Trust look to buy the CG

[Reg Smeeton]

All just feels like pie in the sky to me, honestly don’t see supporters raising the million or so to help buy the ground yet alone the further amounts to bring it up to standard and contribute to any redevelopment.

I think you're right, I just don't think the spirit is there anymore amongst the fans.  Not like in the 1930's when the TE was paid for and built by fan subscription and then the same fellas and women, marched off to war to defeat the swaggering jack booted Hun. Or even like the late 60's early 70's when the collectivism of municipal socialism could fund the building of the Arkells, then a state of the art stand.

Now it's more, let's sell it to that nice Mr Power, as the only way he'll make money out of the club, is to be able to sell it on to AN. Other, so that they can make some money out of a tract of land that sits fallow for 330 days a year.  Makes sense to me guv. Gawd bless ya Mr Mogg.

[Quagmire]

The truth is, if you are asking fans to raise £1m, they need to be kept in the loop of the goings on to keep themselves interested. This is where the Trust has failed and fans are losing interest because of this.
You can’t expect fans to pay a monthly subscription, but only give them a 6 monthly update.

[horlock07]

I think you're right, I just don't think the spirit is there anymore amongst the fans.  Not like in the 1930's when the TE was paid for and built by fan subscription and then the same fellas and women, marched off to war to defeat the swaggering jack booted Hun. Or even like the late 60's early 70's when the collectivism of municipal socialism could fund the building of the Arkells, then a state of the art stand.

Now it's more, let's sell it to that nice Mr Power, as the only way he'll make money out of the club, is to be able to sell it on to AN. Other, so that they can make some money out of a tract of land that sits fallow for 330 days a year.  Makes sense to me guv. Gawd bless ya Mr Mogg.

At least you didn't mention Thatcher so the treatment is slowly working.... 

[Reg Smeeton]

At least you didn't mention Thatcher so the treatment is slowly working.... 

Thatcher screwed us over on the A Ground.... a microcosm of the likely scenario if Power gets the CG, but at that time people weren't quite so clued up on what was happening.. 

[theakston2k]

I just think the trust getting it is a recipe for disaster. The relationship with the club is non existent now so can only assume it will become bitter if the Club don't gain ownership and Power won't be best pleased. If I was then in the clubs position I'd call the Trusts bluff and say I'm not paying any rent and not contributing to maintenance as what are the Trust going to do get the club wound up or make them homeless? Also when it comes to financing any future development like the Townend investors and lenders are going to be reluctant to provide money unless the club are under a long term lease as the ground could effectively become unused at any point if Power decides fuck it he'll move the club or something worst. The best of intentions often lead to the worst consequences.......

[Reg Smeeton]

I just think the trust getting it is a recipe for disaster. The relationship with the club is non existent now so can only assume it will become bitter if the Club don't gain ownership and Power won't be best pleased. If I was then in the clubs position I'd call the Trusts bluff and say I'm not paying any rent and not contributing to maintenance as what are the Trust going to do get the club wound up or make them homeless? Also when it comes to financing any future development like the Townend investors and lenders are going to be reluctant to provide money unless the club are under a long term lease as the ground could effectively become unused at any point if Power decides fuck it he'll move the club or something worst. The best of intentions often lead to the worst consequences.......

So by the sounds of it, you'd rather it stayed with SBC, who could then carry out their original remit set out by Major Goddard, of keeping the land in trust for sporting use for the people of Swindon.  

[Berniman]

The truth is, if you are asking fans to raise £1m, they need to be kept in the loop of the goings on to keep themselves interested. This is where the Trust has failed and fans are losing interest because of this.
You can’t expect fans to pay a monthly subscription, but only give them a 6 monthly update.

Yep

[theakston2k]

So by the sounds of it, you'd rather it stayed with SBC, who could then carry out their original remit set out by Major Goddard, of keeping the land in trust for sporting use for the people of Swindon.  

Out of all the options I’d rather the club own it to be honest, yes it’s a risk but so is the Trust.

[Reg Smeeton]

Out of all the options I’d rather the club own it to be honest, yes it’s a risk but so is the Trust.

Fair enough.... but there's no chance of the club owning it.  Mr Power or whoever is fronting him the cash will own it.

[Don Rogers Sock]

Why (not stirring to be honest one stakeholder having so much in the process concerns me - just as a long distance supporter I don't know the local politics)

Just think it is all a bit cloak and dagger, Phipps is on the trust already. I like him he seems a really decent bloke to be fair i just think there are people currently not going to games who are giving more money to the trust than the club and actually getting little information back. The meeting last night did not tell me one thing i did not already know a year ago when all this started

[pauld]

Fair enough.... but there's no chance of the club owning it.  Mr Power or whoever is fronting him the cash will own it.

And can then do with it whatever they wish.

[theakston2k]

Fair enough.... but there's no chance of the club owning it.  Mr Power or whoever is fronting him the cash will own it.

Which is always the case if the ground is owned by the club as ultimately whoever owns the club owns the ground by default, it’s if it is owned by another company that isn’t the club where concerns would begin. I still think without the club signed up to a long term lease the Trust would find it very difficult to get outside investment or money lended to them and I can’t see Power signing up to a long term lease with the Trust. With the club able to leave at any moment you’d have to be stupid to lend any substantial amount of money in my opinion so the idea of any redevelopment will just fall away due to lack of finances. I can’t help but think that in the back of their minds the Trust are planning for an AFC Swindon scenario which is of no interest to me.

[pauld]

Which is always the case if the ground is owned by the club as ultimately whoever owns the club owns the ground by default, it’s if it is owned by another company that isn’t the club where concerns would begin.

Which becomes a whole lot more likely once you take the ground into private ownership. Look down the road at Kassam's triangle

[horlock07]

Just think it is all a bit cloak and dagger, Phipps is on the trust already. I like him he seems a really decent bloke to be fair i just think there are people currently not going to games who are giving more money to the trust than the club and actually getting little information back. The meeting last night did not tell me one thing i did not already know a year ago when all this started

It looks that way to me, I do wonder whether the Trust interest has actually made the Council interested in selling and smoked Power out - unintended circumstances and all that!

[Reg Smeeton]

Which is always the case if the ground is owned by the club as ultimately whoever owns the club owns the ground by default, it’s if it is owned by another company that isn’t the club where concerns would begin. I still think without the club signed up to a long term lease the Trust would find it very difficult to get outside investment or money lended to them and I can’t see Power signing up to a long term lease with the Trust. With the club able to leave at any moment you’d have to be stupid to lend any substantial amount of money in my opinion so the idea of any redevelopment will just fall away due to lack of finances. I can’t help but think that in the back of their minds the Trust are planning for an AFC Swindon scenario which is of no interest to me.

Consider a very modern club.... Chelsea.  Stamford Bridge is owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners plc....

http://www.chelseafc.com/fans/chelsea-pitch-owners.html

Mr Abramovich might own the club, but he doesn't own the ground, and an attempt to purchase it was voted down by the fans who hold shares in CPO