Torquay United Fans Forum

Hi, I think Mike, the chairman is sending out a report to members later today - I should imagine someone will post it here too.

As a former chair of TUST I was somewhat put out, to say the least, when offers of help and advice were ignored by the previous chairman. I think it's a shame, and also speaks volumes, that the TUST in times of social media etc and with the club under immense threat have such a small database of members.

When we originally started the TUST we manned the turnstiles every game for 10 games handing out membership forms and fliers, we handed out 1,000's of yellow balloons for games, involved local business groups and communities. We quickly grew membership to 500+ in a matter of a couple of months.
Above all, you can't be afraid to stick your head above the parapet, and when you do you have to be ready for and expect, the consequences.

I may be, and probably am, behind the times but my attitude is one of 'don't sit in meetings or behind a keyboard talking - get out there and do something to increase membership FFS' Once the membership is increased TUST will have to be taken more seriously than it currently is, then and only then can you start looking properly at money. If you do it the other way round it will backfire.

I know from talking to previous club employees that the TUST shot themselves in the foot with what the club saw as an aggressive attitude. Their words to me were that the TUST was more a political animal than a supporters representation. They saw them as a threat rather than a body that wanted to help the club as a whole. Whether that is the case or not (which it most certainly wasn't), it's certainly the perception that the club had of them. No wonder they didn't give them a look in!! If you are going to attempt an aggressive takeover you have to have the clout to do it, otherwise you' won't be taken seriously....

If the current board want help or advice the offer is still there, my time is very limited with one thing or another but so long as it's taking action of some sort - any sort - rather than just talking the talk and watching the club fall apart around our ears I'm happy to help.

Morning all from a regular viewer but infrequent poster. I have a few thoughts and they are nothing more than that....

Personal, and company taxes can be a real pain - ask Harry Redknap.... I think that with various business assets that GI have their tax bill might well be higher than they feel comfortable with.
Effectively they won TUFC in a lottery, anyone else could have come in for the club ahead of them at any time, it cost them very little and the attitude was if they got it, they got it, if they didn't they didn't.
Now they do have it, they have a problem - what to do with it.
Everything is open to speculation and their track record isn't great for the likes of Bristol Rovers etc.
However, and these are just my thoughts, I think they may well be using the club as a kind of tax loophole. Personally, I have a couple of businesses and when one is doing well then I put money into tax-deductible ventures such as training programmes - or I pay a directors loan into another business.
GI may well have got the club for a pittance, BUT they have put a lot of money into the club so far, increased budget, paying off the old management, paying Bath City, new signings etc
This money has come from somewhere and presumably, it's not from the money fairy but from their own companies and other investors, my guess is that the thinking is similar to mine (but with much larger numbers) inasmuch as 40% of their profits have to go somewhere!
Either: 1 the government gets the dosh or, 2 it gets invested in the hope of it showing a return in the future - option 1 is dead money (as far as they're concerned) option 2 it's a gamble but the ROI could be very worthwhile.
Personally, I would put energy into a new project but if it didn't yield a return within a set period of time then I'd walk away so long as I didn't spend more than I would have paid elsewhere - as in paying a higher rate tax.
I may be totally wrong, and I am often am, but it's a possibility?

Is anyone from the trust available to make comment? Whilst the trust, by their own constitution, aren't supposed to get involved with on the pitch matters this is now affecting things off the pitch which is within their remit.

kevgull wrote: ↑28 Mar 2017, 10:34 Agree Terry it's not a tangible figure and it would be almost impossible for us to determine accurately.
However I would hazard a guess that local businesses will be able to confirm the upturn in local trade when TUFC are playing at home, especially when we are doing well.

Locals, Exiles, Away Fans and Guests will all spend money on a matchday, that's a fact.
The only thing that's it arguable is the amount.

Argyle quoted being in the championship was worth £5M p.a. to the local economy, naturally those figures grow exponentially as you progress up the pyramid have bigger stadia etc. However, they got their figures somewhere, I'll ask a few questions.