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State of play 02:50 - Mar 14 with 1835 views

Wasn't there last night as I'm away, but I've followed the events of the last few weeks really closely. Must be pretty toxic but it feels especially so considering it stands to reason that the majority of fans who want him to go the most don't even go anymore. I know some obsess over attendances to ludicrous degree but the last few have felt really disheartening, especially with renewals around the corner with the inevitable early bird rhetoric.

Standing back, it's untenable to have a manager who wants to divide the fans and players, which it seems like his Phil Brown and post match comments were trying to do. Evans needs to act immediately, it's embarrassing for all parties and will only get worse as the season goes on unactioned. It's also slightly ridiculous that the only person who can pull the trigger is the same person who is ultimately responsible for the majority of most fans angst.

To sort this out in the long term, Evans can't continue on the same trajectory. I think he has the following options to arrest our decline towards an inevitable relegation in the next few years:

- Invest some more meaningful funds. This feels pretty unlikely. To remain competitive in the championship it's not really optional. MM ground out result after result but often by attrition and to the detriment of developing our own talent. McDonnell, Patterson, Downes, Dozzell, Rowe, Marriott to name a few who are obviously talented but should have all had more game time on top of the slim amount they've had in preference for more experienced, often loanees who are frequently grafters.
- Separate church from state - by this I mean actually have a group of football minded people who are given the power to run their respective part of the club at their discretion. We all know Milne has no power to affect any decision, it's always Evan's decision. This isn't fair, get a football minded MD who his given strategic goals and given autonomy to achieve them in a way they see fit. Imagine asking your boss' permission before you do anything in your job. No effective organisation operates without segregation of duties and with single points of failure.
- Sell the club to someone who is willing to invest in the club's future and understands its stakeholders.

[Post edited 14 Mar 2018 2:51]

	I know that was then, but it could be again..
Poll:	At present who do you think you'll vote for?

State of play on 03:51 - Mar 14 with 1796 views

WednesdayJon

A very thought provoking read.

But your last line:
'- Sell the club to someone who is willing to invest in the club's future and understands its stakeholders'.

As an interested 'outsider' (Sheffield Wednesday fan) with a historical interest in Ipswich Town, I have a couple of genuine questions (though I'm not sure they are easily accurately answered on a fans forum):

1: How much does the club 'owe' Marcus Evans? (I imagine he'd want the best part of his purchase price and subsequent investments back from any potential sale).

2: What is the market worth of the club and it's assets? (Do you still own your ground and training facilities etc?)

I imagine that 1 is a larger sum than 2?

So:

3: Can anyone see a way to square the circle of the obvious disparity between the two (ballpark) figures? Are you a saleable proposition as things stand at the moment?

[Post edited 14 Mar 2018 4:47]

State of play on 11:10 - Mar 14 with 1694 views

TractorWood

State of play on 03:51 - Mar 14 by WednesdayJon

[Post edited 14 Mar 2018 4:47]

Our accounts to 30/06/17 were filed last week. Give or take Evans is owed £90m but bought the clubs debt of £32m (when we were on our knees) for probably between £7m and £20m (but he did invest £12m basically straight away), no one knows as the acquiring entity is offshore and doesn't file accounts to work back the acquisition or give it a go.

Therefore, he's invested around £70m in circa 11 years. He wouldn't be able to get back anything near this. Most punters on here think he'd sell (and write off the debt) for £20m-£30m but this doesn't get you very much as you imply. Again, in the accounts just released we lost £4.3m which is pretty typical of the last few years when you include some really decent transfer activity. We don't own the land of Portman Road (the council do) but we do own all the buildings thereon. I'm pretty sure the Evans group bought some if not all of the training ground in 2010/11 from the club.

We have very little appeal to a prospective buyer apart from being one season away from the most lucrative league in the world but we are no more attractive to buy than the next club in the championship. Given the general poor sentiment around his ownership, the money he's wasted to date and his lack of an obvious attachment to the club I think he'd sell for very little at the moment but I don't know why a savvy investor would take us on with our infrastructure and little guarantee of success. The circle has not been squared.

[Post edited 15 Mar 2018 6:14]

	I know that was then, but it could be again..
Poll:	At present who do you think you'll vote for?

State of play on 17:23 - Mar 14 with 1647 views

WednesdayJon

Thanks for that TractorWood.

In the absence of clear statements of intent from ME, it must be really difficult for you fans to see a way out of the current malaise.

All the best, I hope we can cling on to our Championship status this year and then, by some miracle, we can both be challenging near the top and playing entertaining football again next season!

State of play on 06:28 - Mar 15 with 1586 views

TractorWood

State of play on 17:23 - Mar 14 by WednesdayJon
Thanks for that TractorWood. In the absence of clear statements of intent from ME, it must be really difficult for you fans to see a way out of the current malaise. All the best, I hope we can cling on to our Championship status this year and then, by some miracle, we can both be challenging near the top and playing entertaining football again next season!

I thought your lot were fine until your recent run. Sunderland in a few weeks is a good measure if it's actually a relegation fight or bad times. Your lots always bring a good number and decent bunch to ours. Hope you stay up for that reason alone.

	I know that was then, but it could be again..
Poll:	At present who do you think you'll vote for?

State of play on 09:32 - Mar 15 with 1495 views

Currie10

State of play on 06:28 - Mar 15 by TractorWood
I thought your lot were fine until your recent run. Sunderland in a few weeks is a good measure if it's actually a relegation fight or bad times. Your lots always bring a good number and decent bunch to ours. Hope you stay up for that reason alone.

I've taken Sheff Weds at 25-1 to get relegated prior to the Ips H Bolton H results.

Surely be fine - mainly because the bottom 3s form is ridiculously poor however a couple of wins from one, and if Sheff Weds continue this form / key players don't come back soon their far from safe.

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