Sale of the Club

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

if the club was to become self-sustainable and/or fan controlled (whether it be via the Trust or another vehicle) then a great number of people will need to adjust our expectations in terms of what we can achieve.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO!!!

[Reg Smeeton]

To be fair, Reg, if you've ever tried building a union during a time of prosperity I think you will know how hard a task that has been for the Trust. People don't turn to collective organisations when all is going well for them individually, but they then expect them to be there when things go tits up. Although it's worth adding that at least half the Swindon Town supporter base thought the Trust should fuck off even when they were battling to save the club from Diamandis and friends.

Fortunately people have worked hard during a time of complete indifference to ensure the Trust has continued as a functioning entity so that it is at least here if we need it in the coming months.

I'm not implying criticism of anybody...to run something like the Trust is a big commitment, that most including myself are too lazy to make. It's a salient point about the faint hearts previously amongst the fan base...a scism that is currently reflected on the TEF.

It's good to hear the Trust is still around in some shape or form...let's see what the coming days may bring.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

if the club was to become self-sustainable and/or fan controlled (whether it be via the Trust or another vehicle) then a great number of people will need to adjust our expectations in terms of what we can achieve.

Joking apart, you are right but the problem with that is that it goes completely against what attracted most or all of us to the game in general and STFC in particular, in the first place. That is, to 'dream the impossible dream', to punch above your weight, to get to the cup final, to get to the Premier League.  I can't really imagine going out on the piss at the end of the season to celebrate finishing 11th in L1 and having made a 20K profit. If that's all there is to look forward to, I don't see the point in it. And there is your problem. Who the fuck wants to adjust their expectations? Sensible though that may be?

[sonicyouth]

Joking apart, you are right but the problem with that is that it goes completely against what attracted most or all of us to the game in general and STFC in particular, in the first place. That is, to 'dream the impossible dream', to punch above your weight, to get to the cup final, to get to the Premier League.  I can't really imagine going out on the piss at the end of the season to celebrate finishing 11th in L1 and having made a 20K profit. If that's all there is to look forward to, I don't see the point in it. And there is your problem. Who the fuck wants to adjust their expectations? Sensible though that may be?

Absolutely agree.

Even when we had a wealthy benefactor who was a fan of the club, it all went to shit... the fact is that there is no real solution, we can either accept that we're going to go through this cycle of boom and bust or tread water.

[Power to people]

I'm confused why the new lot felt they needed a NDA, what is it they are trying hide ?

The one thing I like with our 'old' board was it that they was usually open and truthful to fans and actually communicated.

I am concerned now that the new lot have something to hide, I just hope we dont find out that there is a Ken Bates or Peter Ridsdale type involved.

It would be a shame for all of Fitton & Wray's hard work (cant say Black as he was only the money man and seemingly bailed when the going got tough) to go up in smoke

[wigglesworth]

It would be a shame for all of Fitton & Wray's hard work (cant say Black as he was only the money man and seemingly bailed when the going got tough) to go up in smoke

To say Black was 'only the money man' sort of misses the point doesn't it? He funded the thing almost singlehandedly. There's a reason Wray was so popular with us, and Paolo, he kept spending the money!! (or backing the manager in media speak)

It just happened to be Black's money he was spending.

Without Mr Black, there would have been no Mr Wray backing Paolo to the hilt and earning adulation from a grateful fanbase!
Pretty easy to be popular when you're spending someone elses money! 

[pauld]

I'm confused why the new lot felt they needed a NDA, what is it they are trying hide ?

The one thing I like with our 'old' board was it that they was usually open and truthful to fans and actually communicated.

NDA's are standard practice in these kinds of deals. I signed a couple when I was talking to potentially interested parties around the time of the Fans' Consortium, and the old board had an NDA in place with the "old, old" board when they took over. What is different here is that the NDA around the sale seems to be being used as a general excuse for not communicating at all. Now either the NDA they've signed is so broad as to be in effect a gagging order prohibiting any communication (which given he can apparently talk to the Oxford Mail about Banbury wouldn't seem to be the case) or they're just using it to hide behind. Either way, we deserve better.

And yes, I do want to know who's taking over our club. I want to know it's not Ridsdale or Steve Vaughan or John Batchelor or any of the other crooks out there who always sniff round clubs in trouble

[pauld]

To say Black was 'only the money man' sort of misses the point doesn't it? He funded the thing almost singlehandedly. There's a reason Wray was so popular with us, and Paolo, he kept spending the money!! (or backing the manager in media speak)

It just happened to be Black's money he was spending.

Without Mr Black, there would have been no Mr Wray backing Paolo to the hilt and earning adulation from a grateful fanbase!
Pretty easy to be popular when you're spending someone elses money! 

3 posts in and every one solid common sense. You'll never fit in around here! Absolutely spot on.

[iffy]

I'm not implying criticism of anybody...to run something like the Trust is a big commitment, that most including myself are too lazy to make. It's a salient point about the faint hearts previously amongst the fan base...a scism that is currently reflected on the TEF.

This is a good point - mobilising fans to that extent normally needs a major crisis.

Everyone always points to Barcelona as the model of a big club that's really driven by the fans, but forgets the forty-odd years of Franco that were essential to forging that identity. I'd love to see Town do something that had substantial fan involvement - a 50+1 deal or something like you see in the Bundesliga, but I can't see it happening.

It's not all about money. Writing off the debt is a big positive, but a genuinely progressive chairman would also set up a governance structure that allows the club long-term sustainability and fan involvement.

[chalkies_shorts]

3 posts in and every one solid common sense. You'll never fit in around here! Absolutely spot on.

I said he was a cunt after the 2nd post.

[pauld]

I said he was a cunt after the 2nd post.

You're like a noob-whisperer

[ghanimah]

NDA's are standard practice in these kinds of deals. I signed a couple when I was talking to potentially interested parties around the time of the Fans' Consortium, and the old board had an NDA in place with the "old, old" board when they took over. What is different here is that the NDA around the sale seems to be being used as a general excuse for not communicating at all. Now either the NDA they've signed is so broad as to be in effect a gagging order prohibiting any communication (which given he can apparently talk to the Oxford Mail about Banbury wouldn't seem to be the case) or they're just using it to hide behind. Either way, we deserve better.

And yes, I do want to know who's taking over our club. I want to know it's not Ridsdale or Steve Vaughan or John Batchelor or any of the other crooks out there who always sniff round clubs in trouble

The complete silence is not welcome that's for sure, but in 2008 not all was revealed regarding the makeup of until "Andrew Fitton's consortium" officially took.

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/sport/sportheadlines/1960266.arbib_revealed_as_mystery_town_backer/

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/sport/sportheadlines/1966641.backhouse_joins_the_robins_board/

[Peter Venkman]

The complete silence is not welcome that's for sure, but in 2008 not all was revealed regarding the makeup of until "Andrew Fitton's consortium" officially took.

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/sport/sportheadlines/1960266.arbib_revealed_as_mystery_town_backer/

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/sport/sportheadlines/1966641.backhouse_joins_the_robins_board/

This is what i have been saying all along, nothing was said about our "mystery backers" until after it was all in place and contracts exchanged etc etc.

Didn't Black and Arbib want anonymity when their consortium took over? with just Fitton being the front man to start with? it was only after a lot of questioning that they finally came and and said who they were.

I see no problem it will come out soon enough.

[Batch]

What is different here is that the NDA around the sale seems to be being used as a general excuse for not communicating at all.

Exactly.

John Batchelor or any of the other crooks

No relation, I just want to point that out!

[pauld]

This is what i have been saying all along, nothing was said about our "mystery backers" until after it was all in place and contracts exchanged etc etc.

Yeah, but we at least had some communication from Fitton, and some idea of what we were getting. We've had nothing from Jed and co. Plus Fitton had considerably more credibility than Jed does. Sorry, I'm sure he's a lovely fella and pisses football in his sleep and all that, but it's true. Which is why I want to know he has someone solid behind him