Walton casuals

Having watched another wasted game I believe we need a change of manager.

Certainly poor again today. The win ratio under Gavin year to year is very poor. Low budget yes but are we getting the best out of the current squad? The crowds are diminishing and board members now numbering possibly 5 ? We will need to replace the chairman who has recently departed and it must be thanked for putting money in and doing a superb job. Tough times indeed the joys of non league football. Thankfully off the field the bookings have been very good in the club.

We do not seem to get the best out of our team we seem to lack the pace of other teams of late
The manager must take the blame for performances this season as he is the man in charge
Further I wonder if we can carry on as a fan ownership Club anymore as we seem to be haemorrhageing more seats off the board as the Labour Party.
Fans join the board yet over the years have not had the staying power for different reasons and it seems we are now down to bare bones this cannot obviously continue

We play reasonable well 25/30minutes then what happens after beggars belief,we now have supporters who are coming to watch the first half then leaving before the second half starts.We seem just seem to play deeper and deeper as the game goes on,I don't think the three centre backs playing together is working and we have a full back on the bench,the midfield is also getting overrun and we are missing Lee Lucas.The board are under constant pressure and could do without diminishing crowds to add to their problems I would like to thank them for their efforts.

Rustic I completely agree, merthyr supporters can be very fickle when it comes to results, if merthyr aren’t winning then the crowds die away.
We need a healthy crowd to stabilise the finances.
Sadly I think the time has come to make a change at manager level because things aren’t improving but getting worse, we need fresh ideas.

I know it’s easy to criticise but, honesty is the best policy
here and the situation we now find ourselves in, hasn’t happened overnight. There’s a saying in sport, ‘you’re only as good as your
last game’ and you really have to think long and hard about, when
the team last produced a good game for its fans.The past few months has shown more staleness, than an old Woolworths mince pie.
Off the field, we see people work tirelessly and more often than not voluntarily, trying to keep the club afloat. While on it, the management and players have shown little and regularly nothing in earning their corn, regardless how ‘small’ their earnings may be. I stated a few weeks ago, that 70% of the current squad were just five points from a relegation spot last season. So, it’s hardly a shock to see those same players, unable to cope with this standard of football. Same applies to the management. In my opinion, they (Gavin and Dean), have taken us as far as they can which unfortunately, isn’t very far. It’s as if they’ve become part of the furniture at PP. What do they get up to at training sessions? They certainly don’t transfer anything new on to match days. Plan B? You’re lucky to see Plan A. As for passing any news to supporters, there’s more chance of seeing the real Santa Claus over Christmas. You get more sound out of a clam on Porthcawl beach. To be honest, it’s not as if other clubs are queueing up for their services, are they?
Over the years, the club has always been faithful to whoever has been at the helm and usually, they leave on their own accord. Gavin recently extended his contract.... a wise move by him obviously?
I’m sure the facilities at the park are the envy of most of our league competitors and long may that continue, but at the time when we should be attracting more through the turnstiles, annoyingly, with the apathy shown on the field of play, we are actually turning people away.
Come on Gavin and Co! ..... Help us out here, by doing your bit.
‘Unofficial news’....’Keeper Cameron Clarke has left the club, unless someone makes it ‘Official.’

Gavin under contract whose bright idea was that
I cannot recollect any manager having a contract no disrespect to gavin not even the great John Charles
Players had short contracts in the past because we saw the potential to sell them on to other clubs
Does not surprise me Cameron leaving the club difficult to keep a second string goalie on the bench not having any games

It was a miserable afternoon and there is undoubtedly cause for concern. However, the Chairman and manager spelled out the problems the club faces very clearly and very publicly after the humiliation by Cinderford.
Having to cope with the second lowest wage budget in the league is bound to be a challenge and we are further hampered by being under the jurisdiction of the FAW, who for no good reason I know of will not permit dual registration of players. The latter point is important because we have suffered persistently from injuries in key positions and we simply cannot afford a squad strong enough to provide replacements. I've seen all but one home game this season and I can't remember a single one where we were able to field an unchanged side - on the contrary, sometimes there have had to be wholesale changes with several players being fielded out of position or carrying knocks. .
All credit to those who are making such a success of things off the field, but we are still suffering the consequences of the financial collapse and repayments to creditors which have to be made. In consequence, the team is too often makeshift and results are inevitably suffering.
It is the job of supporters to support - not uncritically, but with a reasonable understanding of the problems the club continues to face.
The management are well aware of those problems and feel the same dismay and disappointment as the fans do - more acutely, in fact, because it is the team's competence, commitment and professionalism which is being questioned. I'm as worried as anyone, but we are only just below mid-table. We don't need the upheaval of managerial change - just fans who continue to show the loyalty and support the manager and so many players showed when it would have been so easy to walk away.

I understand what your saying hirwaunman I do but I myself run a successful business in Swansea and travel to the games home and away and have done for 35yrs,and the problems off the pitch are well documented but facts are facts,in business if you have a quality product ppl will want it and pay for it,if it’s a faulty product sales will fall until you have nothing to offer.merthyrs product is football and if it’s poor ppl will stay away and sales through the turnstiles will fall until there’s not enough to cover costs of running anything never mind a football team.no I understand the difficulty with managing the books and debts etc but if we don’t have a winning team we don’t have a winning product to sell to the community.you get a winning team and you get another 150 plus through the turnstiles and more,without a winning product we end up with nothing.
As I said in my earlier post merthyr is very fickle and we need better results than what we have otherwise all the debt management and low budget means nothing because the team will be playing in front of 50 ppl.
Get it right on the pitch and everything will follow.

Yes it was dire.

Yes we were outclassed by a better, quicker side.

Yes, we extremely poor second half- the worst performance we have seen for many a year.

But would you want the Poison Chalice?

Taking over a Club that has no money, run by volunteers, with more injuries than an episode of Holby City.

A club with the lowest budget in the league playing against teams with ex-professionals, larger populations and catchment areas.

Teams with dual registrations and links with proper league clubs with surplus players?

The list of applicants must be endless.

Whilst the forum is an outlet for the genuine fans to vent their frustrations and rage and quite rightly so after last Saturdays poor showing....but we must be realistic taking into account the above limitations, it is a miracle that we are still in business at all.

Not even Paul Daniels could come up with a magic solution to our current woes.

But it is what it is and us fans must support and not stab our management or the existing players in the cyber back.

I wouldn’t want their job for the World.

Everyone loves a winner but until Boris Johnson’s new Tory Government gives us some money to our grassroots club from the savings from no longer being part of the European Union, then nothing is likely to change in the immediate future.

So until our new found Conservative voters in Merthyr give us some of their Hedge Funds or actually turn up to watch live football, we have to make the most of what we have.

A community club with excellent facilities..

Of course, all on-line keyboard warriors are welcome to throw their hat in the ring to see if they can do the easiest football job in the World , with one-hand tied behind their back of course.

It is not the same as playing FIFA 2019.

Good luck.

You will need it.

Boz

Boz thank you for your post and putting your point across.
Now I may not be as eloquent with my words or how I come across but the truth of the matter is we are dire...yes there are a number of issues on and off the pitch but the sad fact is the footballing standard is very poor and it’s progressively worse yr on yr.
Now as supporters we pay our money week in week out to watch the game and in doing so we are entitled to say things as we see them wether it’s in owners meetings or sat at a keyboard which is our right under freedom of speech.
Now wether you like it or not penydarren Park is for football first and yes we have wonderful facilities but at the end of the day we are here to watch a football match not stand and gape at our facilities or the architectural facade of our building. The facilities don’t mean anything if there’s no one there to enjoy them.yes we are financially struggling and yes there are loads of financial constraints with budgets but personally I believe something has to be done.the passion seems to have gone from the club...
Please to all the ppl that read these posts and yes there are hundreds who do so please have your say,doesn’t matter wether you agree or disagree with what’s been said it would just be nice to hear what others think without feeling chastised for having a voice or a mind to speak.

Morning Barney,

This is the point of the Forum.

A place for opinions to be aired.

No one is seeking to chastise anyone or shout down their opinion.

It’s just that the Club is at a crossroads between failure and survival and has been for a number of seasons now.

The point is that there are certain factors that determine our current form and league position.

We all have a bad day at the office and last Saturday v Walton was a real low point.

But what in all reality can we do as a Club to lift the morose position we find ourselves in?.

With us haemorrhaging Board Members , player injuries galore and the lowest budget in our league, you can’t pour scorn on the few that are doing their best.

As fans we have to appreciate that.

We all pay our entry fee but expectations have to be realistic for all of the above reasons.

At this time, win lose or draw our Club and players need our support more than ever.

Boz

I for one am not critising the board or all the volunteers as matter of fact I commend them,but the sad fact the team are not playing to their potential and something needs to be done there is no atmosphere around the playing side of the club and we are losing supporter s wether you agree or not it is fact.The performance against Walton was not a one off unless I have going to the wrong ground.

Boz thank you for your reply and I agree with you in the fact we are on knife edge atm with everything that is going on but I have to also agree with rustic and say that the life as gone out of the club,yes I agree about budgets and the financial problems but I have to that I believe as a squad we have some of the best players in this league and this season the results aren’t what they should be and it’s become a continuation from last season.
If people stay away due to the poor performances then everything else becomes pointless because there won’t be any supporters left.
Now I have the upmost respect for the management and everyone at the club but we have to face
Facts and the results just aren’t there.

Thank you Barneyboy for endorsing the same feelings that this topic has brought to the surface. It needed something like this to at least get the fans reactions. Over the years, many people were labelled as ‘ trouble makers’ for just asking questions but, I think spending around £35 a week supporting my club, couldn’t be further from the truth

Thanks martyrmark for your comments and it’s greatly appreciated to hear people’s side,yes in the past many ppl have been labelled trouble makers for having a voice,my point has been put across like a few others and tbh it’s great.
When was the last time this forum had seen so much action!!
All I want is for ppl to speak their minds wether ppl like it or not,it’s just that everything has become stale and nows the time to let your feeling be known.

What do other ppl think???please speak up and let everyone have a voice.

Good points all round , but I will keep my point short and hopefully to the point . My question is ''only last week we held the AGM and at the most there were around 30/35 present. If we are so concerned about our Club where were the rest of the 300/350 regular supporters.

Didn't know there was a meeting and I thought it was for members only.

Talking of budgets I think failing to beat Cinderford this season frustrated fans. A club a league below with a budget allegedly of half ours and our players could not beat them. You can therefore understand the fans questioning the current state of affairs on the pitch. Certainly Paul Michael is an up coming manager and has the Foresters firing on all cylinders but from our perspective its disappointing. Some of the away performances have been dour as well Beaconsfield to name one Gethin Hill took it upon himself to apologise to the travelling faithful. This weekend we head to Wimborne not a happy hunting ground hammered there recently but there is no magic wand at present the players have remained loyal as Boz points out we can hope they go at it from the kick off and push on to get a much needed win.

I would have thought that if Supporters had the Club at heart they would automatically become ''Owners''

Sorry as well as owners they could also become ''Members''

Meurid who’s to say that some aren’t owners or members.saying that if they have the club at heart they should be members or owners the fact is the majority of merthyr supporters are over 40s and some quite frankly may not afford the memberships,doesn’t mean they love the club any less than you or I.
I am very fortunate that I’m able to afford to be a member yet I have family members who just about afford the entry ticket due to personal circumstances.
Yes it’s great for the club if everyone was a member or owner but the sad fact in this day and age some can barely afford to eat nether mind have an owners membership.
Every one has their own reasons for or against having membership but doesn’t mean we love the club any more or less.
My grandfather has watched merthyr since the early 1940s and was only last yr he became an owner when it was bought as a gift,

Just like the rest of the UK population our fan base is getting older.

Sadly, we have lost a lot of seasoned Martyrs Fans to the Grim Reaper as the older generation leave us.

A relevant point was raised in the ‘debate’ about people being the ripe of old of forty.

Where is the young life blood who will replace the ‘Atalanta Generation’?

This is my fear, with youngsters saving hard to to get on the Property market and post- Brexit there will undoubtedly be even less money around in the South Wales Valleys in the next five years.

With changes in social attitudes to alcohol, weddings and youngsters on computers all day, who is going to pay to watch live sport?

Poor performances on the pitch will affect some fickle fans but in reality in the words of Private Frazier in Dad’s Army- ‘we’re doomed’ anyway.

Boz

Boz I agree with your post in respect of where are the next Atalanta generation which for me I’m one off,even thou I live in Swansea but travel all the time home and awaythe one comment that people are telling me is there doesn’t seem to be any spirit left in the club and I myself can see that.
One of the other things that has to be stated and I know we will all go on about but people won’t wanna go and see a losing side week in week out,yes it’s very fickle but that’s life.
I’ll hold my hand up and say all my life I’ve been a huge fan and couldn’t wait for the tue nights or the saturdays to go see them play but I find my self this and last season having to push myself to make the trips and it’s not how I want it to be,maybe I’m becoming fickle but that’s how it is for me.
I guess what I want to see is maybe a change in management with fresh new ideas maybe different style of man management(just speaking out loud in my head).
All I know is somethings got to change wether at the club,or playing side who knows.
One things for certain I think we are going to be in a dog fight after jan to keep ourselves up.
Am I the only one who thinks like this?????????
Answers on a postcard please

IMO the players are good enough, many of them could play in the WPL or for other Teams in the Southern Premier, so the Budget is not the problem. Sadly, IMO it's the Management who are not good enough, we do not press sides when we do not have the ball or break quickly with purpose when we do have it, instead all we do is knock 50/60 yard balls into the channels and try to play in the final third (Football in the dark ages).

There are bright modern thinking Managers around like Paul Mitchell at Cinderford who has a smaller Budget than GW. What we have is a loyal hard working group of Directors and their volunteers together with a small but loyal band of supporters all of whom deserve better than they are witnessing at present, so in conclution IMO we need to make the changes in Management now and build a side and a method of playing ready for next season so the Directors and Supporters can look forward to next season with renewed enthusiasm and a sense of purpose.