| Fans forum thread on 00:45 - Feb 18 with 5243 views | TalkingSutty |
| Fans forum thread on 23:38 - Feb 17 by tony_roch975 |
strengthening the playing squad may be as much achieved by investing in the Academy, a digitilised ticketing system to increase gates or a training pitch as by buying players or increasing wage bills? |
Yes agree but football is all about results and the ‘here and now’, youth academies are time consuming and costly with no guarantees. Signing established players, something we have always done, bypasses all of that. It’s also made us millions of pounds down the years and brought us a lot of success on the pitch. The best example would be signing O’Grady, he proved the final piece in the jigsaw when it came to promotion.
By all means run a youth policy but to rely on it as the main provider for strengthening the first team wouldn’t work. Some of the youth players who were in and around our first team squad recently are now on loan at Colne and Ashton, so it shows the development required to even start to think they are ready for the rigours of L1. Hopefully they will get game time and come back a bit more battle hardened. To be honest the only youth player I have seen who is maybe ready for professional football in L1/L2 is Matheson and even he is still very raw and rough around the edges. The rest have been good in little cameos but are clearly not ready yet, hopefully next season they can all progress even more, i expect them to do. [Post edited 18 Feb 2020 0:52]
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| Fans forum thread on 01:03 - Feb 18 with 5214 views | Sandyman |
Without a doubt, the best Fans Forum I've ever been to. Expected doom and gloom and "poor little Rochdale". What we got were some very professional and serious presentations of RAFC as it is, and what it aims for, based on facts not message board grumpiness.
The honest assessment of issues regarding the pitch and what is going to be done (down 15 feet, ragging the drains out and starting again) , and that Hairnets are on board was great to hear.
The financial presentation by Mr Pockney was brilliant. The good, the bad, the ugly, and how RAFC deals with it. It still bewilders me why Denehurst Park company and RAFC aren't one company consolidated accounts or not. "Historical" as he said explaining why but why we show debts for owing ourselves money for a debt that doesn't really exist anymore makes no sense now. I am very very pleased we have Mr Pockney watching the accounts.
If it gets on ifollow, listen in. Yes the football and results have been bob but we'll get by short term and the future looks realistically bright. This is based on being rational and not run by fantasists like far too many clubs in the region are. Or were.
Patience will be a virtue. RAFC will continue well with its current custodians running the ship sensibly.
UP THE DALE |  | | |
| Fans forum thread on 01:38 - Feb 18 with 5173 views | Shun |
It all makes for good reading, but I do wonder whether some of the more probing questions posed on here over the past few months were presented.
For example, why did one of our directors tell associates of other clubs that we’re skint and we’d listen to any offers for our players? |  | | |
| Fans forum thread on 03:40 - Feb 18 with 5148 views | D_Alien |
| Fans forum thread on 01:38 - Feb 18 by Shun |
It all makes for good reading, but I do wonder whether some of the more probing questions posed on here over the past few months were presented.
For example, why did one of our directors tell associates of other clubs that we’re skint and we’d listen to any offers for our players? |
Isn't that hearsay, though? It was stated that our accounts were ready for publication in January, but were withheld until after the transfer window closed so as not to prejudice any offers
Reference was also made to the sale of Adshead, Cannon & McGahey being at least partly down to cashflow issues, so there was little evidence of trying to sweep anything under the carpet
Not everything could be disclosed, of course, and lips remained tight on the precise terms of the Matheson deal |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 10:47 - Feb 18 with 4560 views | DaleiLama |
Looking forward (hopefully) to watching the streamed version but the feedback thus far seems very positive in many respects. The cynic in me was wondering if there would be straight bats along with smoke and mirrors, but it seems that there was as much transparency as could reasonably be expected and that the messages were mostly good ones (within the constraints of our position in the pyramid and the costs associated with it). |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 11:14 - Feb 18 with 4474 views | James1980 |
Will those of you in the position to do so be encouraging the firms you work for to use COA as a venue for conferencing? |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 12:38 - Feb 18 with 4266 views | blackdogblue |
| Fans forum thread on 11:14 - Feb 18 by James1980 |
Will those of you in the position to do so be encouraging the firms you work for to use COA as a venue for conferencing? |
The missus has been to a couple of “corporate” do’s, usually in the Radcliffe Arms, I remember her saying it was always last choice on price compared with other local venues |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 13:06 - Feb 18 with 4180 views | James1980 |
| Fans forum thread on 12:38 - Feb 18 by blackdogblue |
The missus has been to a couple of “corporate” do’s, usually in the Radcliffe Arms, I remember her saying it was always last choice on price compared with other local venues |
So work to be done then if that aim is to be achieved. | |
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| Fans forum thread on 13:40 - Feb 18 with 4036 views | Shun |
| Fans forum thread on 13:06 - Feb 18 by James1980 |
So work to be done then if that aim is to be achieved. |
HMR/NHS have courses/conferences at the football club regularly. | | | |
| Fans forum thread on 13:46 - Feb 18 with 4028 views | The_DJ |
| Fans forum thread on 01:03 - Feb 18 by Sandyman |
Without a doubt, the best Fans Forum I've ever been to. Expected doom and gloom and "poor little Rochdale". What we got were some very professional and serious presentations of RAFC as it is, and what it aims for, based on facts not message board grumpiness.
The honest assessment of issues regarding the pitch and what is going to be done (down 15 feet, ragging the drains out and starting again) , and that Hairnets are on board was great to hear.
The financial presentation by Mr Pockney was brilliant. The good, the bad, the ugly, and how RAFC deals with it. It still bewilders me why Denehurst Park company and RAFC aren't one company consolidated accounts or not. "Historical" as he said explaining why but why we show debts for owing ourselves money for a debt that doesn't really exist anymore makes no sense now. I am very very pleased we have Mr Pockney watching the accounts.
If it gets on ifollow, listen in. Yes the football and results have been bob but we'll get by short term and the future looks realistically bright. This is based on being rational and not run by fantasists like far too many clubs in the region are. Or were.
Patience will be a virtue. RAFC will continue well with its current custodians running the ship sensibly.
UP THE DALE |
While since I've been on here.
Have to agree the Presentations were excellent last night and answered many of the questions before they could be asked.
Hearing from more than 1 speaker was a pleasant surprise.
Long may that continue...….. |  | | |
| Fans forum thread on 13:54 - Feb 18 with 4001 views | Dalenet |
| Fans forum thread on 13:06 - Feb 18 by James1980 |
So work to be done then if that aim is to be achieved. |
Need to put it into perspective. For a large town in a large connurbation sitting alongside a major east/west motorway, there is very little choice in the town for corporate events/meetings. The Norton Grange has upped its game in recent years since it was bought and they do very well with conferences and weddings seven days a week. They of course can accommodate people overnight and have good leisure facilities.
But where else is there? With meeting rooms of the size and range of COA, with catering facilities, with free accessible parking, I can't think of many. They need to find their audience and price to fill it. There should be plenty of takers. Maybe offer a few free match day tickets to firms that use the corporate facilities during the week. | | | |
| Fans forum thread on 13:57 - Feb 18 with 3990 views | James1980 |
| Fans forum thread on 13:40 - Feb 18 by Shun |
HMR/NHS have courses/conferences at the football club regularly. |
That is great to hear. What about the company Mrs BDB works for though and others like them that don't make The Crown Oil Arena their first or even 2nd to last venue of choice? | |
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| Fans forum thread on 14:31 - Feb 18 with 3878 views | 49thseason |
| Fans forum thread on 13:57 - Feb 18 by James1980 |
That is great to hear. What about the company Mrs BDB works for though and others like them that don't make The Crown Oil Arena their first or even 2nd to last venue of choice? |
In the past I have used Wigan Football club as a meeting venue and found it to be excellent, they use their pitchside boxes for smaller meetings and have a wide range of IT kit, projectors etc available with the room hire. A big benefit at Wigan is that they have an excellent italian restaurant / pizzaria on site which can be booked for lunches.
If RAOS want a bigger share of this market, they really need to appoint someone with expertise in this field who can advise on what the venue needs to be successful and wih contacts with potential users.
On the occasions I have been to the Ratcliffe to attend meetings, it has been perfectly satisfactory in terms of seating and a pre- meeting coffee etc. but slightly marred by projection problems and broadband connectivity. An effective PA system would also help. Currently there is no mention of room booking on the website and a google search on "Rochdaleafc room hire" takes you to a news article from 2014!
https://stadiumexperience.com/clubs/wigan-athletic-football-club/ |  | | |
| Fans forum thread on 18:22 - Feb 18 with 3528 views | 100notout |
| Fans forum thread on 14:31 - Feb 18 by 49thseason |
In the past I have used Wigan Football club as a meeting venue and found it to be excellent, they use their pitchside boxes for smaller meetings and have a wide range of IT kit, projectors etc available with the room hire. A big benefit at Wigan is that they have an excellent italian restaurant / pizzaria on site which can be booked for lunches.
If RAOS want a bigger share of this market, they really need to appoint someone with expertise in this field who can advise on what the venue needs to be successful and wih contacts with potential users.
On the occasions I have been to the Ratcliffe to attend meetings, it has been perfectly satisfactory in terms of seating and a pre- meeting coffee etc. but slightly marred by projection problems and broadband connectivity. An effective PA system would also help. Currently there is no mention of room booking on the website and a google search on "Rochdaleafc room hire" takes you to a news article from 2014!
https://stadiumexperience.com/clubs/wigan-athletic-football-club/ |
The town hall is also a regularly used venue and it was mentioned last night that it is closing for 2/3 years from Jan 2021 for renovation. The club recognise this is a good opportunity to increase bookings at the COA and are working to achieve this.
Have to echo other comments on here - was really impressed by the presentations and transparency last night. There's a lot of fake news on here from so called in the know people - many of whom know jack shit | |
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| Fans forum thread on 18:30 - Feb 18 with 3497 views | James1980 |
| Fans forum thread on 18:22 - Feb 18 by 100notout |
The town hall is also a regularly used venue and it was mentioned last night that it is closing for 2/3 years from Jan 2021 for renovation. The club recognise this is a good opportunity to increase bookings at the COA and are working to achieve this.
Have to echo other comments on here - was really impressed by the presentations and transparency last night. There's a lot of fake news on here from so called in the know people - many of whom know jack shit |
I had noticed that some have been conspicuous by their absence. | |
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| Fans forum thread on 19:01 - Feb 18 with 3380 views | Ninco |
I would imagine that the new hotel they are building at Sandbrook Park would also have conference facilities. | | | |
| Fans forum thread on 19:24 - Feb 18 with 3295 views | Dalenet |
| Fans forum thread on 19:01 - Feb 18 by Ninco |
I would imagine that the new hotel they are building at Sandbrook Park would also have conference facilities. |
I don't think it will as it is a travelodge isn't it? | | | |
| Fans forum thread on 19:52 - Feb 18 with 3199 views | kiwidale |
| Fans forum thread on 18:30 - Feb 18 by James1980 |
I had noticed that some have been conspicuous by their absence. |
Oh com'on James I missed my bus. | |
| This is not the time for bickering.
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| Fans forum thread on 20:32 - Feb 18 with 3096 views | 442Dale |
There is literally no need for this to become something it doesn’t need to be on here.
Fans have requested open, transparent explanations in a public environment so that the direction of Rochdale AFC could be established. There is no reason why this cannot be the norm now, with regular forums (maybe one in summer, one in winter) which build upon what we were told last night. Providing updates and explanations to everyone so we can see what’s progressed, what hasn’t and why, and what future plans are. It is much more preferable to other methods of communication that clearly haven’t worked as well before.
On that note, could someone reading from the Trust please establish what the circumstances are around the recording of the meeting being made public online as stated. This would be of a massive benefit to those who couldn’t attend, especially when we can all agree how much interesting information was provided on the evening. |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 21:14 - Feb 18 with 2980 views | fitzochris |
| Fans forum thread on 18:22 - Feb 18 by 100notout |
The town hall is also a regularly used venue and it was mentioned last night that it is closing for 2/3 years from Jan 2021 for renovation. The club recognise this is a good opportunity to increase bookings at the COA and are working to achieve this.
Have to echo other comments on here - was really impressed by the presentations and transparency last night. There's a lot of fake news on here from so called in the know people - many of whom know jack shit |
Sounds like it was a positive event and everybody I have spoken to who attended had heaps of praise for Pockney. Sounds like a man you’d actually want running things.
So just looking forward to the promised video of the event appearing online before passing any comment.
Curious as to what has appeared as fake news that was dispelled directly last night. |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 21:20 - Feb 18 with 2957 views | Daley_Lama |
| Fans forum thread on 21:14 - Feb 18 by fitzochris |
Sounds like it was a positive event and everybody I have spoken to who attended had heaps of praise for Pockney. Sounds like a man you’d actually want running things.
So just looking forward to the promised video of the event appearing online before passing any comment.
Curious as to what has appeared as fake news that was dispelled directly last night. |
Can anybody shed any light on how we spent 6.2 million in one year?
Anything to do with getting 100% ownership of the COA?
That figure is staggering to me without some exceptional costs that year. |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 21:26 - Feb 18 with 2933 views | judd |
| Fans forum thread on 21:20 - Feb 18 by Daley_Lama |
Can anybody shed any light on how we spent 6.2 million in one year?
Anything to do with getting 100% ownership of the COA?
That figure is staggering to me without some exceptional costs that year. |
They bought a pie. |  |
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| Fans forum thread on 21:40 - Feb 18 with 2887 views | judd |
| Fans forum thread on 21:20 - Feb 18 by Daley_Lama |
Can anybody shed any light on how we spent 6.2 million in one year?
Anything to do with getting 100% ownership of the COA?
That figure is staggering to me without some exceptional costs that year. |
Expenditure is documented in the accounts.
The ownership was discussed with regards repaying an affordable loan from the council. I think £60k p.a. was mentioned | |
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| Fans forum thread on 21:43 - Feb 18 with 2869 views | nordenblue |
| Fans forum thread on 21:20 - Feb 18 by Daley_Lama |
Can anybody shed any light on how we spent 6.2 million in one year?
Anything to do with getting 100% ownership of the COA?
That figure is staggering to me without some exceptional costs that year. |
Dont think its connected to the ground purchase as I'm fairly sure he said that's getting repaid annually over installments, the other part I cant help you with... | | | |
| Fans forum thread on 21:49 - Feb 18 with 2849 views | TrueDaleBlue |
| Fans forum thread on 21:56 - Feb 17 by tony_roch975 |
Excellent professional presentations - transparent, realistic and positive. I thought DB was saying that the previous powers (C Dunphy?) made the decision on his own without proper scrutiny. As you say - it's being sorted finally. |
Russ Green could of been the one he alluded to about the previous pitch fiasco, he was the one in charge of sourcing a suitable pitch supplier. | | | |
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