The real reason the academy donation was scrapped

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

And here we have it, Steve Stone is wheeled out yet again

In a statement reaffirming ‘the club remains totally committed to its academy and to maintaining Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) Category One status’ it was confirmed that plans to help finance ‘vital development work’ to the facilities at Colney will be confirmed in the next few weeks.

MORE: Fans’ mixed reaction to Norwich City season ticket price freeze decision

Managing director, Steve Stone, said: “First of all the club wants to place on record its sincere and heartfelt thanks to the many thousands of our fans who have made generous donations to the academy in recent seasons. Without your help, we would not be in the position to see exciting players like Jamal Lewis and Todd Cantwell breaking into our first team, as we have done in recent weeks.

“Our academy and the development of talented young players coming through the youth ranks into the first-team squad is a critical part of our strategy in the seasons ahead and we are committed to maintaining category one status as part of our strong focus in this area.

“With this firmly in mind, we will be announcing the next exciting phase of development for the facilities at Colney in the next few weeks and ways in which the club’s supporters can get involved in the project.”

By supporters getting involved in the project they mean pay for it, I want proof that De Liar has put back in the last 1.5 million that she''s made sure she got back at the beginning of the season from a previous loan before they see a penny of my money, self funded club my arse, fans funded more like.

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

I thought it was removed due to a change in law regarding having to “opt out” rather than “in” to something? But I’m normally wrong, so...

With regard the “get involved” thing; surely that’s what people were so upset about last time around? Getting involved without willingly involving themselves? Now it is surely down to everyone’s free choice, isn’t it?

I’m sure huge swathes of fans will decide not to, especially after the “weeing up the wall” statement from Webber. I expect plenty will feel that had the finances been better managed that there’d be no need for fan “involvement” at all. Others will consider the price of a season ticket as commitment and contribution enough, others will simply be under serious enough financial constraints of their own that they can’t afford to throw a few extra quid at the club. All of which is fine, isn’t it?

Maybe some others will decide that they want to contribute a bit more, perhaps via some sort of sponsorship, fundraising or donation - again, I don’t really see the problem with that.

As for Delia having to loan/give back x amount before any other fan should, well, why?

They loaned the money on an interest free basis and were repaid not via demand but at the request of the rest of the board - well, that’s what we’ve been informed. Given their history, I fail to see how anyone could arrive at a point where they believed that should the club need an injection of that money that it wouldn’t be forthcoming?

We don’t have a cash flow problem; we’re not failing to meet our liabilities, we are paying our way. We have an agreed overdraft facility as a buffer and recent player sales have made it unlikely that will be consumed this season.

We’ve regularly ploughed every available penny into the playing squad - not always successfully, admittedly - and presume that we still intend to do so. It’s been well documented that we’ve neglected infrastructure in recent years and upgrades are necessary. I assume, rightly or wrongly, that any additional income raised from supporters to assist with these developments will mean that the playing budget is affected less adversely than it might be.

Again, not really sure what the problem is with that? Of course, it may transpire that nothing will happen unless x million is raised from the fans - even then, though, Delia is a fan and as has happened numerous times in the past, if there was a shortfall it will no doubt land at her feet and be met.

F*** knows why.

[Herman 10,902]

You haven''t explained what the real reason is and I am really excited to find out.

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

Any money spent on improvements to colney will also improve the value of the business, why should fans dip their hand in pockets to increase the value of something owned by shareholders?

This is the responsibility of them only, to come begging fans is an embarrassment

[Liquidator 0]

I see you''ve changed Delia to De Liar for comic effect.

Bravo sir, bravo.

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

Would have left the space out but because archant is told what to do by the club it sensors it.

[Liquidator 0]

Don''t provide their content for them then?

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

So, as a lifelong supporter of my football club, I should only put money towards things that have a neutral or negative impact on the value of the club as a commodity?

So....

No season ticket. (Supporter base is beneficial)

No replica kit/merch (Additional turnover)

No matchday refreshment (Additional turnover)

No programme or Lottery (Additional turnover)

No kids memberships (you get the picture)

No casual Tickets (pah more expensive than an ST)

So what can we do? I suppose we could only go to away games and help increase the value of the clubs the club I support are competing against?

It’s almost like the suggestion is, well, not supporting the football club?

But then, I’m a shareholder so really I’m just feathering the nest of me, my sister and Dad.

WIN WIN

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

All of those thing you list give me something for my money, perhaps Delia should give shares to anyone that makes a donation but that won''t happen as it will just dilute her stake, the club wants us the help them out while selling our best players to balance the books, thanks!

As for your shareholding more a twig than a nest

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="DDD In The Fine City"]Any money spent on improvements to colney will also improve the value of the business, why should fans dip their hand in pockets to increase the value of something owned by shareholders?

This is the responsibility of them only, to come begging fans is an embarrassment[/quote]If shareholders put in £2 for each share they owned it would solve the problem....

[Mello Yello 2,500]

Quality NCFC Academy Donator wristbands, Yellow/Green tops, pants, sweat and t-shirts with "I Donated to the NCFC Academy" emblazoned across the chest......Academy mugs "I''m an NCFC Academy Donator" and tons of other merchandise that can be manufactured and utilised......I''ve set the ball rolling, c''mon true support, get those pockets emptied it''s our community club......"SUPPORT THE NCFC ACADEMY!"......(every little helps)......Yes, and we''re all in it together!.......

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

But giving you something for your money wasn’t the issue. It was increasing the value of the club. All of those things contribute to said value.

You’re moving the goalposts so often I’m starting to understand why poor old Nellie can’t hit the target.😂

I think what you really want is someone to do all these improvements, pay for them, fund unsustainable player retention, fund unrealistic spending levels annnnnd doing it all off their own back while expecting zero in return.

Sounds like something only a hugely committed fan or someone with more money than sense would do.

But then we have 20,000 committed fans and there’s a percentage of them that won’t/can’t chuck in a few extra quid a year.

Where will we find one willing to throw in million after million after million after million after million?

Then there’s the ever-present danger that chucking somebody else’s money at it doesn’t work? What then?

Well, I suppose we’ll be back here again. Rather than 1.5m we might be talking 150m. But they won’t want it back....🙄

I don’t have much money. I work a bog standard job for people who have largely failed at everything they’ve tried in life. But; I’m me. I have a character and identity that I’m proud of, I have a family around me that mean the world to me and what little I have (in terms of material goods and ethics) I hope is passed on through the next generation.

They’ll get my twig too.

Far better to pass on what I do have rather than a sense of jealousy about what I don’t.

[king canary 8,380]

The only way this doesn''t go down like a lead balloon is if it is done in a kickstarter style- ie ''Donate £50, get a tour, donate £100 get a tour and a signed photo with a player of your choice etc etc.

However if it is just a begging bowl situation then people are right to ask more questions.

If you''re not going to help fund the playing side...

And you''re not going to keep ticket prices down...

And you''re not going to help invest in infrastructure.

Then what are you doing?

I find it funny that those posters with an unquestioning deference to these owners will happily pull out the ''it is a business, they can do what they want with it'' line when it suits but forget it the second they do anything that most well run businesses wouldn''t dream of (asking for money to upgrade essential facilities.

[nutty nigel 7,815]

Well Kingo..

Its not as funny as those who covet other clubs and other people''s money yet opted out of giving £19 per year of their own.....

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

Yup. No well run business has ever applied for a government grant....

Where are these blind defenders of the faith by the way?

[Mello Yello 2,500]

......Portakabins, well, they aren''t that shabby......

[king canary 8,380]

A government grant is not even close to a reasonable comparison.

My local pub for instance has never asked me to pay extra so they can get new tables.

My local butchers doesn''t ask for money from me for a new meat fridge.

My local Indian hasn''t asked me for money for a load more of those silver trays.

I''m not ''coveting'' anything nutty. I''ve always paid the £19...

[Mello Yello 2,500]

Maybe after an ''Evening with Harry Catflap''......We can then get an evening with Bob Geldof?......"Jus give uz the *%£*ing munny!"......

[nutty nigel 7,815]

[quote user="king canary"]A government grant is not even close to a reasonable comparison.

My local pub for instance has never asked me to pay extra so they can get new tables.

My local butchers doesn''t ask for money from me for a new meat fridge.

My local Indian hasn''t asked me for money for a load more of those silver trays.

I''m not ''coveting'' anything nutty. I''ve always paid the £19...[/quote]

I never suggested you didn''t pay it Kingo. Or that you coveted anything. I was pointing out those that do. Those that have no ambition for their own club except expecting someone''s money spent on it. 

As for your pub. It''s a poor comparison. 

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

You''ve just described our majority shareholder, couldn''t make it up

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

The point remains.

Well run businesses look to source finance from other people. Or is that too obtuse?

And if your local Indian is turning over the sort of money we’re talking about and running a core wage of, what? A conservative 60% on their front of house staff, I reckon they’ll need more than a few trays...

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

You lost at well run business

Won the lotto and peed it against a wall

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

[quote user="DDD In The Fine City"]You''ve just described our majority shareholder, couldn''t make it up[/quote]

Who?

Surely making things up is exactly where we’re at?

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

nutty nigel wrote the following post at 23/01/2018 7:30 PM:

 king canary wrote:A government grant is not even close to a reasonable comparison. My local pub for instance has never asked me to pay extra so they can get new tables. My local butchers doesn''t ask for money from me for a new meat fridge. My local Indian hasn''t asked me for money for a load more of those silver trays. I''m not ''coveting'' anything nutty. I''ve always paid the £19...

I never suggested you didn''t pay it Kingo. Or that you coveted anything. I was pointing out those that do. Those that have no ambition for their own club except expecting someone''s money spent on it. 

As for your pub. It''s a poor comparison. 

[DDD In The Fine City 1]

Those that have no ambition for their own club except expecting someone''s money spent on it.  

Sounds like Delia to me

[king canary 8,380]

''Well run businesses look to source finance from other people. Or is that too obtuse?''

Yes they do!

Outside investment like...selling some shares for further investment.

Or even a takeover to provide the required funding to help the business progress.

Glad we''re on the same page.

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

[quote user="DDD In The Fine City"]You lost at well run business

Won the lotto and peed it against a wall[/quote]

😂

You’re good value Ben, I’ll always concede that.

But, while Webber’s comments hold some water and certainly shed a poor light on what has gone before, what was the option?

Go with what we had and bank the money?

Spend the money on infrastructure rather than the playing squad?

What if we’d still gone down?

What then?

“Idiots replacing portakabins when we really needed to replace (insert any player(s) deemed a failure)”

It’s an inexact science and, like I’ve said, Webber has openly criticised our previous dealings. You’d have to be naive in the extreme not to recognise that he has done so to apparently strengthen his position and build a fence round what he is doing.

This lotto win......

How long were Sunderland up ther for? How many lotto wins is that? They’re the exception though. Right?

It’s really not that difficult to understand that the only option in the top flight is to take a punt. We did so. Took another one last year. Sunderland kept punting and are well over £100m in debt.

Yay. The promised land.

See where Swansea or whatever are if they drop down this year. Always swimming against the tide and clubs gamble every penny (and obviously plenty more) in vain attempts to maintain their position.

And we (the fans) would have gone batshit crazy if we believed ANY funds were being held back for “infrastructure”.

It’s shit. But it is was it is. The best possible outcome for any club outside the elite bracket is to have regular sojourns to the top flight to clear your red. Nobody other than the elite are established, if you spend like you think you are, well, Sunderland.

Even if my twig is worthless, it’s still my twig.

[Duncan Edwards 2,371]

[quote user="king canary"]''Well run businesses look to source finance from other people. Or is that too obtuse?''

Yes they do!

Outside investment like...selling some shares for further investment.

Or even a takeover to provide the required funding to help the business progress.

Glad we''re on the same page.[/quote]

Shares have been available numerous times. The reason that the current majority shareholders percentage is what it is? Because people didn’t buy them and they backed the issue with their own cash.

Glad we’re nowhere near a common page.

[nutty nigel 7,815]

Only in your head DDD. Delia and MWJ underwrote both share issues and paid the same rate when they weren''t taken up. Like the rest of our shareholders they draw no dividends. When have they ever expected something for nothing from others?

[hogesar 10,360]

Prerty sure its been scrapped due to GDPR legislation making it a bit of a ball ache.