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Update From The Boardroom

WolfOfWestStreet

By WolfOfWestStreet
in Football Chat

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WolfOfWestStreet

WolfOfWestStreet

Posted
Posted

It those that don't get these emails. Nothing very exciting

Dear Laurence,

As we are now approaching the end of the 2013/14 season, I wanted to write to you with further information on developments within the club over this last year.

Football is a game of ups and downs, highs and lows and this season has been no different. From being close to bottom at Christmas, we find ourselves in the top half in April. Thank you for your immense support in helping to get us there and congratulations to Steve Cotterill, our players and staff for turning the season around.

Your Bristol City Board set out a clear and coherent plan in early 2013 and is sticking to it. At that time we highlighted five areas of long-term focus to underpin the club's future: recruitment, youth and talent development, community engagement, financial prudence and modern facilities.

The average age of the starting eleven when we secured our league status against Notts County was between 25 and 26. Of those under contract, the average age was between 23 and 24. Our recruitment focus on securing players aged 24 and under has led to a youthful squad and that will continue.

However, with a number of senior player contracts running out this summer, there will definitely be a need to seek a balance between youth and experience coming in. We weren't without experience in the squad at the start of this season; it is just that the more experienced players did not feature heavily.

The Academy has made significant progress this year and has recently had its EPPP Category Two status confirmed for the next three years. Talent development has been strong, with eight Bristol City Academy players having represented their country this year in various age groups, and seven Academy graduates having just signed their first professional contracts with the club. Player progression is key and the highlight of the season has been the regular first team appearances for Bobby Reid, Joe Bryan and Wes Burns. I look forward to seeing how they and others progress next season.

The Community Trust has also had a successful year, increasing the number of scholars in its education programme, encouraging the participation of more people in sport than ever before, as well as delivering on a variety of other charitable projects. Adverse weather claimed the Community Park for a number of matches this season, however the Community Trust will look to occupy a part of the new stadium development which will increase their opportunities every day of the week.

The club significantly restructured its finances this year to remove all debt from its balance sheet making the club very stable and secure. We expect losses for 2013/14 to be significantly down on the previous season, despite the reduction in central funding which comes from being a League One club.

Work is set to commence at Ashton Gate, at the end of this month, to begin the process of delivering fantastic new facilities. Some preparatory work has already begun. With a new pitch, and construction work commencing on the Wedlock Stand, there will be plenty going on over this summer. It is an exciting time to be finally commencing a stadium build but it won't come without its challenges. Bristol Sport have been keeping news on the Ashton Gate redevelopment low key after what happened at Ashton Vale but now the work is beginning, you will get to see what an exciting project this is. It is not a revamp but the construction of a very impressive new stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season. I look forward to sharing images with you of the new stadium over the coming months as we build for the future.

Overall, I believe we are on the right track and need to stick to our long-term plan. The next few years should be an exciting time for all involved.

Finally, I can confirm that John Pelling will be joining the Bristol City Football Club Board when he takes on the role of club chief executive from June 1st. John joined us last year, after spells at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday, to run the Academy and his tenure has been very successful. John has over 15 years of hands-on Board-level experience at large football clubs. As he now steps up to the role I would like to thank Doug Harman, who remains a director, for his hard work and contribution as chief executive this year.

We still have two games left this season. The visit of Crewe Alexandra on Saturday will be the last at Ashton Gate as we know it. I hope that you come along to mark the occasion and give the great support that you have all season.

Come on you Reds!

Jon Lansdown

Vice-Chairman

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Kid in the Riot

Kid in the Riot

Posted
Posted

Heard about Pelling months ago.

Goes to show that actually the board do agree with people like myself and depths of despair that change was needed and a proper CEO appointed (which I was going on about last year) and the "everything is ok" brigade of monkeh, esmund andthe like are in fact wrong.

Pelling should now be the communicative PR man we've needed for ages taking Dave L out the firing line as he was getting a lot of undeserved flack.

Here's hoping a good move. I read an interesting article about Pelling a whole ago, will try and find it.

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Major Isewater

Major Isewater

Posted
Posted

It those that don't get these emails. Nothing very exciting

Dear Laurence,

As we are now approaching the end of the 2013/14 season, I wanted to write to you with further information on developments within the club over this last year.

Football is a game of ups and downs, highs and lows and this season has been no different. From being close to bottom at Christmas, we find ourselves in the top half in April. Thank you for your immense support in helping to get us there and congratulations to Steve Cotterill, our players and staff for turning the season around.

Your Bristol City Board set out a clear and coherent plan in early 2013 and is sticking to it. At that time we highlighted five areas of long-term focus to underpin the club's future: recruitment, youth and talent development, community engagement, financial prudence and modern facilities.

The average age of the starting eleven when we secured our league status against Notts County was between 25 and 26. Of those under contract, the average age was between 23 and 24. Our recruitment focus on securing players aged 24 and under has led to a youthful squad and that will continue.

However, with a number of senior player contracts running out this summer, there will definitely be a need to seek a balance between youth and experience coming in. We weren't without experience in the squad at the start of this season; it is just that the more experienced players did not feature heavily.

The Academy has made significant progress this year and has recently had its EPPP Category Two status confirmed for the next three years. Talent development has been strong, with eight Bristol City Academy players having represented their country this year in various age groups, and seven Academy graduates having just signed their first professional contracts with the club. Player progression is key and the highlight of the season has been the regular first team appearances for Bobby Reid, Joe Bryan and Wes Burns. I look forward to seeing how they and others progress next season.

The Community Trust has also had a successful year, increasing the number of scholars in its education programme, encouraging the participation of more people in sport than ever before, as well as delivering on a variety of other charitable projects. Adverse weather claimed the Community Park for a number of matches this season, however the Community Trust will look to occupy a part of the new stadium development which will increase their opportunities every day of the week.

The club significantly restructured its finances this year to remove all debt from its balance sheet making the club very stable and secure. We expect losses for 2013/14 to be significantly down on the previous season, despite the reduction in central funding which comes from being a League One club.

Work is set to commence at Ashton Gate, at the end of this month, to begin the process of delivering fantastic new facilities. Some preparatory work has already begun. With a new pitch, and construction work commencing on the Wedlock Stand, there will be plenty going on over this summer. It is an exciting time to be finally commencing a stadium build but it won't come without its challenges. Bristol Sport have been keeping news on the Ashton Gate redevelopment low key after what happened at Ashton Vale but now the work is beginning, you will get to see what an exciting project this is. It is not a revamp but the construction of a very impressive new stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season. I look forward to sharing images with you of the new stadium over the coming months as we build for the future.

Overall, I believe we are on the right track and need to stick to our long-term plan. The next few years should be an exciting time for all involved.

Finally, I can confirm that John Pelling will be joining the Bristol City Football Club Board when he takes on the role of club chief executive from June 1st. John joined us last year, after spells at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday, to run the Academy and his tenure has been very successful. John has over 15 years of hands-on Board-level experience at large football clubs. As he now steps up to the role I would like to thank Doug Harman, who remains a director, for his hard work and contribution as chief executive this year.

We still have two games left this season. The visit of Crewe Alexandra on Saturday will be the last at Ashton Gate as we know it. I hope that you come along to mark the occasion and give the great support that you have all season.

Come on you Reds!

Jon Lansdown

Vice-Chairman

You do realise that now Oyston has your real name !

Is your surname Weston by any chance ?

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Major Isewater

Major Isewater

Posted
Posted

Heard about Pelling months ago.

Goes to show that actually the board do agree with people like myself and depths of despair that change was needed and a proper CEO appointed (which I was going on about last year) and the "everything is ok" brigade of monkeh, esmund andthe like are in fact wrong.

Pelling should now be the communicative PR man we've needed for ages taking Dave L out the firing line as he was getting a lot of undeserved flack.

Here's hoping a good move. I read an interesting article about Pelling a whole ago, will try and find it.

I think the board took a right hammering for their perceived ineptitude and i am pleased that they have done something about it .

It just needs some unfounded rumours that the club is "rotten to the core" for it all to kick off again !

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Monkeh

Monkeh

Posted
Posted

Heard about Pelling months ago.

Goes to show that actually the board do agree with people like myself and depths of despair that change was needed and a proper CEO appointed (which I was going on about last year) and the "everything is ok" brigade of monkeh, esmund andthe like are in fact wrong.

Pelling should now be the communicative PR man we've needed for ages taking Dave L out the firing line as he was getting a lot of undeserved flack.

Here's hoping a good move. I read an interesting article about Pelling a whole ago, will try and find it.

which one of your 500 threads and posts slagging the board off telling us Cottrell would only produce long ball football or informing us how wrong we were to sack SoD  would that be?

 

I think the board took a right hammering for their perceived ineptitude and i am pleased that they have done something about it .

It just needs some unfounded rumours that the club is "rotten to the core" for it all to kick off again !

indeed and once we hit a poor patch the same people will come out with the same bullshit and fail to produce a shred of evidence again

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Chivs

Chivs

Posted
Posted

Heard about Pelling months ago.

Goes to show that actually the board do agree with people like myself and depths of despair that change was needed and a proper CEO appointed (which I was going on about last year) and the "everything is ok" brigade of monkeh, esmund andthe like are in fact wrong.

Pelling should now be the communicative PR man we've needed for ages taking Dave L out the firing line as he was getting a lot of undeserved flack.

Here's hoping a good move. I read an interesting article about Pelling a whole ago, will try and find it.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-pelling/71/59a/889 Pelling profile which he ought to update...

 

I see he was at Forest (for 14 years!) at the same time as Keith Burt.

 

My experience of Finance people is that they don't generally make good CEOs. However, every rule has an exception.

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Bedminster Born And Red

Bedminster Born And Red

Posted
Posted

Its always been as JL says in the email and has been reiterated loads of times, it should be obvious to everyone that experienced players will always play a big part in the squad/team. We'd be ****** without them.

I didn't know it had been spelt out so plainly to be honest and probably, like most sensible fans, didn't need to see it laid out so clearly either. It should be obvious to everyone but the number of times I have seen people asking "have the pillars been ripped up" it clearly isn't obvious to some!!

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WTFiGO!?!

WTFiGO!?!

Posted
Posted

If the club sent nothing out, they'd be crucified - but they send something out and people slag it off without reading it.

 

Seems they can't win.

Partly tongue in cheek, partly habit of a life time.

 

Have skimmed through it, let's hope John Pelling can take the club by the balls in the manner that Steve Cotterill has taken the team by the balls.

 

Must say, my main reading of the club is done by what I see on the pitch. 

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Kid in the Riot

Kid in the Riot

Posted
Posted

I guess that's the translation if you choose to ignore/forget that the club said at the point of releasing the news regarding the debt write off that any future investment from SL would not come in the form of loans but in equity investment so there shouldn't be any additional debt racked up.

 

Yes, very true I'd forgotten. All the same let's hope the year on year losses continue to fall though, eh?

 

I hope there's no adverse consequence of equity continuing to be pumped into the club? Devaluation of shares?? Our resident financial experts may know the answer to that one.

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Kid in the Riot

Kid in the Riot

Posted
Posted

Yes, slag them all off.  After all, lots of other football clubs are making huge profits aren't they.

 

Or are we still sore about other decisions the Board has made this year???

 

From me, it's genuine thanks to the Board both for their continued financial support and also for taking the action needed to avoid relegation.

 

Other football clubs certainly don't run up debts as big as us at Cship/League One level.

 

If you can genuinely bring yourself to "thank" the board after the last few years then: wow, astonishing.

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Major Isewater

Major Isewater

Posted
Posted

I didn't know it had been spelt out so plainly to be honest and probably, like most sensible fans, didn't need to see it laid out so clearly either. It should be obvious to everyone but the number of times I have seen people asking "have the pillars been ripped up" it clearly isn't obvious to some!!

I don't think it's possible to "rip up " a pillar ! Unless it's a very flimsy non-supportive pillar that is n't really a pillar at all.

Just saying.

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