by knightmaregull » 29 Jan 2016, 19:43
I have just finished a wonderful book by David Goldblatt called The Game of our Lives - The Meaning and Making of English Football. It's a little slow to get into but then goes on to give a nostalgic look back at the game of old and offers thoughts as to how it has ended up as it is (an absolute mess and sad reflection of the modern world in my opinion!).
Anyhow, the point of this message is that he starkly summarises the host of poor fans who have seen their clubs ransacked by rogues and thieves, promising the earth and then stripping them bare. A salient quote is 'the football peripheries serve as hunting grounds for the most venal, deluded and dubious club owners and directors ..... In an era of booming property prices .... Clubs' only real asset became their stadiums, or rather the land that their stadiums were inconveniently parked on'.
It then goes on to give numerous case studies of how these white knights have used various ways to get the land out of the club into shell companies under their control and then say bye bye or hold the club to ransom paying high rents for the privilege of playing in their own historic ground! The book tells how Chester and Wrexham 'were plain robbed'.
The next chapter tells how 'in dozens of cases over the last twenty years supporters' trusts have stepped in to try and salvage something from the wreckage of their club'.
I know this has all been posted on this forum many times before but reading this book and seeing in black and white just how badly shafted so many clubs have been reinforces my desire to first and foremost ensure TUFC survives and stays in the hands of people who, whatever you may think of them, are supporters and want the club to succeed.
To those of you shouting and screaming just be very careful what you wish for as the grass is often not very green on the other side, especially for a club like Torquay with low debts and a ground to call their own with a weak council sitting behind the covenant over it ........
I have just finished a wonderful book by David Goldblatt called The Game of our Lives - The Meaning and Making of English Football. It's a little slow to get into but then goes on to give a nostalgic look back at the game of old and offers thoughts as to how it has ended up as it is (an absolute mess and sad reflection of the modern world in my opinion!).
Anyhow, the point of this message is that he starkly summarises the host of poor fans who have seen their clubs ransacked by rogues and thieves, promising the earth and then stripping them bare. A salient quote is 'the football peripheries serve as hunting grounds for the most venal, deluded and dubious club owners and directors ..... In an era of booming property prices .... Clubs' only real asset became their stadiums, or rather the land that their stadiums were inconveniently parked on'.
It then goes on to give numerous case studies of how these white knights have used various ways to get the land out of the club into shell companies under their control and then say bye bye or hold the club to ransom paying high rents for the privilege of playing in their own historic ground! The book tells how Chester and Wrexham 'were plain robbed'.
The next chapter tells how 'in dozens of cases over the last twenty years supporters' trusts have stepped in to try and salvage something from the wreckage of their club'.
I know this has all been posted on this forum many times before but reading this book and seeing in black and white just how badly shafted so many clubs have been reinforces my desire to first and foremost ensure TUFC survives and stays in the hands of people who, whatever you may think of them, are supporters and want the club to succeed.
To those of you shouting and screaming just be very careful what you wish for as the grass is often not very green on the other side, especially for a club like Torquay with low debts and a ground to call their own with a weak council sitting behind the covenant over it ........
