Just imagine the following as a dream of a chairman of a football club on the night before the next match - which is a cup game and which is also at the start of a new transfer window........

 

FA Cup next match, away at Sunderland - think Megson will put out the reserves?

 

If he does is that because he is clueless, or shows no passion? Maybe.

 

Why not go for a good cup run when the best we can hope for in the league is to avoid relegation again? Even if we survive what can we expect for next season - more Premiership survival, no cup runs, even putting out weaker teams to the top four clubs because we ain't going to win - so we might as well save our better players from possible injury, or a booking, or simply keep them fresh for the next game we might get something from?

 

How about the way we play - certainly not attractive (most of the time anyway), why don't we buy some better players - it's the transfer window so what do we want - attacking midfield, a striker who can score, someone better than Andy O'Brien - that'll do for starters anyway.

 

Oh and Megson - get shut - he's useless - get Mourinho or even Sven - if we get them then players will want to join Bolton - maybe we can get a few stars and play some sexy football for a change!

 

Ok what have we agreed on -

 

1 - Top Manager

2 - Top class players

3 - Top class players? salaries

4 - Bigger squad - so we can go for not only cup runs but to break into the top four - or at least Europe regularly.

5 - Bigger squad salaries - to pay for these extra players.

6 - Don't even get me started on things off the field like permanent free travel to away matches.....etc.

 

Right then what money do we have?

 

1 - ?40+ million debts

2 - Almost total reliance Eddie Davies and (Sky) Premiership prise money

3 - Maximum capacity just under 29,000 - so season tickets and other fan spending.

 

What weakness have we got though?

 

1 - How's Mr Davies personal fortune doing in view of the credit crunch - The Icelandic bloke at West Ham and the Russian at Portsmouth have been badly bitten

2 - Will we get the same Sky money after this current contract finishes after the 2009/10 season - oh wait that is the end of next season isn't it?

3 - Can we fill the stadium in the middle of a economic downturn even if we do get the star manager and players - will people still put the visit to the Reebok as a must, even when their job may have been lost and the bills still have to be paid?

 

Shit, maybe now is not such a good time for getting the 'galactico's' to join Bolton - maybe just better to strengthen the squad and dump Megson.

 

Ok what will that cost -

 

1 - Terminate Megson's contract - say ?2.5 million

2 - New managers contract - say another ?2.5 million

3 - War chest for new manager to spend - another ?15 million - won't get much for that though?

 

Right let's see Mr Davies - ?20 million should get us moving again.

 

........oh, I'm sorry to hear that Eddy this credit crunch is a bitch, I understand that ?10 million is the maximum that you can come up with for January. And I understand that even that might not be there if your investments fall any further.

 

Oh Christ, things are far worse than I thought - well Gary's safe for now - we need to spend what little money we have on staying up. Actually when I think about it Gary did a cracking job last year. And his backroom squad is a fraction of that we had under Big Sam (and more importantly all those additional salaries there was back then too!).

 

Well we could get some money in from selling some players - who would other clubs want? Super Kev - wasn't Hull after him at the start of the season? Well we won't get much there then. Hunt, yes he's doing well on loan at Birmingham - kerching! Oh no, I've just remembered being told that he's not made their team for the last three matches, shit bet he's on his way back to us - that's his salary back on the pay roll (Thanks Sammy, good job giving him that rise!).

 

Ok, don't panic, who else is there......Nolan, yes Everton will come back him for him or my old mate Sam now he's back in work, we'll get at least ?5 million..... we will won't we...... maybe not then.

 

Al-Habsi possibly - good keeper, just signed a four year contract - Spurs have a dodgy keeper, I wonder if Sam rates Robbinson? Maybee......?

 

Helgusson at QPR... about a ?1 million for him.

 

Gulp....we ain't going to raise much from sales then.

 

Feck it let's go all out for a good cup run - Pompey did it last year and look at them now - below us in the league, owner going bust, selling their best player's, Tony Adams as their manager, knocked out of Europe at the first go..... bet their fans will be happy next year (or year but one) in the second division knowing that they have lost ?30 million a year in sky prise money but have won the cup when most other teams only entered their reserve sides in it anyway.

 

Who else won a cup outside the big four - oh I know Leicester - what division are they in now? Leeds did well didn't they - wonder what happened to them since they left the Premiership and its prise money?? Who went down in the last year or two - Derby, Charlton, Watford bet they're all doing ok - aren't they? Wonder if their fans still go to the games?

 

I'm thinking maybe a good cup run might not be worth it if it meant key players picking up injuries or suspensions. Maybe we better play it safe like we always do......the fans won't like that though will they?

 

But will they like it better if we got relegated - do you know I bet there is a generation now who have never seen us outside the Premiership.

 

Ah remember the good old days back at Burnden. The White Hot cup run! Promotion to the Premiership for the first time under Bruce! The relegation from the premiership and how the club very nearly went bust. Eddy stepping in and saving us. The miracle it took to get back under Sam after we had to sell Fish and Eider, etc. If we hadn't had done it then who knows what fecking league we'd be in now!

 

No, no, no. As much as the fans don't like it the club is a business and survival in the Premiership is essential. We've got a good enough manager to deliver that - despite what fans may think of him. We don't have money to burn so he will have to get by on what he has plus what extra we can find for him to spend. Cup runs are nice but not essential - staying up is everything. If we play the reserves at Sunderland - well that?s just what the business of football is now these days.

 

Sure it might have been more fun a dozen years ago back in the second or third divisions - but we were lucky to get crowds of 12,000 - we can't afford to keep any of our players outside the Premiership on those sorts of gates. Relegation and we drop back to the level of the Preston's and the Burnley's.

 

Think I'm joking - ask Leeds fans how much fun it is to see Doncaster in a higher division then them!

 

Megson as done well for us - I see that now. Yes the fans don't love him - but do they love their boss at work either? Let's face it he is doing a job for the club - not trying to win a fan popularity contest.

 

Yes, got it now - the fans want more than we can reasonably deliver and they will always be disappointed - I know. But I rather keep on doing what we are doing - no cup runs, no significant transfer signings, survival rather than 'glorious' relegation. It's only when they see the alternative after relegation that they will understand (like the Charlton fans and the Southampton fans, and the Coventry fans, and the Forrest fans, and the Leicester fans, and the Derby fans, and the......) but by then it might very well be too late to ever get back.

 

I can sleep peacefully now.... Good night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My story is completely made up and not intended to insult anyone - it is my attempt at trying to explain Bolton as a business - and why Bolton may actually do the things they do and not as many of the fans would want.

 

Feel free to shoot me down.

If we're all expecting to get turned over in our next 2 league games (away to Arsenal and home to ManU), then we might as well give the Cup a proper crack.

 

Get the strongest team out.

If we're all expecting to get turned over in our next 2 league games (away to Arsenal and home to ManU), then we might as well give the Cup a proper crack.

 

Get the strongest team out.

 

 

That actually does make sense.

the crack pipe is blowing hot 2 nite or maybe something stronger i think[]..seriously thou,many good and true words spoken there,cracking read,top effort my son...cant shoot a man down when he speaks from the heart with honesty and with a lot of sense,even though a dont agree 100% with what you have said alot of it is bang on..

If we're all expecting to get turned over in our next 2 league games (away to Arsenal and home to ManU), then we might as well give the Cup a proper crack.

 

Get the strongest team out.

 

Just playing Devil's advocate -

 

We put the first team out and win and then draw someone like Bristol City at home in the next round which I think is the 14th Feb - if so the next two games after that are West Ham at home followed by Newcastle at home (possibly must win games) do we still play the strongest team?

 

If not why bother winning the Sunderland game?

 

If so what happens if say Cahill gets sent off and banned for three games - would it have been worth it?

 

What happens if we draw against Sunderland and / or Bristol City - do we really want to play extra games - and risk injuries or bans?

Playing fringe players in cup games doesn't mean we will lose, they are often hungry to prove themselves to the boss for a first team place. It also keeps the regulars on their toes.

We played second string players in our 2 Uefa cup campaigns and got a lot further than most people predicted. Bourgetti and a young inexperienced Joey O'Brien are examples.

good read that sluffy still if we beat the Mcams might get a couple of easy home games next

What about the fans dream?

 

Happy talk, keep talkin' happy talk,

Talk about things you'd like to do.

You got to have a dream,

If you don't have a dream,

How you gonna have a dream come true?

You put your strongest side out no matter what, and you play your heart out to win every game.

 

If nothing else, it breeds confidence. Anything less, and you get sloppiness, complacency or demotivation.

 

Isn't that why Megson is paid tens of thousands of week?

Good effort, Sluffy. Some logical points.

But reminds me of back in 1887, when a 'league' thingy was proposed - you know, regular home & away matches instead of all those feckin' friendlies. I said then we should stick to safety first & those friendlies against Turton, Bolton North End, Eagley, Astley Bridge & Great Lever. Some crackin' local matches there instead of new-fangled expensive regular trips to Everton, Derby, West Bromwich and the like.

Now look at the club : over ?40m in debt and not interested in winning some of its matches ..... the founders must be spinning in their graves.

 

On a serious note, the club's debt seems to increase with every season in the Prem and the club is financially dependent on one man.

Ignoring the cup competitions and not bothering with games against the big 4 or 5 must lead more customers (fans) to be dissatisfied with the product and turn to alternative entertainments or football clubs. I'm sure none will turn to rival Prem/League clubs, but there are loads of non-league clubs around. Customers who stay loyal to the brand will also not feel that a season ticket is providing value any more and will pick & choose their Reebok matches instead. All of which will make the business weaker. And if ED were to pull the plug, as seems inevitable at some stage, what then ....

An alternative would be to set a realistic manageable budget and stick to it, accepting relegation to a sustainable level of football.

But all this is a very bleak view of what football Bolton Wanderers FC can provide to its fans given its financial situation. There must be a lot of other clubs in a similar situation. Are they all looking at their own situation in such a bleak manner ? Or is that what Southampton, Charlton, Leicester & the like should have done, instead of carrying on & hoping for the best ? Will the likes of Stoke, Blackburn, Wigan (after Whelan) & Pompey find themselves in the same desperate situation before long ?

I wish I knew any of the answers to these questions, but I don't. I just feel that supporting a club which writes off so much of its season has lost much of it's raison d'etre and is onto a loser.

Let's face it, high-level football in this country has been slowly heading towards death by a thousand cuts since they started tinkering with the rules to favour the handful of big clubs, way back in the 80s. The fate of BWFC is of little interest to anyone outside Bolton. So where do we go from here ... ?

You put your strongest side out no matter what, and you play your heart out to win every game.

 

If nothing else, it breeds confidence. Anything less, and you get sloppiness, complacency or demotivation.

 

Isn't that why Megson is paid tens of thousands of week?

 

I would suggest that Megson is paid to do what his manager wants him to do and that is stay in the Premiership.

 

If it means not risking key players in 'meaningless' matches, then that is exactly what he will do.

By using apostrophes, you suggest these are not meaningless matches.

 

If success is measured by finishing 17th at all expense, then as supporters, we are wasting our time.

 

A good Cup run might temper an otherwise dour outlook over the next 5 months.

 

WE ARE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

 

not just some financial enterprise

Good effort, Sluffy. Some logical points.

But reminds me of back in 1887, when a 'league' thingy was proposed - you know, regular home & away matches instead of all those feckin' friendlies. I said then we should stick to safety first & those friendlies against Turton, Bolton North End, Eagley, Astley Bridge & Great Lever. Some crackin' local matches there instead of new-fangled expensive regular trips to Everton, Derby, West Bromwich and the like.

Now look at the club : over ?40m in debt and not interested in winning some of its matches ..... the founders must be spinning in their graves.

 

On a serious note, the club's debt seems to increase with every season in the Prem and the club is financially dependent on one man.

Ignoring the cup competitions and not bothering with games against the big 4 or 5 must lead more customers (fans) to be dissatisfied with the product and turn to alternative entertainments or football clubs. I'm sure none will turn to rival Prem/League clubs, but there are loads of non-league clubs around. Customers who stay loyal to the brand will also not feel that a season ticket is providing value any more and will pick & choose their Reebok matches instead. All of which will make the business weaker. And if ED were to pull the plug, as seems inevitable at some stage, what then ....

An alternative would be to set a realistic manageable budget and stick to it, accepting relegation to a sustainable level of football.

But all this is a very bleak view of what football Bolton Wanderers FC can provide to its fans given its financial situation. There must be a lot of other clubs in a similar situation. Are they all looking at their own situation in such a bleak manner ? Or is that what Southampton, Charlton, Leicester & the like should have done, instead of carrying on & hoping for the best ? Will the likes of Stoke, Blackburn, Wigan (after Whelan) & Pompey find themselves in the same desperate situation before long ?

I wish I knew any of the answers to these questions, but I don't. I just feel that supporting a club which writes off so much of its season has lost much of it's raison d'etre and is onto a loser.

Let's face it, high-level football in this country has been slowly heading towards death by a thousand cuts since they started tinkering with the rules to favour the handful of big clubs, way back in the 80s. The fate of BWFC is of little interest to anyone outside Bolton. So where do we go from here ... ?

 

The club is a business Rembrandt and as such will look to its revenue streams.

 

Like it or not the largest revenue stream is the Sky / Premiership prise money. So in order to maximise that revenue stream the club will do whatever it can to stay in the premiership. Similarly the Stoke, Blackburn, Wigans etc, will fight to stay up and the Southampton, Charlton, Leicester, etc will fight hard to get back in.

 

Ok by doing this it will lose fans - and is prepared to lose them because the revenue they lost from these fans is nothing in comparison with keeping these fans happy and losing its Premiership status and prise money.

 

The club (or should I say business) is probably forecasting that after the 2009/10 season Sky money will fall (when the next TV deal is renegotiated) and so it as of late tried to placate the fans somewhat by means of free travel, fanzone, etc - so that both its major revenue sources (Sky and the fans) don't both fall significantly at the same time.

 

If the club was relegated it would lose fans anyway - attendance?s at all relegated clubs will usually drop and continue to fall for every season thereafter until it can get promoted again - so going all out to please fans in the premiership and getting relegated leads to a double whammy if you like - a loss of the Premiership prise money and a fall in attendance anyway. So arguably then it is better to lose the fans who want to go anyway and still remain in the premiership and keep collecting the money!

 

Until the way the premiership is structured then I think this will always be the case.

 

If something changes like the way American sports have first pick drafts given to the worst clubs and wage capping for instance - in an effort to make the playing field more level to all teams then things might change. Up to then just staying in the Premiership is what will be considered a success to the club and also to the likes of Hull, WBA, Stoke, Blackburn and probably everyone else outside the top seven or eight clubs.

Where is this stupid idea come from that we write off our games against the Big 4?

We got outplayed away from home against a team good enough to win the European Cup. We would have been happy with a draw. Barcelona would struggle to get a draw at Anfield the way they are playing at the moment.

 

When Muamba missed that sitter at Old Trafford we were as good as them if not better at that stage of the match. We give it a go against Arsenal and surprised a lot of people by going 1-0 up. Against Chelsea we give 100% and got beat fair and square. We didn't have a defeatest attitude it is just that we can't afford to pay wages of over ?50,000/week to attract the most talented players in the world. What do you expect.

We are Bolton No-one likes us we don't care.

By using apostrophes, you suggest these are not meaningless matches.

 

If success is measured by finishing 17th at all expense, then as supporters, we are wasting our time.

 

A good Cup run might temper an otherwise dour outlook over the next 5 months.

 

WE ARE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

 

not just some financial enterprise

 

One Bolton manager once said "If you want entertainment then go to the theatre" - and that was a long time before the Premiership was even thought about!

 

If you think Bolton Wanderers which must have a turnover in excess of ?50 million per year is purely there to entertain its customers then you clearly don't understand how businesses work.

 

I'm sorry if I confused you with my use of apostrophes earlier - I was indeed suggesting that to the club the FA Cup game was indeed a meaningless match. The club however could not possibly say that though - but I think you will find that with a lot of clubs including Bolton - that actions will speak louder than words.

If this isn't an entertainment business, why not just sell up the ground and build houses on it, make it into something that could make money 365 days a year like a cinema, or bowling alley, maybe both, with some bars?

 

We as fans, owners, chairmen, players etc etc have forgotten that football exists because it is football, and when the fly-bi-nights leave it will be down to us fans that are left to pick up the pieces, with collection buckets, raffles, lotteries, fundraisers. We forget at our peril.

If this isn't an entertainment business, why not just sell up the ground and build houses on it, make it into something that could make money 365 days a year like a cinema, or bowling alley, maybe both, with some bars?

 

We as fans, owners, chairmen, players etc etc have forgotten that football exists because it is football, and when the fly-bi-nights leave it will be down to us fans that are left to pick up the pieces, with collection buckets, raffles, lotteries, fundraisers. We forget at our peril.

 

Ah, but you forget Lord Kangana that the 'entertainment' is not judged solely by the fan going through the Reebok turnstiles.

 

Sky is paying a small fortune to screen the Premiership matches around the world. As long as the worldwide TV audience is 'entertained' and keeps demanding more premiership football - including the likes of what Bolton, Stoke, Wigan, etc serve up - then we will continue to do whatever is necessary to stay on the premiership gravy train - even if that means pissing off several thousand local fans - in a number of clubs up and down the country who face exactly the same scenario as we do.

 

As for knocking the ground down and replace it with houses, cinema, etc - although I know you are saying that tongue in cheek - I doubt that any venture would be quite as financially lucrative as a premiership football club - do you?

Sluffy, I know what you're saying about the financial necessities and throughout the years, I've admired Gartside's prudent approach to spending and emphasis on staying on the gravy train that is the Premier League.

 

I just happen to believe that a decent Cup run will not hamper our League performance, rather that it will enhance it because the team and the supporters will be motivated and carry forward the positivity to the League.

 

Being selective about games does not inspire people.

Sluffy, I know what you're saying about the financial necessities and throughout the years, I've admired Gartside's prudent approach to spending and emphasis on staying on the gravy train that is the Premier League.

 

I just happen to believe that a decent Cup run will not hamper our League performance, rather that it will enhance it because the team and the supporters will be motivated and carry forward the positivity to the League.

 

Being selective about games does not inspire people.

BTW

 

If we go out of the cup

 

We will have 2 (two) games in February; hardly stretching after a winter break in Jan.

 

All that money, such little work, no wonder they get into trouble.

Sluffy, I know what you're saying about the financial necessities and throughout the years, I've admired Gartside's prudent approach to spending and emphasis on staying on the gravy train that is the Premier League.

 

I just happen to believe that a decent Cup run will not hamper our League performance, rather that it will enhance it because the team and the supporters will be motivated and carry forward the positivity to the League.

 

Being selective about games does not inspire people.

 

spot on, infact it demotivates people, players cannot pick and choose which matches to try to win, maximum effort in every games is the only way to play, we could rue the fact we have not claimed the odd draw against the top 4, a lot of our competitors have taken points here and there and are in a healthier position for it.

As once said on here by a wise man

 

We are never gonna win the premier league

We play under-strength teams in the fa cup and rola cola cup

Our aim is to finish as high as possible in the premier league

If we qualify for Europe, we play an under-strength team

 

Is there any point to BWFC?

 

Lets go out, play our 1st choice team. Lets try to get to the final, that would boost the club no end.

It can easily be done with a few good performances and a kind draw.

 

If I was a BWFC player, I would be gutted if the manager changed the team, dropped me and we went out.

 

A wembley cup final is what we dream about, the only problem with BWFC is thats all it will ever be for us.

As once said on here by a wise man

 

We are never gonna win the premier league

We play under-strength teams in the fa cup and rola cola cup

Our aim is to finish as high as possible in the premier league

If we qualify for Europe, we play an under-strength team

 

Is there any point to BWFC?

 

Lets go out, play our 1st choice team. Lets try to get to the final, that would boost the club no end.

It can easily be done with a few good performances and a kind draw.

 

If I was a BWFC player, I would be gutted if the manager changed the team, dropped me and we went out.

 

A wembley cup final is what we dream about, the only problem with BWFC is thats all it will ever be for us.

They have organised it so you can see it, touch it and have your photo taken with a la Nat

 

What more could you want?

 

http://www.bwfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Gener...1493946,00.html

Edited December 30, 200817 yr by boltondiver

The closest we will get to it

As once said on here by a wise man

 

We are never gonna win the premier league

We play under-strength teams in the fa cup and rola cola cup

Our aim is to finish as high as possible in the premier league

If we qualify for Europe, we play an under-strength team

 

Is there any point to BWFC?

 

Lets go out, play our 1st choice team. Lets try to get to the final, that would boost the club no end.

It can easily be done with a few good performances and a kind draw.

 

If I was a BWFC player, I would be gutted if the manager changed the team, dropped me and we went out.

 

A wembley cup final is what we dream about, the only problem with BWFC is thats all it will ever be for us.

 

Very well said man

theres 70 clubs would swap with the shitty existence we have being bolton fans

 

only excuse i can offer is you don't have such long memories or you never saw burnden

or you never saw burnden

Is that where we won every game playing to a full house every week and like Club Tropicana, the drinks were free, with fun and sunshine?