Thetownend.com

hmmm. interesting.

this is not mentioned as a hint, or anything like it, I literally know f'all, but is Clem involved in the consortium?

Let’s keep an open mind. Power has stabilised us, and used his know how to appoint a very good manager. I’m not a huge fan of the language used - which doesn’t demonstrate a real understanding of football - but there are a number of successful clubs with owners who have very little football knowledge. If development is the incentive, fine - so long as that is beneficial, rather than detrimental to the football.

The wannabe in the know lot on FB are claiming Clem is involved. Doubt that.

I concur with Batch, I think Clem is almost entirely part of this.

I would prefer if he came out and said so then that would probably settle my mind a little more, better the devil you (sort of) know and all that.

There were comments on Twitter from someone with close links to Clem who stated that Clem isn't involved and reading it in the adver was the first Clem had heard of it, which may explain why the club were so staunch to deny the legitimacy of the bid.

There were comments on Twitter from someone with close links to Clem who stated that Clem isn't involved and reading it in the adver was the first Clem had heard of it, which may explain why the club were so staunch to deny the legitimacy of the bid.

There were comments on Twitter from someone with close links to Clem who stated that Clem isn't involved and reading it in the adver was the first Clem had heard of it, which may explain why the club were so staunch to deny the legitimacy of the bid.

Power just been interviewed on BBC and categorically states there has been no bid.

I tend to take these denials with a pinch of salt based on previous experiences.
-----
 Power stated the club wasn't for sale, and he wasn't sure if he would be around for 1 or
2 years, or longer. He also mentioned he was focused on getting the ground deal done .

So as suspected it seems likely he'll do that and push off, with the club worth more when he does.

American property developer at a time we are looking to purchase the ground. What could go wrong....

There were comments on Twitter from someone with close links to Clem who stated that Clem isn't involved and reading it in the adver was the first Clem had heard of it, which may explain why the club were so staunch to deny the legitimacy of the bid.

Jim Little comes to mind.

But the first thought that comes to mind is how on earth would anyone place a valuation of £7m on STFC?  £7m for what? 

Lloyd Isgrove must be worth more than that alone ;)

Not necessarily doubting you, but how do you know that that someone actually has close links to Clem? As opposed to some random on twitter claiming to?

Haven't read up on this properly.  But the first thought that comes to mind is how on earth would anyone place a valuation of £7m on STFC?  £7m for what?  We're not profitable - or likely to be any time soon.  Assets are negligible.  This doesn't add up.

Jaybox, remember him? Clem gave him his number for some reason and seems to reply apparently. Has replied to him saying he's not involved apparently, just annoyed to first hear about it in the paper.

Clem was in the crowd at Cambridge according to ‘jaybox’ on Twitter.

All rumours isnt it?

Sorry, but what does 'It's all a bit Jim Little' mean?

https://thewashbag.com/2012/11/07/hall-of-shame-20/

I'd wiped a lot of that from my memory, good grief that time was a complete clusterfuck...

That "No smoke without fire" mantra that keeps being rolled out is bollocks. Years ago maybe, but not with the internet being full of utter rubbish in the main.

There could be a Chelsea situation playing out here. Abramovic owns the Team, ground, hotel parking etc lock stock and barrel. He does not however own the pitch outright. That is owned by fans and is the gaurentee that the oligarch cannot rice roughshod over everyone and everything.

https://thewashbag.com/2012/11/07/hall-of-shame-20/

Thanks. I'd forgotten that Little was the mouthpiece of BEST Holdings.

Easily forgotten TBH!

I’d forgotten about Best Holdings.

Were they the Portugeezers?? Where we were looking at potentially having (former) scummer Rufus Brevitt as DOF? Or was that a separate complete and utter clusterfuck which we miraculously avoided?

I think it was the same cluterfuck. There was some dodgy agent involved somewhere as well.

From Power’s statement today, he denies any offer but I’m sure I can detect he’s fairly close to an exit sometime after the ground/training ground has been sorted. He mentioned 2 years.

For those more clued up, how does he make money from the CG once he’s got the 50/50 sorted?

I can't see Power walking away without at least getting his money back and would think with the ground deal and if Highworth gets planning the club is potentially worth more. This offer feels like a speculative one to see if Power is tempted and so far isn't.

Now we know about the sporting covenant but I would offer that with the right legal expertise in court that can be over turned or amended.

We've done this to death. The covenant can be bought out if a suitable offer is made to the Goddard estate, both monetary and in terms of the provision of suitable alternate facilities.

The Adver story is just a rehash of Powers interview on BBC Swindon on Saturday.

On this occasion, I think it's the other way round - it was the Adver's story on Saturday that prompted BBC Swindon to ask about the takeover in the interview

Yes the Adver wrote the original story which BBC Swindon questioned Power about on Saturday but this is the same answers that Power gave in his BBC interview. The Adver story is dated today.

Sorry, my bad, didn't see there was a "new" story, thought you were talking about the first one . I'll get me coat :)

Power has never been a "forever" owner he has always said he will sell the club if a good offer comes in, he has never denied that and I think if there was a genuine offer then Power would not hide that fact.

You make the club sound like a rescue dog seeking a home!  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

even if Batch suggests the training ground being a lie, which I don't recall him misleading us?

I don't see how it can be branded a lie, not yet anyway. It is still ongoing. It might turn out to have been a lie but, at this point, we have no way of knowing.

As for everything else... When I first saw this I had no idea what is going on. I can now confirm that, after having had a think about it, I still have no idea what is going on.

As for everything else... When I first saw this I had no idea what is going on. I can now confirm that, after having had a think about it, I still have no idea what is going on.

jeez it was a jokey comment based on previous discussions elsewhere. I'm very much in the 'believe it when I see it camp', but that's all.

the only thing I genuinely think is misleading is that we are self sufficient, which to be fair  is shown in the accounts this isn't so - and power has said he has funded us in the past too. and I'm ok with it now as it's funding a promotion push.

yeah, he's only bought it to put stables and housing on and the land is unsuitable for football pitches.

plus he's building a big man made of wicker and will sacrifice TD to the football god's in January to ensure we keep key loan players

I would be very concerned about this type of speculative bid being accepted, as we know nothing about the alleged bidder or their plans.

I struggle a bit with the anti-Power agenda of some posters on here and the Adver site.
Some may feel he should have speculated more on player wages - but that is possible if you have very deep pockets (eg Bournemouth’s Russian money launderer, or Man City’s wealthy Arab owners) but as we saw when Andrew Black decided he’d had enough it leaves a difficult legacy of an unaffordable salary budget / lots of debts. The demise of Bury, the struggles of Bolton, Notts County and others should remind us that long term we should be spending in line with our turnover.
Power has identified that ground ownership is a major part of that and is working with SBC and the Trust to secure that.
The training ground appears to be ongoing - why would you buy land and submit a planning application if you weren’t planning to do that.
Also he always said he wouldn’t be here for ever, but the Club is in a healthier state now than before he took over from the chancer Jed.
Having said all that, LP has made some poor decisions too - his communications were poor, and this season, with RW they seem to have recognised the need to build relationships with the supportes and community and are trying to do that. I would welcome greater transparency in the accounts, but they do meet the requirements for this type of company.
The other bad decisions have been around manager appointments - he was unlucky with Martin Ling (due sadly to ML’s health problems, which incidentally should remind us all that there are more important things than football), he stuck with Luke Williams for too long and the Tactics Tim affair should never have happened. Flitcroft seemed a logical appointment based on a league 2 track record (the football was the most dire I remember in a long time, and as we know he though Mansfield was a better prospect), similarly an argument could have been made for appointing Phil Brown based on his experience. Once he realised that PB had lost the plot (assuming he ever had it of course) he reacted and currently RW working with Jewell etc looks a good appointment and I for one (others have said similarly on other threads) am really enjoying the football this season.

I would be very concerned about this type of speculative bid being accepted, as we know nothing about the alleged bidder or their plans.

I struggle a bit with the anti-Power agenda of some posters on here and the Adver site.
Some may feel he should have speculated more on player wages - but that is possible if you have very deep pockets (eg Bournemouth’s Russian money launderer, or Man City’s wealthy Arab owners) but as we saw when Andrew Black decided he’d had enough it leaves a difficult legacy of an unaffordable salary budget / lots of debts. The demise of Bury, the struggles of Bolton, Notts County and others should remind us that long term we should be spending in line with our turnover.
Power has identified that ground ownership is a major part of that and is working with SBC and the Trust to secure that.
The training ground appears to be ongoing - why would you buy land and submit a planning application if you weren’t planning to do that.
Also he always said he wouldn’t be here for ever, but the Club is in a healthier state now than before he took over from the chancer Jed.
Having said all that, LP has made some poor decisions too - his communications were poor, and this season, with RW they seem to have recognised the need to build relationships with the supportes and community and are trying to do that. I would welcome greater transparency in the accounts, but they do meet the requirements for this type of company.
The other bad decisions have been around manager appointments - he was unlucky with Martin Ling (due sadly to ML’s health problems, which incidentally should remind us all that there are more important things than football), he stuck with Luke Williams for too long and the Tactics Tim affair should never have happened. Flitcroft seemed a logical appointment based on a league 2 track record (the football was the most dire I remember in a long time, and as we know he though Mansfield was a better prospect), similarly an argument could have been made for appointing Phil Brown based on his experience. Once he realised that PB had lost the plot (assuming he ever had it of course) he reacted and currently RW working with Jewell etc looks a good appointment and I for one (others have said similarly on other threads) am really enjoying the football this season.

I would be very concerned about this type of speculative bid being accepted, as we know nothing about the alleged bidder or their plans.

but can that be done if ownership is 50/50 and the other party is against it?

We've done this to death. The covenant can be bought out if a suitable offer is made to the Goddard estate, both monetary and in terms of the provision of suitable alternate facilities.

Yes I know. Suck it up it will be done to more than death going forward 😁

I would be very concerned about this type of speculative bid being accepted, as we know nothing about the alleged bidder or their plans.

So, basically then you are incapable of retaining information? Not a lot of point you asking questions about these things then is there?

Correct. Remember I vote conservative, voted for Brexit and read the Daily Mail. Oh and i’m a swivel eyed little Englander. Even then you still feel the need to make yourself feel good by denigrating me and others. You carry on knocking yourself out mate. For the record I didn’t say or suggest that it would be me that would carry on bringing up the sporting covenant, merely suggesting that it would be bought up again and again as it has for years.

Struck a nerve? And it's "brought up again" btw ;)

https://twitter.com/SamMorshead_/status/1182014412485472257?s=19

Sent from my CLT-L09

https://twitter.com/SamMorshead_/status/1182014412485472257?s=19

conversely, does it really matter if he's holding a grudge?

it's not like he's reporting on STFC now, just unfollow if his tone annoys you

Moosehead is just Kostiuk with a journalism degree. Beyond tedious.

Don't get the hate for Sam M. He was the last in a dying breed of local investigative journalists who dug up a lot of dirt at a time when the club was in mortal danger at the hands of a succession of complete shysters. Of course those in charge won't welcome that sort of press attention, and Power might be a step up from some of the previous low-lifes, but the way he handled  Morshead's enquiries hardly inspired confidence, and we should remain wary of him.

Do you really prefer the complete absence of investigative reporting that the demise of local journalism has brought on?

Completely agree.

What I find interesting is that Shaun Hodgetts, who is not an investigative journalist, is bemoaned by many as supposedly being a Power shill for not exposing Power's alleged dodgy dealings, but the same people don't seem to ask why Morshead - whom is a good investigative journalist and has a grudge to bear - has not done the same.

Seconded

Maybe there's not much to dig up or at least what there is has already been dug up?

I'm somewhere in the middle. He comes across as a nice bloke and he's a decent journalist, then the odd little snipes like at the end of that tweet make him look unprofessional and like a jilted ex-lover.

I'm somewhere in the middle. He comes across as a nice bloke and he's a decent journalist, then the odd little snipes like at the end of that tweet make him look unprofessional and like a jilted ex-lover.

Seconded, hes also a really nice bloke who asks questions the BBC only skirt around, and trust me, he has every reason to dislike Power but rarely actually says anything in public, unlike Kostiuk.

If he has got something to say, just fucking say it then rather than going all Coleen Rooney.

Some things are not for posting on a forum or in the press, I will leave it at that.

I'm somewhere in the middle. He comes across as a nice bloke and he's a decent journalist, then the odd little snipes like at the end of that tweet make him look unprofessional and like a jilted ex-lover.

What happened to Tom Bassam? He was a Junior Reporter for the Adver, I believe around the time Morehead & Warren decided to ship out and set up Total. Kind of left him up shit creek really, in some sense. Especially during that time.

Of course we had Andrew Steele-Davis too who I met a couple of times, a while back and he came across as a mostly impartial and decent guy. No wonder he got the press job at Town. Isn't he trying to make it in sports journalism in the States? We were very spoilt at the time for the number of local media outlets reporting on Town.

On another note, I have submitted a bid to buy the club. The proviso requires Jamie Cureton being sold for £500k, David Kerslake buying into my business idea, and Deborah Meaden lending me £2.5m for a 95% stake. Oh and there will be two Wonga loans of a combined £4m taken out against the club and the 50% ground. Lee Power has not yet picked up my 88th voicemail message (in the space of three weeks) but I'm confident he'll accept the total offer of tuppence'apenee!

ASD is a lovely lad. He has apparently given up on football completely to try and crack a market that is already highly oversaturated in covering US sports. Good luck to him I say, bold move - but so far reading his stuff reads like an American writing about soccer.

What happened to Tom Bassam? He was a Junior Reporter for the Adver, I believe around the time Morehead & Warren decided to ship out and set up Total. Kind of left him up shit creek really, in some sense. Especially during that time.

Of course we had Andrew Steele-Davis too who I met a couple of times, a while back and he came across as a mostly impartial and decent guy. No wonder he got the press job at Town. Isn't he trying to make it in sports journalism in the States? We were very spoilt at the time for the number of local media outlets reporting on Town.

On another note, I have submitted a bid to buy the club. The proviso requires Jamie Cureton being sold for £500k, David Kerslake buying into my business idea, and Deborah Meaden lending me £2.5m for a 95% stake. Oh and there will be two Wonga loans of a combined £4m taken out against the club and the 50% ground. Lee Power has not yet picked up my 88th voicemail message (in the space of three weeks) but I'm confident he'll accept the total offer of tuppence'apenee!

I'm a bit on the fence with Sam. Thought he did a cracking job covering STFC during a mad time, but as others have said the kind of 'bitterness' he has is a little bit tedious. I guess I can understand why though.

He came accross very well in his LS podcast and I have actually met him a few times, many years ago, and he was very pleasant.

so where is able company swindon llc? I can't fucking find them apart from this fucker

Corporations Division
Business Entity Summary
ID Number: 001385380    
   
Summary for:  ABLE COMPANY LLC
The exact name of the Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC):   ABLE COMPANY LLC
Entity type:   Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Identification Number: 001385380    
Date of Organization in Massachusetts:   05-23-2019    
     Last date certain:
The location or address where the records are maintained (A PO box is not a valid location or address):
                    
Address:    78 MONTGOMERY STREET
City or town, State, Zip code, Country:    BOSTON,   MA   02116   USA
The name and address of the Resident Agent:
                    
Name:    WILLIAM KERAVUORI
Address:    78 MONTGOMERY STREET
City or town, State, Zip code, Country:    BOSTON,   MA   02116   USA
The name and business address of each Manager:
Title   Individual name   Address
MANAGER   WILLIAM KERAVUORI    78 MONTGOMERY STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 USA
In addition to the manager(s), the name and business address of the person(s) authorized to execute documents to be filed with the Corporations Division:
Title   Individual name   Address
        
The name and business address of the person(s) authorized to execute, acknowledge, deliver, and record any recordable instrument purporting to affect an interest in real property:
Title   Individual name   Address
REAL PROPERTY   WILLIAM KERAVUORI    78 MONTGOMERY STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 USA
Consent   Confidential Data   Merger Allowed   Manufacturing
View filings for this business entity:
Comments or notes associated with this business entity:

William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Abbey Group part-owns the Boston Celtics (NBA)

Seconded, hes also a really nice bloke who asks questions the BBC only skirt around, and trust me, he has every reason to dislike Power but rarely actually says anything in public, unlike Kostiuk.

He doesn't seem part of them any more, removed from their website and everything.

He created 2 other company's at the same time 'AC merger inc' and 'Able company corp'. Still all feels dodgy as fuck and wonder where exactly he's even come across STFC.

I’ve always wondered how clubs get the word out that they are up for sale - or looking for outside investment - without appearing to be a desperate plea for a sale.

This has only come up since the CG sale has been agreed. There are enough UK chancers without worrying about unknown foreign buyers. If this bid is actually a real one, I presume they’ve offered Power £7m plus he also gets his sell on fee from Bogle.

It doesn’t smell good, for sure.

But surely he can't sell the club overall without permission anyway because he's not the only shareholder?

Although he could sell his own shares as he wishes?

Isn't the only other shareholder Clem's company? Bit worrying if true as he's only just come on board.

I think the Wills family still have some shares.

What I find interesting is that Shaun Hodgetts, who is not an investigative journalist, is bemoaned by many as supposedly being a Power shill for not exposing Power's alleged dodgy dealings, but the same people don't seem to ask why Morshead - whom is a good investigative journalist and has a grudge to bear - has not done the same.

Were the small shareholders all bought out in the Fitton era, or do they still exist?

Cos Sam is a decent bloke who, whatever your opinions on his Power beef, has the club's interest at heart. Where as Hodgetts is, in my experience, a self-serving and nasty piece of work.

Were the small shareholders all bought out in the Fitton era, or do they still exist?

Not bought out, as PaulD says "vaporized" is a good word sort of just quietly disappeared.

I still have my share certificate. Not 100% sure whether I still have my share, think it might have been vaporised by one of the Fitton reallocations, but I think I still have at least one. And to be clear, no-one has consulted me on any proposed sale :)

I still have mine too.

I still have mine too.

Yes but wasn't Power annoyed that Clem went to the Adver to say he had invested with no official word coming from the club?

Vaporised is better though.

I wasn't sure if it should be vapourised or vaporised, the z way seems popular.

Yes but wasn't Power annoyed that Clem went to the Adver to say he had invested with no official word coming from the club?

I presumed it was that Z was the American version and S the non-US.

You mis-spelled the email address, think it should be @arentreallawyers.com

You mis-spelled the email address, think it should be @arentreallawyers.com

The paper are making themselves look bloody stupid here.

Various real estate transactions for scores of clients ranging in magnitude from $10,000,000 – $600,000,000 each, including: Real estate development projects, financings and refinancings; acquisitions and dispositions; debt and equity restructurings; and major office, laboratory, R&D and retail leasing transactions on both landlord and tenant sides.
Boston Celtics – Legal co-counsel to the top tier executive management and ownership interests of The Boston Celtics in their equity structuring, acquisition and financing of the NBA franchise.
Boston Celtics – Lead counsel to the Boston Celtics in:
direct lease negotiations as to its arena – the TD Garden
leasing of its corporate offices in Boston, MA
leasing, development and construction of its major new state of the art practice/health/training facilities with New Balance at Boston Landing
Boston Flower Exchange – Lead counsel in complex acquisition of major Boston development site and negotiations with BPDA Executive Secretary on permitting parameters and structural entitlements; ongoing representation in 1.5 million s.f. new construction and development project
The Landmark Center – Lead counsel in the acquisition, organization structuring, construction and development, office/retail leasing, and operations of The Landmark Center in the Fenway, Boston, MA, culminating in its recent $530,000,000 disposition
Abbey Group Project Portfolio- General counsel for The Abbey Group handling all legal aspects of major real estate development projects:
Landmark Square (multifamily new construction – 120 apartments)
Germain Street (multifamily new construction – 48 brownstone buildings – 200 apartments)
The Viridian (multifamily new construction – 200 apartments)
The Prince on Newbury (adaptive reuse – condominiums and major retail units)
45 Province (downtown Boston condominiums – new construction)
Riverside Technology Center (adaptive reuse and leasing of laboratory, office and R&D)
Lafayette Corporate Center ( office and retail adaptive reuse and major leasing (600,000 sf)
Huntington Theatre – Transactional and real estate counsel to the Huntington Theatre in acquisition and joint venturing of theater parcel in context of major private site development
Golf Club at Turner Hill – General counsel in the successful equity and debt restructuring and workout of the Golf Club at Turner Hill, Ipswich, MA, and all organization, structural, licensing, permitting, financing, permitting and operational matters
Laz Parking – Lead litigation counsel to Laz Parking in major contract negotiations and FCA dispute resolution with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts MBTA and Office of the Attorney General; and special counsel in several major business and litigation matters
Boston College High School – Counsel in public – private partnership with UMASS Boston on development of land for joint facilities and operations
Lead litigation counsel in several major actions:
abutter’s counsel in Land Court challenge over permitting of a major corporate HQ site in Boston, MA
developer’s counsel in complex easement/rights of way dispute threatening development and financing of a major commercial real estate project in Boston
counsel to majority owners of successful restaurant/entertainment business in suit over corporate control and fiduciary responsibilities
Regis College’s Dover Amendment actions in the Land Court, Appeals , and Supreme Judicial Court, in Town of Weston’s opposition to major residential project
private developer’s Dover Amendment defense of major museum project (100 acres) in Stow, Mass.

They are, and Christopher has a fine old beard!

https://www.arentfox.com/attorneys/christopher-tsouros

The adver seem to be adding 2+2 and making about 200, the letter is dated June but was apparently emailed to the club on Monday, despite the 'offer', if it even existed expiring over a month ago.

Also interesting is if I google Able Company Swindon LLC the only results seem to be stories in the advertiser.

The paper are making themselves look bloody stupid here.

BTW who is Anthony Gee?

They are, and Christopher has a fine old beard!

Wycombe have got an American interested in buying them from their Trust...

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48840928

 Apparently a consortium of former players (not necessarily Wycombe were interested)... I suppose now that the multi millionaire players are starting to drop out of playing, then buying clubs to amuse themselves might start to become more of a thing.

The STFC flag group are deffo in the ass of clem

why, What have they said? Twitter?

American real estate developers get word of a club about to buy and possibly redevelop their "sporting venue".

American real estate developers think "I know where we can make a shit load of money for a pretty small outlay" throw a letter (thinly veiled bid) in to test the water the see if there is a possibility that the club can be bought for cheap and awaits reply.

I would fully expect Clem to be upset by any possibility as real estate development is this appears to be his area of expertise, what with the consturction connections he has.

As it stands this was a "test the temperature of the water" enquiry from some hopeful buyers but it does not appear to actually be an offer....yet. IMO.

Top of the class predicting, there!

So, who actually funded this season’s promotion, cos Power hasn’t got a pot to piss in apparently

So, who actually funded this season’s promotion, cos Power hasn’t got a pot to piss in apparently

So, who actually funded this season’s promotion, cos Power hasn’t got a pot to piss in apparently

Well it seems Standing was putting in his 50% till last November.  He stopped when he got nowhere after Power changed the PIN to the Swinton bank account and wouldn't share the new number.