This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - Colin Fuller
16
« on: December 18, 2023, 10:49:55 AM »
I can not see a so-called rallying call making much of a dent in the massive shortfall facing the club, and likewise Mr Cleeve’s attempts to find investment from other sources producing the desired outcome. Why should fans, who for years have basically been kept in the dark over finances, give to what appears a lost cause.
Mr Cleeve should now be prepared to reveal the total picture regarding finances. He has always appeared hostile to the Trust, who are probably the only organised group of supporters with some financial ability. Perhaps a better relationship with supporters would have guided him to a more prudent approach to financing the club.
I find it hard to believe that this situation wasn’t foreseeable months ago, yet Lynn continued with the full-time model involving expensive overnight stops for away games, which in the light of results has proved a waste of money.
I have supported Lynn since 1961 and I really hope a miracle can be produced. But I think, along with others on this forum, that we should be looking ahead to a re-boot under a new setup with the prospect of lower-grade, but more sustainable football in the future.
17
« on: December 17, 2023, 12:13:56 PM »
I don’t know Mr Cleeve and living outside of the county it is not so easy to gauge opinion about his tenure at Lynn. But I would judge from comments in the past and continually on this forum that a fair percentage of supporters have not trusted his leadership. Therefore it is possibly not surprising a lack of rallying from fans is apparent. He has taken Lynn down this route in the vain hope of Football League status without the infrastructure being in place to support it. A club like Lynn must surely have a thriving commercial income to support match-day revenue. I have seen several times an appeal on Twitter X, by the owner, for match sponsorship, just a day or two before a forthcoming home game. The club has been really poor at keeping fans abreast of what is happening, whether on the financial side or the football side. Is Mr Cleeve telling all even now? The situation appears dire and virtually beyond rescue. One lesson to be learned if Lynn fold and eventually return as a new enterprise. No single person should be allowed to own the name of Lynn Football Club. It is the supporters who own the heart of any football club.
18
« on: December 16, 2023, 12:05:44 PM »
My earlier post re the manager and the owner backing him with possible new signings seems irrelevant now in the light of today’s EDP revelations. On the evidence available it seems Lynn FC are facing a similar demise to 2009. I have followed football and reported it as a journalist for many years and it seemed so obvious that the club did not have the infrastructure to succeed long-term when plans to turn to full-time status were announced. Yes, professional football is a mess and has been for years. Now, apart from the biggest clubs, who themselves are largely reliant on their TV masters, the lower ranks must come to their senses and start living within their means. The pyramid system at Lynn’s level is not working when clubs are travelling vast distances for matches. That should change to more regionally friendly leagues. The Holy Grail of promotion to the Football League from non-league is a dubious ambition. Remember Rushden and Diamonds? As for Lynn, a team playing at Southern League level and living within budget is surely preferable to the owner and supporters than no team at all. H
19
« on: December 15, 2023, 04:37:24 PM »
I’ve just watched Adam Lakeland’s assessment of the Banbury defeat. He gives forthright opinions, is prepared to admit his players fell short in the first half and is clearly frustrated by the difficultly in bringing in fresh talent. He also says, as you might expect, that the buck stops with him. On paper Lynn still have some good players but sometimes graft and consistency are just as important as talent. Experience is always vital in relegation battles. Therefore I wonder why his assistant Sam Walker hasn’t been seen in action given his experience at Football League level. I hope Adam can save Lynn from the dreaded drop, but he clearly needs maximum effort from all his players, every game, and the owner to back him with new signings, once they have been identified.
20
« on: December 11, 2023, 12:23:56 PM »
Do fellow contributors have opinions on the club’s website? Whoever is in charge of updating it is clearly not doing a particularly good job. The lead item is still flagging up the postponed match on Dec 2, when in fact Lynn play the rearranged fixture tomorrow night. The pen pictures of the first team squad are missing many faces and still include the on-loan player Lynn manager sent packing for not showing up several weeks ago. The new administrator appointed a fortnight ago does not warrant a mention and Jodie is included in the list, although the general opinion on this forum is she has moved on. I don’t like to be too negative when making the occasional contribution to the forum but I think the website is letting the supporters down and shows the club in a amateurish light.
21
« on: February 01, 2023, 04:39:07 PM »
I began my journalistic career on the Lynn News in the days when Doug Child was the Linnets reporter and Sports Editor. I would be interested to hear what forum members think of the Lynn News coverage of Lynn FC and also the YLP coverage. The EDP appear to be a bit hit and miss at times - it seems to depend on whether Chris Lakey is on duty. Norwich City are obviously the football priority, although Lynn do get a few extra column inches when Mr Cleeve has his say.
22
« on: January 30, 2023, 12:50:45 PM »
Whoever is in charge of updating the club website must be on holiday. Lynn have another massive home match tomorrow night but the home page is still showing the postponed game against Telford. I don’t like to be negative on the odd occasion I comment on the forum, but that is very poor. Thank goodness Tommy and his team are on the ball on the pitch.
23
« on: October 10, 2022, 05:42:27 PM »
Lynn’s deserved victory on Saturday was the first time I have seen them live since before COVID struck. I live in Leicestershire so in the past 12 years have watched them more away than at The Walks. They certainly try to play football in a constructive way, creating chances and providing good entertainment value. They have a strong physical spine to the team - reliable goalkeeper, tough and uncompromising centre-backs and a big, strong striker - all essential elements at their level. There is also plenty of skill around them. They all seem prepared to battle for each other - a good indication of team spirit. Fans want to see good football, total commitment and a winning team. All those are in place to my mind so you would expect attendances to rise. However, it must be remembered this follows a depressing relegation, some fans being opposed to the present control of the club, the cost of living crisis and of course the aftermath of the pandemic. It would be helpful if the admission prices were lower. It will be interesting to see what response Saturday’s reduction receives. One thing that was good to see last Saturday was the decent number of youngsters in attendance. Hopefully they will tell their friends and more will start supporting the Linnets - just as I did in the 1960s.
24
« on: September 18, 2022, 04:30:37 PM »
I am sure there are several reasons Lynn’s attendances are below expectations for a table-topping team. Most clubs on the back of a dismal relegation would face a drop in gate numbers. People want to see a successful team and building that confidence will take more than eight games. Cost of living fears also count as does the attractiveness of the opposition. No disrespect to Alfreton but they are not one of the league’s big draws. For many people in my senior age group the fear of COVID is still relevant. Promotion of the home games, from general consensus, leaves a lot to be desired. The official website needs to be more on the ball with that in mind. As some have already pointed out Mr Cleeve choses to operate as sole owner and therefore must have sanctioned a full-time team. For that to work a club must have a highly efficient commercial operation to supplement gate and match-day revenue. It doesn’t appear Lynn have that kind of operation in place. Do we know if a new chief executive is lined up? Surely that is a must appointment if the club are to continue running full-time. I have followed Lynn since 1961 and I really hope they bounce back with a promotion. But can they realistically look to maintain National League status without big improvements as things stand?
25
« on: July 11, 2022, 04:54:56 PM »
I live in Leicestershire and have been told by a supporter of Southern League Barwell that Lynn are being linked with their top scorer (and the League’s last season) Ben Stephens. He bagged 24 goals. Anyone else heard this?
26
« on: March 15, 2022, 12:30:34 PM »
It appeared from the moment Lynn gained promotion that the infrastructure at the club was never going to meet the demands of the NL. How can a club survive at that level without a commercial manager, for instance? The rush to turn full-time was folly. Another season, at least, as part-time would have made more sense and possibly increased the options on the quality of recruitment. I believe Lynn has the potential to eventually achieve regular NL status and even higher. But not under the current model. Well run clubs like Sutton, Harrogate and Forest Green prove what is possibly.
27
« on: March 13, 2022, 11:33:50 AM »
Malcolm played with a fierce determination against the many rugged defenders of the day, and wasn’t afraid to mix it. A penalty-box predator who formed a prolific spearhead with Brian Jenkins in the days when the Southern League Prem Div was generally regarded as the unofficial fifth division of the Football League. I remember he left Lynn to join Cambridge United when they were first elected to the old Fourth Div.
28
« on: September 28, 2021, 02:04:03 PM »
Thanks KES for the information. I can find no mention of the appointment on the club website, in fact Mr Hearle is still listed in that role. Such an important position should warrant a news announcement. It is a repeating theme on this forum of how poor the club is at attracting sponsors, advertising etc. Good luck to whoever now fills that role because it must be extremely difficult in the current economic market. I know from my own experiences that local press are often loathed to ask the difficult questions of their main professional club for fear of upsetting a source of regular stories. But it is apparent from the below-par attendances and many negative comments on this forum that all is not right at The Walks. The local press should feel obliged to investigate and say why. They even seem shy to ask basic questions like what is wrong with arguably Lynn’s most talented player, Cameron King. We are told he is injured but few facts are known. The fans forum made be closed to the Press but why, what has the club got to hide? Any interested journalist should make sure he has a reliable source at that meeting ready to report back.
29
« on: September 28, 2021, 10:41:18 AM »
I follow the Linnets from afar these days, although I try to keep up-to-date with what is happening via the forum and the local press. There has been nothing to actually indicate what Mr Cleeve’s so-called big announcement is. Please, can anyone enlighten me on the matter? The club appears to lag behind with keeping fans informed about many things. As a former journalist, I also think the local press should be more informative with what is going on behind the scenes at The Walks. It gives the impression that relationships between club and media is a bit too cosy.
30
« on: September 20, 2021, 01:47:22 PM »
Jimmy had brief spells in the Southern League with Chelmsford City and Barnet in the mid-Seventies. Can anyone remember whether he crossed paths with Lynn? His old Spurs teammate Cliff Jones from the glory-glory days lined up for the Linnets when Reg Davies was in charge at The Walks. I count myself lucky to have seen Jimmy live in the Sixties. He scored a magnificent goal against Man Utd in 1965 which for several years started the Match of the Day opening sequence. I was watching from the Park Lane end when he waltzed through the Utd defence. A true great.
|