Suport the board

[STFC Bart]

As i said guys problem is the ponly weay Dimandis and St Modwen will make their money is through an out of town redevelopment (j17)

The council will not deal with this current regime so any proposals the club come up with to redevelop will be dead in the water

You have 2 choices- support the consortium to stay in Swindon- support the current board if you want your football club 20 miles down the m4. The choice is yours.

Mr Diamandis is a nasty, greedy man. He will not propose anything that will not give him a significant return (He owns 33% of the holding company remember). If that means destroying over 100 years of our club he will not care

[FlashGordon]

Im not in favour of the board, i am just wary of what could happen to us with the consortium takes over, i would prefer for us to stay with the current board til we find a better alternative.

[janaage]

Flash as others have said this is not a Trust Consortium, the consortium is being led by Mike Wilkes with Bill and Phil in the background, the Trust Board are not the people charged with dragging the club into the 21st century.

Have a chat with Mike if you want further info, he's very approachable.  So whilst I can see why you may be sceptical about it all, surely you should have a chat with Mike before completely writing off the current fans consortium.

[Reg Smeeton]

Im not in favour of the board, i am just wary of what could happen to us with the consortium takes over, i would prefer for us to stay with the current board til we find a better alternative.

 Do that and you take the very real risk of losing the club....don't believe what you hear from Newbury.....the boy Blodwyn has been briought in at great expense,  as a last  throw at trying to maximise a profit from the ground, and their best shot is J17.  If the current Board see off this situation and are thereby strengthened......there will be no alternative.

[pauld]

Im not in favour of the board, i am just wary of what could happen to us with the consortium takes over, i would prefer for us to stay with the current board til we find a better alternative.

Such as? The choice at the moment is between a consortium which has the financial backing to take on the club's liabilities, ensure the Wills family a decent exit if they want it, although everyone would prefer they remain involved, but either way to make sure they don't lose it, and take the club forward; or a board which hasn't paid the last CVA payment and has admitted it has no chance of paying the remainder when it falls due (but seem to have some kind of fantasy about rescheduling it into 10 payments of £100k, which is never going to happen as the creditors will not allow it). Or put another way between a consortium which has come up with the first credible, widely welcomed plan for a ground redevelopment in years; as against a board that has spent 5 years producing unrealistic plans then blaming the council (who they need to partner with) to succeed. Between a fans' consortium which is committed to openness and transparency, backed up by a supporter-director elected by fans, or a board which has consistently misled AGMs as to the true financial state of the club.

Where do you think your "better alternative" is going to come from? If there is one, I'd welcome it too, but I have to say the package on offer is a good one for the club and the fans and is unlikely to be bettered. And while we're waiting around for your alternative on the never-never, the clock's ticking on £1m quid's worth of CVA due in June. One hell of a gamble you're taking there - I want to see our club safe and on course for a stable and successful future.

[herthab]

Can i just point out Flash Gordon that the Trust have supported Janaage(RH) in the orange revolution idea. The trust and therefore the 7-800 members (and growing) are showing support for the consortiums bid for the club. If the consortium is succesfull in it's efforts to rid the club of the incumbent leeches, then the members of the trust(in agreement with the consortium) will democraticaly elect a member of the trust to the new board as a fans board member to provide transparancy to fans with regard to what goes on behind the scenes on all levels.

Now then Flash, wheres is your problem with that?

Millom

Surely it would be ALL supporters groups? I don't think it would be a good idea to have the supporters board member chosen by just the trust.

Sounds a little selective and could piss some supporters off.

[Fred Elliot]

You are correct Hertha

Any supporter can put themselves up for Election

[cavpete]

After reading all posts about the consortium and the board. There is no viable alternative other than the consortium. The board stays the club DIES. The consortium gets in and the club PROSPERS on the pitch and financially.

[glos_robin]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned for a while also is the Wadsworth brewery (I think it was them) investment that the board refused to accept. Don't where or when I heard it but didn't a few years back the board refuse some money from Wadsworths as the brewery wanted it to be spent on players but the board refused it saying no one can tell them how to spend money.
Can anyone else shed any light on this?

If this is the attitude of the board then it is no wonder they have struggled so badly to get in investment. If someone is putting their own money into the club surely they have some right to state where it should be spent.

Just sums up our board in my opinion, they refuse to get told what to do and just think they are bigger and better than everyone else.

I'm guessing if a similar offer cam in if the consortium got into power they would be more than happy to accept any offers similar to that of Wadsworths.

[RobertT]

I remember something about Wadsworths as well, although not the detail and whether it was true or not.  Could just be another myth like the Honda one.

I seem to remember another myth/rumour/chinese whisper about Bass being interested many moons ago but Arkells had a very strong shareholding at that time and were less than pleased.  Again, probably all complete bollocks.

[glos_robin]

Very true, but Wadworths is a weird one, haven't got the same links to Swindon as a town as Honda does.  Just strikes me as the rumour must of came from somewhere, I'm sure someone on here must know something about it

[Reg Smeeton]

I remember something about Wadsworths as well, although not the detail and whether it was true or not.  Could just be another myth like the Honda one.

I seem to remember another myth/rumour/chinese whisper about Bass being interested many moons ago but Arkells had a very strong shareholding at that time and were less than pleased.  Again, probably all complete bollocks.

 BTW its Wadworth's brewery......Arkell's have had a long standing involvement with the club, Nick Arkell being the last director, but he stood down being around in the Macari years....no idea what their shareholding is now.

[RobertT]

Back in 93/94 ish they nearly (if not did) have a majority shareholding in the club.  Very few shares issued at that time though.  Remember having a few years worth of accounts while doing a HND project.  They were not exactly rosy, but it's quite interesting to think that revenue is currently around the same level still (or maybe even lower than then).

[Bushey Boy]

If Mike Wilkes doesnt get control of the club and the club then fails to pay the CVA can a investor buy the company and take on its liabilities from the solicitors in charge of the CVA?  I really should talk to my uncle as he does this in canada

[RobertT]

I think so.  I believe you can petition for the sale of the company through the High Courts and force the sale through if another person can show an ability to pay the CVA.  Not sure of the details.