Coppells parking space

[North Somerset Royal]

This is the sticking point:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=566708&in_page_id=1779

Coppell's £1.5million salary will be cut in half next season,

[Uke]

I have plenty of rights to be informed of developments having spent probably in excess of two grand following the club this season to add to the previous 16 years. Reading Football Club would be nothing without the fans.

£34,000 over 17 years! really?

You have probably spent an average of about 600 per year on the club (rail/bus tickets,petrol and the rest don't count either - they're not spent on the club!)

Just how does that compare to the shareholders investments in the club, excluding their travel costs of course.

Now go and badger Tesco's - they eagerly await your input since you've probably spent more with them.

[Uke]

This is the sticking point:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=566708&in_page_id=1779

Coppell's £1.5million salary will be cut in half next season,

That would have already been in his contract so its not a sticking point - it is stated as a fact.

[brendywendy]

as the customer you are always welcome to take your business elsewhere

fuham are very cheap and desperate for fans

[sucatraps]

If cutting his salary in half is the stumbling block, then we will get what we deserve! Waiting a week to digest this is like a week long suicide note from the board of directors. Wolves amongst others I believe, are very keen to meet SSC and make him an offer!!!

[Platypuss]

I have plenty of rights to be informed of developments having spent probably in excess of two grand following the club this season to add to the previous 16 years. Reading Football Club would be nothing without the fans.

£34,000 over 17 years! really?

You have probably spent an average of about 600 per year on the club (rail/bus tickets,petrol and the rest don't count either - they're not spent on the club!)

Just how does that compare to the shareholders investments in the club, excluding their travel costs of course.

Now go and badger Tesco's - they eagerly await your input since you've probably spent more with them.

You forget that Mummy and Daddy must have paid for the first 10 of those years (at least).

[sucatraps]

as the customer you are always welcome to take your business elsewhere

fuham are very cheap and desperate for fans

True, but I can't quite see why anybody would form an emotional attachment to Tesco et al, but to take advantage of your customers because they have an emotional attachment to the 'product' is wrong surely, oh but wait a minute, ST's at £ silly amounts and knock-off replica shirts at £48 etc, I think I may have just shot myself down in flames!!!

[Sarah Star]

And the mug I bought a few days ago with 'We are premier league' on it is peeling and no longer goes in the dishwasher. And the hoodie I bought in the sale is a piece of tat.

[RoyalBlue]

I have plenty of rights to be informed of developments having spent probably in excess of two grand following the club this season to add to the previous 16 years. Reading Football Club would be nothing without the fans.

£34,000 over 17 years! really?

You have probably spent an average of about 600 per year on the club (rail/bus tickets,petrol and the rest don't count either - they're not spent on the club!)

Just how does that compare to the shareholders investments in the club, excluding their travel costs of course.

Now go and badger Tesco's - they eagerly await your input since you've probably spent more with them.

Whilst not fully supporting Royalee in everything he says, I think some of the arguments used against him are rather disingenuous.

Let's take the comparison with shareholders for starters. I think that one is largely answered by the use of the word 'investment' in the same sentence. In other words they put money in with a view to getting something back. In terms of JM, he got widespread fame (something I would suggest he values quite a bit) for a relatively cheap investment/price. Also, compare the percentage of disposable income that £600 represents to a student, with the percentage of disposable income that JM has put into the club in terms of his 'investment'. I'd wager I know who comes out of that one considerably worse off!

Then we have the 'just a customer' argument. Only football (and that is not specific to RFC) is not an ordinary business and supporters are certainly not ordinary customers. What other business would get away with treating its customers as poorly as football does?! What other business would get away with taking advantage of its customers' loyalty to such a great extent? Which other customers would be stupid enough to keep coming back to the same business, despite being charged over-inflated prices for often shoddy product(s) and being treated with almost open contempt by the business in question. And I would once again stress that RFC is by no means unique in that respect.

And when was the last time the Chairman of an ordinary business repeatedly used the media to stress how the local community has a duty to come along and support his business because of all he had done to keep it running?!!!

If football wants to have this very unique relationship with its customers/supporters then the very least those customers/supporters should have the right to expect is some insight into what is going on in the club/business that they help keep in existence.

Real football clubs never ever truly belong to their rich owners. Yes, if any Chairman pulls his investment out of a club then that club's future is 'at risk'. However, if the supporters desert the club, then it ceases to exist and the investment made by the shareholders is worth sweet FA!

Aldershot and AFC Wimbledon are just two clubs that have proved that when the chips are really down it is the supporters, not the rich investors, who will keep the real club alive.

[Rawlie19]

I have plenty of rights to be informed of developments having spent probably in excess of two grand following the club this season to add to the previous 16 years. Reading Football Club would be nothing without the fans.

£34,000 over 17 years! really?

You have probably spent an average of about 600 per year on the club (rail/bus tickets,petrol and the rest don't count either - they're not spent on the club!)

Just how does that compare to the shareholders investments in the club, excluding their travel costs of course.

Now go and badger Tesco's - they eagerly await your input since you've probably spent more with them.

Whilst not fully supporting Royalee in everything he says, I think some of the arguments used against him are rather disingenuous.

Let's take the comparison with shareholders for starters. I think that one is largely answered by the use of the word 'investment' in the same sentence. In other words they put money in with a view to getting something back. In terms of JM, he got widespread fame (something I would suggest he values quite a bit) for a relatively cheap investment/price. Also, compare the percentage of disposable income that £600 represents to a student, with the percentage of disposable income that JM has put into the club in terms of his 'investment'. I'd wager I know who comes out of that one considerably worse off!

Then we have the 'just a customer' argument. Only football (and that is not specific to RFC) is not an ordinary business and supporters are certainly not ordinary customers. What other business would get away with treating its customers as poorly as football does?! What other business would get away with taking advantage of its customers' loyalty to such a great extent? Which other customers would be stupid enough to keep coming back to the same business, despite being charged over-inflated prices for often shoddy product(s) and being treated with almost open contempt by the business in question. And I would once again stress that RFC is by no means unique in that respect.

And when was the last time the Chairman of an ordinary business repeatedly used the media to stress how the local community has a duty to come along and support his business because of all he had done to keep it running?!!!

If football wants to have this very unique relationship with its customers/supporters then the very least those customers/supporters should have the right to expect is some insight into what is going on in the club/business that they help keep in existence.

Real football clubs never ever truly belong to their rich owners. Yes, if any Chairman pulls his investment out of a club then that club's future is 'at risk'. However, if the supporters desert the club, then it ceases to exist and the investment made by the shareholders is worth sweet FA!

Aldershot and AFC Wimbledon are just two clubs that have proved that when the chips are really down it is the supporters, not the rich investors, who will keep the real club alive.

Can somebody summarise that for me? I've been at work for 13 hours and my brian is frazzled.

[willz_royal]

But its you thats been at work, not brian...

[Gav]

Then we have the 'just a customer' argument. Only football (and that is not specific to RFC) is not an ordinary business and supporters are certainly not ordinary customers. What other business would get away with treating its customers as poorly as football does?!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you...

[brendywendy]

and

[Rawlie19]

But its you thats been at work, not brian...

Brian's been at work too. And I've worked him hard.

[sucatraps]

RoyalBlue raises and makes some very valid points IMHO excellent post!

Oh and I give you British "we'll take more fare off you" Airways a 45% increase in profits!!!
breakfast in London, lunch in Dubai, luggage in Italy!!!

[North Somerset Royal]

This is the sticking point:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=566708&in_page_id=1779

Coppell's £1.5million salary will be cut in half next season,

That would have already been in his contract so its not a sticking point - it is stated as a fact.

True but contract also allows SC to walk.

[Ian Royal]

Anyone considered the possibility that Mr Mad is trying to tie Coppell down to longer should this season go well and Coppell not having any of it?

If he was going to go, I think the decision would have been made by now. I think he wants to stay, but he's taking extra time to make sure he thinks it's right for the club.

[zummerset]

Alll these moans about investment, how much a shirt costs, who owes what to whom (note grammar) are cobblers. To get good players we have to pay them crazy money and some players get great money even though they are shite. But to stand still we have to invest, to go forward we have to invest shed loads. JM has reached the limits of what he feels is prudent - so the money has to come from somewhere (most probably the fans will get the squeeze) or we can always go backwards and disappear into the lower leagues and won't that be fun

Steve Coppell had some scheme at Crystal Palace to divert fans money direct into player funding and out of the chairmans reach - anyone know about this?

[Uke]

Whilst not fully supporting Royalee in everything he says, I think some of the arguments used against him are rather disingenuous.

Great response RoyalBlue, a proper debate as is usually the case with your posts!

Let's take the comparison with shareholders for starters. I think that one is largely answered by the use of the word 'investment' in the same sentence. In other words they put money in with a view to getting something back. In terms of JM, he got widespread fame (something I would suggest he values quite a bit) for a relatively cheap investment/price. Also, compare the percentage of disposable income that £600 represents to a student, with the percentage of disposable income that JM has put into the club in terms of his 'investment'. I'd wager I know who comes out of that one considerably worse off!

JM could have got his fame quicker and cheaper with his arts investments (e.g. the room at the V&A)- and with more of a guaranteed return. Also we have an investment in a 'old third division' club, when has that ever turned a healthy risk-free profit?

Unfortunately as well its the amount rather than the percentage that counts and business won't really be bothered about that one, they would rather have one bum on one seat paying £600 than two bums on two seats paying £300 each. As with JM's investments its the final amount that matters rather than the percentage of income - a million pounds a shedload of money, no matter how you look at it.

Then we have the 'just a customer' argument. Only football (and that is not specific to RFC) is not an ordinary business and supporters are certainly not ordinary customers. What other business would get away with treating its customers as poorly as football does?! What other business would get away with taking advantage of its customers' loyalty to such a great extent? Which other customers would be stupid enough to keep coming back to the same business, despite being charged over-inflated prices for often shoddy product(s) and being treated with almost open contempt by the business in question. And I would once again stress that RFC is by no means unique in that respect.

Plenty of examples above, but also just about every football club in the land can be added to the list. The supporter is also a unique type of customer, probably more akin to a smack addict rather than someone makig a truly 'informed choice'.

And when was the last time the Chairman of an ordinary business repeatedly used the media to stress how the local community has a duty to come along and support his business because of all he had done to keep it running?!!!

That's just advertising, every business wants its customers and gives reason why you should buy the product and he had put in a considerable amount of money too! (See above re percentages)

If football wants to have this very unique relationship with its customers/supporters then the very least those customers/supporters should have the right to expect is some insight into what is going on in the club/business that they help keep in existence.

Football only says it does, it’s the marketing message to make 'you' feel 'special' and buy more product. Boardroom decisions will remain private as with any company and only the messages they choose to release will be released.

Also look up Skinners' lever pressing rats - they press a lever to get a reward (food) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQtDTdDr8vs . If there is no reward they soon give up. If there is a reward every time the frequency drops too. If the rewards come intermittently and unexpectedly they go crazy pressing the lever every time. Fans (and slot machine users) fall into the third category!

Real football clubs never ever truly belong to their rich owners. Yes, if any Chairman pulls his investment out of a club then that club's future is 'at risk'. However, if the supporters desert the club, then it ceases to exist and the investment made by the shareholders is worth sweet FA!

MK Dons didn't do badly.

It worries me what will happen when the sugar daddies go. Chelsea and Manure have real problems and really could go bust quite quickly or plummet through the leagues as their stars leave - a huge fanbase is not a guarantee of survival these days.

Aldershot and AFC Wimbledon are just two clubs that have proved that when the chips are really down it is the supporters, not the rich investors, who will keep the real club alive.

For now, maybe it is. But they will have elected management board also if they want to rise further they will need the cash that comes from 'selling out'

It’s already started at Wimbledon

AFCW PLC was placed under the ownership of The Dons Trust, a supporters' group which has pledged to retain at least 75% control of that ownership. In 2003, however, a minority interest was sold in a share issue in order to finance the purchase of Kingsmeadow, the ground that AFCW part owned with Kingstonian, a decision which raised some concerns given the circumstances of the clubs formation.

The Dons Trust is an Industrial and Provident Society registered with the Financial Services Authority as "Wimbledon Football Club Supporters' Society Limited". This is not to be confused with Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) although this has, as one of its stated constitutional aims, "To purchase shares in AFC Wimbledon's holding company".

It just ain't that easy being a footie fan!

[No Hoops]

Press Conferance 2.30 today.

Just got a txt