Fans Focus Meeting Review

Walsall Supporters Trust Vice Chairman Bob Thomas took notes

Saddlers` Fans Focus Meeting – Thursday 9th January 2014

In attendance, Stefan Gamble, Dan Mole and Leigh Pomlett (Director) plus 15 Saddlers fans.

No developments on the scoreboard and chips – get that out of the way first!

Contracts – negotiations still ongoing, including Andy Taylor. Andy Butler has an option (in his favour) for a further year. He has to tell the club by May 1st if he wishes to take up the option. Julian Gray`s contract expires on January 20th – no indication if he will be offered an extension yet.

Paterson`s fee will be considerably in excess of £1 million pounds if all the clauses in the transfer are invoked. The sell-on is a fixed percentage and does not reduce over the period of his contract. Transfer revenue is divided as 50% to players` wages budget and 50% to the infra-structure of the club, e.g. the academy (particularly the staffing), the new gyms, pitch maintenance, etc.

The club is taking steps to secure all of the promising young playing talent and feels that it is not particularly worried about the EPPP. The 48 League One and League Two clubs are scared of upsetting the 24 Championship clubs and all 72 of them are scared of upsetting the Premier League clubs! If a really big club, or alternatively, the Wolves or the Villa, came along after any of our promising players, the club is confident we would be fully compensated.

Three of the first-year professionals will be flying out to play in the summer season in Iceland (the Siggi connection!). No names revealed yet.

Great credit given to Jon Whitney and the fitness of the players. Milan Lalkovic was found to be below the desired fitness level on arrival from Chelsea`s development squad. He is now much fitter and stronger. A message there for many young pros at Premier League clubs – Under-21 football is not necessarily a good preparation for the pro game. Chelsea are paying more than half of Lalkovic`s wages.

Will Grigg unhappy with the style of play at Brentford (but very happy with his pay-packet!). Brentford have a wage budget of £7 million – on a turnover of £2 million!!! Whatever happened to financial fair play?

Following negotiations with West Midlands Police, the police bill has been cut from £100,000 down to £60,000 in view of improved spectator behaviour. Banning orders have been issued against the odious toe-rags involved the trouble after the Pompey game and at Shrewsbury.

After many complaints about the club website, the club is relying more and more on Twitter and facebook. Following the departure of Richard Hazelgrave as commercial officer for the Football League, the club hope that the matter of the standard League website will be addressed. About 400 people are registered to use Saddlers Player.

The club has a 2-year deal with BBC Radio WM to cover 10 matches per season. Presumably that`s when the Wolves aren`t playing!

Jeff Bonser is not “actively looking for a way out” of his position at WFC. He regularly attends at Bescot during the week and at the training ground. He also goes to a lot of away games.

The U18s “free” season ticket has been a big success with over 500 taking up the offer. There is a good take-up with the “transitional” scheme for 19 year-olds of a season ticket for £150. The club will be watching to see if these 19 year-olds make the transition to full-price season tickets when they leave their teens.

Finally, pre-season friendlies – likely to be our local rivals again (for financial reasons -they attract plenty of support!). Celtic wanted a quarter of a million pounds to play a pre-season friendly at Bescot!!!