Club Statement

[redrobo]

My son in law supports Scarboro but lives in Preston and is able to go to quite a number of away games in the North West. He says that security is there but no way near the levels of the NL. Grounds such as Radcliffe and,Southport have no segregation. May be different when our 100s descend on them.

Hopefully we can save a shed load of money by a significant reduction in Security. ,

Could be an argument to completely close the away end except for when a big team comes to the Maz which wouldn't be that often.

Hopefully by consultation with the Trust our owners,will listen to advice and act accordingly

[Keith]

I have a vague recollection, from a long time ago, (so may not be correct, or things may have changed), but I think the case is once you have been a League club and had segregation, then you have to maintain segregation once in non-League. We therefore may not be able to remove segregation, however sensible that would be, and unnecessary it is.

Can we have beer on the terraces at NLN, or is it even lower down the pyramid?

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

I'm almost certain that the published NL Rules are open to local interpretation and implementation, but some clubs (Morecambe included) have chosen not to, much to the angst of a lot of paying fans at Morecambe.

I went to a couple of games at Deepdale this season in the Away End, and what we have had to endure at Morecambe this season has been way OTT, yet some amongst us seem to agree with the current published rules..

[KenH]

Commitment to FT is a big plus for me. They need to throw everything into next season to get an immediate return to the NL. 20 professionals, no passengers and a few academy lads given a chance. It all hinges on getting a decent manager though.

I don't think that's feasible. Not only would it cost a fortune in wages to get the "top" players capable of promotion, but, yet again, it's going to be a new team assembled in Summer who don't know each other, probably with a new manager who knows none of them, so it's going to be a struggle of the first few months to get the team gelling, whilst playing mostly against other teams who are more established.

I think, for sustainability, we need a more long term plan to get promoted in, say, 2-3 years, giving time to get a new manager established and give the manager time to assemble a decent team of players, of the right level, who want to play as a team and want to succeed.

For the sustainability side, the owners need to bring in new revenue streams, i.e. make much better use of the land and buildings 7 days per week, get the function room(s) earning their keep. If they can't make them pay on match days alone and can't get enough other bookings, then they need to look at renting it out and sacrificing "hospitality" on match days, i.e. to local businesses etc on a 365/24 basis for offices, or the NHS for clinics/consulting, etc. Maybe even selling or building on the car park etc. Also look at cost savings. Do we need the shop open every day or save money by only opening match days? Do we need a receptionist on non match days? We can certainly drastically cut down the costs of security/stewarding which is at insane levels compared to where we were a few years ago.

[Brian Sheldon]

I have a vague recollection, from a long time ago, (so may not be correct, or things may have changed), but I think the case is once you have been a League club and had segregation, then you have to maintain segregation once in non-League. We therefore may not be able to remove segregation, however sensible that would be, and unnecessary it is.

That's my understanding as well. We had segregation installed for the Ipswich match and we haven't switched ends since.
Google suggests that's not right, that it's based on a match basis and who's playing. They may decide a recent ex-league side should be segregated every match, we'll soon know.

[Keith]

For the sustainability side, the owners need to bring in new revenue streams, i.e. make much better use of the land and buildings 7 days per week, get the function room(s) earning their keep. If they can't make them pay on match days alone and can't get enough other bookings, then they need to look at renting it out and sacrificing "hospitality" on match days, i.e. to local businesses etc on a 365/24 basis for offices, or the NHS for clinics/consulting, etc. Maybe even selling or building on the car park etc. Also look at cost savings. Do we need the shop open every day or save money by only opening match days? Do we need a receptionist on non match days?

This is where the club needs a properly costed five-year plan.

The receptionist is probably worth keeping because the club is open anyway, for example, players having physiotherapy etcetera. But, they could then also cover the shop. Even have the reception in the shop on non-match days?

I'd agree, look at whether the Wright & Lord is actually bringing in enough 'hospitality' on match days to be worth keeping, rather than letting 'someone else' pay the club for it? Or, allow 'someone else' pay for it and they also manage hospitality? I've suggested before, it could be a good venue for an 'all you can eat', Asian buffet style restaurant. That may also work on match days? Sponsors' boxes as offices instead?

I asked in another thread, did the schools that had booked proms that got cancelled due to staff not being paid, get their money back? The reputational damage in the area needs to be addressed too, even though that was under Whittingham. If I was looking to book a Christmas party, I'd think twice about using Morecambe FC at the moment... "I'll give you £50 deposit, but nothing more"...

[KenH]

The receptionist is probably worth keeping because the club is open anyway, for example, players having physiotherapy etcetera. But, they could then also cover the shop. Even have the reception in the shop on non-match days?

But there are other staff who could open up, deal with the alarm, etc. It doesn't need to be a receptionist. And of course, when people expect the club to be "open", you don't just need one, you need two to cover for breaks, loo visits, lunchtime, holidays, etc. I presume the club has someone who acts as "caretaker" to deal with building matters?

I used to go to meetings and courses at the PNE function rooms/suites and they never had a receptionist - whoever organised the event put up signs on the doors with arrows and you made your own way up the stairs and along the corridors to find your room following the signs. The "reception desk" at ground floor level was always unmanned and empty, even on busy days when lots of rooms were in use. The only staff we ever saw were a couple of catering staff setting up the refreshments table in each room and the lunchtime buffet (for all day events).

[redrobo]

When I was working many of the reception areas I had to go to were unmanned. One had to use the telephone situated on a table and dial ZERO for someone to come from an office to meet you.

With the possible reduction in admin staff the use of an unmanned reception could save some pennies.

[Relapsed_Shrimp]

I have a vague recollection, from a long time ago, (so may not be correct, or things may have changed), but I think the case is once you have been a League club and had segregation, then you have to maintain segregation once in non-League. We therefore may not be able to remove segregation, however sensible that would be, and unnecessary it is.

Can we have beer on the terraces at NLN, or is it even lower down the pyramid?

That is 100% correct and the same rules apply to drinking on the terraces for a minimum of three seasons. Our home fixtures rules will be exactly as we are used to. Away segregation will be dependent on numbers.

[Wild Bill]

Yes, we won't get the benefits of non leagues as our ground is ex EFL and our safety certificate will stay the same.

[Billy bodger]

Yes, we won't get the benefits of non leagues as our ground is ex EFL and our safety certificate will stay the same.

So we bear the cost of the success of our yrs in the EFL, madness. We really cannot afford to have the security we had in League 1.

Security was unnoticeable before we got promoted into League 1. With the teams and the gates we had in League 1 I understand it being upgraded but surely as we have fallen down the football pyramid the regulation and the safety certificate should reflect the decrease in big games and the much smaller gates we get at most home games.

Oh I’ve just Goggled it and AI overview disagrees.

[Brian Sheldon]

I asked in another thread, did the schools that had booked proms that got cancelled due to staff not being paid, get their money back? The reputational damage in the area needs to be addressed too, even though that was under Whittingham. If I was looking to book a Christmas party, I'd think twice about using Morecambe FC at the moment... "I'll give you £50 deposit, but nothing more"...

Schools and other groups that probably lost their money won't be blaming any individuals, Morecambe Football Club let them down at the last minute. Lots of work needed to recover that lost reputation.