Notes from the Fans Fourum held at the Den on Tuesday 5th August 2008

The forum format was similar to recent events as it was split into two parts. The first section involved a panel containing the team manager and two players, and in the second part the fans were able to question a panel of Board members.

Bob Asprey (MSC Chairman) introduced the first panel, which contained Kenny Jackett (the manager) and two players Ahmet Brkovic (midfielder) and Marcus Bignot (defender). Bob said that questions to this panel would last an hour and then asked for the first question from the 120 / 150 who attended.

Question (to the players) - It must have been a shock to you when Kenny announced at the Player Of The Year function that you would be involved in three training sessions a day in pre-season. How have you been coping with this?

Marcus Bignot replied that it had indeed been a shock to the system. The players had to set their alarm clocks to 5.30am just to get to training on time and it felt like we were working even harder than you lot, who have full time jobs. Sometimes we lost track of time thinking it was lunchtime when in fact it was only 10 o'clock.

Seriously though, it has brought the squad together as well as improving our fitness. We need a fast start and we hope that the hard work now will bring rewards by the end of the season.

Question - Kenny, we still seem to have a poor squad as our result at Exeter showed (disagreement from those attending). Do you agree?

Kenny replied we were poor at Exeter, and did not create much up front. Even so their goalkeeper was voted man of the match by their own fans. We will improve, in the end we went too direct. I like my teams to pass through midfield and to involve the wingers.

Whilst I am constantly looking at ways to improve the squad I am generally happy and know we can be much better.

Question - Have lessons been learnt from the injury ravaged last season?

Kenny replied yes I am aiming to get a good group of committed and fit players who want to ensure team success. Injuries are also a matter of luck and you need a good scouting system to ensure you are updated with who is available should a replacement be required.

Question - Are funds available to strengthen the squad and are you going to make any further signings. ?

Kenny replied I am aware that we have no one really big and frightening in our forward line and have made extensive enquiries in this area. I have made enquiries about Kandol from Leeds and Akinde from Ebbsfleet. Ebbsfleet are very reluctant to let their young talent depart. A signing could happen soon we shall have to see. I am aware of a lack of force up front. Generally, I am never completely happy with my squad and am always looking to improve and I have funds to do so.

Question - Kenny, could you explain what part Jon Goodman is playing in our fitness regime?

He is playing an important part and will be used on a regular basis next season. He is a very bright chap with his own sports fitness company, which comes from a football angle. He employs different experts in various performance areas (such as weight training, etc.) and he will refer you to them for their specific area of responsibility.

Question - Kenny, will you be using many loan players next season?

Kenny replied I do not like loans and you will not find many in the successful teams next season. You need a settled and determined squad to be successful. Loans are only useful when you hit injuries. If I am using them just to improve what I've got then it seems I am fire fighting and getting things wrong.

Question - What's your prognosis for next season and who do you think will be the top teams in the division?

Kenny replied I think this will be an open league and certainly feel that we have the ground, the training facilities and the fanbase to do very well. We must have a good start, as this will give the players belief. I am not interested in the other teams, only twice a season when we play them.

Question - Kenny, can you keep your squad together?

Kenny responded yes, I am under no pressure to sell.

Question - What is the position with Lenny Pidgley and Dave Brammer?

Kenny replied Lenny went to Motherwell on trial but nothing has resulted from this. He is now back and training hard. He could be played if conditions dictate. Dave has been out for some 7 weeks with a knee injury and again is now back in training after an operation. Due to the strength of the PFA, you just cannot get rid of the high earners easily. You must honour their contracts. This is fairly unique to football.

Question - What is your current injury situation?

Kenny said Danny Senda is out until around Christmas. Marcus Bignot and Dave Brammer are now back in training. Dave Martin and Ryan Smith have slight knocks and but could be available this weekend.

Question - Kenny how do you compare this club with others you've been at?

In the London area, I consider Millwall to be bigger than the 2 other clubs where I have worked, QPR and Watford. Manchester City is obviously a very big club, particularly in Manchester itself, as more United fans tend to come from outside the local area. Swansea is also a big club, as it benefits from having no competition for 50 miles.

Question - Can you tell us about the possibility of signing Jem Karacan, Jay Simpson or Bryan Hodge?

Kenny replied I have asked Reading about Jem and Arsenal about Jay. Reading have told me they intend to use Jem this season, particularly considering their relegation. Jay is similar having spent pre-season back at Arsenal, although I did notice he was not to be seen for the Emirates Cup last weekend so there could be mileage there. Bryan Hodge is probably not needed now as I think I have strengthened midfield considerably and will be looking for goals from that area next season with players bursting through to support the attack. Danny Spiller has had a particularly good pre-season. Getting first refusal on any of these players is difficult and you must have a very good relationship with the selling club. Jay is a difficult one as where would you play him? The answer from the audience seemed to be as a striker but Kenny thought that although he had improved, he was not guaranteed to score a great amount of goals.

Question - You seemed to change your formation last season from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3, will you hopefully settle on a 4-4-2 formation this season?

Kenny replied I believe 433 will work in this division provided the wide forward of the 3 works hard to support attacks and gets shots in. I will of course go with the formation which suits the players and is therefore most successful. If I play a formation and it's not successful, obviously I will change it.

Question - In the light of your change of mind concerning Neil Harris, do you think you bow to fan pressure or are you your own man?

Kenny said I am aware of what the fans are saying as you can hear a lot from the dugout and if I've missed it my family will relay it to me after the end of the game. I think I'm my own man and rely on my own judgement. You've got to be true to yourself and try to give back what the players have given to you.

Question - Whilst you are your own man, which managers have influenced you?

I think I admire Alex Ferguson, who is always aware of what is going on and on top of his job. Once, when Swansea lost the playoff final to Barnsley on penalties, Ferguson called me a couple of days later to encourage me to keep up the good work. I did not think he knew I existed.

Question - Kenny can you explain the diabolical signing of Tony Craig (the questioner was jeered in the room)?

Kenny replied I re-signed Craig because when I took him on loan last year, he played well, seemed a Millwall player and added to the positive mood in the dressing room.

Question - Kenny what is your ideal squad number for next season?

Kenny said I think a squad of 18 / 20 players is adequate and in that squad you would like a few youth team players pushing through as established professionals start to lose interest if they are not involved in the first team on a regular basis. As I've said we need more punch up front but we also need to get the youth pushing forward.

Question - Do you like the transfer windows or do you find it puts more pressure on you to find the right players?

Kenny responded I don't like the current set up at all, and I think it is a poor rule. Good for the media but not for football team managers.

Question (to the players) - What is the atmosphere like in the dressing room?

Ahmet replied the players have a good spirit and determination for the new season. We all get on well with one another, and yesterday we went paintballing (from the floor - did you hit the target? - general laughter) Marcus continued the players are focussed on a good start, they are aware of how they underperformed last season.

Question - Who will play right back?

Kenny replied at present Marcus is favourite. Alan Dunne has played there for some of pre-season, but did not do so well there on Saturday. Dunney is currently still troubled by his toe injury. It is not a problem position for me.

Question (to Ahmet) - You were at the club for a trial period, can you tell us the differences in the club then and now?

Ahmet replied when I was at the club before, there were several good players including Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill and Neil Harris. Now the squad is younger but has a good team spirit. At the time the managers were Keith Stevens and Alan McLeary, but it didn't work out and I signed for Leyton Orient.

Question - Kenny do you think the younger players will benefit from last season's tough experience?

Kenny responded yes. When building a squad at our level you need to get players before they come good. We need to bring players on. We need to concentrate on the age group 18-24. We can't afford to buy players who are right at the top of their games.

Question - Kenny, how will you treat the cup competitions this season?

Kenny replied of course you want to win every game but I think the League is the priority. Players need momentum so winning Cup and League games adds to this. The Johnson's Paint games also give an opportunity to fringe players and those returning from injury.

Question - What do you consider to be a good points return after 10 games?

Kenny responded I suppose most managers will say 20 points, but I want to see positives like being fitter, stronger and faster to the ball compared to the opposition. And I want us to be in touch with the leaders.

Question -Kenny how do you think the downgrading of the Academy to a Centre Of Excellence will affect your work?

Kenny replied well I think the club will benefit, as the Centre Of Excellence is less expensive. We will now play against Championship level clubs downwards, as the Premiership operate in an elitist way. We will continue to train teams three times a week as we did when we had academy status. However, the Centre Of Excellence will mean that we will not have to pay as many top level staff. I am convinced that 15 / 16 /17 year olds will be brought through despite the change.

Question - I don't think your team was consistent enough last season.

Kenny said I agree and we are working on this.

Question - Did you speak to Darren Byfield about a return to the Club?

Kenny said no.

Question - After last season, I see the Club doctor left the club?

Kenny replied that the last doctor has moved on for personal reasons and we have had his replacement throughout pre-season and now for the new campaign.

Bob ended the first session of the forum by wishing the players and management well for the new season and following a break the Directors panel was assembled.

Part 2 - Questions to the Board

Following the departure of the players and the manager Bob then introduced the Directors Panel, which contained Stewart Till (Football Club Vice Chairman), Trevor Keyse, Pete Garston (Fan Director) and Andy Ambler (Chief Operating Officer). Apologies were received from Heather Rabbatts, who was dealing with the bereavement of a close family friend. Bob then asked for questions from the floor.

Question - Following the defeat of Mr Ferguson Lacey's resolutions at the EGM, do we know what his next move is likely to be?

Andy Ambler responded that the Club has yet to hear from Ferguson Lacey since the EGM. He is probably waiting to see how things progress but may contact the Club again in September / October, closer to the next AGM.

Stewart Till added that there had been attempts to buy Lacey off but he is still holding on. His persistence in asking for the EGM has cost £130,000 and embarrassed his lawyers who attended the meeting.

Trevor Keyse continued that Lacey had only attended a couple of games last season and had hit the Club when it was struggling against relegation and therefore could not be a real fan.

Peter Garston stated that although he had been in some dialogue with Lacey before the EGM, Lacey had not come back to him after the result and had certainly not answered any of his ten questions, which he had put to him. Not surprisingly, this led Peter to believe Lacey had no real interest in the future of football operations at the Club.

Question - Could the Board overturn the restrictions which Lacey successfully imposed at the last AGM whereby new investment had to be in the form of loans rather than the issuing of new shares?

Andy Ambler admitted that this was an important point. Currently the loans cannot be converted into shares and so this has meant that the Club is paying unnecessary interest. It should be noted that Mr Lacey's interest in the club had been diminished to 22% with Mr Berylson's recent share conversion. It is likely that the board will seek section 89 & 90 approval, thereby removing Mr Lacey's block, at the next AGM.

Question - Is it possible with the current economic climate that planning permission might be secured for the regeneration but the club finds nobody with the funds to carry out the development?

Stewart replied by saying firstly reiterating that Heather was intending to be present but had a bereavement to deal with. He continued that although the planning process was slow, he was 90% sure that permission for the regeneration scheme would be granted. Heather has agreed to call a forum with fans when she is able to go public with the progress. The club has to be at the centre of the regeneration, to ensure that the surrounding uses dovetail into the club's commercial operations.

Trevor said that he was sure the regeneration would go ahead and the Club should be in a prime position to benefit financially.

Question - Can the Board confirm that a new investor who wanted to put £1m into the Club has now been deterred from making that investment?

Stewart replied that he thought that John Berylson, the PLC Chairman, was in touch with a potential new investor and far from walking away, negotiations were continuing. It may not be as much as £1m however.

Question (to Pete) - Are you planning another Dockers Day, and if so, when?

Pete replied that he is planning another event for next February. This may involve a team of ex players from the 1980s. Also he is looking to arrange something on the same day to commemorate the fans who had died in an accident in Basingstoke on their way to a match in the 1970's.

Question - In the light of falling season ticket sales, how much longer can the club survive on raising capital through share issues or relying on the personal wealth of one individual?

Andy admitted that the reduction in season ticket sales was a problem. Sales were down from 4,500 this time last year to 3,800 now. Whilst Mr Berylson could keep the Club going a little longer, he would not want to pour his cash away and the club must work towards break even. The Club is currently cutting costs and trying to maximise revenues in order to achieve this. Andy is once again pushing the Club's conference facilities with the City being such a short distance away.

But he also recognised the need for success on the pitch. Next year would be a good time to be promoted, as the Championship was due to enjoy the riches of a new TV deal. Trevor Keyes re-inforced this statement. After the last few disappointing seasons, which had almost certainly had their effect on season ticket sales, there was a need to get promoted and he thought Kenny Jackett was the manager who could provide this success.

Question - Do you see a time when Millwall games will be live on the internet?

Stewart Till replied with the advent of 'convergence', where the functionality of TVs and computers will be combined, this is a possibility and could happen in 2 to 3 years time. The Club must be in a position to take advantage of these developments in technology. It must have a strong brand and high profile.

Question - You have mentioned lapsed season ticket holders, are you aware that due to the current credit crunch people are finding it hard to bear the costs of travelling to games from Kent and purchasing season tickets? Can you not follow Charlton's example and provide coaches from Kent towns?

Andy Ambler replied that he recognises that as well as the credit crunch, the price of petrol has gone up and this on top of three poor seasons. He has been in contact with lapsed season ticket holders via e-mail, and the possibility of providing transport from Kent has been mentioned. It will be considered if feasible.

Question - There is a feeling that you do not do enough for long-term season ticket holders, the people who have stuck with the Club through the recent thin years. Can you not give them free access into the early rounds of Cup games like Northampton?

Andy replied that he recognised that the people who signed up for early bird season tickets especially were the lifeblood of the Club. There is a difficulty in giving free access to Cup games, as there was an obligation on the home team to give the opposition 40% of the gate takings. The opposing team would therefore need to accept the scheme. Inevitably, if cup games were included, the price would rise. There is no guarantee that Millwall will have ANY home cup matches.

The Board is currently looking into rewarding long-term season ticket holders and maybe something different for the Johnsons Paint Trophy games will be considered. However, season ticket holders are getting a £2 discount on the Carling Cup match v Northampton, and can buy a ticket for £9.

Question - Can the Chairman attend one of these forums?

Stewart replied that he had every intention of doing so and indeed he would. He missed this one due to a family holiday, which he is cutting short to see the Southend game. His love for the Club is growing and when he attends games, he is often to be found in 'Arry's or the Executive Club talking to the supporters.

Peter Garston added that he had frequently asked on the message boards last season whether any fans wished to meet with Board members and he received minimal response. He will be asking the same again this season.

Question - In the light of the failure of the Ghana v Senegal international match last season, will you be staging any more international games?

Andy replied that far from being a failure, the Ghana game was something of a success. Not only did the Club hire out the ground and therefore took money from the event but also it got us recognised as being ready and able to stage international matches. The Club is pursuing this area actively as a means of increasing revenue and was even looking at teams like Poland who may be interested. Staging football games is our strength.

Boxing has been considered and Stewart has been in touch with music promoters like Harvey Goldsmith but it is felt that arenas such as the O2 offer better, all weather venues for these activities.

The Soccer Six again was a success. It yielded money from the hire of the stadium and the organisers were very pleased with the venue. Unfortunately, the organisers are committed to go North of the River next year. As regards the media, we had the Bill TV episode filmed here as well as many adverts, including the Nike one featuring Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas, Arsene Wenger and many others. Stewart has also forged a relationship with Film London with a view to further filming at the Den.

Question - Is the Club going to offer the long awaited testimonial to Richard Sadlier?

Stewart replied yes. He had been in touch with Richard a year ago and Sunderland had agreed, and a date was fixed. Unfortunately, the intended opponents pulled out. He spoke to Richard again six months ago but no opposing team was available at that time. If an appropriate team can be found the testimonial can still happen.

Question - Why were there no home friendlies this season and could this fact be responsible for the fall in season ticket numbers?

Andy replied that he thought the fall in season ticket sales could be due to the economic conditions and he expected membership numbers to rise. However, the lack of home friendlies leading to a decline in ticket sales was mentioned on Lions Live last week and this has to be taken into consideration.

The Club had decided against home friendlies this season due to the enormous rise in police costs in the Metropolitan Police area. Guidelines are set down for policing costs for league and cup matches but the Met are losing money hand over fist and are trying to make some back on other events, such as friendly games. The Club will review the policy next season.

Question - The catering in the ground is still poor. What is the Club doing about it?

Andy replied that we need feedback of examples of poor service either through him or the MSC.

Question - Can the club be included in the Soccer Legends Tournament?

Andy replied that this was normally arranged via ex-players. Clubs had nothing to do with it.

Question - Can our Chairman arrange a pre-season tour of America next year?

Stewart responded that he thought Mr Berylson would be proud to take a Millwall team to America. However, the climate may be a problem, as Boston gets very hot in the summer, and suitable opposition would be needed for pre-season matches.

Question (to Trevor and Stewart) - You have supported Millwall for many years. Where have you sat in both the old and new grounds?

Trevor replied that at the old ground he had started on the terraces, and then moved on to the Executive Club and the Gold and Premier Suites before becoming a director.

Stewart had started in the old grandstand, and moved into the Executive Suite at the new stadium. He was proud to say that when his son collected his Degree from Manchester last week, he was wearing a Millwall tie.

Furthermore, he was very proud to have had his stag night at the Old Den, possibly the only person ever to do so.

Apparently the catering was shocking.

There being no other questions, Bob rounded off the Forum at 9.45 pm by wishing everyone, players, managers, directors and supporters, a very good and successful season.