I don't like to think about failing to get promoted through the play-offs , the thought of failing again would be a bitter pill to swallow. But if we fail and then succeed in the FAT then it would be a welcome financial boost for next season. It could be very handy especially if PH goes  (which I think he should if we don't get promoted ). It would give us some spending power to help the new manager put a squad together.

The biggest boost comes from the attendance. If we lose in the play-off final nobody will turn up and if they do I sure as excrement hope it's not Paul Hurst spending the profits.

attendance will be split in 4 so don't get to excited

Do you know, it's actually just occurred to me that I am probably genuinely more interested in knowing an approximate amount of income the FAT final might generate than I am in the actual outcome of the match itself. Funny. Must be just me.

I suppose that NET, it's possibly not much at all. Less than six figures I should think.

Sacking PH would cost most of the income. Plus if you want a big name replacement that'll cost extra too. Personally I'd rather spend money on players than sackings.

Quoted from GrimRob

Sacking PH would cost most of the income. Plus if you want a big name replacement that'll cost extra too. Personally I'd rather spend money on players than sackings.

Not that l'm agreeing with it at this moment but would PH need sacking, I thought he was on a rolling contract.....?

A rolling contract means you'll always have to be sacked unless there is some exit clause based upon performance.

Here we go...

Can we have a thread that doesn't turn into a Hurst In/Hurst Out debate please?

Prize money for winning the trophy is £50,000, runners up £25,000.  Combined with the prize money from each round it would result in a windfall of £92,000 for the winner.  That's not to be sniffed at one bit, almost as much as Operation Promotion itself.  What you can, probably should say could, factor in is any knock on of merchandise that would potentially arise from a Wembley trip.  

For Town that's not quite the picture.  I would hazard a guess that the early round matches were run at a loss, if not very close to one.  So we can discount the prize money in those rounds.   We'll have very little, if any, knock-on merchandise sales from a trip to Wembley in the Trophy.  Some will argue that the new shirt will sell extra units, I personally think the people who will buy the shirt will do so regardless be it in May, June, July or whatever month.  

Even if we discount the earlier rounds and any potential merchandise boost, we're still looking at £25,000 for turning up and doubling that if we win.   That could be the difference between keeping a coach on such as Andy Warrington or not.  That's how I'm looking it.  

£25,000 for all the fixture congestion which has potential to wreak havoc on promotion bid, especially in seasons where there's a terrible winter. Ner thanks.

Quoted from Rik e B

£25,000 for all the fixture congestion which has potential to wreak havoc on promotion bid, especially in seasons where there's a terrible winter. Ner thanks.

There hasnt been any fixture congestion this season has there?

When we got to the final v Wrexham there was but since then I think there was only one scheduled midweek league game after New Year and plenty of scope to fit games in comfortably. We have hardly been playing Sat, Tues, Thurs, Sat have we?

We had a really tough April even without the extra fixtures, which the FAT inserted into the schedule. We didn't know Cheltenham were going to win the league with such a large points total last year when the FAT started. At most it's probably cost us 5 or 6 points, not enough to have made a difference this season, but if the league had been closer it could have done had Cheltenham not won a few of their close games. If we're in this division next season I'd like to see us throw the game in Round 1 just to give ourselves an extra chance of going up. I doubt it pays for itself until at least the quarter-finals so we wouldn't lose anything with an early exit.

Quoted from GrimRob

Sacking PH would cost most of the income. Plus if you want a big name replacement that'll cost extra too. Personally I'd rather spend money on players than sackings.

money well spent then sacking him  ;D. Most of the current squad will leave  at the end of the season I think  if we don't go up and how many good  players will  come here to play in a nearly team under him  or just be bench warmers.

Quoted from Cloudy

There hasnt been any fixture congestion this season has there?

When we got to the final v Wrexham there was but since then I think there was only one scheduled midweek league game after New Year and plenty of scope to fit games in comfortably. We have hardly been playing Sat, Tues, Thurs, Sat have we?

We had a three week run of Sat Tues Sat against mainly top half teams, most away games were long journeys (Dover, Aldershot, Woking) and most midweeks were caused by the Trophy. Against the financial benefit of promotion, I don't believe that's a price worth paying.

Could have been as much a issue had we gone 2 weeks without a game due to other teams playing in the trophy plus it is a very southern based league so that isnt something we can easily change

Lets just hope we get ourselves promoted and then we can have local games v Yeovil, Plymouth, Pompey and Carlisle!

GrimRob explained it perfectly Cloudy and if ever there is a bleak Winter the two combined cause absolute chaos during the run in. Players tired, travelling up and down the country, minds elsewhere: -one Season with Shouty still on board we were top and flying at Christmas then it all fell apart.

Even if it made us one or two points being out, that could be the difference in a close Season and id take that every day of the week over 25k.

Hurst has played a second string in earlier rounds admittedly but even more so it should be used to blood more youngsters, perfect for the transition to the senior game and if they progress then fair do's.

Getting back into the league is everything. Absolutely everything. I see Gary Johnson played the kids as soon as the tiniest sniff of the slightest possibility of messing with league program. This should be our attitude.

We could have won it four times say but still sat down here is failure, end of.

And I don't think 'we are above' the competition or any of those kind of self righteous high and mighty beliefs, just that getting back into the Football League is absolutely paramount, possibly for our very existence and nothing should distract from that goal.

Even if we went out in the first round, we could end up with a fixture congestion depending on how other teams progress in the competition.  This is no different to what happens in other leagues across the country.

When we met Woking in the semi's, regardless of who the winner was the league game between the two sides was to be rearranged due to the Trophy taking priority over league games.

As long as we're in this league we participate in the Trophy, we might as well get the best out of it.  This season especially it has given the opportunity for fringe players to get a run-out, that's worked on extremes of keeping the likes of Pearson ticking over but also allowed Hurst to look at the likes of Henderson.  The early trophy rounds also gave Nolan and Horwood the chance to shake off a bit of rust before they were quickly thrust into the league campaign.

The Trophy has had absolutely no impact on our league position.  We've not been good enough all season.  We've lacked the 'thou shall not pass' attitude of previous seasons at the back, don't dominate teams in midfield, don't pick up enough second balls, don't have enough width to attack teams and revert to long ball tactics despite not having a recognised target man.  We also lack a much desired Plan B.    That's why we've not gone up automatically this season, not because of a few rearranged games in the FA Trophy.

Has the prize gone up seeing as the costs of merging 2 finals into 1 day must be less?

Quoted from Rik e B

GrimRob explained it perfectly Cloudy and if ever there is a bleak Winter the two combined cause absolute chaos during the run in. Players tired, travelling up and down the country, minds elsewhere: -one Season with Shouty still on board we were top and flying at Christmas then it all fell apart.

Even if it made us one or two points being out, that could be the difference in a close Season and id take that every day of the week over 25k.

Hurst has played a second string in earlier rounds admittedly but even more so it should be used to blood more youngsters, perfect for the transition to the senior game and if they progress then fair do's.

Getting back into the league is everything. Absolutely everything. I see Gary Johnson played the kids as soon as the tiniest sniff of the slightest possibility of messing with league program. This should be our attitude.

We could have won it four times say but still sat down here is failure, end of.

GrimRob expressed an opinion ( one he has repeated on many occasions ) it is just that I don't believe the Trophy has had any impact on our league form this season. As DHM states it has, in the early rounds at least been very beneficial

An opinion that resonates with mine then  :P

I agree it has been beneficial at times this season, think it's the first time we've utilised it wisely like that. I'd have liked a teeny bit more of youth being blooded though.

I'm certain (okay it is my strong opinion) that the potential for losing league points is there, though there is no way of ever knowing truly of course. Surely a break instead of a long trip even if games rejigged because a league opponent is still faffing about in the thing better. Chance to train and focus on tactics to best face upcoming league team?

Don't want to be a negative nelly, we in it so why not win it and all that.... especially now! -Perhaps it's the overall circus of the organisation of things down here whereby Trophy takes priority over the league campaign that causes so many of us to treat it with a smidgeon of disdain.

I just want promotion. Everything else pales into insignificance. If we fail to go up then lift the trophy any celebration from me will be shallow and likely forced before the overpower grim reality quickly returns that we face the prospect of yet another season in the non league. In fact it will be almost embarrassing the victory parade and all that goof. Mates patting me on the back and hugging while I give a false smile and think to myself 'No.'.

Or we could go to Wembley for a second time as a Football League club and even if we don't turn up and  get smashed 4-0 I'll be singing and dancing like a mad man throughout!

Quoted from lukeo

attendance will be split in 4 so don't get to excited

Is this true? If so it might benefit us with the number Hereford are taking. Morpeth will think they've hit the jackpot!

Who?

I think scrapping replays and moving to a one gam semi would help.

Quoted from GrimRob

A rolling contract means you'll always have to be sacked unless there is some exit clause based upon performance.

I am sure you could resign if you wanted to........

Surely a rolling contract means either party can give the other notice?,and obviously there will be a period that would need paying up if gtfc asked the manager to leave, or would be compensation from another club if Paul Hurst was poached (before I get a load of flack, I'm not suggesting the second one will happen!)
Three months would be sensible, but knowing us it will probably be a year, hence JF always feels we cant afford it  :-/

I think one year rolling is fair all round.