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merse btpir wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 14:20 Because for all your intent to deliver personal insult; you fail to see that there was a fully available facility to recoup all the costs of a suitable mode of transport to and from that game ~ end of. Do you think that Bognor would have travelled to Torquay in a minibus if they had been required to?

If they had, then Torquay United would have had that cost deducted from the gross receipts just as Bognor would have for the game that was staged and in any case none of this nonsence justifies being outplayed by a team two levels lower. It was nothing to do with 'concentrating on the league' it was all to do with not being good enough!

I think you will find an away club can claim £3.00 per coach mile.
If cars are used it's 40p per mile and I think to cover 25 people a possible 7 cars
It used to be a 1/3rd to the F.A. after all expenses paid I expect it's changed a little now but it was cheaper to get a good away draw.
If you travall over a certain number of hours 6 to 8 you can claim B&B for 25 persons.
Both clubs need to agree a gate charge weeks before.

If you go into a game blaming preparation look at yourself because you have all week to prepare.

tufcyellowarmy wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 18:23 I would offer you a gentleman’s wager Arry that he will most certainly not agree !!
It appears that quite a number of his surgical examinations are conducted using two minute you tube clips a few hundred miles away from such a vantage point .

I know !!!!

lucy6lucy wrote: 27 Nov 2017, 18:32 Owers will be looking forward to this as a reserve team work out I would imagine

I wish I hadn't started the first response god knows what any Maidstone fan thinks of this thread.

lucy6lucy wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 19:34 I wish I hadn't started the first response :) god knows what any Maidstone fan thinks of this thread.

They won't expect Torquay to park the bus now that Nico's gone

lucy6lucy wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 19:34 I wish I hadn't started the first response god knows what any Maidstone fan thinks of this thread.

It was you wittering on about 'concentrating on the league' when the club was embarrassed at Bognor and I pointed out that a full strength side played in that game and were outplayed by a side from two levels lower.

It was me who illustrated the shambolic approach to that game and others who try to divert from that in another vain attempt to protect the hopeless management of the time.

What has that go to do with 'any Maidstone fan'?

merse btpir wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 22:35 It was you wittering on about 'concentrating on the league' when the club was embarrassed at Bognor and I pointed out that a full strength side played in that game and were outplayed by a side from two levels lower.

It was me who illustrated the shambolic approach to that game and others who try to divert from that in another vain attempt to protect the hopeless management of the time.

What has that go to do with 'any Maidstone fan'?

Really, losing to bognor was the best result in regards to us staying up that season. Had we won we would have faced a 2 legged semifinal, 3 Tuesday night games in hand. And a paper thin squad . Your obsession with a mini bus and Nicholson is the wittering on.

So are you insinuating the previous management and their squad deliberately threw a game?

It's my view and that of the numerous Bognor fans I met at later matches of their's; was that the side was poor enough not to have even contemplated doing that.

It was coming out of the boardroom at the time that the club had put the team on a win bonus for the Trophy game at Macclesfield previously and that it exceeded the prize money for winning the tie so where do these wails of poverty from 'Arry No Brains or whatever he's called stand? They went up there in a proper coach. So in truth, all along the emphasis had been along the lines of 'let's have a great day out at Wembley' as opposed to winning the ruddy thing.

Nicholson's after match comments were: "There are no excuses ~ this team should have been good enough to win the game and go through. We had a couple of early chances to settle us down, which we didn't take, and we looked nervous for some reason. We were missing a few players that have done well for us in the League ~ but it was a chance for others to step-up to the plate and show what they are capable of. We weren't sharp enough, we didn't work hard enough and we gave our hosts every encouragement. It's a case of making sure that we pick ourselves up quickly and be ready to go again on Tuesday when the battle for vital League points resumes at Macclesfield."

That doesn't really sound as if he wanted out of the Trophy at the time does it.

merse btpir wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 22:35 It was you wittering on about 'concentrating on the league' when the club was embarrassed at Bognor and I pointed out that a full strength side played in that game and were outplayed by a side from two levels lower.

It was me who illustrated the shambolic approach to that game and others who try to divert from that in another vain attempt to protect the hopeless management of the time.

What has that go to do with 'any Maidstone fan'?

Merse: the master tactician who saved Torquay United from relegation in 2017 with his armchair analysis and may save them again in 2018 with further erudite utterings. It's a wonder Everton, West Ham, West Brom, Swansea, Palace, Bournemouth, Stoke, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Southampton, Brighton And Leicester aren't jostling for his managerial services.

Here are the actual FA stipulations for FA Trophy expenses deductible from the gate......

23. MATCH EXPENSES
(a) Travelling Expenses
(i) In all Rounds, match expenses shall include travelling expenses, actually incurred,
which must not exceed £3.00 per coach mile. If private cars are used, then the
expenses which can be claimed will be for a maximum of five cars at £0.40 per mile.
For ties involving travel to/from the Isle of Wight, boat fares at the cheapest rate are
allowed to be claimed.
(ii) The travelling expenses for the Visiting Club are to be calculated on a direct route
from the Club’s Headquarters, the total mileage must be agreed between both Clubs
prior to the first match and confirmed on the Match Arrangement Form.
(iii) When travelling by rail, the cost of 25 standard class fares at the cheapest available
rate may be claimed.
(b) Hotel Expenses
(i) Where agreement concerning hotel accommodation has been reached, Clubs must
confirm the agreement on the Match Arrangement Form.
(ii) Where mutual agreement concerning hotel accommodation cannot be reached, and
the Visiting Club considers it necessary or desirable to claim hotel expenses, written
application must be made to The Association with a copy to the Home Club at least
seven days in advance of the first match. The National Game Board shall have the
power at its absolute discretion whether or not to grant permission.
(iii) The grounds for making such an application are that it would be necessary or desirable
for the Visiting Club to leave its Headquarters before 8.00am on the day of the match,
alternatively, not be possible to arrive back at its Headquarters within five hours traveling
time of the conclusion of the match. Expenses, which may be claimed, if actually
incurred, shall not exceed £50 per person for up to 25 persons. In the Final, expenses
which may be claimed, if actually incurred, shall not exceed £100 per person for 25
persons.
The grounds for making an application are that if the travelling time exceeds five
hours which includes a stop of not more than 45 minutes then expenses can be
allowed with travelling time based on Auto Route details, as determined by the FA
Competitions Office.
(iv) A Club that has been granted hotel expenses by The Association must stay within a
30 mile radius of the ground where the match will be played.
(v) In a replayed match, any such permission must be sought by telephone within 24
hours of the original match.

In actual fact the squad did 'overnight' in Bognor prior to the match, and the story line at the time was that because of the 'expense' of that the transport arrangements were as such..........but as we know from reading the above; travel costs and overnight accomodation are deductable from the gate money unless the club were unable to convince the FA and Bognor that an 8am departure time on the day of the game was unreasonable in which case they would have had to absorb the hotel bill themselves. The gate incidentally was the biggest of the round and produced easily enough (and more) to support those expenses which could have been legitimately claimed.

Whatever the reason the club needed to absorb the implications of turning up for a game in this manner at the level of football they are operating at. What does it say to the players? What does it say to the opposition? What negative effect does it have on the bodies of the players travelling in such cramped conditions?

Professional it was not!

merse btpir wrote: 01 Dec 2017, 23:37 Here are the actual FA stipulations for FA Trophy expenses deductible from the gate......

23. MATCH EXPENSES
(a) Travelling Expenses
(i) In all Rounds, match expenses shall include travelling expenses, actually incurred,
which must not exceed £3.00 per coach mile. If private cars are used, then the
expenses which can be claimed will be for a maximum of five cars at £0.40 per mile.
For ties involving travel to/from the Isle of Wight, boat fares at the cheapest rate are
allowed to be claimed.
(ii) The travelling expenses for the Visiting Club are to be calculated on a direct route
from the Club’s Headquarters, the total mileage must be agreed between both Clubs
prior to the first match and confirmed on the Match Arrangement Form.
(iii) When travelling by rail, the cost of 25 standard class fares at the cheapest available
rate may be claimed.
(b) Hotel Expenses
(i) Where agreement concerning hotel accommodation has been reached, Clubs must
confirm the agreement on the Match Arrangement Form.
(ii) Where mutual agreement concerning hotel accommodation cannot be reached, and
the Visiting Club considers it necessary or desirable to claim hotel expenses, written
application must be made to The Association with a copy to the Home Club at least
seven days in advance of the first match. The National Game Board shall have the
power at its absolute discretion whether or not to grant permission.
(iii) The grounds for making such an application are that it would be necessary or desirable
for the Visiting Club to leave its Headquarters before 8.00am on the day of the match,
alternatively, not be possible to arrive back at its Headquarters within five hours traveling
time of the conclusion of the match. Expenses, which may be claimed, if actually
incurred, shall not exceed £50 per person for up to 25 persons. In the Final, expenses
which may be claimed, if actually incurred, shall not exceed £100 per person for 25
persons.
The grounds for making an application are that if the travelling time exceeds five
hours which includes a stop of not more than 45 minutes then expenses can be
allowed with travelling time based on Auto Route details, as determined by the FA
Competitions Office.
(iv) A Club that has been granted hotel expenses by The Association must stay within a
30 mile radius of the ground where the match will be played.
(v) In a replayed match, any such permission must be sought by telephone within 24
hours of the original match.

Well done Merse, 10/10 for cut and paste but not relevant: each club receives 45% of the net receipts which are calculated by deducting expenses from takings. Do a little maths and you will realise that both clubs are better served by keeping their expenses to a minimum regardless of what amount they can reclaim. With regard to the use of the minibus I did not realise that it was a tactical choice designed to ensure a poor playing performance - I assumed that Nicholson was being honest when he intimated that it was done to cut costs. However, I don't walk the corridors of power and mingle in lower league boardrooms like you Merse ..............................

I think we’ll beat Maidstone.

The last Trophy run to the final reputedly cost the club about £50k.

WHG wrote: 02 Dec 2017, 04:29 The last Trophy run to the final reputedly cost the club about £50k.

Which is where Merse's attempts to further insult our previous manager falls flat on its face. He has no idea what the cost to the club would have been to get to the final of this tinpot competition and instead of harping on about the shortcomings of Nicholson he should address the sparse investment in his squad at that time. I know of players who received offers from us that were subsequently tripled by other less "glamorous" clubs in the same division as us. We were shit because the whole club was shit, not the fault of Nicholson, despite the continued efforts to disparrage him by Merse.

Arrywithnobrain wrote: 02 Dec 2017, 00:07 Well done Merse, 10/10 for cut and paste but not relevant: each club receives 45% of the net receipts which are calculated by deducting expenses from takings. Do a little maths and you will realise that both clubs are better served by keeping their expenses to a minimum regardless of what amount they can reclaim. With regard to the use of the minibus I did not realise that it was a tactical choice designed to ensure a poor playing performance - I assumed that Nicholson was being honest when he intimated that it was done to cut costs. However, I don't walk the corridors of power and mingle in lower league boardrooms like you Merse ..............................

I am sure your wrong the away side can claim all their expenses out of the gate receipts as the referee,stewards etc. The away side usually put in the maximum they can claim, I know from experience as any loss is shared.