Away Trip to Boston.

[Swissbloke]

July. 3 matches.

Seacoast United

New England Revolution (Behind closed doors)

and 1 other match.

Now to convice the family that be based 25 hours from Orlando is a good thing.....

[Hog]

Anyone heard any dates mentioned? Heathrow - Boston direct for 2 weeks at end of July currently £581 with BA. Florida nearer £850 with stops. I wonder how many will book a caravan in Skeggy by mistake?

[Swissbloke]

http://nesoccertoday.com/?p=2548

[Hog]

So no dates yet then.

I've been a bit of a twit as I thought Seacoast were in Florida (presumably because of the KT connection as that's where I thought he was based) but actually it's not far from Boston which now makes sense. So that flight price is looking quite attractive now although I doubt I'd be allowed to go (take them with me!) unless school had already broken up which is 27th July down here.

[Snake]

Anyone heard any dates mentioned? Heathrow - Boston direct for 2 weeks at end of July currently £581 with BA. Florida nearer £850 with stops. I wonder how many will book a caravan in Skeggy by mistake?

And going via Guinea would probably be even more expensive.

[GodalmingYellow]

You don't really think you'll get to see anything more than a youth team play do you?

[Yankee Clipper]

You don't really think you'll get to see anything more than a youth team play do you?

Why would we organise a pre season tour of the USA and not take the first team?

[SWA]

Youth team?!
Of course it will be the first team. Strange post

[slappy]

I was wondering how the club can afford this for a pre-season getaway, compared with 2 minibuses to Scotland staying in cheap hotels / B&ampBs as they've done the last two years.

The cynic in me says that the club's partnership with Virgin travel will get them (staff and players) cheap discounted tickets, and the club will get a share of profits from perhaps setting up an 'official supporters travel package'.

[recordmeister]

I was wondering how the club can afford this for a pre-season getaway, compared with 2 minibuses to Scotland staying in cheap hotels / B&ampBs as they've done the last two years.

The cynic in me says that the club's partnership with Virgin travel will get them (staff and players) cheap discounted tickets, and the club will get a share of profits from perhaps setting up an 'official supporters travel package'.

Or, you could have some faith in how the club is now being run and say:

&quotWhat a great job the club is doing making ends meet (and some) and what a privilege it is to support a club with ambitions, great contacts to make trips like this a reality and, seemingly, manageable accounts to match.&quot

I don't get why some people are always doubting at this club.

*yawn* Move on, people. The rats / fat cats have left the ship over the past few years and we finally have a captain who knows how to sail. But time, as always will tell.

You never quite know with this club...!


Edit: And as I press the &quotSubmit&quot button, my phone buzzes with a text telling me Steve MacLean has signed until the end of the season. There's something good going on at our club at the moment. I hope we can keep it up on the pitch too.

[bspittles]

The cynic in me says that the club's partnership with Virgin travel will get them (staff and players) cheap discounted tickets, and the club will get a share of profits from perhaps setting up an 'official supporters travel package'.

I can't see it happening, as one of the games is behind closed doors.

But what if it did? Sounds good to me! A holiday, some football and the knowledge that our club is benefitting financially

[slappy]

I'm just wondering where the extra money is coming from, or rather is it right to spend money on a bit of a jolly? Surely the players will be getting match fitness rather than able to use it as a paid for holiday.

We've had a one match cuprun at West Ham which was perhaps used to sign Craddock (I think the official line was that the fee was funded from 'cashflow'). Attendances are up by several hundred from last year, but VAT is up and no increase in prices since Jan. Now we've signed MacLean on loan which won't be cheap. The comms position of 1 man and a part time assistant has been replaced by a team of three. The prospect of play-off semi final income is a long time off too, and we've still not been picked for a tv game.

[Long John Silver]

I'm just wondering where the extra money is coming from, or rather is it right to spend money on a bit of a jolly? Surely the players will be getting match fitness rather than able to use it as a paid for holiday.

We've had a one match cuprun at West Ham which was perhaps used to sign Craddock (I think the official line was that the fee was funded from 'cashflow'). Attendances are up by several hundred from last year, but VAT is up and no increase in prices since Jan. Now we've signed MacLean on loan which won't be cheap. The comms position of 1 man and a part time assistant has been replaced by a team of three. The prospect of play-off semi final income is a long time off too, and we've still not been picked for a tv game.

Might be wrong, but I make it that league attendances are up by 1,270 from last year. Average of 5,966 last season with an average of 7,236 so far this year.

Wasn't the original budgeting of a profit of £250k for this season based on a 10% increase in attendance? If so, then (at £10 a ticket) the club are so far £90k income above the budget on attendances alone.

[bspittles]

As for the VAT rise, did ticket prices fall when the rate was temporarily reduced to 15%? Or was the difference used for the benefit of the club?

[Hog]

I see the dates have been announced. I'm out.