Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:20:40 GMT
And now own Torquay United. They also own a couple of greyhound & Speedway stadiums, including Swindon. If you do some digging you will see they are 'supposedly' developing that stadium at Blunsdon, its 'On hold' but in reality will be selling it off for housing. Its very sad.
Not to be trusted is an understatement.
Yep, Swindon, Poole and Milton Keynes Bowl but they don't own the Torquay stadium, that is owned by the council. Osbourne announced that he was going to move the club to a new stadium and wanted the council to sell Plainmoor to pay for it. The council told him to build his stadium first as I think they had done their homework. Strangely things have gone very quiet. The parent company having gone through various name changes Gaming International is actually the original Bristol Stadium Company which was incorporated in 1932. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:23:32 GMT
Very little information about- that is the understatement of all. Wael had said that it was a priority, in one of his first interviews but it looks and sounds no different to what was happening, many years prior to that.
Bloody hell KP you talking about the same place?
18 months ago the Quarters/Colony site was an overgrown wasteland. To view the site now compared to then is like chalk and cheese. One thing it is certainly not is "no different to many years before". If in doubt just look at some pictures.
Hope you are feeling better by the way.
When I lived near there it was actually well used by local youth football teams but as you say once it was acquired by the AQ's it was allowed to turn into a wasteland until Wael managed to become sole owner. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:28:37 GMT
They also own a couple of greyhound & Speedway stadiums, including Swindon. If you do some digging you will see they are 'supposedly' developing that stadium at Blunsdon, its 'On hold' but in reality will be selling it off for housing. Its very sad.
Not to be trusted is an understatement.
Yep, Swindon, Poole and Milton Keynes Bowl but they don't own the Torquay stadium, that is owned by the council. Osbourne announced that he was going to move the club to a new stadium and wanted the council to sell Plainmoor to pay for it. The council told him to build his stadium first as I think they had done their homework. Strangely things have gone very quiet.The parent company having gone through various name changes Gaming International is actually the original Bristol Stadium Company which was incorporated in 1932. That doesn't surpise me.
The Swindon stadium saga has gone quiet too. Apparently, the 'new stadium' that GI were going to build was moduler, and in storage ready to be delivered and constructed. Was apparently delayed due to 'drainage problems' whilst in the meantime more houses built next door.
Most people expect only one outcome.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:30:40 GMT
Yep, Swindon, Poole and Milton Keynes Bowl but they don't own the Torquay stadium, that is owned by the council. Osbourne announced that he was going to move the club to a new stadium and wanted the council to sell Plainmoor to pay for it. The council told him to build his stadium first as I think they had done their homework. Strangely things have gone very quiet.The parent company having gone through various name changes Gaming International is actually the original Bristol Stadium Company which was incorporated in 1932. That doesn't surpise me.
The Swindon stadium saga has gone quiet too. Apparently, the 'new stadium' that GI were going to build was moduler, and in storage ready to be delivered and constructed. Was apparently delayed due to 'drainage problems' whilst in the meantime more houses built next door.
Most people expect only one outcome.
At the last count I don't think they have ever built a new stadium despite buying several and promising redevelopment. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:38:47 GMT
That doesn't surpise me.
The Swindon stadium saga has gone quiet too. Apparently, the 'new stadium' that GI were going to build was moduler, and in storage ready to be delivered and constructed. Was apparently delayed due to 'drainage problems' whilst in the meantime more houses built next door.
Most people expect only one outcome.
At the last count I don't think they have ever built a new stadium despite buying several and promising redevelopment. I can remember when speedway was at Eastville in 77/78, used to get 10k most weeks. Was very popular.
When it was banned by the Council on planning grounds there was a huge outcry and campaign to keep it, including from the stadium company, and after a huge amount of work evenutally a planning application for it was approved - but the stadium company then gave an undertaking that it would never hold it again.
I'm sure Clarke Osbourne was involved in those days too
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:42:07 GMT
At the last count I don't think they have ever built a new stadium despite buying several and promising redevelopment. I can remember when speedway was at Eastville in 77/78, used to get 10k most weeks. Was very popular.
When it was banned by the Council on planning grounds there was a huge outcry and campaign to keep it, including from the stadium company, and after a huge amount of work evenutally a planning application for it was approved - but the stadium company then gave an undertaking that it would never hold it again.
I'm sure Clarke Osbourne was involved in those days too
Yes he was. His Father Ted Osbourne was a Rovers Director at one stage. I used to go to school with Clarke's younger brother Edwin. I used to go to the Speedway home and away back in the 70's with my late sister. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:52:49 GMT
Great times weren't they. Bulldogs on a Friday, Rovers on a saturday.
Edwin was the announcer at the speedway I recall?
There have been a couple of attempts to bring speedway back to Bristol, the last at Avonmouth that came to nothing I think. Shame.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 21:56:50 GMT
Great times weren't they. Bulldogs on a Friday, Rovers on a saturday. Edwin was the announcer at the speedway I recall? There have been a couple of attempts to bring speedway back to Bristol, the last at Avonmouth that came to nothing I think. Shame. I think you are right about Edwin. What was the name of our flamboyant starter? At least Bristol managed to produce a future world champion with Jason Crump being born in Bristol whilst is Dad Phil was our captain. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 22:03:00 GMT
The name Lee Harris rings a bell!
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2021 22:09:14 GMT
The name Lee Harris rings a bell! Spot on.  |
|
|
|
Post by swissgas on Sept 15, 2021 1:20:13 GMT
Right now it doesn't look much like it at all. But if the Quarters is a ten year project then by 2030 it may look like the Stevenage FC training ground did in 2014. I thought you were of the view there was no need to develop a Training ground (like Stevenage) as its better to rent?
Pleased that you have changed your mind.
Interesting that when Stevenage purchased the site in 2011 they were firmly of the view that the club needed something like that in order to progress.
Everyone on the same page at last
Do you really want to go there with Rovers languishing at 90th place in the League having spent close to £30 million ? |
|
axegas
Joined: November 2015
Posts: 222 
|
Post by axegas on Sept 15, 2021 2:27:52 GMT
I thought you were of the view there was no need to develop a Training ground (like Stevenage) as its better to rent?
Pleased that you have changed your mind.
Interesting that when Stevenage purchased the site in 2011 they were firmly of the view that the club needed something like that in order to progress.
Everyone on the same page at last
Do you really want to go there with Rovers languishing at 90th place in the League having spent close to £30 million ? But there are many reasons for that, and I don’t think the training ground is one of them. |
|
kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10,354
|
Post by kingswood Polak on Sept 15, 2021 6:01:09 GMT
Very little information about- that is the understatement of all. Wael had said that it was a priority, in one of his first interviews but it looks and sounds no different to what was happening, many years prior to that.
Bloody hell KP you talking about the same place?
18 months ago the Quarters/Colony site was an overgrown wasteland. To view the site now compared to then is like chalk and cheese. One thing it is certainly not is "no different to many years before". If in doubt just look at some pictures.
Hope you are feeling better by the way.
Hambrook was a decent place, lots of potentials. We have history of selling off our most important things and what use will a bodged up trading ground be if the team fails. Geoff D had us at the beeches, making a fair few quid out of it, we trained att ICI, Caine and the young players, Yate. The trading ground has cost a lot of money due to poor planning and not doing things as they could and should have been but you are not open to see any of the mismanagement of funds or the fall from grace. SMH I do think Rick Johansen is right in that, ultimately, the fans get the club they deserve. I and you couldn’t be further apart as in you think Wael is doing a superb job while i see a man who is struggling |
|
towngas
Joined: February 2021
Posts: 566
|
Post by towngas on Sept 15, 2021 6:04:38 GMT
At the last count I don't think they have ever built a new stadium despite buying several and promising redevelopment. I can remember when speedway was at Eastville in 77/78, used to get 10k most weeks. Was very popular.
When it was banned by the Council on planning grounds there was a huge outcry and campaign to keep it, including from the stadium company, and after a huge amount of work evenutally a planning application for it was approved - but the stadium company then gave an undertaking that it would never hold it again.
I'm sure Clarke Osbourne was involved in those days too
I think by that time the Stevens family, who owned the site, had one eye firmly on the Tesco deal and acquiring the gas works site for further retail development.
They were able to speed the removal of Rovers as the last obstacle to their plans with a convenient fire in the South stand.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2021 8:22:08 GMT
In reply to Towngas who I think has posted on Contradictions post.
Bristol Stadium PLC, who later changed their name several times until they became Gaming International, had both Ian Stevens and Clarke Osborne on their board at the time of both Speedway and when Rovers left for Twerton. The stadium wasn't owned outright by the Stevens company.
Toklon Ltd is now the parent company of GI and yes, Clarke Osbourne sits on that board as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by lostinspace on Sept 15, 2021 10:14:32 GMT
What a wicked web that has been surrounded by this club.....and a note on Speed way. Always enjoyed an evening at the Bulldogs,even my best mate ,a red, would come along .....The Somerset Rebels ceased trading last season because of the covid situation, and seemingly not likely to re emerge, lot of development taking place on that site near Highbridge on the A38, just 5 minutes from the Edithmead junction
|
|
|
|
Post by Curly Wurly on Sept 15, 2021 10:35:44 GMT
Maybe we should have persisted with Severnside. There'd be ample parking there and surely the concerns for the safety of spectators at a once a fortnight event are no different to the thousands of employees in the various distribution depots that sit within range of the chemical storage tanks.
I'm glad we didn't. The company that was set up to handle that project was a joint venture with the owners of Eastville who forced us out. I agree.
My point was tongue in cheek as the previous poster had suggested that ample parking was the key to a good stadium.
I do find it ironic that the Severnside project was still born because of environmental/ H&S objections, yet thousands of people now work in the same place every day.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2021 11:07:09 GMT
Bloody hell KP you talking about the same place?
18 months ago the Quarters/Colony site was an overgrown wasteland. To view the site now compared to then is like chalk and cheese. One thing it is certainly not is "no different to many years before". If in doubt just look at some pictures.
Hope you are feeling better by the way.
We have history of selling off our most important things and what use will a bodged up trading ground be if the team fails. Geoff D had us at the beeches, making a fair few quid out of it, we trained att ICI, Caine and the young players, Yate. The trading ground has cost a lot of money due to poor planning and not doing things as they could and should have been but you are not open to see any of the mismanagement of funds or the fall from grace. SMH I do think Rick Johansen is right in that, ultimately, the fans get the club they deserve. I and you couldn’t be further apart as in you think Wael is doing a superb job while i see a man who is struggling Hambrook had to go to save the club. But where have I said Wael is 'doing a superb job'? Things don't need to be so binary KP, and its not a case of an ownership being either Brilliant or Rubbish. WAQ has, in my view, made some great strides is some areas (Training Ground, Commercial, Professionalism of the club ) but made some poor decisions on playing matters that clearly have to improve, (and which obviously will need time) For me the jury is out re the stadium and the clock is ticking regarding a judgement on that. It needs to be resolved one way or the other in the next 18 months IMHO. And if anyone says its down to on the field performance only then they should be referred to the many posts on here 2 years ago moaning about quality of entertainment, lack of training ground etc etc when we were top 6 league one |
|
eppinggas
Administrator
Ian Alexander
Don't care
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 8,556
|
Post by eppinggas on Sept 15, 2021 12:30:00 GMT
Hambrook was a decent place, lots of potentials. We have history of selling off our most important things and what use will a bodged up trading ground be if the team fails. Geoff D had us at the beeches, making a fair few quid out of it, we trained att ICI, Caine and the young players, Yate. The trading ground has cost a lot of money due to poor planning and not doing things as they could and should have been but you are not open to see any of the mismanagement of funds or the fall from grace. SMH I do think Rick Johansen is right in that, ultimately, the fans get the club they deserve. I and you couldn’t be further apart as in you think Wael is doing a superb job while i see a man who is struggling Hambrook had to go to save the club. But where have I said Wael is 'doing a superb job'? Things don't need to be so binary KP, and its not a case of an ownership being either Brilliant or Rubbish.
WAQ has, in my view, made some great strides is some areas (Training Ground, Commercial, Professionalism of the club ) but made some poor decisions on playing matters that clearly have to improve, (and which obviously will need time) For me the jury is out re the stadium and the clock is ticking regarding a judgement on that. It needs to be resolved one way or the other in the next 18 months IMHO. And if anyone says its down to on the field performance only then they should be referred to the many posts on here 2 years ago moaning about quality of entertainment, lack of training ground etc etc when we were top 6 league one 1. Fair point. If Rubbish is "0" Brilliant is "10" - I think we are currently at about 3. Would have been nearer 5 prior to the Barton appointment. 2. 5 1/2 years without any indication that a new stadium is in the offing is a very long time for the jury to be out. I have no confidence that the situation will be resolved in the next 18 months given the lack of competence in the senior management team. |
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2021 12:39:58 GMT
Right now it doesn't look much like it at all. But if the Quarters is a ten year project then by 2030 it may look like the Stevenage FC training ground did in 2014. I thought you were of the view there was no need to develop a Training ground (like Stevenage) as its better to rent?
Pleased that you have changed your mind.
Interesting that when Stevenage purchased the site in 2011 they were firmly of the view that the club needed something like that in order to progress.
Everyone on the same page at last
Sorry to interrupt, but I don't think that Swiss has actually endorsed ownership of a complex of this type, isn't it the case that comparisons between what Stevenage have created and The Quarters are just being made? The grounds look as if the designs are similar to me, but Stevenage have completed theirs, and have the gym in the main building, not in what looks to me to be a cheap structure of the type often used to store gardening machinery. |
|
