Chippenham

[Reg Smeeton]

What do you know that we don't then Gazza?

Nothing, I'm just saying.... and you can agree or not... Every time we are in the Brown stuff we get out of it.

 I know from speaking to people at the club that the preferred option is to stay in Swindon. Its common sense thats where the fan base is. If it comes down to the survival of the club however then the club would have to look at the option of leaving the Town. I wouldn't like that and would be against that option if other avenues were available.

If the plans the club have are "similar" to the Trust plans as they have stated previously then there shouldnt be a problem getting support from residents etc to remain at the County Ground.

 Survival of the club is Blodwyn speak for "being able to use the club for development purposes to appease St Modwen and get some profit for the rest of us."

 There is a perfectly good propsal on the table for the club to survive and stay in Town.....unfortunately, what's best for the club isn't part of the Board remit.

[Frigby Daser]

Gazza you're overlooking quite a few issues there.

First up, the attitude that we normally get out of the shit is just the sort of attitude that allows clubs to be stolen away from a Town.

The you're assuming that the club are being 100% open and honest - when have we ever known that? They haven't sat down in the same manner the trust has to make plans - why aren't they goig to the same level of effort to make it work. They may ideally want to stay, but they won't compromise (and compromise IS necessary to get planning permission) because St Modwen will be instructing the club to make as much property income as they come from any development.

Also, planning issues come down to small details - 'similar' to the Trust's plans isn't enough - it needs to be suitable to all - Community and Council - but the board will not make the necessary concessions.

I'd also hope we'd semd a message out straight away that 95% wouldnt go to any games in Chippenham.

[STFC_Gazza]

What do you know that we don't then Gazza?

Nothing, I'm just saying.... and you can agree or not... Every time we are in the Brown stuff we get out of it.

 I know from speaking to people at the club that the preferred option is to stay in Swindon. Its common sense thats where the fan base is. If it comes down to the survival of the club however then the club would have to look at the option of leaving the Town. I wouldn't like that and would be against that option if other avenues were available.

If the plans the club have are "similar" to the Trust plans as they have stated previously then there shouldnt be a problem getting support from residents etc to remain at the County Ground.

 Survival of the club is Blodwyn speak for "being able to use the club for development purposes to appease St Modwen and get some profit for the rest of us."

 There is a perfectly good propsal on the table for the club to survive and stay in Town.....unfortunately, what's best for the club isn't part of the Board remit.

The club has said that the plans they have for ground redevelopment at the C.G are similar to the Trust therefore with that said, if they are similar then there won't be a problem getting a new stadium at the current site if there is support from the council/local residents for the most part. There just needs to be a bit of willingness either side to get the project done which is beneficial for not only the football club but the residents and the town in general. The pictures on the trust site were very smart, but again it comes down to funding, who pays for it or did I miss something about self-funding?

[Fred Elliot]

And you missed Bill Powers statement this week Gaz

[Frigby Daser]

I still think that the Chippenham idea is a non starter.  Anti-board sentiment is being shown in a very controlled and dignified manner at the moment, but if the board started to push for a Chippenham move things would change very quickly indeed.

The apathetics and the small pro-board element would become anti-board overnight.  The protests would become more vocal and visible and pitch invasions would become a near certainty.

If the board's best plan is a move out of town, they're screwed.  It's all going to come to a head in the coming months.  The board can choose to find the cash for the CVA payment themselves or sell up.  A property deal which involves taking STFC out of Swindon is not an option.

But the board hold every lever of power and no amount of protest will see them release that if they're intent on moving to Chippenham - and I think they are.

There's legal hurdles with the FA on relocation, and planning issues - so they bring in a corporate lawyer, Bowden. They put it forward as him coming in to look at CG redevelopment but it transpires that however many weeks ito the job he's had acsual conversations with the Council leader, has taken his word as gospel, and has done little or no work as to the previous applications and they're failings. If he was serious about redevelpment, he would have made more progress.

[STFC_Gazza]

I still think that the Chippenham idea is a non starter.  Anti-board sentiment is being shown in a very controlled and dignified manner at the moment, but if the board started to push for a Chippenham move things would change very quickly indeed.

The apathetics and the small pro-board element would become anti-board overnight.  The protests would become more vocal and visible and pitch invasions would become a near certainty.

If the board's best plan is a move out of town, they're screwed.  It's all going to come to a head in the coming months.  The board can choose to find the cash for the CVA payment themselves or sell up.  A property deal which involves taking STFC out of Swindon is not an option.

But the board hold every lever of power and no amount of protest will see them release that if they're intent on moving to Chippenham - and I think they are.

If the board are intent on moving to Chippenham then what are they waiting for?  With the CVA coming up surly they would already have a spade in the ground at J17 if they were intent on moving? There would be no need to wait around here.

[Frigby Daser]

Because they are in talks perhaps?

one things for sure, they're not bloody talking to Swindon Council at any length are they? If they were intent on staying in Swindon surely they'd be going absoluetly out of their way to talk, talk and talk to them to come to an agreement.

Instead, they employ someone to come in and he's done bugger all in a month! Or maybe he is working hard, but the conversations he's having aren't for our ears.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but this isn't really a trivial matter is it?

[Ardiles]

I still think that the Chippenham idea is a non starter.  Anti-board sentiment is being shown in a very controlled and dignified manner at the moment, but if the board started to push for a Chippenham move things would change very quickly indeed.

The apathetics and the small pro-board element would become anti-board overnight.  The protests would become more vocal and visible and pitch invasions would become a near certainty.

If the board's best plan is a move out of town, they're screwed.  It's all going to come to a head in the coming months.  The board can choose to find the cash for the CVA payment themselves or sell up.  A property deal which involves taking STFC out of Swindon is not an option.

But the board hold every lever of power and no amount of protest will see them release that if they're intent on moving to Chippenham - and I think they are.

There's legal hurdles with the FA on relocation, and planning issues - so they bring in a corporate lawyer, Bowden. They put it forward as him coming in to look at CG redevelopment but it transpires that however many weeks ito the job he's had acsual conversations with the Council leader, has taken his word as gospel, and has done little or no work as to the previous applications and they're failings. If he was serious about redevelpment, he would have made more progress.

With the supporters lobbying the FA and Football League in opposition to a move, and with the Football League still smarting from criticism of their decision to allow the killing Wimbledon FC, and with Bill Power publicising his willingness to keep STFC in Swindon...the Football League would not sanction the move out of town.

Every move the board makes now - the Friday evening statements, turning up in pubs, turning up at Trust meetings - smacks of desperation.  I remain confident.  They are not in a strong position - and sooner or later they will have to stop rubbishing the Consortium's bid and start talking to them.

[STFC_Gazza]

Because they are in talks perhaps?

one things for sure, they're not bloody talking to Swindon Council at any length are they? If they were intent on staying in Swindon surely they'd be going absoluetly out of their way to talk, talk and talk to them to come to an agreement.

Instead, they employ someone to come in and he's done bugger all in a month! Or maybe he is working hard, but the conversations he's having aren't for our ears.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but this isn't really a trivial matter is it?

If we never had next years CVA looming would you still feel that way? I think now some people are just looking at everything negatively. Perhaps they are in talks with Chippenham your right? but perhaps they are in talks with the SBC. The only people who know work at the football club.

[Samdy Gray]

The only people who know work at the football club.

In which case, maybe they should be a bit more transparent and let us fans know what they're up to.

[yeo]

patsy


 

[Frigby Daser]

wish I had your optimism

Has anybody actually got an FA Article that says we can't relocate and if so where we could/couldn't?

And as for the FA smarting over the MK move - they aren't. Football in general is beginning to accept MK - I won't, I know you never bloody will, but your average footie fan doesn't really care.

[Spencer_White]

Gazza, the current board could indeed present the same proposals as the Trust. But its not going to happen, because the council wont deal with them because they are an unreliable, untrustworthy, faceless bunch of crooks whose signature on a contract is worth more as toilet paper.

[STFC_Gazza]

Has anybody actually got an FA Article that says we can't relocate and if so where we could/couldn't?

I believe there is a rule saying a club cannot relocate more than 20 miles from its historical home meaning, Chippenham is just inside of that. However I dont know if this is a "rule" or whether this has been made up by fans since the move on Wimbledon FC

[Bushey Boy]

Wouldnt swindon maybe go into supermarines ground, lots of land around and no locals to protest? maybe thats where they are going?