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Posted

A shame certainly.  However, it is a sign of the times.  Formby would have prospered at a time when were would have been people really keen to go to a game of football as far as the outskirts of their town, but no further.  Once, when there were less entertainment and and transport to the glamourous sides like Southport FC was harder, that was viable.

 

The future of Formby is perhaps as a proper community amateur side.  

 

There are lots of clubs in their position.  A lot of non league clubs used to have grounds near the middle of town then find that either they get asset-stripped or the council suddenly remembers that that covenant can be revoked - or they just get greedy and sell it to Tesco.  And then find that their new ground isn't ready or never quite gets built or doesn't really have the same draw as the old one.  And now they have no way of making any money beyond charging 60 people £10 a go to watch Step 8 football.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)


Posted

Most clubs in the NWCFL seem to survive on crowds of sub 200 levels, lots on sub 100, so not sure people traveling further afield for the football is the reason.  Non-league football, especially down in leagues like the North West Counties is a real niche.

 

Been to plenty of games at this level were "groundhoppers" substantially outnumber fans of either team!

 

I suspect, like most clubs there demands placed on clubs facilities wise by the FA are far in excess of what the actual hand ful of fans turning up week in week out need or expect. 

 

Should also be noted in the league Formby played in last year, and the league above for that matter most clubs are "semi professional" in name only, most clubs still charge players subs rather than pay them.

 

This probably applies in the NWCL as well: why do lower level non league matches in the winter start at 3pm?  Why not start at 1pm and not have the hassle of paying for floodlighting?  One less expense to worry about.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

This probably applies in the NWCL as well: why do lower level non league matches in the winter start at 3pm?  Why not start at 1pm and not have the hassle of paying for floodlighting?  One less expense to worry about.

Floodlights on a Saturday afternoon in the NWCL?  Almost unheard of!

 

Wigan Robin Park play in the arena next to the DW, on numerous occasions they clash with Wigan Athletic being at home so requests get made to bring forward kick off to 1pm but on all but a couple of occasions it has been denyed.  Most cited reason being lads working Saturday morning who are turning out for the away team can't travel, but could make a 3pm kick off.

 

Crazy really, as the last time they did it a couple of hundred Norwich fans came in, payed there 6 quid, more than trippled the gate, added (read created!) to the atmosphere and a good time was had by all.

 

But your right, 1pm kick offs would make sense.  As would using blank weekends instead of midweek to fulfill fixtures, but people seem hell bent on burning cash for reasons I don't understand!

Posted

There are lots of clubs in their position.  A lot of non league clubs used to have grounds near the middle of town then find that either they get asset-stripped or the council suddenly remembers that that covenant can be revoked - or they just get greedy and sell it to Tesco.  And then find that their new ground isn't ready or never quite gets built or doesn't really have the same draw as the old one.  And now they have no way of making any money beyond charging 60 people £10 a go to watch Step 8 football.

 

Pretty much what happened here; Formby's original ground on Brows Lane was on the town's high street. The council bumped them off, though in this instance for a good reason, to build a swimming pool complex which the town had needed and many locals had been campaigning for since I moved here in 1970. The place they were given to move to hasn't been a raving success to say the least. It has never had the investment promised and needed and was severely hit by the bad weather the year before last, the pitch is very close to (and when it is at full flow actually below the level of a small river) which left it an unplayable bog. It was so bad that Formby were denied promotion despite finishing top of their league and forced by the local FA to abandon their current location for match days and ground share with Burscough Town (the wonderfully nicknamed "The Linnets").

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

Posted

Most clubs in the NWCFL seem to survive on crowds of sub 200 levels, lots on sub 100, so not sure people traveling further afield for the football is the reason.  Non-league football, especially down in leagues like the North West Counties is a real niche.

 

Been to plenty of games at this level were "groundhoppers" substantially outnumber fans of either team!

 

I suspect, like most clubs there demands placed on clubs facilities wise by the FA are far in excess of what the actual hand ful of fans turning up week in week out need or expect. 

 

Should also be noted in the league Formby played in last year, and the league above for that matter most clubs are "semi professional" in name only, most clubs still charge players subs rather than pay them.

 

 

There are lots of clubs in their position.  A lot of non league clubs used to have grounds near the middle of town then find that either they get asset-stripped or the council suddenly remembers that that covenant can be revoked - or they just get greedy and sell it to Tesco.  And then find that their new ground isn't ready or never quite gets built or doesn't really have the same draw as the old one.  And now they have no way of making any money beyond charging 60 people £10 a go to watch Step 8 football.

I agree (or learn from) all of this.  

 

There is a model of having semi-pro clubs to fit in the niche not big enough for a full time club.  However, I do not think that niche really exists anymore.  This is coming from a man who will only go to a stadium with his games once we are absolutely certain a park cannot accommodate the fixture (i.e. over 500 paying spectators), until then, it should be a park with BBQ.

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

Posted

Though, I've just had a thought; I may be in some small way responsible for Formby's demise When they were bumped of Brows Lane we lived in Brows Lane. They moved from there to Altcar Road. Guess where we moved to? Altcar Road (though a fair distance from the football ground which is over the other side of the bypass on what passes for our industrial/retail estate). :unsure:

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

Posted

I agree (or learn from) all of this.  

 

There is a model of having semi-pro clubs to fit in the niche not big enough for a full time club.  However, I do not think that niche really exists anymore.  This is coming from a man who will only go to a stadium with his games once we are absolutely certain a park cannot accommodate the fixture (i.e. over 500 paying spectators), until then, it should be a park with BBQ.

 

Most clubs at any given point are doing okay though and the majority - though by no means all - reappear in some form as a phoenix club lower down the pyramid.  The issues that soccer faces overall are, unsurprisingly, exactly the same ones that face rugby league and get blamed on the RFL: lower participation and difficulty nurturing the grassroots.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Indeed.  Sports clubs dying off and new ones appearing with the natural order of things.  Some of the clubs though are like film lovers trying to open a one screen cinema in a large village and then wondering why it fails.  Falling participation and improved transport mean that the local pro soccer club can be further away and standing in an over sized stadium with a bad cup of tea and hot dog becomes less appealing to many.  5-a-side shows that there is still plenty of appitite for playing, but possibly in a less structure and commited way.

 

Also, expecting players to play every week is becoming less realistic. 

 

Rugby league has more part time clubs only because of it previously having been artificially held back.  

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

Posted

Most clubs at any given point are doing okay though and the majority - though by no means all - reappear in some form as a phoenix club lower down the pyramid.  The issues that soccer faces overall are, unsurprisingly, exactly the same ones that face rugby league and get blamed on the RFL: lower participation and difficulty nurturing the grassroots.

 

Answering myself: the Rye United that ceased to exist in March seem likely to return in some form as they are managing to hold an AGM later this month.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Most clubs at any given point are doing okay though and the majority - though by no means all - reappear in some form as a phoenix club lower down the pyramid.  The issues that soccer faces overall are, unsurprisingly, exactly the same ones that face rugby league and get blamed on the RFL: lower participation and difficulty nurturing the grassroots.

 

I don't disagree with that, though it somehow seem much worse when it happens in lower league football given the obscene amounts of money sloshing around the top end of the sport.

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

Posted

Rugby union is more bonkers.  Money being thrown at mediocre players by clubs who play in parks and lose money.  It not only damages them in the long run, but also damaged every club trying to make ends meet without being there to fuel a money man's ego.

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

Posted

I don't disagree with that, though it somehow seem much worse when it happens in lower league football given the obscene amounts of money sloshing around the top end of the sport.

 

Indeed.  There are clubs going to the wall for less than an average Premier League player makes in a week.

 

I'd put pretty decent money on my new local team Hastings United being in trouble soon.  They have a 'going all out for promotion' strategy next season that is based on throwing money around they admit they don't actually have yet.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Rugby union is more bonkers.  Money being thrown at mediocre players by clubs who play in parks and lose money.  It not only damages them in the long run, but also damaged every club trying to make ends meet without being there to fuel a money man's ego.

 

Again though - not many clubs have definitely gone.  Even our friends Manchester still exist even if they have to freefall for a bit to find their new, broke level.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Still one of my favourite Mitchell & Webb sketches.

 

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted

Indeed.  There are clubs going to the wall for less than an average Premier League player makes in a week.

 

It's even more perverse here given the number of high profile top earning players who actually live in the town. A couple of days, never mind weeks pay from just one of them would secure Formby FCs future. 

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

Posted

It's even more perverse here given the number of high profile top earning players who actually live in the town. A couple of days, never mind weeks pay from just one of them would secure Formby FCs future. 

 

They've got houses to buy up though.

 

Some of the Class of 92 own Salford City.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

They've got houses to buy up though.

 

Some of the Class of 92 own Salford City.

They appear to throwing the cash about, quite a few lads from last season have been let go and I believe they've just signed Jason Jarrett, ex Wigan Athletic amongst others, was a top earner at Chester last season in the Conference so will no doubt be a very very expensive Evo Stick player!

Posted

They appear to throwing the cash about, quite a few lads from last season have been let go and I believe they've just signed Jason Jarrett, ex Wigan Athletic amongst others, was a top earner at Chester last season in the Conference so will no doubt be a very very expensive Evo Stick player!

 

Looking forward to a power struggle between FC United of Manchester and Salford City soon.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

Again though - not many clubs have definitely gone.  Even our friends Manchester still exist even if they have to freefall for a bit to find their new, broke level.

There is plenty of money going.  The sport has never been so prosperous.  It is as if it has won the lottery and has spent all the money on jaffa cakes.

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

Posted

Looking forward to a power struggle between FC United of Manchester and Salford City soon.

Be interesting to see how it pans out!

 

Wigan Robin Park play Salford pre season so looking forward to seeing what "stars" they field in that fixture!

Posted

There is plenty of money going.  The sport has never been so prosperous.  It is as if it has won the lottery and has spent all the money on jaffa cakes.

 

Rugby union clubs do not spend money on jaffa cakes.  They spend it on salted dark chocolate, citrus-infused pastries that are washed down with dessert wine and the tears of peasants.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

Posted

There is plenty of money going. The sport has never been so prosperous. It is as if it has won the lottery and has spent all the money on jaffa cakes.

It's all down to a bunch of blokes who if they were poor would be seriously considered for mental health care because of their delusions. I know one level 7 club whose owner has thrown money at the club and told the coaching staff that he expects to see them in the Championship (level 2) in no more than 6 or 7 seasons. This despite me knowing one level 5 club that had a £1.3m first team budget (players, coaches, travel, etc) not being good enough to get promoted.

"When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout"

Posted

No-one ever goes broke from having more money than sense.  Brokes people typically have more sense than money.

"You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014

Posted

If anyone on here is a gambler, don't bet on Spain because 1. the odds will be lousy and 2. I've just got them in a world cup sweepstake.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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