New Owners

[Across the Bey]

We should make sure the new owners get a how to speak Deb'm guide. Being a 6th gen Devonian I'll see if my Nan can help with some of the phrases

[PhilGull]

We should make sure the new owners get a how to speak Deb'm guide. Being a 6th gen Devonian I'll see if my Nan can help with some of the phrases

Only 6th gen? Bloody incomers!

[Neal]

"A move to a new stadium is essential if the club is to survive well into the 21st century. With all the revenue streams this would provide, the club would be in a long-term sustainable situation and the new owners would turn a decent and well-deserved profit into the bargain."

Do you REALLY believe ALL those revenue streams will end up in the hands of TUFC The Football club, your having a laugh.

The stadium and football club will almost certainly be 2 separate identities. TUFC STADIA will charge a rent the club can barely afford. Oh yes in the first year for PR exercise the playing budget will increase probably marginally to keep you lot happy and get you on side, after the first season that will be it. That's my prediction.

I have no evidence, and none of you do either that I am not correct. But I can make a bl**dy good guess when there is money involved.

Oh yes they will have a PR spokesman who will say all the right things, just like politicians do, believe everything you hear at your peril.

Why cant they (GI) come out with a statement about their motive before they finalise the deal. We know who they are now so I cannot see why that would be a problem. Actually if they were honest and said, yes we are in it for the money BUT, we WILL increase the playing budget year on year depending on the stadia income I might, and I say might buy that. But I doubt they will. Football clubs at this level don't make money, but they consume allot, and to get out of this league you are gonna need allot.

[Southampton Gull]

The budget is set at £400k or £420k depending on which source you choose to believe so I'm pretty sure the intentions are clear. We might have a stadium with lots of nice extras to generate income but if anyone thinks the club will benefit from them they have more faith in GI than I do.

[Dave]

Think the point that's being missed, and has not been lost on me from the moment the season ended, the current board owners and the club they own have no money left, if the club is not taken over or receipt of new investment, has nobody realised that TUFC will soon be in exactly the same position it was a year ago, with our very place in the national premier league seriously under threat, with the possibly (not passing this off as fact) of a another bond being required.

I can't say I'm in a position to say I have faith in G.I, or on flip side no faith in them, or Dave Phillips, I don't know either party or their intended plans for the football club, unless evidence either way is produced I'm down to trust here.

If G.I do not complete this takeover TUFC will be put straight back on them life support machine it was taken off last summer, we need to WAKE UP to this .

So who are the viable alternatives, names required, not supposition.

We know about TU fans Ltd, they apparently have £100k , well whoopee shit that doesn't get them in the car park let alone the ball park, community ownership I know there are a few well known fans who'd help fund raise , I'd support this, but we must understand the money would not be raised in time, it would mean starting again from the village post office league.

From where I'm sitting with the limited knowledge I have, I'm hoping G.I do complete, because we're dead anyway if they don't, I will change that view if someone can provide evidence to the contrary.

As for budgets, as I've said for some years now , it's not about the money you do have, or about the money you don't have, it's about how well you use the money you have.

Proof, Leicester City won the premier league with an entire squad that cost less than Wayne Rooney, Accrington are still in line for promotion to League 1 with a budget some way lower than FGR, who once again failed to gain promotion with a budget believed to be the biggest in our league, Braintree were unluckily beaten in the play-off semi-final with a budget that was believed to be lower than our own lasts season, I need say no more.

[tomogull]

Whilst I will be saddened to leave Plainmoor after years of memories, good and bad, I recognise that a new stadium with additional facilities and car parking could inject much needed additional funding into the club. I say 'could' because Neal raises some very valid points in his post. These are questions that I hope David Phillips has very closely asked GI before selling the club's soul to the dev .... But as Forever also correctly posts, there is no other viable option, as far as we know, in the offing so we're stuck with them, for better or worse.

I have two huge concerns about the proposed site of the new stadium. When the Willows development was built (it seems ages ago now) the site was designated for recreational use. It has never been used for this purpose. Why? It is the site of the old Barton tip and anyone who knows the area will know it is virtually marsh land and it couldn't be used for, say, football pitches because rubble, iron, glass etc continually broke through the surface. If you think there are drainage problems at Plainmoor, they are nothing compared with problems that will be encountered at Nightingale Park. I also believe the site is still being vented for methane gas.

My other concern is the apparent headlong rush to install a 3g pitch. I don't know what the feeling is in the National League about allowing 3g or any other g pitches, but there certainly doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for them in the Football League. So although they may be allowed in the near future in the National League, it may be that TUFC will be consigned to non-league football for ever and a day. Remember, GI said they were interested in taking over the club regardless of what league we finished up in next season. To me, this reads that they have little interest in the fortunes of the football team but much interest in the revenue that could be generated from other activities at the new shiny Nightingale Stadium.

[TUST_Member_Rob]

The budget is set at £400k or £420k depending on which source you choose to believe so I'm pretty sure the intentions are clear. We might have a stadium with lots of nice extras to generate income but if anyone thinks the club will benefit from them they have more faith in GI than I do.

The difference probably covering the disaster Yellowfest 2 was!!

[Jerry]

My other concern is the apparent headlong rush to install a 3g pitch. I don't know what the feeling is in the National League about allowing 3g or any other g pitches, but there certainly doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for them in the Football League. So although they may be allowed in the near future in the National League

Artificial pitches are already allowed in the National League Tomo (and the FA Cup), we will be playing on one next season at newly promoted Maidstone.

I think it's only a matter of time before they are allowed in the Football League as well as I believe the last vote on the subject was very close.

[Jeff]

Whilst I will be saddened to leave Plainmoor after years of memories, good and bad, I recognise that a new stadium with additional facilities and car parking could inject much needed additional funding into the club. I say 'could' because Neal raises some very valid points in his post. These are questions that I hope David Phillips has very closely asked GI before selling the club's soul to the dev .... But as Forever also correctly posts, there is no other viable option, as far as we know, in the offing so we're stuck with them, for better or worse.

I have two huge concerns about the proposed site of the new stadium. When the Willows development was built (it seems ages ago now) the site was designated for recreational use. It has never been used for this purpose. Why? It is the site of the old Barton tip and anyone who knows the area will know it is virtually marsh land and it couldn't be used for, say, football pitches because rubble, iron, glass etc continually broke through the surface. If you think there are drainage problems at Plainmoor, they are nothing compared with problems that will be encountered at Nightingale Park. I also believe the site is still being vented for methane gas.

My other concern is the apparent headlong rush to install a 3g pitch. I don't know what the feeling is in the National League about allowing 3g or any other g pitches, but there certainly doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for them in the Football League. So although they may be allowed in the near future in the National League, it may be that TUFC will be consigned to non-league football for ever and a day. Remember, GI said they were interested in taking over the club regardless of what league we finished up in next season. To me, this reads that they have little interest in the fortunes of the football team but much interest in the revenue that could be generated from other activities at the new shiny Nightingale Stadium.

3G pitches are permitted in the National League, as we will find out next season as Maidstone have one.

The football league as yet haven't accepted them, but personally I do believe it will be a matter of time.

With regards to the potential site for the new ground, this isn't the first post that makes it sound like people expect the pitch to be laid directly onto what is already there. That won't happen so don't start worrying that we would build a shiny new ground and have landfill materials poking through the pitch

[IanGull01]

Think the point that's being missed, and has not been lost on me from the moment the season ended, the current board owners and the club they own have no money left, if the club is not taken over or receipt of new investment, has nobody realised that TUFC will soon be in exactly the same position it was a year ago, with our very place in the national premier league seriously under threat, with the possibly (not passing this off as fact) of a another bond being required.

I can't say I'm in a position to say I have faith in G.I, or on flip side no faith in them, or Dave Phillips, I don't know either party or their intended plans for the football club, unless evidence either way is produced I'm down to trust here.

If G.I do not complete this takeover TUFC will be put straight back on them life support machine it was taken off last summer, we need to WAKE UP to this .

So who are the viable alternatives, names required, not supposition.

We know about TU fans Ltd, they apparently have £100k , well whoopee sh*t that doesn't get them in the car park let alone the ball park, community ownership I know there are a few well known fans who'd help fund raise , I'd support this, but we must understand the money would not be raised in time, it would mean starting again from the village post office league.

From where I'm sitting with the limited knowledge I have, I'm hoping G.I do complete, because we're dead anyway if they don't, I will change that view if someone can provide evidence to the contrary.

As for budgets, as I've said for some years now , it's not about the money you do have, or about the money you don't have, it's about how well you use the money you have.

Proof, Leicester City won the premier league with an entire squad that cost less than Wayne Rooney, Accrington are still in line for promotion to League 1 with a budget some way lower than FGR, who once again failed to gain promotion with a budget believed to be the biggest in our league, Braintree were unluckily beaten in the play-off semi-final with a budget that was believed to be lower than our own lasts season, I need say no more.

Well said sir!!!!

[tomogull]

3G pitches are permitted in the National League, as we will find out next season as Maidstone have one.

The football league as yet haven't accepted them, but personally I do believe it will be a matter of time.

With regards to the potential site for the new ground, this isn't the first post that makes it sound like people expect the pitch to be laid directly onto what is already there. That won't happen so don't start worrying that we would build a shiny new ground and have landfill materials poking through the pitch

Thanks for putting me right on 3g pitches being accepted in the National League. As regards the Football League, my understanding is that there is quite strong opposition to them. I don't share your confidence about the site of the proposed stadium. I just hope that two or three years after/if is built, 'unforeseen problems' do not surface (pun not intended !) as happens in so many grand new projects.

[Dave]

Well said sir!!!!

No problem.

The way I see it is, the overwhelming majority of people, probably 99% of those forewarning of a big disaster should G.I takeover our club, haven't really got the first clue what they're talking about, like me they don't really know and are just guessing, the 1% who do know, despite my attempt to get them talking just will not say.

As for viable alternatives, going on the lack of response to my post, it's as I thought then, there simply isn't one. So I guess it's G.I or bust then.

[Tarrboy1]

Is Norman Smurthwaite still an option? Guess he needs to get rid of Vale before he could do anything.

[Gulliball]

We've never considered any other offers have we? Ever since the 'American' property developers expressed interest, we have signed an exclusivity deal with them and rejected the only other enquiries that have been made public.

If we wanted any other offers then we've gone about it in a strange way, as we seem very intent on this deal going ahead.

[Dave]

Yes, realise there's an exclusivity period with G.I, my posts are in response to one; Those who've been posting doom and gloom regards G.I and fore telling us of an upcoming disaster, going to change my view, I actually think every single poster bar one, and he knows who he is doesn't have a first clue about G.I or what there intentions are, those other than the one I mention who do know, come and tell us, tell us what you know, so we can all make an informed decision.

My posts are, also in response to those who are asking why are we so fixed on selling to G.I when there are other buyers/investors waiting in wings, I want to explore who they are, so tell us, and what they're about in case the deal with G.I does not go through, because like I've said if it doesn't, our club is up shit streak with out a paddle, and I'm wondering how many people have woken up that, yet, judging by the lack of response to that question about who these so called other buyers are, I'm now thinking no one really knows that either.