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FS - Fred Story
NM - Neil McDonald
PM - Peter Murphy
Notes scribbled down at the meeting are repeated below :
FS on the current situation with the United Trust :
The relationship with the members is good, the board are the main losers as far as the Trust is concerned as their reputation has been damaged. Kate Rowley is facing police investigations about statements she made in the court case against Fred Story.
Don't understand why the Trust board is still there, I still believe in the idea of a Trust but it isn't representing the fans at the moment as it's reputation is damaged. It would help if the current Trust board left as I have no respect for any of them.
FS on Brunton Park ground improvements and fixture changes :
Ideas keep changing, undecided as to the next work being Waterworks, CBS or Warwick Road, want Warwick Road to be a complete refurbishment. It's not good for away fans to get wet in the Waterworks, may put them back in the CBS stand. Priorites are fitting out the CBS stand and doing the Warwick Road End. It isn't viable to move one end of the CBS stand to the other to make it level with the pitch, it would be a lot cheaper to rebuild it. The PA system speakers will be replaced in the CBS stand first then the West stand.
On the training pitch work they are waiting for the Environment Agency on the flood barriers, the club is standing it's ground on compensation and the land left. It's now held over until the spring, gives the coaching staff the chance to look at what training facilities they want, confident that in one or two years we will end up with something better than what we have got. We try to accomodate other clubs wishes on moving fixtures so the favour gets returned in the future.
NM on Raphael Nade and Glenn Murray, and the Zigor Aranalde/Keiren Westwood spat at Oldham :
Nade was well down the pecking order at the club, we'll get a few bits and bobs out of it if Weymouth do well. Glenn Murray's loan at Stockport will be extended by a further month or two months, he trains with us every day but it is good for him to get games. No problems between the two of them, good that they care and are all wanting to improve, constructive arguing is fine.
PM on training, the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and the away support :
Cold baths are an issue, training is top-class, everyone knows what their role is in the team, happy with playing at centre-back at last but has learnt a lot playing elsewhere. Players want to win every game in every competition they play in. Away support is a great lift, it cancels out the home fans at times and pushes us on.
NM on corners and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy :
Reasons for not scoring from corners are either the delivery isn't good or they aren't being attacked right, the delivery is right so it's the finishing. Will take the Johnstone's Paint Trophy seriously, last year paid for the pitch, the league is the most important thing, the new laws in the competition say that you have to play at least seven of your first-team regulars.
NM on Simon Hackney and the youth system :
It gives Simon more space to run into playing in a three in midfield instead of on the wing. He will stay as that as 4-3-3 looks to be right tactic at the moment, that would only change with a 4-4-2 and new personnel. The youth academy needs to spread out and have the facilites improved, but that is something for the future.
FS on the problems with teenagers in the CBS stand and ambition of the club :
We slipped up at the start of the season, and it's our fault, as we were worried about having the ability to sell tickets without big queues, the relocation of the kids has been a problem and we didn't instruct the stewards properly about the changes - again our fault. We focussed more on the changes than the problem, but new changes have been put in place for Sunday, a few people will be refused entry and banning orders will start. Have been incensed by some of the feedback on it, it has been poor stewarding as well, bringing in more experienced ones, spending money on it and halting the problem at source is our top priority. We are doing what other grounds do on ticket prices for children in the top seats to try and maximise revenue, there are some good seats left in the CBS stand for families only though.
Ambition of the club is that it will be as successful as it deserves to be, have disadvantages on players due to always having to pay relocation expenses.
NM on reserves friendlies, Stuart Green and Adam Murray :
We won't be playing any, there are enough fixtures in the reserve and youth leagues for the players, the structure of training also gives them enough games. I haven't spoken to Hull at all regarding Stuart Green. Adam Murray asked for a transfer before the season started, can't justify playing him in that case ahead of someone who wants to be here.
FS on the financial state of the club :
Made a profit last year but don't know exactly how much, but the club is doing extremely well. The money that the Trust has raised has now come into the club to pay for the shares (£635,000), that will be used as a one-off payment to pay off the debt owed to Story Construction. The £200,000 profit made from the flood work by Story Construction donated to paying the debt off will go in as well which will bring the debt down to £1.3/£1.4 million. That means that paying off the debt will not be a priority now, obviously there is no interest on the debt but it just makes it much more manageable.
NM on contract negotiations and agents :
Contract negotiations are open now as the players have done incredibly well for Paul Simpson but have to impress me now. Players are being put forward by agents but they aren't necessarily better than what we have. The team needs strengthening because we've gone up but the good start we have had takes the pressure off a bit. I never really used agents as a player, I try to filter the players agents give me through our Chief Scout Colin Suggett.
FS on various club issues :
The Football League paid the LDV prize money in the end. The problem with improving catering facilities is the space required. Paddock fans will now be able to use the Waterworks toilets when the away fans go into the CBS. Need to start selling tickets for away games coming up straight after home games to help out exiles.
Trying to sort out the traffic problems in getting out of the car-park behind the ground onto Victoria Place and Warwick Road in the next few weeks. No opposition to being selected for a SKY game now, only when we were given a paltry sum in the Conference.
The official travel feedback is that the supporters club is better, debating at the moment as to are we going to carry it on or stop doing it? Quite happy for the supporters club to do it, just trying to maximise revenue at the club. Enjoying the job a lot more now the Trust case has been sorted out, it took up a lot of his time, as long as he keeps enjoying it he'll stay as the owner.
NM on various team and club issues :
Would be interested in Matt Jansen if he was available, believes he may be from the end of October. Playing good football and doing well helps in potentially trying to bring quality players into the club, the pitch helps a huge amount in playing passing football. Is happy with he what he sees in Michael Bridges, contract negotiations haven't stalled as they haven't even started yet.
First impressions of the club were good and has got the right staff in now. Ibiza was good to get to know the players, were well looked after and it was a good place to go, the only problem was the artificial surface, pre-season is all about fitness and the system. There was a drink culture in football when I used to play, there isn't now though and there isn't at this club.