Ryan Sparks

They are only 'huge' strides because the bar was set as low as could be. Lets measure these strides over a longer period to get a true reflection as to how huge they are.

 

Nobody is arguing otherwise but they are the first big strides things look a lot rosier than they did just a few short weeks ago which in my opinion gives us hope for the future

 

We're 20th in League 2. We haven't made big strides anywhere, yet.

 

But this isn't what i was arguing about, i was merely asking what 'huge' strides hav been made when in truth all we have done is to start to be run like a football club should be run. And i emphasise started because it only been afew weeks. Small steps but certainly not huge.

 

It’s a matter on interpretation from where we were to now results communication and hope for the future but we can call it small strides if you like

 

Interesting and fairly open article. I think Sparks will do well for us until he is lured away like Baldwin.

A couple of hints in the article I think that points to us appointing a new permanent manager in the summer, including stating that T&S roles with the Academy are safe. It wouldn't surprise me if we already have a new manager lined up to come on board in the summer
.

 

T&S future's with regards going back to their original posts was mentioned a few weeks ago.
I agree if Ryan does well for us as we hope he will other clubs will be taking note Bradford City the training ground for future EFL CEOs not a bad record .

 

Thanks, you've made me rethink. Your thoughts are compelling and I agree with most of this. Also, the information re other clubs future planning was new to me. My problem remains, as I guess everyone else does, there are two possible versions of Bradford City. The first continues under Rupp's ownership. The second, which means new owners or a fan buy out that would give us what you suggest and outline. I totally get what you're saying. But who out there wants to buy a League Two club who don't own their own ground and pay over the odds rent for it. And beyond that, don't have any other assets? And if we were to get a fan buy out, who would be the kingpins to organize and progress that forward? Who are the people with the necessary expertise, time, energy and commitment to make that happen?

 

Do you really need to ask that ? Surely The Car Wash King will step up ?

 

To quote the late great Buddy Holly...that'll be the day!

 

Interesting.

Obviously Wycombe are a Championship side for now - but you look how those clubs are doing relative to expectations, and actually they're doing pretty well, aren't they?

Newport have been doing well the last couple of seasons - signs that they're losing form this year, but it is what it is - Exeter are consistent as a decent L2 side with a clear on pitch identity - AFC Wimbledon and Accrington simply shouldn't be doing better than us, much less be a division higher than we are; even Carlisle are doing (very) well for a change.

There's only one team highlighted in your post who are doing horribly, and that's Grimsby - though granted there are a couple of non league sides there too.

Doesn't seem like fan ownership or partial fan ownership is a bad route at all based on those case studies - however in my mind Bradford City is a great big oil tanker of a club with far higher outlays than those clubs, making it less likely to be a candidate.

I wouldn't mind seeing how a bigger club was able to operate, though, but Rupp is a bit of a millstone if you have to raise millions just to get him out. It would be more likely to happen if we were on the brink of bankruptcy, no? Either way, any group or consortium or whatever would need at least some individuals with real financial might.

 

It does indeed allude to a glass ceiling - purely financial, of course - but it also indicates that this is a solid way to run a club up until they hit that glass ceiling.

Since we're absolutely nowhere near hitting a glass ceiling, or any other sort of ceiling, given our current position on the EFL ladder, I dunno...

Maybe.

 

Try explaining that to some on here who think self sustainbility doesn't include maixmising turnover at the expense of dirt cheap football. Also try explain that affordable football does not mean pricing your brand way below what it should be in the future.

 

I might be wrong Rod but I think Wycombe are American owned and have been for over 12 months, including the input, whatever it was, that got them out of L1.

 

But when that following is only bringing in a similar turnover on a like for like basis it shouldn't make much too much difference to the valuation. Truth is without our own ground we ain't worth much.

 

As Gareth Ainsworth said at the weekend, they have the lowest budget "by a mile".