Paul Baker's answers, part two

Jon Palmer · 27 Oct 2014, 11:18

On crowds, new investment, the future of the training ground, 4G pitches and his all-time favourite player: http://bit.ly/PaulBakerPartTwo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

27 Oct 2014, 12:57

Interesting that investor approached the board this summer but wanted control of the club which was rejected.

27 Oct 2014, 13:50

Wasn't there a rumour that Jed McCrory (sp?) of Swindon infamy had sniffed around? There's a rumour on the Bristol Rovers website that he might be sniffing around them, too.

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 13:56

That was a season or two back wasn't it? He wanted complete control of the whole club, which the directors didn't think was the right option for the club. They got that right.

cliffy90 · 27 Oct 2014, 14:17

That's correct: http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Ch ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

27 Oct 2014, 14:24

So someone else this summer, then. Interesting. Not able to listen to the interviews here at work so will have to wait til I get home. I wonder how attractive we could possibly be to a wealthy suiter - particularly as we don't own our own ground so the usual get-rich-quick schemes simply do not apply.

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 14:32

That's the issue that PB referred to in the interview. A new owner couldn't just come in and sell the ground for housing, as Brighton's former owners did.

kora · 27 Oct 2014, 16:19

Some of us only have access at work so we will never know what he said; come on JP at least put the important bits on the website so we can find out when the boss isn't looking.

27 Oct 2014, 16:33

PB said exactly that PB one of the reasons we don't get the same level of investment interest is that we do not own the ground. He mentioned he's had some interest and reading between the lines the guy who approached this summer was willing to stump up decent money but wanted total control and his motivation was simply that he wanted to own and run a football club.

He also had quite stinging words about FGR, indicated strongly that he hoped Cheltenham fans would have supported Glos City at the weekend and that the investment down there is for marketing purposes and was completely unsustainable.

27 Oct 2014, 16:48

Support the tigs? ? Seriously?? Blimey lol

27 Oct 2014, 16:49

I agree that fgr are unsustainable too. They are relying on just that one guy and his plaything

Red Duke · 27 Oct 2014, 17:44

Most disappointing answer for me was the response to the question where would he likely to see us in five years time.

I was hoping for a reply something on the lines of pushing for promotion into the Championship (showing that the club has some genuine ambition to go further than they have been before) but it was that we were would be League 1. We have been there twice before - we should be aiming higher. If Yeovil can do it why can't we?

The main reason for the lack of bums on seats is that many supporters have become disillusioned of where the club is going - i.e at the moment it is nowhere - it is just stagnating - it needs something to happen that gets the fans excited and come back week after week.

Darren Angels budgie · 27 Oct 2014, 17:56

I don't get this ambition thing. Just because he is realistic and wants us to be in League 1 doesn't mean he wouldn't love us to be in the Championship or even the Premiership. It's just unlikely.

The flip side is we are far more likely to be in the Conference than the Championship. That's just realism.

London Exile · 27 Oct 2014, 17:58

It's a shame that the main stand is no further down the line and not likely to be realised in the short - mid term.
Good that they are looking at putting a cover over the walkway behind the PRE though, if they could get rid of all the groundsman storage (maybe move it into the car park) and give the terrace a mini makeover, that would help a lot

27 Oct 2014, 18:14

Ralph wrote:Support the tigs? ? Seriously?? Blimey lol

He stressed a lot about how good our relationship is with them now, the Wymans sang a few anti-Gloucester songs but you never really hear anything anymore. I don't really consider Gloucester City a rival anymore but it seems strange to root for them over FGR who have always been the non-threatening kind of litle brother.

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 18:21

Red Duke - are you being serious?!? For Chelt to reach L1 and be able to hold our own in that league is a MASSIVE improvement on what we've previously been able to do in that division - only in 2006/07 did we look comfortably, the rest of time was a constant scrap against relegation.

Also, Yeovil were absolutely pummelled last season in the Champ and their hangover in L1 continues this season.

I sometimes wonder about the (lack of) logic displayed on this forum. Amazing.

Red Duke · 27 Oct 2014, 19:33

CheltRobin wrote:Red Duke - are you being serious?!? For Chelt to reach L1 and be able to hold our own in that league is a MASSIVE improvement on what we've previously been able to do in that division - only in 2006/07 did we look comfortably, the rest of time was a constant scrap against relegation.

Also, Yeovil were absolutely pummelled last season in the Champ and their hangover in L1 continues this season.

I sometimes wonder about the (lack of) logic displayed on this forum. Amazing.

I am being serious. You have to have ambition in any business - (The Chair is is always stating the club has to be run like that) - You want to more successful that you have been before - you don't want to just stand still. It doesn't mean that you will achieve what you want but you should at least have a higher aim than when you are at the moment.

Why shouldn't be able to be competitive in League 1? We stayed up for 2 seasons - why can't we extend it to 3 and so on? Why shouldn't be aiming to be pushing for promotion out of League 1 in 5 years time?

27 Oct 2014, 19:35

Exactly Duke, ambition is not staying in the league or simply challenging for the play-offs that should be a minimum expectation. Getting up to league one and kicking on again is what will get the fans interested.

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 19:48

...and the money comes from......?

Seriously, I would love to see Chelt in the Champ, but I'd be over the moon with regular seasons in L1 like Oldham manage. That would be amazing for a club Chelt's size. You only have to look down to the Conference to see much bigger clubs than us struggling to even get back into the league.

27 Oct 2014, 20:05

So three or four bigger clubs in the conference should stop us having ambition to progress?

robinsrule · 27 Oct 2014, 20:13

It's alright for us current fans to have ambition but the board need to impress this upon the public of Cheltenham - and at the moment this isn't happening. League 1 football is not sustainable for a club with crowds our size and there is no sign of crowds increasing in the short term.

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 20:17

Not at all Robin. Yes, we could get to the Champ for a single season, but I'd swap that every time for 10 yrs in L1. That kind of consistency would hopefully see regular crowds of 4500-5000 at WR.

That would ambition for me.

Red Duke · 27 Oct 2014, 20:20

CheltRobin wrote:...and the money comes from......?

Seriously, I would love to see Chelt in the Champ, but I'd be over the moon with regular seasons in L1 like Oldham manage. That would be amazing for a club Chelt's size. You only have to look down to the Conference to see much bigger clubs than us struggling to even get back into the league.

Often these bigger clubs are down due to poor management off the pitch. Thankfully that is not an issue at Whaddon Road - that's why it is essential that we get new investors into the club to push it higher. However, if it remains the way it is at the moment, then we are going just tread water.

27 Oct 2014, 20:25

On the contrary I'd take ten years stuck down here just for one season in the Championship!

CheltRobin · 27 Oct 2014, 20:27

So you admit that we need new investment to get into the Champ?

Ambition in football these days has to be match by financial input.

27 Oct 2014, 20:35

Yes, unless we can do a Yeovil/Scunny we will need more external investment.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 27 Oct 2014, 23:00

Stevenage did tremendously in the Championship. We can and should be out doing them.

THECHOIRBOY · 27 Oct 2014, 23:28

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Stevenage did tremendously in the Championship. We can and should be out doing them.

Were they ever in the championship?

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 27 Oct 2014, 23:38

THECHOIRBOY wrote:
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Stevenage did tremendously in the Championship. We can and should be out doing them.
Were they ever in the championship?

I meant League One. No idea why I wrote Championship. Cheers.

CheltRobin · 28 Oct 2014, 09:51

We could do, but we have to match the levels of investment that Stevenage have had into their club, as they get similar crowds to us.

London Exile · 28 Oct 2014, 10:51

With a little bit of investment and good luck I think we could get ourselves into L1 and survive.
If we were to go up now, we would be whipping boys and come straight back down.

Joey · 28 Oct 2014, 11:04

With the team we had a few seasons back, I would probably say we had a fair shout of pushing high up in League One and snatch promotion through the play-offs. However as has been proved when we've faced strong sides such as Shrewsbury, Plymouth and Bristol City, we are far off that mark with this current side.

leohoenig · 28 Oct 2014, 11:15

SO basically, the main question is who wants to subsidise this club. £250K per year plus - no chance of a return on your investment?
ANy takers?

horlickfanclub · 28 Oct 2014, 11:44

Play positive football and get the crowds and money back.

Cinderford robin · 28 Oct 2014, 11:46

Robin wrote:
Ralph wrote:Support the tigs? ? Seriously?? Blimey lol

He stressed a lot about how good our relationship is with them now, the Wymans sang a few anti-Gloucester songs but you never really hear anything anymore. I don't really consider Gloucester City a rival anymore but it seems strange to root for them over FGR who have always been the non-threatening kind of litle brother.

not once did paul baker say it was the wymans robin, why you would say that when it's not true baffles me.