The Gaming International Files

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 27 Jul 2016, 20:40

I find Colin Authers' letter rather odd. Here we go again - someone supposed to be supporting the club not pulling in the same direction. If I was David Phillips, I would be 'bloody annoyed' (to use Mr Phillips' own terminology) at being accused in the first sentence of being 'in cahoots with Pete Masters' or 'you and most of the Board are so naive that you can't see the damage you are doing to TUFC'. And how can he 'categorically state that the deal between TUFC and GI Ltd is over' or that 'Torbay District Council will not be co-erced into agreeing the sale of Plainmoor'. Has he been involved in the discussions? No !!

The recent letter from TUST to David Phillips was reasoned and conciliatory. This letter is not conciliatory in any way. If I received a letter written in that tone, my blood pressure would shoot through the roof ! Whatever we say about the proposed Riviera Stadium takeover (and I am 100% totally against it), we must remember that it is David Phillips and the Board members, along with Kevin Nicholson, that has kept our club going. And another thing - if you're going to write letters, you should get your facts right. Torbay Council may have been called many things, but this is the first time I've heard it referred to as Torbay DISTRICT Council !!

Post by **Gulliball** » 27 Jul 2016, 20:50

Agreed, letters like that help nobody and achieve nothing positive. Now is the time we need a united fanbase, which is exactly why a consortium of fans and the TUST together would be ideal for the situation we're in.

taxilady · Post by **taxilady** » 27 Jul 2016, 22:38

...an 'open letter across all forums' : no, only on TFF & pasted here ; not featured on BTPIR yet. Is this the real Colin Authers ? Apparently when he was Bay52, he'd been hacked.....yeah, ok. I've never been hacked on a Torquay forum (hacked off, maybe )...yet. Maybe it's the new pokemon ? Anyway, we await August with interest !!!

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 27 Jul 2016, 23:03

Colin Authers is a muppet. He's been trying to open talks with this board since their initial split with the Roberts. I'm amazed they still allow him to spout their names each time he launches a new attack. He doesn't have any financial backing and has been consistently wasting the time of the current board. He might be using the TUST as leverage but he has no interests but his own at heart.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 28 Jul 2016, 09:15

Whilst I like others have been frustrated by TU Board for not picking the right buyer for the club, they, nonetheless, have make some critical, if not darn difficult decisions, to keep the club afloat and provide some financial stability. Therefore, I applaud the Chairman and Directors of Torquay United for steering us through a difficult period and will continue to do so. TU are not in administration. we will continue to see football next season, we have a quality manager and squad within budget and to this end, it would be ill-judged not to think that the Chairman and the TU Board have not showed care and thought for the future of TU. Yes, I am very critical of the GI deal, but my frustration is more aimed at GI and their corporate raider antics than at the TU Board as they have ' been sold a pup '. So in summary, I will continue to stick by the current Chairman and the Board on the basis of "better the devil you know (than the devil you don't)".

Richinns · Post by **Richinns** » 28 Jul 2016, 09:38

Southampton Gull wrote:Colin Authers is a muppet. He's been trying to open talks with this board since their initial split with the Roberts. I'm amazed they still allow him to spout their names each time he launches a new attack. He doesn't have any financial backing and has been consistently wasting the time of the current board. He might be using the TUST as leverage but he has no interests but his own at heart.

That is being kind. He is a spiteful snake of the highest degree who would see this club to rack and ruin. To have an insight into how he operates you only have to judge the bullsh1t antics with his 'bay52' persona posting his destructive agenda for months on TFF and then the hilarity of his claim this character had 'hacked' him for many months in order to gather this information. I hope the TUST are wise enough to steer well clear of him and TUFC Fans Ltd (note the arrogance of this lot them giving themselves that label when the fans were neither asked or represented by them!).

hector · Post by **hector** » 28 Jul 2016, 09:48

I find it all very confusing when trying to assess the motivation of the current board.

No doubt, they are aware, more than most, of the need for further investment in the club but the ever-present spectre of Peter Masters, at one time Geoff Harrop, GI and even TUFC Fans Ltd, with their bizarrely prophetic announcements, suggests there is so much that we, as supporters, are unaware of. Information that I wonder if it will ever come out in the wash. This regime was very quick to blast everything Thea Bristow's group had done before them - I wonder if a similar analysis will take place when a new regime come in, should we ever hear the truth about what is happening now.

David Phillips was much heralded when the current board took over by the many who know him, yet most of us felt enormous alarm as soon as Clarke Osborne and GI were first mentioned, so why can't David Phillips see that? What 'pup', as MellowYellow above puts it, has David Phillips been sold and why is he so convinced that a company with such a terrible track record, is the answer this time around?

Bomber · Post by **Bomber** » 28 Jul 2016, 10:17

Southampton Gull wrote:Colin Authers is a muppet. He's been trying to open talks with this board since their initial split with the Roberts. I'm amazed they still allow him to spout their names each time he launches a new attack. He doesn't have any financial backing and has been consistently wasting the time of the current board. He might be using the TUST as leverage but he has no interests but his own at heart.

I agree, he has always struck me as someone who thinks everything is all about him and, looking at the turnover of his companies, I don't think he and the Roberts's would have the funds to maintain the club - hence probably why he wants to go into partnership with TUST.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 28 Jul 2016, 10:22

No doubt he had his head turned by the thought of others taking the financial risks while being allowed to continue in his role of chairman.

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 28 Jul 2016, 16:24

I still don't understand why Steve Breed parted company with the club. Can anybody enlighten me?

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 28 Jul 2016, 16:38

No doubt he was made redundant to cut costs but he was also never a fan of GI taking over the club. He's moved on, discovered there is life after Torquay United so good luck to the man. Phillips knew way back that Steve Breed wouldn't be one to welcome this bunch of chancers so did the necessary.

Dawlish Warren · Post by **Dawlish Warren** » 28 Jul 2016, 18:11

So is it to be farewell Gaming International?

If so, will we ever know if GI had anything to do with the stadium proposal announced back in February? Or was that the spark which got GI interested?

That's the project which involved a "major American company".

Details were scant. The company may not have been particularly major. Or American. Or even much of a company. But - as soon as it was described as a "major American company" - the description was cast in stone. You wonder how much more Torquay United or the local media ever discovered.

One name was given; that of John Mitchell former Fulham player and chief executive of Luton Town at a time of significant distress. Was he the firm's UK agent - as indicated - or its "soccer expert"? Or was he pretty much the firm?

Here's John Mitchell featured as a Fulham "cult hero":

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/27/cult-hero

This was written in 2013 and includes these words:

"These days Mitchell is a successful businessman. Perhaps it was his bravery, his willingness to put his head in where it hurts or just being, as he puts it, â€˜a stupid centre-forwardâ€™, that prepared him for life in the commercial jungle. Whatever the reason, heâ€™s been very good at it - his current project is a $500m development that will bring professional football to the Tampa Bay area in the US, complete with state-of-the-art stadium, sports medicine facility and residential academy".

Just imagine. What can be done in Tampa Bay can also be done in Torbay. Or, quite possibly, not done in either.

Dig further and this isn't the Tampa Bay Rowdies, a force in the 1970s and 1980s and now revived to play at the second tier of football in the United States.

Instead it's a stadium project for a club variously known as VSI Tampa Flames and VSI Tampa Bay. The club was British-owned by a company called VisionPro Sports Institute; John Mitchell was its head of operations in North America. Several well-known footballers have been directors of VSI companies in the past.

Here's some background regarding the Tampa stadium project announced in 2012:

http://www.tbo.com/sports/group-plans-- ... cer-578282

http://shadowofthestadium.blogspot.co.u ... r.html?m=1

There was soon a degree of scepticism around Tampa Bay:

http://www.tbo.com/news/business/charit ... ays-583587

VSI Tampa Bay played in the third tier of football in the United States during the 2013 season. Games were played at a small stadium in Plant Bay, Florida. On finding a place to play John Mitchell was pleased to announce that:

"This now enables VSI to fully focus on its other soccer projects including a main stadium development (28,888 seats) in the Tampa Bay area".

VSI Tampa Bay folded at the end of the 2013 season.

fred disley · Post by **fred disley** » 28 Jul 2016, 19:48

Interesting posts from this individual AUTHERS, he is obviously a very divisive character with some delusions of fame. What or who is TU fans ltd and whom do they represent other than Authers and the family Roberts.Perhaps we should all write an open letter to AUTHERS and tell him to butt out as he doesn't speak for Torquay United supporters.

Unfortunately in every business there are those who will seek to use other peoples good names and their money to carve out an opportunity for themselves, goodness knows we have seen enough of them buzzing around Torquay United over the years and what exactly have they contributed other than to enrich their own bank balance.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 28 Jul 2016, 20:44

He's just as you describe although I'm told that the Roberts family are keen to distance themselves from his recent outbursts. One would hope that is the case as I have no reason to doubt their motives but Authers is desperate to become a figure at the club. If they offer a job with the description "Laughing Stock" he'll do nicely.

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 28 Jul 2016, 23:38

Who is this Colin Authers anyway? Where has he come from? What connection (if any) does he have with the club, or with Mr and Mrs Roberts? I only recently started viewing TFF and he just seems to be a truly bizarre individual.

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