Adver News: THE SAM MORSHEAD COLUMN: Buyers must be right for Town

[sonicyouth]

stop scaremongering

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

stop scaremongering

It's what Reg does best

[Reg Smeeton]

It's what Reg does best

Is the question can the accumulation of debt go on, not a fair question? 

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

A number of fair points, but as a point of information, it was the change of Articles which opened the door for the Calne builder...and saw the back of men of substance and probity like Cecil Green.  The club has always been strapped for cash, but the debt tended to be within a range, that could be wiped by selling a player or two...which is why terrace dwellers are always suspicious of the motives of the Board.

We now seem to have debt beyond the realistic for a club of our size....can this go on?

You're conveniently forgetting the small matter of the Club having to sell the County Ground Reg. I think that goes rather beyond 'the odd player or two'.

[Reg Smeeton]

You're conveniently forgetting the small matter of the Club having to sell the County Ground Reg. I think that goes rather beyond 'the odd player or two'.

The club have never owned the CG.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

The club have never owned the CG.

Who did then? The Club surely sold it to the Council in 1982 didn't they?

[Peter Venkman]

Who did then? The Club surely sold it to the Council in 1982 didn't they?

I think Reg could be correct that we have always leased the CG from the council.

I am pretty certain that at minimum the land has always been owned by SBC with us paying them rent.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I think Reg could be correct that we have always leased the CG from the council.

I am pretty certain that at minimum the land has always been owned by SBC with us paying them rent.

So what am I thinking of that happened in 1982?

[Peter Venkman]

So what am I thinking of that happened in 1982?

Wasn't that when we sold the North Stand to the council? I can't quite remember, as the club bought and owned the stands and facilities but I think had to sell just the stand including its facilities to the council.

As we owned the stands but not the land itself.

I am not totally sure on that though.

[jonny72]

I thought we had to sell the land to the council to get the cash to finish the North Stand.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

This is probably one of Reg's riddles where it was probably owned by the Arkells family or something so was not technically owned by the Club.

[Peter Venkman]

It could well have been A N Other owner and not the club but TBH I don't really know but I had heard that the land has always been owned by SBC in the past.

[Oaksey Moonraker]

This is probably one of Reg's riddles where it was probably owned by the Arkells family or something so was not technically owned by the Club.

Arkell's have bailed us out on more than one occasion but probably not since at least the 50's but definitely in the 20's and 30's if I remember from Dick Mattick's book The Robins

[Reg Smeeton]

 The CG was owned by the Goddards, Major Goddard, bequeathed the CG to the "Corporation" now SBC, when he died, on the proviso it was always used for sporting events...which is the much talked about convenant.

 Sam Allen was complaining in the 20's that the Corporation were a rapacious landlord, who cared little for the club, compared to Major Goddard, whom he regarded as an excellent landlord.

 Probably the only time the Council have been onside, was when under David Murray John, although a Huddersfield fan he understood the cultural importance of a football club....and so facilitated the building of the Arkells.

 Back in the 50's through to 70's localism in government was important..so as CEO of SBC Murray John had a lot of clout. It was the Thatcherite "rate capping" attack of the early 80's, that emaciated local government, and centralised power to Whitehall.

 One more reason why the pygmies at SBC are unlikely ever to do anything to help at STFC.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

The CG was owned by the Goddards, Major Goddard, bequeathed the CG to the "Corporation" now SBC, when he died, on the proviso it was always used for sporting events...which is the much talked about convenant.

 Sam Allen was complaining in the 20's that the Corporation were a rapacious landlord, who cared little for the club, compared to Major Goddard, whom he regarded as an excellent landlord.

Well bugger me buttocks, I stand well and truly corrected Reg. I could have sworn we sold the ground to the council in '82. Maybe I'm getting mixed up with the Bristol City 1982 thing - Oooh, I feel dirty