Martin Gray
Martin Gray
Good to see Martin totally committed to promotion again with new vigour, now let's make inroads with our fundraising , give him the funds to allow him to complete the job, and for the building structures budget to fullfil there targets.Onward and upward with Darlington f.c .
- Robbie Painter
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Re: Martin Gray
Robbie Painter - http://twitter.com/RobbiePainter
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Re: Martin Gray
Here is the actual link to the MG interview. Good to hear he plans to bring in a few more players. All positive stuff.
http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/wp- ... 27_001.mp3
http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/wp- ... 27_001.mp3
Re: Martin Gray
I'd love to know where the money to bring in new players is coming from - there must be some impressive fundraising going on behind the scenes unless last season's squad have all taken pay cuts.Darlo_Pete wrote:Here is the actual link to the MG interview. Good to hear he plans to bring in a few more players. All positive stuff.
http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/wp- ... 27_001.mp3
Even then, I'd want to see any additional revenues being funnelled towards the ground improvements rather than the playing squad seeing as on paper we already have a squad capable of achieving a play-off place.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
Re: Martin Gray
To be fair, right now we have 1 in (Collins) and at least 2 out (Falkingham, Wilczinski).
I'd think for each player that we bring in we might need to move one out - as pretty much has been the case over the last year or so.
Also, the fact that we haven't just brought 6 or 7 new faces in early like in previous seasons, might show that we're not exactly chucking money at prospective new signings.
I'd think for each player that we bring in we might need to move one out - as pretty much has been the case over the last year or so.
Also, the fact that we haven't just brought 6 or 7 new faces in early like in previous seasons, might show that we're not exactly chucking money at prospective new signings.
Re: Martin Gray
I'm not saying we are chucking money at things, I agree we've been more conservative so far this summer.Quakerz wrote:To be fair, right now we have 1 in (Collins) and at least 2 out (Falkingham, Wilczinski).
I'd think for each player that we bring in we might need to move one out - as pretty much has been the case over the last year or so.
Also, the fact that we haven't just brought 6 or 7 new faces in early like in previous seasons, might show that we're not exactly chucking money at prospective new signings.
However, if we take it on face value, then the playing budget is about £40k back on last season. What's that? 3 players? We are currently one lighter than last season in numbers. 2 if you count Hardy who was with us most of the season and probably not a low earner.
So yeh maybe we are there or thereabouts, but talk of new signings for me is unnecessary because a) we know the squad we have can finish fifth based on last season, and b) there's absolutely no point spending money on finishing any higher than that until we know the ground will be up to scratch.
I'd like us to stick with the squad we have now, plough all the extra revenue we can into the ground, and then if in January we look like hitting the ground grading and we are in touch with the playoffs, start putting revenue back into the squad.
If not in touch with the playoffs, put it towards next 18/19.
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On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
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Re: Martin Gray
Don't think we are 40k short on budget, the price increase was attributed towards keeping the budget as it was. Obviously we are not going to announce but I would be surprised if the budget has dropped at all this year.Spyman wrote: However, if we take it on face value, then the playing budget is about £40k back on last season. What's that? 3 players? We are currently one lighter than last season in numbers. 2 if you count Hardy who was with us most of the season and probably not a low earner.
Gray mentioned new signing(s) still. We signed Beck at the last minute last year and wouldn't surprise me if we done something similar again.
- HarrytheQuaker
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Re: Martin Gray
Don't forget the revenue from the crowd as well throughout out the season that all helps probably 1000 pay on the day er's , so we should generate a profit each home game..
Re: Martin Gray
I'd expect that budget will take into account match day revenues.HarrytheQuaker wrote:Don't forget the revenue from the crowd as well throughout out the season that all helps probably 1000 pay on the day er's , so we should generate a profit each home game..
Re: Martin Gray
Ok I hadn't factored in the ticket price increase.super_les_mcjannet wrote:Don't think we are 40k short on budget, the price increase was attributed towards keeping the budget as it was. Obviously we are not going to announce but I would be surprised if the budget has dropped at all this year.Spyman wrote: However, if we take it on face value, then the playing budget is about £40k back on last season. What's that? 3 players? We are currently one lighter than last season in numbers. 2 if you count Hardy who was with us most of the season and probably not a low earner.
Gray mentioned new signing(s) still. We signed Beck at the last minute last year and wouldn't surprise me if we done something similar again.
I'd still stand by my previous point though, this squad should be perfectly capable of a top 5 finish as it is (we've let our second choice goalkeeper go as well as a midfielder who wasn't an integral part of the side, albeit a good player), and we've brought in an experienced central defender which most people identified as a key area to improve.
Hardy leaving gives an opportunity to Saunders to be the back-up striker, and then we have Wearmouth available again which from what I've heard makes no financial difference to last season.
I wouldn't want to see any further strengthening of the squad until we are confident that we have a ground suitable for promotion.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
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Re: Martin Gray
Agree completely with Spyman. Talk about getting together a promotion-winning squad is meaningless if we don't have a ground that's up-to-standard.
This must be the focus, given fundraising for developments seem to have stalled.
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This must be the focus, given fundraising for developments seem to have stalled.
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Re: Martin Gray
Especially when on all known evidence we already have a squad in place that should compete for promotion if the group maintain the standard they set last season.Darlogramps wrote:Agree completely with Spyman. Talk about getting together a promotion-winning squad is meaningless if we don't have a ground that's up-to-standard.
This must be the focus, given fundraising for developments seem to have stalled.
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On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
Re: Martin Gray
Agree with you both. Without the ground to compete it is pointless. But I'm positive we can do it, Huge emphasis should be put on the cup competitions though any extra revenue here from gate receipts and prize money could be the difference. In addition, there needs to be a huge emphasis on volunteers. The more we have the more we can do without incurring cost. Lowering the bottom line is just as valuable and increasing the top line for us.Spyman wrote:Especially when on all known evidence we already have a squad in place that should compete for promotion if the group maintain the standard they set last season.Darlogramps wrote:Agree completely with Spyman. Talk about getting together a promotion-winning squad is meaningless if we don't have a ground that's up-to-standard.
This must be the focus, given fundraising for developments seem to have stalled.
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Will also be interesting to see the scheduling when the fixtures come out on Wednesday. Last season didn't we play around half of the seasons games by November? it was a very busy schedule to kick off the season. Perhaps some loan signings from the larger NE clubs could help bulk up the squad for this busy time without the burden of increasing cost.
Re: Martin Gray
Top 7 is good enough as well this season isn't it!?Spyman wrote:I'd still stand by my previous point though, this squad should be perfectly capable of a top 5 finish as it is
Re: Martin Gray
Which is all the more reason to get the ground up to scratch. We've got the added cushion of knowing we probably don't even need to replicate last season's points total and we can still be in contention at the end of the season.lo36789 wrote:Top 7 is good enough as well this season isn't it!?Spyman wrote:I'd still stand by my previous point though, this squad should be perfectly capable of a top 5 finish as it is
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
Re: Martin Gray
preaching to the converted haha...Darlo Pete is the one who thinks that playing squad comes above all else!
Re: Martin Gray
Sadly he's not alone though.lo36789 wrote:preaching to the converted haha...Darlo Pete is the one who thinks that playing squad comes above all else!
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
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Re: Martin Gray
No I don't. Both go hand in hand. We will need a good squad to get us into the play-offs, but I don't want to see us have a ground fit for the Conference if we struggle on the pitch. The momentum of the last few years needs to be maintained both on and off the pitch. So in my view the playing budget fund is as important as the stand building fund.lo36789 wrote:preaching to the converted haha...Darlo Pete is the one who thinks that playing squad comes above all else!
Re: Martin Gray
And what 'we' are saying is the stand building fund is more important. If there was a choice between one or the other I would go with the stand.Darlo_Pete wrote:So in my view the playing budget fund is as important as the stand building fund.
Re: Martin Gray
And as we've seen, the budget that we had last season (assuming we have similar for the coming season) is sufficient for a promotion challenge - so there is no need at all to divert any further funds towards it unless we were to suffer a serious injury crisis that threatened to derail a promotion challenge - but then only if the ground fund was on track.
Every penny from here on needs to go towards ground improvements. There's simply no point spending more money on playing staff now that we've secured a competitive squad again.
Every penny from here on needs to go towards ground improvements. There's simply no point spending more money on playing staff now that we've secured a competitive squad again.
On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
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Re: Martin Gray
Of course the stand building fund is more important if there is a choice between the 2 but Pete has a perfectly valid point in that we have to get the playing fund as high as possible to maintain the momentum that we have had every year as well as the stand funding.Stop pulling Pete to bits every time he posts......its all about opinions is it not?lo36789 wrote:And what 'we' are saying is the stand building fund is more important. If there was a choice between one or the other I would go with the stand.Darlo_Pete wrote:So in my view the playing budget fund is as important as the stand building fund.
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Re: Martin Gray
If Portas & Wearmouth are both available we will have a strengthened squad.
With last season's squad exploits it should put the club in a favourable light with some of the potential players that are available. Gray indicates he wants to sign a few more players next week, so I hope he can get in some ambitious to be promoted and improve their career stats.
Budget breaking transfer fees, signing on fees and wages may not be so necessary to attract a few of the better quality players to Darlo.
A lot of clubs in our league are manning up, but most probably needed recruitment more than Darlo.
The coming season may be harder, but Darlo aren't new boys any more, so I expect them to be a bit stronger & smarter this time around.
Anyway we'll be in at the deep end in a month or so's time.
With last season's squad exploits it should put the club in a favourable light with some of the potential players that are available. Gray indicates he wants to sign a few more players next week, so I hope he can get in some ambitious to be promoted and improve their career stats.
Budget breaking transfer fees, signing on fees and wages may not be so necessary to attract a few of the better quality players to Darlo.
A lot of clubs in our league are manning up, but most probably needed recruitment more than Darlo.
The coming season may be harder, but Darlo aren't new boys any more, so I expect them to be a bit stronger & smarter this time around.
Anyway we'll be in at the deep end in a month or so's time.
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Re: Martin Gray
Maintaining the momentum takes us into the play-offs (if you take the logic that finishing outside the top 7 is going backwards).QUAKERMAN2 wrote:Of course the stand building fund is more important if there is a choice between the 2 but Pete has a perfectly valid point in that we have to get the playing fund as high as possible to maintain the momentum that we have had every year as well as the stand funding.Stop pulling Pete to bits every time he posts......its all about opinions is it not?lo36789 wrote:And what 'we' are saying is the stand building fund is more important. If there was a choice between one or the other I would go with the stand.Darlo_Pete wrote:So in my view the playing budget fund is as important as the stand building fund.
What good is that if we can't then take part because of the ground once again?
Qualifying for the play-offs but not being able to compete for a 2nd year in a row would be catastrophically humiliating. We'd never be taken seriously again.
We certainly would lose all momentum we had, as players and management would leave.
We got away with it last season because there were other clubs in the same position, and the board claimed they didn't know the rules. No such "defence" this time round.
Therefore all fundraising efforts must be on developing the ground, not the squad.
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Re: Martin Gray
I totally agree with what you are saying.Spyman wrote:I'd love to know where the money to bring in new players is coming from - there must be some impressive fundraising going on behind the scenes unless last season's squad have all taken pay cuts.Darlo_Pete wrote:Here is the actual link to the MG interview. Good to hear he plans to bring in a few more players. All positive stuff.
http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/wp- ... 27_001.mp3
Even then, I'd want to see any additional revenues being funnelled towards the ground improvements rather than the playing squad seeing as on paper we already have a squad capable of achieving a play-off place.
However, as Quakerz has pointed out, we have lost Wilczynski & Falkingham from last season's squad, and only brought in one player in Dom Collins.
We also sold Hardy for a fairly decent fee towards the back-end of last season. This allowed us to go out and sign 2 at the time (Wilczynski & Brodie) however Brodie decided to sign for Boston for more money (despite agreeing to sign).
Bringing in less new players over the summer also equates to less signing on fees being paid out (£24,000 between June 15' - June 16').
Despite there being, on the face of it, another 49% of the budget cut to fund, it seems like a compromise has been made with the price increase.
Also, I do wonder if the addition of York, Blyth & Spennymoor have changed things slightly. Yes we lost Halifax, however they have been replaced with a larger following in York, plus the addition of two local games in Blyth and Spennymoor, who you would expect would bring 450+.
There was an interesting spreadsheet that was being circulated a while back by a Boston fan for away followings in this league. It showed just how poor the away numbers we got at HP / BM were last season in comparison to other NLN clubs, and also how attendances at other clubs are 'inflated' slightly due to the geographical make-up of the league.
I do think that the budget is somewhere near the same level as last season, which is why I think there is room to bring in one more with the status quo to remain. I think that after that though then it may be a case of letting players go before bringing anybody in.
Any prize money received from the FA Cup / Trophy should be placed in to the fund for the new stand, as opposed to increasing the budget, in my opinion.
Re: Martin Gray
No point bringing in one more until we have a ground that is fit for promotion.
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On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.
We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.
Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.
DC
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Re: Martin Gray
Don't agree with you, we also need a team to be up in the play-offs, both are as important as each other. Our best chance of getting the stand funding, is to have a team fighting near the top of the table. If we are mid-table then it would be a struggle to get fans to pay into the stand funding.Spyman wrote:No point bringing in one more until we have a ground that is fit for promotion.
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Re: Martin Gray
We already have a team that should be good enough to make the playoffs.Darlo_Pete wrote:Don't agree with you, we also need a team to be up in the play-offs, both are as important as each other. Our best chance of getting the stand funding, is to have a team fighting near the top of the table. If we are mid-table then it would be a struggle to get fans to pay into the stand funding.Spyman wrote:No point bringing in one more until we have a ground that is fit for promotion.
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Re: Martin Gray
which would set us back more?Darlo_Pete wrote:Don't agree with you, we also need a team to be up in the play-offs, both are as important as each other. Our best chance of getting the stand funding, is to have a team fighting near the top of the table. If we are mid-table then it would be a struggle to get fans to pay into the stand funding.Spyman wrote:No point bringing in one more until we have a ground that is fit for promotion.
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1. not getting the stand funded because we couldn't generate enough fund raising because our team were only mid table.
2. not getting the stand funded because we spent extra bolstering an already pretty strong squad and then obtaining at least a play off spot.
I'm fairly certain most people would prefer to experience 1 rather than 2.
now obviously getting players in and funding the ground would be the best option if it was guaranteed, but we've already taken enough gambles budget wise over the last few years I'd rather stick with a squad I know is going to be close to the play offs regardless of further additions and add any spare income to take the pressure of fan investment.
Fan owned shouldn't mean the fans have to constantly dip into their pockets, we are supposed to be self sufficient and we aren't.
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Re: Martin Gray
We were in and around the top 5 for the majority of last season, yet by all accounts our crowds at Blackwell Meadows were disappointing.Darlo_Pete wrote:Don't agree with you, we also need a team to be up in the play-offs, both are as important as each other. Our best chance of getting the stand funding, is to have a team fighting near the top of the table. If we are mid-table then it would be a struggle to get fans to pay into the stand funding.Spyman wrote:No point bringing in one more until we have a ground that is fit for promotion.
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So there's nothing to suggest competing for the play-offs will lead to a major upturn in crowds.
Our average attendances should be higher anyway, given Spennymoor, York + Blyth are in the division and will bring bigger numbers.
What the impatient "throw money at the squad" brigade fail to recognise is that finishing in the play-offs but not being able to compete because our ground is not up-to-standard would be utterly catastrophic.
I would rather finish mid-table and get the ground sorted this season. But there's no reason why our existing squad, which is stronger than it was 12 months ago, can't be competitive again this season.
Bartlett and Ferguson joined midway through the season too, so with them playing full campaigns we should be even stronger. I don't expect to see as many goalkeeping errors as the last year and hopefully the defence will be tighter.
Re: Martin Gray
IF Gray brings in a couple of more players then what needs to be remembered is that he is only spending the money that the Board have allocated to him as the playing budget, although I do not think that the budget has increased much from last season.
I think that although the £80k budget shortfall was publicly announced, we have halved the deficit via fundraising (£41.5k), gained York, Spennymoor, Blyth and North Ferriby, lost two long trips to Gloucester and Worcester and, as fans, will be paying more next season due to a ticket price increase.
We have also only signed one player, so less on signing on fees, whilst Wilczynski and Falkingham have left. 1 in, 2 out, so we're probably paying out similar to what we were towards the end of last season. If Gray brought it 1/2 then I'm sure we'd see a couple of departures, so not too much change in the wage budget. To maintain the squad that hit the play-offs last season we need a competitive budget, my point would be that signing 2-3 this summer wouldn't necessarily mean that we're throwing money at the playing staff or that the budget has increased, as things would balance out anyway due to players leaving.
The amount raised so far has been absolutely brilliant. Things have slowed down although hopefully the snowball effect will begin once the fixtures are announced, pre-season begins and then we're playing games at Blackwell. I'm sure as well that the CEO is doing his best to increase commercial income and get sponsors on board.
I think that although the £80k budget shortfall was publicly announced, we have halved the deficit via fundraising (£41.5k), gained York, Spennymoor, Blyth and North Ferriby, lost two long trips to Gloucester and Worcester and, as fans, will be paying more next season due to a ticket price increase.
We have also only signed one player, so less on signing on fees, whilst Wilczynski and Falkingham have left. 1 in, 2 out, so we're probably paying out similar to what we were towards the end of last season. If Gray brought it 1/2 then I'm sure we'd see a couple of departures, so not too much change in the wage budget. To maintain the squad that hit the play-offs last season we need a competitive budget, my point would be that signing 2-3 this summer wouldn't necessarily mean that we're throwing money at the playing staff or that the budget has increased, as things would balance out anyway due to players leaving.
The amount raised so far has been absolutely brilliant. Things have slowed down although hopefully the snowball effect will begin once the fixtures are announced, pre-season begins and then we're playing games at Blackwell. I'm sure as well that the CEO is doing his best to increase commercial income and get sponsors on board.