Nudgers Notes..............BBS with THE DON

Firstly and most importantly can I just say how lucky we are to have someone like THE Don at the helm of Barnsley Football Club. I have been to various meetings in my time and Don is a good Chair person.
For example - I have not been to many meetings where people start to talk openly amongst themselves and yet as soon as the Chair starts to talk everybody focuses on what the Chair has to say.

THE DON put into perspective the position of the club - and it was quite an up beat positive account. OK we aint awash with money compared to the millions and millions given to ex-premiership clubs..........but we are still able to compete.
Most clubs in the Championship are 10++++ ££££££Millions in debt.
Barnsley made a profit of £30,000 last season. And that's the reason why we are attractive to a buyer. Championship club with no debt.

We are in a chicken and egg situation. We can't improve on the playing staff unless we get more investment - OR - bigger crowds.
And that's why players like Vaz Te and probably now Davies are able to just walk out on the club.
The sale of the club has put everybody at the club in a sort of limbo. Plus of course there's the threat of relegation. So no one knows what will happen next season.

The main things I got from the meeting was this - the manager of Barnsley is given a certain budget, which comparatively speaking isn't a great amount and then its up to the manager to then decide how he spends it i.e. Keith could have signed the 4 loanees in July; which came as a bit of a shock to me.
We can only assume from this that Keith has kept his powder dry waiting to see how the team does before bringing anymore players in.

Also something I didn't know was this - the manager is given the job to manage the team; there is no interference from the directors i.e. the directors didn't ask Keith to buy all these lower league players and then try to develop them. That has been a Keith Hill choice.

Other than that there were a few comments about the high costs to get into matches (as tho Don doesn't know this). But it was pointed out to Don how daft the membership scheme is. Drinks and pies were talked about.
And Keith Hills comments, seen by some fans as being negative, were also discussed.

THE DON walked in with an hard hat on............he didnt need it.
I think everybody came away quite pleased with what had been said.

Thanks to Gally and THE DON for organising it.
22 people attended the meeting.

 

Yeah ok, piss up and brewery come to mind with Don Rowing

 

People listened when he started talking??? Well they would seeing as that's the reason they turned up!

I'm sure he's a decent guy, but in my opinion he is not doing a good job at BFC and is doing nothing to put his stamp on the club or make a difference, despite the autonomy given to him by a passive chairman and non-existent board of directors.

What about the fact that he gets the pricing strategy wrong every season? The fact that the PR and marketing of the club is amateur? That the matchday experience is pathetic? That the basics such as turning the TVs on on the concourse is unreliable at best? That the East Stand shop is bereft of product? That contracts of key players are allowed to run down year on year? I could go on. but can't be arsed anymore as nothing changes for the better at the club and won't under the 'leadership' of the Don.

He chairs a good meeting though.... apparently.

 

Everybody makes mistakes.

 

There would probably have been a fair few more attending if the meeting had been held later on, allowing people to get there after work.

 

Yes of course I would like to see vast improvement..........I'm the one that openly goes further than most..........I'm not bothered if we have a name change and the kit is white shirts with pink flowers........as long as it gives us more chance of success!!!

But thats not whats happening at Barnsley at the moment.........the owner isnt mega rich so the club as been put sort of in cold storage waiting for bigger and better owners to come along.
In the mean time PC and THE DON are keeping things ticking over. And doing a good job.

 

The important question now is was it 22 people including or excluding Don?

 

YES it wasn't

 

Ticking over? Says it all really. And these mythical new owners are not coming. Not soon enough anyway. Don could be doing a hell of a lot more than he is, so in my mind he is failing and getting a lot wrong along the way. Nothing personal, I just don't think he's very good at his job - but I respect your view that he is. I just disagree.

 

it doesn't take a lot to get marketing in forward gears in fact he could put it out to tender on a percentage basis.its not as if something radical is needed its just stagnant now.

 

Has the attendance rose or fallen from the last meeting?

 

Precisely.

 

Don is doing the best he can, its all well and good saying these sort of things on an internet forum, but try doing Don's job and you will realise how difficult it actually is. Bear in mind the guy HAS to keep us 'ticking over', because that's the best we can do without real investment, which is out of Don's hands.
At the end of the day we should all be thankful that we still have football club to support which is being run the correct way off the field. Don is trying and taking on board our suggestions to bring people through the gates, but we all know people aren't turning out because of the results performance's on the pitch, which is a completely different matter altogether.
And for the record i 100% completely agree with Young Nudger.

 

"Also something I didn't know was this - the manager is given the job to manage the team"

Ya don't say...

 

Do his job? What like marketing, branding and PR??? That's what I do.

Don is failing at it miserably.

 

Complicated business this football lark. Director's will be directing things before long.