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CP Gull wrote: ↑13 Mar 2024, 20:58 I am struggling to understand those who continue to defend the Osborne/Johnson regime. Ultimately the FACTS speak for themselves- under the period of ownership/management we have ended up in the worst position the club has been in for close on 100 years. Seriously, how can anyone defend that ???? It has been a complete and utter disaster FULL STOP.

Owlgull wrote: ↑13 Mar 2024, 18:11 I have no doubt whatsoever, that the sole reason CO announced intention of going into administration rather than putting the club up for sale, was simply SPITE. Once he knew there was no chance of the council giving him the land he wanted, he no longer needed to pretend that our club mattered in any way. It was his chance to hit back at everyone within the club who had criticised him. What a low life.

Gloomy Gull wrote: ↑13 Mar 2024, 18:06 I have tried to take a rational and dispassionate view of the circumstances and please be aware I am not an advocate for Osborne or his track record.

Osborne was "gifted" the club by the financial ineptitude of the previous directors who failed/did not have the requisite skills to keep the finances in sufficient shape resulting in a possible Administration being perilously close with no other viable option.

Osborne, absolutely rightly, was called out on his sporting club history by many of the posters on this and other sites and almost immediately his ownership was met, understandably correctly, with significant suspicion and was believed to be a path to problems. These views were made quite vociferously at times.

The underlying burning desire to see him relinquish his ownership has continued throughout his tenure.

Osborne was clear from the get go that he had no interest in football and his desire to do to TUFC what he had done to numerous other sporting clubs regarding the premises they operate from was evident at an early stage. i.e. take control of Plainmoor. He has attempted to bring that to a conclusion that met with his plans on a number of occasions and has been thwarted by the council (thankfully).

BUT despite all the vitriol sent his way over that last few years he was still prepared to "gamble" monies, which may or may not be recovered, on achieving that goal. The offshoot of that action was to sustain TUFC as an operating club during those years - remember the impending Administration at the start.

He has now taken the business decision to cut his losses and step away from a potentially (in his strategy) profitable venture and supporters who did not want him to be the owner anyway, and in recent months have made that view heard louder and louder. The subject of whether he is able to recover any of the loan monies is unclear at this stage, but if Administration is the outcome, it is highly unlikely any repayment of those loans will be made.

Whilst I am devastated that the club I have supported for 60 years is now in a perilous position because of Osborne's actions I do, as someone who has been in the business environment for 40 years, understand why he has chosen to leave.

Perhaps, if he had not been vilified so hard for so long, he may have been more inclined to try to find a buyer rather than walk away from somewhere it was very clear didn't want him. Now we are wringing our hands at the outcome of the "campaign" to oust Osborne. The old adage of "be careful what you wish for" springs to mind here.

Even now he is being pilloried for doing exactly what has been called for by many for the last 5 years! I do not recall Thea receiving such responses when she too decided that she had put enough of her money into the club and walked away - and she loved the club - leaving us back at my opening point, impending Administration.

I do have faith that something recoverable will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and hope to God that the next incumbent to take on the club has only good intentions and believe that we, the supporters, should be focusing on a future rather than continuing to moan about what has happened

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑13 Mar 2024, 21:52 Couldn't agree more and this is why i kept trying to divert the hatred for Gary Johnson onto Osborne and his motley crew of directors.

Some took it as blind support for the Manager when it was nothing of the sort. How anyone can sympathise with Osborne with his history I find bewildering.

exilegull wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 11:51 This is where I fundamentally disagree with you Dave. Regardless of Clarke Osborne’s motives, he provided additional cash than Torquay United itself generated, or can likely hope to generate in the near term, for the playing side. The playing budget was better off due to Clarke Osborne’s actions regardless of motive. Without those injections Torquay United would have much more likely have tumbled down the pyramid and probably into administration/insolvency some time ago. As it was there was promotion back to the National League and a whisker away from a return to the league -had the club returned to the league it is possible it could stand on its own two feet, given the additional money from the EFL.

I have sympathy for those who say maybe it would be better for this to happen pre-Osborne took over, but personally I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on that epic season and play off final even if it ultimately wasn’t successful.

I’m not suggesting any gratitude, or sympathy for Osborne by the above - it was a business gamble that didn’t pay off. But I don’t see how that relates to onfield performance.

It’s not Clarke Osborne’s fault the club is now languishing in mid table (pre points deduction) in National League South - that is Gary Johnson’s fault, both for relegation last year and worse the performance this year when he was given a full time playing budget - sure I could accept being behind Yeovil and having a tough competition with top part time sides, but the reality is the season has been utter dross. Regardless of what you think about Clarke Osborne, I don’t possibly see how Gary Johnson can be absolved in any way whatsoever and the fact that club languishes in national league south makes it an even harder proposition to sell and it’s even more of a money pit.

Absolutely blame Clarke Osborne for not sacking Johnson in Jan-23, that I can fully get behind.

desperado wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 15:26 Fair enough nobody knows exactly what the budget was this season but surely to God what the likes of Moxey, Hall, Lapslie, Dawson, Halstead, Stobbs, Jarvis, Collins, McGavin are on must dwarf the wages the part timers the likes of Taunton are on.