Heres to 6 points out of our next two games!!! C-mon the Blues!!

Hmmmmmmm - didn't quite work out that way and now look what you have done -everyone is calling for the managers head.

It's not just the last game, it's vurtually every game since the New Year (bar Worksop). He's just not upto the job and should hold his hands up.

And so it (managerial merry-go-round) has begun!

I don't think its any co-incidence that since Lee M stopped scoring we struggled. We also played the better sides on the whole (i.e. the ones that made Conf North). With boht Lee and Dan gone during the summer we have no number nine. ALthough Mark V runs and runs, he is not a centre forward who can hold the ball up. All our goals from last season (and Xmas) have dried up (because Dan and Lee have gone), leaving us really struggling. I know that both Zoll and Maxwell went to other clubs for around £200 a week each. You get what you pay for at every level - i think that Phil S's "contacts" managed to get the players to come to the club with no problem, but clearly FAFC can't pay £200 a player by the looks of things. You are left with a problem then...

The gates have dropped in this league too (except WOrkington), therefore less gate receipts means less for budgets. A lot of other clubs have a better set-up overall and a few have 'money men' behind them. FRom what i can see, we don't! Gateshead is a lesson to everyone about this way of working - great while its there, but when its gone, you are shafted!

I expect that all the 'prem' teams from last season are unhappy at the moment - not one of them occupies a promotion or play-off position this morning. Are they all under-performing, or are last seasons 'div 1' clubs better than people think? Frickley have lost at least 7 players than i can think off (there may be more??) - Morris, Sheriffe, Krief, Jacko, Downes to higher placed clubs, and our more experienced players (Marquis and Nick R) have both retired.

The results so far have been disappointing - agreed, but we were unlucky against Spenny not to win, and win well. IT is a tight league with very different (and technically poorer) teams to last season. It is 'kick and rush' in comparison. A new manager will have the same budget to work with, probably bring his own 'favourites' and not do much better. More money is whats needed - so unless anyone has any bright ideas about how to raise and extra £400-500 a week for the playing budget we will struggle to compete. That may sound harsh and i see lots of people have said on the forum they are aware of the financial problems - but it is the main answer.

If all our players were good enough for Conf North, they would be there now and all signed for clubs over the summer - they could have all probably got more money at other Uni Prem clubs too. So why do FAFC have them? SOme are loyal to the club and want to stay, choose what. Most others are from lower leagues with little (less than two years) or no experience at this level and looking for a chance to move up the football 'ladder'.

Still, just my thoughts and of course everyone is entitled to their own views. I just thought i'd voice mine - seems a busy forum just now! Lets get behind the lads at Bamber Bridge on Saturday.

Good point - there has been quite a bit of activity on the Forum - but the general apathy (and lack of postings) sets the tone. People are happy to sit behind a keyboard and voice their concerns - however it is unlikely that anyone who is dissatisfied will shell out his or her hard-earned if the side is not (in their opinion) performing.

Every home game, I try to get a mate (who would not usually consider watching Frickely) to come to Westfield Lane - if we all tried this then obviously the attendances would double (if we win & play well) or you lose all your friends (if we lose and play badly)

All I can say is that it will be a cheap Xmas for me this year

Of course finance is the major factor. If the Club's gates doubled then the playing budget could increase. However, they won't double whilst we're playing poorly. It's a chicken and egg situation. I, for one, wouild not trust Phil to spend the extra money. Plus if he hadn't messed around in two FA Cup games then he might have had more money to spend anyway. His teams at Frickley have all played long ball. He played one up front against PRescot at HOME!! How negative is that?

Off the field the club is progressing, we are competing on a more level playing field financially than last year and Phil can't blame the budget as much. If he can't do the job on the budget he's given he should step aside.

Ok - fair point re one up front. But i think that may have been down to circumstance? Richard Tracey signed after the Prescot game and has played in all three since. PS only had Mark V to chose up front seeing as Zoll and Maxwell went elsewhere for more money. I think from memory he played Garry H up front - his only option really and only player available with any 'forward' experience at this level.
The average playing budget in our division is probably 50% more than FAFC's - most NCEL teams pay more than us. That's not a level playing field in my book.
I'm not sure who else would want the job to be honest - someone said Mark H at AFC Barnsley - his playing budget is probably more than ours now. When the clubs playing budget was probably double, if not three times what it is now four or five years ago, i don't remember the team doing that well consistently (Northampton apart) - and the crowds hardly rocketed then - Real Madrid playing at Westfield Lane would struggle to engage the local people...The game that i see has been moved to Friday should be a good gauge of local interest - probably no football league including Leeds, Sheffield Utd/Wed., Barnsley or Donny R.
Its a footballing miracle this club ever played in the Conference, and even more amazing that it hasn't disappeared into the NCEL long before now.
Good banter though!!

AFC's budget isn't higher than ours. They can offer bigger money for a few players but on the whole their average wage is less than ours. I would say we're in the lower half on the budget.

I struggle to understand Sharpe. He plays Walker up front in the friendlies and the lad does well. In the league he's sat on the bench and then played left wing?? Sharpe had 12 pre season games to get a settled side and formation and he was still messing around at Ossett Albion with Pugh and Nesa up front. He is clueless at times.

Listen chaps you can blame the financial sitution of the club again and again, Phil Sharpe has had his budget increased by around 32%! Frickley could have had a player from Hull City on loan for a full season and Hull would have paid his wages!! Did Sharpey have a look at him? NO, becuase he was only 21! Absoultely ridiculous. It really is time to go, he has taken the club as far as he can, (which isnt very far) Biran johnson has the contacts, Hatto has the experiance and the Frickley mentality!

Winning combo as far as Im concerned, but I do agree with the apathy of local people is bad for the club, but thats down to the express not pushin us more as well I belive, and the local traders not getting behind us enough.

Never mind Sharpey has to go.
KirkbySteve

32% - thats fairly specific - you must be 'in the know'! WHat is the budget and what was it increased by? Interested to know.
I don't think GH would want the job to be honest, probably doesn't have the time - but i agree with him being Mr Frickley!! Just a shame he isn't 20 years younger!!

Agree PS should go but 32% is wrong mate. Trust me, budget is about the same as last season

Its one of those rumours I heard down elmsall. maybe it is the same as last year but with that sponsor deal and the pre season gates, you would think it would be higher.
I reckon that sharpey is taking money out of the budget for his own use. Can steve pennock tell us what the wages are and what the budget is?