In my opinion, the town is polarised with some fans only wanting to back the club if we are replicating the cup kings era of the 80s.
On the other hand, some fans believe we just have to be happy to have a club after administration.
My answer to that is, York almost went out of existence in 2017 in league 1 and yet a few years later they are seriously challenging for SL place. Why do we need a “3 year plan” when other championship teams with similar financial support can seriously challenge for a SL place.
Surely having a plan makes sense? Or did York just play it by ear?
I would guess that they certainly had a plan maybe not publicised but thing don't just happen.
Our board are trying to keep supporters informed, as most would welcome the indformation. If anyone has a simple, no plan, idea to get us to SL for Heaven's sake tell us, and the board, how you do it.
I don't know York's financial position but it must contain considerable financial input from somewhere, bearing in mind their normal support level.
When you look at the number of Superleague players York have signed, they must be getting some decent funding from Somewhere. Ryan Atkins, Adam Cuthbertson, Kieron Dixon and Danny Kirmond are all decent players in the Championship and they already had a good squad last year.
Surely having a plan makes sense? Or did York just play it by ear? I would guess that they certainly had a plan maybe not publicised but thing don’t just happen. Our board are trying to keep supporters informed, as most would welcome the indformation. If anyone has a simple, no plan, idea to get us to SL for Heaven’s sake tell us, and the board, how you do it. I don’t know York’s financial position but it must contain considerable financial input from somewhere, bearing in mind their normal support level.
I don’t think you can plan for more than 2 years as a part-time championship club. I understand the merits, but if you develop good young players, most likely scenario is that full time clubs will snap them up, most of our better players will be past it in the next 2/3 years.
Ultimately, to win promotion with a part-time club you need a manager to work miracles.
Genuine questions, can the board do anything different? What are they doing well? What aren’t they doing well?
We don’t have a big backer so they need to get the town interested again so they are buying tickets, merchandise etc, need a feel good factor created, how? I don’t know.
Genuine questions, can the board do anything different? What are they doing well? What aren’t they doing well? We don’t have a big backer so they need to get the town interested again so they are buying tickets, merchandise etc, need a feel good factor created, how? I don’t know.[/quote
I don’t have any criticism of the board, their hands are tied and they still haven’t had a full season in charge.
I just don’t believe our team is as bad as people make out and the theory of giving people time to build isn’t applicable at this level. Neil Kelly took over a decent set of players but made them better immediately and won promotion in the same season.
Widnes main advantage in the Championship is the crowds circa 3,500 compared to 1,500 to 2,000 tops for most other teams. With no TV money thats a big advantage to get the best part time players by paying the best wages. You also have the money up front from 2,000 to 2,500 season ticket holders and VIQI contributions. Finally the name, stadium and larger crowds are attractive to players coming to the club.
With not having a rich backer we have lost most of this advantage with the restrictions. We are rebuilding, next year get the crowds in, 4 or 5 big signings and go for a promotion push. The worry is no SL and a poor finish and people get used to not coming to the games and drift away to other interests.
Widnes main advantage in the Championship is the crowds circa 3,500 compared to 1,500 to 2,000 tops for most other teams. With no TV money thats a big advantage to get the best part time players by paying the best wages. You also have the money up front from 2,000 to 2,500 season ticket holders and VIQI contributions. Finally the name, stadium and larger crowds are attractive to players coming to the club. With not having a rich backer we have lost most of this advantage with the restrictions. We are rebuilding, next year get the crowds in, 4 or 5 big signings and go for a promotion push. The worry is no SL and a poor finish and people get used to not coming to the games and drift away to other interests.
That is my main concern, Halifax were a big name in the championship when they first became relegated and they spent years building for SL and so many times they had to start from scratch again and crowds eventually relinquished and declined.
If promotion becomes more feasible for championship teams rather than just the relegated SL bouncing back, I fear, the championship will turn into a rat race financially and in the next few years, promotion will become increasingly difficult.
All the successful clubs have a rich backer, and also the rich backer is a fan. We had a rich backer but he, his brother and the CEO drained the club. As SOC told me years before he became involved with the club "I have no interest in Rugby League, I am a Liverpool FC supporter".
Watch the Saints Chairman when Saints are on TV, he jumps out of his seat when Saints score. He is a lifelong fan.
A big backer is, I am afraid a pipedream that will disappear. In reality the people will get what they deserve. If people don't buy tickets and come to the game then the club will die, it's as simple as that.
Sitting comfortably and expecting that 'they' should sign this or do that gets us nowhere at all. It is down to those of us who believe that the town needs a team that will continue to support.
Those who just want to tell everyone else how to spend the funds and manage the club will persist from the sidelines as ever.
Many of us have seen the good times and will possibly be counting, as I am, just how many seasons we have left as individuals and active supporters. Finances are becoming more and more critical in todays game, maybe a team from a working class town is no longer suited to the game. Soccer as it used to be has long since died and the game is a wealthy businessman's playground.
SL/RL it seems wants to follow that same line but will, I fear, die in the attempt.
It is not unreasonable to expect Widnes to be competing to win the Championship at the very least. If the club has no academy and isn't producing players, then its main purpose is to win games.
This year I think caution is fine in terms of spending and the impact of Covid. For me the question is about the resources being best used, have the right players been signed or retained: could we have had better for similar money?
However, the surest way to slowly kill the club will be an acceptance of mid-table second tier for a prolonged period.
Would be interesting to see how many Season Tickets have been sold, I bought mine about 2 weeks ago and was in the 800s in terms of order number......
Unless you are seriously hard up, which is likely in some cases, or your job is under threat, again quite possible these days, I can see no real reason not to have a ST. With a tranaction number at 800 or so we should at least be over 1000, which isn't brilliant.
The long drawn out release of lockdown hasn't helped at all. I suspect that ST matches VIQI numbers.
I got mine on Monday. Order number 945 - I did order 3 though.
In my opinion, the town is polarised with some fans only wanting to back the club if we are replicating the cup kings era of the 80s. On the other hand, some fans believe we just have to be happy to have a club after administration. My answer to that is, York almost went out of existence in 2017 in league 1 and yet a few years later they are seriously challenging for SL place. Why do we need a “3 year plan” when other championship teams with similar financial support can seriously challenge for a SL place.
You start off by saying York were in serious trouble 4 years ago but are now serious challengers for SL and the ask why we would want a 3 year plan...........
Widnes main advantage in the Championship is the crowds circa 3,500 compared to 1,500 to 2,000 tops for most other teams. With no TV money thats a big advantage to get the best part time players by paying the best wages. You also have the money up front from 2,000 to 2,500 season ticket holders and VIQI contributions. Finally the name, stadium and larger crowds are attractive to players coming to the club. With not having a rich backer we have lost most of this advantage with the restrictions. We are rebuilding, next year get the crowds in, 4 or 5 big signings and go for a promotion push. The worry is no SL and a poor finish and people get used to not coming to the games and drift away to other interests.
I seriously hope that that is where we are!!! That sort of 'backing' should give the board the courage to aim higher. Having your fingers seriously burned by Administration knocks your courage to spend scarce funds, and that is as it should be.
If the board had splashed out big style stripping Viqi funds etc and not finished at the top of the league the knives would have been out with a vengeance! They are running the club as they would run a business and should be applauded imo.
We are assured that we are financially secure which is one area that is vital, but that is a long way from being awash with money. What is essential is that the supporter base stays solidly behind the board an supports as best they can.