Simon Baker on talksport

[lankyben]

for anyone interested Simon Baker has just been on keys & gray. I am sure later on today it will be available on the listen again options.... interview about 1 hour 30 in

[AustrianAndyGull]

Just heard it Ben, basically was invited to talk about plastic pitches and then told to do one. No mention of Torquay at all ( because the morons that are Keys and Gray only live in planet Premier and so would be made to look like total dicks at their lack of knowledge on anything outside Old Trafford or Anfield ). Pointless.

[lankyben]

completely irrelevant but still may interest someone on here. did mention the small bit on finances at the club but It's common knowledge

[chunkygull]

heard the interview. was totally surprised a league 2 clubs chairman was interviewed let alone ours. :-o usually only lower league clubs get a look in on talksport if they are involved in a cup upset or something. the main subject was about "plastic" pitches.when hearing the interview i thought, actually there may be a good case for them if they are good enough and not too expensive. where the hell does 600k come from though. If paignton college can afford the pitches they have done then why couldnt we. couldnt we get a grant or something. surely if these pitches are ever approved and they help the club and community, the standard of football and to avoid cancelled matches they could be a good idea. also there was a segment earlier in the day talking about how the whole collective debt of the football league clubs is over a billion pounds. :no: they asked simon baker how that includes a club like torquay and how our finances are. =Z it was mentioned about when the consortium took over, the money thats been put in and how the club needs to break even now and stand on its own 2 feet because nobodys in a position to put anymore money in. didnt say we were skint and there was no money for players so i would like to know where the idea comes from we are potless or really cant afford to sign anyone on loan or otherwise.

here is the link to listen to the interview, its about 10 minutes into the 11.30 - 1200 section.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen ... ode/103942

[Dutchgull]

Think about it !!!

[Dave]

Where does it come from, maybe from the spin doctors from within who are very good at telling people what they want them to hear.

Bristow's Bench was built at a build cost around £2m I know the club did not fully fund the entire cost it did fund part of it though, according to Nickgulls post the other day the training ground is costing £300k, plus other projects that have undertaken not with out cost, if allowed the club would like pay out £600k for a 3G pitch yes that may well pay for itself, however would have to be fully funded in the first instance. The club is potless and skint...really..?

Stating the obvious, more a case I think of funds needed to develop a healthy competative infrustructure as a priority, which is important, however there has to be a balance surely. Someone must realise soon that a on the other hand you also need a competative team aswell, if the club keeps ploughing funds into off the field projects and not into the team, we will end up back in the conference at some point, only difference is this time we will have some really nice gear.

Looking at the buisness done by league 2 clubs, think Cheltenham may have gone down the promotion or bust route, and some other clubs have taken a gamble, personaly glad our club does not nor will not go down that route. However if the team contiues to go backwards then the club will, the squad as a whole is going to need a tweak in the summer, so a few extra quid from the board will be needed.

Sorry forgot to say, one of the major losers in yesterdays transfer dealing could well be Plymouth, after the team bottom of the league spent 25k on Harry pell and picked up Gary Alexander on loan from creepy, with Rovers on a flyer and other clubs getting reults, Plymouth having played 2 games more could well in it deep now.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree Dave. Getting the infrastructure in place is important and with the bench it gives the club a new lease of life but there isn't much point having ideas of plastic pitches and the like if we are struggling on the pitch. The playing budget MUST be increased so at the very least we can be competitive with clubs at our end of the spectrum. Not anything that will put us at risk financially but enough to see us in the market for more than Richard Logan. After all, there wasn't any point in building the bench if after a few more seasons of wheeling, dealing getting players in on frees and playing dire football by Ling there is no one left to sit in it. We have sold our best players year on year and not seeing any of it for new players. We even had to borrow a few quid from an elderly lady to buy Bodin in what was the biggest error ever. Maybe judged on that, Ling would be dangerous with any money. Anyway, about Plymouth. They WILL be in the conference come the end of the season. I said that when Sheridan took over and and still utterly convinced that under his style of management they are doomed.

[Kernowgull]

I don't disagree there needs to be a balance between infrastructure and pitch, but providing we dont go down then infrastructure is more important. If we invest to go up this year, we would probably come down next regardlesd. Pointless. However if the club builds the infrastructure to grow the club and sustain long term higher league football, that is much more worthwhile. Providing we stay out of relegation places, which the board are confident we will, then I happen to think theyve got their priorities right

[numpte]

Good interview, Keys and Gray is a good programme and does a FL spot every week amongst other things so not totally PL dominated. I often list to it when I'm out and about.

I think the club is doing the right thing in terms of infrastructure and investing in youth. We are certainly competitive , the main difference between this year and last is that by my reckoning most of the first team have been injured for a period this season compared to last when not really anyone was.

5 years ago we would all have taken the current situation with a snap of the hand. Established in the FL ,competitive, new grandstand, investing in youth, training ground investment, etc etc etc. Any moaners should look at the glass half full.

Outstanding acheivement and I look forward to the next 5.