Update on the current situation

Talk about anything to do with Cheltenham Town, CTFC 500 Club, League 1, ex players & Managers

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cagliostro
Posts: 268
Joined: 29 Nov 2009, 14:11
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As an exile, I am reliant on official PR and sites like this for news etc. However, official news has been very quiet as we all know and the rumour mill is rife so I mailed the club on Friday for some clarification. I have been told I can post this from an official club source, which I hope helps us all understand a little better the issues:

"Graeme - it’s always difficult when a club is between managers because supporters want an immediate appointment but it’s not always possible. I’ll give you a quick recap so that you know exactly what has gone on:

1) We parted company with Gary Johnson as the Board was extremely concerned about the early season performances and lack of experience within the squad. Some have criticised the way the decision was handled but the chairman felt it important to speak to Gary in person rather than over the phone. Waiting another day would have only delayed things further when the clock was ticking towards the closure of the loan window. The Board’s job is to make decisions and in football, whatever decision you make there will be somebody who disagrees with it.
2) The Board and backroom staff worked tirelessly for the next week or so to bring in additional players that were badly needed to strengthen the squad. These players have already made a difference with two wins from the last two away games and an improved performance in the last home game.
3) The focus on players meant that we started probably a week behind in the search for a manager but a thorough and professional recruitment process was carried out. CVs were sifted and interviews held so that by the end of last week we had identified a preferred candidate.
4) We wanted to announce the appointment on Friday but unfortunately because the person concerned is currently employed by another club it has taken much longer than anticipated to secure his release. We do, however, believe that we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That’s a pretty full summary of it all but if you have any other questions please let me know. Unfortunately we have all been exceptionally busy – the chairman has his own business which takes up a lot of his time – and we are not helped by having lost our media manager to Newport Gwent Dragons so we’ve also had to cover this area while managing a separate recruitment process for the role".
Cag
Robin
Posts: 15948
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 11:19
Thanks Cag, I am told Duff is at the club again today so sounds like an announcement is now very close. I do wonder if the club would benefit from a full time CEO although granted that's probably £50-60k expense per annum which it currently doesn't have.
BenhallRobin
Posts: 28
Joined: 24 Nov 2017, 08:02
MD is currently at seasons training ground.
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Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
Thank you, good to get the answers that confirm the reality of it all. We have not gone out and picked up somebody who is currently without an employer. So obviously a) things will take longer and b) communications must be very limited, as the perspective appointee is currently in employment with another person and we have to respect them and their employee.
theidlerich
Posts: 1782
Joined: 03 Dec 2009, 09:22
Location: Cotswolds
Thank you 'Cag' for the information - much appreciated. Love to know what MD thinks of the squad though!
DWx3
Posts: 108
Joined: 29 Nov 2009, 10:39
I'm sure people at the club are busy enough without having to send individual emails to supporters.

I don't see what being an exile has to do with it. We all have the same access to the same media regardless of location. It's not like supporters based in the town hang around outside the club hoping to overhear something.

I'm also sure that the club aren't deliberately dragging their feet. Why don't you just allow them to get on with their jobs and in the meantime get on with living your life? If you feel that they aren't doing their jobs competently then that's a separate matter and the correct response would be to either vote with your feet, make suggestions for improvements through the Robins Trust or by getting involved with the club yourself. It's apparent that we are in a transition phase with new directors on board following the gradual demise of the old board (i.e. Hayword, Farmer, Burge, Wood and finally Baker). I'm sure as someone who 'runs 3 global companies' your business nouse would be a welcome asset.

If the club have been silent then there is probably a good reason for it.

Hounding them to improve their communications seems a pointless exercise and counter productive.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
DWx3 wrote:I'm sure people at the club are busy enough without having to send individual emails to supporters.

I don't see what being an exile has to do with it. We all have the same access to the same media regardless of location. It's not like supporters based in the town hang around outside the club hoping to overhear something.

I'm also sure that the club aren't deliberately dragging their feet. Why don't you just allow them to get on with their jobs and in the meantime get on with living your life? If you feel that they aren't doing their jobs competently then that's a separate matter and the correct response would be to either vote with your feet, make suggestions for improvements through the Robins Trust or by getting involved with the club yourself. It's apparent that we are in a transition phase with new directors on board following the gradual demise of the old board (i.e. Hayword, Farmer, Burge, Wood and finally Baker). I'm sure as someone who 'runs 3 global companies' your business nouse would be a welcome asset.

If the club have been silent then there is probably a good reason for it.

Hounding them to improve their communications seems a pointless exercise and counter productive.
No need to email individual supporters - a five minute press release with a few sentences means no such individual update is needed.

Cag runs his own business and is a large shareholder in the Club, so it was a waste of his time having to email.

Radio Glos went on about it for 10 mins. We have about three threads on it on here.

An extremely basic and short update on Thursday or Friday, whether from Board, or drafted by the ticket office or a volunteer, would have saved the Club, Shareholders, RNF readers, BBC presenters and listeners, JP, and fans a lot of time. This whole debate would have been avoided. This is why basic business communication is important.
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cagliostro
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Joined: 29 Nov 2009, 14:11
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For DWx3....what a stupid post. Being an exile means I cannot get to many games....but went to every home and away game for 40 years before moving away. Also, I did not hound the club. When I worked - unpaid - for the club for nigh on 20 years, and also set up the Vice Presidents - a very successful fundraiser for the club and then help launch the 500 Club with Shevates - perhaps I have been involved with the club and have a vested interest as a shareholder when there are so many rumours going around when all I - and you - and supporters want is some clarity, and that I provided. Don't know why I bothered....
Cag
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Nesty
Posts: 6652
Joined: 18 Jun 2011, 09:17
Thanks CAG -
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Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
I appreciate the update, even if it does just confirm what most of us thought/knew. Thanks Cag.

As RCS has been saying, though, it would have been quicker for somebody at the club to quickly write the second half of that email and put it on the website as a statement than have to email you back.
vickeryc
Posts: 1198
Joined: 30 May 2012, 07:18
Location: Cirencester
cagliostro wrote:For DWx3....what a stupid post. Being an exile means I cannot get to many games....but went to every home and away game for 40 years before moving away. Also, I did not hound the club. When I worked - unpaid - for the club for nigh on 20 years, and also set up the Vice Presidents - a very successful fundraiser for the club and then help launch the 500 Club with Shevates - perhaps I have been involved with the club and have a vested interest as a shareholder when there are so many rumours going around when all I - and you - and supporters want is some clarity, and that I provided. Don't know why I bothered....
Cag
I can well understand how you feel, Cag. However, unlike DWx3, I suspect most on RNF do appreciate your efforts . A brief and simple PR from the club at the appropriate moment would've taken no more time to produce than it took to email you. Decent communication would've obviated a lot of speculation and reassured supporters that things were moving in the right direction - this is important. Fans who pay a lot of their hard-earned to attend games deserve to be kept in the picture at key times.
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Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
In hindsight, maybe the expectations were set by the 'announcing MD tomorrow' article. Would have been more pertinent to just say negotiations are under way with the successful applicants employers re a severance package. That way, we all would have known who it was and that it was going to take a bit of time. However, it is a tricky situation when attempting to do things correctly and not in the public eye
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Ihearye wrote:In hindsight, maybe the expectations were set by the 'announcing MD tomorrow' article. Would have been more pertinent to just say negotiations are under way with the successful applicants employers re a severance package. That way, we all would have known who it was and that it was going to take a bit of time. However, it is a tricky situation when attempting to do things correctly and not in the public eye
Obviously the ‘announce MD’ story was press speculation not a press release or club statement. So again, that speculation and resulting expectations could have been pre-empted and prevented with a two sentence press release/statement.
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