Torquay United Fans Forum

Can we get positive right at this last minute?

The future of the club is at risk because people in Torbay are totally unaware of the crisis. We could be sold to sharks or liquidated tomorrow because the local newspaper never lets United off the back page and because the board who saved the club have run out of money and optimism. I do believe we could get a gate of 4,000 at Plainmoor on Boxing Day ( thus buying precious weeks to try to achieve anyone other than the Dog Trap ). There are three home games now in January it can still be done... IF the position were publicly and adequately aired with a positive spin instead of despair. . The Herald Express could lead a crusade to save the club as a real football club, the Board could get their belief back - just for one final month. TOGETHER we can still get out of this mire... Come on it's the 11th hour lets get it together - FANS- BOARD- PRESS.
Please give us a month - a positive month- we can still do this..!!

This is really what I struggle to understand. How can we possibly be days/weeks away from administration and yet there is absolutely nothing coming out of the club? We have to sell the club to people described 4 months ago as "not the best bedfellows" because we have no other choice. How on earth has it come to that?

The club have said nothing. They've actively asked fans to give them peace and quiet and wait and see. Now we're on the edge of extinction and that's it. They've made the decision, chosen then course we're going to take, and that's that.

We have been trying to get investment for 4 years and no-one has come forward. The current owners have been trying for 18 months and nobody but vultures have stepped forward. GI tried and failed in the summer, and no-one (Dave Phillips included) were upset by that.

We have cut back to the bone, and have sold 1000+ season tickets. We have a fanbase built up over generations spread all over the country and yet we are set to give the club away to property developers for the sake of a few hundred thousand. The TUST have pledges for over £20k in a few days despite it being absolutely pointless and not publicised at all.

If Dave Phillips made a statement, revealed the position we're in, that the existence of TUFC is under doubt, and asked for help then you would have hundreds of thousands in a week. Much, much smaller fanbases have raised £3-400k. Give TUST 25%, 50%, 100%, whatever, and get the money in to fight another day. Instead the owners have come in, 'saved the day' and then stood and watched as the body bleeds to death, telling any passers by not to call an ambulance.

We're owned by people claiming to be fans and have reached this position, that we have to take this action or go under, without the wider public having any idea. There's such a divide between the club and fans that unless you are a "keyboard wanker" that goes out of your way to maintain contact with the club, the casual fan is unaware of everything going on.

Southampton Gull wrote:And to top it off there was a certain Bill Phillips in the Directors box at Braintree giving it billy big bollocks to anyone stupid enough to listen to him.

Does that suggest we can expect him back in some kind of position? Don't think I could bear that.

And to top it off there was a certain Bill Phillips in the Directors box at Braintree giving it billy big bollocks to anyone stupid enough to listen to him.

Kit_robin wrote:I know you have good intentions, but this board have shown time and again that they are not capable at running this club, no matter how well intentioned. That's why I stopped putting money into the players fund and it's the reason why I would never just hand over money to this board (apart from actual services offered: inhave a season ticket and drink in the bar). The GI loan decision is enough on its own to convince me, let alone everything else.

I will save my money for if/when the decisions this board have come home to roost and we end up in administration, when I will put everything I can into a community share issue to save my club.

I agree entirely Kit (I think I stopped my players fund contributions at the same time as you) but the money wouldn't have had to go to this board though would it?

If they hadn't been too proud/stubborn/stupid to turn down the repeated overtures from TUST we could have already had our community share issue and be rid of GI for good.

Too late now though.

I know you have good intentions, but this board have shown time and again that they are not capable at running this club, no matter how well intentioned. That's why I stopped putting money into the players fund and it's the reason why I would never just hand over money to this board (apart from actual services offered: inhave a season ticket and drink in the bar). The GI loan decision is enough on its own to convince me, let alone everything else.

I will save my money for if/when the decisions this board have come home to roost and we end up in administration, when I will put everything I can into a community share issue to save my club.

Richinns wrote:What is clear is we are hours away from a very depressing realisation. I things ring true - why are we not being asked to try to help fund a stay of execution?

Lay some truths on the line, tell us how much is needed to buy us some time in order to try to find other options than GI and the administration which (is rumoured) to follow. Start a fans fund for this very reason. Buy in or we sign out. I am sure the goodwill of the fanbase would have bought us a few months regardless of the differing opinions on the current board.

Why has this not been done? It is our club too. Don't we get the chance to try and save it?

Bewildering isn't it?

As you say if the club had been open with the fanbase and given a figure that needed to be raised to fend off the vultures I'm sure we could have had a good go at it. No doubt Matt will point to his crowdfunder but once fans knew the danger (the majority of fans still seem to have no idea that the club is in trouble!) and had a target figure they would rally to the cause I'm sure.

How many of us have money sitting in an ISA earning diddly squat in interest? A fair few I reckon.

On another point: What exactly is the point in "selling" to GI only for them to place us in administration? If we have to why don't we just go into administration anyway without the need for the GI vultures to get involved?

What is clear is we are hours away from a very depressing realisation. If things ring true - why are we not being asked to try to help fund a stay of execution?

Lay some truths on the line, tell us how much is needed to buy us some time in order to try to find other options than GI and the administration which (is rumoured) to follow. Start a fans fund for this very reason. Buy in or we sign out. I am sure the goodwill of the fanbase would have bought us a few months regardless of the differing opinions on the current board.

Why has this not been done? It is our club too. Don't we get the chance to try and save it?