The Gary Johnson effect

[knightmaregull]

IMO the other benefit to CO that's driven his need to ensure a decent performance on the pitch is that his secret meetings with the Mayor and the Council were somewhat exposed on these boards and others during the Owers regime. He's clever and realises that success on the pitch will help rest the natives and allow him to continue his business lining up the 'grand plan' without such scrutiny. Very clever really.

This is more likely to be driven by the politicians who will care far more about public image and popularity (I doubt CO does for one second) but Co knows the Council and Moyor are fundamental to achieving his aims.

I truly hope those arguing against this view are proved correct but history and basic logic just do not offer any real support for that unfortunately.

[dawlishmatt]

I could respond to rjc70s comments but I give up!!!!!

[SuperNickyWroe]

I could respond to rjc70s comments but I give up!!!!!

But you wont becuase your points are totally flawed.
The points that you cant see for whatever reason and that are outstandingly clear are
The club is in debt to Osborne by way loans.
You still fail to acknowledge that Osborne has never built a sports venue after promising that he would.

[dawlishmatt]

Supernickywroe. As you state with reference to my last comments, I do not think that my comments are flawed. You may agree with what I say about Clarke Osborne but I know that most people who have commented on any of my previous posts always come back with the same arguments. Clarke Osborne has never delivered on any of his previous promises. Most of what you say in your comments, I don't agree with. I do however understand the reasons for not trusting Osborne. Look at it another way. Under the previous ownership, the club were just days from going bust. Clarke Osborne prevented this from happening. If as many suspect he kills torquay, then it would have happened anyway. In the meantime we are enjoying the best football in many years and crowds are bigger now than the last two seasons in the football league. Enjoy it while it lasts, I know after 45 years of being a supporter I am enjoying it.

[Scott Brehaut]

We can all enjoy the current on field situation, like I am, whilst still displaying both concern and distrust for those things happening off the field.

People like Clarke Osborne don’t suddenly decide that they are going to throw money at something without expecting something in return.

His history at building stadia is well documented and anybody who thinks he will suddenly build one for us, is smoking something that I’d quite like a drag of myself.

[Southampton Gull]

Supernickywroe. As you state with reference to my last comments, I do not think that my comments are flawed. You may agree with what I say about Clarke Osborne but I know that most people who have commented on any of my previous posts always come back with the same arguments. Clarke Osborne has never delivered on any of his previous promises. Most of what you say in your comments, I don't agree with. I do however understand the reasons for not trusting Osborne. Look at it another way. Under the previous ownership, the club were just days from going bust. Clarke Osborne prevented this from happening. If as many suspect he kills torquay, then it would have happened anyway. In the meantime we are enjoying the best football in many years and crowds are bigger now than the last two seasons in the football league. Enjoy it while it lasts, I know after 45 years of being a supporter I am enjoying it.

So in answering his question you don't answer his question. Nobody apart from EddUK is buying it (Mind you, he's only 12).

[CraigUnder]

We know its you Clarke using two accounts... You can't fool us

[Rjc70]

Clarke Osborne has never delivered on any of his previous promises.

He’s likely delivered on some. Maybe you’re being a bit harsh there? In terms of new stadia, I suspect you may have a point, though.

[dawlishmatt]

On Saturday its my 14th birthday and my uncle Clarke wants to invite all of you to my birthday party at the grand Hotel. Uncle Clarke has promised to buy me a large lego set and wants me to invite all of you to the party where we are going to build a football stadium out of lego. Good old uncle Clarke, he always delivers on his promises to build a new stadium

[stefano]

His history at building stadia is well documented .......

Did I miss something? I thought he had no history of building stadiums!

[Rjc70]

On Saturday its my 14th birthday and my uncle Clarke wants to invite all of you to my birthday party at the grand Hotel. Uncle Clarke has promised to buy me a large lego set and wants me to invite all of you to the party where we are going to build a football stadium out of lego.

Best wishes and try not to be too upset if you don’t get Lego, after all.

[exilegull]

Following the thread with some interest and thought it time to stick my head above the parapet and dive in - probably a dangerous thing to do, but I'm going to risk it.

Firstly, I think the regulars here are absolutely right to have a huge distrust of Osborne, given his track record and also given the Chris Roberts saga we know exactly what can happen and many of those commenting were fairly instrumental in exposing him before it became too late that the club was beyond saving.

However, I think Eddy and Dawlishmatt are raising valid points for discussion and its a shame that sometimes it isn't treated with maybe the respect I think it should deserve and even hints (tongue in cheek I'm sure) that there is some sort of agenda behind.

It would completely worth it for someone with the track record of Clarke Osborne to stick £120k as a secured loan into a desperate club, with the view of using that to seal ownership of the club with a gamble to taking over the land, using it for property development and leaving it high and dry. Worst case is it doesn't pay off, no buyer is found for the club and it goes into administration giving back pennies to the pound, although probably the way the loan was secured would also end up doing ok.

However, that failed - the council stood firm and have so far insisted no sale without a new ground.

Since that has happened, there is no doubt Osborne has invested a significant amount more back into the club. There is no way the club is running full-time at this level anywhere near breakeven - I wouldn't be a but surprised if the losses and required funding are at least £500k per year. Regardless of how that is structured, loan or otherwise, Osborne is pouring money into what is essentially a black hole - there are no substantial assets there, he will never be able to sell the club and recoup any portion of that money, no one is paying for non-league clubs nowadays and it will only get more expensive at the next level up if he is serious about competing. At the time he hired Johnson, crowds and prospects were dire with no real expectation of having such the massive improvement the team has had on the field or with the attendances which will at least have reduced some bleeding.

It really is a hell of a gamble to be taking in the hope that somehow the council change their minds and handover the land without a new stadium being in place - a £120k punt was worth it, but this is likely to run well past £1million, way beyond any hope of any recovery of the money and thanks to the fans on here, the council do know his track record so hopefully hold firm.

The only strategy I see here is to get the club in enough debt to him that there is absolutely zero chance of rescue and the club has been returned to suitably high position in the football pyramid, together with good attendances that shows it is important to the community, that he can effectively strong arm the council that he either gets the land unconditionally, or immediately pulls the rug and shuts the club. That is real gamble and I'm really not sure that it is the strategy of a savvy businessman regardless of how evil - I'd have said relegation to the Conference South would have been the time to accept defeat, get out with limited losses and stop pouring money into the lobster pot that is Torquay United. At the moment it just looks like throwing good money after bad.

[Scott Brehaut]

Did I miss something? I thought he had no history of building stadiums!

That was my point.

[DWB]

Anyway back to the thread I started which was to praise Gary Johnson and the job he has done! A feel good topic that we can digest. Unfortunately it has degenerated into an argument about the CO.

[Rjc70]

Anyway back to the thread I started which was to praise Gary Johnson and the job he has done! A feel good topic that we can digest.

He’s done a cracking job, DWB. All are united in enjoying that, whether it be a ‘while it lasts’ coming after their observation or not. And long may it continue. Him and we are not done yet and he’ll keep the boys fired up from now until the final whistle on 27th April, I’m sure.