Very confused - what is GI's game?

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PhilGull
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Post by PhilGull »

If it was just about developing the ground then surely there are far easier ways of doing it. There must be so many more opportunities out there to buy businesses that own their properties that don't have thousands (on a good day!) of customers turning up every week demanding to know the ins and outs of the recruitment process. Why choose a football club with all the adverse publicity that would no doubt come if it was just about acquiring land to build on.
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Post by TorquayDNA »

Exactly Phil. And even if they did want an ex-football ground, there are plenty of better options that would provide a better return (and there must be plenty who are willing to move - Exeter City for example. I know they're renovating a stand currently but their location is much better than Plainmoor, would get better ROI and they've made noises about selling the land in recent years).
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Post by standupsitdown »

There is no money to be made from buying a non league football club, so why would GI have bought it other than for the stadium freehold?
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Post by westyorkshiregull »

This what I call a proper thread.. ..actually some good talk going on here ...

My question is direct , what if the council do not sell gi the ground. What happens then ?

If they do exactly what happens then
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Post by westyorkshiregull »

This what I call a proper thread.. ..actually some good talk going on here ...

My question is direct , what if the council do not sell gi the ground. What happens then ?

If they do exactly what happens then
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Post by TorquayDNA »

Trouble is, the council aren't exactly a cracking organisation are they! I was at a conference in Exeter recently and heard from their Chief Exec, Karim Hassan. That guy is extremely switched on (hence Exeter's success in the top 5 fastest-growing cities nationally). He is keen to help other local economies and I wish someone in Torbay Council would ask for his advice! Anyway, that's not for this thread... LOL

I guess if GI don't get their money for the ground then there will be no new stadium. Sort of makes sense - from a business perspective, I can see why they want to make the TUFC project as self-sustaining as possible. That said, if they lost interest in the project what will happen then? Will they sell (and is that a good thing as I can't imagine they will be keen on a cut-price option to a local interest for the long-term benefit of the club)?

If they do... who knows? At this stage, GI have made their intentions very unclear. As a businessman, I know from experience that if you get your best customers on board with your plans and strategies for the future then most of the time they get on board and support you in it. It really does make a huge difference. Traditionally though, businessfolk keep their cards very close to their chest, as indeed GI are doing. It's an old-fashioned approach and in this day and age of transparency, I don't think it's a very successful approach. GI need to keep their best 'customers' (IE the fans) on board so that the strategy is built around something that everyone can at least have confidence in. If fans and club were all on the same page and all aiming for the same goal, then even if fans don't agree with some of the tactical decisions (you're never going to please everybody).

Please GI, we're trying to have a sensible debate here and we're putting out a very simple request. Just talk to us. We fans do exist, we are a powerful mob and you're shooting yourselves in the foot by keeping us in the dark. I think GI would be very pleasantly surprised if they kept up a frank and open dialogue with fans.
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Post by Whizzmeister »

Gi have given Torquay some survival time after a season when we could have folded ..but its only survival tome if they talk to supporters who in turn can help turn the fortunes round sadly buissnesses dont see it this way ...Mike Bateson knew how to run a football club ..its time for GI to talk and talk well ....on owers and khul well time will tell , they are a cheap option but they have knoledge of coaching and of this level ...me i cant understand how you get names in the hat like moore and money yet we have owers ....as i said time will tell
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Post by MellowYellow »

I note through these posts that the 'eternal flame of optimism' still runs high with some supporters. This is indeed honourable and loyal. I will await with interest the next three results. I would suggest that if no points are picked up then the tone of optimism will rapidly change. It will be clear that neither Owers or Mourinho will save the day. But at least at this point we will be able to start a thread on how best to run a part-time football club for next season as we take on the might of Weston-Super-Mare, Concord Rangers and the like. I am slightly saddened that it looks like we will not be able to mix with the regular 400 Truro supporters, (albeit that only 288 turned out for the Chippenham game) as it looks like they may be replacing us next season. Still good luck to them, at least they have a solid defence with the likes of Ben Gerring in the back line. Honestly, you could not make it up.
Last edited by MellowYellow on 13 Sep 2017, 16:21, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by PhilGull »

westyorkshiregull wrote: 13 Sep 2017, 15:13 This what I call a proper thread.. ..actually some good talk going on here ...

My question is direct , what if the council do not sell gi the ground. What happens then ?

If they do exactly what happens then
Hence why they have no interest in running the club in to the ground. If all their plans come to nothing (and even if they do come to something) they will, I am sure be looking to sell the club, the better condition the club is in, the higher up the leagues the club finds itself the more money they will make.
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Post by MellowYellow »

PhilGull wrote: 13 Sep 2017, 16:17 Hence why they have no interest in running the club in to the ground. If all their plans come to nothing (and even if they do come to something) they will, I am sure be looking to sell the club, the better condition the club is in, the higher up the leagues the club finds itself the more money they will make.
Sorry Phil, they will make money out the club irrespective of were they stand in the league. Their sole focus is on the freehold of Plainmoor and that can be achieved equally as well with the demise of a club as it can with a successful club. As for GI, it is pretty clear that it's not a comfortable feeling for them putting more money in every month to get the club up to where we want to be. They know property, their familiar with that business and can handle the profit and loss, but in football, they can't. Please do not think GI's avenue out this is only by a successful football club - it is not! In the business world there is more than one way to peel an orange.
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Post by tomogull »

Very confused - what is G.I's game ? A great title for this thread and an answer we would all like to know. The trouble is - in spite of promises of improved communications between club and supporters, communication has got worse because there is now NO communication.

GI have made some improvements this season - at least the team is going to away games by coach. And we are told that the playing budget was increased. Also, we mustn't forget that it was likely that the club would have gone into liquidation if GI hadn't stepped in.

They are here to make a profit - no doubt about that, and that's not a bad thing. There are lots of IFS. They have stated they will build a new fit-for-purpose stadium before anything happens to Plainmoor. There is potential for a hotel, cinema complex, sports complex which would make them money on the non-football side. As their record of promised new stadiums is precisely NIL, we would have to rely on Torbay Council to ensure Plainmoor was not closed down before the new stadium was fully ready for occupation.

Yes - Plainmoor would be only suitable for relatively low cost housing, but the youngsters of The Spires School (formerly Westlands) currently have to walk to the Quinta, Babbacombe, for their games lessons. IF as has been suggested on here, the school took over Plainmoor, or part of it, and GI were allowed to build on the Quinta pitches - where property prices would be much higher - that would make good sense for both the school and G.I.

So in conclusion - IF G.I. keep to their promises, it could work out well for them and TUFC. But do we trust them? If they communicated with us, we might be able to give them the benefit of the doubt. This is all surmise of course. There are other side issues - the new stadium would be owned by Riviera something or other - a subsidiary of G.I. - so would they charge the club a rent for using the stadium?
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Post by SuperNickyWroe »

I'm not confused by GI...

I don't f**king trust them.
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Post by Yorkieandy »

PhilGull wrote: 13 Sep 2017, 16:17 Hence why they have no interest in running the club in to the ground. If all their plans come to nothing (and even if they do come to something) they will, I am sure be looking to sell the club, the better condition the club is in, the higher up the leagues the club finds itself the more money they will make.
When GI took over the club did they hardly threw money at Nico to make a statement that they wanted the club up there challenging did they? No, it was left to Nico to steer the club away from relegation when at one point it looked a certainty. Ok so you would have a strong argument that Nico's management and player recruitment was poor and got the club into that position in the first place i get that but i don't think an experienced manager like say Martin Allen would have been able to do that much better.

They had all summer to seriously back the manager and publicly campaign for a promotion push which could have involved the fanbase and uniting them and GI and perhaps alleviating some of the distrust between the two sets of parties. They did neither. I don't know the budget for the summer but judging by the calibre of players the club have been left with it was bugger all IMO.

There is absolutely no firm evidence to support the notion that GI want Torquay United Football Club to be successful or at least not successful in the way that Phil means. I think it would be just semantics regarding the difference in value between a club like Torquay if they were to finish say 4th for 5 years on the spin and a club like Bromley if they finished in similar positions each year. The size of the fanbases in the NL bar a few clubs are all pretty similar so the difference is negligible. A successful Torquay in the NL isn't going to sell for hundreds and hundreds of thousands more than a successful Bromley although i concede it might well sell for more.

In addition a NLS Torquay would still command more money as a sale than a lot of clubs in the NL like Guiseley for example so on reflection, GI don't need a successful Torquay. They could have a bottom half NLS club and because of the potential, league history and set up they still would be able to sell it a reasonable enough price i would assume should the freehold not be given.

GI can't really lose. They can just sit tight and pass time whether the club go down or not. It's the fans who keep attending that are making it easier for GI. If nobody went then GI would have to pay more and more out of their own pocket and eventually they might reconsider and think it's not worth it and decide to sell. Fans have a right to do what they see fit, a view that doesn't suit some on here who turn into embarrassing online bullies if you stop attending, however i'm just thinking that the only thing GI are fussed about is money. If they have to dig further into their pockets because nobody goes out of protest then they will either get fed up and sell as quick as they can or get bitter and try to fold the club regardless.

The latter is what they are trying to do anyway IMO and it's paying fans that are giving GI more and more time. So if you believe GI are trying to run down anyway then stop going and give them something to think about. That's all i'm saying. Just my opinion. :}
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Post by lucy6lucy »

They are clever but in reality its bloody obvious. They have failed to deliver anywhere they have previously owned. I will give them credit they talk the talk good. How harrop can live in Torquay and execute the demise of the football club beggars belief. Shame on you Geoff. Someone must know where he lives. Clarke is a 2 faced cu*t, the whole scenario is sad to see. Southampton gull will no doubt be saying I said so, but he's right the game plan is being played perfectly. The new management appointment is irrelevant when the current squad is dogshit. I hope the players read this forum because they should be ashamed. The whole thing is heartbreaking.
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Post by MellowYellow »

I take it you are not enamoured by our glorious leaders Lucy. It is heartbreaking, but lets keep things in perspective, it's nowhere near as heartbreaking as the closure of the WIgan Casino in 81.
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