FROM THE MAIN WEBSITE
MESSAGE FROM THE VICE-CHAIRMAN
Altrincham FC vice-chairman, Grahame Rowley (right) writes:
Is Football so different – or should it be?
Looking back on the season that we have just endured I asked myself exactly that question – what’s the difference between a successful company and a successful football club?
Both need good leadership from a Board of Directors, both need good managers to oversee the business and both need loyal workers who produce the goods. So, where did we go wrong this season – if relegation equates to failure?
Firstly, we started the season unsure of our standing in the football pyramid. Teams around us were signing up the players in preparation for the season and by the time we had received our reprieve at the beginning of June, the cream had been cropped and the manager was left with the unenviable task of putting together a team to compete in this league with less than a month to achieve it. The early season form, and lack of points gained, especially at Moss Lane, has been the prime reason for our demise this season – no one is denying that.
Then, we also had our debts to pay back. Not of our doing but saddled with them, this Board has had to work extremely hard to eradicate them. You won’t believe how difficult it is to work week in week out just to service someone else’s debt. It gets demoralising after a while and I can honestly say towards the end of last season, the pressures were such that I thought more than once of stepping down from the Board and becoming “just a supporter” again. It would be great to just watch the team, go home after the game and not have to worry about where the money was going to come from to improve the team. That may sound like I’m feeling sorry for myself but just like everyone else I do have feelings and they can be hurt by unfounded comments – I’m just glad that when I feel down there is always someone around the club who’ll pick you up and put a smile back on your face because that’s what this club is all about – a family of people working together, doing their best.
Part of that “family” is our present Manager, Graham Heathcote. A past player, coach and secretary of this football club. Over the years he has had to deal with the many problems that have befallen this club. No manager is popular with every supporter and Graham is no exception here. There are people who are quite vocal in their dissatisfaction with his leadership over the last few years but very few look at both sides of the story. For the first two years in the Conference National it was a struggle. Debts still played a big part in our thinking and we were unable to finance a team strong enough for this league. I also think that Graham couldn’t believe how much the Conference National had moved on in the time we were out of it. Fortunately we survived both years but only at the AGM and were therefore unable to plan properly for the following season. I believe that supporters understood our struggles in those first two seasons but this year I think the expectations were raised. Firstly because of the experience gained from our previous two seasons and secondly because we cleared our debts during the season and therefore expected more money to be available for team strengthening.
It would be easy to blame the manager for our predicament and I’m sure Graham would be more than happy to take some of the blame but calling for his head and that of the Chairman is not constructive – it’s destructive. Graham Heathcote hasn’t become a bad manager overnight. He has great knowledge of non-league football and over the years has done an excellent job for the club. He does not deserve the abuse which certain people feel free to dish out. He, like I, on numerous occasions has made himself available for anyone to ask questions face to face. Don’t hide behind pseudo names – take these opportunities to pose your questions and get your answers. At the end of each season, the Board meet and review the position that the club is in. I would hope that the supporters have the faith in the Board to make the right decisions for the club and to stand behind those decisions. It’s extremely easy sitting in your chair at home calling for this person or that person to be sacked but as in business decisions made by Boards of Directors are not always popular but are certainly taken with the best interests of the company at heart. What company do you know which allows its workers to dictate policies?
I’m sure that it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the four clubs relegated this season are all part-time. Is this an indication of the level that this league has reached – probably? But it may also show that players in full-time sides have the desire to preserve their employment status whereas players in part-time sides can always rely on their full time employment and then move on to another club and pick up a part-time income. Is the desire still there, is the camaraderie there? Only the players can tell you that. But the days of players being at the same club for years on end have surely come to an end for the majority – unfortunately. This is now the challenge that the club faces – to find a “team” of players.
I believe that the Board of this football club have done a tremendous job over the last six years – people soon forget the mess that the club was in back in 2002. Geoff, Andrew and myself, who all had full time jobs, took on the challenge to get this club back to the highest level that its supporter base could sustain and to eradicate the debts that were crippling it. I think that we were successful in that mission and along with the recent additions of Barry, Derek, Carole and David the club has moved on further with the addition of a junior section and the association with numerous local teams/clubs. The club have also made essential ground improvements and brought the catering “in house”.
However, now that the club has achieved its initial aims, it is now time to take stock and plan for the future. What the future holds, no one knows but what we can promise you is that we will do our very best to keep this club debt free and play in the highest league possible. We will not however, put this club back where it was 6 years ago. If people want the club to spend money it does not possess then perhaps it is time that we stepped down and let another Board take control of the club. If supporters know anyone who would like to plough money into the club then get them to get in touch – our door is always open. However, it is quite wrong for people to say that we should be ploughing our personal money into the club. No one, besides our fellow Board members, knows what each individual puts personally into this club and that’s the way it should be. You can be assured that each and every Board member is working his/her hardest to raise finance for this club be it from personal means or fundraising events.
So, in answer to my initial question, I do not think that there is any difference between a successful business and a successful football club. Spending money we do not have is not an option. I believe that we have the right mix on our Board of Directors; I believe we have the right manager to oversee our progress and I believe we have the nucleus of a good side. The challenge, as in business, is to move onwards, increase income and build a team capable of winning games in whichever league we are in. With your support, I believe this club can once again become a successful one. Let’s work together and achieve this aim.
ENDS
Oh dear! - Has Grahame got a time machine? Does he have a crystal ball? Shum Mishtake Shurely!
COME ON ALTY! IT'S NOT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER!
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Grahame Rowley - Are we down already?
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