Caldwell out?

[Grecian Max]

Beyond the realms of fantasy to suggest that the second line represents a five (percentage) point reduction from the EFL? Perhaps I'm Reading too much in to it.

5th from bottom in the fastest growing city stakes, trouble looming for Pompey this is our time

 

[Grecian Max]

It is too cheap! There again we are never going to make enough money at SJP to progress beyond league 1 stability. Only a new ( bigger) ground would give us that opportunity.
Nevermind I'm quite happy as an established league 1 club with no real prospects of going any further.

I’m happy with L1 too and am not fussed about progressing beyond it

I don’t think charging fans more money is really the answer though for stability

 

[Bridgy 81]

5th from bottom in the fastest growing city stakes, trouble looming for Pompey this is our time

Portsmouth is an island and it’s completely full.
I reckon it’s probably already one of the densest populated places in the UK.
They’ll have to build a lot of skyscrapers to fit any more people in or start nicking any new fans they need from other clubs!

 

[sign of the chimes]

Portsmouth is an island and it’s completely full.
I reckon it’s probably already one of the densest populated places in the UK.
They’ll have to build a lot of skyscrapers to fit any more people in or start nicking any new fans they need from other clubs!

Oi, who are you calling dense?

 

[sign of the chimes]

5th from bottom in the fastest growing city stakes, trouble looming for Pompey this is our time

I can only think that Kenny Jackett's tenure as manager was the football equivalent of bromide in tea.

Joking aside, there does seem to be real potential in the medium-to-long-term to grow your club further. Clearly that's going to present challenges, particularly in relation to SJP, but what a luxury problem if you're able to capitalise. From the outside your club appears pretty upwardly mobile.

 

[BigBanker]

I can only think that Kenny Jackett's tenure as manager was the football equivalent of bromide in tea.

Joking aside, there does seem to be real potential in the medium-to-long-term to grow your club further. Clearly that's going to present challenges, particularly in relation to SJP, but what a luxury problem if you're able to capitalise. From the outside your club appears pretty upwardly mobile.

I guess Portsmouth are in a similar position in terms of the stadium being old, well loved, full of character but limited in growth opportunity. Any talk of Pompey moving to some soulless concrete bowl (see: St Mary's)?

 

[sign of the chimes]

I guess Portsmouth are in a similar position in terms of the stadium being old, well loved, full of character but limited in growth opportunity. Any talk of Pompey moving to some soulless concrete bowl (see: St Mary's)?

It's very unlikely we'll move. The owners have invested about £12m on improvements at Fratton Park to protect and slightly enhance capacity, which would otherwise continued to drop for safety reasons. The long-term aim is a new North Stand, but that's a massive undertaking which may not happen. We could do with a capacity a few thousand higher than it is, but I'm not sure we need much more than that (I suspect I'm in a minority of Pompey fans in saying that).

 

[Red Bill]

I think part you're probably a bit off tbh, football spectating in 2024 is very much a middle class thing... it's an expensive hobby and when I look around me in the gilded Stanno stand there's a lot of people in nice jackets who wouldn't look out of place at the Chiefs

That's before you get to the question about what is middle and working class these days anyway, lots of blurred lines here in the UK now

I'd argue the demographics at the club is rapidly changing and is including a lot more women too

We're experiencing our best gates since the mid-60s which is thanks to a number of things - Covid bounce, population growth, much better facilities, quality of football in L1 etc etc

This city should have a League 1 team with a League 1 budget, if the ownership is achieving that - in my eyes that's great

If we can't put together a competitive budget and are second bottom in the third tier then I think we aren't reaching our potential and questions should be asked

I don't believe we are bottom 2 anyway so this likely a pointless conversation - it's possible but I don't think it is. Hawker has said as much.

So Caldwell has done well with his budget irregardless and Taggy and him can stop quoting something that isn't true

I'm sure everyone will be delighted to read that I'm not going to start a debate on the nature of class in the 21st century Max! But suffice to say we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I don't however agree on football being too expensive at our level. Yes if we're talking the big prem teams, but for us, pretty much anyone with a job can afford 20 quid to stand on the bank once a fortnight.

I'm personally happy with L1 football. Going to footie has always been about the experience for me. It's better when the team are doing well and there's a decent standard to watch, and for me L1 provides that, but for me i just enjoy the atmosphere, the spectacle and the opportunity to cheer on my team.

Like you I would like to see us become an established L1 team. Something I've never experienced before but seems within reach, given our on and off field progress. However, in contrast to you, I don't feel there is anything about the history and standing of our club nor the city of Exeter, that should make us feel that this is our rightful position.

Personally I'm not too interested in where we stand budget wise, it's what we achieve with it that matters. Right now it seems we are proving that if you are well run and have a good plan, you can achieve quite a lot on minimal resources. Which for me is a refreshing counterpoint to the received wisdom that its all about money and the egos of the rich!

 

[Grecian Max]

Portsmouth is an island and it’s completely full.
I reckon it’s probably already one of the densest populated places in the UK.
They’ll have to build a lot of skyscrapers to fit any more people in or start nicking any new fans they need from other clubs!

Both my parents are Caulkheads from the Isle of Wight, now that’s a real island not what those mainlanders claim with Pompey

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Why the obsession about our standing in "the wage table"? Yes, it has it's obvious restrictions and money talks regardless of what level you're at. But at our level you can still shop around, put a side together and be able to compete if you're astute with your money. The differences between a top end League 1 player to an average League 1 player are nowhere near as great as a top end Premier League to an average Premier League where the ability is vast and the wages match and the only way you can compete is to have a budget to match. The likelyhood of seeing a Leicester again are minimal to no chance whereas you have a far better chance if seeing the League 1 equivalent.