Mel Gwinnett

Discussion of all things related to the club and first team
TW10
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:21 pm

Got a good feeling about him, he seems considered, talks very well and not just an angry ranger type on the touchline. I can imagine good players wanting to play for him. Nagging question is obviously if this season continues the way it’s going on a pitch that is near impossible to play on and we go down then what happens in the summer. I know the brothers have promised funds etc but the Southern or Isthmian prem are tough leagues to get out of. With this in mind does anyone know where Mel lives? Or the brothers for that matter. If the travelling is gruelling then a point will be reached where he will think is it worth it especially as he won’t be short of offers from higher up.
Josh2002
Posts: 530
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:11 am

I believe Mel lives in Northampton.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

It’s hard to stick with a manager if you get relegated and Mel will have had half a season to have had an impact so couldn’t really point the whole finger at the previous management team. Supporters will legitimately ask why he would get another roll of the dice. Why would recruitment be any easier if we can’t find better players now? And quite probably our better players may not fancy a season in the Southern Premier with increased travelling when they could easily find a place at a NLS club. Clearly more players become available over the close season but I fear relegation will mean largely starting from scratch on the playing front. We have had to do that before and it is not the end of the world but the new backers might be less inclined to invest compared to being in the NLS. All good reasons to make sure we don’t get relegated.
Shepperton Supporter
Posts: 1606
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:18 pm

These are all very good points and relegation this season, whist according to both Mel and the brothers , would not completely derail the project it would delay it and bring in other factors.
To my way of thinking the fixtures between now and the end of February will determine our fate, next Saturday would be very difficult, but after that there are home fixtures that we must get points off of.
Our recent record is dreadful, last league win was mid November, five points in ten games, ten goals scored with five in first two games of this sequence. Since then five goals scored in eight games, it doesn’t take a genius to work out where our problems are! This must be rectified if we stand any chance of surviving. It might be that we might have to invest more heavily than we would like to avoid the drop and the subsequent problems already highlighted.
As for the pitch, it is why we want a artificial one, we are where we’re are currently and just have to try and get it as playable as we can.
tones
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:32 pm

Things are dreadful because the team is dreadful. Blaming the pitch that both teams play on cuts no ice. Money should have been made available in the summer to at least recruit a proven goalscorer. We are in the position we are in because of that. The fact that no major recruitment has happened since Mel took charge either means the season has already been written off or another agenda is being pursued!
HamptonMad
Posts: 874
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:56 pm

So what we are looking for is a Good groundsman that is a proven goalscorer.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Wasn't Tommy Wood that goalscorer?
HamptonMad
Posts: 874
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:56 pm

The Club should be run by The Supporters trust in step 3. And all the happy helpers. Bring the club back together.
Shepperton Supporter
Posts: 1606
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:18 pm

Tony wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2023 5:01 pm Wasn't Tommy Wood that goalscorer?
Yes Gary hailed it as a great signing as he did with Fernandez . As things have turned out Tommy has struggled to score. Many of us have been disappointed in him although it might be that our style does not suit him or maybe fitness issues. One thing I would comment is, he has never had anyone to play off him and injecting some pace. Amartey could have, but Gary never teamed them properly Into these roles and his loan lapsed for whatever reason. Our loss, Slough’s gain!
Someone mentioned our summer recruitment, looking at the players Gary recruited and how many have left as not being what we required then this might be the root of our present predicament.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

HamptonMad wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2023 5:17 pm The Club should be run by The Supporters trust in step 3. And all the happy helpers. Bring the club back together.
The Trust would struggle to run the club financially in the Combined Counties. Let’s not kid ourselves about how expensive it is to run a non league club these days.
Shepperton Supporter
Posts: 1606
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:18 pm

Tony wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:05 pm The Trust would struggle to run the club financially in the Combined Counties. Let’s not kid ourselves about how expensive it is to run a non league club these days.
At our level clubs need a combination of wealthy backers, bigger gates, other streams of incoming such as letting the facilities including pitch etc .
As Tony pointed out if you want the current standard of football then Trust and local volunteers, whilst great for doing so much of the help and administrative, they cannot bring in the money to pay players at this level.
TW10
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:21 pm

Few further questions spring to mind..

1) I think it was said at the the Q&A but who is the backer (some FTSE100 financial doyen) and is it a single individual or a few?
2) are the brothers shareholders or just employed to administer the club?
3) would be interesting to know what they are being paid.
4) finally what did it cost for the new backers to assume control i.e what did they pay for their majority shareholding in the club?

Educated answers appreciated by many im sure!
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