Club in turmoil again

Just had e mail to say five of the board members are finishing at the forth coming sgm on Thursday
Which includes the chairman.
Why is it there is always discontent amongst the different board members now and in the past
I take it if the members fail to appoint the necessary people to come forward on Thursday which is very probable we cease as a club
Perhaps it is time we do away with the community concept as it is like brexit no one gets on with each other and look for someone who is interested in football to take over and form a board of directors who has the financial clout to run the club
I wonder the fact we had nine players missing last Saturday and the new year eve function cancelled which should be a money spinner anything to do with what is going on behind the scenes

We seem to go from one problem to another and the board members changing on a regular basis,you could well be right that a change of direction maybe needed but be honest who is going to come in and put their cash in.

There is a greater incentive now than years gone by for someone to take over the club as the facilities now are one of the best in non league football.Because of the grants we have received I do not know if it would be possible.
The problem is people put their names to go on the board not realising what is involved in running a football club .I am all for helping different charities but it seems to me there is more effort channelled in this direction than helping the club as a first priority.

The near £2m grant for the new building was for Merthyr Town FC to become a community club. As the borough council stressed, not one penny of it was for football. And a proviso was that so many jobs had to be created. They were,though most of those have gone now as their wages were not met by income. The information re five departures from the Merthyr Board was emailed to "owners" and Thursday's SGM is for "owners",not the general fans. But obviously, the latter will hear of what is happening although only "owners" will have a say in any discussions.
The council have a big interest in the club and as I understand it, must monitor it to ensure that Merthyr Town FC is a community club and fulfil the aqreed obligations. I believe they still feel that the players' wages are too high in ratio to the club's income but obviously in the hope of ambition, a certain wage structure has to be decided in relation to the standard of players sought.If gates were going up and the new build was producing more profit,that would be fine but is not the case, even though the build and the 3G pitch are well-used.As I see it, we can't revert to "just being a football club" as we would be reneging on the deal with the Welsh Government and the Borough Council.In any case, no private organisation would today want to take over such a football club as Merthyr. Income from football-based activities would never pay the way to cover players' wages and ancillary costs. The facilities are, as stated, not for the football anyway!! Generally, gate receipts from one match do not cover the players' wages for even one week!If the current facilities cannot provide enough income, a football only-based club would produce even less income. As regards, nine men for the game at Harrow, perhaps some players were involved in office parties etc and as the players are non- contract, that is what happens in non-League football. I hadn't heard that the NYE event was cancelled but did hear that security would have been needed ( a stipulation from the council) and that cost would have made it hard to make any profit (after the ticket money only allocated to the band).The Board members stepping down have spent hours of their time, voluntarily, at the club, tackling the debts etc.But there is still, as stated, "turmoil." Most fans just follow the football and don't utilise the building. More need to become "owners". And although the club keeps calling for volunteers to perform various tasks, there has been little response other than that from the regulars.The SGM will see what response there is!

The cancellation of the new year eve function was announced on Twitter

We are indebted to those on the board or volunteers around the club who given so much to the club now and in the past, the present formula at our standard however hard they try is not working to raise sufficient funds to take the club forward, there have been people on the board who are far more capable than most and I include myself in the least capable.
We are in a low-income area as was said in previous posts and the club though professionally run face greater difficulties than most at our standard in raising funds.
If we were to change how things are run at the club does that mean we have to change the constitution? By that I mean for example, the number of shares you own would depend on the amount of money you invest in the club: so those who would like to invest more would have more shares and theoretically have more say in how that investment is spent.
I am not saying this is right BUT when you are looking for a lifeline beggars can’t be choosers, then regarding events if some events are only open to a club member and guests am I right in saying you will not require security.

The same dedicated supporters back the club through the various financial outlets. Others,because of their personal circumstances or insufficient interest, support the club through the basic payment at the turnstiles, and possibly by buying a programme and or a 50-50 ticket.Then there are the many who just turn up for the big games.
Judging by the gates at Merthyr's level, there is insufficient interest in the localities to make the clubs a viable business unless costs are slashed and income greatly boosted.
Merthyr's first team play, effectively, just 90 minutes a fortnight at the ground. They have to be kept going through finances raised throughout the rest of the time.Cinemas, for example, are in action seven days a week. One idea mooted by advisers after last year's financial plight was that we needed to play more home games. But the advisers were not football orientated, not realising that any extra games- friendlies- would be against lower opposition and would not bring in the size of the attendances for Evo-Stik matches.
Expenditure has to be balanced by income. Hopes of bigger gates never materialise, and basically, this is the highest level of football we can realistically expect to be at.The bars are not as at social clubs in the town which may be open seven nights a week. Webleys and Romans are effectively used only for "events". Years back, when Strikers was open, there was a regular clientele in the lounge every Saturday night. The present facilities lack that sort of place where people can just go and enjoy a drink. So to outsiders, other than for "events", Merthyr Town is just a "football club." The enhanced faciities at the stadium must subsidise the football. The facilities for the footballers are what they have always been- a dressing room and a (albeit 3G) pitch. And with regards to the latter, a new pitch will be needed in a few years.How will that be financed considering the present plight? I have painted a gloomy picture but it's reality.No good just waving a magic wand and think any new Board can perform miracles. Leave it to them ! Many have tried.

Thank you T.D.for your two posts on the current state of our club and I don't think anyone can disagree with what you stating, unfortunately it looks like the sad demise of our great football club is inevitable.In earlier meetings it was stated that monies would have to be put aside to renew the 3G obviously by your comments that hasn't happened,I thanks for your posts.
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Where do we go from here .It okay to slash the cost of running a team we end up not being competitive the most ardent football fan will lose interest as shown lately though playing games before Xmas does not help.
When strikers first opened in 1972 there was quite a lot of support being a new attraction but in latter years we closed most nights and depended on functions to keep us going.
There was a loyal band of regulars who would turn up to support the darts team etc on Friday and supporters would spend a number of hours in the club after matches but our lifeline was functions.
In the early days it was run by a members club which gave us a lot of advantages but in my opinion John ready took the wrong decision took this away and made it come directly part of Mafc.
The rules of the members club made it necessary to support the football club anyway
As a result we lost the perk of 100 pound payout on the fruit machine and also implicated us in extra tax revenues etc
I have been a director under a number of different boards and worked under different chairmen in the past and though a few were unfairly criticised the way things were run by supporters there were always board members who had the financial clout to put money into the club when things would go wrong.Something which is impossible to ask of present owners of the club

Following the SGM last night, when a large number of "fan owners" attended. perhaps the club can post the salient points on their website so that the position is clear and so that the supporters who are not "owners" (most of them ) are informed of the present situation at the club.They will want to know, at least, the details regarding the Board.