Paul McCone.

The chairman did come across well at the AGM, and the manager said he couldn't ask for more in the backing he gets from the board, seems that's been proved again, welcome back Paul McCone.

They did say they'd budgeted for such and such from FA Cup/Trophy last season and of course we didn't get anything! there is a six figure sum sitting in the bank earmarked for ground development and nothing else, if/when necessary.

Tricky Tree wrote:I think without doubt he will come back and his presence alone will be a huge boost...hope if he does come back he isn't made skipper,I'd give that job to Sean.

Then when the god that is Rocky returns our squad will be boosted even more.

What say you Devil???

Rocky's tweeted this morning that he's "going on loan for a bit starting next Saturday." Really encouraging news. Hopefully he can get his match fitness back and start to enjoy playing again after a frustrating couple of years. Absolutely no need to rush things - he should take as long as necessary to get himself right.

Looking forward to the obligatory " it's like signing a new player" quote from Gary in the Stourbridge News some time in the future.

TRM wrote:Don't want to appear grumpy, but we shouldn't be budgeting for one single penny from Cup runs.

All proper run businesses make financial forecasts, I think they (as a club) are saying they would expect to receive £7,5oo this season, not necessarily that they have an extra £7,500 to spend in any event.

UlsterJim wrote:

TRM wrote:Don't want to appear grumpy, but we shouldn't be budgeting for one single penny from Cup runs.

All proper run businesses make financial forecasts, I think they (as a club) are saying they would expect to receive £7,5oo this season, not necessarily that they have an extra £7,500 to spend in any event.

But how can you "expect" that? I don't know when the budget was set, but if it was after the FA Cup draw in the summer then I suppose you can argue that we might have "reasonably expected" to get past Evesham, Causeway or Bolehall - and maybe Banbury in the Trophy, though that is far from certain. But after that you're at the mercy of the draw. We could have had Hednesford, Telford or Solihull away. It's gambling as far as I'm concerned, made only slightly more palatable by the "millions" we have in the bank for a rainy day!

I agree with you Jack, In my eyes with the backing from the board in the past few months, we do have the best squad of players Stourbridge has seen for quite some time. So its a little concerning that the performances and results have been below par so far. Fingers crossed it will all come good in the coming weeks and months, if not i think questions need to be asked closer to home.

TRM wrote:

UlsterJim wrote:

TRM wrote:Don't want to appear grumpy, but we shouldn't be budgeting for one single penny from Cup runs.

All proper run businesses make financial forecasts, I think they (as a club) are saying they would expect to receive £7,5oo this season, not necessarily that they have an extra £7,500 to spend in any event.

But how can you "expect" that? I don't know when the budget was set, but if it was after the FA Cup draw in the summer then I suppose you can argue that we might have "reasonably expected" to get past Evesham, Causeway or Bolehall - and maybe Banbury in the Trophy, though that is far from certain. But after that you're at the mercy of the draw. We could have had Hednesford, Telford or Solihull away. It's gambling as far as I'm concerned, made only slightly more palatable by the "millions" we have in the bank for a rainy day!

I'm fairly sure that it was stated at the AGM that the budget is zero for cup wins and thus everything won there is "additional" or "bonus".

Gone... to Hednesford...

http://www.stourbridgefc.com/news/macca-heads-to-hednesford-1070549.html

Although I assume we will have retained his SL registration, unless he has signed a contract. Part of me is clinging to the hope that if he didn't "settle" at Leamington he won't "settle" at Hednesford - bunch of hoofing cloggers who play in a B&Q look-a-like soul-less dump.

I for one, hope that we dont have him back again even if we do hold Southern League forms.

If he doesnt want to be here then dont have him back. I dont blame him for wanting to play at the highest level possible, but to stay for a few weeks before moving on again leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I was hoping this was another misleading A.Hill text when I heard about this but not to be.

It's very disappointing but if he's not happy playing at this level I'd rather he wasn't here.

Disappointed to see Macca go, again, so soon. Can't help but feel we've been used and not for the first time as a stepping stone to, ostensibly, better things ie Paul being rejected by Wolves, Kiddy and being unsettled at Leamington.

Whilst accepting that these things do happen, it does make the loyalty and commitment of the likes of Nathan even more admirable

Having said the above, I wish Paul all the best and hope he succeeds but I wish it had been with SFC.

stour_boy wrote:I was hoping this was another misleading A.Hill text when I heard about this :(but not to be.

It's very disappointing but if he's not happy playing at this level I'd rather he wasn't here.

You needn't have feared Stour Boy I texted Andy Hill ;-)

UlsterJim wrote:

stour_boy wrote:I was hoping this was another misleading A.Hill text when I heard about this :(but not to be.

It's very disappointing but if he's not happy playing at this level I'd rather he wasn't here.

You needn't have feared Stour Boy I texted Andy Hill ;-)

I heard about this yesterday afternoon from Jim but i can't say i'm surprised.

I'd told a few of the posters on here on the day after he came back to us that i was under the impression from something that i'd been told that it was only likely to be short term.

To be honest i hope this is the end of the episode now,i wish him well but for the next few years i hope he plies his trade elsewhere,i don't think it's fair to continually return to Amblecote if things are not working out elsewhere.

The team spirit of the whole squad has to be taken into account,it's not fair on the defenders we already have that Macca scan just drop back into the first team here,this time around we got lucky because Lloydy was injured and i'm not sure how fit Francis is yet so Macca playing didn't cause any visible ripples.

Will Richards has been a revelation at CH and Nathan is still the main man for me,i wouldn't want to see that partnership broken up to accommodate Macca at any time if i'm honest.

So it's goodbye Macca and the very best of luck in your quest to make it into the Football League but it's also time for us to move on.

I also got info from Ulster yesterday....he's never got it wrong before so I fully expected it to happen.
My biggest concern is having to break the news to Archie( my four year old)
You should have seen his poor face when I had to break the news that his favourite player was leaving the first time.....then the delight when I told him that he was coming back....Thanks a bloody lot Macca I'm dreading telling him tonight. 

Tricky Tree wrote:I also got info from Ulster yesterday....he's never got it wrong before so I fully expected it to happen.
My biggest concern is having to break the news to Archie( my four year old)
You should have seen his poor face when I had to break the news that his favourite player was leaving the first time.....then the delight when I told him that he was coming back....Thanks a bloody lot Macca I'm dreading telling him tonight. 

Nearly as bad as telling him he's possibly got a 424 round trip to "look forward" to the Saturday after next Tricky :-]]

He's as good as gold in a car and sleeps most of the way on a long journey.

Yeah, I wouldn't have him back if he ever wanted too. Once fair enough. But again? No chance.

So Macca's done the dirty on us, has he?

Personally, I don't necessarily see it that way. This is just GUESSWORK...

When Gary and Macca spoke (one assumes they did speak!) after Paul left Leamington, I can imagine Macca telling Gary that having done ok at Leamington (judging from their Forum a lot of their fans seem to think he was their best player until he left) he was keen to try to stay at that level, or even higher if possible.

Gary says he understands, and that we don't have room in the budget to bring him back anyway, but with Lloydy, Francis and Briscoe all sidelined to one degree or another, Jamie suspended and Eze not having worked out, we are a bit light at the back. If Macca was willing to help us out, even if only for a couple of games, then we'd be doing each other a favour. If an opportunity to join another Conference club came along then we wouldn't have a problem with him going.


As I say, all GUESSWORK.

And as for having him back in the future?

If it happens, and if Gary's happy to have him back, then I'm happy to have him back.

Tricky Tree wrote:He's as good as gold in a car and sleeps most of the way on a long journey.

You don't know how relieved I am to hear that!  

Good luck to Paul.

Surely every player wants to play at the highest level than can and no one should stand in their way for trying to do that.

If as mentioned some knew it might be a short term move back then surely you have to question the management. Did they think that they could persuade him to stay longer or were they just thinking perhaps about the injuries we had at that time.

At present i would say a few clubs are looking at our players and until we get to their level than players moving and coming back could happen.

Worst still i think this leaves us a bit short at the back. Bennett and Lloyd both not fully fit in my opinion. Richards doing well at the back but still learning.

For me we need to strengthen at the back to give us more options.

As for Macca coming back you can only ask a player to give his all and i think he did that every time he played. As for the team spirt bit dont think that would be an issue if it was done properly.

TRM wrote:So Macca's done the dirty on us, has he?

Personally, I don't necessarily see it that way. This is just GUESSWORK...

When Gary and Macca spoke (one assumes they did speak!) after Paul left Leamington, I can imagine Macca telling Gary that having done ok at Leamington (judging from their Forum a lot of their fans seem to think he was their best player until he left) he was keen to try to stay at that level, or even higher if possible.

Gary says he understands, and that we don't have room in the budget to bring him back anyway, but with Lloydy, Francis and Briscoe all sidelined to one degree or another, Jamie suspended and Eze not having worked out, we are a bit light at the back. If Macca was willing to help us out, even if only for a couple of games, then we'd be doing each other a favour. If an opportunity to join another Conference club came along then we wouldn't have a problem with him going.


As I say, all GUESSWORK.

One other thing I meant to add to this...

I'm sure I read a quote from Gary somewhere saying that Macca had agreed to "come and play for us." I remember thinking at the time that it was a curious choice of words - why "play" and not "sign"? Perhaps it makes a bit more sense now.

TRM wrote:This is just GUESSWORK...


As I say, all GUESSWORK.

Thats better!  

I don't think he did the dirty on us, but I still think it's not ideal to parachute players in and out. On this occasion it was absolutely fine because we were short at the back anyway, but in future I wouldn't want him parachuted in and replacing players like Lloyd and Francis.

As far as I was aware it was just a short term fix, I was just hoping once he was back in the fold he may be tempted to stay with us,we can only guess what the arrangement was with Gary but if in the future he did want to return and Gary wanted him I would be more than happy to see him back. Good Luck Macca!

Leamo and hednesford - 2 of the worst clubs to go to!! 
 
 
I would be more than happy to have him back again but I agree with others that it ineeds to be all or nothing to make it fair to the others defenders / players.
The only thing I would say is perhaps if it was known all along that he wasnt going to stay 'long term' then maybe it would have been worthwhile letting the supporters know this. I understand that some may have known this through relationships with members in the club but clearly not everyone did.
Bit disapointed to see him go but sure we will cope!