Was this the plan all along?

madgull · Post by **madgull** » 18 Apr 2018, 15:40

Had a thought today:

It seems that Clarke Osborne's initial attempts to build a new stadium for the club and move us from Plainmoor were not a great success. However, if I were him and looking to make a buck off of Plainmoor, I would imagine the following chain of events to be ideal:

1) Torquay sink to such a level that our revenue streams can no longer support the council's rent demands for Plainmoor. CO makes a token effort to turn the club around (see Youth Academy reopening etc) while the situation on the pitch deteriorates.

2) With no other viable tenants in the Bay, the council are forced to rethink the covenant on Plainmoor.

3) CO makes the point that the council can either negotiate less rent for Plainmoor through TUFC or accept an offer for the land. The council can then charge TUFC a reduced rent at some other, less desirable piece of land, where a cheap stadium could be built (or even something like a ground share with the rugby club; operating in VNS or below, the argument can be made that this level of stadium is all we need).

5) CO makes the council, already strapped for cash, an offer they can't refuse, far exceeding any reduced rent that would be brought in by TUFC.

The real kicker here is that this works even if the club went into administration. While the council would lose a little money from lost rental income, CO could still make the very valid point that no other sports club in the Bay could replace TUFC as tenants, and they would be better off just selling up to him. Even better, he wouldn't need to pay out for a new stadium so could up his offer! The only problem this could cause is if it all ended up looking a little too 'obvious', hence him needing to make all the right noises about rejuvenating the club.

In other words, does our impending relegation actually play right into the hands of Clarke Osborne?

United62 · Post by **United62** » 18 Apr 2018, 15:57

madgull wrote: ↑18 Apr 2018, 15:40 In other words, does our impending relegation actually play right into the hands of Clarke Osborne?

I think you've already answered that in bullet points 1, 2, 3, and 5 (I won't mention the missing No.4)

You could just re-phrase that last sentence...In other words, our relegation actually plays right into the hands of Clarke Osborne

He's going to win whichever way you look at it. His first goal has been achieved - ie relegate us to our lowest ever league position and piss off the majority of the fanbase so that they no longer care.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Apr 2018, 15:58

Stadium for Cornwall approved by Council. Cornish Pirates will hold the freehold, Truro FC will pay to use it. The new 4,500-seat capacity Stadium for Cornwall – which will have the potential to expand to the Premiership Rugby minimum of 10,000 if necessary – can now continue, with the local council approving a plan to publicly fund £3m of the £14m needed to begin works.

So there we have it - 'Silver Bow' dead in the water for Truro. At least we can now identify a sum of £15m, Mr Osborne will need to cough up just to begin works on a new stadium for Torquay before he can get his mitts on Plainmoor. Well. that is what he promised - stadium before purchase of Plainmoor. Who believes him?

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornw ... ng-1472642

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Apr 2018, 16:05

Masters said Plainmoor is only worth £250,000

What tosh! The value of land with sitting tenant may be £250k but the value of land without sitting tenant is worth = millions.

Do not be hoodwinked - Plainmoor is a money earner for developers and well worth throwing in a 500 seater IKEA stadium for regional football, to get their hands on it.

6667GULL · Post by **6667GULL** » 18 Apr 2018, 16:44

The next part of the plan is relegation from the NLS with Owers still in charge and a team of kids.
CO is in this for the long run and will get what he wants eventually.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Apr 2018, 16:46

6667GULL wrote: ↑18 Apr 2018, 16:44 The next part of the plan is relegation from the NLS with Owers still in charge and a team of kids.
CO is in this for the long run and will get what he wants eventually.

1st year of the 5 year plan a great success = now onto stage 2 then.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 18 Apr 2018, 16:47

MellowYellow wrote: ↑18 Apr 2018, 16:05 Masters said Plainmoor is only worth £250,000

What tosh! The value of land with sitting tenant may be £250k but the value of land without sitting tenant is worth = millions.

Do not be hoodwinked - Plainmoor is a money earner for developers and well worth throwing in a 500 seater IKEA stadium for regional football, to get their hands on it.

Good post

Regardless of what people think the area ? Actually nice area if you ask me !! But anyhow this land would be worth a fortune , osborne is playing a canny game and my word if we lose it we will live to regret it

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 18 Apr 2018, 17:58

Here is a question that might be difficult to answer but what percentage would plainmoor be worth agasint the stadium be might Get ? Assuming osborne would own the stadium. Would he get a net profit along with ownership of a stadium ?

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Apr 2018, 20:03

The two wont correlate in financial terms, they will be two separate entities. He will try to get Plainmoor for approx. 2m to build, on the basis of building a Riviera Entertainment Centre or 'Stadium in Disguise'. It wont be a football stadium as we know it unless you think Osborne will fork out 15m just to start the building process and then sub-let it solely to us for a nominal rent as the case with Plainmoor. It will be an Entertainment Centre open to all events from sheep dog trial's to pom pom girl parades and open 24/7 to generate as many revenue streams as possible. TUFC will be allowed to 'pay to play' regional level football there or anywhere else for that matter as far as Osborne is concerned..

Glostergull · Post by **Glostergull** » 18 Apr 2018, 23:12

This has been brought up before, and it's entirely feasible that he be seen to run the club above board well. while at the same time undermining the foundations of the club, to the point we fall so low down the Pyramid we become nothing more than a two-bit part-time pub team. unsustainable in any decent form. then we get wound up. the freehold is sold on. Osbourne snaps it up and the council get a nice short-term payday. we are forever lost with no chance of finding any place to play and end up in the history books. we saw that coming. it's relatively easy to make it look as if he is financing and running a club. but the proof is in the pudding. I think he is prepared to lose a fair amount of money to see us disappear and then he will swoop.

Glostergull · Post by **Glostergull** » 18 Apr 2018, 23:20

I bet if someone took a ride up to Port Talbot to find this so-called flatpack stadium it wouldn't exist. The land he proposed to build the Swindon Stadia on has now disappeared under a new development.
The stadium is now supposed to be built where the present one resides. and its supposed to go on while the track remains open. Yeah right. Swindon Robins are just as Likey to be put out of business before too long. despite them being current UK champions

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 19 Apr 2018, 21:03

And Harrop and Owers get a % of the profits, result!

So why the f@ck do you all still go then?

You are realising the plan.

Bring it to a head NOW

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 24 Apr 2018, 10:34

Some interesting views on the Chesterfield situation on their forum BOBS BOARD which mirrors our own. They are convinced the club is being run down by the owner so that the land that the ground sits on can be developed into a casino and leisure complex but like Torquay, the site has a covenant on it by the council who say the land can only be used for football or something like that.

Remarkable similarities to Torquay.

They have a dubious owner who doesn't want the football club and it is up for sale, however he has set the asking price to a ridiculous amount that nobody will pay so in theory he doesn't want shut of ownership but just the football side of things. Therefore it has been levelled at him that he intends to gradually strangle the club so it drops further down the pyramid and thus it becomes a burden to the community rather than an asset thus making it easier to convince the council that it would benefit the town more to turn it into a leisure area.

If you read the thread that says 'PAUL HART' (weirdly enough) then a few posts down you start getting into the conversation about it.

Tired Old Gull · Post by **Tired Old Gull** » 24 Apr 2018, 11:52

I reckon it will all pan out like this ....

Westlands School will get Plainmoor through the Council

Osborne gets Quinta playing fields for housing as a thank-you for leaving Plainmoor

TU get a new small stadium at the Willows for their trouble

Simples!

LaPotato · Post by **LaPotato** » 24 Apr 2018, 11:54

Neal wrote: ↑19 Apr 2018, 21:03
So why the f@ck do you all still go then?

Because people love the club and still want to show support.

We're fans whether things are shite or not.

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