Club New Year Statement

[lee.j09]

Does anyone know why the books aren’t as visible as they used to be? Be interesting read on how weve managed to become self sustainable.

[colincramb]

It’s really great to read the work that’s gone into producing a self sustaining football club. It’s a fine achievement in this day and age. However, the final proof will be how we ultimately perform on the pitch and that for most of us has been hugely disappointing for at least the past 18 months. As gavin rightly points out, self sustainability doesn’t sell season tickets, merchandise and commercial revenue. That boils down to performance and entertainment and that has to improve in the next 6 to 12 months.

To sum up, we need t find a balance between sustainability and steadily improving our performance/league placing. It’s been downhill for too long unfortunately.

Bottom line; sport is about winning. That’s the business. And we need to start doing more of it.

[BradwellRover]

It’s possible to be pleased by the fact that we are self sustaining, but also disappointed by our current position. I think this statement is balanced and recognises this, and so I applaud it.

Unfortunately this thread has started to descended in to the typical nonsense…

It must be nice to live in a binary world.

[DearneValleyRover]

A great statement, open and honest, the club is on a sound footing for the future, I like all of us hope that the stability and sure footing of the club’s finances helps us to see the performances and enjoyment on the pitch

[silent majority]

Does anyone know why the books aren’t as visible as they used to be? Be interesting read on how weve managed to become self sustainable.

How does that work?

It will only point out that Club Doncaster managed to increase the income stream by off-field activity, which is exactly what has been detailed, quite adequately and succinctly, in the New Year statement.

[silent majority]

And then we get the sack the board brigade.........

And then you get the happy clappers.

Strike 1, expected

Whatever

One day your blinkers will slip.

What blinkers are these? What can you see that we can't?

[lee.j09]

Does anyone know why the books aren’t as visible as they used to be? Be interesting read on how weve managed to become self sustainable.

How does that work?

It will only point out that Club Doncaster managed to increase the income stream by off-field activity, which is exactly what has been detailed, quite adequately and succinctly, in the New Year statement.

I just wonder on why they’re no longer visible like they used to be. It’s a genuine question with no malice at all intended. There must be a reason.

I’m sure they used to be fairly detailed in relation to playing budget etc.

[DearneValleyRover]

John Ryan would never have got this club onto the self-sustaining base it now is. He was more interested in spending other people's money than in getting the club into a position to earn it itself.

So he never dug deep ? Just spent others

No, he put money in. Are you saying he didn't spend other peoples' money?

I bet he put more of his personal wealth in than Bramall. Perspective

Actually no, let’s put things straight, without JR we wouldn’t be in a position where we can debate how much of a sure footing we are on. He has a legacy that will always be a part of Rovers Folklore, it was a real shame the way things ended but he left with the same amount of money as he had when the adventure started, I wonder who funded that.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

You see, this is when things get all toxic and the division of fans comes to the fore and it's so unnecessary.

What the club achieved under JRs leadership from a standing start to the Championship was exceptional. It wasn't the norm. It's a once in a lifetime period. We were privileged to be part of that journey that not many clubs can boast. However, some seem to cling to this period as if it was the norm.

To judge TB, DW, DB, GB etc against that benchmark is unfair. TB and DW played a massive part in that journey too. So many factors worked in our favour. Two managers worked wonders with players who more often than not did what it said on the tin. Dave Penney and Sean O'Driscoll. One unproven and the other proven at our level. We had slices of luck too. We also had the optimism that the new stadium brought and people, fans, managers and players all bought into that. We rode the crest of the wave until....we woke up after the dream became a reality.

Things have moved on in football now as we know, so getting anywhere near those heights is probably beyond what JR, TB & DW could achieve in todays climate as it's not sustainable. It wasn't sustainable then hence why JR is no longer on board.

I understand why people say, so where's the ambition. Ambition doesn't have to be in transfer fees and unsustainable wages, it can be in trying to put all those things together that gave Dave Penney and Sean O'Driscoll a chance. Getting value for money out of the players on the pitch irrespective of how they got here.

[silent majority]

The club is run very well there is no doubt about it, but most fans want to see there team do well, it’s rare you hear Man City, Liverpool fans etc moaning they have spent 50 million on a player, how long will the club be able to run without losing money if things don’t improve on the pitch?

Most EPL clubs are profitable operations, which means they are more than self-sustainable.

The EFL is a hotch-potch of clubs that are desperately trying to be self-sustainable, those who are loaded up with debt, and those who are gambling furiously to get themselves into the EPL.

For years football has tried to fix this, to stop it from operating the way it does. That's why we've had various FFP schemes over the years to try and correct all this. The Fan Led Review had this constant debt and gambling addiction at the forefront of all its investigation and evidence led reporting.

Just because supporters want to see their club being successful on the pitch does not warrant the pigs ear of a football operation that we currently have. Its accepted by everybody that this has to change, and when it does we will be ideally placed to take advantage of this.

[Glyn_Wigley]

I would hope the ambition is now that the club has gone from needing £3mill a year to now breaking even, the structures that have enabled that will continue on from breaking even to start generating extra revenue that can then be used to increase the budgets. There's the ambition that some people say isn't there.

[Chris Black come back]

I'm not sure we can be a Championship side for a couple of consecutive seasons as we were under SOD under the current model. That's fine with me.

Getting back into League One and being competitive there is a good objective. It's a decent league and were are more often than not going to see Barnsley and Rotherham United in there, along with a few former Premier League sides.

The game seems to have moved on quite a bit since 2008 and even the millions we spent then wouldn't now seem to buy us much of a chance of getting there and staying there. Such is life.

We just can't be in League Two for much longer. It's a bit shit if we are all honest.

[Donny Exile in York]

In the last sustainable two years the majority of the non happy clappers amongst us have also been subjected to the worst soul destroying league defeat to our local rivals at home 5-0 to Rotherham, not forgetting a 0-6 defeat on a few occasions, seen us embarrassed as mugs on transfer deadline day, seen us relegated and have 18 months to 24 months of shocking results and performances, humiliating defeats this season to bottom placed Hartlepool and Colchester, appoint a number of cheap rookie managers aswell. So sorry if i baulk at a small number of Rovers fans lauding our frugal board with their virtual silence over two years too,  and dont get too excited until like most Rovers fans I suggest, we see some real consistent performances and results on the pitch and some honours. Its like a minority of Newcastle fans lauding Mike Ashley for 14 barren years but a frugal profit driven club and zero success on the pitch and zero ambition.

We don't remember breakeven balance sheets as fans we remember beating Leeds at Wembley, Stoke and getting back into the league, Brentford away, Paul Green, Blundell, Marquis, Whiteman (an example of what sensible investment can do to glean a return both in performances, results and saleable assets) Rob Jones.. not downsizing cos the owners won't invest anymore.

[Chris Black come back]

Oh it's been dogshit alright these last two years, no hiding that. But if we had the right manager in place and recruited properly, there was no need for that to have been the case with the budget available. It has been terrible footballing decisions that have led us here, not the finances. If we had given the last couple of managers more cash it would likely have been an even bigger shitshow.

[no eyed deer]

And then we get the sack the board brigade.........

And then you get the happy clappers.

Strike 1, expected

Whatever

One day your blinkers will slip.

What blinkers are these? What can you see that we can't?

Your support for this board is bordering on obsessive now.

Is the club in safe hands... yes

Does the club have ambition....no !! Just look at how it was run last season.

[NickDRFC]

Does anyone know why the books aren’t as visible as they used to be? Be interesting read on how weve managed to become self sustainable.

How does that work?

It will only point out that Club Doncaster managed to increase the income stream by off-field activity, which is exactly what has been detailed, quite adequately and succinctly, in the New Year statement.

To be fair I’d be very interested to see the breakdown of income like we used to have in the accounts to see how matchday income compares to commercial, broadcasting etc.

There’s no reason that should be visible, though - if the club are able to take advantage of exemptions allowing abbreviated accounts then they should. Year-end accounts are an absolute ballache to pull together.

[Chris Black come back]

I'm sure it could be unwound but Doncaster Rovers does appear to be part of a job lot with the Dons and Belles, under Club Doncaster. If someone wanted to come in and buy Rovers, then given as Gavin said we are only sustainable due to the sharing of the operational cost base through Club Doncaster, then the new owners would maybe have to buy Club Doncaster as a whole, which is an odd set up. I guess they could just strip out Rovers, but (a) they are buying something that would need it's own operations establishing again, and (b) Terry would be sending Dons and Belles to oblivion, which doesn't appear to be his style.

[selby]

 CBcb somebody gave one of those two managers more money,and his shitshow is top of the  league, we play them tomorrow, the board were right, they chose a winner, the supporters drumming him out were wrong.

[Campsall rover]

And then we get the sack the board brigade.........

And then you get the happy clappers.

Strike 1, expected

Whatever

One day your blinkers will slip.

How can any Football Club be successful long term if the clubs finances are a mess.
We are now in a position to move forward thanks to the revenue Club Doncaster has achieved.

If you can’t see that, no eyed deer then you really do have no eye deer. 

I think your the one that needs to take the blinkers off.  You need to live in the real world not some fantasy one.

Any idiot can run a club like Bury were run or Bolton or Wigan or Derby etc etc etc. Where does that end up
Look at Crawley now, that’s going to end in tears.
Just be very very careful for what you wish for.

We all want a successful football team but it has to be built on solid foundations otherwise it will fall down.

[Chris Black come back]

We don't know how much money Wellens has been given at Leyton Orient, in a lower league than where he was managing with us. What we do know is that he made a number of poor signings as our manager.

[Campsall rover]

You see, this is when things get all toxic and the division of fans comes to the fore and it's so unnecessary.

What the club achieved under JRs leadership from a standing start to the Championship was exceptional. It wasn't the norm. It's a once in a lifetime period. We were privileged to be part of that journey that not many clubs can boast. However, some seem to cling to this period as if it was the norm.

To judge TB, DW, DB, GB etc against that benchmark is unfair. TB and DW played a massive part in that journey too. So many factors worked in our favour. Two managers worked wonders with players who more often than not did what it said on the tin. Dave Penney and Sean O'Driscoll. One unproven and the other proven at our level. We had slices of luck too. We also had the optimism that the new stadium brought and people, fans, managers and players all bought into that. We rode the crest of the wave until....we woke up after the dream became a reality.

Things have moved on in football now as we know, so getting anywhere near those heights is probably beyond what JR, TB & DW could achieve in todays climate as it's not sustainable. It wasn't sustainable then hence why JR is no longer on board.

I understand why people say, so where's the ambition. Ambition doesn't have to be in transfer fees and unsustainable wages, it can be in trying to put all those things together that gave Dave Penney and Sean O'Driscoll a chance. Getting value for money out of the players on the pitch irrespective of how they got here.

The voice of reason. Good post. Just a pity some people are living in fantasy land.

[selby]

  At the time we probably had the worst talent identification  scout in history, that was where the mistake was made.

[Upton Rover]

Not bad reading , but shows we are no longer just a football club

[roversdude]

We don't know how much money Wellens has been given at Leyton Orient, in a lower league than where he was managing with us. What we do know is that he made a number of poor signings as our manager.

Maybe a decent manager but failed at building a completely new squad from scratch (not that he should have had to - thanks Darren)

[silent majority]

And then we get the sack the board brigade.........

And then you get the happy clappers.

Strike 1, expected

Whatever

One day your blinkers will slip.

What blinkers are these? What can you see that we can't?

Your support for this board is bordering on obsessive now.

Is the club in safe hands... yes

Does the club have ambition....no !! Just look at how it was run last season.

Instead of trying to insult me, why don’t you just answer the question?

What is it that you can see and we can’t?

[Lesonthewest]

I'm not sure we can be a Championship side for a couple of consecutive seasons as we were under SOD under the current model. That's fine with me.

Getting back into League One and being competitive there is a good objective. It's a decent league and were are more often than not going to see Barnsley and Rotherham United in there, along with a few former Premier League sides.

The game seems to have moved on quite a bit since 2008 and even the millions we spent then wouldn't now seem to buy us much of a chance of getting there and staying there. Such is life.

We just can't be in League Two for much longer. It's a bit shit if we are all honest.

Totally agree, whilst we have a lot to be thankfull for, & this statement proves that, we need to be in, & we have the support for league 1, think our supporters deserve that. We should be above the level we are at, & leaving no stone unturned to get  back there, & that's no disrespect to teams in league 2.

[Glyn_Wigley]

I can see something about no eye deer that he can't see.

[DearneValleyRover]

Not bad reading , but shows we are no longer just a football club

I don’t believe any football club is just a football club anymore, not in the league pyramid anyway

[no eyed deer]

I can see something about no eye deer that he can't see.

Have to go now. Up early tomorrow, off to Leyton. Up the Rovers

[Avsuptem]

You can fool some of the people some of the time ..