Current opinions on Clark Osborne and Gaming International

[Yorkieandy]

Compare two teams.

Blackpool and Torquay

Blackpool fans protested and stayed away in huge numbers until the bitter end in their dispute with owner Oyston. Even when enjoying success on the field beating Exeter in the L2 play off final at Wembley the other year, most Blackpool fans stayed away from league games and from their big day at Wembley and kept up their protest to oust a rogue owner. Oyston is gone and the club can start again.

Torquay fans didn't protest and Osborne is still the owner. Success (relatively speaking) is starting to come (albeit in NLS) and a few months of good football and a few wins have seen the protestations about a property developers ownership vanish into thin air so it would seem. In fact crowds are buoyed by the recent triumphs on the pitch unlike Blackpool where their triumphs on the pitch were met with up to 3 quarters of their usual fanbase not seeing it.

Osborne is still getting away with it everyone. Even promotion to NL doesn't alter that.

Be more Blackpool.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Compare two teams.

Blackpool and Torquay

Blackpool fans protested and stayed away in huge numbers until the bitter end in their dispute with owner Oyston. Even when enjoying success on the field beating Exeter in the L2 play off final at Wembley the other year, most Blackpool fans stayed away from league games and from their big day at Wembley and kept up their protest to oust a rogue owner. Oyston is gone and the club can start again.

Torquay fans didn't protest and Osborne is still the owner. Success (relatively speaking) is starting to come (albeit in NLS) and a few months of good football and a few wins[highlight=yellow] have seen the protestations about a property developers ownership vanish into thin air so it would seem[/highlight]. In fact crowds are buoyed by the recent triumphs on the pitch unlike Blackpool where their triumphs on the pitch were met with up to 3 quarters of their usual fanbase not seeing it.

Osborne is still getting away with it everyone. Even promotion to NL doesn't alter that.

Be more Blackpool.

Totally disagree with that Andy.
Oyston (and his son) were/are total t*ats. Bought the club for £1 and then only interested in taking money - £27m - out of the club.
Osborne, is different in the respect he doesnt bulid anything. OK hes after making money, but he's had to put some in first and MP Kev isnt very enamured with his stadium plans - so he is being watched closely.

[Yorkieandy]

Fair points Chris. I was more trying to highlight that things appear to have gone quiet on the CO front from the fans just because things on the pitch are going well. Osborne has put in money yes but don't think for one second he'll not be getting that back and more when he decides to leave the club - stadium or no stadium.

[Southampton Gull]

If you read the whole first page Andy you'll see thats not the case, we're just enjoying the calm before the storm but there's still enough people not blinded by current form in what is our lowest ever level as a professional club. Still too many hoodwinked by seeing victories though but that's human nature.

[Yorkieandy]

Yeah that's fair enough Dave. Just wanted to give the thread a bump that's all. Maybe CO is reading and it will remind him to BUILD A F*CKING STADIUM!!

An idea he proposed many moons ago, like the local board idea and that has still yet to materialize. Much like the site it is to built on, any workmen or indeed any viable plans of said new stadium.

[culmstockgull]

Things must be quiet if the Osborne thread has been resurrected, People will believe what they want to believe, regardless of facts to the opposite, and with the amount of fake news flowing ,even on this site, a Chinese whisper at the start of the game becomes a posting avalanche by the final whistle. A few factual comments, 1. Our wonderful mayor who seems to be the driving force in selling of the families or in this case Torbay's silver is out of a job next month. 2. Nothing on the freehold sale has come back to the news for months and judging by the amount of councillors who seem to have publicly declared they are against the idea you would not be able to keep the subject totally under wraps. 3. When we were at our lowest at the start of this season why did he not just close his purse and let us go to the wall, because if he had, we would have folded and then negotiate the sale of the ground on the cheap to re-coup his losses. 4. Plainmoor is an area of terraced houses and properties divided into flats not exactly at the top or the middle of the local property ladder in value terms, even the most optimistic architect could not cram sufficient properties onto the site to show a businessman's profit after construction costs. I agree there is another game afoot , and why shouldn't there, we all seem to agree that he is a businessman and a fairly successful one at that, he will be two steps ahead of the game. He is considered the devil purely on past business deeds in the football game but the incompetent stewardship of previous owners who brought us to our lowly position seems to have been largely forgotten, and if not forgotten largely overlooked. Because he is not at the games, because he rarely talk to the press, because he doesn't have largely irrelevant fans forums , he must a wrong un. Then prove it on his deeds with this football club, not some historical incident.

[Southampton Gull]

He's considered the devil because of his M. O. which has resulted in the loss of stadia to numerous sports clubs and despite him ALWAYS promising to build a new stadium NEVER has, its really that simple.

There's no doubting his business acumen but it's ALWAYS been at the expense of the club involved. Are we going to be any different to Bristol Rovers? I somehow doubt it. Anything else is open to debate but who thinks he would ever deliver us a new stadium? Definitely not I!!!

[Jerry]

He's considered the devil because of his M. O. which has resulted in the loss of stadia to numerous sports clubs and despite him ALWAYS promising to build a new stadium NEVER has, its really that simple.

There's no doubting his business acumen but it's ALWAYS been at the expense of the club involved. Are we going to be any different to Bristol Rovers? I somehow doubt it. Anything else is open to debate but who thinks he would ever deliver us a new stadium? Definitely not I!!!

A leopard never changes his spots. If people can't see that someone who has repeatedly wreaked havoc on the sporting clubs he has been involved in is bad news then I have a bridge in London I would like to offer them.

[Southampton Gull]

Send Edd

[Dave]

The clubs owned by Riviera Stadium Ltd correct me if I'm wrong, clue number one. Then there's this https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44952076
Where CO says; "This is a great opportunity for us to join businesses planning investment in Torbay," chairman Clarke Osborne said.
"Our project will bring major inward investment, long-term sport and leisure facilities - and equip the club to climb back into the English Football League and stay there."

Ok he may not say I promise, but if this isn't a promise to build a new stadium, not sure what is.

[Southampton Gull]

thats a no then.

You just bore the shit out of me

[Dave]

That's fine Edd, but think we're playing with words somewhat here, CO has clearly outlined his intention to build a new stadium, to me an intention to do something is a promise.

[Southampton Gull]

Careful or he'll be running to the Internet police alleging bullying or hate speech :}

[SuperNickyWroe]

Because you cant show me where he has 'promised'?

Whats wrong with you?
How does this "Osborne outlines stadium plans" on this article as the heading https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44981501 means he doesn't want to (apparently) build one and move us elsewhere?
FFS get your head out of your ar*e and wake up.

[Southampton Gull]

Because you cant show me where he has 'promised'?

No because you're a boring little ****