Weymouth Look Finished

Andover is handier for me. We might get World Cup status there.

I tend to agree with Barton that the long drawn out state of affairs for Weymouth supporters must really have taken its toll now. It seems the property developers will eventually now have their way on the sea view site. I hope they're able to regroup and form something out of this mess to follow in the coming seasons. There but for the grace again.

Jon’s point about ground ownership – and the nature of those who own the land – is a good one and probably explains why it has been worth persevering with trying to save Weymouth FC. Ultimately a football club needs a home and – in the absence of suitable alternatives in the town – the current ground is key to everything.

But - unless there is an unexpected positive development - the reality is that things appear much worse than when the latest series of crises broke around twelve months ago. The players have gone, the debts have risen and charlatans continue to come and go. At this rate, in a year’s time, Weymouth will be struggling – if they’re lucky – in the same league as Taunton, North Leigh and Andover.

It hardly seems worth the effort. The stadium may have to be surrendered to the sharks but – if that happens – it could potentially jeopardise any new club’s legitimacy (as well as prospects). A new Weymouth playing at, say, Bridport might initially take over the mantle. But what if another group of supporters put together an alternative club playing at a lower level – in rather modest surroundings - in the town itself? Which club would you support in the circumstances? Which becomes the successor club?

Not an easy one to answer but, to all intents and purposes, that’s what appears to be happening in Scarborough. Scarborough Athletic got off the blocks quickly thanks to the Seadog Trust, retained the colours and managed to attract considerable numbers of the former club’s support even though they were playing at Bridlington. But now there’s a Scarborough Town – also wearing red and backed by supporters of the old club – playing in the town and seeking promotion to the Northern League. Its legitimacy is partly based on links to the academy set-up at the old club. Nothing like a bit of local rivalry to fill the void, I suppose...

dl.dropbox.com/u/5178307/Swimming%20in%20a%20Tank%20of%20Sharks%20PDF.pdf

Cracking read that, Jon. How depressing at the same time, though. I wouldn't blame Kevin for his approach in the circumstances. The concerns about Terras fans not accepting anyone standing as representative of the fans, whilst they scratch their arses is one we can surely empathise with, though. I doubt it is that rare, mind.

The only flaw in your plan, Dave, is that if the Ground had become a Club asset, it might well have been borrowed against by either Bateson, Roberts or some other nutcase.

I think we all know that those who shout loudest that something must be done are nowhere to be seen when something actually needs doing.

The bit about Kevin that rang a bell with me is his unwaivering belief that fan ownership is always the answer in the face of any evidence to the contrary. Connor knew that the Terras Trust just did not have sufficient resources and volunteers to actually run the club itself. I witnessed the same situation at our club.

I do remember one meeting where Chris Fleet turned up delighted that Kevin had given him a full list of TUFC shareholders. I spiked the mood a little by saying that I already had that information - but the problem was that 85% of the shares were held in a block. Sometimes it's horrible having to be the realist rather than the idealist.

While talking about Bateson, Roberts etc it had me thinking that in our history room we had have many threads on past managers but not one thread that showed all the club owners from the day we were founded.

I'm not sure how far back it would be possible to go but it would be great if our history boys could make such a thread and possibly included such information about how successful we were under each owner.

I see what you are saying, but another Roberts or that very one, could have persuaded another Sadler, or that very one, that the extra punt was worth taking as there was so much of a financial guarantee that things could not go wrong in the form of a stadium plot. And as Jon says, it would have assisted in paying the pension back and buying the nutcase more time to properly cripple us.

Council will do just fine for us, in my opinion. You can vote them out, at least. I appreciate you don't like Nick Bye. I have no first hand experience of him day to day, but would not vote for his colours if I had the choice locally. Yellow should be the only choice in Torbay. ;)Times change, but Roberts types are around during all of those times. The stories at other Clubs as well as our own serve to remind us of that.

On the Terras Trust article, I agree that SD can be seen as somewhat utopian ideals. And would expect Kevin to continually preach that mantra as a professional and in those circumstances. Connor also did the right thing by pointing out repeatedly the practical difficulties. A crude form of checks and balances? I'll say again, though, it's a must read.

I think you would probably get similar problems with us, if, heaven forbid, we ever had someone trying to land grab us. But someone has to keep it going. And George Rolls was never going to be that person for poor Weymouth.

(PS: I wasn't suggesting Bateson was a nutcase, by the way.)