Doug King end of season message (1 Viewer)

Bugsy

Well-Known Member
 

long way home

Well-Known Member
Fair play to the fella, definitely putting together the foundation of a club that will reap the reward of hard work. Hope the fans sick by it and we see an increased interest and make things happen.

I hope we sell more ST, bring in more quality and have a really good start to the season to the point where the stadium is rammed and loud every week.
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Can't argue with that, fantastic statement really.


Baby Hat GIF
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
So much better than the drivel SISU came out with. Whenever I have heard him speak to the media he has come across well.

The important bit for me is the infrastructure. No longer can you get a team ready by a bloke getting the squad running around the outside of a pitch doing exercises.

It is now so scientific. Strength and conditioning, nutrition, recovery, physiotherapy, physiology, stats and analysis; you need a small army even before you start talking formations and tactics.

The club had become so run down under SISU, it won't all happen overnight but at least it is starting to go in the right direction. We now have an owner who doesn't crave attention all the time but knows the importance of speaking to the fans and the important role they can play.
 

fatso

Well-Known Member
He's already made a big difference in a short period of time.

Signing young players on 4 year contracts and not selling them for peanuts at the first opportunity is refreshing. As is the improvements to the training ground.

The money spent has been made from the sales of Gyok and Hamer, so we've been financially prudent and not risked our future by over commiting (take note Hull)

I wonder what Sisu must be thinking?
 

CV22SBA

Well-Known Member
Be good to aquire the Connexion at Ryton and the remaining land if it makes financial sense of course
Funny you should say that i was at the Red Lion in Hunningham on Sunday and speaking to a guy who part owns the connextion and he said its up for sale as he is retiring. His house also up for sale and looking for a quick get out to move to Spain.
 

lesturd

Member
Funny you should say that i was at the Red Lion in Hunningham on Sunday and speaking to a guy who part owns the connextion and he said its up for sale as he is retiring. His house also up for sale and looking for a quick get out to move to Spain.
Absolute bollox
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
He's already made a big difference in a short period of time.

Signing young players on 4 year contracts and not selling them for peanuts at the first opportunity is refreshing. As is the improvements to the training ground.

The money spent has been made from the sales of Gyok and Hamer, so we've been financially prudent and not risked our future by over commiting (take note Hull)

I wonder what Sisu must be thinking?

Probably “I’m glad we didn’t add another £7m to the losses”
 

lesturd

Member
Because Mike and Des who owned the lease and ran the Connexion for 40 years or so only sold the lease about a year ago to an Indian businessman who has his own plans for the site. The Connexion earns its money from mostly boxing events and Indian weddings and he has his own plans to expand for bigger Indian wedding events. The actual sole owner of the site lives South of the equator....certainly not in your local pub in Hunningham.
 

CV22SBA

Well-Known Member
Because Mike and Des who owned the lease and ran the Connexion for 40 years or so only sold the lease about a year ago to an Indian businessman who has his own plans for the site. The Connexion earns its money from mostly boxing events and Indian weddings and he has his own plans to expand for bigger Indian wedding events. The actual sole owner of the site lives South of the equator....certainly not in your local pub in Hunningham.
It was last sold in 2017 that’s 7 years ago.
 

Sky Blue Pete

Well-Known Member
The one thing I didn’t like was his arrogance and not listening to people who had more experience

who am I though eh

A number of things have made me think woah he listens, he acts, he’s made a difference

Robins and Adi long term contracts
Young players on long deals
Chief operating officer from a proven successful job in the game - John Taylor
Performance lead - the dr can’t remember name
Main one for me is timing. I don’t know what actual money sisu / joy put in or lost probably something but boy what a time to watch yok and Hamer small investments reap reward
Last summer probably increased the overall value in the squad tens of millions of pounds across a number of players rather than one or two
At the end of the last supporters meeting and huge credit to mark Hornby and Jodie jones who have been there before and have seen their jobs change. At the end of the meeting he shook hands with us all as did John Taylor which felt important as if he valued our input was classy touch

Big decisions on season tickets and I hope the tv deal doesn’t scupper the fan team relationships I don’t think it will

Having been annoyed a little initially he’s made a number of astute calls and listened to people around the game

impressed

the one thing and if you want to annoy him just mention it is the lease on the stadium. It needs resolving and as long term approach needs to be taken as possible.
 

MalcSB

Well-Known Member
In relation to the stadium, if only Doug had arrived a few weeks earlier.

in fairness, Frasers are improving lots of things.
 

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
In relation to the stadium, if only Doug had arrived a few weeks earlier.

in fairness, Frasers are improving lots of things.

Yeah, I can imagine it’s costing millions to get back up to a good state of repair/improve facilities which we’d probably have had to initially funded out of player sales revenue

Ultimately the stadium has little value unless we’re there and we obviously need a stadium, so you’d hope there’s a sensible approach by all concerned and an extended lease can be agreed at a reasonable rent
 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
In relation to the stadium, if only Doug had arrived a few weeks earlier.

in fairness, Frasers are improving lots of things.
Frasers have been really good tbh.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, maybe I don't fully understand these things, but there's no real financial benefit to the club to own the stadium currently is there?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
Frasers have been really good tbh.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, maybe I don't fully understand these things, but there's no real financial benefit to the club to own the stadium currently is there?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

Only time will tell but didn’t Frasers arena (whatever it’s called) lose 4m in its first years accounts. Only seen headlines so might be wrong
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Frasers have been really good tbh.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, maybe I don't fully understand these things, but there's no real financial benefit to the club to own the stadium currently is there?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
It needs running by people who know how to run venues like that so they don’t go the way of Wasps.
 

MalcSB

Well-Known Member
Frasers have been really good tbh.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, maybe I don't fully understand these things, but there's no real financial benefit to the club to own the stadium currently is there?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
TBH don’t know about the financial benefit of the club owning the stadium. You would have to think there must be some financial benefit though - else why did Frasers but it. They did pay, and Doug would also have only paid, peanuts for it though in reality, given the 999 year lease.
 

biggymania

Well-Known Member
The stadium thing has been on my mind a bit recently. It only becomes worth it really if it is turning a profit, or there is a clear vision for how spending 100% (or more, making a loss!) of the revenue will drive in more revenue over time.

I think Doug is ambitious enough to see that potential - but of course he missed his chance to get it for ~18M in 2022 and it will command a much higher price because surely revenues are much improved even if it might not be profitable yet. We won't know that until 23-24 accounts for the Frasers Group land next year.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
The stadium thing has been on my mind a bit recently. It only becomes worth it really if it is turning a profit, or there is a clear vision for how spending 100% (or more, making a loss!) of the revenue will drive in more revenue over time.
People talk about stadiums as if they are money makers but how many teams actually profit from stadium ownership. Ours has more events than most and still loses millions a year and wasn't there something like £40m in maintenance due when Frasers took over.

If you can get the right deal then I don't think there's really a benefit in ownership other than long term security but even that isn't an issue with the right deal.
 

biggymania

Well-Known Member
People talk about stadiums as if they are money makers but how many teams actually profit from stadium ownership. Ours has more events than most and still loses millions a year and wasn't there something like £40m in maintenance due when Frasers took over.

If you can get the right deal then I don't think there's really a benefit in ownership other than long term security but even that isn't an issue with the right deal.
I'd seen it suggested at way less than 40m, but I agree - it's unclear to me how many clubs actually have a profitable or cost-neutral stadium operation.

But Frasers Group clearly must see potential, so I suppose the answer is they can make money.
 

fatso

Well-Known Member
Because Mike and Des who owned the lease and ran the Connexion for 40 years or so only sold the lease about a year ago to an Indian businessman who has his own plans for the site. The Connexion earns its money from mostly boxing events and Indian weddings and he has his own plans to expand for bigger Indian wedding events. The actual sole owner of the site lives South of the equator....certainly not in your local pub in Hunningham.
Correct, I think the local pub in Hunningham must sell some very strong beverages!
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
In relation to the stadium, if only Doug had arrived a few weeks earlier.

in fairness, Frasers are improving lots of things.
To be honest I'd rather the investment in the stadium came from a third party. If the club owned it it would have the problem of how to pay for the backlog of maintenance + necessary improvements
 

djr8369

Well-Known Member
People talk about stadiums as if they are money makers but how many teams actually profit from stadium ownership. Ours has more events than most and still loses millions a year and wasn't there something like £40m in maintenance due when Frasers took over.

If you can get the right deal then I don't think there's really a benefit in ownership other than long term security but even that isn't an issue with the right deal.
Let’s say we got the stadium for free tomorrow. It’s still losing money and you need an events team, maintenance, PR etc all working to keep it going to generate revenue in the hope you make a profit. Best left to someone else IMO.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top