https://www.robinstrust.org/posts/tonig ... %99-forum/
This year’s Cheltenham Town Football Club shareholder meeting and fans forum will take place at 7:30pm tonight in the main bar at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium, with the event also being live-streamed on the Club’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ctfcofficial
Manager Darrell Clarke, Chairman David Bloxham and other members of the Club’s Board of Directors are scheduled to attend and will be on hand to answer questions from shareholders on the annual report and accounts (available to view here: https://www.ctfc.com/news/2024/february ... -may-2023/).
The event is open for anyone to attend and the panel will field general questions once the shareholder questions are concluded.
As well as live-streaming the event, the Club will be providing updates on their Twitter/X channel: https://twitter.com/CTFCofficial
Please note: this event is being run by Cheltenham Town Football Club (not the Robins Trust), if you have any queries regarding attendance, please contact info@ctfc.com or call 01242 573558
Jaimie
Robins Trust
https://www.robinstrust.org/join/
TONIGHT: 2023/24 Club Annual Shareholders Meeting and Fans’ Forum
Moderators: Admin, Ralph, asl, Robin
-
Jerry St Clair
- Posts: 1708
- Joined: 15 Aug 2011, 16:40
Essentially, no new stand. No redevelopment of Cakebridge. No new investment. Best we can hope for is incremental improvements.
The really, really worrying thing for me is that members of the audience repeatedly asked for a plan for growth and it seems there isn't one. I find that.....surprising.
The really, really worrying thing for me is that members of the audience repeatedly asked for a plan for growth and it seems there isn't one. I find that.....surprising.
wouldn’t be surprised if DC leaves if he doesn’t see what he wants to happen regarding ‘growth’, these meetings he has sound like the deal breaker for him.
I was quite shocked that Bloxham thinks CTFC can ‘just’ sell players each season to survive and was backed up by other members of the board as though why is this policy even being questioned “As it’s what the club have always done”
it’s very concerning that this board seem to be rolling a dice each season and hoping that it lands right.
I was quite shocked that Bloxham thinks CTFC can ‘just’ sell players each season to survive and was backed up by other members of the board as though why is this policy even being questioned “As it’s what the club have always done”
it’s very concerning that this board seem to be rolling a dice each season and hoping that it lands right.
-
London Exile
- Posts: 3197
- Joined: 06 Dec 2009, 15:48
The only plan the board have is to hopefully get lucky with a cup run or cash windfall because in terms of development plans, there clearly isn’t one.
Unfortunately when the board went the way of (hand picked) volunteers instead of investors, some business acumen went with it.
Just my opinion but we’ve lost that element of skill a person has in building a business from scratch that self made business people have.
If that’s the way the largest shareholders want to run the club, then why not have 20 or 30 directors all volunteering skills?
I’d like to see the Trust ask the club more questions about future plans & how they actually want to set about achieving them but unfortunately, being part the board too, their position is compromised
Unfortunately when the board went the way of (hand picked) volunteers instead of investors, some business acumen went with it.
Just my opinion but we’ve lost that element of skill a person has in building a business from scratch that self made business people have.
If that’s the way the largest shareholders want to run the club, then why not have 20 or 30 directors all volunteering skills?
I’d like to see the Trust ask the club more questions about future plans & how they actually want to set about achieving them but unfortunately, being part the board too, their position is compromised
-
Jerry St Clair
- Posts: 1708
- Joined: 15 Aug 2011, 16:40
I think he meant growth. Each year the budget is set with no assumptions about cup runs or player sales. Selling an asset is a bonus and is the only way we can generate extra investment.longmover wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 21:17 I was quite shocked that Bloxham thinks CTFC can ‘just’ sell players each season to survive and was backed up by other members of the board as though why is this policy even being questioned “As it’s what the club have always done”
it’s very concerning that this board seem to be rolling a dice each season and hoping that it lands right.
A simple question....
How is the board supposed to invest money it does not have?
For those who couldn't attend, Mr Bloxham was very clear that the board would not spend money that it did not have and that it would not bankrupt the club by going after some fanciful notion like a new stand at around 12 million pound when it has not got the money. How absolutely correct that is.
The usual moans came up about the non league standards....nothing new there of course. Again the straightforward truth is that we do not have the money to change things anymore than has been done and that the board is wisely trying to run the business within its means. Mr Bloxham, along with the others on the board give endless hours freely and deserve nothing but the highest praise for all that they do to preserve the club. There has been no lack of effort in meeting with the Local Council, would be investors and business contacts to try to find a way to progress matters. It would be great if their work was respected and appreciated.
How is the board supposed to invest money it does not have?
For those who couldn't attend, Mr Bloxham was very clear that the board would not spend money that it did not have and that it would not bankrupt the club by going after some fanciful notion like a new stand at around 12 million pound when it has not got the money. How absolutely correct that is.
The usual moans came up about the non league standards....nothing new there of course. Again the straightforward truth is that we do not have the money to change things anymore than has been done and that the board is wisely trying to run the business within its means. Mr Bloxham, along with the others on the board give endless hours freely and deserve nothing but the highest praise for all that they do to preserve the club. There has been no lack of effort in meeting with the Local Council, would be investors and business contacts to try to find a way to progress matters. It would be great if their work was respected and appreciated.
Difficult situation we are in.
Most of us appreciate the hard work the board put in to running the club and keeping it on a fairly even keel most of the time. But somehow the board have to get extra investment into the club if we are to grow, which we all want, whether they can find that investment I don't know, despite their best endeavours.
Most of us appreciate the hard work the board put in to running the club and keeping it on a fairly even keel most of the time. But somehow the board have to get extra investment into the club if we are to grow, which we all want, whether they can find that investment I don't know, despite their best endeavours.
I don’t see any investors lining up, do you? When did the board make this conscious decision as I doubt they’ve ever had the opportunity to.London Exile wrote:The only plan the board have is to hopefully get lucky with a cup run or cash windfall because in terms of development plans, there clearly isn’t one.
Unfortunately when the board went the way of (hand picked) volunteers instead of investors, some business acumen went with it.
Just my opinion but we’ve lost that element of skill a person has in building a business from scratch that self made business people have.
If that’s the way the largest shareholders want to run the club, then why not have 20 or 30 directors all volunteering skills?
I’d like to see the Trust ask the club more questions about future plans & how they actually want to set about achieving them but unfortunately, being part the board too, their position is compromised
Having people like Paul Bence on the directors list is good as it could mean cheap supplies to building materials.
Having DB on the board is a wise move as, I would guess we get free or cheaper legal support.
"I was quite shocked that Bloxham thinks CTFC can ‘just’ sell players each season to survive and was backed up by other members of the board as though why is this policy even being questioned “As it’s what the club have always done”
it’s very concerning that this board seem to be rolling a dice each season and hoping that it lands right."
I'm not. It's called realism. We are who we and where are. Suck it up.
it’s very concerning that this board seem to be rolling a dice each season and hoping that it lands right."
I'm not. It's called realism. We are who we and where are. Suck it up.
Unfortunately I couldn't attend or watch tonight but I've seen a quote from DC, when asked if he would be leaving, that basically said he has standards and at the moment the club aren't meeting them. Is there anything else that was said/asked to be added to this???
"I'd like to see the Trust ask the club more questions about future plans & how they actually want to set about achieving them but unfortunately, being part the board too, their position is compromised."
So - no supporter ownership and no say apart from outside of the board...? Is that forward thinking? I would agree though we maybe need a "critical friend". Thank god I am retired, but hopefully some will agree with the middle ground. The Board is good though.
So - no supporter ownership and no say apart from outside of the board...? Is that forward thinking? I would agree though we maybe need a "critical friend". Thank god I am retired, but hopefully some will agree with the middle ground. The Board is good though.
-
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29846
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
.
Last edited by RegencyCheltenhamSpa on 21 Apr 2024, 07:11, edited 3 times in total.
Oldun wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 21:39 A simple question....
How is the board supposed to invest money it does not have?
For those who couldn't attend, Mr Bloxham was very clear that the board would not spend money that it did not have and that it would not bankrupt the club by going after some fanciful notion like a new stand at around 12 million pound when it has not got the money. How absolutely correct that is.
The usual moans came up about the non league standards....nothing new there of course. Again the straightforward truth is that we do not have the money to change things anymore than has been done and that the board is wisely trying to run the business within its means. Mr Bloxham, along with the others on the board give endless hours freely and deserve nothing but the highest praise for all that they do to preserve the club. There has been no lack of effort in meeting with the Local Council, would be investors and business contacts to try to find a way to progress matters. It would be great if their work was respected and appreciated.
We clearly are spending money we do not have as it was said over a few times if we don't sell players every year, we're likely to make the 500k loss we just have,every season.
So we don't sell an Armitage,goodwin or a may for three seasons which is more than likely then we're in deep s#!t.
Bloxham seemed to get arsy when the fans asked for a plan,a simple plan to give us some sort of idea which direction we're heading in,they can't give one.
We're going to end up with a mainstand we can't use in the coming years because it's crumbling and will end up crippling us to keep maintaining it.
First thing i want to say is i respect the board and truly believe they try do what is best for ctfc. It is a tough job. That said there were two massive red flags for me.
1. It was said without players sales we are potentially running at a 400k loss that is not sustainable.... You cannot on one hand say we don't budget for cup money but then also say our sustainability relies on selling a player each season. Completely get the argument selling is the way we make a profit but that is completely different to relying on it to be sustainable.
2. It seems to me DC is the only person who can challenge the board. It's concerning to me that he seems to be the only person at the club who wants a long term plan and is wanting to raise standards. This should be the job of the board yet he seems to be doing it for them.
As Robin said i think they have good meaning but we are run by business amateurs. Why do we not have a long term plan or drawn up potential new stand designs? How do we expect to attract investment without having any kind of plan or vision? Football is changing rapidly and lower league teams are attracting bigger investors, each year we are falling further behind and without some forward thinking we will be back in non league if we are not careful.
1. It was said without players sales we are potentially running at a 400k loss that is not sustainable.... You cannot on one hand say we don't budget for cup money but then also say our sustainability relies on selling a player each season. Completely get the argument selling is the way we make a profit but that is completely different to relying on it to be sustainable.
2. It seems to me DC is the only person who can challenge the board. It's concerning to me that he seems to be the only person at the club who wants a long term plan and is wanting to raise standards. This should be the job of the board yet he seems to be doing it for them.
As Robin said i think they have good meaning but we are run by business amateurs. Why do we not have a long term plan or drawn up potential new stand designs? How do we expect to attract investment without having any kind of plan or vision? Football is changing rapidly and lower league teams are attracting bigger investors, each year we are falling further behind and without some forward thinking we will be back in non league if we are not careful.
Huge differences between the fans, manager and board. Darrell Clarke asked if he will stay beyond this season and is non-committal. He states he needs to see a plan on how we improve. Same question about Ian Barraclough, very non-committal answer of we will assess everything on the playing side at the end of the season and that Clarke wants to meet directly with Jennings and Keswick.
Several different fans ask questions to the board about investment and what is the plan, chairman is visibly angry, swerves most of the questions by saying he meets the shareholders and council regularly then shouts loudly that we won't go into debt, that we can't grow without more fans or investment but we can't get more fans because we don't have enough seats (half our games see home seats completely sold out). Also says council want to use Cakebridge place for housing so basically no real option of building a main stand unless we incorporate parklands in it and that side is used for housing but essentially no progress anywhere. Chairman asked if the club would welcome new investment answer is yes but only if they feel it's the right person and further questions are shut down. Another fans suggests our crowds are poor given we have 400,000 people living locally says that should be enough for premier league football let alone league one. Bloxham responds that we compete with Glos Rugby and lots of people and sponsors go there as it's more prestigious than league one - again no plan or idea how to change that. One fan very oddly compares Whaddon Road to watching games at Galatassry fans still try to ask questions and it's shut down as chairman is still visibly unhappy.
There was also a statement about clubs getting American investment now in EFL and we can't compete as a result of it yet no mention at all if we've looked into that, quite the opposite in fact.
In short we saw a very angry chairman who seemingly was surprised by the challenging questions and sense that the fans were not happy with him. Most questions were aimed at lack of action and performance of the board not too much on football but everyone clearly behind Darrell and obvious he's not happy with the board either. No plan for future and no progress off the pitch other than trying to celebrate the improved catering and away fan zone.
Very worrying times.
DC will be gone by May simply because there is no plan. I see both sides. Supporters want to see the club spend but the club doesn't have the money and will not spend money they don't have (and rightly so).
Bloxham is a good bloke with best intentions and although he came up short of answers last night I believe he is a good person to have at the helm. A level head and wont spend beyond means. The issue is how do we raise more money to enable more spending. That seems to be the answer no one has and has never had. Building a 12 million pounds stand is pie in the sky.
Supporters like Halliwell ranting and raving last night are simply deluded. Id ask them to put their money where their mouth is and support the club. I am guessing with his media duties he doesn't even ever buy a match day ticket yet he sat there last night demanding a new stand. Personally I do not see how a new stand will bring in much more revenue. What will be in it that will generate £500k + a year?
Bloxham is a good bloke with best intentions and although he came up short of answers last night I believe he is a good person to have at the helm. A level head and wont spend beyond means. The issue is how do we raise more money to enable more spending. That seems to be the answer no one has and has never had. Building a 12 million pounds stand is pie in the sky.
Supporters like Halliwell ranting and raving last night are simply deluded. Id ask them to put their money where their mouth is and support the club. I am guessing with his media duties he doesn't even ever buy a match day ticket yet he sat there last night demanding a new stand. Personally I do not see how a new stand will bring in much more revenue. What will be in it that will generate £500k + a year?
For someone who complained at people getting personal on here not long ago, you seem to get quite personal about someone I doubt you've ever met.
Mark does buy tickets, he buys at least two season tickets and when he's not on media duties still attends games (he went to Carlisle as a fan).
He wasn't ranting and raving last night - he asked a question which David Bloxham didn't like. We keep being told what all the deficiencies are but we don't hear any solutions. When this was put to David Bloxham, he simply got arsey rather than coming back with anything of substance.
Mark does buy tickets, he buys at least two season tickets and when he's not on media duties still attends games (he went to Carlisle as a fan).
He wasn't ranting and raving last night - he asked a question which David Bloxham didn't like. We keep being told what all the deficiencies are but we don't hear any solutions. When this was put to David Bloxham, he simply got arsey rather than coming back with anything of substance.
I know Mark Halliwll is a polarising figure but he was spot on last night. The new stand might cost £12million but the club is dying slowly without it we can't grow the fan base (which would generate that £500k per season or a big chunk of it). The club is drifting with no vision and the people in charge don't have a clue what to do so their only response was to get angry . Like I said build the new stand and I'm confident our average attendances grow by a thousand or so week in week out.Horteng wrote: ↑19 Apr 2024, 06:53 DC will be gone by May simply because there is no plan. I see both sides. Supporters want to see the club spend but the club doesn't have the money and will not spend money they don't have (and rightly so).
Bloxham is a good bloke with best intentions and although he came up short of answers last night I believe he is a good person to have at the helm. A level head and wont spend beyond means. The issue is how do we raise more money to enable more spending. That seems to be the answer no one has and has never had. Building a 12 million pounds stand is pie in the sky.
Supporters like Halliwell ranting and raving last night are simply deluded. Id ask them to put their money where their mouth is and support the club. I am guessing with his media duties he doesn't even ever buy a match day ticket yet he sat there last night demanding a new stand. Personally I do not see how a new stand will bring in much more revenue. What will be in it that will generate £500k + a year?
Spot on. I fear there is a section of our fan base who just want to bury their heads and refuse to give criticism to this board, refuse to see the obvious flaws in the current regime and where it will inevitably lead without change. We all know they mean well, we all know they give their time for free and we all appreciate that but the elephant in the room about vision and growth has to be addressed and they need to be assessed on that basis.Si Robin wrote: ↑19 Apr 2024, 07:01 For someone who complained at people getting personal on here not long ago, you seem to get quite personal about someone I doubt you've ever met.
Mark does buy tickets, he buys at least two season tickets and when he's not on media duties still attends games (he went to Carlisle as a fan).
He wasn't ranting and raving last night - he asked a question which David Bloxham didn't like. We keep being told what all the deficiencies are but we don't hear any solutions. When this was put to David Bloxham, he simply got arsey rather than coming back with anything of substance.
To be honest, I don't think it's as clear cut as "they don't have a plan". I just think they don't know how to communicate what they are doing.
Bloxham seems a decent bloke, but he doesn't strike me as a leader or comfortable in public situations. Clive Gowing actually made a lot more sense last night when digging into some of the comments made. He clarified the comments about selling players, etc...
Bloxham seems a decent bloke, but he doesn't strike me as a leader or comfortable in public situations. Clive Gowing actually made a lot more sense last night when digging into some of the comments made. He clarified the comments about selling players, etc...
From what I saw, Lofty makes a good compère. Nice to hear he travels to away games and feels the passion when listening on the radio too.Si Robin wrote:To be honest, I don't think it's as clear cut as "they don't have a plan". I just think they don't know how to communicate what they are doing.
Bloxham seems a decent bloke, but he doesn't strike me as a leader or comfortable in public situations. Clive Gowing actually made a lot more sense last night when digging into some of the comments made. He clarified the comments about selling players, etc...
I bit like the Tom Watt show at times
£12m stand will not happen but no alternative plan
Seasons we bought it but cannot do very much with it
400000 public not only are they rugby supporters you are trying to convert prem league team supporters to little old Cheltenham
As someone said 25 years ago we had 700 fans now its 3000
How many 3 generations support the Robins
I do my sons do my grandchildren do
DC wants experience but we cannot afford them
Would rather not have loans in general bring through our own youngsters - but we sell them
The council own the ground and surrounding area so nothing for an investor to invest in
How long did they take to sort out the Waitrose site now they are on the Cav house site
Why not get Willie Mullins to invest he could keep a few horses at Seasons
Lat night left me confused as I dont see the future other than living hand to mouth
I dont know the solution but I suspect that part time board can come up with the answers
Do we need a CEO but as we pay bottom dollar can we hold on to the staff we have
I hope we are still in the EFL in 2 years time
DC gets us up and fighting with a wining team on the pitch
Pity we didnt hear more from the manager
£12m stand will not happen but no alternative plan
Seasons we bought it but cannot do very much with it
400000 public not only are they rugby supporters you are trying to convert prem league team supporters to little old Cheltenham
As someone said 25 years ago we had 700 fans now its 3000
How many 3 generations support the Robins
I do my sons do my grandchildren do
DC wants experience but we cannot afford them
Would rather not have loans in general bring through our own youngsters - but we sell them
The council own the ground and surrounding area so nothing for an investor to invest in
How long did they take to sort out the Waitrose site now they are on the Cav house site
Why not get Willie Mullins to invest he could keep a few horses at Seasons
Lat night left me confused as I dont see the future other than living hand to mouth
I dont know the solution but I suspect that part time board can come up with the answers
Do we need a CEO but as we pay bottom dollar can we hold on to the staff we have
I hope we are still in the EFL in 2 years time
DC gets us up and fighting with a wining team on the pitch
Pity we didnt hear more from the manager
I didn't go and didn't view it but there are some really very strange comments on this thread, the one that most stood out was: 'the club is slowly dying...'
Really? Our best ever two seasons the club has EVER had? The highest attendances? Minimal debt and a club making ends meet MILES above its natural station?
I know people want us to be better, that's good and natural, of course I'd love us to be in the premier league. But for fans to ignore reality to such an extent puts the board and chairman in an impossible position. They could pave the cycle shelters in gold and some people still wouldn't be happy.
If I was running the club and numpties turned up demanding the moon on a stick, rather than acknowledging how well it's all going, I'd be cross too
Really? Our best ever two seasons the club has EVER had? The highest attendances? Minimal debt and a club making ends meet MILES above its natural station?
I know people want us to be better, that's good and natural, of course I'd love us to be in the premier league. But for fans to ignore reality to such an extent puts the board and chairman in an impossible position. They could pave the cycle shelters in gold and some people still wouldn't be happy.
If I was running the club and numpties turned up demanding the moon on a stick, rather than acknowledging how well it's all going, I'd be cross too
-
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29846
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Last edited by RegencyCheltenhamSpa on 21 Apr 2024, 07:00, edited 1 time in total.
This is the point. We're a club that is plying it's trade above its station. I'm not saying we should be grateful to be in League 1, but with the resources we have at our disposal it is nothing short of miraculous that we are.Ben3 wrote: ↑19 Apr 2024, 07:46 I know people want us to be better, that's good and natural, of course I'd love us to be in the premier league. But for fans to ignore reality to such an extent puts the board and chairman in an impossible position. They could pave the cycle shelters in gold and some people still wouldn't be happy.
I don't buy into Robin's comment that a new stand automatically increases the home attendance by 1,000. Whilst better facilities may help, it's no good having a new stand and then struggling at the bottom of League 2. Andgarod is right in that in the past 25 years we've increased our average home support by over 4 times what it was. And even if it does increase our home support by 1,000, that is still way down on other clubs that are supposedly our size.
I'm far from advocating that we stand still, but there seems to be a s#!t or bust mentality sometimes and, to be frank, we are actually somewhere in the middle.
We may be 100+ yrs old but we only have a 25yr history in the FL
If a few of the good people of Chetenhamshire sold their houses in Evesham Rd and gave the money to the Robins how long would that last
So say we had Superdry / Dunkerton invest then it goes belly up then what
Spirax Sarco or Mira are not owned by Robins fans
Are any of the media stars who turn up for the various festivals interested in CTFC
Who want to do a documentary about the rise of CTFC
We tried concerts that did not work
Perhaps a book launch at the next festival
I have recently stepped down from a charity board
It has kept going because the board was made up mainly by retired people who actually put in hours and hours
The board is a closed shop and the trust has no power
There are people on the board who as has been said are good people but they have no real financial clout many off them dont feature in the shareholders list
Now I dont know how many of the comments yesterday came from the shareholders
As DC drove back up the M5 what did he make of that
When he goes will we be in a better place
Keeping us up would make him an attractive option for other clubs
Oh well 3 wins and everything will be rosy again
COUR
If a few of the good people of Chetenhamshire sold their houses in Evesham Rd and gave the money to the Robins how long would that last
So say we had Superdry / Dunkerton invest then it goes belly up then what
Spirax Sarco or Mira are not owned by Robins fans
Are any of the media stars who turn up for the various festivals interested in CTFC
Who want to do a documentary about the rise of CTFC
We tried concerts that did not work
Perhaps a book launch at the next festival
I have recently stepped down from a charity board
It has kept going because the board was made up mainly by retired people who actually put in hours and hours
The board is a closed shop and the trust has no power
There are people on the board who as has been said are good people but they have no real financial clout many off them dont feature in the shareholders list
Now I dont know how many of the comments yesterday came from the shareholders
As DC drove back up the M5 what did he make of that
When he goes will we be in a better place
Keeping us up would make him an attractive option for other clubs
Oh well 3 wins and everything will be rosy again
COUR
Well the meeting is still on You Tube here.
https://www.youtube.com/live/eKrbu733cs ... 6AwIob6Tl7
My main take was that the major shareholders would be open to selling their stakes to the right people, but not to putting the 12 million quid in that some think they should.
Good to hear Dave Bloxham getting irritated by some who seemed unable to swallow the dose of reality that they were given.
Personally I'd be more worried if the likes of Clive Gowing decided to call it a day and revert to just being the avid fan he's always been.
https://www.youtube.com/live/eKrbu733cs ... 6AwIob6Tl7
My main take was that the major shareholders would be open to selling their stakes to the right people, but not to putting the 12 million quid in that some think they should.
Good to hear Dave Bloxham getting irritated by some who seemed unable to swallow the dose of reality that they were given.
Personally I'd be more worried if the likes of Clive Gowing decided to call it a day and revert to just being the avid fan he's always been.
The bigger question which I would expect the board to answer is given that is happening a) are we considering b) why do we think that it's right/wrong for us and c) what is the alternative that enables us to compete?
My personnal view is if it's a minority investment I would be ok with it depending upon what they expect to get out of it.
