MadAmster

20 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

IMHO we were caught by the fact Mel Morris pissed too many people off. 

Which is exactly what I wrote. (y)

1 hour ago, sage said:

There will be people who get tickets for their ranking next season, but will pass on tickets at face value if it's a ground they have been to before many times like Barnsley.

Hopefully, someone will read my post and offer exactly that...

54 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Strange prediction.. I'll go for 2561 left in the home end

Nice one ?  

12 hours ago, Inverurie Ram said:

Hopefully see you at Barnsley, I’m like you, hoping to get tickets, after spending loads on bus’s, trains, hotels and flights. 

Ours got ridiculously expensive. We booked, initially, flights from Amsterdam to Donington. Cheapest destination and only 30 minutes from Derby by bus. The flights turned out to be cheaper via Booking.com, at £150 return each, than direct with the airline, Flybe. Last week Flybe went belly up. Because we booked through Booking.com we're not covered by ATOL so we are now pinning our hopes on the Credit Card company refunding our money. Immediately booked KLM flights into Brum at £300 apiece. The bus from EMA to Derby was a fiver return last time I used it, might be a couple of quid dearer now. Train from Brum International £25 return. All in all that's 500 apiece so far and we haven't had a drink or any food yet..... here's hoping the credit card company comes through... 

3326 tickets left in the home end...

4 of us flying over for Barnsley. Hoping to get tickets as it's my birthday weekend. Flight, hotel and Neptune Coach all booked and paid for. February 10th at 10:00, if there's any tickets left, we'll be hitting the site to book. If we can't then our backup plan is Burton v Accrington, hospitality.

I don't expect we'll get extra as the entire lower section is taped off, apparently for safety reasons.

Let's get out of L1 first before thinking about whether we could be as successful in the SBC. One week into July we had 5 players. On zero outlay, LR put together a good squad which PW has got more organised and on a roll. IMO, this squad would likely end up between 12th and 16th in the SBC next season if we went up. PW would, most definitely, get some new blood in and we might lose a couple, especially of the older players. I don't see Curt or Stears in the squad next season. Didzy might manage half the games. Next season, as things stand, we still can't pay transfer/loan/agent's fees so it will be free loans, free transfers or free agents. Obviously the "aim" would be promotion but, realistically, midtable is as much as we could hope for.

Let's not try to run while we're still perfecting walking.

Morecambe have a very good home record and a poor away record. I see that away record not improving on Saturday.

13 hours ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Yes we were treated unfairly by the EFL. Changed the rules retrospectively then punished us with -9 points, other clubs allowed to circumvent FFP with no come back (our neighbours down the road being one), changed the rules to help clubs out during COVID, we should have had our points reduced, we didn’t. Throw in administration-12 points and then a 2 year business plan which has no purpose other than to restrict our ability to compete, it’s nothing to do with whether we can run sustainably. I agree with a points deduction for administration but the 2 year business plan as well is ridiculously harsh. Yes we have been treated unfairly.

The reason we have been treated unfairly by the EFL is Mel Morris, he pissed them off, he pissed off Steve Gibson and the EFL allowed him to wage war against Mel and Derby. We also now know the reason Derby didn’t file their accounts for years was not really due to the EFL action, it was Mel concealing the real situation from the outside world and fans that he was no longer paying the bills.
 

Yes we were treated harshly and continue to be, All roads for our plight lead to Morris, if he’d never darkened our door we’d still be a championship club, possibly better. Thankfully we are now on the rise again with a sensible relatable owner and a relatable passionate and capable management team. I really hope Clowes and Warne can take us all the way to the prem and keep us there with team spirit and work ethic alongside a sensible transfer policy and not the ridiculous approach Forest have taken (it will come back to bite them if not this year then at some point in the next 2 or 3 - look at Everton)

A 2 year business plan is an EFL requirement for all clubs coming out of Administration. The EFL has a sort of skeleton, the club puts the meat on the bones and then it's down to the EFL whether they accept the plan or ask for amendments. To the best of my knowledge, DCFC's plan was accepted first time. They didn't write it, we did.

On 31/01/2023 at 15:59, RoyMac5 said:

Doesn't mean they were either.

Them's the rules of the EFL Club.

The amortisation (player depreciation) issue. It's a weird one. Under UK Government accounting rules (FRS102), the methodology used by DCFC under MM (he told the EFL he was going to use that method in 2015, why did it take them 4 years to decide it was "illegal" under EFL rules?) is 100% legal and used by many firms. In 2019 there wasn't a specific EFL rule disallowing its use. 

The first tribunal, which contained some accountants (logical when it's an accounting issue) found the club not guilty. The EFL decided to appeal, on the very last day they could lodge an appeal. The appeal committee contained ZERO accountants to adjudge this accounting issue. They found DCFC guilty. We had to amend and resubmit several years accounts and the end result was we were seen to have broken FFP limits in, IIRC, 3 seasons. That led to the 9 point deduction.

Several months later, the EFL introduced a new rule disallowing the methodology DCFC had used. Yes, that's right. They made a rule to stop anyone else doing it. So, why did we get found guilty. The answer is that they have, alongside the specific rules, a catch all get out clause to the effect that they can decide something is wrong if they feel like it. In this case DCFC was using a different amortisation methodology to the rest of the Championship sides and that was, somehow, despite being legal, unfair to the other clubs.

Did we get shafted? IMO most definitely. Why were we shafted? Again, this is a personal opinion. MM had ruffled too many EFL feathers and was involved in a spat with another SBC club chairman and together they saw a way to "get their own back".

Move to 2023 and it seems Chelsea are doing the same, or something very similar. UEFA will be changing their rules next season to stop anybody else doing it. Chelsea have got in first and will get away with it.

Strangely enough, I'm glad someone got burnt, unhappy it was us but I sincerely hope that the EFL and PL (hopefully UEFA and FIFA too) change the rules in order to ensure no other club can get into the situation we were in.  

23 hours ago, angieram said:

All this talk of HD viewing, is anyone else actually going to the game tonight? ?‍♀️

Apart from me, @Foreveram and @B4ev6is, of course! 

Where are the East Stand refugees sitting? 

Flights, hotels et al make more than half a dozen games a season unaffordable. 2 home games thus far. Barnsley away is booked for 4 of us. Just hope now we can get tickets. It's an expensive trip too. Booked the flights with Flybe who have gone belly up so had to book with KLM now. 300 for the flight each. Put a claim in to get the Flybe money back from the credit card company... no guarantee though. Doing FGR away too. Flights and hotel booked. Again 4 of us. I know someone in the heirarchy there so we are already in. Other games this season? Possibly Wendy away and maybe Fleetwood at home. My finances will be happy to see the closed season arrive. ;)

1 hour ago, jimtastic56 said:

Don’t think you got anything for finishing 5th in those days but League and cup winners missed out on European football. 70’s football was dangerous but I think the West Ham fans coming tonight are more likely to be wearing posh suits and chuckling about how cheap the beer is.

We would have qualified for the UEFA Cup that season in 5th.

That young Vale lad posts his videos on youtube. I, for one, will be following him to see how he develops.

3 hours ago, kevinhectoring said:

You can debate whether it’s punishment.  The fact someone said on here that’s what it is not proof of anything, far from it !
 

Posters on here have also pointed out  that the restrictions are in part  intended to stop you benefitting from the creditor write off and to stop you failing again. And that these reasons argue in favour of leniency if you overperform financially 

My understanding of "punishment" is something someone else decides, unilaterally, do to you. 6 of the best, detention, prison, fine etc. We are currently operating under a business plan put together by DCFC and agreed to by the EFL. I see it as insurance against repeating the same mistakes.

1-2

35 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

We should be allowed most to be lifted but flaming efl wont do anything to help derby even through we are under new ownership.

The current restrictions are in a 2 year business plan David Clowes put together that was accepted by the EFL. It's not the EFL having decided "you're going to do this or you're not going to do that". There is a chance some restrictions might get lifted or lessened, we won't know until DCFC asks the EFL for some relief on the restrictions... if they do ask...

On 21/01/2023 at 19:58, Foreveram said:

Morecambe away was the game postponed when the Queen died, Cheltenham was because of international call ups.

I stand corrected. thank you

Win our game in hand, which is the rearranged Cheltenham game, and we are just 1 point behind Ipswich so, if we win all 7 Ipswich would need to average around 2.8 points per game to stay ahead.

If PW had been here last summer?, would he have signed Barkhuizen, Hourihane, NML and McGoldrick? We don't know.

Too many fans thinking vaguaries are facts.

Me? LR did a great job with recruitment. Wanted the players to be more adventurous going forward, take risks, look for the forward pass. He said so in several interviews. Players like Sibs corroborated that in interviews. I think we would have now been higher up the League than we were when LR left. I am also of the opinion that we wouldn't be as high as PW has got us. I will, however, be eternally grateful for LR's recruitment job. I expected midtable at the start of the season and thought anything better would be a very acceptable bonus. To be where we are is amazing. Barring accidents, playoffs is looking good and top 2 will be hard but not impossible. Let's enjoy the ride.

15 hours ago, Srg said:

You’re asking questions no one can answer. We only know that it’s frees and loans without fees, plus a wage cap for this season. 

... and next season as well.

If we have kept well inside the parameters set in the business plan DC put together and the EFL accepted, there is an outside chance we might get a slight easing on a couple of the current sanctions but no more than that. Maybe (especially should we go up) an increase on the total spend allowed which is currently £8M and possible be allowed to use the extra for transfer/loan fees. Our income in the Championship has been somewhere between £20M and £30M down the years (Covid years excepted) so an increase to maybe £12M wouldn't be excessive. IMO.

However, it's the EFL that will decide...

I thought it was out, in first instance. However, Foz didn't complain and if anybody would have known for sure it is him.

21 hours ago, Grumpy Git said:

Keep playing like we have been of late and the only question is if we finish top or second.

UTR.

Next time I'm over for a home game you can buy me a pint of the usual in the Brunny. I'm in there early myself. Likely to be in March... February game is Barnsley away, April is FGR away.

With regard to the post I've quoted, somebody took the time to take every team's last 10 games form and extrapolate that to the end of the season. We end up 3rd, 3 or 4 points behind Gargoyle in 2nd. Barnsley, Bolton and then Ipswich in 6th. Be interesting to see how inaccurate extrapolation is.

17 hours ago, Warren Blufitt said:

Ha, hung by my own petard Scarlet. ?

Maybe it’s because like you we almost lost our club recently that we’re just glad to be there at all. In fairness we’ve always had better support than the other Lancashire clubs, especially away support and even now with both Blackburn and Preston both pushing for promotion they can’t compete with us. Obviously the competition for fans is far more acute where we are with Man United, City, Blackburn, Preston, Wigan, Burnley and Blackpool all within around 15 miles max of Bolton plus others like Accrington, Fleetwood, Stockport and Rochdale. You really only have Chesterfield so I think comparing gate size is somewhat irrelevant but I accept it’s good to be well supported and you are.

You forgot Burton and Mickleover...  ?

17 hours ago, Srg said:

Our game in hand is Tuesday against Port Vale. 

No. Cheltenham at Pride Park is our game in hand. Should have been in September 2 days after the Queen died and it was postponed.

Looks like Bolton fans are getting the club into trouble. BWFC has just released this statement...

Bolton Wanderers would like to reiterate the expected standards of behaviour from Whites’ supporters on match days, particularly when travelling to away fixtures.

Unfortunately, as a consequence of ongoing disorder from a small minority of fans when visiting opposition grounds this season, the club has now been warned and sanctioned by the FA as part of their new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.

This is costing the club both financially and reputationally and is incredibly disappointing when so much is being done by so many to ensure Bolton Wanderers is a stable and sustainable football club, continuing its positive journey forwards.

In a move to further combat behaviour that disrupts and endangers fellow football fans, the club has developed its own new Fan Sanction Policy that provides transparency around the penalties that will be imposed to fans who breach the guidelines set out in the document.

The club will now consult with the Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust with a view to finalising and subsequently publishing this policy.

This policy will clearly outline the sanctions that will be related to offences including the use of pyrotechnics, missile throwing, pitch incursion, aggression towards staff and the use of discriminatory language and behaviour, amongst others.

Neil Hart, Chief Executive Officer at Bolton Wanderers said: “We are urging supporters to consider their behaviour, particularly when attending away games, where most of these issues are arising.

“A small minority are spoiling the experience for other supporters and causing ongoing difficulties for the club which is, otherwise, in a fantastic position.

“We ask all fans to please enjoy upcoming games in a way that represents the very best of Bolton Wanderers.”

The club acknowledges that the majority of fans are fantastic ambassadors of the Wanderers. However, those who persist in their disregard of the safety and wellbeing of other fans are urged to reconsider their approach to matchdays - and to understand that the club will take decisive action against those who breach the safety guidelines in place to ensure that everyone can enjoy matchdays both home and away.

1 hour ago, Ram@Lincoln said:

1072 tickets remaining to be sold. This'll be a 31k plus attendance.

1112 now ?