Potential Buyers

[culmstockgull]

Do you that as a fact??
Did you know that there were other potential new owners looking to buy the club instead of Osborne? But they were pushed aside??
It was the players "fault." They missed them.
Ever since that day Osborne took another route, for us to be where we are now.
Blame the council??
Well, that would have worked out well wouldn't it?
He'd have got the freehold and we wouldn't have a stadium, because he'd have never built one - just like for all the other sporting teams he's been involved with.

This is exactly the information I was trying to get out of Southampton gull but short of torture I think he had enough of me for one weekend. There is no sarcasm intended but from your posts you are far more knowlegeable than most of the fan base on the inner workings of out club. Who exactly were these other bidders, names would help and, who were these people within the club who thwarted those attempts, again names would help all of us to understand the situation far better than we do now., and rest assured anything you say is not libel if the statements you make are truthfull and factual.

[Southampton Gull]

You've tried to get what out of me? I've laid all the information out on here many times so if you're unaware that isn't my fault. I actually agree with a lot of what BigDave says except that he credits Osbo(u)rne whereas I don't.

I was given information at the time, in confidence, and by someone who should know....... I have always held that confidence but posted what I could at every opportunity. If he or she wants to divulge any more to satisfy your blinkered curiosity then that's up to them.

Talee, the point of this forum is to discuss matters, if you don't like what is being said then scroll on by instead of adding a pointless view, especially considering your continued arguments with Yeofan.

[happytorq]

That is irrelevant and a facile comment. Whatever Osbourne's motive was for loaning money and taking ownership rather than forcing administration, it does not negate the fact that the Football Club has continued to operate for a further five years or more. Hitler wasn't a very nice man who invaded countries, caused a World War and was responsible for millions of deaths but that doesn't obliterate the fact that there were some technological and economic developments in Germany whilst he was in power. Osbourne isn't in the same league as Adolf but whilst it is obvious that his ultimate ambition was not beneficial for TUFC in the long term, it should not be denied that there was a long delay of several years between acquisition and entering administration which was of short-term benefit to the Club. I have not forgotten the promotion and the play-offs (or, for that matter, the relegations) that occurred during Osbourne's tenure but none of those were predicated on his property development motives and none of those would have occurred if administration had happened in 2017 rather than now as the Club would not have survived in its present form.

I dunno - if your argument boils down to "but Hitler actually got a lot right!", it feels like you're onto a loser.

[BigDave]

Do you that as a fact??
Did you know that there were other potential new owners looking to buy the club instead of Osborne? But they were pushed aside??
It was the players "fault." They missed them.
Ever since that day Osborne took another route, for us to be where we are now.
Blame the council??
Well, that would have worked out well wouldn't it?
He'd have got the freehold and we wouldn't have a stadium, because he'd have never built one - just like for all the other sporting teams he's been involved with.

Try reading the post before you reply and then try to understand it. (It would also help if your own posts made sense without having to guess the missing words.) I would not expect you to recognise irony or sardonicism particularly as your use thereof is palpably inadvertent: "we wouldn't have a stadium, because he'd have never built one" - presumably so much more satisfying to have a stadium without a team to play in it.

Obviously the players were to blame for missing penalties and obviously the council is blameless but all the knowing comments now about rejected alternatives to Osborne do have a whiff of hindsight about them. At the time there was apprehension about his track record (pun intended) but even Southampton Gull was posting in March 2016 " I spent last week looking into his links with Swindon Robins speedway and other involvements and he does have success with finding places to develop. He was part of a group that bought Pontins out but couldn't find out much more than Merse has revealed. Is it a bad move for the club? I'm not sure either way but what I do know is that the current Board need to bring in some kind of investment or the club will go under. TUST are still not in a position to do anything so what choice do we have?" and in April 2016 "I want to know as much as anyone else what the incoming people envisage for the club BUT I trust the current Board to do what is in the best interests of our club. We all have an emotional interest which is obviously what sets it apart from Tesco, I figured most would take that as read, obviously not. The point remains the same though, it is a business for those coming in and it has had to be run as a business by those who took over last summer. It baffles me why people don't grasp that and continue still to demand some answers."

At the time of the takeover by Osborne, TUFC were in a financial mess and in a relegation battle (albeit n a higher division): plus ca change.

[BigDave]

You've tried to get what out of me? I've laid all the information out on here many times so if you're unaware that isn't my fault. I actually agree with a lot of what BigDave says except that he credits Osbo(u)rne whereas I don't.

I was given information at the time, in confidence, and by someone who should know....... I have always held that confidence but posted what I could at every opportunity. If he or she wants to divulge any more to satisfy your blinkered curiosity then that's up to them.

Talee, the point of this forum is to discuss matters, if you don't like what is being said then scroll on by instead of adding a pointless view, especially considering your continued arguments with Yeofan.

I don't credit Osborne - I just recognise that Armageddon might have arrived a hell of a lot earlier without his investment regardless of his motives.

[BigDave]

I dunno - if your argument boils down to "but Hitler actually got a lot right!", it feels like you're onto a loser.

The argument isn't that "Hitler actually got a lot right" the argument is that some things which were beneficial for Germany were developed whilst Hitler was in power regardless of his motivation or influence etc. In the same way it was beneficial for TUFC to be able to exist as a football club in a national league regardless of the motive for Osborne's investment.

[MellowYellow]

The argument isn't that "Hitler actually got a lot right" the argument is that some things which were beneficial for Germany were developed whilst Hitler was in power regardless of his motivation or influence etc. In the same way it was beneficial for TUFC to be able to exist as a football club in a national league regardless of the motive for Osborne's investment.

Please stop! To align the existence of TUFC to a man who tried to redefine German socialism to control and harm other people has the intellectual equivalence of discovering there was no Santa Claus.

[Skillsy]

Please stop! To align the existence of TUFC to a man who tried to redefine German socialism to control and harm other people has the intellectual equivalence of discovering there was no Santa Claus.

Completely agree, Mellow. Just stop! It does nobody any good and in the end nobody wins.

Long term, I firmly believe the future is bright (and I'm not deluded). Let's hope tonight is the very start of a new era.

[UnitedinDevon]

BigDeluder needs a reality check

[BigDave]

Please stop! To align the existence of TUFC to a man who tried to redefine German socialism to control and harm other people has the intellectual equivalence of discovering there was no Santa Claus.

Read and inwardly digest before making a comment which shows that you do not understand the point that is being made, especially when you have just exploded the urban myth that Clarke Osborne has a long white beard, wears a funny red suit and has his office at the North Pole. Of course there is no correlation between Hitler and Osborne but whilst Armstrong might not have walked on the Moon if Adolf had copped a fatal bullet on the Western Front, it could also be argued that TUFC might no longer exist if Uncle Clarke had pulled the plug seven years earlier than he did and that play-off drama and the solitary championship would never have occurred.

[Admiral]

Boring this, Osborne knew what he wanted, he did not care in the slightest about the football club or its supporters.

[knightmaregull]

BigDave is clearly a wind up merchant. Can we all resist the urge to respond further and avoid this previously interesting thread becoming completely sidetracked!

[RobinStubbsHero]

On the basis that the Bristows threw money at the club until it ran out, then Osborne did pretty much the same, what does the future hold? Between them, the investment must head towards £10 million with little or nothing to show in terms of on field achievements.
Part time football, possibly at a lower level seems to be the only way forward.

[BigDave]

On the basis that the Bristows threw money at the club until it ran out, then Osborne did pretty much the same, what does the future hold? Between them, the investment must head towards £10 million with little or nothing to show in terms of on field achievements.
Part time football, possibly at a lower level seems to be the only way forward.

£10 million to win the National League South Championship represents good value for money if you consider the millions that must have been spent since 1927 to win ... nothing! Only being a windup merchant - you are probably correct as TUFC have been living beyond their means for years.

[knightmaregull]

On the basis that the Bristows threw money at the club until it ran out, then Osborne did pretty much the same, what does the future hold? Between them, the investment must head towards £10 million with little or nothing to show in terms of on field achievements.
Part time football, possibly at a lower level seems to be the only way forward.

Absolutely true. Hence the club needing to be run sustainably with focus on medium to long term rather than trying to buy immediate success. The post Bateson era has proved this to be needed but still people are knocking TUST and wanting to gamble on Masters, Hayman etc. Crazy!