Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Forum index | Previous Thread | Next thread
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul 20:11 - Nov 20 with 1853 viewsmfb_cufc

There was a big piece about Robbie Cowling in today's Sun. Yes I know I admit I buy the Sun.

The main revelation is "The way I'm setting things up the club will be owned by the Cowling household forever. That is my intention".

Other quotes from the article:- "The club loses money every year. I probably assist the first team with at least £1m and the academy is another £1m. "How long can I keep doing it? I can keep doing it for as long as I want. There's no danger that I will walk away, not in the next year or two, not ever". He runs a group of 22 companies under the name Aspire. He explained: "I make good money through the Aspire group and the club is part of the group. That allows the profits I make in one company to be set against the losses at Colchester. What it costs is a number I am comfortable with". "I've always aspired to doing great things. But it got to the stage where the amount of money I was putting into Colchester was only allowing us top stay where we were. That was uncomfortable for me and it wasn't fun. I had to decide whether I wanted to stay in football or not". The turning point came when Cowling decided there was only one way forward - to invest in youth. About putting his money into the academy he said "When we have a young boy making his debut I get nervous, like it was one of my own kids. I find it really rewarding. If I didn't have that, I wouldn't want to own a football club just for first-team football. The biggest kick I get is out of seeing the youngsters come through". "It's not like buying a lottery ticket- at least we have hope with some of the kids that are coming through. The value of players is going through the roof and we have a chance, even if we only bring through one or two exceptional players in a decade. That could cover all the losses and the academy would pay for itself. And if it doesn't, I've written it off". The article ends with something we have heard many times before. "The fans think we are under-achieving. Their expectation is we were in the Championship a few years ago and should have stayed there. Based on our annual budget of about £1.6m, in reality we should be about ninth in League Two. I know we're 12th but in all the years I've run the club we've never finished below that level".

That quote about the club staying in the Cowling household forever is a bit worrying to me. Yes, it will give us the stability we need, but that is about it. There seems to be a total lack of ambition, while we have this philosophy of depending on youth.

mfb

0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 21:18 - Nov 20 with 1837 viewsgerry_us

Worse than buying The Sun; you actually read it!
0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 21:30 - Nov 20 with 1836 viewsLeadbelly

Mr Cowling gets his biggest kicks from seeing youngsters come through the system. As a fan, I get my biggest kicks from days when we achieve something, like a 0-0 draw at Yeovil to secure promotion, beating Norwich 7-1 or going a goal up at Stamford Bridge. I think the chairman has a lot more to look forward to than I do.

Poll: Safe standing at football; yes, know or don't know?

0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 12:37 - Nov 21 with 1791 viewsburnsieespana

I think as football supporters we all have unreal expectations of our club and that does not matter whrther you are an Arsenal or a Colchester United fan.
Personally I am comfortable with him saying clearly he is in for the long haul because, it would be ever so easy for us to go the way of so many such as Darlington, Chester, Hereford, etc. and simply disappear into the National League.
When you look at the National leagure including North and South, it is staggering how many teams we used to play against in earlier years with Barrow, Gateshead, Bradford Park Avenue springing to mind.
0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 13:07 - Nov 21 with 1786 viewsgerry_us

Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 12:37 - Nov 21 by burnsieespana

I think as football supporters we all have unreal expectations of our club and that does not matter whrther you are an Arsenal or a Colchester United fan.
Personally I am comfortable with him saying clearly he is in for the long haul because, it would be ever so easy for us to go the way of so many such as Darlington, Chester, Hereford, etc. and simply disappear into the National League.
When you look at the National leagure including North and South, it is staggering how many teams we used to play against in earlier years with Barrow, Gateshead, Bradford Park Avenue springing to mind.


Wrexham, Aldershot, and more seriously Torquay who look as though they will drop further through the league's.
There but for the grace of Cowling could we also be. Never lets forget it guys.
0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 13:42 - Nov 21 with 1783 viewsMoor_Pinot

Southport, Kidderminster, York City, Wrexham, Stockport........................... Oh Yes, I am grateful for what we have.

But to have hope borne of ambition helps too!!

Moor Pinot

0
Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 15:07 - Nov 21 with 1775 viewsLeadbelly

Robbie Cowling in for the long haul on 12:37 - Nov 21 by burnsieespana

I think as football supporters we all have unreal expectations of our club and that does not matter whrther you are an Arsenal or a Colchester United fan.
Personally I am comfortable with him saying clearly he is in for the long haul because, it would be ever so easy for us to go the way of so many such as Darlington, Chester, Hereford, etc. and simply disappear into the National League.
When you look at the National leagure including North and South, it is staggering how many teams we used to play against in earlier years with Barrow, Gateshead, Bradford Park Avenue springing to mind.


Realistic or otherwise my expectation is for more than dull survival. I'm afraid I can't get too excited about achieving a league position commensurate with our budget. If I could then perhaps I'd relish the thought of many more years of mid table mediocrity in League 2. Sadly I can't manage any enthusiasm for that so this is almost certainly the last year I will buy a season ticket. My £300 will be better spent on something that will bring me pleasure rather than annoy and frustrate me.

Poll: Safe standing at football; yes, know or don't know?

0
About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024