Approach: M60 J2. Follow signs for Stockport County FC, turn right at Farmers Arms, turn right at roundabout into Bird Hall Lane, take 4th right Shaftesbury Ave, follow to bottom, turn left, ground on right immediately after bridge.[/i][/b]
I’ll be leaving our clubhouse at about 5:00pm, if anybody wants a lift.
Witton Reserves under the name Northwich United whats that about - A hidden agenda me thinks!
This cannot be allowed to happen. Do you think V@cs would call their reserves Witton United!!!
Andy, your reaction was exactly the same as mine, when I first found out.
If you check on some of the other threads that this has already been discussed on, there is some reasoning behind it.
It might be best to wait for GE to come back from holiday, and explain all the complexities as to how players can play for both clubs, and on how far the new named club can advance further up the pyramid, and therefore play at a better level.
I know one of the main reasons was to separate the playing budgets, and try and get the reserve team self funded, outside the funding for the first team. It was felt (I believe) that the new title would help to get funding and sponsorship in the town. I agree, the name Northwich does stick in the throat…I believe something along the lines of Vale Royal United was considered, but this was dismissed because of the forthcoming shake-up of Cheshire as a county.
Mike Worthington has taken it upon himself to find this alternative funding, and we should wish him every success, as we do not want the funding of a reserve side to affect Jim’s budget for the first team.
If I have got any facts wrong here, then I stand corrected, but it would help if GE can clarify everything on his return. (not that it was GE’s decision to change the name. I believe that was a Board decision).
TT, it depends on what the motif is behind the name change! Is this to create a ‘club’ in its own rights that operates independently or is to have a reserves team for WAFC?
To some degree another team (without a fan base in a small population area with two existing non-league teams) is going to struggle even more trying to compete higher up the pyramid. Do we want this team to compete in the Unibond, you never know they might make it above us in the league and then do we become their reserves!!!
At the moment running the reserves is all cost and no income, the best hope of income on a regular basis is attracting a handful of paying fans and getting some sponsorship (or indeed a benefactor). Medium term, the reserves may uncover a gem in terms of a player that reaps a good transfer fee in the future but this is much more speculative.
If the objective of the reserves is to ‘compete at a higher level’ then does this not conflict with our desire for the best players to breakthrough to the first team?
As I say it al depends on the motif. If this is genuinely a reserves team, designed to feed the first team, then it should be ran at an extremely low cost (hopefully covered by some sponsorship) and be identified as WAFC Reserves. On this basis we need to evaluate if any costs to us are monies well spent or whether this should be directed straight towards first team activities. Unfortunately over the past couple of seasons (although links have been closer) very few of the reserve players have made it through to the first team and none on a permanent basis.
It is about more than changing the name I agree, but renaming it from WAFC Reserves only move it further away from us and not closer!!!
What I was trying to say is that currently, being named as a reserve side restricts how far you can progress in the pyramid, even if you are winning the league every year. A name change takes away this restriction.
Over time, hopefully this would reduce the gap in the standard the 2nd team is playing, compared to the 1st team, and thus it would make it easier for 2nd team players to step up to the first team, when needed.
The argument against this view is that the higher you go up the pyramid then the more it costs to run a 2nd team, as these players do get paid. Hence it makes sense to keep the funding of the 2nd team totally isolated from the funding of the 1st team.
I did ask GE before he went on holiday as to eligibility of players playing for both clubs, and his initial reaction was that this would not be a problem. However, I think it would be best to wait for GE to comment on this on his return from holiday, rather than speculating on here.
Just an aside…
I have heard a whisper that Vics are going in the opposite direction. I have heard that Mr Rushe is bringing his old Woodley Sports Team to Vic’s and renaming them Northwich Vics Reserves?
[quote]
Just an aside…
I have heard a whisper that Vics are going in the opposite direction. I have heard that Mr Rushe is bringing his old Woodley Sports Team to Vic’s and renaming them Northwich Vics Reserves?[/quote]
Rushe set-up and manages Woodley FC (not Woodley Sports) in the Cheshire League with WAFC Reserves. This was I believe set-up after a group of former Woodley Sports people (including their former Chairman and now Vics Chairman Ian Campbell) fell out with the new owners over there. It was pretty much always his plan to run Woodley as Vics Reserves team.
Rumour has it though that there has been a fall out between Rushe and Bone (who is behind Encia and is Vics’ biggest benefactor), all to do with Bone wanting to buy the stadium privately and to keep the football club as tenants (sound familiar). Therefore Rushe may not feel predisposed to give up Woodley as a Vics Reserve team. If the rumour is true then Rushe is to be paid up and will then exit the club.
The idea of the WAFC Reserves Team and changing the name is not necessarily a bad one, BUT it all comes back to what the motivation is behind doing this. If nothing else changing the name to Northwich United distances it in the hearts and minds from Witton Supporters!
Cant really get my head around whats going on with the Reserve thing, it wasnt long ago we had a youth team aswell. Ok so many of the reserve players dont make it as regular 1st team players, but the reserve team is where Jim arrived from, the Cheshire Cup winning team was mainly made up of reserves (Hurst, the GK and a couple of others whose names escape me)
I reckon its more down to money than football pyramids, but even if you get a team by any other name connected to the club playing at NWC level you still have to pay the players, then you need to find more money.Its all very strange and I’m sure we all look forward to the official reason.
Just back from Wittin Albion Reserves last match. Good result won 3-0. OG, Matt Woolley Pen and Tom Rutter.
Bit clearer with the " Northwich Utd " reasoning for next season. The new name will enable them to become self-financing by attracting more sponsorship.thus attracting better players who could then progress to the 1st Team ( hopefully). They will still wear Witton Albion colours and I believe it is JV’s wish that we have a reserve team,so all in all i think we need to give it a go even though the name is a bit of a naff.
Sorry to bang this drum again, but I think the name change still needs consideration. It comes back to why we want a reserve team, the role this plays in providing players through to the first team, the costs of running the team and how this is funded. There has to be a well thought out plan behind this.
If we want players to get more experience for the first team then let them go out to Winsford on loan, they are always crying out for players, play two levels higher than WAFC reserves and have a good coach. All of which was very visible when they beat us last season. Cost of taking this approach is considerably less than the first option.
I am not saying the above is the way to go or is right for the club, BUT the plan has to be in place to either run it as it is, change the way it runs or not at all!
Yeah, Can you imagine the Arabs calling their reserves “Albion United” or Man U calling their reserves “City United” !!!
Calling Witton reserves Northwich United was a ludicrous and tactless decision taken by whoever he or she may be.It did not take Wittoners feelings in consideration.For crying out loud why on earth the supporters were not consulted ??
Someone could have come up with an appropriate name.
Are we seeing the birth of a new team in this town which may break away at some stage or am I being paranoid??
I bet the scums are having a jolly good chuckle.
Not for want of wanting to repeat myself about the name change, I do agree that Northwich United was a bad choice. Northwich Albion would have been better. The reason behind this name change was to make it easier to get separate funding for this team through sponsorship from business’s in the town.
Imagine going to a business in Northwich and asking them to sponsor Witton Reserves. It is far to easy for them to hide behind the fact that their business is not in Witton, but is in Northwich.
Ask any previous commercial manager of Witton, and they will explain where I am coming from!
Why do you think Northwich Vic’s commercial managers (with the exception of Brian Edge) have just sat in their offices and the sponsorship has come to them, whilst the only 2 successful comercial managers of Witton Albion, in my opinion (Jackie Bird and Brian Pritchard) have had to get off their butts and walk the streets of Northwich, visiting business’s, and putting arms up the backs of business men to cough up (although I think Jackie had a different method).
With the name change, it will make it easier to get separate funding for this team.
Personally, i think that we should be concentrating on the commercial revenue streams that we have for Witton Albion FC before we start worrying about commercial activity for Northwich United.
Not wanting to add fuel to the fire BUT - in the programme for last night’s Reserve match the Witton Reserves secretary is shown as - wait for it - Mike Worthington !
I am reliably informed that he will be involved with them next season,getting sponsorship etc etc.
To be fair if Jim wants a reserve team and due to the fact that Neil Gill and Mark Griffiths & others are running the team for sweet FA at the moment then we should give them a chance if they can self finance it.
Do we really need our so called reserve team (under whatever name they want to be under) targeting potential sponsors that our new commercial guys maybe approaching for the first team? It is hard enough to attract new sponsors but what happens if our commercial team contacts a potential sponsor and gets told “sorry, we’re sponsoring NORTHWICH UNITED this season”…
Quite agree Greg7 but what can u do if Jim wants a reserve team - I am informed that it costs us approx £4000 a season to run so if it was self financing then thats £4000 saved?
This is insane. Northwich United is a joke. Is it April 1st?
I think a reserve team made up of young players and a few fringe players is a great idea and is line with where I think we should be heading, as a sporting club which has a number of teams, playing different sports as well, as they do on the continent, under the banner of Witton Albion and having club memebers. I know this needs funding but I believe it is the only way we can move forward.
i dont know the reserves is funded but the other clubs in their league must fund themselves so why the need for any more money to come out of the club?
