Thea - lonely in business

googul · Post by **googul** » 28 Jan 2015, 20:42

Hello all

As a new poster, I should introduce myself...a Torquay fan for 15 years,I also run a business in the South West and follow the forum with interest.

I am only posting as I feel so strongly about the current situation that our Chairlady has/is suffering and the neglect from fellow Directors.

As mentioned, I run a business, I will not go into it's size etc as it is not relevant, what is relevant is that at certain times I too have felt lonely in my position with the responsibilities running a business entails, but the moment I have felt lonely/pressured I have my staff around me that identify this and will do whatever they can to support me and we always get through it together.

So I hope you can understand my utter disgust for such a genuinely kind lady in Thea admitting in the media that she feels 'lonely' in her position as Chairlady. When there are 'x' number of Directors...yes Directors...Thea should never have been put in a position that she feels so unsupported in her role.
This is a lady that not long ago lost her husband, she has continued to finance the club and is the one reason (from my understanding) we have a football club to support today.

Maybe I am over reacting but for Thea to feel lonely in what realistically is an expensive hobby should never have happened.

I really hope fellow directors feel ashamed at their lack of support to this lady.

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 28 Jan 2015, 20:58

Whilst I totally agree with the sentiment, I think it is important to point out that, at least as far as I am aware, the "quote" about Thea feeling "lonely" in her role has NOT come directly from her but has actually come from Kelvin Thomas - her new "advisor".

So, in that regard, the suggestion of her feeling lonely has either come direct from Thea in private conversations with Kelvin, or quite simply only comes from the impression formed by Thomas in his conversations with Thea. There is a clear difference, given that Thea (at least to the best of my knowledge) has not publicly admitted to such feelings.

Having said that, given that she is the only woman on a board dominated by men, given that she seems to be the only one who is still "putting her hand in her pocket" long after the others have given up (or so it seems!) and given that I believe one of her closest allies on the Board (Alex Rowe) is no longer involved, it doesn't come as a huge surprise if this is indeed the case.

The football club desperately needs a change of direction, whatever that involves, and the time has come to stop "leaning" on Thea to keep coming up with the cash to keep it afloat. I am fairly certain in my opinion that when she and her late husband entered into this consortium it was never their (now just her) intention for the football club to be so reliant on just their money to keep the club afloat - but a lot can change pretty quickly in football and it very much appears as though she has been left to hold the fort while others have turned their backs on her.

googul · Post by **googul** » 28 Jan 2015, 21:13

Fair comment CP Gull and I agree that the statement has come from Kelvin not directly from Thea.

The core of my frustration is that Thea is not a seasoned business lady, we all know that, so it shouldn't take much for a fellow director to have 'put an arm around her' and given her the guidance she clearly required over the last few months which from my view point seems lacking.

I am not suggesting by this putting their hands in their pockets, which for all I know might have happened but she has seemed to be lacking business support from other Directors with experience in this field.

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 28 Jan 2015, 21:28

I think the very fact (if we are to believe what we are being told!) that Thea has felt the need to bring in an "advisor" in Kelvin Thomas to help her in the decision making process, at goodness knows what cost (if indeed he is being remunerated), speaks volumes as to the level of support (or is it confidence?) from the other Directors who, on the face of it at least, should between them have sufficient business experience across their skill set to guide her at this time.

Like I said before, I believe the "loss" of Alex Rowe was a major blow to Thea and it may well be that she doesn't feel able to engage with the remaining Directors in quite the same day as she did with him.

googul · Post by **googul** » 28 Jan 2015, 21:55

Ultimately neither you, I, or other seasoned posters have the answer to Kelvin's intentions with the club.

Maybe as posted on other threads Kelvin has come in to steady the ship and run the club as a club, maybe he is a middleman to a takeover and make the club a more appealing business venture to contacts he has with few quid to line his pockets as his incentive. I wish I knew.

The next few weeks/months will give the answers to his arrival, but I really hope he isn't involved in a scheme similar to that sold to Mr Bateson by a certain Chris Roberts a few years back....I want a club to support that is run in a professional and realistic manner,balancing it's books by a genuine Chairman/Chairwoman for the foreseeable future. (and a few wins on the pitch would be nice too)

Only time will tell.....so fingers crossed.

4everyellow · Post by **4everyellow** » 30 Jan 2015, 19:57

Anyone who is close to the club will tell you the Directors treat Thea with contempt and openly ignore her in meetings. All they want from her is to keep signing the cheques.

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 11 Feb 2015, 17:14

4everyellow wrote:Anyone who is close to the club will tell you the Directors treat Thea with contempt and openly ignore her in meetings. All they want from her is to keep signing the cheques.

I may be wrong, but I get the impression from recent interviews and articles that, once Thea (assisted by Kelvin Thomas) has found new investment and a safe pair of hands which can secure a sustainable future for the club, she will reduce or terminate her own financial involvement and either retire from the board or take a back seat.

If what you say is correct, then we cannot blame her, though I should hesitate to make criticisms of other directors, who may have their shortcomings (don't we all?) but would not be where they are if they did not have the interests of the club at heart. Let's face it, investment in a football club such as ours is not something to be done if you want any kind of return on your money. Unless you're a foreign billionaire who can put really big money in, to spend on expensive players and buy the club's progress up through the leagues. But that is a two-edged sword..

However, I'm sure Kelvin Thomas is savvy enough to understand the situation at Plainmoor and will make sound proposals for improvements.

BayGull · Post by **BayGull** » 11 Feb 2015, 22:15

4everyellow wrote:Anyone who is close to the club will tell you the Directors treat Thea with contempt and openly ignore her in meetings. All they want from her is to keep signing the cheques.

I met the late Mr Paul Bristow shortly after he had purchased the club when he was attending a Scout event.
The event happened to coincide with a pre-season friendly at Plainmoor and when I asked him why he was not watching his new purchase in action .. he replied in confidence that he would rather be where he felt wanted & involved, not somewhere where he was treated with contempt because of the way he obtained his money.

That said it all then - and a few other remarks he made in passing indicated then that the quite and kind hearted gentleman with the ponytail would not really ever be welcome in the boardroom.

(I am sure he would not mind me repeating that now - God bless him.)

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 12 Feb 2015, 05:30

Without him and Thea there are a few who have had a free ride and would have needed to buy a season ticket or two over the last couple of years. I've made my contempt for them known for some time and was rightly or wrongly scorned for it. I'm saddened by the treatment they (Paul and Thea)have received and take no satisfaction from being proved correct that Thea needed help from someone outside of the club to protect her interests. I've never fallen for this "They are fans so must be good guys" nonsense spouted far too often on here about some of the other board members. There were a few directors with real vision but sadly hampered by those who've been running the club into the ground. Hopefully that is all about to change for the betterment of the Club.

Post by **Trojan 67** » 17 Feb 2015, 21:08

"The one thing permanent in life is change."

Then there's change for the better, change for the worse, change just for the f****n' sake of change and last but not least - progress.

Real progress is when change occurs for the betterment of that which has changed. Time will tell (unless
clairvoyagers/savants with insight tell us first).

I reckon SG (despite the thug appearance) is bang on savvy. What do you reckon?

Post by **SuperNickyWroe** » 17 Feb 2015, 22:23

Trojan 67 wrote:"The one thing permanent in life is change."

Then there's change for the better, change for the worse, change just for the f****n' sake of change and last but not least - progress.

Real progress is when change occurs for the betterment of that which has changed. Time will tell (unless
clairvoyagers/savants with insight tell us first).

I reckon SG (despite the thug appearance) is bang on savvy. What do you reckon?

Me ol' cock SG is bang on Troj - he's been saying it long enough.

But he's way to old to be a thug.....

Glostergull · Post by **Glostergull** » 17 Feb 2015, 22:24

Trojan 67 wrote:"The one thing permanent in life is change."

Then there's change for the better, change for the worse, change just for the f****n' sake of change and last but not least - progress.

Real progress is when change occurs for the betterment of that which has changed. Time will tell (unless
clairvoyagers/savants with insight tell us first).

I reckon SG (despite the thug appearance) is bang on savvy. What do you reckon?

Nah. He's just a great big cuddly rotweiller really.

Post by **Trojan 67** » 17 Feb 2015, 22:47

SuperNickyWroe wrote:
Me ol' cock SG is bang on Troj - he's been saying it long enough.

But he's way to old to be a thug.....

He aint too old to be ugly though. Then there are those who are fat who squeeze in a thin but pertinent post and those who aim point blank at the urinal to cause splashback.

Post by **SuperNickyWroe** » 17 Feb 2015, 23:02

Trojan 67 wrote: He aint too old to be ugly though. Then there are those who are fat who squeeze in a thin but pertinent post and those who aim point blank at the urinal to cause splashback.

Harsh but fair.

Post by **Trojan 67** » 17 Feb 2015, 23:46

SuperNickyWroe wrote:
Harsh but fair.

Every Yorkshireman born, bred and by other means parachuted into God's own country has earned the right to be harsh but fair. You never in a monsoon of drippy posts ever talks wet Supes.

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