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Author Topic: Trust look to buy the CG  (Read 382327 times)
donkey
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« Reply #585 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 10:33:36 »

Once the stadium is sold to a third party – it’s gone forever…………except in our case, where it won’t be – supporters will be in total control, and in a position to work together and bring about positive change.


This is why I can't understand why people are not behind the Trust's plan. There seem to be two options here. One protects the ground (and Club) from being sold off for development, and the profits going to whoever owns the Club at that time, the other offers no such protection. I'm only happy with one of those options.

In the spirit of the debate, and as we're all Town fans, what do those who prefer the private ownership model like about out?
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theakston2k

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« Reply #586 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 11:16:18 »

This is why I can't understand why people are not behind the Trust's plan. There seem to be two options here. One protects the ground (and Club) from being sold off for development, and the profits going to whoever owns the Club at that time, the other offers no such protection. I'm only happy with one of those options.

In the spirit of the debate, and as we're all Town fans, what do those who prefer the private ownership model like about out?
As I’ve pointed out it comes down to which option brings the most money into the club, I’m not a local so I don’t care about community facilities which is a key priority of the Trust, my sole concern is the club. My issue is if the Trust have to finance the build of new stands etc by leasing it to other parties the club may see no real benefit or increase in revenue. There’s no attraction to me just securing the stadium and tarting it up if it results in the clubs revenue streams being unaltered as we’ll just stagnate and get left further behind.
As Rob has mentioned we need to see a business plan of how this will benefit the club, timelines for key improvements etc. The devils in the detail and at the moment I feel I would giving money away based on blind faith.
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donkey
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« Reply #587 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 12:15:46 »

As I’ve pointed out it comes down to which option brings the most money into the club, I’m not a local so I don’t care about community facilities which is a key priority of the Trust, my sole concern is the club. My issue is if the Trust have to finance the build of new stands etc by leasing it to other parties the club may see no real benefit or increase in revenue. There’s no attraction to me just securing the stadium and tarting it up if it results in the clubs revenue streams being unaltered as we’ll just stagnate and get left further behind.
As Rob has mentioned we need to see a business plan of how this will benefit the club, timelines for key improvements etc. The devils in the detail and at the moment I feel I would giving money away based on blind faith.

Your second paragraph is vital to this, and I would expect the Trust know this too. They should therefore be working on a plan for publication.

As for the first, as others have said, given the ownership structure 'The Club' is the owner and no-one else. They could own Club and ground, sell one (club) keep the ground. Could be some nice SN1 real estate there. We'd be in trouble them, imo. That is something I'd be keen to avoid.
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theakston2k

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« Reply #588 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 12:31:02 »

Your second paragraph is vital to this, and I would expect the Trust know this too. They should therefore be working on a plan for publication.

As for the first, as others have said, given the ownership structure 'The Club' is the owner and no-one else. They could own Club and ground, sell one (club) keep the ground. Could be some nice SN1 real estate there. We'd be in trouble them, imo. That is something I'd be keen to avoid.
But on the flip side if the cost of Townend means the club (or Power in your words) gains no increase in revenue for 10 years what’s the point in that?
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Batch
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« Reply #589 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 13:15:25 »

year 11 Smiley

I guess it's no cost development and no returns v extra revenue but loans to pay off/gamble on paying them off if club sold.

actually, who knows what powers play is. For all we know he could have the same model
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theakston2k

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« Reply #590 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 13:22:15 »

year 11 Smiley

I guess it's no cost development and no returns v extra revenue but loans to pay off/gamble on paying them off if club sold.

actually, who knows what powers play is. For all we know he could have the same model
A lot can happen in 10 years. Both are equally risky, if we go with the Trust and there is no real increase in revenue that in itself could threaten the clubs existence as we could end up stuck in this league or worse with revenue, attendances etc all falling. There’s a void of information that needs filling here both from the Trust and the Club, but the onus is on the Trust as at the end of the day they are asking for money whereas currently the club/Power aren’t.
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Hoboken

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« Reply #591 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 16:14:12 »

A timely reminder from Exeter that it’s possible...
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hobodan

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« Reply #592 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 17:03:29 »

I think everyone would prefer the fans (the trust) have ownership of the ground, it’s just whether it realistically can happen. There is also the question of ground redevelopment and how trust ownership would affect any proposed investment and if indeed any investors would choose to work with a third party.
IMO the county ground doesn’t need a huge deal of work. A spruce up of the Stratton bank with a roof, some external work on the north stand (cosmetic only). The town end is crying out to be replaced, either in the same style as the south stand or just a bigger and more welcoming stand. A 4-5000 seater with maybe executive boxes would see the county ground future proofed and give us our 20k stadium.
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Mightymyte
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« Reply #593 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 17:39:15 »

theakston2k,

The Town end development that has been proposed to us would be fantastic for the football club and community. Whilst that is not important to you, it's important to residents in the Town, and in order to get planning and council approval, you need that wider support.

It would be great for the football club both in the short term, and most definitely in the long term. It would also attract a lot of positive publicity, and with that comes further interest and further investment.

ANY investment into the stadium from a commercial 3rd party, or indeed from the club ownership as you suggest - will require a payback to the investors, and they will also want an ongoing future income. That's just how it goes. This payback will obviously impact on the immediate revenue streams for the club from that development, particularly in the short term.

We all know that football results affect attendances dramatically, and in your own words "we could end up stuck in this league or worse". I've not seen any mention of how you see the playing budget being impacted by the football club investing millions in the stadium? If there are millions to spare, then why not invest this in a team that gets us up the leagues?

If the supporters own the stadium, and if supporters can reinvest into the stadium and even into other areas, then the club are left to focus on where it really matters, on the pitch.

You mention "a business plan of how this will benefit the club, timelines for key improvements etc."

Very simply, at the moment the football club pays rent to the council, and that money is spent on community services, bin collections or whatever. Under supporter ownership - that rent would effectively be taken in one hand, and subject to shareholder agreement, could then given back with the other. That's an immediate benefit.

In terms of key improvements and their timeline, e.g. a new Town End build, this would all be subject to planning and council consideration - which is out of anyone's control. What I can say is that the third party have told us they are fully funded and ready to go. They have also indicated that the football stand would be up and available within 6 months, from planning approval.

We would be willing to work with ANY developers (including the current club ownership and investors) and subject to community shareholders agreement, could ensure that revenues generated from any stadium development are ploughed directly back into the club.

This is all for the future though - it's simply too early to go into this level of detail as there are so many things that can happen. This will be the same for ALL proposals that are published around this time - never underestimate the political and subsequent planning process.

Regarding "I feel I would be giving money away based on blind faith" - nobody is asking you for money at this stage. If we ever get there, we will have a crowdfunding proposition that encourages donations, and if you want to back it and own a share and a say in the stadium future - then you back it, if that doesn't interest you, then you don't.

Both the Trust and the Club could produce fantastic graphical images of what might be coming in the future - but there will be no guarantees of delivery. There can be promises or proposals, but not guarantees.

If the supporters have ownership of the stadium, and development is managed by a board of fan elected representatives and a delivery team, then you at least know that something will happen, because if it doesn't - then others can be elected to take charge.

More importantly, you also know that the stadium is in safe hands for the future, and that supporters interests will always be top priority. No other arrangement can provide this.
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Quagmire

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« Reply #594 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 18:26:52 »

What’s going against the Trust at the moment, is the simple fact that us as Swindon fans don’t trust anyone. We have had so many broken promises in the last 25 years (redevelopments, new ground , Town End bar, Stratton Bank roof, new Town End, new training ground). As much as the fans want to see it and want it to happen, we (me included) don’t think it will so give up hope as soon as it gets mentioned.
I would love nothing more than the Trust to own the ground and these plans to go through, it just feels a long long way away.
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hobodan

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« Reply #595 on: Saturday, March 24, 2018, 18:53:11 »

Surely the trust could get a loan to buy the ground as club rent payments would cover loan repayments in some form?
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FreddySTFC!

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« Reply #596 on: Sunday, April 1, 2018, 09:30:53 »

theakston2k,

The Town end development that has been proposed to us would be fantastic for the football club and community. Whilst that is not important to you, it's important to residents in the Town, and in order to get planning and council approval, you need that wider support.

It would be great for the football club both in the short term, and most definitely in the long term. It would also attract a lot of positive publicity, and with that comes further interest and further investment.

ANY investment into the stadium from a commercial 3rd party, or indeed from the club ownership as you suggest - will require a payback to the investors, and they will also want an ongoing future income. That's just how it goes. This payback will obviously impact on the immediate revenue streams for the club from that development, particularly in the short term.

We all know that football results affect attendances dramatically, and in your own words "we could end up stuck in this league or worse". I've not seen any mention of how you see the playing budget being impacted by the football club investing millions in the stadium? If there are millions to spare, then why not invest this in a team that gets us up the leagues?

If the supporters own the stadium, and if supporters can reinvest into the stadium and even into other areas, then the club are left to focus on where it really matters, on the pitch.

You mention "a business plan of how this will benefit the club, timelines for key improvements etc."

Very simply, at the moment the football club pays rent to the council, and that money is spent on community services, bin collections or whatever. Under supporter ownership - that rent would effectively be taken in one hand, and subject to shareholder agreement, could then given back with the other. That's an immediate benefit.

In terms of key improvements and their timeline, e.g. a new Town End build, this would all be subject to planning and council consideration - which is out of anyone's control. What I can say is that the third party have told us they are fully funded and ready to go. They have also indicated that the football stand would be up and available within 6 months, from planning approval.

We would be willing to work with ANY developers (including the current club ownership and investors) and subject to community shareholders agreement, could ensure that revenues generated from any stadium development are ploughed directly back into the club.

This is all for the future though - it's simply too early to go into this level of detail as there are so many things that can happen. This will be the same for ALL proposals that are published around this time - never underestimate the political and subsequent planning process.

Regarding "I feel I would be giving money away based on blind faith" - nobody is asking you for money at this stage. If we ever get there, we will have a crowdfunding proposition that encourages donations, and if you want to back it and own a share and a say in the stadium future - then you back it, if that doesn't interest you, then you don't.

Both the Trust and the Club could produce fantastic graphical images of what might be coming in the future - but there will be no guarantees of delivery. There can be promises or proposals, but not guarantees.

If the supporters have ownership of the stadium, and development is managed by a board of fan elected representatives and a delivery team, then you at least know that something will happen, because if it doesn't - then others can be elected to take charge.

More importantly, you also know that the stadium is in safe hands for the future, and that supporters interests will always be top priority. No other arrangement can provide this.
Steve, as somebody who is considering to donate money towards the purchase of the ground as part of your share initiative, I would like to know that when the time comes for you to start asking for supporters to donate will you be able to expand on where the matched funding is coming from & what the full plans are for the redeveloped Town End? I think you may struggle to get fans to commit it they aren't fully in the loop as to what their money will be going towards.
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« Reply #597 on: Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 19:48:56 »

Can somebody from the Trust who posts on here ask Steve if he can answer my question in the previous post? Cheers.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #598 on: Friday, May 4, 2018, 00:35:45 »

 Power. may now well be emboldened by the Tories hanging on in Swindon by 1 seat. Every chance he'll now think his offer will be viewed more sympathetically than the Trusts.
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wokinghamred

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« Reply #599 on: Friday, May 4, 2018, 05:58:46 »

Christ, Reg.

Is there a single thing that happens in your world that isn't attributable to the bloody Tories?
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