infrastructure

[andgarod]

So while we are doing the planning for stands what else do we need
The old prefab area converted to temp car park or fan zone
A CEO, a publicity person, a town centre presence, more staff in general raising awareness etc
Press officer
It is a compliment to those who are doing all the jobs at present but we need to step up our game off the pitch

[Robin]

Pure guess work but I'm expecting a CEO or Mike Garlick to be very hands on with the club because there is a lot for us to do. Ideally we add some more commercial staff, particularly in sales & marketing as we are essentially non-existent there. I don't see a need for a town centre presence because in the main they are less popular than they were and seemingly slowly dying. Instead we could work on radio plugs particularly with Radio Glos and some signage around the town as a minimum. I always thought Paul Godefrey was press officer?

I am sure we will use Cakebridge as a car park but surely way better to purchase parklands and use that as a fan zone before and after the match.

[Si Robin]

Paul Godfrey is the club secretary.

[Ihearye]

I would be happy to see the non playing staff, have their wages set at a level that helps them stay rather than the turnover we see. A bit more in the playing budget. Then organic growth based on good results and entertainment.
I know that I am in the minority, but if I can get a decent view from my seat and stay dry for 90 odd minutes, then it is the entertainment and the result that determines a good or bad or average day for me.
OK the toilets could do with a bit of a refurb, but have been in many national stadiums and toilets are generally just functional areas, if not a bit more spacious.

[Robin]

Paul Godfrey is the club secretary.

Yes I meant in addition to that role.

[Jerry St Clair]

Number one priority should be to get the TVs in the CF and the Thirsty Robin working and showing Sky Sports.

Showing the 1230 live game would draw people into the ground earlier and get them spending on food and drink. It's basic and maddening that the TVs are basically switched off for most games.

[WhaddonIrregular]

Club Staff (ie non football) according to the website:
https://www.ctfc.com/club/club-directory

Football/Company Secretary: Paul Godfrey
Head of Commercial Operations: Linton Brown
Commercial Marketing Manager: Luke Saunders
Digital Communications Manager: James Williams
Media & Marketing Assistant: Alicia Langton-Balchin
Supporter Liaison Officer: Kaylene Isherwood
Head of Safety, Security & Facilities: John Duffy
Accounts and Procurement: Chloe Ferns
Bar Manager: Tracy Uren
Club Shop Manageress: Debbie Davis
Community Trust Chief Executive Officer: Simon Perruzza
Community Trust Manager: Olly Roberts
Community Co-ordinator: Ryan Godwin
Player Care Manager: Rich Cox
Club Chaplain: Malcolm Allen

[Ihearye]

Club Staff (ie non football) according to the website:
https://www.ctfc.com/club/club-directory

Football/Company Secretary: Paul Godfrey
Head of Commercial Operations: Linton Brown
Commercial Marketing Manager: Luke Saunders
Digital Communications Manager: James Williams
Media & Marketing Assistant: Alicia Langton-Balchin
Supporter Liaison Officer: Kaylene Isherwood
Head of Safety, Security & Facilities: John Duffy
Accounts and Procurement: Chloe Ferns
Bar Manager: Tracy Uren
Club Shop Manageress: Debbie Davis
Community Trust Chief Executive Officer: Simon Perruzza
Community Trust Manager: Olly Roberts
Community Co-ordinator: Ryan Godwin
Player Care Manager: Rich Cox
Club Chaplain: Malcolm Allen

Does it mention full time or part time and un-paid?

[Benctfc]

Looking at it from a fan perspective a new fan zone and improved bar area is essential. I just hope we do it properly and get decent drink selection and tvs etc showing sport before the game and not try and do it on the cheap.

Off the pitch the social media marketing side is the main thing needing improvement, more social media interviews and content and things like the open day need to return. More marketing around the town and presence in the county is needed to sell the club. I understand at the moment money is tight and the club do the best they can but we really need a full time media employee and a position of someone who has the task of marketing the club and looking to improve attendances long term. A CEO overlooking a few employees underneath them would work well and hopefully we can have a bit more joint up thinking and planning to grow the club.

[everyman]

Paul Godfrey is the club secretary.

Yes I meant in addition to that role.

Paul carries out many jobs within the club !

[Robin]

Yes he's Mr Cheltenham Town and a real asset to the club. Hopefully he continues with the new regime.

[Jerry St Clair]

Yes he's Mr Cheltenham Town and a real asset to the club. Hopefully he continues with the new regime.

He’s also a single point of failure. Being so reliant on one person would terrify me if I were running the company.

[mikep101]

The tannoy needs fixing and/or improving in the Colin Farmer stand.

[Robin]

Agree you can hardly hear the tannoy, could do with a better music play list and half time entertainment too. Simple things which could go a long way.

[asl]

Back in the day, there used to be a regular poster who used to rage whenever anyone referred to the PA system as a 'Tannoy'. I think it's like referring to a vacuum cleaner as a 'Hoover'.

[Ihearye]

Back in the day, there used to be a regular poster who used to rage whenever anyone referred to the PA system as a 'Tannoy'. I think it's like referring to a vacuum cleaner as a 'Hoover'.

Refuse to believe anyone would be so pedantic! Well maybe taxi Dave

[Si Robin]

Back in the day, there used to be a regular poster who used to rage whenever anyone referred to the PA system as a 'Tannoy'. I think it's like referring to a vacuum cleaner as a 'Hoover'.

Or a hot tub as a Jacuzzi.

It must have been a Taxi Dave-ism. I remember one away day, he and his mate Les lectured me on the uselessness of the word basically. They then pulled me up on it every single time I said it

[longmover]

We need to say goodbye to our regional non league outlook, just surviving is not good enough and hasn't been for about 20 years. We need a long term plan to make us a staple league one club, with income streams not isolated solely to matchday, a training ground that can be used all year round no matter what the weather, not having to rely on selling a young player to balance the books and a marketing plan to establish this football clubs 'brand' to the county. If that means bringing in a totaly new board then so be it.

the current mindset of the CTFC boardroom is medieval.

[Robin]

We need to say goodbye to our regional non league outlook, just surviving is not good enough and hasn't been for about 20 years. We need a long term plan to make us a staple league one club, with income streams not isolated solely to matchday, a training ground that can be used all year round no matter what the weather, not having to rely on selling a young player to balance the books and a marketing plan to establish this football clubs 'brand' to the county. If that means bringing in a brand new board then so be it.

the current mindset of the CTFC is medieval.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Seconded.

[Jerry St Clair]

the current mindset of the CTFC boardroom is medieval.

OTT and unnecessary.

I am grateful and thankful that the current Board have kept this club in the Football League AND in a largely healthy financial position for the best part of a generation. It’s a phenomenal achievement.

It’s also ok to suggest that now is the time to move forward with fresh ideas and impetus.

But there’s no need to be rude and diminish everything that’s gone before.

[longmover]

the current mindset of the CTFC boardroom is medieval.

OTT and unnecessary.

I am grateful and thankful that the current Board have kept this club in the Football League AND in a largely healthy financial position for the best part of a generation. It’s a phenomenal achievement.

It’s also ok to suggest that now is the time to move forward with fresh ideas and impetus.

But there’s no need to be rude and diminish everything that’s gone before.

having to rely on the sale of players and good cup runs to balance the books is not a healthy financial position.

[andgarod]

To balance the books
Ah there is the difference
Do football clubs make profits ? if they do they are few and far between
So a small loss then 100K is just crumbs to most clubs
It is only because turnover is £2.5 million that we notice a small loss
If we were 10M and loss 100K we wouldnt worry

The problem is that other clubs in lge1 and 2 are moving away from our budget and we are getting over taken by NL clubs

[longmover]

but the club are relying on two situations that are a complete lottery and have zero control over

1.the sale of players
2. a cup run

if either of those two things don't happen for say two consecutive seasons then we're in trouble.

[horlickfanclub]

the current mindset of the CTFC boardroom is medieval.

OTT and unnecessary.

I am grateful and thankful that the current Board have kept this club in the Football League AND in a largely healthy financial position for the best part of a generation. It’s a phenomenal achievement.

It’s also ok to suggest that now is the time to move forward with fresh ideas and impetus.

But there’s no need to be rude and diminish everything that’s gone before.

I agree Jerry. Nice to see some realism. The same old negative comments with no appreciation of the realities of running a Football Club.

[Robin]

To balance the books
Ah there is the difference
Do football clubs make profits ? if they do they are few and far between
So a small loss then 100K is just crumbs to most clubs
It is only because turnover is £2.5 million that we notice a small loss
If we were 10M and loss 100K we wouldnt worry

The problem is that other clubs in lge1 and 2 are moving away from our budget and we are getting over taken by NL clubs

Surely our revenue is bigger than £2.5million that's tiny. But I do agree with the rest of it.

[longmover]

the current mindset of the CTFC boardroom is medieval.

OTT and unnecessary.

I am grateful and thankful that the current Board have kept this club in the Football League AND in a largely healthy financial position for the best part of a generation. It’s a phenomenal achievement.

It’s also ok to suggest that now is the time to move forward with fresh ideas and impetus.

But there’s no need to be rude and diminish everything that’s gone before.

I agree Jerry. Nice to see some realism. The same old negative comments with no appreciation of the realities of running a Football Club.

The 'realities' of running a regional non league club, then yeah.

[Shade]

Most of us realise the club has been running at 100% with the resources they have for a good while. But the potential is so much greater, and with new investment our current 100% will hopefully be about 50% at the most (so can grow twice as much as currently), and start to grow quite quickly with simple implementations/hirings. Every area of the club can be improved, yes from the PA system, to the non-match day income, to the first team squad.

[andgarod]

To balance the books
Ah there is the difference
Do football clubs make profits ? if they do they are few and far between
So a small loss then 100K is just crumbs to most clubs
It is only because turnover is £2.5 million that we notice a small loss
If we were 10M and loss 100K we wouldnt worry

The problem is that other clubs in lge1 and 2 are moving away from our budget and we are getting over taken by NL clubs

Surely our revenue is bigger than £2.5million that's tiny. But I do agree with the rest of it.

Hi Robin
I think that was the sum (£2.5M approx) in the accounts for 23/24 when in league1
It will be slightly less for 24/25

But I am confused by your statement revenue is surely bigger than £2.5M because
1 I thought you had an inside on all things CTFC
2 If you dont know the revenue how can you pontificate on the comings and going on players wages and budgets available

but as they say DYOR ( do your own research

[Robin]

Most of us realise the club has been running at 100% with the resources they have for a good while. But the potential is so much greater, and with new investment our current 100% will hopefully be about 50% at the most (so can grow twice as much as currently), and start to grow quite quickly with simple implementations/hirings. Every area of the club can be improved, yes from the PA system, to the non-match day income, to the first team squad.

Exactly, we are underperforming because we've lacked investment. The money which MIke Garlick is bringing is not a guarantee of success but it should help us grow if used correctly. That means for me an extra 500 on the average gates, training ground used to generate revenue, new main stand generating revenue on non game days, new fan zone and hopefully an improved match day experience.

[Robin]

To balance the books
Ah there is the difference
Do football clubs make profits ? if they do they are few and far between
So a small loss then 100K is just crumbs to most clubs
It is only because turnover is £2.5 million that we notice a small loss
If we were 10M and loss 100K we wouldnt worry

The problem is that other clubs in lge1 and 2 are moving away from our budget and we are getting over taken by NL clubs

Surely our revenue is bigger than £2.5million that's tiny. But I do agree with the rest of it.

Hi Robin
I think that was the sum (£2.5M approx) in the accounts for 23/24 when in league1
It will be slightly less for 24/25

But I am confused by your statement revenue is surely bigger than £2.5M because
1 I thought you had an inside on all things CTFC
2 If you dont know the revenue how can you pontificate on the comings and going on players wages and budgets available

but as they say DYOR ( do your own research

Well we know our wage bill was over £2million in league one (confirmed by multiple people including the chairman), so if we are limited to 60% of revenue then that would mean our wage budget is capped around £1.4million. That's why I am challenging it. We also got around £850k from TV money in league one which would mean all over revenue are around £1.6million. 4500 crowds multiplied by 23 at £20 a head equals a lot more than that and it's not even considering advertising revenues and player sales. So I feel it's right to question that figure is correct. Maybe you mistook the figure for £3.5million which I could believe.

[andgarod]

@Robin
check out the accounts submitted to company house for 23/24
I am not an accountant but I cannot see where anything exceeds £3M perhaps £2.9M
So we are or were operating on a tiny budget
My 2 points still hold true
1 I thought you had an inside on all things CTFC
2 If you dont know the revenue how can you pontificate on the comings and going on players wages and budgets available

Sorry if my comments are not to your liking but we both agree I think its a shoestring

[Robin]

We definitely agree it's a shoestring but I don't think I've ever said or implied I know the company accounts off by heart.

[ctfc-fan]

@Robin
check out the accounts submitted to company house for 23/24
I am not an accountant but I cannot see where anything exceeds £3M perhaps £2.9M
So we are or were operating on a tiny budget
My 2 points still hold true
1 I thought you had an inside on all things CTFC
2 If you dont know the revenue how can you pontificate on the comings and going on players wages and budgets available

Sorry if my comments are not to your liking but we both agree I think its a shoestring

Turnover under £6 or £7m doesn’t need to be shown.