Budget

[Brian Young]

  : I know this well worn subject . Of the four teams promoted this season .... is there any reason to think that Portsmouth-Plymouth were better prept for the challenges than Rovers and ( Blackpool I except any argument here) as the run in and prospects are both looking better than ours . Just a thought .

[eastender]

I would say yes , only going on Attendances and all the knock on's such as Merchandise , catering , Hospitality, programmes and so on.

Team     MinCrowd    MaxCrowd AvCrowd    TotCrowd   
Portsmouth   15,132   18,625   16,822   386,922   
Plymouth      6,935    14,671   9,652     222,001   
Luton Tow     6,708    9,164    8,046    185,063   
Doncaster    4,327    10,084    6,021    138,492   

Blackpool were 18th  with a nice round 3456

[Brian Young]

We all know of our financial position and what the lack of attendances can do but my thoughts were on momentum and preparation  towards next season . ARE we only better off by being in L1 than L2 or is there lessons of poor preparation to be learned .the teams with ambitions  forms part of it . Shrewsbury built a team to stay up and look Championship bound or at least playoff . Portsmouth / Plymouth have grown throughout the season where we have stuttered .
Our preseason was poor and lost players through injuries again , and with the new rules on loans having a serious effect but we can do we still required at least 2 more  than we signed .
If imo there is anything we could do better it is that when it is announced who stays and who leaves the club that there are defined lines and players aren’t left in limbo (Williams Lund Evina). Either the club allows the budget to be flexible enough to wipe the slate clean and let the DF build without having to reminded of players still dragging their heels and living off the club without contributing to its progress. What gripes also is that we are only just out performing a team like Blackpool with all their faults and that in context of our budget for the season isn’t good .

[rtid88]

I think our budget is more than adequate to be honest. We have been incredibly unlucky with injuries and it has taken a few players a while to adjust to League One football such as Marquis & Beestin. Next year get rid of the dead wood like Alcock, Williams and Evina and bring in a few players to challenge for first team places and with a bit of luck on the injury front we should have a team challenges for the play offs at least.

[pib]

Portsmouth and Plymouth are well-supported clubs. Might not be the case historically for Plymouth, but in the last 15 years their average has never dropped far below 7,000, even the years when they finished 89th/92 in the FL two years on the spin.

Doesn't all come down to crowds but as a proxy I'd expect both those clubs to bring in more ticket revenue than DRFC.

[bobbymax]

With us it's all about potential.
We have a young squad and have been absolutely slaughtered with long-term injuries to key players this season.
From what I've seen of both Portsmouth and Plymouth, we have a more talented team than both (definitely Blackpool). We just need a little luck for a change and a bit more concentration and I'd make us a good bet to be challenging for a play-off place at worst next season.

[Lifelong supporter]

I think our budget is more than adequate to be honest. We have been incredibly unlucky with injuries and it has taken a few players a while to adjust to League One football such as Marquis & Beestin. Next year get rid of the dead wood like Alcock, Williams and Evina and bring in a few players to challenge for first team places and with a bit of luck on the injury front we should have a team challenges for the play offs at least.

More than adequate for what though?
Avoiding relegation, consolidation, mid-table, top ten?
The club is in the second year of a five year plan for promotion.
At some stage in the next three seasons it has to give Fergie a budget to achieve that aim.
And, let's hope then that it is 'more than adequate'.

[Lifelong supporter]

With us it's all about potential.
We have a young squad and have been absolutely slaughtered with long-term injuries to key players this season.
From what I've seen of both Portsmouth and Plymouth, we have a more talented team than both (definitely Blackpool). We just need a little luck for a change and a bit more concentration and I'd make us a good bet to be challenging for a play-off place at worst next season.

'A little luck and a bit more concentration.'
If only it was that easy.

[rtid88]

I think our budget is more than adequate to be honest. We have been incredibly unlucky with injuries and it has taken a few players a while to adjust to League One football such as Marquis & Beestin. Next year get rid of the dead wood like Alcock, Williams and Evina and bring in a few players to challenge for first team places and with a bit of luck on the injury front we should have a team challenges for the play offs at least.

More than adequate for what though?
Avoiding relegation, consolidation, mid-table, top ten?
The club is in the second year of a five year plan for promotion.
At some stage in the next three seasons it has to give Fergie a budget to achieve that aim.
And, let's hope then that it is 'more than adequate'.

To reach the playoffs as the rest of my post indicates.

[bobbymax]

With us it's all about potential.
We have a young squad and have been absolutely slaughtered with long-term injuries to key players this season.
From what I've seen of both Portsmouth and Plymouth, we have a more talented team than both (definitely Blackpool). We just need a little luck for a change and a bit more concentration and I'd make us a good bet to be challenging for a play-off place at worst next season.

'A little luck and a bit more concentration.'
If only it was that easy.

They are only tweaks and we have to believe we'll have better strength-in-depth next season if Copps and Frenchy are retained. I'd say that is more than enough reason for optimism.

[DRNaith]

Having worked with budgets, away from sport, for some years, the size of budget is one thing, where you choose to invest that budget and for what purpose over what timescale is another thing.

[scawsby steve]

Centre back used to be a problem position for our team, and was a matter of concern for a lot of our posters on here; however, I believe we've turned a corner with that, as we now have 5 good senior centre backs in the squad; I strongly suspect Fergie will sign 4 of these for next season.

[Brian Young]

When Rovers got promoted to the Championship it was on the back of continuous growth through the divisions. The supporters knew each step and the board were committed to each step. This time there seems to be no “call to arms “ or anything that would suggest that plans are to push to a higher level. Unlike L2 where we set our stall to get back to L1. I don’t think the ambition has gone but it seems to have been kicked further down the road . IMO unless you galvanise the hearts and minds of everyone involved to the task, it is seldom achieved . I know our budget has to used to provide many things but it has first to protect what progress gained and establish where it can best be used to continue the next steps . We have brought players in ANDREWS Baudry Rowe, Whiteman May Lowler Mason Beestin Kwomya , all good players , yet if we loose any one of them for length of time it’s back to the lucky dip of the loan market. I hope when the nexting of the Board there is a more positive out look on permanent signings .

[steve@dcfd]

I know I’ve gone on about Budgets and wages but if we had scored 1 more goal in 4/5 drawn games we would be in the same position as Portsmouth and Plymouth. As I’ve posted before our defence as been better so far and we have scored 4 goals less than both so far.
So with games so far injuries and players learning this league have made a difference but with creativity and goals more than anything.

[scawsby steve]

I know I’ve gone on about Budgets and wages but if we had scored 1 more goal in 4/5 drawn games we would be in the same position as Portsmouth and Plymouth. As I’ve posted before our defence as been better so far and we have scored 4 goals less than both so far.
So with games so far injuries and players learning this league have made a difference but with creativity and goals more than anything.

I agree with all of those points, Steve, however, I still maintain that the biggest reason we're not in the play-offs is the 12 points we've shipped by conceding goals after 85 minutes; that's simply a matter of focus and concentration, and I firmly believe that our young squad will have learned from that.

[selby]

  The main reason we are not in with a shout of the playoffs is our young side not being able to cope with the Physical side of the game in this division in the first half of the season, and our poor defensive abilities at full/wing back.
  Plus a goalkeeper, who added to the fullbacks by not coming for crosses.
   We could have had Shearer and Andy Cole up front the first 6 to 8 games, the front men had no service at all in most of them games in the league. Every team roughed us up and attacked our right back position, and got crosses in as soon as possible.

[scawsby steve]

  The main reason we are not in with a shout of the playoffs is our young side not being able to cope with the Physical side of the game in this division in the first half of the season, and our poor defensive abilities at full/wing back.
  Plus a goalkeeper, who added to the fullbacks by not coming for crosses.
   We could have had Shearer and Andy Cole up front the first 6 to 8 games, the front men had no service at all in most of them games in the league. Every team roughed us up and attacked our right back position, and got crosses in as soon as possible.

I agree with a lot of that, Brian, but at the end of the day, it is all based on opinion. Shipping 12 points through conceding after 85 minutes is FACT.

[the vicar]

Brian and Steve you both have nailed it on the head as it is all of them reasons. And the club said we need 7200 to break even and we have well receded that x the cup games so we could of had better defenders

[selby]

Steve, a game is 90 minutes long, when the goals are conceded makes no difference really, but when professional sportsmen see a perceived weakness they will go at it until it breaks.
   We were too slow to react, we were getting physically battered every week, Rowe and Coppinger were being targeted, and we allowed some pretty poor sides to bully us out of our rhythm.
   Individual weaknesses were evident in most matches and were repeated week after week by the same players, and playing May affects the performance of Marquis. Whiteman and Blair are either hot or cold, and will not dominate a midfield at this level.
   Two of our best players McCollough and Baudry were missing, and when you add Andrews, that is quite a hit, add Mason only now showing consistency in his play, and you can now see the difference in the results lately.
   In fact Marosi, who has done well when called on, has not been in the games half as much as Lawlor was before their return.

[drfchound]

People seem to conveniently forget that we have won points ourselves by scoring late points, almost as many as we have dropped.
Things even themselves out in that stat over a season.

[scawsby steve]

Steve, a game is 90 minutes long, when the goals are conceded makes no difference really, but when professional sportsmen see a perceived weakness they will go at it until it breaks.
   We were too slow to react, we were getting physically battered every week, Rowe and Coppinger were being targeted, and we allowed some pretty poor sides to bully us out of our rhythm.
   Individual weaknesses were evident in most matches and were repeated week after week by the same players, and playing May affects the performance of Marquis. Whiteman and Blair are either hot or cold, and will not dominate a midfield at this level.
   Two of our best players McCollough and Baudry were missing, and when you add Andrews, that is quite a hit, add Mason only now showing consistency in his play, and you can now see the difference in the results lately.
   In fact Marosi, who has done well when called on, has not been in the games half as much as Lawlor was before their return.

Brian, it does make a difference at what time a goal is conceded, because when you concede right at the end, you haven't got time to get it back. My point is that these young players won't make the same late errors next season, because they will have learned from them, none more so than young Joe Wright, who should have hit row Z in those last few seconds at Rotherham.

[Chris Black come back]

It will not be an easy ride for us to get out of League One.

We have top 8 budget, top 10 home gates and those above us in each are some big boys - especially with Sunderland now likely coming down.

We haven’t troubled the top half I think at any stage his season so there is a real step up required next season to even think about the play offs.

[scawsby steve]

People seem to conveniently forget that we have won points ourselves by scoring late points, almost as many as we have dropped.
Things even themselves out in that stat over a season.

Hound, I agree that things tend to even themselves out over a season, but you're way out with this comparison, mate; we've lost 12 points through conceding late goals, but have only gained 3 points through scoring late equalisers.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

So it just shows the fine lines. Too often finishing the wrong side of potential good results suggests a bit of inexperience when it matters.

As also said, not having the back up to cover key injuries although we had a couple of catestrophic periods losing centre halves in consecutive games.

It's not necessarily the budget, but getting full value out of the budget. There's no reason to believe the budget isn't sufficient to keep the club moving forward.

More lessons will have been learned this season and more experienced gained by some of our younger players which should hold us in good stead for next season as long as we add to the squad, keep key players (Marquis) and lose the dead wood. 

[Bristol Red Rover]

What's more important than this getting into the Championship hype is that our gates are better compared to our league position/tier than for a long time, and the club is overall in better shape.

[Alan Southstand]

We have top 8 budget

Have we?

[Brian Young]

Define “better shape”’ it’s been in a sound position since it went to the Keepmoat under JR. His enthusiasm guided the club from near death to its present place . After taking over all control of the Keepmoat it has consolidated its long term finances and with the boards backing it would be more satisfying to see that they( the board) are not reluctant to relax the purse strings if this will provide the necessary lift to demonstrate its ambition. With speculation already surrounding our younger players , now could the time to prove that building the clubs assests means players and not just Club Doncaster.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Define “better shape”’...

Simply sustainability. Solid.

What JR did was momentous but it was a different stage in our resurgence, that was riding the crest of a wave, and he did it amazingy, until... and no need to go there, my comment was about now.

I can't recall the investment that went into the club in our rise with JR but I think it was more than now. I don't want crazy investment, and I don't want us in the Prem, that's not where we're at, and anyway it's souless.

Being sustainable, building slowly and taking our chance when the hand of fate puts everything in place. That's the way to do it!

[Brian Young]

Burnley , Crystal Pallace , Bournemouth Huddersfield, Swansea . All teams that we have paid took major points from . It’s not Fate !! It’s taking your chance whilst other just spectate .

[vaya]

Mods - can someone check the forum settings please?
For some reason it's chucking out threads from three years ago.