Cox Resigns

[Rjc70]

Following on from CPGull's post, just thought I'd highlight these two comments back to you, mushroom. They were in the same post and I'm not sure you thought this one through before posting it. Think about it. Whilst there is wriggle room if you so choose, this is not, at face value, the most ringing endorsement of a project you say you no longer have an interest in?

Mushroom didn't post again after this exchange. Wbw did so again not long after the quoted bit above.

Their position on the specific question of the freehold of Plainmoor was not dissimilar and as far as I recall (happy to be corrected) was only revisited as a topic within that relatively short space of time by both posters alone until replied to. All fine, up to them, potential coincidence and meeting of minds. Maybe mushroom has had other things on, something else of which there could naturally be myriad reasons, or he has decided to end his posting just as wbw has stated he has now chosen to do.

Dave forevertufc, CP, and kitrobin -
I agree with a lot of what you said earlier today in reply to some of the points I raised in previous posts when asking both posters a couple of straightforward questions. Can't recall if I even disagree with any of what you said at this hour.

In common with most who have posted on this thread, we have TUFC running through us and listen to the views of others regardless of how new to the forum they are and respond in our own way on the various forums we frequent.
None of us have recently joined a forum and mentioned the Plainmoor freehold so early into our forum membership and/or when pressed, stated that we were part of a recent consortia which unsuccessfully tried to acquire TUFC. I can see why others aren't all that happy with that.

Like CP has stated to mushroom in an earlier post, I'm really not interested in publishing names here. Genuine enquiry, I did also think all four of us had read something purportedly about mushroom's identity not long before mushroom offered the information on here that he was part of a recent consortia?

Anyway, neither posters have closed their accounts, so never say never on wbw. Or mushroom. As George says - 'the truth will out'. Or was it 'smell the coffee'. It was one or the other. I'll be needing coffee soon as I've been up all night with work, so excuse the ramblings.

[Dave]

Freehold this, freehold that, there's a covenant on the ground (the open recreational space) end of f*ckin' story.

Trojan, Trojan, Trojan, standing on the steps waving a white piece of paper with the word 'covenant' on the top , is somewhat akin to when Neville Chamberlain stood there waving a white piece paper and proclaimed Hitler will put his feet up, stay at home and behave himself.

A half baked lawyer will get that covenant removed with some ease.

[Gullscorer]

A half baked lawyer will get that covenant removed with some ease.

Yep, presumably by making application to the court. But this is really a side issue.

The important thing is to get up to Plainmoor and support the team. Donate to the Players Fund if you can. And never give up.

The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us while we are alive.

[mushroom]

I have been away for a few days walking and stayed away from internet
Kelvin Thomas effectively terminated our discussions and the financial backer a wealthy American has since bought a controlling share in a FL Club so that avenue ends
I am a FD of a FL Club and would of been in that position if we were successful in the acquisition
I stand by my suggestion that a Fans ownership structure is the long term only option for us

[Georg]

I'll raise a point. Would it have been so bad if the club had gone part time in the summer?? Plenty of part time sides have been successful in this league you only have to Look at Braintree and where they are at the minute. If the club had gone part time funds would have then been available to put Paul Cox on a paid contract as was requested. Its the stigma of being part time that scares some individuals but there is no shame in it.

[Kit_robin]

I'll raise a point. Would it have been so bad if the club had gone part time in the summer?? Plenty of part time sides have been successful in this league you only have to Look at Braintree and where they are at the minute. If the club had gone part time funds would have then been available to put Paul Cox on a paid contract as was requested. Its the stigma of being part time that scares some individuals but there is no shame in it.

The problem with part time in Torbay is the quality of available jobs for players to supplement their income.

If you're Altrincham, Woking etc. You have metropolitan hubs a short train ride away. Down here there isn't a lot to offer any prospective player.

In this circumstance, remaining full time may actually act as an incentive to players - they get to remain professional and the advantages it brings.

Also, the amount we are paying some of our players is probably less than the wages paid by some part time clubs. We wouldn't see much advantage from being part time.

And you're wrong, there is shame in it. Professional for what? 90 years? And then part time? Would hurt me at least.

[Georg]

You can still be professional in the sense that you run a club off the pitch in a professional way and just happen to be part time. The problem is behind the scenes too many people are pulling in different directions and that problem seems to go back a few years. There are more professionally run part time clubs in the Conference North and South.

[PhilGull]

The problem with part time in Torbay is the quality of available jobs for players to supplement their income.

If you're Altrincham, Woking etc. You have metropolitan hubs a short train ride away. Down here there isn't a lot to offer any prospective player.

In this circumstance, remaining full time may actually act as an incentive to players - they get to remain professional and the advantages it brings.

Also, the amount we are paying some of our players is probably less than the wages paid by some part time clubs. We wouldn't see much advantage from being part time.

And you're wrong, there is shame in it. Professional for what? 90 years? And then part time? Would hurt me at least.

^^What he said^^
And I would add it would have been the end of the club. I'm not sure on the rules but I certainly don't remember any part-time clubs in the Football League. To go part-time so soon after relegation would effectrively say to the world "we have given up and have no desire, ambition or plans to get back in to the Football League".

[BayGull]

.... is somewhat akin to when Neville Chamberlain stood there waving a white piece paper ......

Don't you mean Helen Chamberlain waving her bra?

[Burnhamgull]

Don't you mean Helen Chamberlain waving her bra?

Nobody wants to see that.......20 years ago maybe but not now

[tomogull]

You can still be professional in the sense that you run a club off the pitch in a professional way and just happen to be part time. The problem is behind the scenes too many people are pulling in different directions and that problem seems to go back a few years. There are more professionally run part time clubs in the Conference North and South.

You are right. The club has been run in a very amateurish way for at least the past four years and that is precisely why we are in the position we now find ourselves in. Many on this Forum have been saying this for years. Things won't miraculously change overnight. The new chairman and Board have to be given time to turn things around. Steve Breed the Chief Exec said on the radio last Tuesday night that they are learning on the job and that mistakes have been made. I hope they can pull us through. In fact, they seem to be our only hope.

I don't think going part-time would have been the answer. However, there was an interesting interview with Mike Bateson in this week's Herald Express in which he thought there were too many players at the club. He thought there should be about 16 professional players plus a few local (part time) lads. He also felt that the 'break even' figure should have been set at 1500 instead of 1800.

Added in 6 minutes 39 seconds:

I have been away for a few days walking and stayed away from internet
Kelvin Thomas effectively terminated our discussions and the financial backer a wealthy American has since bought a controlling share in a FL Club so that avenue ends
I am a FD of a FL Club and would of been in that position if we were successful in the acquisition
I stand by my suggestion that a Fans ownership structure is the long term only option for us

Dare we ask why Kelvin Thomas terminated discussions? If I remember correctly, we were fed the story that the consortium, presumably the consortium you were part of, withdrew from negotiations after assessing the club's liabilities. Personally, it would have stuck in my throat that a bliddy Yank had come in the save the club, but then beggars can't be choosers .....

[Bomber]

The problem with part time in Torbay is the quality of available jobs for players to supplement their income.

If you're Altrincham, Woking etc. You have metropolitan hubs a short train ride away. Down here there isn't a lot to offer any prospective player.

In this circumstance, remaining full time may actually act as an incentive to players - they get to remain professional and the advantages it brings.

Also, the amount we are paying some of our players is probably less than the wages paid by some part time clubs. We wouldn't see much advantage from being part time.

And you're wrong, there is shame in it. Professional for what? 90 years? And then part time? Would hurt me at least.

Part-time football for a club for a club like Torquay United equals Conference South football and vice-versa.
It also means a restriction to signing the likes of Martin Rice, Aaron Dawson, Ashley Yeoman and Jamie Richards etc, unless there is a serious cash injection.

[ROADRUNNER]

going part time is not the answer, if that happens we will never be back playing in the league, this would be the end for a lot of supporters, we dont want to go down that road. the only way is full time if we are to stand anychance of getting back in the league.

[Yellows]

You are right. The club has been run in a very amateurish way for at least the past four years and that is precisely why we are in the position we now find ourselves in. Many on this Forum have been saying this for years. Things won't miraculously change overnight. The new chairman and Board have to be given time to turn things around. Steve Breed the Chief Exec said on the radio last Tuesday night that they are learning on the job and that mistakes have been made. I hope they can pull us through. In fact, they seem to be our only hope.

I don't think going part-time would have been the answer. However, there was an interesting interview with Mike Bateson in this week's Herald Express in which he thought there were too many players at the club. He thought there should be about 16 professional players plus a few local (part time) lads. He also felt that the 'break even' figure should have been set at 1500 instead of 1800.

Added in 6 minutes 39 seconds: Dare we ask why Kelvin Thomas terminated discussions? If I remember correctly, we were fed the story that the consortium, presumably the consortium you were part of, withdrew from negotiations after assessing the club's liabilities. Personally, it would have stuck in my throat that a bliddy Yank had come in the save the club, but then beggars can't be choosers .....

The buyers withdraw because Thea would not clear down the debts including the potential loses of c200k anticipated at June 2015. They also ask Thea to put in a further 200k to clear down the restructuring costs like Redundancy and Disputes which should have done when the Club got relegated. Apparently following the collapse Bill Philips and the remaining Board took over the Club and then passed it on to the existing Board liabilities and all. A crazy deal if my source is correct.

[Neal]

I don't understand the benefits of owning the Freehold UNLESS you intend at some point to sell it.

Ok, if you own an asset like land you can potentially borrow against it, do we really want to gamble on that, that is a a very very dangerous game tp play.

The only way it works is IF the people buying the land lease it back to the club at a very nominal rent. But even this doesn't really work because they may as well just give the money to the club in the first place.

Anyone thinking of buying that freehold has ulterior motives in my book. I know its under a covenant but if the land ended up with a big company with deep pockets they can do virtually anything.