Jim Parker Herald Express

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 18 Jan 2018, 18:48

Dave Thomas let it slip on a recent podcast which I listen to every week that he earns a pittance.
Not the word he used but the implication was clear.
As a result he is not going to put his head above the parapet!
I sit in Bristows Bench just in front the Press Box and 2 years ago after a truly shocking display by United I asked him what he was going to say in his Match Report and I got a very frosty response.
I recently read a report in the Chester Newspaper on Transfers in the National League and thought what a very informative piece.
Come on Herald Express you know you can do better, much better.

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 18 Jan 2018, 18:53

I earn a pittance but do the job to the best of my ability. I have a duty to myself, my employers and the people I help. He should do the same or sod off.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 18 Jan 2018, 18:56

Very true ...i mean a pittance really is around or below national minimum....well though I earn more I would do a 40 hour odd week for minimum wage being a sports reporter ....id love it ....

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 18 Jan 2018, 18:59

He wouldn't be on minimum wage westie. He's probably on more than a lot of people but still thinks he's hard done by. Should count himself lucky he's still got a job.

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 18 Jan 2018, 19:40

Email sent to Jim Parker today 18/01/18 @ 15:35.

Subject: Torquay United.

Dear Mr Parker.
I give you my sincere thanks for your reply to my email dated 17/01/18 .
What I fail to understand is why you didn't like the tone of my email ? All I want to know is why the difficult questions are not being fired at all concerned about the running of Torquay United.
I apologise if I came across in a disrespectful manner but after supporting TUFC for the past 40 years plus (and like yourselves through good times & bad) the current ownership has let a certain whiff of despondency hang over it.
The hard questions that need to be asked are :-
1, We were promised a local board. Where are they ?

2, Why have the current owners never put themselves in front of the fans to account for the mess we now find ourselves in ?

3, Why in all the sports clubs GI have taken over, New stadiums were promised, why has one NEVER been built ?

4, When Kevin Nicholson was dismissed we were 8 points from safety now we're 11 points adrift of safety, why did it take so long to replace Kevin & why are we worse off because of it ?

5, "It has been important for us to find the individuals who we think can adopt our plan for sustainable success and can bring the talent, experience and contacts that are key for a club wanting to climb and top the National league. These guys tick all the boxes for us"
This is a quote from Geoff Harrop on the appointment of Gary Owers & Martin Khul. So why are we so far adrift at the BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE and what are they doing about it ?

6, What has happened to the 5 year plan so proudly announced when GI took over ?

Thank you.
G R******

===================================================================================
I await his reply with baited breath.

greb46 · Post by **greb46** » 18 Jan 2018, 19:41

They must be aware of the situation so any good journalist would be searching out Osborne and asking and demanding answers from him but it's obviously easier to sit in their ivory towers and report on a cat freed from a tree.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 18 Jan 2018, 20:00

Yorkieandy wrote: ↑18 Jan 2018, 18:59 He wouldn't be on minimum wage westie. He's probably on more than a lot of people but still thinks he's hard done by. Should count himself lucky he's still got a job.

Yorkie , I'm sure your right. Good luck to anyone in there job and well done for getting in such a good job. I'm sure most of us would love that job

Can't anyone answer how long has Dave Thomas reported on united. I'm sure my dad has old newspapers in attic which is wrapped around things from 1975 ish ....must be on bonus time now in his job . Usually new blood coming through by now.

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » 18 Jan 2018, 23:01

Well played TeignGull, keep up the good work.

We all have busy lives but still watch and worry whilst our beloved Gulls are callously run into the ground. Parker, DT and co. are PAID to take an interest, but choose not to do so. They are lazy, incompetent, or both.

His response indicates a wilful ignorance, which is sad.

Plainmoor78 · Post by **Plainmoor78** » 19 Jan 2018, 08:36

I don't understand the obsession with the local board.
If there was one, it would be handpicked answerable to CO only. It would have no independence or power since none if its members would be shareholders.
It would simply be there to oversee the day to day operation of the club. It would not be there to oppose or obstruct CO. Which is what I think teigngull hopes it would do.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 19 Jan 2018, 09:08

The kind of people they were looking at originally have turned them down for that very reason.

There won't be that many prepared to work under Harrop, let alone for Osborne.

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 19 Jan 2018, 09:53

Plainmoor78 wrote: ↑19 Jan 2018, 08:36 I don't understand the obsession with the local board.
If there was one, it would be handpicked answerable to CO only. It would have no independence or power since none if its members would be shareholders.
It would simply be there to oversee the day to day operation of the club. It would not be there to oppose or obstruct CO. Which is what I think teigngull hopes it would do.

Exactly , it would be there to oversee the day to day operation of the club.
You mean to tell me that you are happy with the ownership / general manager situation we have at the moment, the more Locals we get on board the less likely the shenanigans would go unreported.
Osborne did say he would like to get a board of locals who know the club & have the clubs interest at heart, another promise less & less likely to come to fruition with these two at the helm.

Bomber · Post by **Bomber** » 19 Jan 2018, 10:24

If you compare our directorship situation with that of Argyle, Tony Wrathall has rejoined the Argyle board and Simon Hallett has since joined and both have put money into Argyle and own shares in them. CO has never made it completely clear whether that would be the situation at Plainmoor, or whether it would be him ultimately calling the shots.
If it is the latter then nobody in their right mind would want to that.

DB57 · Post by **DB57** » 19 Jan 2018, 10:35

I can see where you are coming from Teigngull and in a different set of circumstances a board which had the voice of locals with the genuine interests of the club at heart would be something we would all sign up for. But I think in reality Plainmoor78 has got it about right.
We all doubt that Osborne has the club's interests at heart so what would be the point of appointing people who have?
He made that statement when he first bought the club and it was just a devious sham to appease supporters until the heat and disquiet of GI's purchase died down.Remember the 5 year plan and the Fans Forum as well? There's an old saying often used by Devonians - ' fine words butter no parsnips' ( showing my age a bit there I'm afraid)
I don't think it was ever his intention to have a board and even if he did it would be toothless.
Hope I'm proved wrong but I don't think I will be.

SenorDingDong · Post by **SenorDingDong** » 19 Jan 2018, 10:49

http://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-new ... ke-1084719 Jim Parker is more than happy to do a bit of investigative journalism and attack the local political scene, including a final all capitalised sentence, essentially shouting at them.

I wonder why he isn't prepared to do something similar at Torquay United...hmmmm....

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 19 Jan 2018, 11:23

You would they would minimum pose the question ???

Why not I ask myself ??? Answers on a postcard

Torquay United Fans Forum