The Stacey West had some access to incoming Chairman Ron Fowler this weekend, with a chance to discuss his plans and future intentions for Lincoln City.
The first thing many feel when a new investor comes in is a boost in finances, but that never felt like the case to me. There will be stability and a little more floating around to solidify the business, but anyone expecting a shift from our current recruitment plan is set to be surprised, as it was the financial responsibility that appealed to Ron in the first instance.
Speaking of the current leaders at Lincoln City, he said:
“I like that they are very financially responsible. We will spend the money we have, but if we think we need more money to do some other things, we will find it. I think Harvey decided he had other priorities, but he wanted to stay involved, so he has kept his position. Clive has also kept his position in terms of contributions and capital contributions.”
Ron also explained how it isn’t just about Lincoln City. We operate in League One, and that’s a landscape the former San Diego Padres owner feels he needed to understand before committing to the project.
“We spent a lot of time, my son and I, talking to Liam to get a better understanding of the EFL, where it was going, the good and the bad. I think in our first year in, we saw the ugly, and the average payroll is going up almost 56 per cent in League One. So we made the determination to invest.”
“The biggest thing at my age is that you do not want to get into something where you have to turn everything around. Here, we have the management team in place and we like the direction. This is more a process of providing additional funding to do some things we have not been able to do and to allow them to provide a strong team on the pitch. It is more an evolution of where we are than anything else.”
In a relaxed conversation, Ron seemed really at ease with everything around the club, but I always felt that acute business edge to him. He’s done his diligence on the club and it doesn’t feel like a vanity project where money will be thrown at the club.
Instead, he’s assessed the business, the needs of the club and aligned with the values shown by Clive, Harvey and the board over the last ten seasons.
“I guess if you put up the money, you get the title. But I am looking more at collegiality among the board and a sense of governance, with management being able to manage. I think maybe our board was a little too participatory in everything. We were more into management by committee than providing governance and letting the managers of the team do it.
“I do not see much of a change at all, except continuing to challenge Liam and his people, and maybe doing some things to improve the facility over the next 12, 18, or 24 months.”
Improving the facility feels like it means upgrades to the ground and, maybe, the EPC, designed to attract players by making the offering more enticing, rather than with silly wages. Obviously, it is easy to say this is great, and it is, but it might not be what many expect.
Coming from the Padres, Ron is aware of having to maximise what you have. They’re in the same league as the Dodgers, a big-spending juggernaut that other teams have to be savvy to compete with, a similarity he sees here.
“There were a lot of crazy owners in baseball who did things that were counterintuitive. It would appear, based on what I have seen, heard, and read, that there is a lot of that in the EFL, especially in League One. I think we have sanity here, and we will continue to have sanity as long as Liam is in the CEO position.
“The other thing is that you cannot compete with the big dogs by doing things the way they do them. You have to come up with a different way of doing it. The expression I have used for years is to keep changing the game until you find one you can win.”
Don’t worry: Ron might think that clubs like Lincoln have to change the game and find a way to win, but he feels that is already happening here. Nothing is going to change, we’re just going to have a little more wiggle room when it comes to doing what we already do.
“We are not coming in to do that. They are halfway, or two-thirds of the way, through the process already, and we are just going to allow them to complete it. That is what makes this fun. They love the challenge, and it ties into the David and Goliath mentality that exists here. The community, the management team in place, and the players all make this a positive and attractive investment opportunity.
“You are not doing it for the return on investment, I can assure you of that. You have to do it because you have a love for football, and we have that.”
When pressed, Ron outlined a little clearer where any investment might be directed. What is refreshing is he feels it will be funnelled where needed by the existing management, rather than a new direction from the man at the helm.
“Well, it is going to be money directed where senior leadership feels it should be spent. Money you spend on facilities is something you expect a return on over time. Money you spend on the team is more about the psychological value and the fun you get out of it. But ultimately, you have to be winning.
“Winning, and fans continuing to attend based on the fan experience, is what it is all about. That is what we are looking to do.”
Few can argue that we’ve struck on a formula here that has value. It feels like we’re eager to support that, but by generating more money our own way, through an improved Sincil Bank, facilities that generate money every day, and that lure people to the ground earlier on a matchday.
Overall, our interview lasted 20 minutes, but it felt like we covered an awful lot. Half of the interview will be available on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, while the second half is exclusive to us and can be found here.
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