Osborne gone!

[culmstockgull]

The minority who are busily clapping each other on the back, shouting about their wondrous insight into all things financial as they gloat about this coming to pass and what a great result they have achieved, Well, congratulations all your wishes have come true, Do you really understand what you have argued for, simply the potential demise of the club. I maintained last week in a posting that we should be careful what we wish for and he could pull the plug at any moment, and considering the abuse who wouldn't have walked away. Even if another property developer came in with the money he would be damned from the start by many as the wrong sort of owner.
It is interesting that Osborne quotes the last five weeks ,the time when he has been in talks with the council, perhaps they had no wish to support his vision.
I hope the TUST bought the yellow cards on sale or return.
The administrators have only to focus on one thing , to stop the club going bankrupt and getting the best price for the owner and his assets and as much as the TUST would like to be in the mix unless they can come up with a compelling financial case,not promises for the future or we are having a bring and buy sale saturday then they will not get a look in, unless they hire a transit and get round a previous owners house and beg them to bail us out, yet again.
What has happened cannot be changed ,the club has suggested saturdays game will proceed and I suggest that we try and get the biggest crowd of the season regardless of what we think and how poorly we are playing so we can at least show any potential investors that this club does have a viable future.

[UnitedinDevon]

If Clark Osborne hadn't financed the club all these years there would be no Torquay United.
If TUST hadn't waged a hate war against him he would still be here, I hope they are satisfied now

Deary me, did you ever believe anything CO said?

This was inevitable on him taking control of the club

Your frustration should be at CO not TUST who like the majority saw this outcome coming

[Willowgull]

Ok, so even if that debt is set aside for now and any income is used to keep the club afloat in the short term, noone is going to give us any further credit. Everything will need to be paid upfront. How long can the club realistically trade like that. I would say only a matter of weeks.

Who in our current squad is sellable to raise further funds?

Loan players are likely to go back as we won't be able to afford to contribute to their wages. How many do we have?

Staff are likely to be let go. We will have a skeleton workforce.

[Mysonjackg]

If Clark Osborne hadn't financed the club all these years there would be no Torquay United.
If TUST hadn't waged a hate war against him he would still be here, I hope they are satisfied now

I am sorry you feel this way, but would suggest politely that you are misinformed.

There has been no war of hate against Mr Osborne. Just because someone is willing to pour money into the club does not mean that supporters should all just be thankful and stay quiet. Clearly the money has to be chanelled in the right direction and the club has to be managed in an efficient manner.

All that TUST have been doing over the past few years is to get some clarity on what the intentions of the owner were to avoid a situation that we now have.

I can't see how anyone can say the ownership regime under Mr Osborne has been a success. Supporters have been isolated throughout and have been consistently kept in the dark which has led us to where we are today both on and off the pitch. To say that TUST will be happy is an unhelpful comment to make. All board members of TUST will now be working 24/7 to do their utmost to try and keep the club alive. This is not something that anyone of them will have wanted.

Now is the time for everyone to come together rather than trying to play the blame game amongst the supporter base.

The best way in the short term is to get behind TUST so we are all singing from the same hymn sheet and we can pool all of our resources whatever they may be.

I for one will give the TUST board as much help as I can

[Thailand Fan]

Thanks to those from other Clubs for their good wishes. That's great to see.

So Osborne has gone.

I never liked the GO plan to move from Plainmoor, (IMO a great little ground). Plainmoor is all that TUFC needs. Hopefully the Council will be at pains to keep things as they are but a benefactor will be needed. Selling a few Players won't help much in the scheme of things.

Vilifying Osborne now doesn't help - sh*t how many of us had/have millions to put into TUFC? But GO did. We can console ourselves, (if we need to), that he's lost his shirt - to put it mildly. If Johnson hangs on, we have to get behind him. And the team.

Good luck Guys and chin up. One of us needs a EuroMillons win.

[leetufc]

If Clark Osborne hadn't financed the club all these years there would be no Torquay United.
If TUST hadn't waged a hate war against him he would still be here, I hope they are satisfied now

CO did not finance the club out the goodness of his heart. He wanted the ground for his own purposes. Clearly realised from recent discussions that he cannot get what he wants, so has pulled the plug. I imagine he has timed the announcement until today to put the blame at the foot of the planned protests.

[JimNichol'sdog]

Let me firstly say 'good riddance' to the charlatan Osborne, a man without scruples and ignorant of the moral compass. Let's hope he takes his sycophants, Edwards, Hayman, and the 'Chuckle Brothers' with him. None of them should be allowed anywhere near a football club again.

In response to those who grieve at his departure, I would contend that if/when he acquired Plainmoor this scenario would have occurred, albeit some time in the future. Just look at his previous business dealings. To plagiarise a previous posting, there was as much chance of Osborne having a new ground built as there would be of Lord Lucan riding Shergar to victory in the Derby.

I have the utmost sympathy for any of the club's non playing staff whose jobs have been put in jeopardy by this vindictive action. I sincerely hope that if Torquay United is liquidated that they find alternative employment quickly.

I am also sorry for those loyal fans who have followed the club through desperate times.

Judging by the posts on this forum there are, however, numerous fans who would welcome and support a phoenix club. It won't be easy, but there are examples of clubs folding, being re-formed and then prospering. If it comes to it let's hope that Torquay United follow that path.

Finally, it is a condemnation of society today that an individual can contribute to the potential ruination of a long-standing institution that, despite its frustrations, has provided entertainment for more than 100 years.

[Admiral]

Whatever happens, he is gone and thank **** for that. Plainmoor is safe. Credit to the council for standing firm.

I’ve been boycotting under his ownership, but as promised I’ll be back on Saturday. We may need a blank slate, we may be playing in the 9th tier under a new name next season, a new owner may come in, who knows?

All I can say is that we will rise again, whatever the outcome. Torquay have too many loyal supporters to not exist.

[portugull]

As I said in an earlier post everyone of us must make it a priority to get down to Plainmoor on Saturday and make it the biggest gate of the season.

Forget about everything else buy your ticket on the TUFC Website and back the boys to win v Aveley. Our future is at stake now more tha ever before. COYY.

[standupsitdown]

This was a likely outcome once a property developer took ownership with his only interest being to build houses on the ground.

Fortunately we have TUST who are well established and have plans for just this eventuality.

Everyone should join and get behind TUST.

[Midlandgull]

Whatever happens, he is gone and thank **** for that. Plainmoor is safe. Credit to the council for standing firm.

I’ve been boycotting under his ownership, but as promised I’ll be back on Saturday. We may need a blank slate, we may be playing in the 9th tier under a new name next season, a new owner may come in, who knows?

All I can say is that we will rise again, whatever the outcome. Torquay have too many loyal supporters to not exist.

Totally agree.

Though we have an uncertain and tough road ahead, we will rise again! Wimbledon is a prime example of what can be achieved.

[Thailand Fan]

A thought about the position of the 'Administrators' . . .

Selling the only saleable Players we have, will raise not much more than peanuts. Keeping the Club going for long enough for the Administrators to find a 'solution' and helping us to stay in this League, is surely the best route to the best salvaging of affairs.

I wonder if GJ will make a gesture to see out the remainder of the season with no pay? He can surely afford to!

[kevgull]

By going into administration is this reflected in current wages / contracts?

Do all management and player’s contracts have to be honoured or can they be cancelled or renegotiated?

[greb46]

Let me firstly say 'good riddance' to the charlatan Osborne, a man without scruples and ignorant of the moral compass. Let's hope he takes his sycophants, Edwards, Hayman, and the 'Chuckle Brothers' with him. None of them should be allowed anywhere near a football club again.

In response to those who grieve at his departure, I would contend that if/when he acquired Plainmoor this scenario would have occurred, albeit some time in the future. Just look at his previous business dealings. To plagiarise a previous posting, there was as much chance of Osborne having a new ground built as there would be of Lord Lucan riding Shergar to victory in the Derby.

I have the utmost sympathy for any of the club's non playing staff whose jobs have been put in jeopardy by this vindictive action. I sincerely hope that if Torquay United is liquidated that they find alternative employment quickly.

I am also sorry for those loyal fans who have followed the club through desperate times.

Judging by the posts on this forum there are, however, numerous fans who would welcome and support a phoenix club. It won't be easy, but there are examples of clubs folding, being re-formed and then prospering. If it comes to it let's hope that Torquay United follow that path.

Finally, it is a condemnation of society today that an individual can contribute to the potential ruination of a long-standing institution that, despite its frustrations, has provided entertainment for more than 100 years.

Quite right and in your final paragraph proves the true intentions and greed of said individual who in some small crumb of comfort at least failed in his intended five year plan

[budegull1954]

Blimey the news has even ended up on the front page of BBC Sport:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68372224