The Poolie Bunker

We have terminal cancer, its just a case of when we die, 1,2 or 5 years , unless someone can persuade one of those Saudis up at Newcastle if they have any mates who like a challenge. Its either that or start from scratch. As in life , when you hit rock bottom , the only people who will help you are sharks and money lenders, and we seem to be getting passed from one to the other , with it getting worse every time.

I know I’m repeating myself but it’s very clear that most clubs like ours are not sustainable as a full time entity in the national league without a good cup run or an excellent commercial side - we don’t have either. The issue for me when Singh bought the club is that we continued the sage debt. The upshot of that is that in unplanned revenue like a run to the fourth Or fifth round of the cup would not rebuild the club, it would rebuild Sage. So how does the club turn around when Raj Singh’s money runs out? He’s risked his spare cash, he won’t risk his core wealth and his businesses unless he’s daft and he’s certainly not that.

Prize money has dropped dramatically By hundreds of thousands of pounds in the last couple of years since relegation yet we still continue as a full time club. If we’re not promoted next year then that will end.

Its not most clubs though is it? Chesterfield , Notts Co, Stockport and possibly Wrexham will one day soon end up back in the FL . Clubs like Pools have generally been consistently badly run for most of their existence, the NL is probably our level. What we need to do now , in a game and world that is leaving us behind , is to find out how we survive at this level , or else we could sink even further.

The National League isn't our level, we are perfectly capable of settling back in the FL. But we are where we are and have to find a way. We hardly have a history of success and glamour to attract owners so we'll have to do it the hard way. Stockport spent 6 years in the NL North but by cutting their cloth accordingly, they're getting there. They now have a new owner who's got some cash. They sunk to the depths though to get better. Wrexham seem stranded without a money man and Chesterfield will be here some time. Notts will go up soon enough.

It would actually be a promotion. We'd be back in the 4th tier.

All of those teams you mention Ron are coming back debt free.

I think as a community club we would have a fantastic opportunity. A council owned ground at a peppercorn rent and a town that would get behind the club if motivated properly.

Ironically the model I’m thinking of is the likes of Horden CW in the 70’s and 80’s.

It'll be interesting if in a few decades time if the likes of Fleetwood's sugardaddies will lose interest...

I disagree. We always struggled in the FL , clubs and towns like us, all went by the way, Bradford PA, Accrington, Gateshead, Workington, Barrow, Darlo etc. Looking back our greatest achievement was staying in the league so long , IOR prolonged that by 20 years or so. I think those other clubs will pick up , maybe not Wrexham , as they are isolated in a way like us and in a deprived area , but have a little bit of history and something to be proud of. The others always have a chance of attracting a white knight investor , in more affluent areas , have a bit of history of success and generally better supported. Also a lot of clubs buying their way up these days, its not the Wigans, Wimbledons , Wycombes Burtons or Yeovils anymore , clubs with a great non league histories but flat pack clubs like Crawley, Salford, FGR and Fleetwood etc with serious money behind them. IMO everything suggests this is or soon will be our level , but the whole idea of football , what makes the game what it is, is to punch above your weight and play above your level , Accrington , Rochdale, Fleetwood are currently doing that. IMO our level is currently league 2 but unless we stop the rot it will become NLN , few now think of Darlo as a FL club/town.

I'm inclined to agree. I believe that will be the eventual outcome anyway , and not through choice.

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/f-a-cup-2nd-round

Give them a ring Raj !

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... d-21964051