Clarke Osborne and Pontins Buyout (2008)

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merse btpir
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Post by merse btpir »

Richinns wrote: 27 Apr 2017, 12:16 Mr Merson - you are incorrect yet again! You removed my brother (Will) from BTPIR. I am (currently) still active on your forum and (rarely) post as Nazgull (now let's see how long that lasts!).
Sorry to have mixed you up with your brother then......I apologise for that but as for the rest of your diatribe will not be commented on ~ it's your opinion ~ but in all seriousness; 'lonely'. You're having a laugh aren't you? :)
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Post by tomogull »

Plymouth Gull wrote: 27 Apr 2017, 11:09 I must say I am slightly confused by this witch hunt towards Merse if I'm honest. He's right. Should things go tits up on Saturday, I don't see it being a pretty ending. I don't know Merse from Adam but I highly doubt he would "love nothing more" than us to mess it up.

Surely it's better to be aware of the negatives rather than blissfully ignoring them!?
No - not a witch hunt, P.G. Merse assumes I don't like him but as far as I know, like you, I wouldn't know him from Adam, so I neither like nor dislike him. What I find objectionable is that he has posted things like 'the management and all the players must go' (on another thread) and 'if they **** up' on this thread during the week before a very vital match. Okay - he can post his opinions after Saturday, but for now we should ALL be getting behind Nicho and the players.

I think we are all aware of the negatives without being constabntly reminded if it doesn't work out on Saturday. We can all read the league table as well as he can, but it doesn't tell the whole story as I'm sure fans of clubs such as Coventry, Leyton Orient and Hartlepool (other clubs where there is disarray off the pitch) will verify.

I have to say that many of Merse's posts remind me of a birthday card I received a couple of weeks ago. Two old boys sat on a bench and one of them is saying "My wife gives me sound advice. 99% sound and 1% advice".

And I know I'm right 'cos Wivel agrees with me ......... :-D
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Post by wivelgull »

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Post by Glostergull »

`does Wivell go to a Shrivelry
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Post by SenorDingDong »

So annnnnyway, we now have the following list of Clarke's shenanigans:
  • Evicting Bristol Rovers from Eastville, shortly beforehand a fire burned down one of the stands and the then Bristol Stadium Company pocketed the insurance money and refused to rebuild it. Causing more than a little distress to Rovers. (1986) - This one is caveated by the fact he didn't own GI at the time but was part of it's management.
  • Heavily involved in shenanigans at Hereford United. Gained a stake in the club by making an emergency loan...sound familar hmmm? (1996-2001)
  • Involved in failed plans for joint Bristol City-Rovers stadium (2003)
  • Failed plans for new Milton Keynes Greyhound/Speedway Stadium. Greyhound stadium closed and shortly thereafter suffers bad fire and is demolished for housing. This is the 2nd fire to affect a GI stadium. (2005)
  • Involved in killing the Reading Racers (2008)
  • Involved in a scheme to exploit Pontins for it's property holdings. Somewhat high risk and only undertaken because it was at the height of crazy spending times and was then scuppered by the Credit Crunch and resulting recession. (2008-10)
  • Ongoing Failed Swindon Stadium/achieved housing development (2007-17)
If he looks like a Property Developer, talks like a Property Developer and acts like a Property Developer then he probably is a Property Developer. Just look at that list, how can anyone give him the benefit the doubt and think he actually cares about the club, he has 31 years history of screwing over sporting clubs and looking for property deals. Anyone who says 'give him the benefit of the doubt' look at that list. His only business venture in his entire history that doesn't match the profile of a property developer is that odd foray into Japanese Pachinko machines.

What is most shocking is that the Herald Express has reported on none of the above, aside from the odd vague reference to speeday stadiums. Look at that list Dave Thomas! One failed venture yeah that could happen to anyone, two is bad luck but SEVEN of which only one (2003) doesn't have any dodginess around it is a bloody pattern. This is not a case of 'not reporting on social media' - all of the above is verifiable fact and has been put together by people in their spare time who aren't paid to perform journalism full time. If this bollocks continues, Torquay United fans should genuinely boycott the Herald Express, we don't need them if they aren't going to support us, it's not 1960 anymore, there's plenty of ways to find Torquay United news.
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Post by Ottery gull »

It really beggars belief that there are some posters on here who are still willing or hoping that Clarke Osborne is legit and will take TUFC to greater things. PLEASE. Read the history. The man is nothing but a loan shark and a property developer who couldn't give a sh*t about our great club.
The evidence is overwhelming. Believe nothing he says. He wants the freehold of Plainmoor so he can sell it at a profit for housing, no doubt aided and abetted by some of the more influential members of Torbay council
The promised stadium will NOT be built. Of course there will be plans but they will not come to fruition. Again, Read the history. Win or lose tomorrow get ready to be shafted
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Post by MellowYellow »

I am genuinely surprised that there has not been a 'boycott the Herald Express' thread to date.

We have watched over the last few months our local newspaper’s coverage of Torquay disintegrate into nothing more than Gaming International articles being rehashed. The rise of instant news and social media had made the local paper “redundant” which has 'no real interest' in the club.

It’s not our job to do their sports reporting but I would be happy for them to take reports by people with verifiable facts and regurgitate them as their own, rather than suck up to Gaming International which is how they now choose to work..

If their readership plummeted so would their advertising revenue and at that point they may have more regard to the wishes of the community for fair and honest journalism than to corporate business awards revenue.

I fondly recall a time that the Herald Express served its local community and Torquay Untied very well. Unfortunately that time has now long since passed.
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Post by chunkygull »

This is sounding like a book series -
Clarke Osbourne and the Pontins buyout.
Clarke Osbourne and the great stadium swindle.
Clarke Osbourne and the speedway heist.
Clarke Osbourne and the dog track mystery.
Clarke Osbourne and the disappearing football club.
Clarke Osbourne and the lost Hereford Bulls.
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Post by SenorDingDong »

MellowYellow wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 20:06 I fondly recall a time that the Herald Express served its local community and Torquay Untied very well. Unfortunately that time has now long since passed.
It was only a decade ago, when after a tentative welcome to Chris Roberts, the paper turned on him and started printing many damning articles of what was going on, working in concert with the TUST and associated figures and accepting much information from them. They were prepared to do it then (admittedly under different owners - Daily Mail compared to Daily Mirror) in many cases using information fed to them by the fans, what is different this time? Are they scared of Clarke Osborne? Are they in bed with him - considering they will be running his consultation for him? The way the paper acted during the Roberts saga is exactly how it should be acting now and a great example of the local good a newspaper can do.

We have already done all the research for the HE, nothing we have stated is libellous in any court in the land - simply pure facts, all they need to do is reprint the facts without comment and let the public make up their own minds. As I've stated in my last post, Osborne's record is overwhelming in regards to telling you what he is, it doesn't even need commentary to persuade people. So no Dave Thomas, it's not as case of what you said in the last podcast, the Herald Express not reporting on social media 'rumours' as policy because print media is beholden to higher standards. Osborne can not sue you for printing a factual report of his business career. None of what I listed in my last post are 'rumours', they are verifiable facts that I easily found via 90 minutes research online, all published in reputable media outlets and you have a duty to publish them.

If the HE's reporting does not improve substantially in the next couple weeks I'll be the first in the queue for a formal boycott of the Herald Express.
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Post by Southampton Gull »

It's hard for anyone, even those still asking for GI to be given a chance, to not see through their web of deceit. Quite how a local rag can act this way towards a local institution is beyond me. I fail to see how anyone can defend the lazy journalism being offered by Dave Thomas especially when other media outlets seem only too willing to do the right thing.
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Post by merse btpir »

Southampton Gull wrote: 28 Apr 2017, 23:45 Quite how a local rag can act this way towards a local institution is beyond me. I fail to see how anyone can defend the lazy journalism being offered by Dave Thomas especially when other media outlets seem only too willing to do the right thing.
Boycott the Herald Express; ostracise Thomas!
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Post by nickbrod »

On Thursday's HE podcast how could they not mention the petition which now has over an amazing 6100 signatures?
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Post by SuperNickyWroe »

Bascically f*ck GI and the sh1t that is the herald express.
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Post by westyorkshiregull »

Even if we wrong and who knows maybe we are.....

The Herald should express the fans concerns in a fair way but to just turn a blind eye is a insult.....

Boycott them
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Post by SenorDingDong »

I know the TUST would never get on board but what would be the most effective and professional way of showing our dissatisfaction towards the HE is a firmly worded public letter, endorsed by the TUST, laying out our position, the information we have found, our concern at the Herald Express' total lack of reporting on these issues and a request for our viewpoint to be printed in full. I assume, quite confidently, that the TUST are doing a lot of work behind the scenes on how to deal with GI but we need public statements and actions.

Then should they not take our points on board a boycott of the paper by Torquay fans should be threatened. If only 10% of those present today have been buying the Herald Express and follow through that's 400 lost customers immediate. On a weekly basis that's probably enough to pay for one low level journalist. It's not going to break the Herald but it'd be enough to get our point across. It would also be unwelcome in an industry already struggling mightily for readership.
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