Berwick Rangers 2018/2019 Thread

[tescodave]

Rumours that there’s a board meeting arranged for Saturday to discuss the current mess. Saturday, fucking Saturday folks.

Fast asleep behind the wheel of a bus that’s driving us straight towards the LL yet Saturday is time enough.

The outcome of Clyde’s appeal is Friday, imagine the 3 points are overturned and we have a new manager in place. The chance of the old “new gaffer in charge bounce” spin off would be a massive and hugely needed shot in the arm! Ffs, even a new manager in charge shot in the arm would be a drug I’d like a go off to be honest.

[David Brent]

I’ve followed Berwick for 25 years and this is easily the worst team I’ve watched at Shielfield. Incapable of defending, no creativity in midfield and no threat up front. It hardly takes a genius to work out why we are going to go out of the league. 

In defence of the players,  they have actually put effort in throughout the season and tbh I can’t think of many games where they haven’t tried to compete.  Ultimately, most of them are just out of their depth and lack the quality needed to play league football. 

Imo Harvey should count himself lucky to be in a job, his record since taking over has been awful and doesn’t look like improving any time soon. He has sent back Scott and didn’t replace him. He has sent back Hamilton and didn’t replace him. Sold Willis and didn’t replace him. Countless errors which have contributed to this mess. 

A mess which, I’m sure most fans agree, began in the boardroom some years ago. Over the last few years, imo,  the directors have been putting their own interests before the club, taking their eye off what really matters, like devising a strategy to make sure the club is stable and can grow. Therefore, imo, they are the one who must be held accountable for this situation. 

There’s not a chance I’m paying £12 to watch lowland league football next season, regardless of how well we do at that level. They can sell it anyway they want but we are the ones who are going to be suffering from their mismanagement. 

Ultimately, the club needs investment ASAP and should be the priority of the incoming chairman and current directors. I will continue to do “my bit” for the club but I want this club playing league football. I’ve no interest if it’s gonna be downsized to function at a lower level. I just hope the current board share my aspirations. 

[A12A1]

I’ve followed Berwick for 25 years and this is easily the worst team I’ve watched at Shielfield. Incapable of defending, no creativity in midfield and no threat up front. It hardly takes a genius to work out why we are going to go out of the league. 
In defence of the players,  they have actually put effort in throughout the season and tbh I can’t think of many games where they haven’t tried to compete.  Ultimately, most of them are just out of their depth and lack the quality needed to play league football. 
Imo Harvey should count himself lucky to be in a job, his record since taking over has been awful and doesn’t look like improving any time soon. He has sent back Scott and didn’t replace him. He has sent back Hamilton and didn’t replace him. Sold Willis and didn’t replace him. Countless errors which have contributed to this mess. 
A mess which, I’m sure most fans agree, began in the boardroom some years ago. Over the last few years, imo,  the directors have been putting their own interests before the club, taking their eye off what really matters, like devising a strategy to make sure the club is stable and can grow. Therefore, imo, they are the one who must be held accountable for this situation. 
There’s not a chance I’m paying £12 to watch lowland league football next season, regardless of how well we do at that level. They can sell it anyway they want but we are the ones who are going to be suffering from their mismanagement. 
Ultimately, the club needs investment ASAP and should be the priority of the incoming chairman and current directors. I will continue to do “my bit” for the club but I want this club playing league football. I’ve no interest if it’s gonna be downsized to function at a lower level. I just hope the current board share my aspirations. 

How are the directors putting their own interests above those of the club? What huge benefits accrue to being in the BRFC board? I'd love to know.

[Pompey Blue]

2 minutes ago, gogsy said:

Who said 449 would , you claimed 100-200 that's a loss of 250-350 of their current support, as I said earlier that's not going to happen.

Maybe first season down the crowds might stay somewhere near the 350 mark but if the club gets marooned in mid table season after season then expect crowds in the 200s. To think differently makes no sense. 

[dougster]

It wasn’t a fluke 6-0, it was a bloody embarrassment, that’s 14 goals we conceded over there without reply. This season and as someone said, we have played a lot better Annan teams than this current one.  But let’s not beat about the bush, this situation has been coming for the last 3-4 seasons, the board are culpable for that, supporters or not. 

[Pompey Blue]

7 minutes ago, gogsy said:

If that's the case then maybe they would have found their true level as a football team?

Listen I hear what you’re saying but you seem to be of the mind that crowds stay the same regardless of what division a teams in. They don’t. Albion Rovers average in the 200s as a league team so what’s their true level? Point is if Berwick go down so will crowds thus hindering ambitions to get promoted. 

[heedthebaa]

57 minutes ago, Fergie1 said:

 I dread to think where we will be in the next 3/4 years if we do get relegated. 

If we get relegated at the end of this season, we will have next season to get the f**k back out, if not we’ll be in the EOS in the next 3/4 years imho. The very existence of the club is at stake here in the next few weeks, without doubt. 

[Pompey Blue]

8 minutes ago, gogsy said:

East Stirling are in their third season in the Lowland league. Their average attendance for league games is 187. How does that compare to their last few seasons in the SPFL?

Honestly couldn’t say. I would hazard a guess and say they were once much better supported. Went to one home game of theirs with an attendance well into the 300s. 

[newcastle broon]

18 minutes ago, gogsy said:

East Stirling are in their third season in the Lowland league. Their average attendance for league games is 187. How does that compare to their last few seasons in the SPFL?

But the LL is gonnae be the place to be according to all the experts on other threads  They want the big supported EOSFL clubs fast tracked through 

[Ginaro]

15 minutes ago, gogsy said:

East Stirling are in their third season in the Lowland league. Their average attendance for league games is 187. How does that compare to their last few seasons in the SPFL?

http://www.espn.com/soccer/team/stats/_/id/418/league/SCO.4/season/2015/view/performance - change the season in the dropdown.

Last five seasons were 317, 320, 343, 611 (Rangers), 321

[A Believer]

For those that couldn't be arsed to detach themselves from their keyboard only a week past Saturday, the Chairman elect, on behalf of the board, gave backing to the manager; who was also there to be open to all the questions. I guess some posters were there? Hard to say, I didn't hear any of the observations or questions here from the brave men here mostly articulated (only) from behind said keyboards.

Talking of bravery, at the time both guys stood up there, not knowing who would turn up, or what they might be asked, we were one point behind Albion. That's still the case, why the need for another statement? Must this be weekly to keep some folks happy? Daily??

Hey, credit where its due; and hang your head in shame posting vitreolic stuff on here about Board commitment if you could have been there, but didn't go.
@Fergie1, I tried something approaching conciliatory, but your response confirmed that you're a reactionary numbskull who (should have) lost the right to make comment about our football club when you called for fans to boycott the next matches; what planet are you on.

[Pompey Blue]

3 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/team/stats/_/id/418/league/SCO.4/season/2015/view/performance - change the season in the dropdown.

Last five seasons were 317, 320, 343, 611 (Rangers), 321

Proves my point. They’ve lost about 120–150 fans. So in Berwicks case you’ll be looking at crowds of 300 maybe a little less. 

[newcastle broon]

1 minute ago, Pompey Blue said:

Proves my point. They’ve lost about 120–150 fans. So in Berwicks case you’ll be looking at crowds of 300 maybe a little less. 

Be a lot less if it's £12 though  ?

average LL crowd is £6/7  ?

[BerwickMad]

How are the directors putting their own interests above those of the club? What huge benefits accrue to being in the BRFC board? I'd love to know.

I think pretty much everyone knows that nobody who has been involved in Berwick Rangers has looked at it in terms of financial gain, but I also think it’s pretty fair to say that far too much energy has been expended on internal battles. You could go back nearly 20 years to the days of Curle and see evidence of it. Ironically, just when the trapdoor looks like opening, this season has probably seen the most united boardroom over that time.

I’m sorry to keep harping back to what George Mathison said at a talk with the Supporters groups, but he kept hitting the nail on the head. When he talked about a vision for the future of Berwick Rangers, he asked what do the fans want the club to be using two extremes. He used the example of Arbroath at one end, where all expenditure is directed towards what you see on the park on a Saturday afternoon. Little in the community, no youths etc etc. Then on the other hand Spartans, where their community work is the most important thing they do with the performance of the first team being secondary.

In my opinion, on and off and with different people at different times, directors and those involved with the club have been pulling apart seeking to achieve these ambitions (to a certain extent) but without taking everyone with them. I don’t think it’s financial gain, or even personal glory thats been at the forefront, but certainly competing visions and/or trying to defend against other people who want to take the club in the other direction.

It’s all led to a lack of focus. A lack of agreed vision for the club and the club drifting with complacency because of it. The managerial appointments Cameron apart are perfect evidence of it. That’s why I was disappointed in the forum as little of what was said pre-Xmas was evident. The big questions about direction and vision still need answered and the forum was the perfect opportunity (though maybe wrong timing in the season) to ask, not tell.

Tbh, I slaver enough and people can disagree, but it’s so frustrating year on year saying the same things.

[Jack Burton]

Proves my point. They’ve lost about 120–150 fans. So in Berwicks case you’ll be looking at crowds of 300 maybe a little less. 

East Stirling lost about 50% of their support. Same at Berwick would put them below 250 plus they want to charge £12 well above any other team in the Lowland league.

[A12A1]

For those that couldn't be arsed to detach themselves from their keyboard only a week past Saturday, the Chairman elect, on behalf of the board, gave backing to the manager; who was also there to be open to all the questions. I guess some posters were there? Hard to say, I didn't hear any of the observations or questions here from the brave men here mostly articulated (only) from behind said keyboards.

Talking of bravery, at the time both guys stood up there, not knowing who would turn up, or what they might be asked, we were one point behind Albion. That's still the case, why the need for another statement? Must this be weekly to keep some folks happy? Daily??

Hey, credit where its due; and hang your head in shame posting vitreolic stuff on here about Board commitment if you could have been there, but didn't go.
[mention=76442]Fergie1[/mention], I tried something approaching conciliatory, but your response confirmed that you're a reactionary numbskull who (should have) lost the right to make comment about our football club when you called for fans to boycott the next matches; what planet are you on.

Hard words but true I'm afraid. In the old days the moaners would moan into their beer with no harm done. Nowadays it's online, and the kids live online so all the players get to read all of this. It's not good for morale & it's not helping JH at all. So let's get behind him & the team.

[A Believer]

I think pretty much everyone knows that nobody who has been involved in Berwick Rangers has looked at it in terms of financial gain, but I also think it’s pretty fair to say that far too much energy has been expended on internal battles. You could go back nearly 20 years to the days of Curle and see evidence of it. Ironically, just when the trapdoor looks like opening, this season has probably seen the most united boardroom over that time.

I’m sorry to keep harping back to what George Mathison said at a talk with the Supporters groups, but he kept hitting the nail on the head. When he talked about a vision for the future of Berwick Rangers, he asked what do the fans want the club to be using two extremes. He used the example of Arbroath at one end, where all expenditure is directed towards what you see on the park on a Saturday afternoon. Little in the community, no youths etc etc. Then on the other hand Spartans, where their community work is the most important thing they do with the performance of the first team being secondary.

In my opinion, on and off and with different people at different times, directors and those involved with the club have been pulling apart seeking to achieve these ambitions (to a certain extent) but without taking everyone with them. I don’t think it’s financial gain, or even personal glory thats been at the forefront, but certainly competing visions and/or trying to defend against other people who want to take the club in the other direction.

It’s all led to a lack of focus. A lack of agreed vision for the club and the club drifting with complacency because of it. The managerial appointments Cameron apart are perfect evidence of it. That’s why I was disappointed in the forum as little of what was said pre-Xmas was evident. The big questions about direction and vision still need answered and the forum was the perfect opportunity (though maybe wrong timing in the season) to ask, not tell.

Tbh, I slaver enough and people can disagree, but it’s so frustrating year on year saying the same things.

No slavering here Mr Mad [emoji106]

[cowdenbeath]

47 minutes ago, gogsy said:

East Stirling are in their third season in the Lowland league. Their average attendance for league games is 187. How does that compare to their last few seasons in the SPFL?

I would doubt they would have had an average as low during their time in the SPFL for a start away crowds would always boost their figures. In their last season they would have had visits from  East Fife, Clyde and Stirling Albion who would have all carried good supports.

Swap that for Edusport, Cumbernauld Colts and Stirling Uni this season. Kelty are the only LL side who carry fans in any great number.

[The Crafty Dafty]

For those that couldn't be arsed to detach themselves from their keyboard only a week past Saturday, the Chairman elect, on behalf of the board, gave backing to the manager; who was also there to be open to all the questions. I guess some posters were there? Hard to say, I didn't hear any of the observations or questions here from the brave men here mostly articulated (only) from behind said keyboards.

Talking of bravery, at the time both guys stood up there, not knowing who would turn up, or what they might be asked, we were one point behind Albion. That's still the case, why the need for another statement? Must this be weekly to keep some folks happy? Daily??

Hey, credit where its due; and hang your head in shame posting vitreolic stuff on here about Board commitment if you could have been there, but didn't go.
[mention=76442]Fergie1[/mention], I tried something approaching conciliatory, but your response confirmed that you're a reactionary numbskull who (should have) lost the right to make comment about our football club when you called for fans to boycott the next matches; what planet are you on.

Should you not be concerned about your failings as a head coach rather than posting on here JH?

Top managers ignore negative comments on social media etc and just concentrate on the job in hand

[ForzaDundee]

Get doon and out our Scottish football league.