VectisSaint

Can't believe apparently sensible people continue to write such crap. So it was preordained that we would be relegated in 2005, really that takes the biscuit. Unless you are Glenn Hoddle you cannot expect anyone to take such comments seriously. Your pov suggests that managers, player, the board had nothing to do with our relegation, it was just our turn. So when is it Everton's turn? When will Arsenal take their turn or Liverpool (at least Manure did take a turn in 1974 with us). Really don't see how it was our turn in 1974 either, was it preordained that the league would change the rules to relegate 3 teams from that season just so Saints could have their turn? FFS start to see that Lowe and his mates were and still are the main reason not only for our relegation but our continuing financial woes. We have a poor businessman running a football club, with no ideas how to generate investment or additional revenue from existing revenue streams. but can only see the worn-out principle of cutting costs so beloved by many CEOs around the world. The truly successful and morally good businessmen are those who can be positive and see good things that can be done to turn around the business without necessarily getting rid of staff or ****ing off customers. The failures are those who see only the negative way forward of improving the bottom line, and Lowe has demonstrated again by his reaction to the article in the Echo that he is financially and morally bereft of good ideas.

Not to mention the dvd of when we beat them 1-0 which is the best of the lot

500k, you are having a laugh. Maybe 250k if we have a full house, but I think thats stretching it. As I said gate receipts would be very similar to a league game, the Club has to be very careful about increasing prices much, as they will find the demand is not there at inflated prices. They need to judge it just right to get a full house, it is certainly not a foregone conclusion, especially if Fergie hints at playing the reserves as seems likely. Still, as I said I imagine it will still be a healthy bonus on what we might have got for an away tie against Histon or Forest Green (and we are probably more likely to beat Manure than either of the aforementioned babana skin teams).

I realise you are only joking, cos of course he would be cup-tied, which would mean Manure being thrown out for playing an ineligible player. Could earn us another decent pay day if we drew Arse or Chelski in the 4th round though Might be better just to play for the draw and get a replay at OT instead.

As far as gate receipts are concerned this will be no better than a league match, even if we assume 32500 sell out (and there is no guarantee yet that our capacity will be increased by re-opening the corners). But we will presumably earn more from an extra 16/17k buying merchandise on the day, and also TV monies. It is also a bonus on being drawn away to someone other than Manure, or being drawn at home to some unattractive team such as Histon. So there will be increased income that presumably is not in the budget, but not the massive windfall that some seem to expect. A draw and a replay at Old T would be a bigger money-spinner I suspect, at least it would be if the pastic mancs can get off their arses and drive up from London to see Manure play Saints

I was a great admirer of Graham (tends to help that we share a surname), but would still have preferred Joe (you need to be old like me to remember hiom though) As for Steve, is it true he was adopted?

Brilliant idea, we need to fill the ground, but because of your stupid principles you are putting potential customers off. Thats about as stupid as the principle of not going because Lowe is at SMS, in my book.

Rasiak is on a season loan so won't be back whatever happens, he was injured hence low number of games. Saga and John will be back in January. What they would bring to the team, if not goals, is the ability to hold the ball up, and make it possible for McG or Robertson or Lallana to score themselves. In addition John gives an aerial threat that none of our current forwards do. I would be happy to see Stern back, he wants to play for us, not sure the other two do, and everyone knows he will score goals. Still at least we have Euell back for next game, hopefully he will be picked again, was just beginning to pay dividends with his experience before the red card.

As you are a convert to form guides, I admire your optimism completely ignoring the home form guide. We have only won 1 at home all season but you predict we will win the next 2. We can hope, but I for one wouldn't put money on it. If we can get 8 points from our next 6 games, then that will be quite an achievement, I don't feel optimistic about any of these games quite frankly. Probably knowing Saints we will beat Burnley away though.

I'll go for Stoke so we can see all our old players. Would be good for Pulis' debut as well (not)

not forgetting the wrong Best

Try telling that to Dean Windyass

I agree with your figure (£19.9m on a like for like basis) but the fact is that the 14 month period included 2 "close seasons" (May/June 2007 and May/June 2008) when there would have been very little income. So I think the gap between our turnover and theirs is substantially more on a year on year basis that 5m. Still no-one can adequaltely explain how Leeds can generate approx 50% greater turnover in League 1 than Saints in the CCC when the revenue streams they have access to are more limited than our own (lower TV, no income from the stadium). It would be really interesting to understand exactly what they are doing that we are not, once the additional support based is factored out of the equation. Then perhaps Saints board could learn some lessons and perhaps find ways of substantially increasing our own income, instead of going the negative way that Lowe prefers of simply cutting costs.

Jim Steele and John McGrath for me, though Mark Wright and Killer come close 3rd & 4th. As a pairing Killer and Claus are hard to beat, but I don't think Claus on his owns warrants a place.

Precisely my point. It would appear that Leeds are able to have a substatially larger turnover than us, and it is not accounted for by the extra attendances. Sure, merchandise could be a bigger earner than for us. Maybe they earn more from better concerts, better catering. We maybe can learn from Leeds what else can be done to increase our income and turn that into a profit (by the way I don't actually believe they have extra revenue from concerts or catering because Leeds do not actually own their ground and so would not be the beneficiaries of such events). It would appear though that somehow Ken Bates, who most people detest, has found a way of having a substantially higher turnover than either our previous Board or for that matter the current board. We supposedly now have the most astute financial man in the game, yet it ic clear once again that in fact he is not financially astute, but is only able to see ways of cutting costs, rather than maximising revenue. We have several ways of earning revenue that are not open to Leeds (because we have rights to our stadium and they do not). Lessons could and should be learned. It does not need to be all doom and gloom like Lowe and Wilde would have us believe.

The really smart ones will drop their price a little, but not as much as the decrease in VAT, thus showing a price reduction that will increase sales a little and still make a larger profit per item than pre-VAT decrease. Its called supply and demand.

You're absolutely right, so my apologies to LadySaint. I misread the stats, forgetting that League 1 was only formed what 3 or 4 years ago. I see he played alongside Chris Lucketti in that game as well. As someone else said, he is now a Saints hero for performing so well against the Skates.

Not sure that accounts for £10m. Their average last season was over 26k, compared to our 21k, so thats approx £3.5m more over the season, even if their ticket prices were the same (I suspect theirs were lower as they were in League 1). TV revenue lower as well. So how do you expalin the other £7-7.5m? (I know the figures were for 14 months, compared to our 12 months, but this still does not explain such a substantially higher turnover). If our turonover had been £23m we would also have turned a profit I believe. Are there any other lessons that Saints could learn here about increased turnover?

Interesting feedback, but just to put the record straight Gorre was never a Dutch international to the best of my knowledge. Unless I am very much mistaken he has also never played in the Championship, his playing days in England were restricted to League 1 and 2 appearances. No criticism intended, but its a bit like claiming JP is a top Dutch coach when we all know almost all of his experience has been at lower levels than the Dutch Eridivisie. Hopefully JP and his team will be rolling up to a pub in Calne soon to discuss Saints with me and the rest of the Calne Saints Supporters Club. Some of the pubs are quite small so should be plenty of room:)

... and just watch out in January 2010 when they add 2.5% VAT on top of their existing prices when the VAT rate reverts to 17.5%.

Thought it already had, I guess he won it for the Reading performance, not the Plymouth one

Boo to the fans who are not supporting the Club when we need them most by getting banning orders. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Almost as bad as the Boycotters

How? Are there any teams in the Football League that would not meet these criteria now and with ease? If it was applied to the Premier League that would be different, but its only the CCC, League 1 and League 2. Would not surprise me to find the number of subs extended to 7 as well, in line with the Premier League and SPL, and still only require 4 home grown players. If Mawhinney really wanted to benefit Clubs and the national team, then he would have insisted on 4 home grown players on the pitch, or 7 or 8 in the matchdy squad. Total fudge, total waste of time.

Achilles injury to his other leg. Not available for Saturday due to visit to achilles specialist. Don't think this will affect his availability too much, looks like he is just about ready for return if needed, indeed suggestion is that he would have been included for Reading if he had not been ill. I wouldn't write Killer off just yet. Suspect he may still prove useful when Pearce and Cork return to their clubs after Christmas.

Don't think we have a designated #2 keeper. Its been obvious for some time now that JP is trying to keep Bart and Tommy involved by alternating them on the bench for the 1st team, and giving both run-outs in the reserves when he can. Seems like a sensible system to me. Must be one of the most frustrating jobs in football to be a #2 keeper, especially with an ever present #1. Every game you get to keep the bench warm hoping that the #1 keeper gets injured so you can get a game. Nice.