Why investment is more important than just clearing the debts

[bigrbuk]

I fully expect to get shot down in flames for numerous reasons for this, but I just wanted to share my thoughts and observations.

I am one of the very people Mr Strafford has been calling all of you to convince to come back to Hillsboro. I was a season ticket holder for a number of years, which came to an end when I went away to University. I graduated and came back to Sheffield the season we were relegated from the Premiership, at the time I had no job and no money. Since then, I think it's pretty fair to say that we've not exactly been setting the world on fire with footballing prowess, this together with the general bad feeling surrounding the club and the outright negativity displayed by the then board means I have never really regained the passion I had before University.

I still consider myself a fan (dodge bullet no.1), I attend the odd game, listen to away games on the radio and read the forums, ocassionally posting (bullet no.2), but it no way have I been convinced to stump up the several hundred quid to go to watch Wednesday every fortnight, even though I am now in a position to have that kind of disposable income. I have friends who still have season tickets and ask their opinion after the game, generally speaking the feedback I receive is not good - hardly the best advertisement.

I appreciate the work Mr Strafford is doing regarding the business operations and making the football club a saleable commodity (which is his remit), but I am not going to kiss his ass like so many do on here.

The belief and passion around the club have dwindled over the years and I don't believe the "call to arms" speeches Mr Strafford repeatedly gives, via all forms of media, are going to change anything; I can only see it doing more harm than good as it increasingly starts to come across as blame.

The investment would be a nice 'shot in arm', a chance to invest in better players and give us the opportunity to compete further up the table than we currently find ourselves, but more importantly for me, it gives the stay aways a chance to see promises (bullet no.3) being fulfilled for once, a sense of positivity and optimism and most importantly of all, belief. Mr Strafford says he needs the stay away fans to come back to save our club, as sad it may sound, I believe Mr Strafford needs to finalise this investment to convince us stay aways to come back.

I await your glory hunter/FUD/WUM remarks.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

Decent post from the perspective of a fairweather fan.

LS is doing his best but I think he knows he's flogging a dead horse. After the misery we've had in the last decade the only way to get the missing fans back is to get it right on the pitch.

[Arthur Bach]

You shouldn't have gone to university.

We had some of our best away days in League One and funnily enough my passion for Wednesday simply increased despite the drop in quality and success.

[Lees Tom Cat]

Who ever "Invests" Is going to want to invest in something.

The debt will not disappear it will still be there...So what would the "Investor" be actually investing in?

The club with a Debt? Investors usually want something for the investment this usually leads to more debt.

We actually need a takeover...And that aint looking likely.Mainly because of the...Yep... you got it.... Debt.

So as far as the title goes i tend to disagree.

[fife_owl]

Who ever "Invests" Is going to want to invest in something.

The debt will not disappear it will still be there...So what would the "Investor" be actually investing in?

The club with a Debt? Investors usually want something for the investment this usually leads to more debt.

We actually need a takeover...And that aint looking likely.Mainly because of the...Yep... you got it.... Debt.

So as far as the title goes i tend to disagree.

Although Lee calls this an investment process, the potential investors get 83% of the club following their investment - which, for me, is a takeover.

[Hawkeye]

Its been 15 years or so of neglect and mismanagement thats brought us here. I dont expect Lee, or anyone, to turn it around inside less than 5 years in honesty.

For all the pluses lee and co. have done, there are still loads of negatives, and thats just how it is. I dont pretend to think that we will turn the corner in one season, or that improving the pies and ticket system will automatically make people come to watch, but at least its turning, albeit slowly, this sinking ship around.

Patience is the key. Getting someone who hasnt attended for years, to buy a season ticket straight away isnt as likely. But getting them to attend 10 games, is an improvement. While season tickets are all improtant, its also vital that we pick up any and all floating support, which i think the ticket pricing has been designed to do.

[Bluesteel]

Its not Straffords fault though.

LS has created a platform for the football budget to be increased. The players havent performed and lived up to the mantra of moving forwards. If anything theyve gone in the opposite direction.

When they arent performing you get a feeling that the club is wanting you to give your time and money with very little coming back in return. But thats not the Chairmans fault, he must be pulling his hair out at the performances that undermine what he is trying to achieve.

[Guest Ripley Owl]

Its been 15 years or so of neglect and mismanagement thats brought us here. I dont expect Lee, or anyone, to turn it around inside less than 5 years in honesty.

For all the pluses lee and co. have done, there are still loads of negatives, and thats just how it is. I dont pretend to think that we will turn the corner in one season, or that improving the pies and ticket system will automatically make people come to watch, but at least its turning, albeit slowly, this sinking ship around.

Patience is the key. Getting someone who hasnt attended for years, to buy a season ticket straight away isnt as likely. But getting them to attend 10 games, is an improvement. While season tickets are all improtant, its also vital that we pick up any and all floating support, which i think the ticket pricing has been designed to do.

Great post Hawkeye !

[The Batman]

Good OP. The thing is all LS is asking is for you to help him & NP to give them the chance to make us successful. I've

said before it's a catch 22 situation, we need to sell more STs to generate a bigger budget to give us a chance to

compete for a playoff place/promotion push, but fans like yourself wont come back till we start to compete for a playoff

place/promotion push!

It's not about whats happened in the last decade, thats history, we now have a new(ish) team in charge at the top. We

now have a new Manager & in the summer we will (due to contracts expiring) have a chance to strengthen the squad.

But it wont happen unless fans that can buy STs do so. Thats not emotional blackmail, it's just the way it is!

I guess you've just got to ask yourself, Do you really want us to be a success? If the answer is yes then you have to

play your part, not just leave it to others and then join in once the hard works out of the way. If the answer is no, you're

not fussed, then fair enough, but then you've really got no right to moan about it!

Edited February 22, 2010 by Donny

[Arthur Bach]

Its been 15 years or so of neglect and mismanagement thats brought us here. I dont expect Lee, or anyone, to turn it around inside less than 5 years in honesty.

For all the pluses lee and co. have done, there are still loads of negatives, and thats just how it is. I dont pretend to think that we will turn the corner in one season, or that improving the pies and ticket system will automatically make people come to watch, but at least its turning, albeit slowly, this sinking ship around.

Patience is the key. Getting someone who hasnt attended for years, to buy a season ticket straight away isnt as likely. But getting them to attend 10 games, is an improvement. While season tickets are all improtant, its also vital that we pick up any and all floating support, which i think the ticket pricing has been designed to do.

The club and chairman are the most guilty in regards to expectations.

If what you say is right then how can club officials give a presentation saying £20m imminent?

[bigrbuk]

Its not Straffords fault though.

I haven't blamed LS for anything, I just said I'm not going to kiss his ass. I agree to position the team finds themselves in is down to just that - the team. The article is about my thoughts on investment and stay away fans.

[latemodelchild]

The club and chairman are the most guilty in regards to expectations.

If what you say is right then how can club officials give a presentation saying £20m imminent?

Who wrote that presentation and what for?

[Rodger Wylde]

Whats all this about investment then??? Is someone going to invest in the club or something??

[Arthur Bach]

Who wrote that presentation and what for?

Whoever it was they must have been on acid.

[steelowl]

I fully expect to get shot down in flames for numerous reasons for this, but I just wanted to share my thoughts and observations.

I am one of the very people Mr Strafford has been calling all of you to convince to come back to Hillsboro. I was a season ticket holder for a number of years, which came to an end when I went away to University. I graduated and came back to Sheffield the season we were relegated from the Premiership, at the time I had no job and no money. Since then, I think it's pretty fair to say that we've not exactly been setting the world on fire with footballing prowess, this together with the general bad feeling surrounding the club and the outright negativity displayed by the then board means I have never really regained the passion I had before University.

I still consider myself a fan (dodge bullet no.1), I attend the odd game, listen to away games on the radio and read the forums, ocassionally posting (bullet no.2), but it no way have I been convinced to stump up the several hundred quid to go to watch Wednesday every fortnight, even though I am now in a position to have that kind of disposable income. I have friends who still have season tickets and ask their opinion after the game, generally speaking the feedback I receive is not good - hardly the best advertisement.

I appreciate the work Mr Strafford is doing regarding the business operations and making the football club a saleable commodity (which is his remit), but I am not going to kiss his ass like so many do on here.

The belief and passion around the club have dwindled over the years and I don't believe the "call to arms" speeches Mr Strafford repeatedly gives, via all forms of media, are going to change anything; I can only see it doing more harm than good as it increasingly starts to come across as blame.

The investment would be a nice 'shot in arm', a chance to invest in better players and give us the opportunity to compete further up the table than we currently find ourselves, but more importantly for me, it gives the stay aways a chance to see promises (bullet no.3) being fulfilled for once, a sense of positivity and optimism and most importantly of all, belief. Mr Strafford says he needs the stay away fans to come back to save our club, as sad it may sound, I believe Mr Strafford needs to finalise this investment to convince us stay aways to come back.

I await your glory hunter/FUD/WUM remarks.

None such from me mate. You are indeed the target audience.

Being a Wednesdaite is a spectrum: ranging from the born and bred 'It's like a religion' to people who if they have to make a choice will choose the Owls and may get fired up by a trip to Cardiff/Wembley. Who is right to criticise another's fanhood. I think the thing is our base core support is prob/arguably around 11kish, added to that in increments and taking into account variables that happen to everyone in life, permed with quality of opposition our team's performance / weather / ability to attend the crowd figure builds up .

There is absolutely no point in lambasting the stay-aways, their interest in us is based on things like value for money & quality of football. If we're honest our crowd figure would be around 5k ( most of these bl**dy stewards) if we all applied the op's criteria to our attendance.

My message to LS is to cosset the fans that attend not accuse non attenders of ruining investment, direct money from the many incentives on the pitch then as the film says they including the OP will come- end of

Edited February 22, 2010 by steelowl

[bigrbuk]

Good OP. The thing is all LS is asking is for you to help him & NP to give them the chance to make us successful. I've

said before it's a catch 22 situation, we need to sell more STs to generate a bigger budget to give us a chance to

compete for a playoff place/promotion push, but fans like yourself wont come back till we start to compete for a playoff

place/promotion push!

It's not about whats happened in the last decade, thats history, we now have a new(ish) team in charge at the top. We

now have a new Manager & in the summer we will (due to contracts expiring) have a chance to strengthen the squad.

But it wont happen unless fans that can buy STs do so. Thats not emotional blackmail, it's just the way it is!

I guess you've just got to ask yourself, Do you really want us to be a success? If the answer is yes then you have to

play your part, not just leave it to others and then join in once the hard works out of the way. If the answer is no, you're

not fussed, then fair enough, but then you've really got no right to moan about it!

There are numerous ways of looking at it, all of which are fair and valid.

I would love us to be a success, but I would still support us in the conference - that's just the way it is! Yes, I've been to Wembley and the Derbies etc, but I've also been Carlisle and Stockport away for example, it's not that I'm a glory hunter, I just don't have the belief in the club after years of neglect.

[Hawkeye]

The club and chairman are the most guilty in regards to expectations.

If what you say is right then how can club officials give a presentation saying £20m imminent?

i would assume, and im not ITK so i cant say, that it was.

not really sure anyone in charge here can win. They give no information, people moan saying nothings happening. They give information, and people start pushing "when, when, when".

All i said was that getting people through the gates, in any way, shape or form, that otherwise wouldnt have turned up, is a start. 5000 people, who didnt go once last season, and attend one game this season, is another £100k in the pot. Season tickets are important, but so are attendences, and neither will increase dramatically until the product is good enough - which we all accept it isnt, and wont be til we get money.

So anything inside 5 years is really a major acheivement.

[Arthur Bach]

i would assume, and im not ITK so i cant say, that it was.

Then it was an utterly irresponsible thing to include in the presentation.

[Hawkeye]

Then it was an utterly irresponsible thing to include in the presentation.

Why?

Why would anyone say that, when it wasnt likely?

Strafford isnt daft, and i cant see him making statements like that just for effect.

£20m may have been on the table, i dont know, yoou dont know, no one really knows.

[latemodelchild]

Then it was an utterly irresponsible thing to include in the presentation.

Without that line my first question would be how are we going to afford this? I reckon it would have been the world cup comittees first question too. Maybe it is imminent. Then again, maybe its not. I reckon it was there to show what could be achieved and how. Unfortunately, it seems it was baseless and got peoples hopes up.

Without some kind of investment we are destined to season after season like this one. We need to either cut costs and divert the savings into the team or generate more cash per supporter. I'm sure Lee would appreciate suggestions cos I'm fooked if I can see how we're gonna do anything that will have a serious impact at the moment.