Clark Osborne/Jim Parker Interview

[Dave]

Someone help me out here. Just how much in terms of local council taxpayers money is tied up in the freehold of Plainmoor ? If I understand things correctly, Torbay council own the land, the football club owns the buildings I.E the Stands etc, and the running costs/grounds maintenance is down to the club, so it's purely the value of the land, I'd hate to even hazard a guess how much the land is truly worth, can't imagine it would make much if a difference to the councils budget.

Torbay council has switched from Tory to Lib Dem and recently back to Tory control, the council has reiterated time and time again over this period the freehold of Plainmoor is not on the market. Don't how many of you are aware of TorVista homes Ltd, this is a company set up by and 100% owned by Torbay Council for the provision of socially affordable housing, I am NOT suggesting homes will ever be built on Plainmoor, but if this point is ever reached at any point in the future, my guess would be, the Council would perhaps want to use the land for themselves.

From a point very much of me looking from the outside in, all I/we can see has happened here is an informal chat between the club and the Council, with great fanfare made in the local media about finally, a new stadium is very much in the pipeline. I agree with Southampton Gull here, smoke and mirrors, I can't see a new stadium ever being built.

[RodneyJacksRightFoot]

Someone help me out here. Just how much in terms of local council taxpayers money is tied up in the freehold of Plainmoor ? If I understand things correctly, Torbay council own the land, the football club owns the buildings I.E the Stands etc, and the running costs/grounds maintenance is down to the club, so it's purely the value of the land, I'd hate to even hazard a guess how much the land is truly worth, can't imagine it would make much if a difference to the councils budget.

Torbay council has switched from Tory to Lib Dem and recently back to Tory control, the council has reiterated time and time again over this period the freehold of Plainmoor is not on the market. Don't how many of you are aware of TorVista homes Ltd, this is a company set up by and 100% owned by Torbay Council for the provision of socially affordable housing, I am NOT suggesting homes will ever be built on Plainmoor, but if this point is ever reached at any point in the future, my guess would be, the Council would perhaps want to use the land for themselves.

From a point very much of me looking from the outside in, all I/we can see has happened here is an informal chat between the club and the Council, with great fanfare made in the local media about finally, a new stadium is very much in the pipeline. I agree with Southampton Gull here, smoke and mirrors, I can't see a new stadium ever being built.

Spot on with TorVista, although plans for further housing (large village top of Shiphay etc.) haven't progressed in 6 years despite a large developer involved

The ball is in CO's court to provide a solid plan to Council & fans, but i'd say there are a few strings missing from his raquet.

[torregull]

TorVista is being wound up and its functions taken on directly by Torbay Council.

[SuperNickyWroe]

I do fully understand supporters reservations I was one of the first to 'hit the roof' when the proposal of a new stadium was initially announced. Nevertheless, whichever way the wind blows the risk of losing our football club through financial turmoil exists be it through stagnation or development. One has to sit on one side of the fence so I've decided to be positive rather than negative about the future development of the club. We can't remain in the 'Ark' for ever, so I await with anticipation of what the 'Promised Land' is to look like. If upon the release of the proposaI I smell a rat I will be as vocal as anyone.

'Uncle Clarke' was right in one thing ' In football there’s a lot of emotion, ego and personalities'.

Thats the problem right there.
That word "proposal."
Which, when translated into Osborne speak means "No intention of ever being built."

[Cheddargull]

Kevin Foster, the local MP, says he talked to the council leadership. All the council did was give the club a polite hearing and reiterated that Plainmoor is NOT for sale, they also queried how the club intended to finance any development.
In other words nothing is going to happen so stop worrying.

[MellowYellow]

Kevin Foster, the local MP, says he talked to the council leadership. All the council did was give the club a polite hearing and reiterated that Plainmoor is NOT for sale, they also queried how the club intended to finance any development.
In other words nothing is going to happen so stop worrying.

7 years since the takeover and 7 million squid loan investment all for one polite chat over tea and biscuits. Something is not adding up. I think we have lots to worry about. Something will happen. Either the development goes ahead or Uncle Clarke walks. Which is the worst of two evils? Will there be enough passion in the Bay to restart and follow in Tier 9 'Western League'' playing the likes of Nailsea & Tickenham FC. However, we will still be playing at Plainmoor which is what appears to count.

[gullsgullsgulls]

Was looking at the latest from Swindon (see link below) and the announcement from before Christmas that Uncle Clarke has found a new site for the Speedway team who have played at Abbey Stadium since the 1940s (now a housing estate under Gaming International ownership, despite promises to the contrary).

Clarke was very pleased to have found a site ‘only’ 45 mins drive from Swindon which he described as “well within our drivetime criteria (sic)”. To me this implies he would have been happy with at least an hour commute from Swindon to ‘home’ events.

I have had a look at a map of 1 hour drives from Plainmoor and it is quite a large area - from Liskeard to Lyme Regis…

My fear is that any site found for a new stadium will be in such an unpopular location that people will understandably protest and Clarke can then turn around and blame the fans for not wanting the new stadium, before walking away. Job done.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/spo ... -speedway/

[WainwrightGull]

Was looking at the latest from Swindon (see link below) and the announcement from before Christmas that Uncle Clarke has found a new site for the Speedway team who have played at Abbey Stadium since the 1940s (now a housing estate under Gaming International ownership, despite promises to the contrary).

Clarke was very pleased to have found a site ‘only’ 45 mins drive from Swindon which he described as “well within our drivetime criteria (sic)”. To me this implies he would have been happy with at least an hour commute from Swindon to ‘home’ events.

I have had a look at a map of 1 hour drives from Plainmoor and it is quite a large area - from Liskeard to Lyme Regis…

My fear is that any site found for a new stadium will be in such an unpopular location that people will understandably protest and Clarke can then turn around and blame the fans for not wanting the new stadium, before walking away. Job done.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/spo ... -speedway/

Spot on gullsgullsgulls.
You only have to read the link and supporters comments to know what is coming. Perhaps the new Stad will be in Portishead save Johnson on his travel !

[exilegull]

Kevin Foster, the local MP, says he talked to the council leadership. All the council did was give the club a polite hearing and reiterated that Plainmoor is NOT for sale, they also queried how the club intended to finance any development.
In other words nothing is going to happen so stop worrying.

If nothing is happening then Osborne will certainly stop putting additional funds in the club and no doubt seek to recover funds which will almost certainly result in liquidation. That is certainly something to worry about.

[SuperNickyWroe]

If nothing is happening then Osborne will certainly stop putting additional funds in the club and no doubt seek to recover funds which will almost certainly result in liquidation. That is certainly something to worry about.

If he did that, he wouldn't get anywhere near his money back....
And he won't want to lose any money at all.

[exilegull]

If he did that, he wouldn't get anywhere near his money back....
And he won't want to lose any money at all.

At some point he’ll stop throwing good money after bad. I’d be curious as to the attendances needed to break even if the club was run on a part-time basis.

[knightmaregull]

If nothing is happening then Osborne will certainly stop putting additional funds in the club and no doubt seek to recover funds which will almost certainly result in liquidation. That is certainly something to worry about.

For those of us suspecting there is no 'good' ending here this may actually be one of the better ones. The absolute key is the Council being strong enough to hold their ace cards until a new stadium is built in a suitable location and owned by a structure that doesn't expose the club to a Coventry situation (or sufficient funds are unequivocally held in escrow account to cover default) - ie. not giving up control of the freehold. Otherwise, as soon as Osborne has the keys, his plan will unravel and, as so many have said before, some ectenuating circumstance will magically appear so he can conveniently blame someone else for not building the new stadium.

In the situation above, we go bust sooner but have a local ground for a phoenix club to grow from. If macclesfield, Scarborough, Hereford, accrington, newport etc. etc can do it then so can we (not easily of course but of course we can).

I'm more and more in favour of flushing Osborne and co out soonest and hopefully ensuring there are 2 x losers here and not just the inevitable 1.

[Colorado]

Given all that has been previously stated, it seems that it’s not unreasonable to plan for the worst.

So what would be the next step in forming a Phoenix Club

[Admiral]

Given all that has been previously stated, it seems that it’s not unreasonable to plan for the worst.

So what would be the next step in forming a Phoenix Club

Here here, best to plan for this eventuality and hopefully never need to act on it.

Chester made plans quite far in advance, the club ultimately went into liquidation and there were boycotts prior. I’ve said it before, but if a fan-owned club had been formed in 2017 we’d probably be back where we are now without Osborne in the picture.

[TUST_Official]

It is about preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. A lot of hard work has gone into ensuring that TUST is as prepared as possible should the worst ever happen. We sincerely hope that it won’t be needed.

Much of TUST's work has been to research and prepare for the launch of a phoenix club including how finance can be raised in a crisis through Crowdfunding and a Community Share Issue. We have met with the trusts of other clubs which have been through the process and the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) can provide expert assistance.

For more information on TUST's activities visit the FAQ page on our website: https://www.tust.co.uk/faq