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[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

ALTY LOOK FOR BACKERS
In the Manchester Evening News, John Edwards, joint Alty press officer, writes:
"Altrincham are opening their doors to potential backers in an attempt to continue the remarkable renaissance that has transformed their fortunes over the past few years.

One of non-League football's most famous names have gone from debt-ridden to debt-free under the current board and made similar advances on the pitch by becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Blue Square Bet Conference. Having established a solid foundation for reviving the halcyon days when being paired with Alty was every Football League giant's FA Cup nightmare, the club are looking for prospective partners to help build on it. While financial ruin is all-too-evident elsewhere, Alty have created a business model that is the envy of many. Ever proactive in their approach, they are now exploring ways of making an even bigger impact on an increasingly competitive league.

'These are exciting as well as challenging times for Altrincham, and they can be even more exciting, if we can attract local business people or entrepreneurs to the club,' said vice-chairman Grahame Rowley. 'Over the last eight years, the board have worked tirelessly to eradicate debts they inherited from the previous regime and put the club back on a sound footing.

'This has been achieved, but to carry on progressing as we would like, we really do need new investment. And what a time to invest. Stability has been regained, and the team's year-on-year improvement was there for all to see last season, with a seven-game unbeaten run and top-half position for much of the campaign.

'We face an even tougher test next season, as one of maybe only four part-time teams in a League that looks stronger than ever. There must be people out there who are at least interested in coming on board and having a say in the fortunes of a club who are community-minded and friendly but still progressive and ambitious. Whether you have a proposal, or simply want to know more about us, let's hear from you.'

Grahame Rowley can be contacted by e-mail or via the club on 0161 928 1045".


Well done to the club for this, it's a really positive move and I'm very excited to see what comes of it!

[Mrs Warbouys]

One of the younger brothers of the family the have bought ciddy would do nicely.Shame we cant get some of the local exfootballers involved,mr souness and some pals wanted to invest in a club not so long ago,and considering he lives within weeing distance of the ground,he would be ideal! The number of wealthy "football people" that live within a couple of miles of moss lane must give us somthing to go on....

[fuertes]

Am I alone in not wanting wealthy backers ploughing money into the club?

Much as I'd love to see us fly up the leagues, I firmly believe clubs should only spend what they can generate through natural income streams. If that means our budget is in the division's bottom five, then it's tough, but I can accept it. The thought of seeing Graeme Sounness turn up and talk about Alty as a 'project' fills me with utter dread to be honest.

The board have done fantastically well over the last few years, I see no reason to start whoring ourselves out looking for people with big paycheques.

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

I think you have to make the distinction between having wealthy backers and having a sugar daddy, though. This club cannot realistically go any further than we are now without some kind of extra financial backing. Also, it might be that potential "backers" would be people who are able to  identify new income streams as opposed to injecting their own cash into the club. Every avenue must be explored.

For what it's worth, I agree that we should never join the "club" and entrust our future to one man until he gets bored and pulls the plug.

[distancetraveller]

Does anybody know what sort of amounts of money per season we would require to make us competative on a financial front which would obviously improve us on the pitch ??

[Jenga]

Does anybody know what sort of amounts of money per season we would require to make us competative on a financial front which would obviously improve us on the pitch ??

How long is a piece of string. Players are being bought in this league for six figure sums now.

[distancetraveller]

Does anybody know what sort of amounts of money per season we would require to make us competative on a financial front which would obviously improve us on the pitch ??

How long is a piece of string. Players are being bought in this league for six figure sums now.

I certainly would not want the club to go down that route...

I was just wondering how far short of a workable annual amount short, are we.

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

I don't think it's a question of trying to compete with Crawley and the like, that's just a recipe for disaster.

It's more to do with lightening the load carried by the fantastic volunteers who have brought us back from the dead and trying to help the club grow in a sustainable way

[Narcissist]

Am I alone in not wanting wealthy backers ploughing money into the club?

Much as I'd love to see us fly up the leagues, I firmly believe clubs should only spend what they can generate through natural income streams. If that means our budget is in the division's bottom five, then it's tough, but I can accept it. The thought of seeing Graeme Sounness turn up and talk about Alty as a 'project' fills me with utter dread to be honest.

The board have done fantastically well over the last few years, I see no reason to start whoring ourselves out looking for people with big paycheques.

I agree, we dont want someone coming in and ploughinh money in to the playing squad. Thats unsustainable.

But in order for us to increase natural income streams to a point where we can improve on the pitch we need investment. If Someone comes in and ploughs a million into the club on facilities and marketing in the catchment area then its more than welcome. If they want to subsidise the lack of income in the shortfall and improve the squad as well then its fine with me providing they put the right assurances in place not to screw us if they lose interest.

[PukkaPieman]

I don't think it's a question of trying to compete with Crawley and the like, that's just a recipe for disaster.

It's more to do with lightening the load carried by the fantastic volunteers who have brought us back from the dead and trying to help the club grow in a sustainable way

Spot on. We must never allow one person to take total control again, but I think I'm right in saying this is now part of the clubs constitution. I was there, saw it happen, not good

[Derek Stubbs]

Any money which may come our way & IF , a very BIG IF, we are interested at getting in the Football League,
we need to have a very good youth system. I think we already have something but
it needs to grow much bigger as this is one of the main criteria for getting a place in the league AFTER you have won promotion on the field.

[Toff Apple]

part of the premier league money looked to be earmarked at youth setups, if a league club has a youth setup then it automatically qualifies for a grant, teams relegated, wrexham, darlington, luton etc have very good youth systems so do they keep them on at expense to themselves or lose the players they have been training up.  This has caused great concern in the football league that future english talent could be lost.  It seems posible that we could piggy back on such schemes but the initial costs are very large.

[beaker141]

Where does Alty get its income and in what percentage for an average year - ie does gate receipts give 50%, sponsorship 30%, pie sales 5% etc.

I started going to Alty last season with 2 of my lads and we loved it, caught most home games.  I've never been much of a footy fan due to my dad not being bothered and this has been my first summer going cold turkey with no football. We went to see the Trafford friendly this week but didnt have a clue who was who but it still held their interest.

I keep trying to get them to bring their friends or encourage them to go but it does seem a hard battle. I'm just curious with the first question, e.g. if attendences doubled how much of a difference would it make.

[Jezza]

we had this conversation a while ago about the selling the club's good points to the local business community and I wrote a hypothetical piece that Mr Rowley seems to plaguarised!!...I think there may be a copyright problem here!

[AltyTunnelSteward]

.
[/quote]

I agree, we dont want someone coming in and ploughinh money in to the playing squad. Thats unsustainable.

But in order for us to increase natural income streams to a point where we can improve on the pitch we need investment. If Someone comes in and ploughs a million into the club on facilities and marketing in the catchment area then its more than welcome. If they want to subsidise the lack of income in the shortfall and improve the squad as well then its fine with me providing they put the right assurances in place not to screw us if they lose interest.

[/quote]

So, if someone came along and said "I will give you £250K per season for 4 years  but you have to spend it on the playing squad, no more strings attached" you would decline that offer?

Can I ask why you think someone ploughing money into the playing squad is unsustainable by the way?

Whilst this 'gift' was paying for on field activity the money that would otherwise have been spent on what happens on the green stuff would be available to use for other things