Gaming International have taken our club hostage

aggrey_25 · Post by **aggrey_25** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:33

you lot are so bloody feeble.... how can you judge the new guys yet? judge them once and when they start their role. they have clearly taken on a large debt and to pay wages and keep the club afloat so unless you clown have the dollar to stump up then keep it shut.

it might be that down the road it hasn't worked out but why be so bloody pessimistic before they have even taken the reigns, no wonder there has been no hope with fans like we have.

who cares if we leave plainmoor and get a new ground, that's life it happens deal with it, place is a dump anyway

IanGull01 · Post by **IanGull01** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:36

aggrey_25 wrote:you lot are so bloody feeble.... how can you judge the new guys yet? judge them once and when they start their role. they have clearly taken on a large debt and to pay wages and keep the club afloat so unless you clown have the dollar to stump up then keep it shut.

it might be that down the road it hasn't worked out but why be so bloody pessimistic before they have even taken the reigns, no wonder there has been no hope with fans like we have.

who cares if we leave plainmoor and get a new ground, that's life it happens deal with it, place is a dump anyway

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:51

When I posted on Sunday now on page 15 of this thread I said `it will be very interesting to see how open and honest GIL will be in setting out their plans for the club`. As a result of todays statement and the interview given to the HE by Clarke Osborne a number of important issues have been addressed.

However no mention has been made about a number of important Conditions that have been incorporated in the Sale Agreement. I do think it would be very helpful and reassuring to fans everywhere if Mr Osborne could make a further statement on these conditions which were referred to by the Chairman David Phillips in the last few days.

I am hoping that one of these conditions will be that if Plainmoor is redeveloped not a brick will be touched until Torquay United are installed in the new stadium which would appear to be planned for the location adjoining the Willows shopping centre.

A couple of points that did come out of the interview were quite revealing. Mr Osborne obviously feels that the provision of new investment is crucial to ensure that the club trades properly through the rest of this season and not as it has done recently as a result of `crazy cost cutting`.

Mr Osborne would appear to have also come to the decision that he will be at Plainmoor on Boxing Day to support Kevin Nicholson and the team which I find encouraging.

Finally I think we as fans should remember the old saying `it is better the devil you know than the devil you dont`.

What we all have to remember is that the Board have got to know and understand GIL over a nine month period whereas the Hong Kong consortium were anonymous apart from their appointed agent.

Time will tell but given our extremely precarious position I think the board were between a rock and a hard place.

The next challenge is to try and stop Kieffer Moore scoring against us for FGR on Boxing Day!

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:54

aggrey_25 wrote:you lot are so bloody feeble.... how can you judge the new guys yet? judge them once and when they start their role. they have clearly taken on a large debt and to pay wages and keep the club afloat so unless you clown have the dollar to stump up then keep it shut.

it might be that down the road it hasn't worked out but why be so bloody pessimistic before they have even taken the reigns, no wonder there has been no hope with fans like we have.

who cares if we leave plainmoor and get a new ground, that's life it happens deal with it, place is a dump anyway

Because of their previous history

I'd say it has been the fans that have kept up their hopes, the board certainly didn't.

I bet Thea Bristow cares. We have a nice new stand to do justice to the memory of her late husband, I'd rather have that than a limp promise of a new one.

Bloggy · Post by **Bloggy** » 20 Dec 2016, 16:59

aggrey_25 wrote:place is a dump anyway

kevgull · Post by **kevgull** » 20 Dec 2016, 17:11

New owners or Administration sir?
=
Poke in the eye with a sharp stick or a kick in the bolloxs sir?

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 20 Dec 2016, 17:37

Give Gilbert a game wrote:How much will season tickets be in the Peninsular League ? At least there will be lots of local derbies.

What are the odds on Osborne being there on Boxing Day ? I'd give you 1,000,000 to one.

Put me down for a tenner.

Matt.

Post by **Dave** » 20 Dec 2016, 17:44

ferrarilover wrote: Put me down for a tenner.

Matt.

Only a tenner, how charitable.

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 20 Dec 2016, 17:52

Of course he will be there.. A bagful of monkies maybe but far from daft.

Post by **Dave** » 20 Dec 2016, 17:55

Well yesterday we moaned because G.I, despite not owning the club, hadn't made a statement, today, now that G.I do own the club, we moan because they do make a statement, I can only imagine that's because of what they've said, rather than haven't.

What did we actually expect them to say, job 1; asset strip your club 2; build houses on Plainmoor, yes, you were right all long suckers.

Yes, we all know G.I have a reputation, and it goes before them, are they to be trusted, not yet. But, as I've already suggested, they deserve a chance to speak, and to be heard, they deserve a chance to prove themselves.

For me personally, I will continue to support the club as I've always done. I will watch, look and listen to every move, and every thing G.I do at, and for our club, if their first statement is genuine, and there is no guarantee it is, then there's half a chance our club could flourish, if it isn't, then I'll repeat a question left unanswered, what will us TUFC fans actually do about it ?

Thegulls1981 · Post by **Thegulls1981** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:13

I'll support the club as normal and give them a chance...but today I contacted the council to start making my feelings clear and ask the best way to voice my concerns.

My personal view is very simple, I accept that the Plainmoor freehold will be sold but this should only be agreed and signed over once a alternative stadium is passed and built that is big enough to support a league club, if it creates other income streams to support the football club then that's fine with me.

gullpower · Post by **gullpower** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:21

goodluckgull wrote:If possible could someone post template letters of protest to the National League and Torbay Council, so that hundreds of letters can be easily sent .

This is the basis of the letter that I sent to my councillors, the Mayor and Kevin Foster MP. I suggest that it is tweaked so that thousands (hopefully) of identical letters aren't sent but please use it. The more noise we make the safer Plainmoor will be.

Dear

Torquay United has a long and proud history that can be traced back to 1899 with matches being played at the Plainmoor ground since 1910. Having a club of renown with this history is important for the status of the town. The club has always played a part in advertising and promoting the area as a holiday destination (in fact the change from black and white kit to gold and blue in the mid 50’s was to reflect the towns sand and sea image) as well as bringing in revenue from away supporters that take the opportunity to enjoy an extended break as part of their away match excursion.

Recently the club was been sold to Riviera Stadium Limited, a subsidiary company of Gaming International. I am sure that you are familiar with this company following the proposed takeover and relocation to a new stadium at Nightingale Park earlier in the year.

Unfortunately, as custodians of sporting clubs Gaming International do not have a good track record when it comes to looking after the club’s best interests.

I am therefore asking you as one of my councillors and as a member of Torbay Council, who are the landlords of Plainmoor, that you will ensure that the interests of Torquay United are upheld and ensure that football continues to be played at the ground. Also, that should a relocation be proposed, that under no circumstances will Torquay United be required to vacate Plainmoor until a new ground, which is fit for purpose, has been built and is ready to move in to.

Yours sincerely,

Thegulls1981 · Post by **Thegulls1981** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:34

The latter bit is the key part for me, let's be realistic we are leaving Plainmoor but we need to fight to make sure the alternative venue (that allows us to be a league club again) is in situ before they can develop.

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:36

I do think it needs a sentence about the rental to be charged at any new ground. ? The amount of total rent chargeable to the club for the new facilities shall have reference to the amount currently payable by the club to the Council and shall be assessed in a formula agreed between the club, the developer, the Torquay United Supporters Trust and the Council before any development commences ?

Rjc70 · Post by **Rjc70** » 20 Dec 2016, 18:51

Dazza wrote:I do think it needs a sentence about the rental to be charged at any new ground. ? The amount of total rent chargeable to the club for the new facilities shall have reference to the amount currently payable by the club to the Council and shall be assessed in a formula agreed between the club, the developer, the Torquay United Supporters Trust and the Council before any development commences ?

That would be grand alongside gulls1981 and everyone else's desired assurance which we will hear at some point in a press release, but I reckon I can guess at who wouldn't be up for the rent angle unless they saw it as unenforceable or with plenty of wriggle room.

If they ever do follow through on a promise of a ground - and we all know of their 'failures' elsewhere - they will want their 'commercial' rent for ever more. Will it be from a long lease or will the local authority hand it over lock stock. Who knows? GI are quite happy operating long leases, though, so maybe Torbay would go for that option with them developing elsewhere and around the site.

But this is the key when it comes to opening up new income streams. It'll be their income streams with additional ones for them from what I have heard Clarke Osbourne previously call 'enabling development'. I believe it was a Racino proposed for Reading Speedway.

How much of new income streams will come TUFC's way after the rent bill? Ownership of TUFC will be of no interest if that point ever came to pass, will it. Why would it? Their duty is to their shareholders.

Agree with all those seeking to note their concerns early with the Council.

I have no problem with GI shareholders increasing their dividends if TUFC flourished and continued to. I await their proposals for that throughout what will be a long process.

I have only seen a stadium-less club that no longer exists in my own personal experience as a fan to date.

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