James Coppinger

[steve@dcfd]

Has done an interview in YP very heart felt and tells it how it is now at the club. It is what we all knew and shows extra investment is required to improve our status.

One quote that shows how it is

My role is to look at what we've got available and make resources based on that, not want we want. We're a League Two club with the average League Two budget.”

But it is a battle. He uses the word “relentless” more than once. Just speaking to him you can feel how draining it must be.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/doncaster-rovers-exclusive-part-two-james-coppinger-is-swimming-against-the-tide-most-days-but-weve-started-the-ball-rolling-4083372

[Alan Southstand]

At last!

Perhaps we can now all stop having a verbal go at one another re budgets (or the lack thereof).

Hallelujah.

[Cramby10]

Can anyone say, hand on heart that extra funds into the playing budget would make a blind bit of difference to this clown manager that we currently have?
We’d still have a gap the size of the Atlantic behind the isolated striker. We’d still have ‘wing backs’ that barely cross the halfway line. We’d still play at snails pace. We’d still put no crosses into the box. And we’d still concede at will at the back as the centre halves are already signed up for next year. Most of this is playing to instruction. Just because our players are shit, it shouldn’t stop them trying this if they were allowed. So surely the same restrictions would be placed upon ‘better’ players.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

[Donnybax]

We’ve gone from a top 6 league 1 budget, to top 10 league 1 budget, mid table league 1 budget, one of the biggest league 2 budgets, top 6 league 2 budget to average league 2 budget in a very short space of time. Maybe all those managers that were saying the budget wasn’t as big as we were being told weren’t lying after all…

[EasyforDennis]

Well reading that just confirms what we all know. We desperately need new investment otherwise we have to accept the fact that we are only going in one direction. AND IT'S NOT UPWARDS.

[drfchound]

His memory must be failing.
I remember us being in the play offs twice in his time playing for us.

[Leedsrover]

Spot on Cramby! Budget levels have nothing to do with stubborn tactics and lack of flexibility and lack of passion and effort from the players!
Ask Accrington Stanley.

[steve@dcfd]

Spot on Cramby! Budget levels have nothing to do with stubborn tactics and lack of flexibility and lack of passion and effort from the players!
Ask Accrington Stanley.

Yes I agree with the stubborn tactics but the level of players we can sign to play those tactics whether permanent or loan is decreasing year on year. The Chairman said we would Bounce Back Decisively if we have an average league 2 budget then where did he get his evidence from that we could achieve that. So yes the manager as his faults but lack of investment has played apart.

[StocksArmy]

Make next season a bit easier to swallow and lump your season ticket money on us being relegated.

[Dare to dream!]

He speaks asif we are overachieving and doing well.

We are 22nd in the form table and playing the worst football we have seen in 10+ years.

Very concerning.

[bpoolrover]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

have we had a top 6 budget thou, look at the downgrade in not just permanent players but loan players, I think the board have said what they want supporters to hear not what the truth is

[silent majority]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

have we had a top 6 budget thou, look at the downgrade in not just permanent players but loan players, I think the board have said what they want supporters to hear not what the truth is

I’ve already talked about the January window and how it affected the budgets of those clubs around us in terms of budgets.

We started the season with a budget that would put us in about 6th place, but, as I said earlier this week, there are a bunch of clubs that are close to us in terms of playing budget, and we have calculated that the window saw us drop a few places. The club are still of the opinion that we are in the top 10.

There are other pressures, not least of which is the massive increase in the utility costs which wasn’t planned for, but my understanding is that TB is handling that.

[5minstogo]

Do other clubs not have to pay the lecky bill?

[tommy toes]

Being 12th in the table is nowhere near a true reflection of this lot.
We are very lucky to be where we are, with the dire, turgid, error strewn garbage we've been watching for the last two seasons
I can see us being in the bottom 6 by the end of the season.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Sounds like covering for our poor performance to me. Making it acceptable to keep on ax we are.

Steve Jones of DFP has done a thread on Twitter showing the announced budget competitiveness over the last few years. Shows it’s the 1st time we’ve said the budget reflects where we actually are.

[silent majority]

Do other clubs not have to pay the lecky bill?

Of course they do, but I mention it for context, especially when the latest demand was for an immediate payment of £325k.

[5minstogo]

Do other clubs not have to pay the lecky bill?

Of course they do, but I mention it for context, especially when the latest demand was for an immediate payment of £325k.

So have the other 23 clubs budgeted for this or are they likely in the creek? Surely our utility bills are similar to everyone else's?

[Tommy A]

That interview is at total odds with previous statements coming out of the club.

As has been stated many times, we have been told constantly that we have a very good budget for the level at which we are playing.

Despite the evidence before us all in terms of players sold and not replaced, crap players being recruited, crap loans, deadline day farces etc.etc. I chose to believe most of what I was told.

I have always been one to be grateful to the owners for a stable club (and still am) but I now feel like the people who have been questioning the truth of club statements over the past few years are correct.

This is a massive issue for me and I'm afraid I am now looking at the situation in a very different light.

That interview feels like a watershed moment for me and, I'm willing to bet, many others.

The other alternative is that Copps is "doing a Conte" and looking for a way out.

Feels like this is going to set fire to an already heated relationship between the fans and the board.

[oggycompton]

The club is dieing and for the people who think they are 'in the know', it's crystal clear they aren't. Being spoon-fed lies and then putting them on here doesn't make them truths.

[silent majority]

The club is dieing and for the people who think they are 'in the know', it's crystal clear they aren't. Being spoon-fed lies and then putting them on here doesn't make them truths.

The accounts we see every season must be falsified accounting then!!

[oggycompton]

The club is dieing and for the people who think they are 'in the know', it's crystal clear they aren't. Being spoon-fed lies and then putting them on here doesn't make them truths.

The accounts we see every season must be falsified accounting then!!

Interesting how you equate 'a club' as being purely financial.

[DonnyOsmond]

SM, what's your opinion on our downfall? As a Rovers fan, not with your representative hat on.

[lee.j09]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

have we had a top 6 budget thou, look at the downgrade in not just permanent players but loan players, I think the board have said what they want supporters to hear not what the truth is

I’ve already talked about the January window and how it affected the budgets of those clubs around us in terms of budgets.

We started the season with a budget that would put us in about 6th place, but, as I said earlier this week, there are a bunch of clubs that are close to us in terms of playing budget, and we have calculated that the window saw us drop a few places. The club are still of the opinion that we are in the top 10.

There are other pressures, not least of which is the massive increase in the utility costs which wasn’t planned for, but my understanding is that TB is handling that.

Are we the only club to have such rising bills?

Same with the covid excuse… apparently we were the only club to suffer through covid as well.

[Bentley Bullet]

SM, what's your opinion on our downfall? As a Rovers fan, not with your representative hat on.

I suspect if SM gave his personal opinion to all and sundry while wearing his supporter's hat it may affect the trust he is given when wearing his representative hat.

[Donnybax]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

have we had a top 6 budget thou, look at the downgrade in not just permanent players but loan players, I think the board have said what they want supporters to hear not what the truth is

I’ve already talked about the January window and how it affected the budgets of those clubs around us in terms of budgets.

We started the season with a budget that would put us in about 6th place, but, as I said earlier this week, there are a bunch of clubs that are close to us in terms of playing budget, and we have calculated that the window saw us drop a few places. The club are still of the opinion that we are in the top 10.

There are other pressures, not least of which is the massive increase in the utility costs which wasn’t planned for, but my understanding is that TB is handling that.

is that what a club looking to “bounce back decisively” would do? We still had a chance of playoffs in January and decided to reduce our budget

[normal rules]

If coppinger can’t get the purse strings loosened then there really are dark days ahead.

[DonnyOsmond]

SM, what's your opinion on our downfall? As a Rovers fan, not with your representative hat on.

I suspect if SM gave his personal opinion to all and sundry while wearing his supporter's hat it may affect the trust he is given when wearing his representative hat.

Fair enough.

[steve@dcfd]

The club is dieing and for the people who think they are 'in the know', it's crystal clear they aren't. Being spoon-fed lies and then putting them on here doesn't make them truths.

The accounts we see every season must be falsified accounting then!!

The accounts you see is what has been they don’t show what is required to Bounce Back Decisively. We know financially we are trying to be sustainable we know like every supporter and football club in this country that Electrical Bills are going up.
But the football side of the club is getting worse. We are not truly investing in it we are scraping through. By doing this the supporters are dwindling away so when it comes to the summer we will have less money to invest in the squad. The manager and HOF will get what they can afford not what we need to get us out of the league. It’s a downward spiral and TB said we will find our level if this continues then our level will be lower.

[TommyC]

I'd like to know how and why we've gone from budget to compete in league 1 for the play offs to mid table league 2 budget.

It's of course the board's perogative to do so but why and also if that's what they want why are they not actively looking to move on as it is not what us fans want.

We should not accept mediocrity.

have we had a top 6 budget thou, look at the downgrade in not just permanent players but loan players, I think the board have said what they want supporters to hear not what the truth is

I’ve already talked about the January window and how it affected the budgets of those clubs around us in terms of budgets.

We started the season with a budget that would put us in about 6th place, but, as I said earlier this week, there are a bunch of clubs that are close to us in terms of playing budget, and we have calculated that the window saw us drop a few places. The club are still of the opinion that we are in the top 10.

There are other pressures, not least of which is the massive increase in the utility costs which wasn’t planned for, but my understanding is that TB is handling that.

Maybe the other two owners could chip in with some help too? Seems a bit unfair that the utilities bills fall to TB alone when he only owns a third of the club.....