Dartford v Torquayunited 4/12/18

[Rjc70]

Hi Rjc70. Can you or anyone else please explain to me how Clarke Osborne is going to recover his considerable investment in Torquay United FC when the club has no assets?

Given that this has been the bread and butter for much of GI/Osborne companies’ profitable business over many years they are better placed to inform you than I am, of course.

However, one hypothetical could be by being offered land to develop a new stadium; building houses on it as ‘enabling developemnt’; shutting down the existing one as problems have arisen with the new development by way of planning or other; never building a new home for the club or promising a lesser standard one to the existing one that is in flat-packing in Wales and may be surrounded by the new houses if the new residents in those houses don’t get upset by that.

Please see every other time he has promised a new stadium in the past and tell me how that has gone for the clubs and sporting activities concerned. If you don’t, then it’s difficult to take you seriously, as hailing him as some sort of Messiah without any understanding of his modus operandi seems a strange route to go down.

You’ve wedged in a few bits regarding TUFC’s history in your posts, so clearly historical analysis and observations is something you consider. Quite why you haven’t on this question leaves out much important information from your general narrative in 100% of your posts. Clues can be found in Bristol, Swindon, Reading and Milton Keynes to name a few.

I’m fully expecting a ‘I’m only interested in Torquay’ response that doesn’t address any of this, but I and others concerned support the club at least as much as anyone who joins a forum and praises Osborne after a win on the pitch in all of his posts.

[Rjc70]

Gary Johnson interview on Talksport this afternoon. On hawksbee and Jacobs between now and 1600

https://talksport.com/radio/listen-agai ... 544023800/
It’s after about 5 minutes at this link.

[Teigngull]

Brucie, I think you'll find Ed Palmer no longer plays for Truro, he had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. And now you'll find him waddling round like a pregnant duck for the peacocks of Taunton Town F C.
For God's sake man do your bloody research

[brucie]

That's a shame - that's why they are doing better then!!

[culmstockgull]

There is so much drivel talked about Osborne and what he may, could, and possibly do with Torquay United that it beggars belief, we seem to be fully informed on his previous dealings with sports venues and there can be no reasonable argument that he does not come up smelling of roses.
But what exactly has he done wrong at Torquay other than saving the club from going out of business, I didn't see a queue of people with bulging bank balances waiting to step in , people bemoan the fact that he got the club on the cheap, he made a business loan to a bunch of useless jokers who were so full of their own importance that they did not realise that running a small bookies could be so different to running a football club. He relied, until it proved to be his detriment and that of the club that Harrop could run a club on his behalf, again another serious failing, but as he freely admits he is a businessman with a small grasp pf football, and Harrop could talk the talk but that was as far as it went. So what is his end game to recover his investments, most definitely he will have a plan and there he is no different to any of us. If as some suggest he wishes to run the club into the ground then he could have done that this season after the start we had. Does he wish to develop Plainmoor, well maybe, but as I have said before with all the costs associated with a large build and considering the potential resale of any houses in that locality I struggle to see where the profit is, You will not get Marine drive prices in Plainmoor.
I suggest that when there is a vacuum of information peoples imaginations run riot, and spurious gossip because fact, he said ,she said, my cousins best friend told me , etc, etc. Let him get on with what he is doing and remember we are top of the league with the best manager for many a mile and a team that is in the main a pleasure to watch.
If it does go pear shape under his ownership then it doesn't make him the devil, just the same as all the other owners of recent history who believed their own press.

[SuperNickyWroe]

There is so much drivel talked about Osborne and what he may, could, and possibly do with Torquay United that it beggars belief, we seem to be fully informed on his previous dealings with sports venues and there can be no reasonable argument that he does not come up smelling of roses.
But what exactly has he done wrong at Torquay other than saving the club from going out of business, I didn't see a queue of people with bulging bank balances waiting to step in , people bemoan the fact that he got the club on the cheap, he made a business loan to a bunch of useless jokers who were so full of their own importance that they did not realise that running a small bookies could be so different to running a football club. He relied, until it proved to be his detriment and that of the club that Harrop could run a club on his behalf, again another serious failing, but as he freely admits he is a businessman with a small grasp pf football, and Harrop could talk the talk but that was as far as it went. So what is his end game to recover his investments, most definitely he will have a plan and there he is no different to any of us. If as some suggest he wishes to run the club into the ground then he could have done that this season after the start we had. Does he wish to develop Plainmoor, well maybe, but as I have said before with all the costs associated with a large build and considering the potential resale of any houses in that locality I struggle to see where the profit is, You will not get Marine drive prices in Plainmoor.
I suggest that when there is a vacuum of information peoples imaginations run riot, and spurious gossip because fact, he said ,she said, my cousins best friend told me , etc, etc. Let him get on with what he is doing and remember we are top of the league with the best manager for many a mile and a team that is in the main a pleasure to watch.
If it does go pear shape under his ownership then it doesn't make him the devil, just the same as all the other owners of recent history who believed their own press.

Do you trust him then based on his previous history to be the future long-term custodian of TUFC?
As many have previously said, he is purely a businessman protecting his investment.
A man like Osborne won’t walk away with a loss out of his own pocket with the money he has put into the club.

[standupsitdown]

Why would a proper developer who has no interest in football buy and invest in Torquay United?
Only because he thinks he can make money from it. There’s no money to be made in owning a non-league or lower league football club. He only wants it for the freehold of Plainmoor so he can make money by building & selling houses. He tells us he’ll build a new stadium but history suggests he won’t. Osborne must not be allowed the freehold of Plainmoor.

[standupsitdown]

As a loss leader.

Why not buy a distressed asset that you know will get you some publicity and more importantly a fast track direct to the property team at the local council who themselves have assets they need or might want to sell off. And if you happen to be a property developer you might be able to help with that.

Indeed. It's hard to understand why some fans don't seem to have grasped this.
We may be having a very good run on the pitch but with Osborne owning the club the whole future of Torquay United remains in grave doubt.
Still if we can go up this season at least that's one league higher that an AFC would have to start if the club folds.

[Southampton Gull]

Indeed. It's hard to understand why some fans don't seem to have grasped this.
We may be having a very good run on the pitch but with Osborne owning the club the whole future of Torquay United remains in grave doubt.
Still if we can go up this season at least that's one league higher that an AFC would have to start if the club folds.

I wholeheartedly agree. Enjoy it while it lasts because there is definitely the potential for the club to cease to exist.

[dawlishmatt]

Good posting from Culmstockgull. To be a successful businessman you have to be both ruthless and a bastard ( sorry all you business owners out there). Clarke Osborne is certainly ruthless as depending on which item you read about him online, his personal wealth is anywhere between 20 and 80 million pounds. As it has already been proven on this forum, most of you can't stand the man. In my previous posts I've dealt with the facts on his ownership of our club.
I have read so much rubbish on this forum about Osborne, from Geoff Harrop being married to his daughter, Harrop living next-door to Osborne and so much crap about the man which has all proved to be false and I personally believe is damaging to the club.
As all true loyal supporters of the football club, we should get behind everyone from the tea ladies, programme seller's ball boys right up to the manager and the man at the top, Clarke Osborne. A large group of supporters for the last 2 seasons criticised Jamie Reid and suddenly he's now the best thing since sliced bread.
Don't forget who we are. We are TORQUAY UNITED and as the name suggests we must stay united through the good times and the bad times.

[culmstockgull]

To reply to SuperNickyWroe, do I trust Osborne, not as far as I could throw him, Do I trust Theresa May or Corbyn, same applies. Trust is only a commodity when there a queue of buyers at the door willing to invest millions in Torquay United and you then have the luxury of choosing the right buyer with the most scruples and who is kind to his or her mum , unfortunately there are no white knights out there, so we go with what we have, and since my last posting there are still those who seem surprised that he wishes to make money on his investment either by housing on plainmoor with a new stadium or taking us to the league and selling us, either scenario is evidently far better than where we are at the moment.

[standupsitdown]

To reply to SuperNickyWroe, do I trust Osborne, not as far as I could throw him, Do I trust Theresa May or Corbyn, same applies. Trust is only a commodity when there a queue of buyers at the door willing to invest millions in Torquay United and you then have the luxury of choosing the right buyer with the most scruples and who is kind to his or her mum , unfortunately there are no white knights out there, so we go with what we have, and since my last posting there are still those who seem surprised that he wishes to make money on his investment either by housing on plainmoor with a new stadium or taking us to the league and selling us, either scenario is evidently far better than where we are at the moment.

Not if the new stadium doesn't materialise.

[Southampton Gull]

Good posting from Culmstockgull. To be a successful businessman you have to be both ruthless and a bastard ( sorry all you business owners out there). Clarke Osborne is certainly ruthless as depending on which item you read about him online, his personal wealth is anywhere between 20 and 80 million pounds. As it has already been proven on this forum, most of you can't stand the man. In my previous posts I've dealt with the facts on his ownership of our club.
I have read so much rubbish on this forum about Osborne, from Geoff Harrop being married to his daughter, Harrop living next-door to Osborne and so much crap about the man which has all proved to be false and I personally believe is damaging to the club.
As all true loyal supporters of the football club, we should get behind everyone from the tea ladies, programme seller's ball boys right up to the manager and the man at the top, Clarke Osborne. A large group of supporters for the last 2 seasons criticised Jamie Reid and suddenly he's now the best thing since sliced bread.
Don't forget who we are. We are TORQUAY UNITED and as the name suggests we must stay united through the good times and the bad times.

Amazing how every one of your posts pander to the Osborne mantra. What do you have to say about all his previous broken promises to sports clubs he's been involved with? I notice you post from the Bristol area, friend of our Clarke?

[SuperNickyWroe]

To reply to SuperNickyWroe, do I trust Osborne, not as far as I could throw him, Do I trust Theresa May or Corbyn, same applies. Trust is only a commodity when there a queue of buyers at the door willing to invest millions in Torquay United and you then have the luxury of choosing the right buyer with the most scruples and who is kind to his or her mum , unfortunately there are no white knights out there, so we go with what we have, and since my last posting there are still those who seem surprised that he wishes to make money on his investment either by housing on plainmoor with a new stadium or taking us to the league and selling us, either scenario is evidently far better than where we are at the moment.

I dont mind him (or anyone) making money - but not to the detriment of my club - Torquay United.
In reply to you, I want to ensure a future for my club - and with Osbornes plan to move us to a new stadium - by 2020...!!!??? the alarm bells start to ring - this is based on his previous where - I repeat again - he has never delivered a new stadium for any sporting team when he has promised too.
Thats my issue with him.

[dawlishmatt]

SuperNickywroe, you say that Osborne has never delivered a new stadium for any sporting team when he has promised too. Well Torquay United have never won any major league title. Perhaps this season we will see two birds killed with one stone!!!!!!!!