Airdrieonians off season thread 2017

[Nipper 182]

2 hours ago, DestroyedByMadness said:

Those "dont panic" messages this week and the lack of any tangible news really annoys me.

To hear reps from various organisations tell me about various projects involving the 4 other senior Lanarkshire clubs but not Airdrie - "as they are just a mess just now" - just breaks my heart.

I honestly think we, the supporters, should look at getting a clean slate from the Ballantynes next season onwards and ask to run the football operation on our own.

You know and I know that's never going to happen but the really sad thing is that it could actually work.

[DestroyedByMadness 1,375]

1 hour ago, Diamond Oracle said:

It makes me irrationally angry when the club tweets those stupid fucking Elton John facts.

Same

[DestroyedByMadness 1,375]

1 hour ago, Nipper said:

You know and I know that's never going to happen but the really sad thing is that it could actually work.

Would work on many levels.   

[DestroyedByMadness 1,375]

3 hours ago, waysider said:

Again, not trying to fight so please don't abuse me. I totally agree about the lack of news but can you explain a bit more your third paragraph about the fans running the football operation on their own.

I cant give away trade secrets tbh.

[Evil Jim Fenner 241]

2 hours ago, Diamond Oracle said:

It makes me irrationally angry when the club tweets those stupid fucking Elton John facts.

I can understand that completely, especially when there is no signing news etc.

However, despite it being 'a stadium project', the club have received payments for 

:- 2 trackside boards

:- half page programme advert

:- 20 posters inside the concourse

:- pop up banner on DTV etc.

:- and a % of 300 hospitality guests.

Adds up to a decent amount of money in the grand scheme of things, so the club has to promote the gig in return. Also, apart from Airdrie fans, most people think it's AFC who are putting on the gig, so it benefits us to be seen that way, as lots of local business who were lost to the club for so long are - gradually - coming back.

Hope that makes sense?

Edited June 22, 2017 by Evil Jim Fenner

[DestroyedByMadness 1,375]

7 minutes ago, Evil Jim Fenner said:

I can understand that completely, especially when there is no signing news etc.

However, despite it being 'a stadium project', the club have received payments for 

:- 2 trackside boards

:- half page programme advert

:- 20 posters inside the concourse

:- pop up banner on DTV etc.

Adds up to a decent amount of money in the grand scheme of things, so the club has to promote the gig in return. Also, apart from Airdrie fans, most people thing it's AFC who are putting on the gig, so it benefits us to be seen that way, as lots of local business who were lost to the club for so long are - gradually - coming back.

Hope that makes sense?

Perfect sense Dougster and well explained.

I think the Airdrie fan frustration is more at the lack of clarity from the club:

• Are Brown,  Leitch and Stewart signed or not and will Russell be replaced,  
• Are we short of 1st team players? 
• Will that p***k Dalziel be ended?  
• What plan for a new manager?

 

[Evil Jim Fenner 241]

I know mate. Only so much I can comment on.

[waysider 401]

3 minutes ago, DestroyedByMadness said:

Perfect sense Dougster and well explained.

I think the Airdrie fan frustration is more at the lack of clarity from the club:

• Are Brown,  Leitch and Stewart signed or not and will Russell be replaced,  
• Are we short of 1st team players? 
• Will that p***k Dalziel be ended?  
• What plan for a new manager?

 

Add to that - are we staying full -time, going part-time, a mixture of both or nobody at the club knows?

[waysider 401]

There was supposed to be a meeting between the Ballantynes and the Trust. I assume this hasn't happened yet?

[Evil Jim Fenner 241]

Launching much later than normal and than we would have liked. Looking to smash the 15000 pieces of total kit donated, and hopefully get enough tops to see us finally cover every seat in the stand. Please share this as far and wide as you can with workplaces, schools, bb's, boys clubs etc etc. Further info to follow.

 

 

[Airdrie76 460]

1 hour ago, waysider said:

Add to that - are we staying full -time, going part-time, a mixture of both or nobody at the club knows?

People (in general - not you necessarily) talk about switching to part time as if it can happen instantly. The players are contracted - and have been in full time for preseason. So based on that...

I doubt we'll remain full time beyond this upcoming season - but it's obviously a complex matter at the moment given the contractual position. If they are working on something behind the scenes they won't be in a position to say anything until an awful lot has been worked through. 

Anyway were we not told by TW and Iain King that we needed gates of 800 to support it, which we got, and that FT was only a little bit more expensive than PT so all's good I'm sure......!!!! Sure that was the chat (or I might have imagined it!?)

[waysider 401]

17 minutes ago, Airdrie76 said:

People (in general - not you necessarily) talk about switching to part time as if it can happen instantly. The players are contracted - and have been in full time for preseason. So based on that...

I doubt we'll remain full time beyond this upcoming season - but it's obviously a complex matter at the moment given the contractual position. If they are working on something behind the scenes they won't be in a position to say anything until an awful lot has been worked through. 

Anyway were we not told by TW and Iain King that we needed gates of 800 to support it, which we got, and that FT was only a little bit more expensive than PT so all's good I'm sure......!!!! Sure that was the chat (or I might have imagined it!?)

Yes, I'm aware of the problem of going part time when we have full time contracts. In fact, I pointed it out previously.

Reading TW's statement when he chucked it I took from that that he had to spend more than he bargained for.

I think that the club is in considerable financial difficulty. I'm sure we'll be part time as soon as it is possible.

[AFC1878 288]

As I understand it, we could go back part-time if the contracted players were agreeable to a change in the terms of their contract i.e. training in the evenings.

 

They could be asked to take a pay cut but realistically that's not going to happen and would affect morale, so if the contracts were changed we would likely have to pay the contracted players full-time wage despite being part-time.

 

Another option is for us to sign part time players, the full-time players would train together say Monday, Wednesday, Friday and train in the evenings with the part-time players Tuesday and Thursday evening.

 

[Airdrie76 460]

1 hour ago, AFC1878 said:

As I understand it, we could go back part-time if the contracted players were agreeable to a change in the terms of their contract i.e. training in the evenings.

 

They could be asked to take a pay cut but realistically that's not going to happen and would affect morale, so if the contracts were changed we would likely have to pay the contracted players full-time wage despite being part-time.

 

Another option is for us to sign part time players, the full-time players would train together say Monday, Wednesday, Friday and train in the evenings with the part-time players Tuesday and Thursday evening.

 

The saving might be in the training facilities - if they can get out the lease at Ravenscraig. 

The hybrid model was one I wouldn't have minded for last season.

Anyway, goes to show the complexity of where we're at so it'll take time I guess. 

[carlukediamond 51]

The comments made by dalziel about there being no rush to find Wilson's replacement, is that due to them not having a clue or because nobody actually wants the job under the current circumstances

[AFC1878 288]

To be honest, I'd rather we took our time, invited applications for the job, then went through an interview process and hired the best candidate. If it takes a few weeks then so be it. However, it is Airdrie we're talking about!

[Pesadilla 1,207]

5 minutes ago, AFC1878 said:

To be honest, I'd rather we took our time, invited applications for the job, then went through an interview process and hired the best candidate. If it takes a few weeks then so be it. However, it is Airdrie we're talking about!

Absolutely agree. 

However, I've seen nothing to suggest they're even inviting applications. 

We must be a couple of weeks away from season ticket sales and we don't know if we'll be F/T, P/T or a hybrid (which I suspect). The lack of signings doesn't bother me - the new man should bring in his own bodies - but the lack of ANY statement about WTF is going on behind the scenes is very concerning. I don't expect a full rundown about the interview process etc, but what I would like to hear is that someone is doing something.

Still......it's clear that JB has zero concern about what the punters think and will continue with his aloof attitude whilst still asking for your hard earned.

Going to wait and see what happens before committing to getting a season book. Last season was abysmal in terms of entertainment and I can't see the coming one being any better. I've been going/buying a season ticket out of a sense of duty. I'm no longer feeling like I have to......

[Nipper 182]

4 hours ago, carlukediamond said:

The comments made by dalziel about there being no rush to find Wilson's replacement, is that due to them not having a clue or because nobody actually wants the job under the current circumstances

 Or because they want to take their time and do the thing properly. Our recruitment of managers over the years has been horendous. He also said that there would be no shortage of people wanting to manage Airdrieonians.

[DestroyedByMadness 1,375]

5 hours ago, Nipper said:

 Or because they want to take their time and do the thing properly. Our recruitment of managers over the years has been horendous. He also said that there would be no shortage of people wanting to manage Airdrieonians.

In fairness Nipper we are talking about Dalziel here who is literally a clueless w****r.   

In the same interview he said he was desperate for Wilson to stay.    He sacked a coach who was slowly getting it together and brought in Wilson who literally and statistically took us backward.  He also recruited extremely poorly.  

It's one thing Dalziel saying it but he has already set a precedent for his ineptness.

[stuartcraig 628]

1 hour ago, DestroyedByMadness said:

In fairness Nipper we are talking about Dalziel here who is literally a clueless w****r.   

In the same interview he said he was desperate for Wilson to stay.    He sacked a coach who was slowly getting it together and brought in Wilson who literally and statistically took us backward.  He also recruited extremely poorly.  

It's one thing Dalziel saying it but he has already set a precedent for his ineptness.

From the latest trust update on Facebook:

All the Ballantyne family were on holiday when Mark Wilson resigned, and so nothing could be done from their end to convince him to stay. BY the time the Ballantynes had returned from holiday, they had already received numerous applicants for the position, and were starting to sift through the applicants and will liaise with Gordon Dalziel on potential candidates. With a large managerial turnover in the last 2 years, the club are looking to take time to make the right appointment.

Gordon Dalziel and Donald Jennow have been taking training this week, and Donald will be in charge of the team at Saturdays’ friendly match versus Gala Fairydean. Gordon has a list of potential signing targets, but that will all depend on the new manager.