Torquay United Fans Forum

absolutely3rdrate wrote:I would love to know where the Bristows' money went (apart from the new stand). Perhaps Thea, who appears to have been very badly advised, will tell us one day?

Just in to the bottomless pit that is a professional football club I think.
Clearing debts when they took over. Compensating Exeter for Buckle. Transfer kitty in the Buckle years. Colin Lee's expenses. Compensation for sacking Ling and Knill. And....

I would love to know where the Bristows' money went (apart from the new stand). Perhaps Thea, who appears to have been very badly advised, will tell us one day?

Glostergull wrote:It doesn't matter one jot if ten people offered their serviice and advice. if they want money for it then no. we cannot afford that. and that has been the problem all along. There is no guarantee that any advice would give a miracle cure but one thing is for sure, those who offer services or have been rumoured (because despite the newspaper reports it is conjecture at the end of the day) really want to look to get a few bob into their pockets. They can walk away knowing that even if United fall down they have come out of it with something.
That is the main problem with the way things are. People are always wanting to earn something out of it. and often something for nothing. we earned a lot of money during Martin Lings tenure and I still wonder where most of it went even allowing for The Millions pumped in from The Bristols. Mr Bristol. God rest his soul would have turned in his grave to see the way his Thea was taken advantage of. and i am so sad for her. she was plunged into a crisis through no fault of her own and I for one would not have blamed her for leaving when she lost him.

For the huge amounts that Thea was losing every single season, she could have appointed an experienced football knowledgeable CEO to run the club, even on £100k and still have cut the losses to herself substantially and directed investment properly. Instead she decided to be chairwoman despite no business or football experience. No one denies she lost a lot of money but she didn't help herself and nearly killed in the club in the process.

I wonder who Dave Thomas is tapping up now for his next "exclusive"
Perhaps he is having breakfast with Bill Phillips as I am typing this?

It doesn't matter one jot if ten people offered their serviice and advice. if they want money for it then no. we cannot afford that. and that has been the problem all along. There is no guarantee that any advice would give a miracle cure but one thing is for sure, those who offer services or have been rumoured (because despite the newspaper reports it is conjecture at the end of the day) really want to look to get a few bob into their pockets. They can walk away knowing that even if United fall down they have come out of it with something.
That is the main problem with the way things are. People are always wanting to earn something out of it. and often something for nothing. we earned a lot of money during Martin Lings tenure and I still wonder where most of it went even allowing for The Millions pumped in from The Bristols. Mr Bristol. God rest his soul would have turned in his grave to see the way his Thea was taken advantage of. and i am so sad for her. she was plunged into a crisis through no fault of her own and I for one would not have blamed her for leaving when she lost him.
I also know I would now be very reluctant to invest millions into the club if i won the Lottery knowing how I would then be treated, and not just be the board either. some of the fans should hold their heads in shame for the abuse most in charge have received. I for one would welcome Mike Bateson back tomorrow. he knew how to run the club properly and all those who thought they knew better can now see they don't. ( or maybe they are still deluded and think they know better)
I offered at the time to (two years or so ago) to invest and was turned down because it was not enough (£50,000)to be told watch this space. there will be exciting new ways to invest with smaller sums later. but nothing happened. so all those who still think they know how to run the club and or pick the team. well look at the effect your having on the potential investors anyway. why would i want to invest know all i would get would be incessant abuse .

Colin Lee? No thanks, not under any circumstances whatsoever.

Two words.

Mo Camara....

This is definitely one that will divide opinion.

I remember the stories of wasted money and of bumper contracts, but as a previous post said, we do need a football "person" at TUFC at the moment.
If the Board do not want to use anyone or their advice, then that is their perogative. However, when two or more people offer help and it is not given the time of day, then alarm bells start to sound.

For example - If this was someone other than Colin Lee (bearing in mind the "rumours" of his previous tenure) would the Board still turn their back ?

They clearly need a football person to help and sooner or later may have to realise that.

ferrarilover wrote:
Best case scenario, he's genuine and comes in, makes a real difference and asks nothing more than a free season ticket for his troubles.

Gotta be worth a phone call, Shirley?

Matt.

Best case scenario, my 6 numbers come up tonight. As likely as the above. No, just no (not even thank you).

Saw this on the Herald yesterday - utter nonsense the bloke is only interested in linning is pocket!

What is Colin Lee going to say in his report that we/the Board don't already know?!

The issue is, almost everything we need to do involves money, and we have precious little of it!!

Absenting previous behaviour, if we take him at his word and what he says at face value, could we not take a punt on receiving his 'report'?

Worst to the worst, we get the legals nailed down. No money changes hands and he produces a report which says 'X needs to change'. He then demands £50k to tell us how to go about effecting that change. We've got a few ideas for improvement and we are free to tell him to shove his report up his arse. All the while safe in the knowledge that any nasty letters from Kitsons or whoever can be batted back with a watertight contact signed afore the event.

Best case scenario, he's genuine and comes in, makes a real difference and asks nothing more than a free season ticket for his troubles.

Gotta be worth a phone call, Shirley?

Matt.

Southampton Gull wrote:I'm amazed people have such short memories where Lee is concerned. He's up there with Dean Edwards on a list of people who took the club to the cleaners...........

I have only been here five years and know very few people I have only recently been invited to talk or be near to the club. This is why I was not aware of how the club was managed.

taunton_gull wrote:Although he left under a cloud I think there is a lot of truth in what he says. I've always felt following his departure someone had to come in at boardroom level with proper knowledge of football operations but sadly for us this was never the case.

It all seemed to start to go wrong when managerial appointments were put into the hands of Baker et al. Would we have taken a chief exec/DOF getting paid 100k a year to still be in League 2 or maybe even 1 - compared to the losses, payouts and relegations we've had otherwise? I appreciate it's not clear-cut but I'm convinced that this kind of experience which has been badly missing over the last five years or so could have made all the difference.

I would agree that someone at board level with experience of lower/non-league professional football would have been a great help over the years since Lee left. However, the clubs record with this role is unlucky to say the very least.

Added in 1 minute 31 seconds:
What is going on between the HE and the club? There seems to be a constant stream of negative publicity against the board since they took over...

Taken from facebook written by Stephen Breed in reply to someone "Steve i have not personally spoke to.colin for over 4 years so i would like to.know what help is being offered"

Hope Mr Breed doesn't mind me posted this, and I will remove it if wished. So come on then Colin and the H/E do tell what offer of help has made ?