New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[Nemo]

For context, last summer signing dates (announcements, not contract start)

31st May Ollie Clarke
11th June Tunmise Sobowale
13th June Rosaire Longelo
20th June Ryan Delaney
25th June Will Wright
27th June Harry Smith
10th July Grant Hall, Dylan Mitchell
26th July Miguel Freckleton
30th July Joel Cotterill
5th August Jeff King
27th August Kabongo Tshimanga
30th August Cox, Kilkenny, Butterworth, Barden

So probably a bit ahead of that, but we did have June signings last year, then another burst near deadline day.

[Peter Venkman]

Must admit I didnt think we had signed 3 players already at this stage last season.

If you count Ripley as a new signing (debatable) then we have signed 5 players at the same stage in Ripley, Snowdon, Mbete, Nichols and Ball.

[Nemo]

I mean if you count Ripley, why wouldn't you count Glatzel? Ripley definitely a re-signing.

[tans]

Different team but Gareth Bale heading a US privaty equity consortium to take over Plymouth.

[RobertT]

Different team but Gareth Bale heading a US privaty equity consortium to take over Plymouth.

An owner who had been presenting an investment prospectus looking for either fresh investment into the club or someone to purchase it from him with bigger pockets, just like Orient had been doing, who also managed to get that across the line.  Very different from our owner who is not seeking said buyers, even though plenty float around testing the market.  It is not always a quick process, think Plymouth were out there looking for over a year before getting the "right" people.

[Jilted John]

Different team but Gareth Bale heading a US privaty equity consortium to take over Plymouth.

I had heard that one of the consortiums that were looking at taking over at Plymouth a few months back took a long look at buying us but were warned off by "footballing people" who know of our financial position and suggested that Clem is diffuclt to dealbusiness with.

[RobertT]

I had a good conversation with an ex-pro & Manager who runs an Academy over here these days about why USA investors are getting so heavily into English football when it's notoriously bad for making money.  His view is that the Yanks understand brand and real estate values much more than UK club owners do, combine that with a natural tendency to think they can make anything work, and you get the right mix for potential owners.  The rise of the game on TV over here, and it is growing every year, means they all fancy being the next big thing, but most can't play in the Premier League market, so they've started looking at the EFL clubs.

I can't say I know if any consortium that looked at Plymouth also looked at us (it is likely), but I can back-up that claim of people in the game having the view we are a risk.

[Berniman]

Apparently we are a massive risk because the fans are notoriously difficult and regularly block redevelopment projects.. nothing to do with our financial position and Clem being difficult to do business with..  wash your mouth out..