Paolo meets potential new owners (From Swindon Advertiser)

bowralbob wrote:
Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners? Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

DarrenSTFCRomain wrote:

bowralbob wrote: Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners? Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

Fust wait for the Guv.. The man seems to no A LOT more than anyone on here... COME ON GUV STILL

bowralbob wrote:
I've seen this on twitter from last year when Banbury was taken over.I expect others have already seen it and posted it, but if not I'll copy and paste it just for your info :-

This is only marginally Luton related but was looking for a little info.

My non-league club Banbury Utd (still don't class Luton as non-league) has been taken over by a consortium called Ordicium. Details are sketchy at the moment but some of the consortium members have luton connections

Brian Stein - obvious connections,
Jed McCrory - said by Brian to be a huge Luton fan,
Martin King (may not be spelled correctly) - ex Luton director
Perry Deakin - no Luton connections

Just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of these chaps and why they might be interested in taking over Banbury - the club have no financial assets so I'm not concerned about a rip off just what might be their motivation.

bowralbob wrote:
I've seen this on twitter from last year when Banbury was taken over.I expect others have already seen it and posted it, but if not I'll copy and paste it just for your info :- This is only marginally Luton related but was looking for a little info. My non-league club Banbury Utd (still don't class Luton as non-league) has been taken over by a consortium called Ordicium. Details are sketchy at the moment but some of the consortium members have luton connections Brian Stein - obvious connections, Jed McCrory - said by Brian to be a huge Luton fan, Martin King (may not be spelled correctly) - ex Luton director Perry Deakin - no Luton connections Just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of these chaps and why they might be interested in taking over Banbury - the club have no financial assets so I'm not concerned about a rip off just what might be their motivation.

ShearerShearer wrote:

bowralbob wrote:
I've seen this on twitter from last year when Banbury was taken over.I expect others have already seen it and posted it, but if not I'll copy and paste it just for your info :- This is only marginally Luton related but was looking for a little info. My non-league club Banbury Utd (still don't class Luton as non-league) has been taken over by a consortium called Ordicium. Details are sketchy at the moment but some of the consortium members have luton connections Brian Stein - obvious connections, Jed McCrory - said by Brian to be a huge Luton fan, Martin King (may not be spelled correctly) - ex Luton director Perry Deakin - no Luton connections Just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of these chaps and why they might be interested in taking over Banbury - the club have no financial assets so I'm not concerned about a rip off just what might be their motivation.

google "Perry Deakin Port Vale"

Nikki Nythe wrote:
Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

GL5 Arkells Stand wrote:
Whatever happens today, we need everyone there tomorrow.

No excuses - ticket prices are down and the manager and team need to see a massive show of support.

This WILL be our year.

bowralbob wrote:
Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners?
Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

Blazing Riff wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote:
Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

He hasn't!

spectacles testicals wallet watch wrote:
Surely some good must have come from yesterday otherwise without the right backing PDC would have said things remain untenable. Also i see that Green is now considering MK Franchise, Why? Surely we are the more attractive option especially now we look likely to get the purchase ratified with PDC at the helm. 'Orrible bloody franchised club

mallorca wrote:
Let´s hope this perry Deaken is not one of the investors.Did read about him on Port Vale site,also has been with a couple of clubs who ended up in administration. Still us Fans don´t really know what is happening other than it is with the FL. It seems to be dragging on,all we can hope for is that the investors come up to spec with the FL otherwise I guess we will be in for a long hard time of it. As I said the other day and a poster this morning compared to Pompey at least we have a good chance. Still cannot work out 2 lots of admin,been in admin since Feb 2012 they can ship players in and out????? See 2 more are due this week. Anyone know why the FL allow this????? yet they blocked our move for 3 players. Guess it´s because we are STFC allways messed on

SAPFanSTFC wrote:
If the takeover isn't ratified by the end of today then how will it be done in time for the Hartlepool match?...or are the FL working Saturday morning?
.
Sham it wasn't done in the timescales it was supposed to be done i.e. in the 4-5 working days timeframe.
.
Just no surprises Football League!!

umpcah wrote:

spectacles testicals wallet watch wrote: Surely some good must have come from yesterday otherwise without the right backing PDC would have said things remain untenable. Also i see that Green is now considering MK Franchise, Why? Surely we are the more attractive option especially now we look likely to get the purchase ratified with PDC at the helm. 'Orrible bloody franchised club

"we look likely to get the purchase ratified with PDC at the helm. " It`s not in the bag until it`s in the bag as my mate used to say. I shall be glad when the STFC rollercoaster rolls a bit gentler ! This afternoon I hope !

bowralbob wrote:

ShearerShearer wrote:

bowralbob wrote:
I've seen this on twitter from last year when Banbury was taken over.I expect others have already seen it and posted it, but if not I'll copy and paste it just for your info :- This is only marginally Luton related but was looking for a little info. My non-league club Banbury Utd (still don't class Luton as non-league) has been taken over by a consortium called Ordicium. Details are sketchy at the moment but some of the consortium members have luton connections Brian Stein - obvious connections, Jed McCrory - said by Brian to be a huge Luton fan, Martin King (may not be spelled correctly) - ex Luton director Perry Deakin - no Luton connections Just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of these chaps and why they might be interested in taking over Banbury - the club have no financial assets so I'm not concerned about a rip off just what might be their motivation.

google "Perry Deakin Port Vale"

OMG he sounds very shonky.

Nikki Nythe wrote:
Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

MITTED wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote:
Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

Stop encouraging him - he has been WRONG all along!

Davidsyrett wrote:

bowralbob wrote:

ShearerShearer wrote:

bowralbob wrote: I've seen this on twitter from last year when Banbury was taken over.I expect others have already seen it and posted it, but if not I'll copy and paste it just for your info :- This is only marginally Luton related but was looking for a little info. My non-league club Banbury Utd (still don't class Luton as non-league) has been taken over by a consortium called Ordicium. Details are sketchy at the moment but some of the consortium members have luton connections Brian Stein - obvious connections, Jed McCrory - said by Brian to be a huge Luton fan, Martin King (may not be spelled correctly) - ex Luton director Perry Deakin - no Luton connections Just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of these chaps and why they might be interested in taking over Banbury - the club have no financial assets so I'm not concerned about a rip off just what might be their motivation.

google "Perry Deakin Port Vale"

OMG he sounds very shonky.

I have a feeling that the consortium will be totally different to those at Banbury. Far more money required here. The FL is supposed to check the background of the new board members and that they are in a position to run the club. Surely a person who has already been involved with 2 clubs which have gone into administration will be allowed to be involved in yet another league team.

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Blazing Riff wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote: Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

He hasn't!

Smells of yet another duplicate ID poster to congratulate themselves on their posts or to back-up some arguments - either that or a wind-up! :-) ---- Wondered whether it is the players having a bit of a laugh / winding up everyone else (or even each other) - now that would be wicked....i.e. telling Fodders that he was being sold!?

stfc_tom wrote:
Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags.

COYR!!!!

peatmoor pirate wrote:

GL5 Arkells Stand wrote:
Whatever happens today, we need everyone there tomorrow.

No excuses - ticket prices are down and the manager and team need to see a massive show of support.

This WILL be our year.

Ticket Office reckoned gate will be approx 9,500 tomorrow (presumably with Hartlepool not bringing too many). Would be nice to see it pip over 10,000 for once Where are all the fans that came and saw us play the Villa?

Oi Den! wrote:
I hope the "get to the Championship within 18 months" has become "get to the Championship within 4 months". We have to keep the momentum going and make a big push for it this season, as there's no guarantee that a semi-successful season would be followed by a successful one - as we know only too well.
.
In the meantime I remain uneasy about the takeover, whether it's ratified or not.

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote:
Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags.

COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

Cookie43 wrote:
For god sake stop kissing guvs feet
He knows f.ck all, I bet if you went to one of those spiritualist evening and the clairvoyant said I am sensing I have a message for a male or female you would believe they have a gift.
Guv had a lucky guess that's all but has got nothing right. Some people are so easily taken in its pathetic.!!!

the don69 wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote:
Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags.

COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

Best Post of the morning so far on another no news day so far!well done Tom,so don't forget to get your Flags Guys&Gals!!!!!

Stilloyal wrote:
GUV knows fukc all that the rest of us don't know, any "exclusives "he posts are just guesswork.


However the deal will be finalised this morning and the clubs agent will be doing his best to get loanees here asap . How many and will they play a part tomorrow is anyones guess .
Paolo will stay after positive talks assured him of the new owners intent yesterday.

Yeah this is me guessing but I won't be far away.

Wonder how much damage the virus has done to the squad in the last couple of days, or has it cleared up ?

Saturday 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio "

Lanky wrote:

bowralbob wrote:
Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners?
Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

Bowrelbob and Potterred - ever heard of patience? "The adver doesn't know anything"....do you think they were invited in on the meeting themselves? And that Sam wouldn't have posted a story yesterday immediately afterwards if that was the case?

I'm not entirely sure what fans like you expect. From my point of view, Sam Morshead has done brilliantly over the past few weeks in bringing us the goings on at a blisteringly fast pace, and because of that, if there is not a brand new story in the morning, I take it as there is no news to report at that precise moment.

Follow him on Twitter if you want the most up-to-date ongoings as you usually get the story a few minutes before it is published here. But don't start moaning that the "the adver doesn't know anything". Luckily for us, they know far more than the ridiculous tabloids and fans such as yourselves.

jayden wrote:
Its now all about 3 points and filling the cg nothing else matters dont forget HP have got better in the last few weeks so we will need to be on our game.

The Jockster wrote:

Stilloyal wrote: GUV knows fukc all that the rest of us don't know, any "exclusives "he posts are just guesswork. However the deal will be finalised this morning and the clubs agent will be doing his best to get loanees here asap . How many and will they play a part tomorrow is anyones guess . Paolo will stay after positive talks assured him of the new owners intent yesterday. Yeah this is me guessing but I won't be far away. Wonder how much damage the virus has done to the squad in the last couple of days, or has it cleared up ? Saturday 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio "

Loyal the law of averages says that someone will be right about something sometime so your prophesy might well be right even if its not today. Sap told us it'd all be done yesterday but that never happened. Caution tells me the longer it takes means there are more glitches to overcome. Jed & co. may well want to work with Paolo but can they convince him to work with them. In essence can they deliver what he wants and expects to allow him to feel he can deliver championship football?

deviant in the tupping pen wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Blazing Riff wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote: Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

He hasn't!

Smells of yet another duplicate ID poster to congratulate themselves on their posts or to back-up some arguments - either that or a wind-up! :-) ---- Wondered whether it is the players having a bit of a laugh / winding up everyone else (or even each other) - now that would be wicked....i.e. telling Fodders that he was being sold!?

Fodders is being sold? Oh no! We're doomed! Doomed I tell you!

peatmoor pirate wrote:

GL5 Arkells Stand wrote:
Whatever happens today, we need everyone there tomorrow.

No excuses - ticket prices are down and the manager and team need to see a massive show of support.

This WILL be our year.

Ticket Office reckoned gate will be approx 9,500 tomorrow (presumably with Hartlepool not bringing too many). Would be nice to see it pip over 10,000 for once Where are all the fans that came and saw us play the Villa?

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote:
Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags.

COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

deviant in the tupping pen wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Blazing Riff wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote: Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

He hasn't!

Smells of yet another duplicate ID poster to congratulate themselves on their posts or to back-up some arguments - either that or a wind-up! :-) ---- Wondered whether it is the players having a bit of a laugh / winding up everyone else (or even each other) - now that would be wicked....i.e. telling Fodders that he was being sold!?

Fodders is being sold? Oh no! We're doomed! Doomed I tell you!

TheBrightSide wrote:
Stillloyal liking your 1510 stand up, how abot 'scarves up for Di Canio' with everyone standing up singing, especially TE and DR?

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote:
Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags.

COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere!
...
Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!?
...
I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive.
If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?!
...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

TheBrightSide wrote: Stillloyal liking your 1510 stand up, how abot 'scarves up for Di Canio' with everyone standing up singing, especially TE and DR?

We'll be joining in from the Arkells!! . We're starting to get a little bit more noise going some weeks - just bloomin hard at times.

Stilloyal wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

Cheers SAP, I'm always positive mate , "every liability carries with it the seed of equal or greater possibility"..
Never give up !

Tomorrow 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio, stand up for the Maestro " and hold your scarves high.

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Stilloyal wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

Cheers SAP, I'm always positive mate , "every liability carries with it the seed of equal or greater possibility"..
Never give up !

Tomorrow 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio, stand up for the Maestro " and hold your scarves high.

Like it - We have to stay positive being Town fans! :-)
....
Love the 15.10 Stand-Up for Di Canio idea!
...also hoping that everyone stays a but later than normal claps the team off the pitch and then support the Di Canio Scarf salute...just 10mins extra folks!!?

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Stilloyal wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

Cheers SAP, I'm always positive mate , "every liability carries with it the seed of equal or greater possibility"..
Never give up !

Tomorrow 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio, stand up for the Maestro " and hold your scarves high.

Like it - We have to stay positive being Town fans! :-)
....
Love the 15.10 Stand-Up for Di Canio idea!
...also hoping that everyone stays a but later than normal claps the team off the pitch and then support the Di Canio Scarf salute...just 10mins extra folks!!?

Lanky wrote:

bowralbob wrote:
Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners?
Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

Bowrelbob and Potterred - ever heard of patience? "The adver doesn't know anything"....do you think they were invited in on the meeting themselves? And that Sam wouldn't have posted a story yesterday immediately afterwards if that was the case?

I'm not entirely sure what fans like you expect. From my point of view, Sam Morshead has done brilliantly over the past few weeks in bringing us the goings on at a blisteringly fast pace, and because of that, if there is not a brand new story in the morning, I take it as there is no news to report at that precise moment.

Follow him on Twitter if you want the most up-to-date ongoings as you usually get the story a few minutes before it is published here. But don't start moaning that the "the adver doesn't know anything". Luckily for us, they know far more than the ridiculous tabloids and fans such as yourselves.

chrystovski wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Stilloyal wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

Cheers SAP, I'm always positive mate , "every liability carries with it the seed of equal or greater possibility"..
Never give up !

Tomorrow 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio, stand up for the Maestro " and hold your scarves high.

Like it - We have to stay positive being Town fans! :-)
....
Love the 15.10 Stand-Up for Di Canio idea!
...also hoping that everyone stays a but later than normal claps the team off the pitch and then support the Di Canio Scarf salute...just 10mins extra folks!!?

I read this yesterday and thought it was a great idea, I've been trying to spread the word on twitter this morning.

That would be a hair raising moment if all 10,000 fans stood up for Di Canio.

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

Doctor red wrote:
I will prescribe the Arkells crowd to stand up with me at 1510
Well done Averd over past 2 days a great effort!

The Doc

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

matt09 wrote:
i never quite understand the bashing of Sam and the team at the adver. If it wasnt for them i am pretty sure i would know a lot less of what is going on than i currently do.
the reason we dont know more is because of the conf agreement not because the adver isnt asking the questions.
having said all that i hope we arent in for a shock when these new board members names are released. will also be interested to see how much money Mr Black wanted back from the sale and where this consortium get that money from........more holding companies would be my guess.

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

stfc_tom wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

It wasn't the new consortium mate. A fan has paid for 8000 flags and they will be available for free I understand tomorrow - distributed by the club. Donations are encouraged however which will go towards the Wiltshire Air Ambulence.

Old-Stager, Hilperton wrote:

matt09 wrote:
i never quite understand the bashing of Sam and the team at the adver. If it wasnt for them i am pretty sure i would know a lot less of what is going on than i currently do.
the reason we dont know more is because of the conf agreement not because the adver isnt asking the questions.
having said all that i hope we arent in for a shock when these new board members names are released. will also be interested to see how much money Mr Black wanted back from the sale and where this consortium get that money from........more holding companies would be my guess.

I quite agree with you matt09, because the very first thing I look at every day of my life is the Adver STFC stories and comments.
Previously I always looked at the Official Swindon Town website up until they changed the format about six months ago, which seems as though it now conforms to the standard Football League presentation.
It is so bad that I rarely ever bother with the Club Website any more.

grove red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

15.10 it is then can the guys who do the scoreboard put a bit on there saying 15.10 stand up for PDC. Get fed up waiting for the FL maybe there fax machine is broke today or the guy who fax the docs has got the trots.

Lanky wrote:

bowralbob wrote:
Anyone have an idea how Paolo reacted to meeting the new owners?
Obviously the Advertiser doesn't know anything.

Bowrelbob and Potterred - ever heard of patience? "The adver doesn't know anything"....do you think they were invited in on the meeting themselves? And that Sam wouldn't have posted a story yesterday immediately afterwards if that was the case?

I'm not entirely sure what fans like you expect. From my point of view, Sam Morshead has done brilliantly over the past few weeks in bringing us the goings on at a blisteringly fast pace, and because of that, if there is not a brand new story in the morning, I take it as there is no news to report at that precise moment.

Follow him on Twitter if you want the most up-to-date ongoings as you usually get the story a few minutes before it is published here. But don't start moaning that the "the adver doesn't know anything". Luckily for us, they know far more than the ridiculous tabloids and fans such as yourselves.

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote: I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone.... - Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football? - How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets. I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014. If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that. Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team. We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited. We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup. Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely. Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess. Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

Guv wrote:
http://www.bbc.co.uk

/sport/0/football/21

372441

Nice to Paolo in number 18!

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

Blazing Riff wrote:

Nikki Nythe wrote: Guv please give us an update you have been right all along and I want a real update is PFC staying

He hasn't!

madterrier wrote:
JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM?

On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

Oi Den! wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

dedeveloped? - er, no, not a good idea.

Oi Den! wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

dedeveloped? - er, no, not a good idea.

madterrier wrote:
Den - Maybe the mysterious covenant could become the basis of a new film?

'Paolo Di Canio and the Quest for the County Ground Covenant'.

Of course, Paolo Di Canio would have to be played by James Nesbitt (no contest on that one). The leader of Swindon Council by Nigel Paperclip-Boxfile, and perhaps Alan Rickman as the mad but mysterious timelord who has the password to the secret covenant filing cabinet.

To give the film its Hollywood legs, let's add in Brad Pitt as the swashbuckling American property tycoon who parachutes into Wiltshire ostensibly to turn the CG into a new Tesco Horseburger factory but ends up falling in love with the club, and Doris the tea lady in particular, and extracts the password from the time lord and signs Danny Green on a loan deal rumoured to be....(continued page 94)

madterrier wrote:
Den - Maybe the mysterious covenant could become the basis of a new film?

'Paolo Di Canio and the Quest for the County Ground Covenant'.

Of course, Paolo Di Canio would have to be played by James Nesbitt (no contest on that one). The leader of Swindon Council by Nigel Paperclip-Boxfile, and perhaps Alan Rickman as the mad but mysterious timelord who has the password to the secret covenant filing cabinet.

To give the film its Hollywood legs, let's add in Brad Pitt as the swashbuckling American property tycoon who parachutes into Wiltshire ostensibly to turn the CG into a new Tesco Horseburger factory but ends up falling in love with the club, and Doris the tea lady in particular, and extracts the password from the time lord and signs Danny Green on a loan deal rumoured to be....(continued page 94)

Another view wrote:
Nick Watkins mentioned the covenant a few years ago. He did say though that the club believed this would not stop them buying the cricket ground to help the club expand. Sport would still be played, obviously football, plus athletics as that track would not be in the way.

A hotel/shops attached to the ground would still be part of a sports ground.

stfc_tom wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

It wasn't the new consortium mate. A fan has paid for 8000 flags and they will be available for free I understand tomorrow - distributed by the club. Donations are encouraged however which will go towards the Wiltshire Air Ambulence.

Oi Den! wrote:

Another view wrote:
Nick Watkins mentioned the covenant a few years ago. He did say though that the club believed this would not stop them buying the cricket ground to help the club expand. Sport would still be played, obviously football, plus athletics as that track would not be in the way.

A hotel/shops attached to the ground would still be part of a sports ground.

Thanks AV.

Rebel_phish wrote:
BBC Wiltshire report takeover wont be finalized till middle of next week

the don69 wrote:
Just seen the front page of the Adver!they've done a Delia!Lets be having you!!so I say nice one,get your@sses out your armchairs and down to the County Ground your great local club needs you or you won't have a Fecking local club in the future!(only supermarine)as for the takeover!1we want these guys checked out with a fine tooth-comb 2let the FL check them out 3 don't do a Corporal Jones just cause the league is taking it's time,they have to do a thorough job!!!!!!!!!!!

Rebel_phish wrote:
BBC Wiltshire report takeover wont be finalized till middle of next week

jayden wrote:
Heres a name i have been given David MUNRO he is ment to be 1 of the 5.

mike1990 wrote:

the don69 wrote:
Just seen the front page of the Adver!they've done a Delia!Lets be having you!!so I say nice one,get your@sses out your armchairs and down to the County Ground your great local club needs you or you won't have a Fecking local club in the future!(only supermarine)as for the takeover!1we want these guys checked out with a fine tooth-comb 2let the FL check them out 3 don't do a Corporal Jones just cause the league is taking it's time,they have to do a thorough job!!!!!!!!!!!

Spot on Don69,but the adver could have thought of something better than delia's rant, my boss keeps walking around singing Diana Ross record,i'm still waiting hahahaha.

red_welder wrote:

Rebel_phish wrote:
BBC Wiltshire report takeover wont be finalized till middle of next week

With no new signings due to the fl dragging their heels have they not given our rivals an unfair advantage? Just glad PDC is still able to work his magic.

red_welder wrote:

Rebel_phish wrote:
BBC Wiltshire report takeover wont be finalized till middle of next week

With no new signings due to the fl dragging their heels have they not given our rivals an unfair advantage? Just glad PDC is still able to work his magic.

We are PANTS wrote:

red_welder wrote:

Rebel_phish wrote:
BBC Wiltshire report takeover wont be finalized till middle of next week

With no new signings due to the fl dragging their heels have they not given our rivals an unfair advantage? Just glad PDC is still able to work his magic.

This might not be such a bad thing!! If the club screw thier loaf and don't sign anyone until 16th feb they will be eligable to play right up until any potential playoff final!! Also, it gives all concerned nothing else but to focas 110% on tomorrow!! Bring it on..........

the don69 wrote:
Just seen the front page of the Adver!they've done a Delia!Lets be having you!!so I say nice one,get your@sses out your armchairs and down to the County Ground your great local club needs you or you won't have a Fecking local club in the future!(only supermarine)as for the takeover!1we want these guys checked out with a fine tooth-comb 2let the FL check them out 3 don't do a Corporal Jones just cause the league is taking it's time,they have to do a thorough job!!!!!!!!!!!

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

Oi Den! wrote:

madterrier wrote:
JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM?

On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

terrier, does anyone know whether the restrictive covenant actually exists? It's often referred to on here but I don't think I've ever seen any confirmation. I still think biggest task facing the club may be the prising of the freehold away from the Council. In some respects that might not be a bad thing. I shudder to think what might have happened if some of our previous STFC regimes had got their hands on it. I can think of a few individuals who might have filled their boots and left the club in the lurch. And we still need to guard against that.

ChrisWantageRed wrote:
Someone help me...I'm baffled!

Town are now essentially under embargo, despite being near a takeover. Yet a club £60m in the hole and in administration are allowed to sign who they want?

I'm extremely confused!

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Oi Den! wrote:

the don69 wrote:
Just seen the front page of the Adver!they've done a Delia!Lets be having you!!so I say nice one,get your@sses out your armchairs and down to the County Ground your great local club needs you or you won't have a Fecking local club in the future!(only supermarine)as for the takeover!1we want these guys checked out with a fine tooth-comb 2let the FL check them out 3 don't do a Corporal Jones just cause the league is taking it's time,they have to do a thorough job!!!!!!!!!!!

Dead right on both counts Don. Anyone who cares about the club and can afford the time and money should be there tomorrow. I don't see the need to show mass affection for PDC though. He already knows very well what the fans think of him. No doubt he'll be taking that into account but there will be other factors that will ultimately determine whether fhe stays or goes. What it's reallly about is local people showing at this uncertain time how much they want a decent football club in Swindon. The new consortium may not yet have ownership of the club, but that needn't stop tomorrow being the beginning of a new era of greater support.
.
And the Football League ratification takes as long as it takes. If it reduces the possibility of the game being taken over by club wreckers and crooks, it has my 100% support.

eddyxx wrote:

ChrisWantageRed wrote: Someone help me...I'm baffled! Town are now essentially under embargo, despite being near a takeover. Yet a club £60m in the hole and in administration are allowed to sign who they want? I'm extremely confused!

maybe new owners sanctioned the payment of the wages of the incoming trio, until they are the new owners the moves can not be sanctioned, maybe A.B has refused to back the deals bearing in mind he is the current owner which explains why they have not signed. maybe another reason, who knows?

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Oxon-Red wrote:

eddyxx wrote:

ChrisWantageRed wrote: Someone help me...I'm baffled! Town are now essentially under embargo, despite being near a takeover. Yet a club £60m in the hole and in administration are allowed to sign who they want? I'm extremely confused!

maybe new owners sanctioned the payment of the wages of the incoming trio, until they are the new owners the moves can not be sanctioned, maybe A.B has refused to back the deals bearing in mind he is the current owner which explains why they have not signed. maybe another reason, who knows?

I think Pompey are being treated as a special case to enable them to fulfil their fixtures. I believe they are allowed to sign players but can only do so for 1 month at a time. Hence they are being allowed to continue to sign. I have been checking the on-line ticketing system and about an hour ago there were less than 900 tickets available. Remove areas not available on-line (Stratton, away area and parts of Arkells next to away section) and we look to have sold around 10,000 for tomorrow. DR stand had about 130 available and Arkells about 300. COYMR

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Stilloyal wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

umpcah wrote:

stfc_tom wrote: Just to let everyone know there will be 8,000 red and white flags for the game tomorrow so be sure to pick one up. All the money will be going to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity so a doubly good cause. Lets get behind the lads and create a reall football atmosphere. The flags have been supplied by an annonymous individual rather than the club (although they will be distributed by the club). This individual wants to stay annonymous and will not reveive a penny from the sale of the flags. COYR!!!!

EXCELLENT !

This is fantastic news - smells as though the new consortium may have put some money up front to create a carnival atmosphere! ... Despite all of the FL admin illnesses is there a chance that they did get it all approved by close of play on the 5th working day!? ... I tend to trust Stilloyal's opinions above most and he's sounding pretty positive. If all is confirmed today then it could be meet the board time on the pitch before the game!?! ...let's hope the players give the crowd something to cheer tomorrow and if it is 9,500 then excellent....I'm sure we can get a few more walk-ins on the day for 10,000+ ....now that will be a tug at the heart strings as I love seeing the County Ground with a bit of life in it.

Cheers SAP, I'm always positive mate , "every liability carries with it the seed of equal or greater possibility".. Never give up ! Tomorrow 15.10 "Stand up for Di Canio, stand up for the Maestro " and hold your scarves high.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Jayden that is where you sit so sing up me ol mate your fellow quiet beings need you (cmon swindon in squeaky voice of course :O)

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Jayden that is where you sit so sing up me ol mate your fellow quiet beings need you (cmon swindon in squeaky voice of course :O)

Lol" ill do my beast steve .My brother and his mates are coming at least it will look like i have some mates of my own.

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Jayden that is where you sit so sing up me ol mate your fellow quiet beings need you (cmon swindon in squeaky voice of course :O)

Lol" ill do my beast steve .My brother and his mates are coming at least it will look like i have some mates of my own.

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Jayden that is where you sit so sing up me ol mate your fellow quiet beings need you (cmon swindon in squeaky voice of course :O)

Lol" ill do my beast steve .My brother and his mates are coming at least it will look like i have some mates of my own.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

Jayden that is where you sit so sing up me ol mate your fellow quiet beings need you (cmon swindon in squeaky voice of course :O)

Lol" ill do my beast steve .My brother and his mates are coming at least it will look like i have some mates of my own.

What beast is that hahahaha

LydiardRED67 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

madterrier wrote: JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM? On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

terrier, does anyone know whether the restrictive covenant actually exists? It's often referred to on here but I don't think I've ever seen any confirmation. I still think biggest task facing the club may be the prising of the freehold away from the Council. In some respects that might not be a bad thing. I shudder to think what might have happened if some of our previous STFC regimes had got their hands on it. I can think of a few individuals who might have filled their boots and left the club in the lurch. And we still need to guard against that.

Good point. We all quote the "covenant" but we don't know for sure. I guess we will only know if it exists is if we rlocate and the Council is forced to develope the land. We will then see if the likes of IKEA is classed as a leisure pusruit. Like you, I think the Council have no intention of selling for whatever reason) and I suspect if any STFC owners have aspirations of a new stadium it will be away from the CG. Perhaps some form of shared development with the speedway, although not the same stadium.

GL5 Arkells Stand wrote:
Whatever happens today, we need everyone there tomorrow.

No excuses - ticket prices are down and the manager and team need to see a massive show of support.

This WILL be our year.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

LydiardRED67 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

madterrier wrote:
JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM?

On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

terrier, does anyone know whether the restrictive covenant actually exists? It's often referred to on here but I don't think I've ever seen any confirmation. I still think biggest task facing the club may be the prising of the freehold away from the Council. In some respects that might not be a bad thing. I shudder to think what might have happened if some of our previous STFC regimes had got their hands on it. I can think of a few individuals who might have filled their boots and left the club in the lurch. And we still need to guard against that.

Good point. We all quote the "covenant" but we don't know for sure.

I guess we will only know if it exists is if we rlocate and the Council is forced to develope the land.

We will then see if the likes of IKEA is classed as a leisure pusruit.

Like you, I think the Council have no intention of selling for whatever reason) and I suspect if any STFC owners have aspirations of a new stadium it will be away from the CG.

Perhaps some form of shared development with the speedway, although not the same stadium.

Since 1950 wrote:

LydiardRED67 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

madterrier wrote: JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM? On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

terrier, does anyone know whether the restrictive covenant actually exists? It's often referred to on here but I don't think I've ever seen any confirmation. I still think biggest task facing the club may be the prising of the freehold away from the Council. In some respects that might not be a bad thing. I shudder to think what might have happened if some of our previous STFC regimes had got their hands on it. I can think of a few individuals who might have filled their boots and left the club in the lurch. And we still need to guard against that.

Good point. We all quote the "covenant" but we don't know for sure. I guess we will only know if it exists is if we rlocate and the Council is forced to develope the land. We will then see if the likes of IKEA is classed as a leisure pusruit. Like you, I think the Council have no intention of selling for whatever reason) and I suspect if any STFC owners have aspirations of a new stadium it will be away from the CG. Perhaps some form of shared development with the speedway, although not the same stadium.

The land on which the County Ground is build was owned by the Goddard family. The last member of the family died between the wars I believe, though that might be slightly inacurate. They gave that land to the people of Swindon for recreational purposes and that is the covenant on it which remains in place today.
When I spoke to NW at the last AGM about it he told me that the club were looking at the cricket Ground, which could be moved to Lydiard park - Pavilion and all.

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

I think Swindon does, but it's tapping into that potential that's the problem.

Going to football is something you get into that becomes a habit. Not going is also something that is or becomes a habit. The Town's task is that turning the latter into the former.

It's all very well looking at the gates and thinking the CG is up to the job, but really it isn't. The gates vs Wigan and Villa have shown that more people will go and watch the Town, and some of those will continue to watch the Town. Neither of those (esp. Wigan) were particularly attractive, but there were more fans turning out and the Town put up good performances - exactly the sort of thing that gets people coming back for more.

I know it was a couple of rounds further on, but look how many Bradford got vs Villa. We'd have packed out the CG for a SF, but that's still only 14,000-ish. Bradford got 25,000. That's 10,000+ extra potential fans than Bradford can generate compared to Swindon. That's 10,000 extra seats that can give away to kids, use for cheap promotions or cash in when there's a big cup match or the team's doing well in the league.

One of the most depressing things about the Town in recent years is the amount of money that has been pumped into it simply to pay bills and players' wages. Not of it has benefited the club in the long term whatsoever - the £10m Black and co. spent would have paid for two end stands which would generate income in the longer run. Instead it was spent on agents' fees and paying off the likes of Magera and Kerrouche.

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

the owl wrote:
Like any other employee Di Canio can, if he chooses, listen to the new owners plans and decide if he wishes to continue his job or otherwise.
His immature and petulant manner to date suggests he believes he is more important than the club itself .
When all said and done he is just one more manager with an ego somewhat larger than his ability and the world will continue to revolve whatever his decision.

In a few weeks the faithfull will be singing AN Others Red and White Army and moaning and groaning about this and that.
Welcome to the real world

spectacles testicals wallet watch wrote:
Surely some good must have come from yesterday otherwise without the right backing PDC would have said things remain untenable. Also i see that Green is now considering MK Franchise, Why? Surely we are the more attractive option especially now we look likely to get the purchase ratified with PDC at the helm. 'Orrible bloody franchised club

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

Still got the trots after after the last lot!but my condition is now Stable!lol!!!!!!!!

red_welder wrote:
Make sure you wash your burgers down with diet coke................ ............its shergar free!

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

I think Swindon does, but it's tapping into that potential that's the problem.

Going to football is something you get into that becomes a habit. Not going is also something that is or becomes a habit. The Town's task is that turning the latter into the former.

It's all very well looking at the gates and thinking the CG is up to the job, but really it isn't. The gates vs Wigan and Villa have shown that more people will go and watch the Town, and some of those will continue to watch the Town. Neither of those (esp. Wigan) were particularly attractive, but there were more fans turning out and the Town put up good performances - exactly the sort of thing that gets people coming back for more.

I know it was a couple of rounds further on, but look how many Bradford got vs Villa. We'd have packed out the CG for a SF, but that's still only 14,000-ish. Bradford got 25,000. That's 10,000+ extra potential fans than Bradford can generate compared to Swindon. That's 10,000 extra seats that can give away to kids, use for cheap promotions or cash in when there's a big cup match or the team's doing well in the league.

One of the most depressing things about the Town in recent years is the amount of money that has been pumped into it simply to pay bills and players' wages. Not of it has benefited the club in the long term whatsoever - the £10m Black and co. spent would have paid for two end stands which would generate income in the longer run. Instead it was spent on agents' fees and paying off the likes of Magera and Kerrouche.

Agree with much of that but I think your logic falls down on the £10m. That was what they spent to clear existing debts when they came in. There was no option to spend it on the ground - unless they wanted to spend another £10m of course. I agree that vast amounts must have been spent on the playing side, but nowhere near £10m.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

Still got the trots after after the last lot!but my condition is now Stable!lol!!!!!!!!

Ahh you should never eat burgers from the main course always go for the ones that are under the starters orders....
Unfortunately I'm here all week.....

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

LydiardRED67 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

madterrier wrote:
JHB - I'm well aware that such losses are unsustainable, but will Paolo? Or does he think that 'dreamchasing' is fine so long as it's OPM?

On the ground, we really are getting left behind. The CG is dated, limited and doesn't stack up against the grounds owned or planned by our neighbours, as well as those in the Championship. Hard to be optimistic or see what the answer is, with the restrictive covenant on the CG as it is. Pompey have a similar covenant, which ties their hands considerably too.

terrier, does anyone know whether the restrictive covenant actually exists? It's often referred to on here but I don't think I've ever seen any confirmation. I still think biggest task facing the club may be the prising of the freehold away from the Council. In some respects that might not be a bad thing. I shudder to think what might have happened if some of our previous STFC regimes had got their hands on it. I can think of a few individuals who might have filled their boots and left the club in the lurch. And we still need to guard against that.

Good point. We all quote the "covenant" but we don't know for sure.

I guess we will only know if it exists is if we rlocate and the Council is forced to develope the land.

We will then see if the likes of IKEA is classed as a leisure pusruit.

Like you, I think the Council have no intention of selling for whatever reason) and I suspect if any STFC owners have aspirations of a new stadium it will be away from the CG.

Perhaps some form of shared development with the speedway, although not the same stadium.

Agreed about the covenant. It might well exist as we all think, but it might not - Torquay's ground was alleged to have one but it turned out it didn't.

Even with a covenent, can't the club buy the *site* not just the current ground? You could relocate the cricket ground much easier the the football ground as fewer people would object to a cricket ground nearby. Then the club could turn the pitch around or even just build a totally new ground on the cricket pitch.

Otherwise, if the club does get into the FLC, 21st place would be a massive achievement. We'd currently have the smallest ground -only Peterboro's, Blackpool's and Watford's holds less than 20,000 and it's commonsense than you can reach the average FLC attendance of 17,000+ in a ground that holds 15,000.

The Jockster wrote:

SAPFanSTFC wrote:

Doctor red wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

stfc2012 wrote:
I think when we score a goal everyone should cheer.

WHAT, even those in the Arkells :-)

COYMR

The Doc and and his medic friends have infiltrated the
Arkells stand near directors box, and will get the crowd going tomorrow-even the old guy from Wroughton with the rattle will be singing tomorrow, promise!!!

The Doc

We've got quite a few voices in and around that area already plus there's a decent crew nearer the away fans - it's the end nearer the town end which need some encouragement as it never seems to get going down that way....or maybe like our area - too few voices.
....
One request though, please keep the effing and blinding down though - lots of young kiddies in that area.

The Arkells stand shouldn't need any extra voices, not with you in there surely? :) So the takeover didn't happen yesterday then matey or by lunchtime today. Don't know where you got those crystal balls from but you & Loyal should throw them out and try the Tarot, Stephen Holbrook, Derek Acorah or some other clairvoyant lol!

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

Still got the trots after after the last lot!but my condition is now Stable!lol!!!!!!!!

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

Still got the trots after after the last lot!but my condition is now Stable!lol!!!!!!!!

Ahh you should never eat burgers from the main course always go for the ones that are under the starters orders....
Unfortunately I'm here all week.....

A lot of horse play on here tonight its the last straw i'm at the end of my tether.

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

I think Swindon does, but it's tapping into that potential that's the problem.

Going to football is something you get into that becomes a habit. Not going is also something that is or becomes a habit. The Town's task is that turning the latter into the former.

It's all very well looking at the gates and thinking the CG is up to the job, but really it isn't. The gates vs Wigan and Villa have shown that more people will go and watch the Town, and some of those will continue to watch the Town. Neither of those (esp. Wigan) were particularly attractive, but there were more fans turning out and the Town put up good performances - exactly the sort of thing that gets people coming back for more.

I know it was a couple of rounds further on, but look how many Bradford got vs Villa. We'd have packed out the CG for a SF, but that's still only 14,000-ish. Bradford got 25,000. That's 10,000+ extra potential fans than Bradford can generate compared to Swindon. That's 10,000 extra seats that can give away to kids, use for cheap promotions or cash in when there's a big cup match or the team's doing well in the league.

One of the most depressing things about the Town in recent years is the amount of money that has been pumped into it simply to pay bills and players' wages. Not of it has benefited the club in the long term whatsoever - the £10m Black and co. spent would have paid for two end stands which would generate income in the longer run. Instead it was spent on agents' fees and paying off the likes of Magera and Kerrouche.

Agree with much of that but I think your logic falls down on the £10m. That was what they spent to clear existing debts when they came in. There was no option to spend it on the ground - unless they wanted to spend another £10m of course. I agree that vast amounts must have been spent on the playing side, but nowhere near £10m.

Steve. Brentford wrote:

jayden wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Steve. Brentford wrote:

the don69 wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:
Little porky at the end there, Don?

I'll stick to the non disclosure agreement on that one Den??????????

Who`s Diana Ross:O)

Same as Seve?was gonna have some Burger's tonight!just looked in the fridge and there off!!!!!!!!!!!

Done me,Don,good one.

But tell me why the long face!

Still got the trots after after the last lot!but my condition is now Stable!lol!!!!!!!!

Ahh you should never eat burgers from the main course always go for the ones that are under the starters orders....
Unfortunately I'm here all week.....

A lot of horse play on here tonight its the last straw i'm at the end of my tether.

Hay pull your reins in there son before you spread a plate.These jokes wont last FURLONG...

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

Oi Den! wrote:

Jeremy Hilary Boob wrote:

madterrier wrote:
I just hope that the Adver will be able to find out from someone....

- Is the new consortium willing to sustain the operating losses, reckoned to be £100,000 a week, for this season and the next if needs be, to deliver Championship football?

- How will this money be pumped into the club (equity or loans?), and what financial guarantees will be in place to prevent the plug from being pulled suddenly as Black did last month? This links to the PL proposals to secure operating losses against owners' assets.

I'm not expecting answers to these questions, although in essence, this is what Paolo will have wanted to know in his meeting. Because the 'plan' he bought into effectively required the club to lose money for the next eighteen months in the quest for the Championship. Nearly £2 million from here to summer 2014.

If we don't sell out the CG tomorrow, at just £15 a ticket, it puts the financial problem into sharp focus.

But those losses are unsustainable though and maybe PDC needs to realise that.

Fitton's line about the FLC being worth £10m/year doesn't seem to stack up. The FL TV deal is £195m/3 years = £65m/year. So that's probably only £2-2.5m per FLC team.

We might get some more on sponsorship and commercial activities, but some of the deals will already be in place for next season and beyond. We've got no exec boxes or anything like that, so matchday corporate hospitality is limited.

We'd get more away fans and some more home fans, but the CG would be the smallest ground in the FLC (Peterboro's holds 15,460), so we'd be well behind every one else on gate receipts, plus all the knock-on income: programmes, concessions, etc. But 2000 more spectators x £20 x 23 games only equals £920k - we simply can't case in like Bradford could in the FL Cup.

Does that add up to £10m a season? Doesn't seem that likely.

Against all that we'd have higher wages and bringing in FLC players instead of FL1 ones means higher transfer fees, even if we can be targetting new players better than we have done. And if we go down, we'd need to have relegation clauses built into contracts or we'd be in a mess.

Unless the new board are prepared to fund at least a new Town End no later than summer 2014 so we can start generating more income, then the current "plan" cannot continue. Fans need to realise that, and so does Di Canio.

A couple of good posts that address the real issues facing the club.
.
I agree that the ground has to be dedeveloped soon if we harbour serious hopes of establishing ourselves at a higher level. If and when the new owners do get their feet under the table, I think one of the first things we need to hear from them is what, if anything, they intend to do about it. As much as I am grateful to the outgoing owners, I don't think they were straight with the supporters on their plans for redevelopment or about the obstacles that might be preventing them coming to fruition.

But, for all that, sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that the Swindon area just doesn't contain enough real football fans (people who want to support a club in a practical sense, i.e. with money and voice) to sustain a football club playing at a decent level.

I think Swindon does, but it's tapping into that potential that's the problem.

Going to football is something you get into that becomes a habit. Not going is also something that is or becomes a habit. The Town's task is that turning the latter into the former.

It's all very well looking at the gates and thinking the CG is up to the job, but really it isn't. The gates vs Wigan and Villa have shown that more people will go and watch the Town, and some of those will continue to watch the Town. Neither of those (esp. Wigan) were particularly attractive, but there were more fans turning out and the Town put up good performances - exactly the sort of thing that gets people coming back for more.

I know it was a couple of rounds further on, but look how many Bradford got vs Villa. We'd have packed out the CG for a SF, but that's still only 14,000-ish. Bradford got 25,000. That's 10,000+ extra potential fans than Bradford can generate compared to Swindon. That's 10,000 extra seats that can give away to kids, use for cheap promotions or cash in when there's a big cup match or the team's doing well in the league.

One of the most depressing things about the Town in recent years is the amount of money that has been pumped into it simply to pay bills and players' wages. Not of it has benefited the club in the long term whatsoever - the £10m Black and co. spent would have paid for two end stands which would generate income in the longer run. Instead it was spent on agents' fees and paying off the likes of Magera and Kerrouche.

Agree with much of that but I think your logic falls down on the £10m. That was what they spent to clear existing debts when they came in. There was no option to spend it on the ground - unless they wanted to spend another £10m of course. I agree that vast amounts must have been spent on the playing side, but nowhere near £10m.

Thanks for the clarification.

But, ultimately, that £10m was still debt racked up by the club paying beyond it's means. It doesn't really matter whether that was racked up when Black and co were running it - they were prepared to invest £10m but all it did was pay off the club's bills (albeit from years earlier). One thing we should be grateful for is that apart from day-to-day debts like tax and VAT, the club now appears to be relatively debt free.

As for the current costs - there are posters claiming Ritchie was on £10k a week. I've heard that Magera was on £9k. £10k a week = £520,000 a year. At £20 a ticket, that's 1100 through the turnstile to pay for ONE player. Even if it's £5k a week that's still 550+ people every home game. Then there's the manager: Di Canio has to one of, if not THE, highest paid manager in the bottom 2 divisions. I don't blame anyone for taking that sort of money, but the club itself really can't sustain wages at this level - and those wages would rocket it we were in the FLC next season.

And all the above is at £20 a ticket. How many people have got season tickets and are paying less than £20 a match? What about all the kids and OAPs paying lower prices?