Nobody coming in yet

[Belle-Vue-Ghost]

I still have a funny feeling we'll see Hume and/or Syers play some part on monday 

[balbykiwirover]

And I for one particularly appreciate the level of information you're able to provide SM. It's somewhat isolated 12,000 miles away in New Zealand, but I keep my eye out for your posts as a reliable source of information from within the club.

On a general note, I'm a little surprised about all the negativity. Win on Monday and we're top of the League, which is a damn sight better than I was expecting back in August, despite the recent blip.

[Dutch Uncle]

Hoola,

We're going over old ground again here so I'll be brief. The information about players budgets has to be lodged with the FL, and its available to all clubs. Because of that I'm not prepared to give too much detail, but it all becomes public at some point. Here's a few items I've posted previously;

The highest budget in this league is £4.9m the next is £4.2m
One club has a budget of less than £1m
Twelve have budgets of less than £2m
The average wage is less than £100k, we pay substantially more

To suggest that we were never going to go for promotion with figures like that can't be taken seriously.

Here's a link to a blogger friend of mine who takes this information and provides a level of detail I can only dream about. This is one he did on Sheffield Utd a couple of seasons ago. It's useful because we were in the same division at the time and its interesting how we competed at that time.

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Sheffield%20United

Many thanks for that link SM - everyone should look at it

We look like a well run club; it is also obvious why Portsmouth are in such trouble, and look at the huge level of risk to many many other clubs, and then thank the board and management of DRFC

[Red wizard]

Am i reading that link right? It states we had a wage bill of 7 mill and a income of 10 mill. If so why did JR and co have to put 3 mill in each year?

[Dutch Uncle]

There is far more to costs than just wages RW

Fair Play rules are trying to get clubs to a wages to turnover ratio eventually as low as 55-60% in some divisions

Looks like we will have fewer problems than many clubs

[hoolahoop]

Hoola,

We're going over old ground again here so I'll be brief. The information about players budgets has to be lodged with the FL, and its available to all clubs. Because of that I'm not prepared to give too much detail, but it all becomes public at some point. Here's a few items I've posted previously;

The highest budget in this league is £4.9m the next is £4.2m
One club has a budget of less than £1m
Twelve have budgets of less than £2m
The average wage is less than £100k, we pay substantially more

To suggest that we were never going to go for promotion with figures like that can't be taken seriously.

Here's a link to a blogger friend of mine who takes this information and provides a level of detail I can only dream about. This is one he did on Sheffield Utd a couple of seasons ago. It's useful because we were in the same division at the time and its interesting how we competed at that time.

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Sheffield%20United

Many thanks for that link SM - everyone should look at it

We look like a well run club; it is also obvious why Portsmouth are in such trouble, and look at the huge level of risk to many many other clubs, and then thank the board and management of DRFC

Appears to be very well informed and just shows how we have been prudent whilst other clubs are walking into nightmares.
If any of you are tempted to get despondent about the fact that the Blunts have moved into the auto positions then have a nice chuckle at this.....
Joking apart it's a demonstration of just how things can go badly badly wrong and also demonstrates starkly the enormous financial divide between the Divisions due to the television monies...........it's quite frankly obscene.

[ch-ch rover]

balbykiwirover what part of new zealand are you living?

[Alickismyhero]

That's just my style, nothing intended against anyone.

However I'll always answer questions if they're asked in the right way and so long as I'm not going over ground I've been over several times this season. The question of the budget and if we intended to go for promotion and why are the club not investing has been done to death on here time after time.

You make it sound as though I'm lucky to hold 'this position'. Those that know me realise that I'm doing this despite the intense pressure on my time, I'm certainly not doing it for the love of it, I'm doing it because a) I can, and b) because it needed doing.

SM,
Believe it or not I do appreciate the information you have passed on in the past and I have asked your permission to pass it on, which I  have. I can see that at times the same questions pop up which you have answered before perhaps you can take the parliamentarian approach with " I refer my Honourable friend to the answer I gave earlier". You might consider having your own page on the site with statements that answer any recurring questions.

I like the concept of having a supporter on the Board and reporting back on items of interest to supporters but is it one way traffic on controversial items? to ask questions, to disagree should not be viewed as subversive provided it is done in a respectful way?

 I am a firm believer that Lord Acton was right when he said "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" The system we have now is the best we have ever had and the job you have with in it is both difficult and necessary. With any job like this the frustration and criticism goes with the job but I am sure you are strong enough to cope with it.

[silent majority]

Alickismyhero,

That's very kind of you, but to be honest I'm looking for less responsibility not more. The flip side of the coin is that the VSC board is very strong at the moment, in my opinion stronger than its ever been, and the newcomers are coming on in leaps and bounds so the hope is that those guys will take over shortly.

[Red wizard]

All anyone has to do is ask Gavin Baldwin what they want to know. He's always answered my questions. In fact he now comes and talks to me when I'm in the bar. Both he and Martin always find time to talk to us fans. I bet not many clubs get that.