Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Re

‘But don’t hold your breath because what the club say and what they actually do are totally different things.’

Seems harsh. They had a 5 yr or whatever plan to get from NL to L1, they did it. That’s what counts.
What are you referring to? The club seeem straightforward enough to me and much more open than most clubs.

Monkey Boy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:37 am

Sid Bishop wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:30 am

Monkey Boy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:20 pm

Moncur, Hunt??

Real guessing game this. Another idea floated ''Thompson to retire from playing''
Well yes could be, perhaps to retire and go onto the coaching side of the game ?
Bring on Miss Marples and Hercule Poirot to investigate and report their findings within the next 48 hours !

Didn’t see the interview unfortunately (onholibobs) but if they are going to get rid of a senior pro? Could be one of the following, Moncur, on a biggish wage in and out of the side last and this season,Happe only on a year contract and injury prone or Hunt who offers nothing going forward and very little else at the moment. But don’t hold your breath because what the club say and what they actually do are totally different things.

He didn’t imply that it was a senior pro, more part of the first team

Some of this could well be posturing in relation to any suitors as we approach deadline day.

LittleMate wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:58 am I think that we as fans run the risk of forgetting financial reality. There's a lot of difference between knowing the stakes go up when you get promoted to then actually getting the bills. I think our owners are adapting to that quite well. There's also a fan expectation that they have always paid a set rate and so why should they pay more. Well the quality of the product has gone up, the players cost more to attract and keep. It should not all be down to the owners. Its not a charity - owning a football club is more like holding a basket case - and its a wicker one that leaks badly! Whether we like it or not we are investors and the owners are trustees who pay that much more for the privilege. If we continue to co-operate on that basis then the club will continue to move forward. If we decide that we have reached our financial limits then we should expect the football on offer to reflect that. I'm happy to keep on investing at an increased rate as our trustees seem to be using our money more wisely than most other trustees at their clubs.

Totally wrong.

The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Thing is we're selling way more tickets than we typically did in league 1 last time around, despite the hefty price increases. That's the most important thing we can be buying from them.

We've all misspoken or phrased what we've meant poorly so willing to give the benefit of the doubt, especially since most of the interview is positive about the direction of the club and the fans.

Yeah, as much as his comments on that issue really struck a bum note, overall we still have good owners who I trust to continue doing the right thing by the club. If Travis could perhaps row back on what he said re 'taking money away from the club' or provide a further bit of explanation that indicated he wasn't shaming apparent non Real Fans then we're all good.

If the owners want a bit of their investment back because of a transfer windfall then so be it. They will be putting plenty more in as we move forward I’m sure. However I am one of the many that arrive nearer kick off because I used to go into the Supporters Club but the crush and lack of seating makes it physically impossible to stand for a couple of hours these days. I go to one of the local pubs because the offering within the Ground is unattractive and unhealthy.

I have posted on here before about the dangerous overcrowding in the West Stand at half time. Whoever put the priority catering machines on the wall where the access to the toilets is clearly hasn’t a clue about access routes. The catering is largely unhealthy and the drinks unappealing. I won’t stand in the Ground any more than I will the Supporters Club. Our pre match offering, apart from the sprinkler shower if you get anywhere near the wall is pretty non existent and the half time penalty comps (as exciting as they are for the participants) are bloody boring. I’ll get to and spend my money in the Ground when I get some value for money. It doesn’t really exist at the moment. The football was superb though Saturday!

The challenge is right back at the owners though in terms of non football VFM.

PKM wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:36 am Fascinating and wide ranging interview with Nigel
-sorry if it’s been posted up here before

I don’t normally listed as the podcast is too long for my attention span, but well worth making the effort to listen to Nigel.

Subjects covered included
5 year plan-to get into the Championship
New training ground
New ground
Transfers in and possibly out this week
Ritchie Wellens
Nigel and the bod’s commitment to the O’s , they’ve put in millions
Please spend more money and time at Brizzy Rd

Anyway, worth a listen

https://m.soundcloud.com/orient-outlook

I think this is the link

Is this the litigious one?

No

The food has improved a bit in recent years but still has some way to go. I guess they'd need more space to really expand the menu.

Personally I dont eat or drink at the club as its too expensive and too much of a queue to get anything.

It's better than some clubs but there's sod all by way of healthy options. And we're in East London with thousands of small time traders doing excellent food that isn't just burgers, pies, hot dogs and the like. Maybe the numbers don't add up or there simply isn't the space, but they could try experimenting with independent food stalls offering something a bit different if they want more spending in ground.

Failure to pre pour pints is also baffling. You spend half of the half time break waiting to be served then have to down a pint in 5 minutes if you don't want to miss the restart.

Standing in the North undercroft for any period of time is just so uninviting - it's like an unfinished warehouse on a trading estate.

Max Fowler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 12:31 pm Standing in the North undercroft for any period of time is just so uninviting - it's like an unfinished warehouse on a trading estate.

haunted by the ghosts of children...

OyinbO wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:12 pm

Max Fowler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 12:31 pm Standing in the North undercroft for any period of time is just so uninviting - it's like an unfinished warehouse on a trading estate.

haunted by the ghosts of children...

Proposition Joe wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:33 am Yeah, as much as his comments on that issue really struck a bum note, overall we still have good owners who I trust to continue doing the right thing by the club. If Travis could perhaps row back on what he said re 'taking money away from the club' or provide a further bit of explanation that indicated he wasn't shaming apparent non Real Fans then we're all good.

It would be good if a written apology could be obtained and read out by Nigel on all Orient related media outlets, podcasts, radio shows etc. Its the only way to put this one to bed. Too many fans have been offended to their faces.

Mistadobalina wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 12:27 pm Failure to pre pour pints is also baffling.

Also wondered about this, they must have a pretty good idea of the absolute minimum they're going to shift, they would really ramp up the throughput by pre-pouring some of them.

I also see there are now black fences in the south east corner of the stand near to the corner flag, presumably blocking the view of the pitch and allowing fans to drink in that area. Why don't they extend that to the West side then you wouldn't need stewards patrolling the exit to the undercroft.

Max Fowler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:12 am The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Not a podcast, but you only have to read the message board to see fans moaning on a near daily basis that they want more players (investment) on a daily basis. Nigel makes one podcast suggesting fans should spend more with the club, and the fans go into meltdown.

Chelmsford Swimmer wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:53 pm

Max Fowler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:12 am The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Not a podcast, but you only have to read the message board to see fans moaning on a near daily basis that they want more players (investment) on a daily basis. Nigel makes one podcast suggesting fans should spend more with the club, and the fans go into meltdown.

Some fans are idiots.

I don't expect our Board to stoop to the level of our thickest fans, they're obviously much better than that.

Chelmsford Swimmer wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:53 pm

Max Fowler wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 11:12 am The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Not a podcast, but you only have to read the message board to see fans moaning on a near daily basis that they want more players (investment) on a daily basis. Nigel makes one podcast suggesting fans should spend more with the club, and the fans go into meltdown.

As they rightly should. I don't know about you geez but the rest of us are all skint and binging on doughnuts to fend of the depression.

All of this is really noise around the elephant in the room of why our investors are actually investing in us.

l trust the board recognises that all clubs have plenty of ingrates who also have access to social media. It comes with the territory.

Is he thinking of jacking it in then ?

Rich Tea Wellin wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 2:03 pm All of this is really noise around the elephant in the room of why our investors are actually investing in us.

Investor: a person or organization that puts money into financial schemes, property, etc. with the expectation of achieving a profit

o-no wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:52 pm

Mistadobalina wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2023 12:27 pm Failure to pre pour pints is also baffling.

Also wondered about this, they must have a pretty good idea of the absolute minimum they're going to shift, they would really ramp up the throughput by pre-pouring some of them.

I also see there are now black fences in the south east corner of the stand near to the corner flag, presumably blocking the view of the pitch and allowing fans to drink in that area. Why don't they extend that to the West side then you wouldn't need stewards patrolling the exit to the undercroft.

Free blindfold with every pint?

Chelmsford Swimmer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:49 pm

The only time Nigel said fans were cheating the club was with respect to illegal streaming, not regards eating elsewhere. I accept he did say that eating elsewhere was taking revenue away from the club, which could have been better worded. Ironically the supporters club is always bursting at the seams making revenue, and would almost certainly make more if it was bigger, or had catering. That said, it probably wouldn't be in the clubs best interest if the supporters club was bigger reducing early attendance further.

The supporters club is run entirely by volunteers and they donate a large proportion of the profits to the club. So actually, it probably would benefit in the long term to have a much bigger supporters club assuming it was run in the same way. In terms of food /drink offerings (great beer and decent, if limited, food), it's far and away the best value in the stadium.