Ryan Sparks

The thing with Hughes taking this job is that he cannot lose. If we got promoted his stock has risen, his name will be mentioned in certain circles and before long he would have got a championship job. Fail here and it doesn't matter a jot, as it was a final shot at being a coach/manager and countless other managers have failed here because we are a basket case.

He will also get free reign to an extent of what he wants simply due to his standing in the game, I can't expect too much challenge from sparks and rupp towards Hughes, they will still be creaming themselves due to the association, and lauding themselves with managing to attract him.

This won't be a long drawn out love affair with Hughes, it's decent chance for him, a shot to nothing, and to keep the coffers ticking over nicely for a couple of years.

We do well, he gets his move, things get sticky and he won't be that arsed and soon get fed up of crap he doesn't need

 

Have to say what a great job Sparks has done since taking over as CEO. The fanbase, marketing, squad, backroom staff, atmosphere and general feel about the club have improved massively. After a somewhat sticky start and the need to be seen and heard almost everyday, he's taken himself out of the limelight and gone about his business in the background. Still work to do but his proclamations about putting this club back on the right path, look to be coming through. Hopefully we'll get over the line this time. Considering the amount of vile abuse he got, I hope he's enjoying the fruits of his labour (so far). Long may it continue.

 

Would he be receiving this praise had we been sat in the bottom half or does his perceived success rely solely on the team doing well? After all, it's not really something he can directly control.

For the record, I also feel like there is an upward trend around feelings about off field events which will be attributed to Sparks but I wonder how much of that perception is linked to the feel good factor over our league position.

 

He deserves no praise.

Doing nothing that anyone else couldn’t do.

 

I must admit I prefer to see a CEO walk the walk rather than talk the talk and I've not heard much from Sparks recently which is a big positive because off the field he and his team seems to be doing a lot of good work. Can't be pulling in those numbers like Saturday and not be getting things right l. A lot of this is tied to in the pitch matters such as big away followings and at last it seems there is light at the end of tunnel. I certainly see a more professional club than I did 4 or 5 years ago.

 

They go hand in hand Dave…one feeds the other. The uptick in the clubs awareness of what professional marketing alone can bring to the club is to be applauded. It’s certainly gone up a notch.
The commencement of season sales, promotional videos in conjunction with the £5 initiative was no coincidence by any means.

Id guess that one initiative alone, combined with the dramatic win, got potentially 6-8 thousand additional in/ out supporters thinking about season tickets for next year.

What did it actually cost in marketing terms to do it……peanuts Id suggest? Seats after all were going to be empty!

The team & playing side of the club MUST keep up that momentum to turn those “ thinkers” into season sales. It will imho….one follows the other.

 

You can’t see beyond your own bucket and tap!

 

It was a very professional piece of marketing by the whole team led by Ryan. That video was one of the best I have seen. Getting that stadium full is a challenge at this level, but they have done it on several occasions £5 a ticket is a great promotion, plus the sales of merchandise, food and drink must have gone through the roof. If they get an increase in ST sales as well, it will be a total success.

 

That is a mean spirited posting. Of course other ppl could have done it, but maybe not as professional as Ryan. I believe in giving praise when they have done a good job.

 

Yes, I can.

Seriously, what’s he done that’s great?

If we are basing it on our league place then we shouldn’t be so far away from the top.

 

If you are basing his work purely on league position, we are 4 points of autos with game in hand, so in a good position.

That said, most will also judge him on his commercial and marketing achievements and I think he is doing a very good job on that scote

 

Ho ho ho ho, Brilliant suff Fordy, made my Morning .
Sparks out, Fordy for CEO, next stop Europe!

 

You couldn't get a pie after 30 minutes of the first half in the MR stand so I'm not sure they actually upped any food stocks from the normal amount.

 

30 mins 30 mins ... in my day you used to get a pie in minutes ...... on yer head dependant on the away fans.....

 

Fordy do the school moan mate..... I love it......

 

Let’s be right Sparks is young and he’s still learning but you can’t fault what he’s done this season

 

is he on the coaching staff ????
Does he tell Hughes how we should be playing ????

 

Pies never worried me, liquids however

 

No but he has given him the budget good enough to achieve at least the play offs. Sparks has done a great job recruiting the right people in the background to push the club forward

 

I think the fact that he’s given Hughes the support to get up the league is a big tick. The reality is we’re in a good league position and one doesn’t go without the other. Looking back at the Rhodes era (post Rahic), then we were only on a downward trajectory on the field. Sparks has backed up his early words by getting us on the front foot. If we go up this season, then he has another challenge to fund a squad capable of staying there at the very least. Hughes has the challenge of getting the right players to make that work.