losing faith

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Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
I wanted to let my emotions calm down a little before posting this, I'm generally a glass half full kind of guy but I am losing faith in CTFC. I don't say that lightly and I'm never not going to be a CTFC fan but I feel so let down by the club and am struggling to see how we move forward with optimism at this moment in time.

In short:
- I am considering not renewing my season ticket, probably will but I am at least not considering it.
- I am fed up with seeing players like Grimes and Taylor Moore constantly getting picked despite numerous terrible mistakes and inconsistent perfromances.
- Our best player is likely to be sold for a club record fee this summer, I don't mind this too much but I am not convinced we will sign the quality with that fee right now.
- Our club captain has been an offered a contract by Forest Green with a huge signing on fee, yes we could lose a player to Forest Green, previously unthinkable.
- Our best centre back wants to leave and according to rumours move to Scotland so we won't get a fee.
- The future of Brian Graham is clouded and he's also rumoured to be potentially returning to Scotland.
- You just know Grimes will be offered a new deal.
- We should be signing Ilias and really pulling the stops to get him here permanently but again you just know he will leave and we will declare Cranston a new signing.
- Morrell who has been our only decent loanee from the first half of the season now looks like he isn't up to league standard over the past month performances.
- For the second season running we've signed too many loans in one window and a striker has been frozen out despite showing early promise.
- With the exceptions of Morrell and Ilias none of the loans have been value for money.
- Yesterday was just another low point in a season of low points (Yeovil, Maidstone etc.).
- All too often we don't even resemble a team and not fired up for games.

I am not sure what the answer is and I am not calling for the manager to be sacked (yet) but something really needs to change this summer to give the fans optimism because one season aside the past five years have been well below expectatoin.
solihullkev
Posts: 1178
Joined: 24 Aug 2013, 19:53
Agree with a lot of his.

Cannot criticise a sale of Mo if it yields £1 million plus - good for club and player. And in a moderate season the decision in August to give him an extended contract was a master stroke. Brilliant move.

No prospect of Iliad signing for us. Far too good for league two.

If we get good money for Mo we need to build a team with more permanence - 3 or 4 players on 2 year plus contracts we can work around.
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
I've heard a whisper Brentford would likely sell Ilias as he's quite far down their pecking order and unlikely to feature. If we get a decent fee for Mo then I would like to think we could invest a portion of it to bring him here.
THECHOIRBOY
Posts: 900
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 10:15
Whilst I agree with a lot of your sentiment I think Moore can be said was value for money. Thirty plus starts and normally at least a six out of ten.

Even though Morrell has dipped a bit recently he would still be probably in my top three players of season. Yesterday it was highlighted by poor set pieces.

And I'm going to be controversial and say if Grimes is cheap I'd keep him.
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Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
since 1985 have always looked forward to a home match

Mid last season and all this season, I now weigh up eavh week if there is anything better I could be doing with my time. Not activley looking to avoid, but no longer move things around so I am sure I can get to the match. Just zero entertainment to be had. Even the 3 - 0 over Morcambe was flat for me. Just a case of oh well, scored at last. Crowd goal celebrations are not what they used to be. Too many avrerage Dave's, too many average or sub average performances, too often sitting there thinking thats anoher 2 hours and £20 gone with no return.

Wouldn't mind if I missed the Coventry game, because I reckon I can be 90% sure how it will go. Like has been said on other threads, if that was a team prepared for a derby, if that was a team prepared for a cup final, if that was a team prepared to give the fans what they wanted. Then there is something wrong somewhere. The decent players we have are leaving, are expected to leave or have yet to resign.
Best we can do imho is sell Mo as quickly as possible, get some hunger back into the set up, and spend the money wisely. As per RCS, would rather lose more away and give the fans something to look forward to at home on a Saturday.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Club captain to FGR? Is that Pell?
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Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Club captain to FGR? Is that Pell?

We can only hope :)
theidlerich
Posts: 1782
Joined: 03 Dec 2009, 09:22
Location: Cotswolds
Thoughtful post by Robin, agree with most of that to varying degrees. Would add that most the loanees over this season has, in retrospect, been poor value and a waste of money; Ilias and Morell excepted. This is down to the 'support' management teams and scouts; here I believe change needs [read - has] to occur.

(Regards Pell - nowhere near the commanding performance seen earlier, can't be helped when he is in so many different roles and positions week after week after week.... so unless some stability and decent players around him would also let him go!)
horlickfanclub
Posts: 3907
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 11:02
The vanishing of Adebayo , Odelusi and Onariase and absence of Boyle shows how we are disintegrating rather rapidly. The loanees play on regardless of form.
drgm
Posts: 323
Joined: 31 Jul 2014, 20:15
A move for Pell would rejuvenate his career to the disadvantage of Cheltenham Town. Agreed
he is only a shadow of his former self but to be continually played out of position to allow
the likes of Morrell and Sellars to be played in their best positions must be galling to say the least.

He was thrown up front yesterday (wonder what Graham and Wright thought as they warmed the bench) to no avail.

He has his detractors but on his day he is one of the best in the league. If it's true that he's on his way then I wish him well
drgm
Posts: 323
Joined: 31 Jul 2014, 20:15
horlickfanclub wrote:The vanishing of Adebayo , Odelusi and Onariase and absence of Boyle shows how we are disintegrating rather rapidly. The loanees play on regardless of form.
Agree. I thought Adebayo looked pretty good last time he played but he finds himself frozen out by a gobby jock and a cart horse.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
drgm wrote:
horlickfanclub wrote:The vanishing of Adebayo , Odelusi and Onariase and absence of Boyle shows how we are disintegrating rather rapidly. The loanees play on regardless of form.
Agree. I thought Adebayo looked pretty good last time he played but he finds himself frozen out by a gobby jock and a cart horse.
Missed a great chance for Fulham U23s on Friday. The type he scored for fun before Christmas. It does look like the loan spell here has been bad for his confidence and form.
asl
Posts: 6668
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:37
Ihearye wrote:I now weigh up eavh week if there is anything better I could be doing with my time. Not activley looking to avoid, but no longer move things around so I am sure I can get to the match. Just zero entertainment to be had.

As per RCS, would rather lose more away and give the fans something to look forward to at home on a Saturday.
That's me for the last couple of seasons plus the final years of Yates' tenure. I get up on a home match day and think "can I be bothered? Will I get value for money?" I don't expect to win every match - but I DO expect the opposition keeper to have to make more than one save of any note. I DO expect us to compete with opposition below us in the table. I DO expect to be entertained (and no, I *don't* want to go to the circus instead.) This season, I've seen us capitulate against Maidstone, Yeovil, Carlisle and now FGR. Teams turn up looking like they 'want it' waaaaayyyy more than we do and I've rarely been so angry and frustrated as I was yesterday. It was as clear as day in the first 20 mins that Eisa was as isolated as he was against Carlisle yet the 'solution' was to push Pell forward when we had two big guys on the bench. The formation change was needed before the goal and, even then, the substitution should have been made at HT.

I see the reasoning behind not changing a winning team and tactic - but I saw the highlights of the Morecambe game and, quite frankly, we should have been 2-0 down before half-time.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
The idea of going to home games no matter what etc is gone now that football is so expensive. If the price range for tickets was from £10-£15 that would be more conducive to unconditional attendance. But £21 to sit, before raffle tickets, cup of tea, programme (closer to £30 in total) is too much. For those prices you can’t expect fans to come week in week out when evidence of the last 40-odd games is that the most likely result is one of frustration, boredom, one goal and no more than one point.

The will and ambition to attack must be greater or prices must be cheaper, otherwise our gates will continue to fall.
Benctfc
Posts: 1353
Joined: 29 Dec 2011, 16:54
Location: Whaddon road
Others some up my feelings exactly. I have only been a fan for 10 years so probably a lot less than most on here but I think I have missed more home games this season than the previous 10 put together. I'm afraid football has become a last resort where it use to be the first thing planned every week.

I will be surprised if season tickets get past 500 i really will and that might be the kick up the ass the board need.
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
The problem is I don't really see any ambiton or any unity and work ethic in the team to be confident of a promotion challenge. The minimum return next season has to be a top half finish, surely that is not unreasonable.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
I wonder if the club could be more inventive with season ticket pricing..say rather than £375 for a seat the starting price is £300 with conditions attached. For example, the terms of purchase could be that if we win 10 home games a further £50 is taken (so £350) and if we win 15 or more home games the price rises to £400 in total. Conversely, if we win less than 10 home games the club refunds £25 and less than 5 home wins earns a £50 refund (so £250 in total).

That would incentivise the Board and manager to prioritise winning home games, and keeps the fans on board as they pay more for a better product and pay less for a worse one.
London Exile
Posts: 3193
Joined: 06 Dec 2009, 15:48
Good summary by robin there.
Hopefully the blurb in ST launch about building for future and exciting developments to improve match days aren’t just the usual lip service we hear at this time of year.
Benctfc
Posts: 1353
Joined: 29 Dec 2011, 16:54
Location: Whaddon road
The club is stale on and off the pitch. How often do we see innovative ticket offers or advertisement around the town we just take for granted and are happy to expect the same 2,000 to keep coming week in week out. Ambition at a club isn't just about spending money its about thinking outside the box something this club has never done.
Tewkesbury Robin
Posts: 23
Joined: 04 May 2012, 22:06
I read Robin's post with interest and find myself agreeing with most of his comments.

My understanding (and apologies if I am wrong) but Downes is stiill notionally club captain and it is Carl Winchester rather than Pell who is team captain. As Winchester is out of contract this summer then this rumour probably concerns him rather than Pell who is contracted for next season.

As a matter of interest where has this rumour appeared from?
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
I've heard it from a number of different people Tewkesbury Robin including people fairly close to the club and the player himself. Nothing is agreed but a deal has been offered with a large signing on fee that we cannot compete with.
CTFC03
Posts: 1451
Joined: 01 Jun 2013, 20:32
Forgot about Adebayo, I thought he was good in most of the games, set up Mo v Barnet, scored against Vale and scored a decent goal at Mansfield too, amazed he's not around.
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longmover
Posts: 2821
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 18:55
Benctfc wrote:The club is stale on and off the pitch. How often do we see innovative ticket offers or advertisement around the town we just take for granted and are happy to expect the same 2,000 to keep coming week in week out. Ambition at a club isn't just about spending money its about thinking outside the box something this club has never done.
This is nothing new, the club have never shown any real interest in a proper PR project and judging by the mood after yesterday that number is going to reduce.
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longmover
Posts: 2821
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 18:55
Robin wrote:The problem is I don't really see any ambiton or any unity and work ethic in the team to be confident of a promotion challenge. The minimum return next season has to be a top half finish, surely that is not unreasonable.
There has been no unity since we won the conference. Since we have been back in the league (from all aspects of the club, top to bottom) we have looked lost and totally bereft of any ideas, shape, style, identity, unity or leadership.

What does the club want? What do the players want? What does the manager want?

Who knows eh?
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
I agree after that fantastic season we've completely lost the plot and it's hard to see why.
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Malabus
Posts: 13336
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 12:26
Location: The Death Star.
drgm wrote:
horlickfanclub wrote:The vanishing of Adebayo , Odelusi and Onariase and absence of Boyle shows how we are disintegrating rather rapidly. The loanees play on regardless of form.
Agree. I thought Adebayo looked pretty good last time he played but he finds himself frozen out by a gobby jock and a cart horse.
Yes, thought that was odd too.
darreno
Posts: 369
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 13:47
My view is that we have been fire fighting for too long because any decent player we do have
Is likely to be lured away by promise of higher wages. That's something FGR can cope with better than us, We have no long term project and that is the fault of the club. GJ can only work with the budget he has at his disposal.

Looks like Danny Wright might be here next season after all. And I suspect FGR will become the leading team in Gloucestershire at some point in the future. It's inevitable in fact. But that doesn't bother me, I don't really care. What will be will be.

But to say that one might not renew their season ticket just shows that they are not a true fan of this club. That is something you get annoyed about.

COYRs
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
darreno wrote:My view is that we have been fire fighting for too long because any decent player we do have
Is likely to be lured away by promise of higher wages. That's something FGR can cope with better than us, We have no long term project and that is the fault of the club. GJ can only work with the budget he has at his disposal.

Looks like Danny Wright might be here next season after all. And I suspect FGR will become the leading team in Gloucestershire at some point in the future. It's inevitable in fact. But that doesn't bother me, I don't really care. What will be will be.

But to say that one might not renew their season ticket just shows that they are not a true fan of this club. That is something you get annoyed about.

COYRs
Another one accusing long term season ticket holders of not being a ‘true fan’.
andgarod
Posts: 1315
Joined: 19 May 2015, 18:31
Finances are tight for some people miss 3 or 4 games for other commitments and it is not worth doing

We could do something positive but left it too late
It could have been shown on the big sreen

watch this videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w_kT96eb4M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Which players would you use to front the campaign and will they be here next season
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
darreno wrote:My view is that we have been fire fighting for too long because any decent player we do have
Is likely to be lured away by promise of higher wages. That's something FGR can cope with better than us, We have no long term project and that is the fault of the club. GJ can only work with the budget he has at his disposal.

Looks like Danny Wright might be here next season after all. And I suspect FGR will become the leading team in Gloucestershire at some point in the future. It's inevitable in fact. But that doesn't bother me, I don't really care. What will be will be.

But to say that one might not renew their season ticket just shows that they are not a true fan of this club. That is something you get annoyed about.

COYRs
You are completely missing the point. I am a die hard CTFC fan and have been since I was a kid. There have been season where I've hardly gone to any games and others where I've hardly missed one home or away. I am not stomping my feet just stating how I am feeling and hoping the club will listen and take some action to lift spirits amongst the fan base.
andgarod
Posts: 1315
Joined: 19 May 2015, 18:31
Robin
Did you go to the forum
Have you told the trust
Have told the club in writing

If you have theres not much more you can do
drgm
Posts: 323
Joined: 31 Jul 2014, 20:15
It is not Robins job to go to the forum, stamp his feet and demand a change of manager.
It's up to the chairman to react to what he sees both on and off the pitch

It's clear we are not a happy camp either on or off the pitch. It's time for a change. Are we really
saying that there isn't anyone out there who could do better? Are we really that unattractive a club to manage?
If some of you think that the best we can hope for is to continue to plod along in the bottom third then we might
as well chuck it all in
Rulistening
Posts: 272
Joined: 16 Apr 2016, 17:55
Ive been so split over GJ this year. But i think he has now crossed a line which we can't ignore anymore. Falling out with fans, players, poor tactical choices. I think its time to say our thanks to Gary for his incredible work but send him on his way. Our home record has actually got worse from last season i want to say (might be wrong?) just cant see season tickets sales increasing.. such a shame but I now truly believe its time for a change come end of the season.

It's a big longshot but why not ask Mccann if he'd take the job? there's a man who would unite the fans as he is such a popular figure here.
Oldun
Posts: 795
Joined: 02 Feb 2011, 20:12
If you lot are depressed watching the Robins on a Saturday, you should read the comments you dish up on here. The fantasy that can be dreamed up over a row in the dressing room, the myths that emerge because JP was able to provide more ammunition for gossip, complaining and tittle tattle. The same old few jump on the bandwagon and say the whole club is rotten from top to bottom after a poor performance. Ridiculous!
Despite all that is done, on and off the pitch, (The Trust efforts for example) and some just cannot get their grumblings away quickly enough.
As for calling themselves fans when they cop out in the poorer times (not bad times please note) is simply pathetic.
I give in! I will just carry on being a loyal fan and be there, win or lose to support my club My hope is that important people like PB GJ Trust Members etc don't react badly to all that is said.
Del Boy
Posts: 327
Joined: 03 Dec 2016, 19:33
Oldun wrote:If you lot are depressed watching the Robins on a Saturday, you should read the comments you dish up on here. The fantasy that can be dreamed up over a row in the dressing room, the myths that emerge because JP was able to provide more ammunition for gossip, complaining and tittle tattle. The same old few jump on the bandwagon and say the whole club is rotten from top to bottom after a poor performance. Ridiculous!
Despite all that is done, on and off the pitch, (The Trust efforts for example) and some just cannot get their grumblings away quickly enough.
As for calling themselves fans when they cop out in the poorer times (not bad times please note) is simply pathetic.
I give in! I will just carry on being a loyal fan and be there, win or lose to support my club My hope is that important people like PB GJ Trust Members etc don't react badly to all that is said.
Your loyalty was most impressive when you felt Yates needed to be replaced for failing to reach the play-offs for the third successive season.

Everyone has their opinions but the way you attack those with opinions different to yours is breathtakingly hypocritical.

Johnson has possibly the worst league two record of any of our managers in charge for a reasonable length of time yet some seem mesmerised by what he did at other clubs.
Yes he did great to get us up but has been poor ever since. I don't want a third season of it personally.
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