| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting 01:08 - May 21 with 9540 views | The_Romford_Blue |
https://www.northstandchat.com/threads/kieran-mckenna.408004/
Couple of comments on page 1 are somewhat eyebrow raising:
‘Is this a joke thread? From an elite manager who essentially joined us from a Champions League club, to one who has never even managed in a top division anywhere? I think not.’
‘It's just a fact, we're a much bigger club than Ipswich, just like Chelsea are a much bigger club than us.’
Brighton are likely a more attractive club right now for sure but I’m not having it that they’re ’a much bigger club’ at all. And to be fair plenty of their fans were quick to say that we are bigger than Brighton. Which we are imo. Thoughts? [Post edited 21 May 1:10]
|  |
| |  |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 16:36 - May 21 with 842 views | Bossy |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 15:28 - May 21 by Stewart27 |
Nah.
You lost me at Norwich.
You must be on a wind up. |
With us now being in the Prem with a decorated history and Norwich running out of parachute payments and having next to no meaningful trophies to their name, I would say we are definitely the bigger club of the two.
But on the other hand, who actually cares? Not me. |  |
| |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 16:38 - May 21 with 823 views | blueasfook |
I never really disliked Brighton until this week. Now i think they're utter w@nkers. |  |
| |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 17:16 - May 21 with 666 views | Vegtablue |
Their average attendance is a sold-out 31.5K, while ours is a home-sold-out 28.8K. I don't know if your attendance-based argument further down the thread is that a few thousand don't bother turning up, or that it's filled up with PL tourists, but they sell out whether it's Man Utd or Sheff Utd. They operate a season ticket waiting list, much like we'll need to over the summer, and you need to buy a membership in order to join it.
On account of respective histories, our roots must be more extensive and deeply entrenched. Should we both fall on harder times, there's little doubting whose support and revenue would hold up for longer. And yet our history also pales in comparison with perhaps half the division; only the most studious professional footballer would elevate our status above Brighton's today.
In the present, we need perhaps two perfect years to reach the platform they currently offer. Two years is the typical length of time a manager stays in post; only 8 of the 92 have been in situ for 3+ years. In the same period, McKenna could be competing in the top 10 of the division, succeeding with similar financial disadvantages to those he faced this season. If his performances plateaued with us, it should mean relegation. With Brighton, it should mean 14th place.
Moving to club potential, I see little reason why our ceiling should be notably higher than theirs. If a 35K+ capacity would be more appropriate for us today, so surely would it be for them. We're both one-county clubs, with opportunity to extend our tentacles into neighbouring districts. We're equidistant to the capital, while Brighton triumphs on amenities and broader appeal. And the longer they establish themselves in the PL, the more deeply embedded their own roots become. They have a billionaire owner, while we have a multi-billion pound pension fund, who may or may not be prepared to allocate similar/superior resources to us. On the subject of "potential", ownership and investment status should probably be thought of as fluid anyway.
To crystallise my point, contrast our similarities with the differences between us and the levels above. West Ham and Newcastle, demonstrably bigger, generate £40M+ in gate receipts, £40M+ in commercial revenue. Huge capacities, large national presence, we would do well to elevate ourselves into this company over the next decade. And yet these two, who together represent the next meaningful rung above Brighton, are barely able to see the next rung above themselves. Arsenal were the worst financial performers of the big six in 22/23, with matchday revenue of £103M, commercial income of £170M. The biggest boys earned £300M commercial: true global players.
If our ceiling is higher than Brighton because we have history with Europe, or because we have history punching above our weight, then our ceiling isn't meaningfully higher at all. It is simply confidence that we will use similar tools to them more successfully, or more aggressively. The most ambitious club currently is Aston Villa, following faithfully in Leicester's footsteps. They lost the most money of any club in Europe last year, have had to extend their financial period by a month in the hope that player sales will satisfy their PSR obligations, and realistically mustn't finish below 6th with their current wage bill (which is closer to Arsenal's than West Ham's, despite them earning half what West Ham take in matchday revenue and less in commercial too).
Attitude to risk is what may separate us from Brighton if/when we do catch up, I put forward, not potential. While Gamechanger remains in control, however, I suspect our attitude to risk will conform to the consensus of 25K-40K capacity clubs, rather than those outliers betting the house on black. None of the above dictates that McKenna should move mind, as taking us to Brighton's current level would do further wonders to his reputation. Hopefully he believes he has the tools to make up safe. |  | | |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 17:45 - May 21 with 565 views | Tangledupin_Blue |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 17:16 - May 21 by Vegtablue |
Their average attendance is a sold-out 31.5K, while ours is a home-sold-out 28.8K. I don't know if your attendance-based argument further down the thread is that a few thousand don't bother turning up, or that it's filled up with PL tourists, but they sell out whether it's Man Utd or Sheff Utd. They operate a season ticket waiting list, much like we'll need to over the summer, and you need to buy a membership in order to join it.
On account of respective histories, our roots must be more extensive and deeply entrenched. Should we both fall on harder times, there's little doubting whose support and revenue would hold up for longer. And yet our history also pales in comparison with perhaps half the division; only the most studious professional footballer would elevate our status above Brighton's today.
In the present, we need perhaps two perfect years to reach the platform they currently offer. Two years is the typical length of time a manager stays in post; only 8 of the 92 have been in situ for 3+ years. In the same period, McKenna could be competing in the top 10 of the division, succeeding with similar financial disadvantages to those he faced this season. If his performances plateaued with us, it should mean relegation. With Brighton, it should mean 14th place.
Moving to club potential, I see little reason why our ceiling should be notably higher than theirs. If a 35K+ capacity would be more appropriate for us today, so surely would it be for them. We're both one-county clubs, with opportunity to extend our tentacles into neighbouring districts. We're equidistant to the capital, while Brighton triumphs on amenities and broader appeal. And the longer they establish themselves in the PL, the more deeply embedded their own roots become. They have a billionaire owner, while we have a multi-billion pound pension fund, who may or may not be prepared to allocate similar/superior resources to us. On the subject of "potential", ownership and investment status should probably be thought of as fluid anyway.
To crystallise my point, contrast our similarities with the differences between us and the levels above. West Ham and Newcastle, demonstrably bigger, generate £40M+ in gate receipts, £40M+ in commercial revenue. Huge capacities, large national presence, we would do well to elevate ourselves into this company over the next decade. And yet these two, who together represent the next meaningful rung above Brighton, are barely able to see the next rung above themselves. Arsenal were the worst financial performers of the big six in 22/23, with matchday revenue of £103M, commercial income of £170M. The biggest boys earned £300M commercial: true global players.
If our ceiling is higher than Brighton because we have history with Europe, or because we have history punching above our weight, then our ceiling isn't meaningfully higher at all. It is simply confidence that we will use similar tools to them more successfully, or more aggressively. The most ambitious club currently is Aston Villa, following faithfully in Leicester's footsteps. They lost the most money of any club in Europe last year, have had to extend their financial period by a month in the hope that player sales will satisfy their PSR obligations, and realistically mustn't finish below 6th with their current wage bill (which is closer to Arsenal's than West Ham's, despite them earning half what West Ham take in matchday revenue and less in commercial too).
Attitude to risk is what may separate us from Brighton if/when we do catch up, I put forward, not potential. While Gamechanger remains in control, however, I suspect our attitude to risk will conform to the consensus of 25K-40K capacity clubs, rather than those outliers betting the house on black. None of the above dictates that McKenna should move mind, as taking us to Brighton's current level would do further wonders to his reputation. Hopefully he believes he has the tools to make up safe. |
Excellent post - thank you for taking the time.
There may also be a 'personal' factor.
Mr McKenna will, at some point, be offered a job. Hopefully that day is a long way into the future but it will come.
He will be offered attractive terms wherever but he has a wife and young children hopefully happy and settled in Suffolk. If his ambition is to eventually manage one of the clubs at the top of the ladder then, perhaps, he and his family will not want a couple of years in Suffolk then a couple in Sussex, then Northumberland before taking their place at Alderley Edge. [Post edited 21 May 18:07]
|  |
| |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 18:53 - May 21 with 445 views | Stato |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 12:03 - May 21 by Tangledupin_Blue |
I remember the most recent time that Burnley were league champions. It was within weeks of my seventh birthday and I was pleased because most of the other kids preferred Tottenham and they finished second. I preferred Burnley because of family connections with Lancashire. |
History is important. I went to the Goldstone Ground and it was a dump. I went to the With Dean Stadium and it was much worse. And then a couple of years at Gillingham and Brighton had no home but now some of them claim to be a much bigger club and it's a joke. I'm super pleased for Brighton they have their dark days behind them but we are emerging into the light too and McKenna leaving won't change that I hope he votes with his feet and stays because we then fall behind Leeds/Southampton winner in terms of prep time on transfers as no player joining until new manager starts if KM goes | |
| |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 18:57 - May 21 with 416 views | Herbivore |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 18:53 - May 21 by Stato |
History is important. I went to the Goldstone Ground and it was a dump. I went to the With Dean Stadium and it was much worse. And then a couple of years at Gillingham and Brighton had no home but now some of them claim to be a much bigger club and it's a joke. I'm super pleased for Brighton they have their dark days behind them but we are emerging into the light too and McKenna leaving won't change that I hope he votes with his feet and stays because we then fall behind Leeds/Southampton winner in terms of prep time on transfers as no player joining until new manager starts if KM goes |
So they aren't a bigger club than us because they used to have crap stadiums? That's a bit of a Norwich level argument, mate. |  |
| |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 19:11 - May 21 with 377 views | MeltonBlue |
A couple and I mean a couple of posters on there seem to think that Faroli from Nice is going there now? I relaxed then I saw Chelsea have got rid of Poch.. | | | |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 19:17 - May 21 with 354 views | Buhrer |
| Brighton thread about McKenna is interesting on 16:38 - May 21 by blueasfook |
I never really disliked Brighton until this week. Now i think they're utter w@nkers. |
Back in the good old days of twtd invading other forums I do partly remember a Brighton based nightclub or music forum where we all had a bit of a laugh, I remember they were confused. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
