If you were in charge of the club today, what would be your priorities? You've given Hurst his budget and trust him to use it wisely, so you you can devote your energies elsewhere. I would..

1 Push hard for the new stadium on the back of promotion back to the Football League
2 Market the club to try and attract substantial investment into the club

Now is the time for our great leader to be very busy. Celebrations over and plan for the future..

Absolutely new investment required

New ground should be a priority. It would change the face of the club completely and bring in new fans.

First priority is to get as many season ticket holders as possible signed up. A bit of market research into a pricing strategy that would maximise revenue while not pricing out loyal suopporters. Second, keep the club in the news over the close season by drip feeding news/signings to the press. Then on the commerical front look for sponsors/advertisers and anyone willing to invest, including smaller investors willing to buy shares. The new ground obviously is a long-term ambition but there's probably a limited amount you can do on a daily basis.

But chicken and egg

New ground could bring in investment
Investment could bring a new ground

The ground has to be a major priority. It'll take this club onto the next level, we seem to have the investment for the ground already. New investment will come when the ground is up and ready.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

But chicken and egg

New ground could bring in investment
Investment could bring a new ground

Therefore both!!

Quoted from GrimRob

First priority is to get as many season ticket holders as possible signed up. A bit of market research into a pricing strategy that would maximise revenue while not pricing out loyal suopporters. Second, keep the club in the news over the close season by drip feeding news/signings to the press. Then on the commerical front look for sponsors/advertisers and anyone willing to invest, including smaller investors willing to buy shares. The new ground obviously is a long-term ambition but there's probably a limited amount you can do on a daily basis.

Why? Put £2 a game on every ticket, season ticket or match ticket. The most it's going to cost someone is £50 ie. the cost of going to one away game.

I would tell all staff as they had all been part of a succesful season they could have Sunday off.

Get some bog roll in the ponny shitters.

Quoted from moosey_club

I would tell all staff as they had all been part of a succesful season they could have Sunday off.

I think they had last Sunday off.......

A really strong marketing strategy which would hopefully attract new fans, new investors and lead to the new ground. Need to start pressing the council as well

Quoted from jonnyboy82

Get some bog roll in the ponny shitters.

Translation------ " I would be most grateful if the person responsible for sanitation and hygene at Blundell Park would kindly pass the message on to the person assigned to toilet roll distribution that there aren,t  any bog rolls in the Ponny shitters. I thank you in anticipation  Jonnyboy xxx

I would push for the new ground and take top legal advice on it being able to have a standing terrace at the home end.

Quoted from promotion plaice

I would push for the new ground and take top legal advice on it being able to have a standing terrace at the home end.

I understand from a director I've spoken to that safe standing will be part of the proposal for the new ground once it finally gets the go-ahead.  This may now be made easier by trials in Wales and Scotland and the fact that the Sports Minister wanted to wait until the conclusion of the Hillsborough Inquiry before committing to anything other than the status quo.

Priorities, possibly in equal/simultaneous order of preference:

1)  Commission the new ground and have a site agreed
2)  Strategy for pitching the club to investors, whether a fan consortium, wealthy individual or combination of the two
3)  Clearly settled position regarding the club's debts and "benign loans" so that any pitch to investors in point 2 has as few potential objections as possible
4)  Comprehensive Branding and Experience Research of the current and potential fan-base to back-up points 1-3 (on a strategic level) and to inform smaller changes to the match day experience (bog rolls for  jonnyboy, better catering, Stone Roses on a loop before kick-off, etc) on a tactical level.

Quoted from promotion plaice

I would push for the new ground and take top legal advice on it being able to have a standing terrace at the home end.

And soft toilet paper in the new toilets for he of 'hot dog' fame. None of that Izal stuff!

Quoted from promotion plaice

I would push for the new ground and take top legal advice on it being able to have a standing terrace at the home end.

And Get some bog roll in the shitters ;) ;D ;D

Quoted from Garth

And Get some bog roll in the shitters ;) ;D ;D

Translation  " If the person respo------------- etc.        Garth  xxx

Really good deal on family season tickets or free season tickets for under 10's/12's?  when bought with a full price adult ticket.

In this scenario Bigdog, do we have £2-3m of benign debt?

If so that's a stumbling block to option 2, and possibly a big problem with option 1 too.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

In this scenario Bigdog, do we have £2-3m of benign debt?

If so that's a stumbling block to option 2, and possibly a big problem with option 1 too.

Not sure what the tax position for the club would be if it was written off. But if feasible I would do it to try and make option 1 and 2 easier to achieve..

It's never benign until it's off the balance sheet, promises or not.

Aye. I'd want to focus on that first to unlock the true potential of the club. If I was looking to invest, I'd do my due diligence and see that as who really controls the club.

Shares for debt deal?

I would have a word with my manager. Ask him not to go out of his way to antagonise the supporters, definitely don't cup your ear to the 12000 fans who raised 110k for his budget. I'd ask him make a brief speech on the open top promotion bus to congratulate his team and to thank the supporters for a season of amazing support away from home, and I'd ask him to close the divide between himself and the supporters. I'd remind him that the fans will turn on him much quicker should we lose a few games in succession if he is despised. I'd also remind him we finished 21 points behind Cheltenham Town and the odds on us getting lucky one of those seasons were decent.

Quoted from GrimRob

First priority is to get as many season ticket holders as possible signed up. A bit of market research into a pricing strategy that would maximise revenue while not pricing out loyal suopporters. Second, keep the club in the news over the close season by drip feeding news/signings to the press. Then on the commerical front look for sponsors/advertisers and anyone willing to invest, including smaller investors willing to buy shares. The new ground obviously is a long-term ambition but there's probably a limited amount you can do on a daily basis.

WHS