Torquay United Fans Forum

Good points Senor.

So just using people who are willing to give up their time for free to 'buff it up' a bit like you say. Sweet.

Yorkieandy wrote: 18 Oct 2017, 21:01 I don't get the timing of this though if the reports are true and GI want to offload now. Surely it would have been easier to just do what they've done all along which is eff all? Why now? Weirdos!!!!

They're trying to buff up their asset. If they think the stadium/land development deal is a no go then they're going to try and make the club look as good as possible in order to get the best price. They've got to recoup at least the £100/125k they loaned the Phillips regime, plus whatever they want to recoup from what they've put into the club this season - as new owners will not accept GI shifting that amount onto the club as a loan and thus a liability to the new owners.

I don't get the timing of this though if the reports are true and GI want to offload now. Surely it would have been easier to just do what they've done all along which is eff all? Why now? Weirdos!!!!

Fair enough Jerry.

I do think that a fully engaged, dynamic, committed, dedicated and fully accountable salaried SLO would be the missing link at most football clubs, particularly ones where the fans repeatedly complain that they are ignored and disenfranchised frequently which to be fair is most clubs.

I know for a fact if Torquay had one a few years ago who was able to raise some of the many issues i had with the football club and get some of them addressed (the ones that were reasonably simple to have done so) then i'd be going to Halifax on saturday as i should be doing. As it stands i've been forced to give up 5 years ago due to ignorance and arrogance (theirs not mine you cheeky tits! 8-] ) but we all know that.

The funny thing is that York City did have a SLO but he did bugger all. I think they got a new one but no improvements have yet been made as far as i'm aware so it's important you get the right man / woman in to get things sorted in the first place.

I've always held the view that football clubs cannot guarantee success on the pitch so the only other way of making sure that fans keep rolling through the turnstiles is by keeping them onside, treating them with validation and listening to them and engaging with them. It's frigging simple really. A lot of fans who ordinarily would eventually get fed up of continuously losing games of football might be persuaded to keep on going if they felt valued.

The SLO is the link between the fans and club that ensures fans who are wavering can be heard and acknowledged.

Apologies for the numerous posts but this is the whole reason why i chose to stop going so it is important to me.

Take Chesterfield FC currently. Their club has been in disarray for a few years now and crowds are well down and it's because of disillusionment. If you read the forums it's not so much about the footy which admittedly is crap although they did get a 2-0 win at Crawley last night but it's about how nobody at the club seems to care or listen to them. They are just expected to pay up and shut up and modern day football fans won't accept this anymore. Simply making a bit of an effort to bridge that disconnect between fans and club can keep hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of fans inside the football ground at 3pm (7.45 if it's an evening game :} ).

In short. Many owners of lower league clubs by and large either don't give a shit or they are thick as shit. Sometimes both which is a dangerous combination if you're a football fan who cares about your football club.

No argument from me, I think the whole notion of SLO's is a load of tosh!

Just pointing out why they wouldn't be paid by the club.

Also just want to say that i fully respect anybody giving up their time voluntarily to help improve things at the football club. It's a positive step for them and they must be a positive person which i appreciate. My views aren't about judging them so i don't wish them to come across that way but more judging the lack of any power or control they will have in order to help and deal with fans issues.

I am fully prepared to stand up and be counted should great strides be made at the club as a result of this scheme and at the same time congratulate the person responsible for having the get up and go to take this position onboard.

I know that Jerry. There is no point in having a voluntary person (fan) to act as a conduit for other fans to get their views across to the club. It just cements the view i have the the owners hold Torquay fans in contempt.

So just say i have an issue and approach the voluntary SLO with it. They take the details and raise it with the owners (whoever is responsible for acting upon complaints/issues) and they say, "Ok thanks for that. We'll take it on board. Leave it with us".

A month later having heard nothing i approach the SLO once again, then again a month later and then again a month later and i get the response, "i've brought it to their attention but they keep on saying their dealing with it".

Who do i complain to after this? I can't complain against a volunteer as firstly it's not their fault and secondly even if it were there is no accountability. They can't be sacked or fined can they?

I can't complain to the club as i've already done this and clearly they don't give a shit and are ignoring my queries.

Oh dear. We're back to square one and the volunteer also loses any credibility they may have had and becomes a figure of fun.

That's the way i see it and yes, it's a negative pessimistic view but remember. IT'S GI.

The club IMO have to actually EMPLOY someone so that they have accountability as an employee. Someone who will know that if i don't get my query sorted then i'll be taking it further. They need to be accountable and act upon any issue swiftly. This would be a really positive and surprising move if this was done. They won't do this though because they don't have any intention of taking fans seriously and it's just a token effort towards it. It's a pacifier. A placatory move.

What are pacifiers called again in the USA?

Oh yes, of course.

You will be if you take this shite in. :Oops:

Of course you'll get fans saying why don't i just give the scheme a chance before knocking it and that's fine. I don't know for sure that the scheme isn't going to a rip roaring success so let's wait and see shall we? :}

You trust GI to do the right thing by fans and the club yes?

Yorkieandy wrote: 18 Oct 2017, 13:56

So in reality it's a positive IDEA and credit for that but again, the club have gone about things in the wrong manner. On the cheap so to speak. It's an important and responsible role and if you take it voluntarily then you are either insane or don't really intend to give the role your utmost. Either way may as well not have one. Such a person has been the missing link for years and they need to be rewarded with a salary.

It's a voluntary position because the SLO will be independent from the club and not an employee. The club won't be appointing them, the interview process will also involve TUST and the supporters club. This is a fans representative making the supporters case to the club, not a club employee listening to supporters complaints.

I'm trying my best.... :na:

This thread has the potential to break all records.

Cheers Jerry. Sounds promising and maybe now the club can move forward, if not on the pitch but off it.

Yorkieandy wrote: 18 Oct 2017, 16:52 The last sentence. How do you know this Jez?

It's being discussed on the other forums but in their recently released accounts there is the following statement:

“The Directors are in advanced negotiations to dispose of Riviera Stadium and it’s underlying investment in Torquay United AFC Ltd”.

Someone on BTPIR has looked into Toklon's accounts (the company that owns GI) and they include this statement:

"the Torquay United holding is being held exclusively with a view to subsequent resale within one year of it's acquisition"


http://thelondonlabia.proboards.com/thr ... lTo=80857
http://torquayfans.boards.net/thread/12 ... r-freehold

The last sentence. How do you know this Jez?

MellowYellow wrote: 18 Oct 2017, 15:54 It not an impression - its fact - GI are not into voluntary liaison

Nope not a fact. Football League clubs are obliged to but not those in the National League.

From the football supporters federation: "Non-league clubs do not need to have an SLO, although some understand the benefit and do"

http://www.fsf.org.uk/slo/slo-faqs/#whoseidea

Anyway it seems GI are looking to offload the club now so there input into this will hopefully be short lived.

Plainmoor78 wrote: 18 Oct 2017, 13:25 I get the impression the club are obliged to do this by the National League.

It not an impression - its fact - GI are not into voluntary liaison