rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 1, 2016 6:37:29 GMT
O what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!
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simonb
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Post by simonb on Apr 1, 2016 7:51:46 GMT
Football is a game of two half truths perhaps?!
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Mark L
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Post by Mark L on Apr 1, 2016 10:49:58 GMT
Well, Dave Thomas seems to think Mr Osborne is OK from his latest podcast. I'm surprised as, from his history, he has Chris Robertsed (I have turned him into a verb : the action of promising of a wonderful new stadium but actually never having the means to build it) on several occasions. Perhaps if we don't go down that road and stay at Plainmoor things won't be so bad. I don't feel very optimistic about it though. Damn you Torquay, you have finally turned me into that jaded person I didn't want to be!  |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 1, 2016 12:42:06 GMT
I will listen to it later but generally the press will want to maintain good relations with the new owners to keep those exclusives coming on
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Mark L
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Post by Mark L on Apr 1, 2016 16:13:35 GMT
Here's a rogue's gallery of the stadiums which have been promised but not a spade has broken the soil: Eastville (Bristol Rovers):  Reading racers:  Swindon Robins:  Hands up who drew the plans?  (Apologies if I've made anyone feel nauseous.) I haven't found any evidence of Gaming International successfully building anything. Perhaps someone could enlighten me? |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 1, 2016 18:03:20 GMT
Furthermore; the two companies shown below are nominee directors/secretaries for companies owned by Anthony Osborne, Stephen Hayward and Pete Masters: Swift Incorporations Limited - via Poole Stadium Limited (Anthony Osborne and Stephen Hayward) Elm Tree Estates Limited (Peter Masters) and Instant Companies Ltd - via Poole Stadium Limited (Anthony Osborne & Stephen Hayward) Elm Tree Estates Limited (Peter Masters) You can't really claim that a "link" via Swift Incorporations Limited or Instant Companies Ltd is really link. These are just companies that offer quick, easy, cheap company formation and serve as temporary officers pending the registration of proper officers. That's like saying I am connected to Clarke Osborne because we have both had dealings with Amazon, or that I am connected to Pete Masters because we have both had dealings with Tescos. |
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Apr 1, 2016 21:30:27 GMT
I hate to say it, but I have a feeling of unease that's not raised it's head since the Roberts fiasco. Really hope I'm wrong...
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 1, 2016 22:03:38 GMT
Well, Dave Thomas seems to think Mr Osborne is OK from his latest podcast. I'm surprised as, from his history, he has Chris Robertsed (I have turned him into a verb : the action of promising of a wonderful new stadium but actually never having the means to build it) on several occasions. Perhaps if we don't go down that road and stay at Plainmoor things won't be so bad. I don't feel very optimistic about it though. Damn you Torquay, you have finally turned me into that jaded person I didn't want to be! I would say DT was giving Osborne the benefit of the doubt and while he appreciates his property development history did not think that he would want to put the cat amongst the pigeons in what would be a high profile role but I personally do not buy into that.... |
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Post by stig123 on Apr 1, 2016 22:11:17 GMT
Out of the frying pan into the fire springs to mind. Hopefully not the case.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 1, 2016 23:17:59 GMT
I haven't found any evidence of Gaming International successfully building anything. Perhaps someone could enlighten me? I love a challenge, but my first attempt has drawn a blank. I looked at the Wiki (I know - it isn't always reliable!) entry for the MK Bowl. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_BowlAnother near miss: On 23 January 2006, Gaming International/Live Nation won a further lease in a competitive tender. The consortium made proposals for major developments in a a development summary leaflet (previously linked from the 'Backstage' section of the National Bowl website, now removed).
Gaming International handed The Bowl back to Milton Keynes Partnership towards the end of 2010 – so it is unlikely that any of the plans outlined in 2006 will ever be undertaken – apart from a temporary structure built close to The Bowl in summer 2010 which has a temporary three-year planning permission.There is also a section on Elfield Park : Gaming International already owns Elfield Park, a narrow strip of land on the other side of the A5 from the Bowl, between the A5 and the West Coast Main Line. They cleared a site for the new greyhound stadium there, having recently (2005) purchased it from English Partnerships, and evicted the speedway track and motocross club that had used it for 20 years. Greyhound racing in Milton Keynes was previously at Ashland (since 1966): Gaming International owned that too, but sold it to English Partnerships as a brownfield site for a 350 house development.Is it just me, or is that quite poorly written? It seems to say that Gaming International kicked greyhound racing out to sell the site for housing, promised to build a new greyhound arena, kicked out the speedway club to do so, but then failed to build a new greyhound arena. Wiki page for Milton Keynes Greyhound Stadium says this: The B.S Group owned the track before being renamed to Gaming International and in 2005 they closed the track. Plans for a new track at Elfield Park near the National Bowl did not materialise.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes_Greyhound_StadiumA familiar tale. Not sure if the speedway bit is quite right. It seems that Milton Keynes Knights were evicted from the greyhound stadium in 1988 (was Gaming International the landlord then?) and left Elfield Park as early as 1992. |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 1, 2016 23:26:01 GMT
I see that the latest TUST newsletter talks of not "rocking the boat".
Isn't performing due diligence all about rocking the boat?
If the boat is seaworthy, it will stand up to a bit of rocking.
If the boat is not seaworthy, it is far better to find out before you sail it out into the middle of the ocean.
I am sure that the board and their advisors will already have found out all there is to know about Gaming International. They will, won't they?
Hopefully, they will have received satisfactory answers to all questions arising from their due diligence.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 2, 2016 7:55:59 GMT
I see that the latest TUST newsletter talks of not "rocking the boat". Isn't performing due diligence all about rocking the boat? If the boat is seaworthy, it will stand up to a bit of rocking. If the boat is not seaworthy, it is far better to find out before you sail it out into the middle of the ocean. I am sure that the board and their advisors will already have found out all there is to know about Gaming International. They will, won't they? Hopefully, they will have received satisfactory answers to all questions arising from their due diligence. Nice analogies! Dave Phillips describes this as wonderful news in the Herald but links any distractions as having a negative impact on our relegation battle and therefore "asks our wonderful supporters to remain silent" I do have a number of issues with this mainly 1) If this deal is so wonderful for the club why can it not bear scrutiny? 2) Deal to complete in about a month so no window of opportunity that board wants fans input. 3) Supporting players on the pitch and questioning club ownership are surely separate issues? Would love to be proved wrong but got a bad feeling about this..... |
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hector
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Post by hector on Apr 2, 2016 10:09:42 GMT
From the latest Gaming International Ltd accounts: The principal activity of the company is the operation of gaming and leisure facilities (including greyhound racing) and PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT. The emphasis is mine. The man behind this company Clarke Osborne has now set up a new company "Riviera Stadium Limited". Gaming International Limited was once known as Bristol Stadium PLC. Clarke Osborne was a director of Bristol Stadium PLC when Bristol Rovers could no longer afford to pay them the rent in 1986. Rovers were forced to play in exile in Bath for ten years. Osborne was Chief Executive of Bristol Stadium PLC when Eastville was sold to Ikea for £19m. There were promises that a new greyhound site would be found in Bristol - but it did not happen. I think Reading has suffered a similar fate. I am sure that the new owners will lend the football club enough money to keep those fans who don't look beyond the end of their nose happy for a couple of years. My fear is that the day will come when they will want everything they lend back plus a return on investment. They are not fans and they are not a charity. I hate to say it, but I fully believe that Dave Phillips is about to sign the club's death warrant. I have some sympathy for the current board as they were suckered in to Dean Edwards' ego trip and left holding the baby, but I cannot be an apologist for their current course of action. I don't buy this "they saved the club" and "there is no alternative" stuff. They were the first on the scene of the accident and administered CPR. They then said "Don't call an ambulance, we've got it all under control". They are now saying "We haven't got time for an ambulance, call the undertakers". The fans of this club could have saved the club given the chance - just as the fans of Newport County were given that chance. My blood boiled when the board refused to even listen to how James Mathie achieved that. My fear was that they would sell to a property developer instead .... I agree with you, Jon. I think this marks the beginning of the end and hopefully TUST are preparing for the end game when the debris is need of salvation or rebuilding/restarting completely. |
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simonb
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Post by simonb on Apr 2, 2016 10:27:46 GMT
Concur - seems ( from what we know so far) it could be a bunch of dodgy and shady individuals seeking to make pecuniary gains through dabbling around in the property and company markets. Suspect they will position themselves to be immune from financial liabilities once they have milked the system and filled their wallets. Now struggling to be optimistic about this as further details unfold! Hope my reading of the process is wrong but in the light of past such events who can be sure?
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Post by thefarmersfriend on Apr 2, 2016 11:27:31 GMT
This 'don't rock the boat' bit has really got my back up.
Selling the club off to a shadowy group of property developers with no connection to the area and a less-than-great track record of similar deals, who also seem to have in Harrop a looming threat to the current manager's position at a crucial stage of a season that could break us? That's all completely not undermining and nothing for us hysterical supporters and the only entity that comes close to representing us to worry about, so shut up or you'll relegate us.
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