Potential Buyers

[Southampton Gull]

Now that you and your cabal of liked minded friends have single handed and victorously seen off osborne, your backs must be very sore for all the slapping going on. Who or what will become the target of your next vitriolic campaign, I imagine life is going to be very empty for your all. Perhaps you will discover one of the new potential owners had a speeding conviction 25 years ago or another made a dodgy planning application for an extension on their house, and with time and lots of thought by yourselves you can develop it into a never ending theme around the same single fact and make everlasting posts on the subject until we were all totally bored by them, oh forgive me, thats what you all have been doing for years.
Either way, Osborne is no longer, factually ,he put off where we are today by five years and if you think the bright new dawn of torquay is going to sweetness and light because you have slain the dragon then you are going to be sadly disappointed.

It's funny how you're always the first to moan at people if you feel insulted and there you go attacking those who don't fall for the nonsense of your pro Osborne mantra. It's no wonder the likes of people like Osborne get away with doing what they do when gullible people like you continue to defend his practices. What exactly is it you feel so worthy of your continued defence of him? He didn't save us from anything, he was part of a group who saw a chance to make money at the expense of our football club. It could have and still might cause our club to go our of existence or did that point go over your head? I know of at least one person who uses this site who no longer has the chance to follow one of his sporting loves because of Osborne. He almost lost another. Let that sink in before you go off at those with more foresight than you.

[Admiral]

Now that you and your cabal of liked minded friends have single handed and victorously seen off osborne, your backs must be very sore for all the slapping going on. Who or what will become the target of your next vitriolic campaign, I imagine life is going to be very empty for your all. Perhaps you will discover one of the new potential owners had a speeding conviction 25 years ago or another made a dodgy planning application for an extension on their house, and with time and lots of thought by yourselves you can develop it into a never ending theme around the same single fact and make everlasting posts on the subject until we were all totally bored by them, oh forgive me, thats what you all have been doing for years.
Either way, Osborne is no longer, factually ,he put off where we are today by five years and if you think the bright new dawn of torquay is going to sweetness and light because you have slain the dragon then you are going to be sadly disappointed.

Wow

[greb46]

In the years Osborne has owned the club there was no intention of him wanting success on the field of play ,yes a possible stay of execution may be five years but if he had been able to obtain land within six months of owning it he would have jumped at the chance.Compare him to the likes of Mike Bateson who it didn't even cross his mind about land and profit for himself hence him keeping the club stable in the old fourth division.The gradual decline is due to the present owner who now has the club hanging on a cliff which he hopes falls over it as long as he gets as much back as possible for his failed tenancy.A man who became an almost fabled figure for his non existence in Torquay.Impossible to defend a man who if he had the chance would cover the country in concrete if it had financial gain.

[gullsgullsgulls]

Now that you and your cabal of liked minded friends have single handed and victorously seen off osborne, your backs must be very sore for all the slapping going on. Who or what will become the target of your next vitriolic campaign, I imagine life is going to be very empty for your all. Perhaps you will discover one of the new potential owners had a speeding conviction 25 years ago or another made a dodgy planning application for an extension on their house, and with time and lots of thought by yourselves you can develop it into a never ending theme around the same single fact and make everlasting posts on the subject until we were all totally bored by them, oh forgive me, thats what you all have been doing for years.
Either way, Osborne is no longer, factually ,he put off where we are today by five years and if you think the bright new dawn of torquay is going to sweetness and light because you have slain the dragon then you are going to be sadly disappointed.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm. If not, have you been living under a rock for the past five years?!

[BigDave]

It's funny how you're always the first to moan at people if you feel insulted and there you go attacking those who don't fall for the nonsense of your pro Osborne mantra. It's no wonder the likes of people like Osborne get away with doing what they do when gullible people like you continue to defend his practices. What exactly is it you feel so worthy of your continued defence of him? He didn't save us from anything, he was part of a group who saw a chance to make money at the expense of our football club. It could have and still might cause our club to go our of existence or did that point go over your head? I know of at least one person who uses this site who no longer has the chance to follow one of his sporting loves because of Osborne. He almost lost another. Let that sink in before you go off at those with more foresight than you.

You are normally fairly even handed with your posts and it is obvious that it was known that Osbourne would not be the long-term saviour of the club, as you indicated at the time and consistently thereafter. However, his purchase of the club did provide a 'stay of execution' for the club which did produce some memorable seasons, both good and bad, so can you explain exactly what would have happened to Torquay United if Osbourne had not provided the wherewithal to purchase the club?
Was there an alternative buyer who was gazumped or would the club have been in the position that it is in now, albeit several years earlier?
Vitriol for Osbourne is absolutely fine, especially if he elbowed out a prospective beneficial owner, but surely if his purchase merely delayed the inevitable by a few years we should appreciate the football that was played during that respite.
After having a final appeal rejected, does the prisoner on Death Row complain about the intervening stays of execution that have been granted?

[culmstockgull]

It's funny how you're always the first to moan at people if you feel insulted and there you go attacking those who don't fall for the nonsense of your pro Osborne mantra. It's no wonder the likes of people like Osborne get away with doing what they do when gullible people like you continue to defend his practices. What exactly is it you feel so worthy of your continued defence of him? He didn't save us from anything, he was part of a group who saw a chance to make money at the expense of our football club. It could have and still might cause our club to go our of existence or did that point go over your head? I know of at least one person who uses this site who no longer has the chance to follow one of his sporting loves because of Osborne. He almost lost another. Let that sink in before you go off at those with more foresight than you.

I accepted long ago most of what has been posted about Osborne over the years, but everyone ignores the fact that for over five year paid all the bills and kept us in business, when no one else was prepared to step up.
I will never believe his final game plan was to get his hands on Plainmoor based on the one fact he has done it in the past, in this case it did not and still does not make financial sense, I was never a defender of his business ways ,he has proved to be a malign and divisive influence but before we put the tar and feathers away until the next owner or owners annoy us, our short memories forget certain people before him and after Mike Bateson who brought us to the situation of the Osborne ownership, they were in it for what they could get and undoubtedly contributed in a major way to the situation we now find ourselves in. I posted in early March in reply to someone who was having the traditional daily pop at Osborne that he could pull the plug at any moment and regretably I was correct. Considering the abuse he has received and not just of the verbal variety over the years I am no way surprised he is taking his revenge in the most effective way he knows. He could have held off for another eight weeks at little additional cost to himself considering what he has already invested and we would have been ten points to the good and safe in the league. Before anyone states it happened because the council refused him the freehold of Plainmoor which I think he had long since given up on, or declined any other offer for spare land to build another stadium that is just speculation, Osborne has not said that was the reason and he could have had a real dig at the council in this situation was correct, even the council have made no comment to that effect. If this is considered going against the party line and defending the man , so be it.

[Southampton Gull]

You are normally fairly even handed with your posts and it is obvious that it was known that Osbourne would not be the long-term saviour of the club, as you indicated at the time and consistently thereafter. However, his purchase of the club did provide a 'stay of execution' for the club which did produce some memorable seasons, both good and bad, so can you explain exactly what would have happened to Torquay United if Osbourne had not provided the wherewithal to purchase the club?
Was there an alternative buyer who was gazumped or would the club have been in the position that it is in now, albeit several years earlier?
Vitriol for Osbourne is absolutely fine, especially if he elbowed out a prospective beneficial owner, but surely if his purchase merely delayed the inevitable by a few years we should appreciate the football that was played during that respite.
After having a final appeal rejected, does the prisoner on Death Row complain about the intervening stays of execution that have been granted?

There were other interested parties who walked away the minute they knew of Osbornes involvement. Certain people will tell you otherwise but there were other options and a certain insider saw to it that Osborne gained control. Who knows how events would have unfolded but all we experienced was yet another false dawn. What do I know, I had faith in Gary Johnson

[Southampton Gull]

I accepted long ago most of what has been posted about Osborne over the years, but everyone ignores the fact that for over five year paid all the bills and kept us in business, when no one else was prepared to step up.
I will never believe his final game plan was to get his hands on Plainmoor based on the one fact he has done it in the past, in this case it did not and still does not make financial sense, I was never a defender of his business ways ,he has proved to be a malign and divisive influence but before we put the tar and feathers away until the next owner or owners annoy us, our short memories forget certain people before him and after Mike Bateson who brought us to the situation of the Osborne ownership, they were in it for what they could get and undoubtedly contributed in a major way to the situation we now find ourselves in. I posted in early March in reply to someone who was having the traditional daily pop at Osborne that he could pull the plug at any moment and regretably I was correct. Considering the abuse he has received and not just of the verbal variety over the years I am no way surprised he is taking his revenge in the most effective way he knows. He could have held off for another eight weeks at little additional cost to himself considering what he has already invested and we would have been ten points to the good and safe in the league. Before anyone states it happened because the council refused him the freehold of Plainmoor which I think he had long since given up on, or declined any other offer for spare land to build another stadium that is just speculation, Osborne has not said that was the reason and he could have had a real dig at the council in this situation was correct, even the council have made no comment to that effect. If this is considered going against the party line and defending the man , so be it.

I fixed the post for you....

You make the wrong assumptions about Osborne, not only about how he acquired the club but also what his intentions were and also who he was in bed with. Quite why you refuse to accept that is beyond me but you openly state your refusal to believe it. That's on you and that's fine by me. We're still not rid of him yet despite people thinking otherwise. I tried warning everyone before, during and after he gained control. I don't want a pat on the back, I couldn't care less if people think I'm bitter, angry or anything else. I'd much rather have been proved wrong. Unfortunately I was dead right about everything he tried to do. I'm not gloating, I'm saddened that some still think he has anything but bad intentions for our club.

[BigDave]

I would rarely agree with culmstockgull but the fact still remains that Osbourne purchased the club before it went into administration, so one can assume that the previous owner chose to sell it to him. There may have been insider assistance, there may have been other interested parties who could/would not compete with him and you may be privy to knowledge that you are unable to disclose (I guess that the laws of libel may be a factor) but none of that changes the situation. Whatever arises from administration now could have arisen five years ago if the club had gone into administration then, and concerns about relegation could have related to the Southern League or lower rather than the National League South. It is a long time since Torquay United were financially stable and Osbourne's tenure did not improve that but it did maintain football at a potentially higher level than might otherwise have been the case.
Incidentally, the list of the Administrators' past 'successes' bristles with EFL and Premier League clubs but also includes Scarborough FC whose fate since that balmy evening in May 1998 may be a worrying harbinger of what awaits TUFC.

[culmstockgull]

I fixed the post for you....

You make the wrong assumptions about Osborne, not only about how he acquired the club but also what his intentions were and also who he was in bed with. Quite why you refuse to accept that is beyond me but you openly state your refusal to believe it. That's on you and that's fine by me. We're still not rid of him yet despite people thinking otherwise. I tried warning everyone before, during and after he gained control. I don't want a pat on the back, I couldn't care less if people think I'm bitter, angry or anything else. I'd much rather have been proved wrong. Unfortunately I was dead right about everything he tried to do. I'm not gloating, I'm saddened that some still think he has anything but bad intentions for our club.

Thank you for fixing my post.
I can believe in facts as well as the next person, but how in all fairness can anyone believe a story because it is on the forum without supporting it with facts, it would mean taking a hell of a lot on trust. Like many I have heard various stories about what or could have happened when he acquired the club, about so called white knights who were thwarted in their attempts to purchase the club and insider help that Osborne received to get his ownership over the line but to be honest most of them were heard in Boots and laces after the game when people had consumed numerous sherbets, besides the swindon speedway and bristol rovers debacle where the facts are well known and cosnistent are any of these so called facts relating to his acquisition of torqauy in the public domain or just known to a select few, everything would be a lot less transparent if yourself or others in the know came out and told us all.
Compared with some on this forum Southampton you come across as neither bitter or angry but for the position we find ourselves their are no prizes for being proved right.

[Southampton Gull]

I've put the facts out there, totally sober and without fear of libel but also mindful of the fact that I have a role in protecting the forum and Louis. I've dealt with threats from various parties and never shirked from telling people the truth. If some choose to be thankful for a failed play off final and an imagined saving from administration so be it.

Culmstock, you forgot to mention the deceased Reading Speedway, another of Osborne successes.

I rue the day Osborne got his hands on the club and can't wait for the time when he is no longer involved even in the guise of his many agents. I've nothing else to add, I've laid it all out previously and still await anyone carrying out threats of any kind. I'm not losing any sleep over them.

[UnitedinDevon]

I would rarely agree with culmstockgull but the fact still remains that Osbourne purchased the club before it went into administration, so one can assume that the previous owner chose to sell it to him. There may have been insider assistance, there may have been other interested parties who could/would not compete with him and you may be privy to knowledge that you are unable to disclose (I guess that the laws of libel may be a factor) but none of that changes the situation. Whatever arises from administration now could have arisen five years ago if the club had gone into administration then, and concerns about relegation could have related to the Southern League or lower rather than the National League South. It is a long time since Torquay United were financially stable and Osbourne's tenure did not improve that but it did maintain football at a potentially higher level than might otherwise have been the case.
Incidentally, the list of the Administrators' past 'successes' bristles with EFL and Premier League clubs but also includes Scarborough FC whose fate since that balmy evening in May 1998 may be a worrying harbinger of what awaits TUFC.

The nonsense continues

Osbourne did not purchase the club at all

We defaulted on a loan - that he would have known we couldn't have paid back - with ownership as collateral

Lots of reasons why we were in that position in the first place....!

Can't even be bothered to respond to the deluded postings of culmstock

[knightmaregull]

So what if Osborne gave us an extra 5 years? It was and was always going to be, for nothing. If he did it with the sole intent of personal financial gain for him, his developer chums and board members then how can that be justified or given thanks for? We'd be 5 years further ahead from whatever fate now awaits us had he not got involved.

[Southampton Gull]

So what if Osborne gave us an extra 5 years? It was and was always going to be, for nothing. If he did it with the sole intent of personal financial gain for him, his developer chums and board members then how can that be justified or given thanks for? We'd be 5 years further ahead from whatever fate now awaits us had he not got involved.

That's it in a nutshell for me. That said, who knows where we'd be. I guess we're about to find out.

[BigDave]

The nonsense continues

Osbourne did not purchase the club at all

We defaulted on a loan - that he would have known we couldn't have paid back - with ownership as collateral

Lots of reasons why we were in that position in the first place....!

Can't even be bothered to respond to the deluded postings of culmstock

Presumably you split hairs as a profession. The point that you seem to miss is that Osbourne acquired the club - a defaulted loan is even worse than a purchase as the Club was obviously bust at the time. He could have gone into administration at any time so every game that Torquay have played since that date is surely a bonus - win, lose or draw - but maybe you don't see it like that. I suppose that you haven't been to any matches or seen any games since Osbourne made a loan that he knew would not be repaid because to do so would prevent you from admitting that the Club had not yet folded. Culmstock may sometimes be deluded in his postings but not on this occasion. TUFC have had a roller coaster ride for the last five years and Osbourne has played a part in that - accept it as such.