option to just walk away because I don't like how things are.

1. Demonstrate and become more vocal. Pitch invasions, car park demos, letters to the press, bombard phone-ins and the like
2. Sit back, do nothing and let the powers that be do what they think is best
3. Don't go.

[southbank1871]

Plastic.

Too right. LOL @ anyone who spends any disposable income on football, other than the odd away game.

[RoyalBlue]

We are repeatedly told what a well run business RFC is yet, at this moment in time, the Chairman can't say whether it is breaking even or not!!!

[swansea jack]

Southbank - yes two pens were missed, perhaps if Long had taken them they would have gone in......perhaps

Let me give you an analogy - you go to your fish and chip shop last year and its really good, you like the food. You go back one day and the batter is soggy, chips are nasty and you ask why. The manager explains there was a change in staff, this is the best you are going to get (at the moment) the manager tells you that his trainees will get better. Do you still go and eat there with the hope that one day the food will get back to its best - no you don't you earnt the money and want/demand that the product is good don't you. You surely aint going back because the food used to be good, you want it good NOW.

I hope that you understand the basic way in which this analogy makes my original point, if you don't then I for one can't explain it any plainer.

the penalties in themselves were history........capiche?

The analogy is a bit flawed though in as much that you don't feel any undying loyalty to the chip shop in a way that many do to a football club. There simply isn't the option to just take your custom elsewhere.

If you don't like Madejski's approach, there's not much you can do other than bitch about it on here. Personally, I go to football for some entertainment, some excitement, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, to suffer the lows and enjo y the highs, to dare to dream, and any other number of cliches.

The approach of just targetting being financially solvent at the end of every year doesn't really float my boat in a football sense. It might be prudent and sensible but that's not what i really want out of my football and, as a lifelong fan, I don't have the option to just walk away because I don't like how things are.

1. Demonstrate and become more vocal. Pitch invasions, car park demos, letters to the press, bombard phone-ins and the like
2. Sit back, do nothing and let the powers that be do what they think is best
3. Don't go.

Isn't this the point when it started going wrong for you?

[Bandini]

We are repeatedly told what a well run business RFC is yet, at this moment in time, the Chairman can't say whether it is breaking even or not!!!

Agreed. It's almost as if decisions taken in the next nine days or so will effect the club's income and expenses.

I have no doubt that the owner of my local fish and chip shop knows whether or not he's breaking even.

[andrew1957]

I find the Chairman's interview very worrying indeed.

Even if we got a lot less for Mills and Long than is reported, it is hard to imagine that we cleared less than say 7M. If we are only going to break even having received 7M, then it means we are running at a 7M year on year loss.

What happens if we have a bad season this time? It is doubtful we will then be able to sell 7M of players next summer - so one can only assume that administration is looming the first time we are not challenging at the top of the Championship.

What sort of business model requires the sale of 7M of assets every year just to keep afloat? Sooner or later the business is bound to fail as you will run out of assets.

Sadly one can only come to one of two conclusions. 1/ the Chairman is exaggerating the problems or 2/ we are a very poorly run business that is on the verge of failure.

Truthfully I have no idea which anymore and as others have said how come other clubs (who are infinitely more profligate than RFC have even been both in terms of player purchases and wages paid) are still surviving in this impossible football environment.

All very confusing.

[Bandini]

Is there a third option

Perhaps occasional windfalls from player sales don't automatically justify incurring long term liabilities which would require increased funding from further sales in the future

[TFF]

We are repeatedly told what a well run business RFC is yet, at this moment in time, the Chairman can't say whether it is breaking even or not!!!

The chairman's inability to accurately forecast matchday and away fan ticket sales, the cost of potential transfer targets, injuries and subsequent signings, who we'll draw in the cup and how far we'll progress is undoubtedly a worthwhile stick to beat him with.

[Royal Lady]

I do think JM is his own worst enemy sometimes. Although, to be fair, he doesn't seem to be mentioning ambition this time. So cloth cutting will continue, with no ambition to get promoted!

[Terminal Boardom]

I find the Chairman's interview very worrying indeed.

Even if we got a lot less for Mills and Long than is reported, it is hard to imagine that we cleared less than say 7M. If we are only going to break even having received 7M, then it means we are running at a 7M year on year loss.

What happens if we have a bad season this time? It is doubtful we will then be able to sell 7M of players next summer - so one can only assume that administration is looming the first time we are not challenging at the top of the Championship.

What sort of business model requires the sale of 7M of assets every year just to keep afloat? Sooner or later the business is bound to fail as you will run out of assets.

Sadly one can only come to one of two conclusions. 1/ the Chairman is exaggerating the problems or 2/ we are a very poorly run business that is on the verge of failure.

Truthfully I have no idea which anymore and as others have said how come other clubs (who are infinitely more profligate than RFC have even been both in terms of player purchases and wages paid) are still surviving in this impossible football environment.

All very confusing.

You forgot 3 - the Chairman refuses to disclose to the media what the financial situation is knowing that if he says we have £x million available for player purchases, any club we go to will ask for £x + y million.