What have Burton managed to do that we haven't?

[P/T Indie]

I have mentioned this before over the years but especially since they have moved to their new ground I have always looked at Burton as benchmark for us.

They have made steady progress over the years like ourselves, had similar attendances in the conference and moved to a new ground around the same time as us.

So bearing in mind we were already an established member of the Conference before Burton made the conference how have they now been able to kick onto the next level and we haven't.

I know they got the Utd money which gave them a boost and probably gave them some security but with the new ground that must have all gone now.

They seem to have embraced their new ground and really made it work for them. I suppose it helps that their ground wasn't really located that far and I like the fact they built all 4 sides. They didn't go for the extra tier of sponsors boxes like the PMG and finished the ground instead which I liked and probably creates a better atmosphere. However the lack of income from sponsors boxes doesn't seem to have affected them and I presume they just have a wright and lord suite style set up for their hospitality in the main stand. Also there are covered bars behind the goals even the away bar is decent enough some small things but all ads to the match day experience and helps keep attendances up.

I'm not sure if I am missing some such as do they have a chairman that is bankrolling them?

I just wondered what everyone's thoughts were on how Burton have managed to get where they are yet our attendances are falling and we have the smallest budget in the league but not that long ago we were a bigger club than Burton.

Discuss

[BoroRedShrimp]

Burton have done well considering we played them in the conference. Some money must have been pumped into the club well before they played Man Utd to have a new stadium. Also location is better for them for players knowing they have all the midlands clubs as well as Derby on their doorstep. Our location must put a few off compared to Burton. Our chairman stated that his long term goal was to get Morecambe to the next level but how long that remains to see.

[Christies Child]

Only my opinion but they appear to have a bigger catchment area as far as players are concerned.

The Midlands, Merseyside and Greater Manchester even towards the East are all within travelling distance for the nomadic footballers of today.

We have to rely on Greater Manchester and Merseyside for ours in the main. Very few if any are from the North of us.

Would also have thought that their stadium sponsor pumps more money into the club than we could ever expect..although if an international energy company was to get involved....

[marky No.1]

If we had the Michellin Arena and £2M+ off the field income/sponsorship that would be a start

Pirelli gave them the land in swap for naming rights and the Man U money paid the balance of their £7M Stadium.
The Nigel Clough era brought them on leaps and bounds. They make a trading profit which they pump back in to the Club

[Christies Child]

If we had the Michellin Arena and £2M+ off the field income/sponsorship that would be a start

Pirelli gave them the land in swap for naming rights and the Man U money paid the balance of their £7M Stadium.
The Nigel Clough era brought them on leaps and bounds. They make a trading profit which they pump back in to the Club

It does help when you have the financial backing such as described above...

[BoroRedShrimp]

Now lets talk about Stevenage & why they do better than us considering they also work on the same budget as us.

[Seasider9601]

Now lets talk about Stevenage & why they do better than us considering they also work on the same budget as us.

I would think their budget is more ??

[Kendalshrimp]

Don't they train at St George's park England's training complex aswell ? They've took gambles that could easily of backfired too. Hasslebaink for instance could of easily went horribly wrong !

[Freez]

Admittedly a couple of seasons ago, Burton's budget for players was twice ours, some lads on the bench week in and out would have been easily our best paid player.
But that was two years ago!!

[Shrimpy]

Admittedly a couple of seasons ago, Burton's budget for players was twice ours, some lads on the bench week in and out would have been easily our best paid player.
But that was two years ago!!

Is the fact they have a playing budget twice the size of ours due to them having a financial benefactor or have they managed to make more of their ground move than we have in terms of being able to generate greater revenue streams?

[Christies Child]

Admittedly a couple of seasons ago, Burton's budget for players was twice ours, some lads on the bench week in and out would have been easily our best paid player.
But that was two years ago!!

Is the fact they have a playing budget twice the size of ours due to them having a financial benefactor or have they managed to make more of their ground move than we have in terms of being able to generate greater revenue streams?

When you start with a new stadium that was built on ground that cost them nothing and was part funded by a major tyre manufacturer then you get a cash windfall thanks to the FA Cup v Man Utd it's hardly surprising that they have a cash surplus. We've had to do it the hard way with no cash windfalls or assistance from a international sponsor. Whatever some may think of PMG without his finance we'd still be in the depths of non league, playing at a crumbling Christie Park with very little prospect of gaining League Football. I'm highly critical of on field matters but off field....bloody hell I'm eternally grateful that in my lifetime I can say with pride that I support a League club who have had to do it the hard way.

[marky No.1]

They didn't go for the extra tier of sponsors boxes like the PMG and finished the ground instead which I liked and probably creates a better atmosphere. However the lack of income from sponsors boxes doesn't seem to have affected them and I presume they just have a wright and lord suite style set up for their hospitality in the main stand

http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/commercial/conferences/

http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/documen ... 263188.pdf

Is the fact they have a playing budget twice the size of ours due to them having a financial benefactor or have they managed to make more of their ground move than we have in terms of being able to generate greater revenue streams?

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Burton-Albi ... story.html

[P/T Indie]

Gate receipts up 23% not many clubs can say that at the moment is that just from winning more games or are they doing other things to attract fans.

[Earwig]

Alright folks,

A long time since I've been on here.

Firstly we have a very astute chairman, who has been with the club for many, many years and certainly runs a tight ship and loves the club but he does not bankroll us.

We have been extremely fortunate that our chairman, Ben Robinson has appointed young ambitious managers who generally have worked for a pittance.

JFH is reportedly on £40k a year, I earn more than that!

We have rarely paid a fee for a player.

I am lead to believe that the club makes more money from corporate ventures etc, than we do from match days!!

We do indeed let the FA use our training ground for them to entertain the world of football at St Georges Park

See you all tomorrow and thanks again for the banner welcoming us in to the football league.
It only seems like yesterday.

Cheers

[marky No.1]

A long time since I've been on here.

5 years 2 months

Welcome back, no doubt you will be off again in the next week or 2..

Yes JFH is one of the lowest paid, but his success will pay off and he will no doubt step away from his diet of faggots
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ss-4625151

[Earwig]

That long?

Seriously, we at Burton have never forgotten that banner that you unfurled at the Pirelli, top drawer!

Stopping over tomorrow and will enjoy my day out whatever the result.


Cheers

[John L]

That long?

Seriously, we at Burton have never forgotten that banner that you unfurled at the Pirelli, top drawer!

Stopping over tomorrow and will enjoy my day out whatever the result.


Cheers

We've moved grounds since you last commented! Make sure you know where you're going...

[P/T Indie]

Interesting about the mangers wage and not paying fees maybe they don't have the cash people on here think they have. Reading the link marky put they turned a huge loss into a profit and to me it doesn't sound like like they are been bankrolle.

[Posh]

Seriously, we at Burton have never forgotten that banner that you unfurled at the Pirelli, top drawer!

Still in my brother-in-laws garage I believe.

A fabulous number of Morecambe fans chipped in for it.

Really hope we get Barnet first game of next season and we can get the banner out for them.

[RedRedWine]

Although a small place, Burton has a lot of industry located in and around the town which presents a lot of commercial opportunities to the club. I don't mean to sound disingenuous at all, but sometimes we get local garages and fish & chip shops sponsoring our games.... That's if we get anybody at all and it isn't one of the directors sponsoring. It's just where we are at as a club, and as a town.

[George Dawes]

They didn't go for the extra tier of sponsors boxes like the PMG and finished the ground instead which I liked and probably creates a better atmosphere. However the lack of income from sponsors boxes doesn't seem to have affected them and I presume they just have a wright and lord suite style set up for their hospitality in the main stand

same here, think it was a big mistake.

W&L would have been suffice the same people in them boxes would have just spent their money downstairs in there instead.

should have thought more of the fans and facilities on the terrace

[Freez]

Burton do have Executive boxes at the back of the stand, they are just on the same floor as everything else including their version of the W&L.

I believe the model for our main stand was borrowed from Shrewsbury!!

We have to live with what we have, but fair play to Burton for being up the top consistently.

[Christies Child]

They didn't go for the extra tier of sponsors boxes like the PMG and finished the ground instead which I liked and probably creates a better atmosphere. However the lack of income from sponsors boxes doesn't seem to have affected them and I presume they just have a wright and lord suite style set up for their hospitality in the main stand

same here, think it was a big mistake.

W&L would have been suffice the same people in them boxes would have just spent their money downstairs in there instead.

should have thought more of the fans and facilities on the terrace

Sorry George but on this one I beg to differ.

The cost of a box alone will probably be more than what would have been taken in W&L and those who use private boxes still have to pay for food and drink I understand, but if I'm wrong with that I still feel that the cost of the boxes alone is a welcome financial addition.

However I agree that the facilities for those on the terraces should be better but the cost to improve now is probably a non starter in terms of future revenue. You could be talking of £250,000 to provide a roof and facilities behind the Omega Stand which would take an age to recoup if ever.

[Wild Bill]

Burton are a great success story. Let's not forget though, so are we! Yes they are doing well at the moment and will probably get promoted, but things can change quite quickly. Lets not beat ourselves up too much over it. If we need reasons though, here are a few:

Burton is twice the size of Morecambe and have always had a bigger fanbase. They took 12,000 fans to Old Trafford for a midweek cup tie, more than we took to Wembley. Even when they were struggling in the conference they used to bring 350-500 to CP. We would take around a 100 to theirs.

Burton is in the middle of the country. Lower travelling costs and more access to players. Fewer big teams in the local area too to compete with.

Burton have the best training facilities in the country on their door step. We don't.

Burton built their ground before the recession hit and probably got it just how they wanted it. We miraculously got ours built right in the middle of the downturn and unfortunately had to make cutbacks to what was initially planned.

Agree also with what RRW said. More commercial potential in their local area too.

[marky No.1]

Yeah 50 people that probably spend (or paid for) £5000 between them on a matchday.
The same 50 would normally spend £1200 but 3/4 of them wouldn't be there I expect.

You would need an extra 250 regular fans to replace this and then find some sponsors!