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Are we approaching a Crossroads

Thames Valley Red

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Apr 7, 2004
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South Midlands
What do Shrewsbury offer that we don't? And do we need to move to a new stadium to have equivalent facilities to offer similar?
Yes they have a new ground and conferencing offering, but tempering the art of the possible. Don't laugh they have a very active funeral service offering, anniversary offering and birthdays offering. they also have an active business meeting offering. We are stepping that up, but the quality of the offering looks very professional. They also offer extended sponsor package. Another club is active on the Comedy venue circuit, mediums, business network non football, and other activities. We are certainly improving all the time, but lets steal the best bits from other people's offerings. It was great to see the fixtures breakfast session, if I lived closer I would have gone. I asked our club for Commercial brochure before they went on social media, and it took a while to engage. Some of the above companies are all over my one email to their commercial department.

I think we need to think out of the box, how about having some business rooms at the Academy and using the space for training and commercial. You could link into learning and also business. I went to the training ground a few weeks ago for a nosey when down, and it was very quiet. We could use the facilities in the off season to do business team builds and link into the coaching element. Public speaking, motivational speaking, team building events. People could be booked in on a rota to support.

As for moving, not an advocate unless we sell-out more often. That said look at the facilities at the ground and use them more aggressively on non-matchdays.
 

Boyo

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May 5, 2004
Messages
4,024
Yes they have a new ground and conferencing offering, but tempering the art of the possible. Don't laugh they have a very active funeral service offering, anniversary offering and birthdays offering. they also have an active business meeting offering. We are stepping that up, but the quality of the offering looks very professional. They also offer extended sponsor package. Another club is active on the Comedy venue circuit, mediums, business network non football, and other activities. We are certainly improving all the time, but lets steal the best bits from other people's offerings. It was great to see the fixtures breakfast session, if I lived closer I would have gone. I asked our club for Commercial brochure before they went on social media, and it took a while to engage. Some of the above companies are all over my one email to their commercial department.

I think we need to think out of the box, how about having some business rooms at the Academy and using the space for training and commercial. You could link into learning and also business. I went to the training ground a few weeks ago for a nosey when down, and it was very quiet. We could use the facilities in the off season to do business team builds and link into the coaching element. Public speaking, motivational speaking, team building events. People could be booked in on a rota to support.

As for moving, not an advocate unless we sell-out more often. That said look at the facilities at the ground and use them more aggressively on non-matchdays.
Thanks. I do think that the facilities we have are ok. They are not brilliant, but they are improving along with our offer, as you say. I do think we are hamstrung however by the location of SJP. It's a rather tatty, studenty area, with poor access and limited parking. Compare that to Shrewsbury or the Chiefs and it's easy to see why they appeal and SJP doesn't. The funeral thing at Shrewsbury is a good idea.

The training ground is an interesting thought. With the previous facilities it would have been impossible with good conscience to charge anyone, but maybe with the new infrastucture that will open up new revenue streams.
 

Colesman Ballz

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The perils of private ownership ! It has just emerged with the publication of their accounts, that WBA lent one of Chairman Guochan Lai's companies £4.95M in March 2021 to help them through the Covid pandemic. He has promised that this will be repaid along with £50kin interest by the 31st December, in time for the January transfer window. Baggies fans are left wondering if in the meantime this has adversely affected their efforts to return to the Premier League ?
 

manc grecian

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Jun 24, 2004
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following through
Why would anyone go to the cat and fiddle for conferencing etc when sandy Park is 5 mins down the road.

We need a Watkins type windfall every five years or explore other options
 

geoffwp

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Apr 1, 2004
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Zen city
The perils of private ownership ! It has just emerged with the publication of their accounts, that WBA lent one of Chairman Guochan Lai's companies £4.95M in March 2021 to help them through the Covid pandemic. He has promised that this will be repaid along with £50kin interest by the 31st December, in time for the January transfer window. Baggies fans are left wondering if in the meantime this has adversely affected their efforts to return to the Premier League ?
He grabbed himself a stash of lovely cheap money there. So many football fans love to jump in bed with the devil on a promise of glory.😲
 

Banksy

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Crostwight Norfolk
Every time I see this thread I think of Benny.
1656590928774.jpeg
 

geoffwp

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I do think we are hamstrung however by the location of SJP. It's a rather tatty, studenty area....
I think there will be a lot of good people upset at that rather carelessly thoughtless
remark.
I rather like the area our ground is in, I think it has character, it is part of our city and not some throw away wasteland outside of it. There's a large multi story car park not far off plus the city has several park and ride locations and a train service. So unless someone was a total lazy lardarse and wants to park within a few yards of the ground I cant see what the problem is.
 

grecIAN Harris

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Back home in the village
So unless someone was a total lazy lardarse and wants to park within a few yards of the ground I cant see what the problem is.
Welcome to today's generation Geoffrey 🤨
 

Boyo

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May 5, 2004
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4,024
I think there will be a lot of good people upset at that rather carelessly thoughtless
remark.
I rather like the area our ground is in, I think it has character, it is part of our city and not some throw away wasteland outside of it. There's a large multi story car park not far off plus the city has several park and ride locations and a train service. So unless someone was a total lazy lardarse and wants to park within a few yards of the ground I cant see what the problem is.
I love it too, but it's not somewhere I'd want to entertain corporate guests, or anyone else for that matter. As an ECFC fan it will no doubt have an appeal and charm to us, but for anyone else it is rather tatty. There's bins everywhere, graffitti around and it's all a little tired. The place comes to life on matchdays, but on a dull, grey day in February is pretty uninspiring.
 

Pete Martin (CTID)

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Here and there
This has been a very interesting thread to read and highlights the dichotomy that exists within today's ECFC.

Like a number of others, I have supported the club for many years. I am about to enter my 57th. I am in absolutely no doubt that it is in a better place today than it has ever been. For me that is unarguable. In September next year the Trust will have been majority shareholder for 20 years. When it originally acquired the club I am not sure that any of us thought about it reaching the 20 year mark. But it has done.

I have no clear answer to the debate about shared Trust/private investment, but a total sell out would not be on my agenda at all. I fully appreciate that some will disagree.

I am of the view that we DO have a sustainable model, provided we develop and nurture it AND can generate the finance to adequately fund it. Good people with the skill and nous in administration, commercial opportunities and player development are vital, as is the Academy.

My bottom line is that I do not and cannot support the view that Trust ownership itself creates a bar to progress. The reality is that it has never been properly tested, pursued and fought for by any club that has gone before.

Maybe we can be the club that can do that?
 
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