Christopher Harris
THE STORY
Slightly unfair title as they are not without a clue all the time, in fact quite the opposite. Before the ‘doh’ moment of course.
It takes a truly talented collection of people, like the Board at Lewes FC to initiate and set up the ground breaking political / sporting initiative Equality FC, becoming the first club in the world to pay our male and female players and equal budget. Not just that but through enormous marketing and media skills getting the project in the public gaze.
It takes a truly incompetent collection of people, also like the Board at Lewes FC to then throw a spanner in their own ‘work’ belittling their efforts and jeopardising the project.
At the start of the season Lewes had been granted a licence to play in tier 2 of women’s national football in the Championship. Amongst teams like Man U, Spurs, Leicester and the Palace. This was through amazing work from the people running the club to not only be in that division but to set up the necessary structures needed to operate under the terms of the licence, including a back room team of 9 paid employees.
It was hoped this would all be paid for by sponsors buying into what Lewes are trying to do ‘football politically’
The manager John Donoghue did brilliantly. He had been the manager since 2016 and bearing in mind Lewes had been promoted a division to a division with massive clubs it seems almost unbelievable after 6 games John has achieved a tally 3 wins and 3 losses and we sat proud as anything in mid table of a division of 11 teams of largely clubs utterly dwarfing us in stature.
He was sacked. Unbelievable.
The Board released a statement of what can only be described as an overly inflated sense of entitlement.
There is absolutely no doubting John’s coaching ability, thoroughness, professionalism and drive. However, despite some good early results, recent form has indicated that a fresh impetus is now needed for the team to achieve its potential in this League.
So let’s examine how that ‘fresh impetus’ went.
John’s record 9 points out of a possible 18, a 50% success rate
‘Fresh impetus’ success rate1 point out of a possible 24, a 4% success rate
Wow, that really is a fresh impetus of chronic rot.
After a number of managerless games which we achieved one draw and 4 defeats, Fran Alonso was appointed as the new manager, presumably to oversee the ‘fresh impetus,’
To date his record is 3 games 3 defeats in the league. Currently the only team as bad as us in the division Millwall beat us in the FA Cup on Sunday for a plum tie versus Liverpool. 4 out of 4 lost.
Oh for the senses and sensibilities of John Donoghue !
Okay, so just the old tradition of a moronic decision at a football club. But this goes much deeper than that.
THE RAMIFICATIONS
Lewes FC are skint and our excursion into budget parity is underwritten by two members of the Board for 3 years. This is to give us time to get sponsors to cover the cost. No sponsor of any gravitas has been forthcoming. As a potential sponsor are you more likely to commit to a team playing well, impressively holding it’s own as a small fish in a large pond. Or to one in seeming terminal decline ? Don’t bother with the answers on a postcard.
If Lewes FC are honourable in their commitment to budget parity they must be seen as the talismanic beacon for forwarding the interests of the women’s game. It is SO crucially important with all of the interest in our venture that we can pass onto other similar clubs the knowledge that you can have budget parity at your club and do well. All we are showing instead is that it can’t be done, thus undoing all of the hard work so many have put in. Under Donoghue we were looking a good punt to any admirers thinking of promoting the interests of their women’s team.
Operating under the new FA licence arrangement has meant enormous upheaval and expense at the club. Surely it is a rudiment of common sense the guy doing well in charge for a couple of years and getting us of to great start should be at the helm steadying the ship. It is basic sound management.
Let’s add some insult to injury as well. The Board made it implicit in their statement that John was sacked to get the ‘fresh impetus.’ Within a few weeks we are being told by the new manager there is no pressure to get results immediately as under the terms of the new licences nobody can be relegated this season. Wow, that really is an industrial contradiction. Talk about piss ups and breweries.
So John Donoghue was sacked to get ‘fresh impetus’ on the back of three defeats, we then get one point out of twenty four and all of a sudden the goal posts are moved, the shit excuses come out and poor old John Donoghue must be one hell of a perplexed and confused guy.
The Rights of Fans. 