The Gaming International Files

ROADRUNNER · Post by **ROADRUNNER** » 21 Jul 2016, 07:05

well if there is a plan B, lets hope its bloody good because i cant see how we can survive without some serious investment! at the moment we havent got a pot to piss in.

Dawlish Warren · Post by **Dawlish Warren** » 21 Jul 2016, 07:43

Thank you for your comments, Samuel. You are right. I am not involved with the club. I am a supporter with time, curiosity and internet access. Nothing here is "insider talk"; it's all come from information which is in the public domain.

I had never heard of Gaming International before it was linked to Torquay United. My initial impression was that, with its stadium operation and event management background, Gaming International might actually be good for Torquay United. I was sceptical of the Eastville/Bristol Rovers link. That was no more than ancient history.

I was also encouraged by Gaming International having a public profile. This was no Chris Roberts without even the faintest of footprints. Nor was it an offshore company or even one - such as the reported owner of Truro City's ground - where any investigation sends you around in ever decreasing circles.

That's the rub. Keep pushing at the Gaming International door and an intriguing story emerges piece by piece. It consistently features Clarke Osborne who has not only been involved for over forty years but has been the "main man" for much of that time.

I doubt I will find anything more to report about Gaming International. I will leave you with a small piece of entertainment that is only loosely connected to the tale. It is a video made by the Greyhound Trainers Association regarding its lobbying of the sport's governing body. Clarke Osborne served on the GBGB's predecessor organisation for many years; Gaming International's Bill Glass is a current board member and briefly appears in the longer of the two videos. Bill Glass behaves impeccably unlike the proprietor of a small Yorkshire track who serves up a splendidly virtuoso performance:

http://www.cagednw.co.uk/gbgb-exposed.html

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 22 Jul 2016, 14:06

We can survive as a football club on what we take on the turnstiles. But..... what league would we be in.

Had a great night out at Buckland FC the other night. What a great little setup. Spoke to one of the guys there, its community owned, pay their way, and everything looked modern and organised.

We can do the same, easily! The league we play in might and only might not be the one we are in but so be it.

The guy did say professional football is a different ball game I admit but it depends on how much us the fans want to get involved?

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 23 Jul 2016, 22:30

It is good to see some semblance of sanity happening as Mr Phillips and the Board have met with TUST representatives. It has sometimes been difficult to realise that both parties are interested in the success and long term future of Torquay Utd AFC. In the letter to TUST members, the meeting was described as 'constructive'. It would be tempting to add two and two together. But I'm not going to ....... We have to wait another 8 days.

cambgull · Post by **cambgull** » 25 Jul 2016, 00:17

Does anyone know what the outcome of the council meeting was?

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » 25 Jul 2016, 08:38

cambgull wrote:Does anyone know what the outcome of the council meeting was?

No mention of anything to do with TUFC, Plainmoor or Gaming International.

You have to submit a question a couple of months in advance for it to be discussed at a full council meeting.

Absolutelythirdrate · Post by **Absolutelythirdrate** » 27 Jul 2016, 09:46

At last night's (26 July) Preston Community Partnership meeting, attended by the mayor, I took the opportunity to ask him about TUFC, GI and the future of Plainmoor. He was very non committal (no surprise there) but insisted that he and the council were still waiting for the club to approach them with details of what they actually want to do. As far as the mayor is concerned, the club have a long lease at Plainmoor, and if they want to alter that in any shape or form its up to them to approach the council. I'm not sure whether this is good or bad news!

Gloomy Gull · Post by **Gloomy Gull** » 27 Jul 2016, 12:57

About time or too late?

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/t ... story.html

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 27 Jul 2016, 13:13

How can they be working on a plan B when the 'period of exclusivity' means they are unable to speak to anyone else?

Post by **Gulliball** » 27 Jul 2016, 13:55

A consortium of the best interested parties is surely the best way forward for a club like us when there's not one person or one group interested in running the club.

There should however always be a few reasonably well off fans who would want to invest a few thousand pounds for an input into the running of the club.

I would have thought the supporters trust would be interested in having a few seats on the board, and in exchange could bring in a united fundraising effort on behalf of the whole fanbase. With the TUST linked with the club I think a lot more fans would be interested in joining/investing what they can.

Between all Torquay fans, united as one, we could surely raise enough money to keep the club going strong. It's not like we have huge costs any more either - a £400k budget with 1000+ season ticket holders and likely close to 2000 average gate doesn't leave much (if any?) of a deficit to cover. Last year 1800 was set as a break-even target and we met that despite being in our lowest ever position.

The feel good effect of Kevin Nicholson is incredible and we've made huge advances in community engagement since he arrived. Little things like this can build together and all add up. Now if the perfect time to get the club owned by a consortium of fans and the TUST and have the whole community pulling together.

We have a ground, training ground, excellent manager and very good squad here. We don't need to achieve miracles, raise millions or do anything difficult. All we need to do is be settled and secure off the pitch and we can finally turn around the years and years of constant decline and bad news breaking every week that we've had since 2011.

Let's get GI paid off, out of the picture, and get on with the work of growing our club from the community upwards. That's the only way we are ever going to grow without outside investment, and we have the perfect manager who is doing exactly this as we speak.

samuel · Post by **samuel** » 27 Jul 2016, 14:32

I agree with Gulliball. GI paid off, let's start again. There need not be a lot of negativity - as Gulliball mentions, there are many positives. Implement Plan B.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:18

I am sure the chairman is working on a plan B although it will be hard to set up.
At Saltash a prominent football person who was at another club last season was talking to the Chairman and I'd be suprised if he traveled all that way for nothing.

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:38

arcadia wrote:I am sure the chairman is working on a plan B although it will be hard to set up.
At Saltash a prominent football person who was at another club last season was talking to the Chairman and I'd be suprised if he traveled all that way for nothing.

Who was this "prominent football person"?

On a different matter, I saw an interesting post on TFF earlier, thought it would be worthwhile to paste it here.

To all fans,

We would share our open letter to Dave Phillips and the current board of TUFC:

Mr David Phillips

Chairman

Torquay United Association Football Club

Launa Windows Stadium

Plainmoor

Torquay

TQ1 3PS 27 July 2016

Dear Mr Phillips,

I am afraid that the time has come that I must state clearly that in my opinion; you are either in cahoots with Mr Pete Masters or you and the majority of the board are so naive that you cannot see the overall damage being caused to both TUFC and Plainmoor. You have stated that you are a life-long fan of TUFC and that a new stadium will secure the future of the cub for the next 25 years under the ownership of GI Ltd. Although you have given them all of this time to do their due diligence on TUFC; it is clear that you have failed to do your due diligence on GI Ltd and their history. If you had completed your due diligence effectively at the start, you would not have snubbed TU Fans Ltd and the fans offer to take over TUFC. However, we are unable to change the past but we can change the future.

I am now categorically stating that the deal between TUFC and GI Ltd is over; you will now have to repay the monies you have received from GI Ltd in accordance with the agreement you made. Furthermore, Torbay District Council will not be coerced into agreeing the sale of Plainmoor for a new stadium. You must respect the fact the council will be fully aware that the gate numbers for TUFC rarely exceed 3,000 and the cub has a 6,000 capacity, I am amazed that the mayor is, in my opinion, attempting to force the issue. This said, it is clear that I, along with thousands of other individuals and many organisations want the club to not only survive but also to prosper. It is possible to have a successful fundraising campaign within a short space of time. I do not know what you and the boards â€˜plan Bâ€™ is, but we would rather you agreed to â€˜plan Câ€™ whereby you allow myself, Mr and Mrs Roberts (who have done an awful lot for the club) along with other organisations, including the TUST to take over the club and start the fundraising with immediate effect.

I respectfully request that you and the board arrange a meeting with TU Fans Ltd, the TUST and other organisations who wish to be involved so that we may secure the future of TUFC. If you are, as you say, true fans you will want what is best for the club. I would like to express that I believe that the directors probably thought that they were doing the best for the club based upon the information they were given; it is easy to see how they could fall foul to the situation that occurred.

Please note that this is an open letter and as such it will be posted on all forums. I did try attempt to contact you yet again today (at 16:01 on 27/07/16) but it was answered by Mr Rob Stanley because once more, you were unavailable. I believe that the situation with TUFC is now critical and a course of action which will secure the future of the club is no longer an option, but essential. I look forward to your prompt response as a matter of professional courtesy.

Yours sincerely
Colin Authers

TU Fans Ltd

Post by **happytorq** » 27 Jul 2016, 20:02

I've seen Colin Authers' name quite a bit - should I know who he is?

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 27 Jul 2016, 20:38

I don't know that name but I remember there were some posts on here late last year by someone who was from this TU Fans Ltd. Clearly their interest in the club has not diminished.

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