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[VofD]

We will never know, as I will never be appointed manager of Altrincham FC.

[Darren]

We will never know, as I will never be appointed manager of Altrincham FC.

So he cannot be clueless then because you have to know something about football to get appointed in that position.

[Alty365]

V of D, you still haven't answered my question. What is your plan for our survival this season? What would you do differently? Put forward your rescue plan! Better still, give GH a call tomorrow morning on 0161 928 1045. I'm sure he'd be delighted to have someone with your expertise on board.

[bigcol]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

[bigcol]

I do wonder what you and your kind expect. Altrincham are a tiny football club with insufficient resources to compete properly at this level.

Right now this is why I asked the question - this is what I don't get.

A lot of the teams Alty used to compete with are now league teams so are no longer a problem for Alty, but there are now at least 15-20 teams that are above Alty in terms of size, right?  So what happened over the last ten or so years? 

Is it simply that a lot of teams simultaneously got lots of investment, or has the whole top tier of non-league changed in its make-up to be more professional?

[Bob]

The main difference has been automatic relegation from the league, particularly 2 up 2 down.  When you had re-election, it was the dead wood that got booted out - Workington, Barrow, Southport etc.  A lot of the clubs recently relegated are well supported and resourced compared to us.  Exeter, York, Oxford etc. 

Then you have the traditional non-league clubs that are either bankrolled or building up debt, particularly by going to full time to compete with the big ex league clubs.

Then you have us.  We don't have the support base and we won't go into debt.

Its worth remembering how many clubs who were strong in the Conference through the eighties and nineties are now in the lower leagues.  The fact we're still hanging in there says a lot.

[teasybeaver]

In a way we were one of the 1st teams to live beyond our means. All these teams going into administration suffer a similar fate to what we did 12 years ago. The difference is we took no easy way out and paid off the debts properly and fairly.

I think our approach taught the club many valuable lessons in the reality of modern football. Whilst every other club has been throwing the kitchen sink at it and mostly failing in the past 10 years, we'd already burnt out when Maunders left. The result is we've stayed around the same level, just a little lower, whilst the other rivals you talk of have either been lucky and stayed up there like macc or just crashed and burned like so many others (Northwich soon  ).

Dont think of us as a failure or under-achiever. The more you learn about the club and the way it is run the more you feel proud to be part of what is more or less a unique and genuine triumph!

[seasonticket]

Simple truth is that over the last ten fifteen years Football in this country has totally changed.
Firstly the premiership change the face of top class footy.
Secondly the large influx o foreign players, rightly or wrongly, pushed all the lesser players further down the leagues.
Result, in my opinion the BSP is now the equivalent of the old third or certainly fourth division. The payments required by players at all levels have risen and at a small club like Alty we cannot aford to pay todays equivalent of the old third or fourth division. Other clubs that were below us and are now above have been able to do that, either by having sugar daddies to bank roll them, going into debt, or better local support.
For what we have support and money wise, we are doing very well. Our club wont fold through lack of funds like a few in the BSP could. Or go into administration like so many others have and will in the future. We were in the position of folding when Maunders left and in debt at the end of the Berman era; but the present Board have got us to a more sustainable and honest position than many BSP clubs can claim.
I would rather have a club struggle on the pitch than no club at all.

[Dougals Dad]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

She's grown! 

[bigcol]

Thank you for your articulate and intelligent replies - I feel more knowledgeable now.

I guess the mind set has changed - in the 80's and 90's I was used to each start of the season being 'will it be our year to go up?' where as I suppose now the thoughts are more towards survival.

I also note the emphasis on financial stability, I too would rather there was a club no matter where in the pyramid than no club at all. 

[bigcol]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

She's grown! 

Being pregnant tends to do that to you.

[Dougals Dad]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

She's grown! 

Being pregnant tends to do that to you.

Now you  mention it, I did notice a  difference with  my missus!

[Mallorca Alty]

We're going to need it with all the SH**E that we watch.

Even if we were top of the league and had a different manager you would still moan.

[teasybeaver]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

She's grown! 

Being pregnant tends to do that to you.

Now you  mention it, I did notice a  difference with  my missus!

Me too, its great. But then im gonna have to start sharing them in a couple of months!

[Dougals Dad]

Who is the pic off Col?

Miss Charlotte Church.

She's grown! 

Being pregnant tends to do that to you.

Now you  mention it, I did notice a  difference with  my missus!

Me too, its great. But then im gonna have to start sharing them in a couple of months!

Jennifer has decided she prefers bottled milk. They're all mine!