Club Ownership

[Dave]

Regards club ownership, and the attraction of Torquay United as Burnham asks. There will be two different types of people interested in the club, those who's intentions are not honourable, those who's intentions are every bit honourable, this is where the harsh reality of the situation has to dawn on all of us TUFC fans, the only people with the right intentions who will attracted to own the football club, are going to be actual TUFC fans or people/persons with some emotional attachment to the club or area.

I can not see the trust being in a position yet to take full ownership of the club and be able to take it forward, so if that means Simon Baker and co, as much as us TUFC fans will not like it, were to come forward with a new investor and hopefully football club management structure in place, it may be the only way forward for the football club, the alternatives could be very, very bleak indeed.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Regards club ownership, and the attraction of Torquay United as Burnham asks. There will be two different types of people interested in the club, those who's intentions are not honourable, those who's intentions are every bit honourable, this is where the harsh reality of the situation has to dawn on all of us TUFC fans, the only people with the right intentions who will attracted to own the football club, are going to be actual TUFC fans or people/persons with some emotional attachment to the club or area.

I can not see the trust being in a position yet to take full ownership of the club and be able to take it forward, so if that means Simon Baker and co, as much as us TUFC fans will not like it, were to come forward with a new investor and hopefully football club management structure in place, it may be the only way forward for the football club, the alternatives could be very, very bleak indeed.

At last. Someone else who isn't so far up there own arsehole that they can actually take a step back and see what is staring them in the face. Of course Dave, I've never considered you to be such a person who belittles others just because they think they know best but there are enough out there on planet Torquay United to ensure the club goes under. Only at the last minute when the deadline passes to save the club that they then realise the 'facts' they thought were true actually weren't. Shock horror, the people like me who are derided as either some sort of lunatic or simply a total bonehead turn out to be right. Wouldn't that just put the gloss on it for you yes?

What Dave is saying, and what I've been saying since last season is that Torquay needs a new direction and new investment. I think we ALL pretty much thought this to be fair but at this moment in time the club now find themselves exactly in that position. To go forwards a new investor has to be found. Finding one is one thing but as Dave says, finding one with the best interests of the club at heart rather than their own self interest will be near impossible IMO.

Touching on what someone said in another post, how many of you would do what Thea did if you won the lottery on Saturday and plough a substantisl amount of your new found wealth into the club? I doubt there now would be any. Why would you? The club has been run into the ground by complete amateurs for the past few years and the potential to make any modicum of profit doesn't exist and can't exist whilst the club remain in the conference. To get the club onto an even keel it needs to find dedicated journeymen professionals and combine them with young hungry kids with no or minimal experience at conference level. These players also must all be paid peanuts. Each and every one of them.

On top of this the club need to increase their media prescence, dramatically improve their levels of customer service, lines of communication and fan interaction and make matchdays a better experience. All with reduced staff levels. Fans need to be wooed back and faced with the prospect of the above, the anticipation of winning football next season and beyond would be very much misplaced. Half of the fan base want Hargreaves to go and he needs paying off if so and I could go on but you can begin to see just how massive the mountain now is and you'd naturally look suspiciously on any group or individual that aren't dyed in the wool fans like Thea actively wanting to take all this shit on for minimal self benefit.

So it's highly unlikely that a 'fan' with shedloads of money to waste will do a Thea and to be honest it's improbable that an investor, a businessman willing to come in, take over and lose money will be found.

This leaves another 2 possibilities which are the most realistic.

The majority of the current board members who haved failed the supporters for the past few years and displayed traits that to me are despicable will get together as a collective and regain control of the club for a pittance. Should this happen you will still have a club to go and watch but everything just stays the same and the problems, vitriol and poisonous atmosphere increases. Eventually TUFC go bust or end up in conference south. With the current board set up i see no other future. You'd always like to think people can change and also learn from their experiences but the idiots that have got TUFC into this position aren't capable of doing so.

The second option is for a group or individual to come in short term to steady the ship ready for a take over by the TUST. Those who have just read that and are wetting themselves with laughter can do so. Then I can laugh at you when in 10 years time you don't have a club to support. It's around the corner but if you are happy to be more intelligent and knowledgable about the club then me then that's your choice. You'll just simply be sleepwalking into a hole that will be too big to get out of in the end. Not quite fiddling while Rome burns but more sat in the armchair smug reading the Guardian with a pipe whilst those at the TUST are busy trying to make a positive difference off their own back to see the club they love saved before its too late.

Obviously the TUST is in its fledgling stage and there will be suspicion or doubters but what are the bloody alternatives?! Any of the above? Good luck with that.

Join the trust and have an input into your club if you really care. Why let some smartly dressed board member who has no vertebrae make decisions FOR you? Stand up for yourselves, get rid of the stains and look to a brighter more united community future with you all at the helm.

OK so the TUST may not be for everyone and there will be people with concerns but the way I see it there is no other option. Own your club or it will disappear. The assets, the history and the memories.

I accept that a hundred and odd members isn't going to have much bargaining power or financial clout but only you can get the club where it needs to be. If you all join its game on, you're all a big part of it and you can all move forward together. Carry on smoking the pipe in the armchair or doing the gardening if you like. Mocking the trust or simply being indifferent is fine, just don't whinge when you'll have no choice but to do the gardening on a Saturday afternoon.

Apologies for this, its no place of mine anymore. By all means go and watch Exeter, Plymouth, Bristol City or whoever but I'm sure you'd all rather watch a forward thinking, caring community club which treats everyone as equals. Torquay United can be that club you want. Just get your flamin' heads banged together and leave the past behind. More importantly, leave those responsible for years of misery behind and don't give them a second thought.

Its a free country but in my humble opinion Torquay United has no other way of sustaining itself long term let alone with a view to success on the pitch. Sustainability and stability are what are needed. May as well get the last bits of turmoil out the way now and then draw a line and start again. Carry on as you are and it will always be like it is now.

[friendlygas]

Best of luck Guys ...that is what you need with any take over and lots of it. Can only mention Hereford and Salisbury to name two who thought they had made the right call. At the end of the day Football is a very risky business and I don't envy you,the Supporters one bit because you are the only ones that remain the same season in and season out. The Board/Owners/Directors are just custodians of your club or that is how it is supposed to work.
I honestly wish you all the best and hope you are lucky and get it right.

[nickbrod]

According to DT in tonight's HE online tomorrow's Board meeting could be potentially the most important in the club's recent history. What can he mean?
Apparently Kelvin Thomas will be present as he's returned from 10 days away in Florida.
Watch this space? Could be jobs on the line?

[gullintwoplaces]

According to DT in tonight's HE online tomorrow's Board meeting could be potentially the most important in the club's recent history. What can he mean?
Apparently Kelvin Thomas will be present as he's returned from 10 days away in Florida.
Watch this space? Could be jobs on the line?

I hate to be pessimistic and I generally try not to be, but I have a very bad feeling about this.

[Dave_Pougher]

I would find it very hard to support a club that had any greater involvement by Baker and Phillips.

[lucy6lucy]

So is Thea still financing the club until the end of June ? If not we are in shit street unless KT has an investor up his sleeve. Come on Harry you have bought the pent house flats, finish of your project

[nickbrod]

All speculation of course but those on another forum reckon no new money coming in and Bill Phillips taking over as Chairman. Whatever happens we need leadership. The manager needs to be able to decide retained and released player lists dependent on next season's budget. These are key decisions which have to be taken soon. Conference Premier or Conference South budget?
The remaining directors have a big decision to take tomorrow to decide the fate of OUR club.

[chunkygull]

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[kevgull]

Complete and utter shambles!

If you offered me Bateson and Buckle, right now I would bite your hand off.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Nobody can say they haven't had the opportunity to change things.

I just hope there IS good news around the corner or you're ****.

Fingers crossed.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Once again though its all this cloak and dagger stuff. It's ridiculous. It's Torquay United, a fifth tier English football club. Not the CIA. Why is everyone kept in the dark all the time?

[Gullscorer]

Nobody can say they haven't had the opportunity to change things.
I just hope there IS good news around the corner or you're f***.
Fingers crossed.

Don't you mean f*****...??

[AustrianAndyGull]

Does it matter Mick? Either way you've all got no choice now but to follow the next chapter in the history of TUFC. Someone else will guide you now.

[Dave]

This is what I was getting at in a post I made yesterday regards club ownership. No matter how unpopular a new board headed by Baker and Phillips might be amongst us fans, if it was a straight choice between AFC Torquay in the calor gas league or at the very least stability even if that meant a few years of knocking around the conference with Baker and co, would we really not want to support the club with then in charge.

If the club went under, and I'm saying it going to, I do not see the passion and will with our fan base to bring AFC Torquay back up to the conference or even into the football league, and what I was getting if not Baker and co, who else ? As suggested elsewhere it appears there's no one waiting to ride into town and save the club, and I'm unsure whether the TUST are in a position right now to do so.