eppinggas
Administrator
Ian Alexander
Don't care
Joined: June 2014
Posts: 8,126
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Post by eppinggas on Dec 1, 2019 13:21:27 GMT
"on the money" was qualified by the words "as far as I'm concerned". Swissgas was the first head above the parapet when he questioned Dwane Sports and the charge on the Mem pre-UWE v1 collapse. His narrative pretty much dove-tails with what I have been thinking (without his business acumen) ever since. If you still want "to believe" in Wael / Dwane Sports, then that is your right. Sorry,i was thinking you meant he was "on the money" regarding facts not speculative guesswork. No worries... we all want what's best for Bristol Rovers FC. I just don't think that's going to happen under Dwane Sports stewardship. And I agree with other posters - "anyone but Dwane Sports" is not an answer.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2019 15:40:08 GMT
It wouldn't go down well with supporters after the UWE apparently collapsed due to the leasehold especially if a short lease was agreed. I see two scenarios. Either the club is sold to somebody who moves us into a leasehold stadium or we go bust. I think that sums it up perfectly and , as much as I have hated thinking it, let alone saying it, I fear we could be gone and I’d give it a timeframe of within 2 more seasons after this. Just one question, didn’t someone say that there is a caveat saying the owners can’t sell the mem , not without getting us a suitable place to play, first ? I’m even starting to think of more sinister reasons of why certain parts of the ground are closed. Never a peaceful moment in being a Rovers supporter eh. To think it only seems like yesterday, that our fans were carrying WAQ aloft, down the Gloucester rd. Yes that covenant does exist but it wouldn't exist if there was no football club.
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Post by swissgas on Dec 1, 2019 17:49:03 GMT
I see the name 'Rag Bag Rovers' makes a return, a couple of pages back... Ah, the good old days! Elsewhere I see in one of Keith Brookman's articles, "Thirty Years On", for the BRFPA website, that Rovers made profits of £10k 1987/88 and £45.5k in the 1988/89 season. And these financial years would have been before the cash received from the transfers of Penrice, Martyn etc. Making a profit despite: owning nothing; renting a non-league ground 15 miles away; reduced crowds; and training at the sports field of a chocolate factory, on a flood plain. I remember a few years later, moving on to The Mem, when we were told financial difficulties would be a thing of the past, as we could generate money, through owning our own ground, and cash through the tills of the bars and hospitality boxes. Rag Bag Rovers, making a profit of £45.5k - figures we could only dream of today I should like to comment fully on this because I was involved at the time but wont because it would end up getting too long winded and boring. Rex is right that things have changed with the advent of social media but certain principles remain constant though it is not fashionable to say so. Fans would rather see Wael on social media with a star than read about balance sheets or business strategies. We don’t want success enough so are content to let our “betters” get on with it, we are happy to drift along and ignore the signs like today’s attendance which show that Rovers are going to be perpetual also rans if nothing changes. During the times you mentioned Rovers maintained financial stability, got into the Championship and eventually were able to buy the Mem because our owners then were not playing at it, we were seriously committed, there was no get out clause, we had to make it work.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2019 18:29:29 GMT
I think that sums it up perfectly and , as much as I have hated thinking it, let alone saying it, I fear we could be gone and I’d give it a timeframe of within 2 more seasons after this. Just one question, didn’t someone say that there is a caveat saying the owners can’t sell the mem , not without getting us a suitable place to play, first ? I’m even starting to think of more sinister reasons of why certain parts of the ground are closed. Never a peaceful moment in being a Rovers supporter eh. To think it only seems like yesterday, that our fans were carrying WAQ aloft, down the Gloucester rd. Yes that covenant does exist but it wouldn't exist if there was no football club. Ouch!
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Post by droitwichgas on Dec 2, 2019 8:56:19 GMT
It wouldn't go down well with supporters after the UWE apparently collapsed due to the leasehold especially if a short lease was agreed. I see two scenarios. Either the club is sold to somebody who moves us into a leasehold stadium or we go bust. I think that sums it up perfectly and , as much as I have hated thinking it, let alone saying it, I fear we could be gone and I’d give it a timeframe of within 2 more seasons after this. Just one question, didn’t someone say that there is a caveat saying the owners can’t sell the mem , not without getting us a suitable place to play, first ? I’m even starting to think of more sinister reasons of why certain parts of the ground are closed. Never a peaceful moment in being a Rovers supporter eh. To think it only seems like yesterday, that our fans were carrying WAQ aloft, down the Gloucester rd. Can anybody understand why the West enclosure inc the family terracing were closed yesterday, given that the turnstiles and vending huts still had to be opened for stand/boxes in the West Stand. I sense that had a direct effect on reducing attendance as just 4K home fans was appalling. We must have had more than that for Chesham and Barnet etc in recent years?
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kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10,255
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Post by kingswood Polak on Dec 2, 2019 10:09:45 GMT
I think that sums it up perfectly and , as much as I have hated thinking it, let alone saying it, I fear we could be gone and I’d give it a timeframe of within 2 more seasons after this. Just one question, didn’t someone say that there is a caveat saying the owners can’t sell the mem , not without getting us a suitable place to play, first ? I’m even starting to think of more sinister reasons of why certain parts of the ground are closed. Never a peaceful moment in being a Rovers supporter eh. To think it only seems like yesterday, that our fans were carrying WAQ aloft, down the Gloucester rd. Can anybody understand why the West enclosure inc the family terracing were closed yesterday, given that the turnstiles and vending huts still had to be opened for stand/boxes in the West Stand. I sense that had a direct effect on reducing attendance as just 4K home fans was appalling. We must have had more than that for Chesham and Barnet etc in recent years? A hell of a lot of people, who I know, use that part of the ground and most of them never bothered going. The worst part is that we know that football, like many leisure activities, is a habit and once you break that habit then it becomes easier to either pick and choose or stop going. I certainly don’t understand closing it and the SW stand, both are popular parts of the ground to view from
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kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 10,255
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Post by kingswood Polak on Dec 2, 2019 10:11:01 GMT
I think that sums it up perfectly and , as much as I have hated thinking it, let alone saying it, I fear we could be gone and I’d give it a timeframe of within 2 more seasons after this. Just one question, didn’t someone say that there is a caveat saying the owners can’t sell the mem , not without getting us a suitable place to play, first ? I’m even starting to think of more sinister reasons of why certain parts of the ground are closed. Never a peaceful moment in being a Rovers supporter eh. To think it only seems like yesterday, that our fans were carrying WAQ aloft, down the Gloucester rd. Yes that covenant does exist but it wouldn't exist if there was no football club. Crikey, I never thought of it in that manner.!
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2019 10:12:27 GMT
Yes that covenant does exist but it wouldn't exist if there was no football club. Crikey, I never thought of it in that manner.! Neither had one of the ex directors responsible for inserting that covenant.
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Post by Portishead Pirate on Jan 14, 2020 17:22:08 GMT
Termination now confirmed at Companies House:
BRFC
1883
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Post by irenestoyboy on Jan 14, 2020 20:54:04 GMT
Termination now confirmed at Companies House:
BRFC
1883Excellent.
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Post by Colyton Gas. on Jan 14, 2020 20:55:29 GMT
We don't exactly have a lot at the helm now do we?
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Post by PessimistGas on Jan 14, 2020 21:06:34 GMT
We don't exactly have a lot at the helm do we? Who is on the board now apart from Starnes and The Fantasist?
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JeffNZ
Administrator
Jimmy Morgan
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,451
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Post by JeffNZ on Jan 15, 2020 2:26:36 GMT
We don't exactly have a lot at the helm do we? Who is on the board now apart from Starnes and The Fantasist? These are the only current Secretary and Directors registered with Companies House. Keep in mind this is for Bristol Rovers Football Club Limited not Dwane Sports Limited (Jersey).
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Post by Colyton Gas. on Jan 15, 2020 11:15:54 GMT
Tyler Smith gone too.Back to the Premier league.Reckon Victor will follow.Reminds me of Blissett.
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kentgas
Archie Stephens
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 271
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Post by kentgas on Jan 15, 2020 11:26:25 GMT
Tyler Smith gone too.Back to the Premier league.Reckon Victor will follow.Reminds me of Blissett. Gone to Rochdale
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Post by a more piratey game on Mar 29, 2020 10:54:35 GMT
In my view with a new ground and the same quality team average gates would drop further at the fruit market. It would have to be a new team on and off the pitch and that’s why having the right initial capitalization is so important. What I am putting forward is the idea of completely new BRFC far removed from the “rag bag” image we are familiar with. One where the new owners accept the challenge of making us slick, professional and sustainable but ensure we retain all the good things which the club has such as the community department and the enthusiasm of fans who make a difference by volunteering such as the Helpline people, The Presidents and Supporters Club and the lads who make the podcasts. This is how we can differentiate ourselves from Bristol City. In fact, having listened to the most recent podcast, the situation Rovers have been in for the last year or more has become clearer. Within the club it seems to have been common knowledge that Steve Hamer and Ken Masters were working to try to do a deal with the Fruit Market developers and were passing leaks to the ITK’ers. Hani was looking for a deal and so was prepared to go along with this despite opposition from other Board members and it was only when the deal stalled that he was willing to bow to demands to sacrifice Steve Hamer. As much as I like these podcasts and strongly applaud the initiative shown I do think this edition was too one sided and didn’t give Steve Hamer a fair hearing. It also virtually wrote off Ken Masters as “yesterday’s man” which leaves one of our Directors in a difficult position unless he is next for the short sharp chop. From the outside it does seem Steve and Ken could have handled it better but it is surprising that younger generation Gasheads so easily dismiss an effort to secure Rovers a 21st century standard stadium and side so readily with those responsible for the financial side of the business which, it cannot be denied, looks like a disaster zone. it seems you called the KM thing swiss
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Post by a more piratey game on Mar 29, 2020 10:57:51 GMT
There's an element of spin here. Higgs wasn't suggesting, as far as I'm aware, that he was sacrificing his equity to get UWE built, it was just moving the investment. Add to that, at no point did I ever see confirmation that all of the non-football revenue from that project would be driven back to Rovers, and if you wanted to be uncharitable, you have some dots there that you can join up to make paint Nick in a bad light. Moving forward. Have Dwayne been given an opportunity to move their investment in a similar way, if so, on what terms? Let's have facts laid out before we decide if there are actually any good or bad guys here. You are a very skilled writer Swiss. Your second paragraph above starts by making it clear that all you have are hunches and a 'gut feeling', but you cleverly conclude with what reads as a damming condemnation of these owners for losing the opportunity to link the club in to 'powerful corporate people' and a 'prestigious City Centre development. Which of those positions do you actually hold please? On the evidence available I came to the conclusion that the Fruit Market Plan (like the UWE Plan) would have given Rovers the chance to compete again with City but it cannot proceed because of financial and other obstacles presented by Dwane Sports. And that in the near future we are likely to be told the Fruit Market failed to go ahead because it was “not in Rovers best interests “which was the same obscure reason given for the UWE Stadium Plan collapse. We will then be presented with an alternative plan which we will be told is the best available option for the club. What we will not be told is that it is actually the only option to get Dwane Sports off the hook financially and which will keep a token presence for Wael but that it condemns Rovers to continued financial instability and a status in the football World which is well below that which would be attainable in other circumstances. this bit hasn't materialised yet though
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Post by swissgas on Mar 29, 2020 15:38:33 GMT
On the evidence available I came to the conclusion that the Fruit Market Plan (like the UWE Plan) would have given Rovers the chance to compete again with City but it cannot proceed because of financial and other obstacles presented by Dwane Sports. And that in the near future we are likely to be told the Fruit Market failed to go ahead because it was “not in Rovers best interests “which was the same obscure reason given for the UWE Stadium Plan collapse. We will then be presented with an alternative plan which we will be told is the best available option for the club. What we will not be told is that it is actually the only option to get Dwane Sports off the hook financially and which will keep a token presence for Wael but that it condemns Rovers to continued financial instability and a status in the football World which is well below that which would be attainable in other circumstances. this bit hasn't materialised yet though Last November seems like a lifetime ago now doesn’t it. I tried to bring the Fruit Market plan to the fore at that time because there was enough evidence to show it was “real” and it seemed a chance for Rovers to finally break out of the mediocrity we are mired in by partnering with some serious players and eventually putting ourselves in a position to compete with City again. My concern was that the plan would fade away without it being properly examined and debated and that is exactly what has happened. My constant pushing of the subject prompted a lot of people to get in touch and through this I learned a great deal more about things which were happening around Rovers during the early months of the year. Anxious to try to help I did speak to some people here in the US about Rovers and again learned a lot. There is definitely an appetite for wealthy international investors to look at European lower league clubs because of the lucrative benefits associated with worldwide TV exposure. And they are seriously attracted by taking a scientific approach to both the football and marketing side of the clubs they target. I was told of experiments ongoing with US owned clubs in Scandinavia and even Dundalk FC in Ireland (average crowds 3000) being owned by associates of the people I was speaking to because of the potential offered by their participation in European competitions. But as for interest in Rovers it was a resounding NO. For these people and I’m sure many others the desire is to develop a football club not build infrastructure. And because there are sufficient clubs on the market which already have adequate infrastructure I am afraid, without something big like the Fruit Market to attract them, the types of investors which could seriously transform our club will not be looking at Rovers.
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Post by droitwichgas on Mar 29, 2020 16:53:28 GMT
this bit hasn't materialised yet though Last November seems like a lifetime ago now doesn’t it. I tried to bring the Fruit Market plan to the fore at that time because there was enough evidence to show it was “real” and it seemed a chance for Rovers to finally break out of the mediocrity we are mired in by partnering with some serious players and eventually putting ourselves in a position to compete with City again. My concern was that the plan would fade away without it being properly examined and debated and that is exactly what has happened. My constant pushing of the subject prompted a lot of people to get in touch and through this I learned a great deal more about things which were happening around Rovers during the early months of the year. Anxious to try to help I did speak to some people here in the US about Rovers and again learned a lot. There is definitely an appetite for wealthy international investors to look at European lower league clubs because of the lucrative benefits associated with worldwide TV exposure. And they are seriously attracted by taking a scientific approach to both the football and marketing side of the clubs they target. I was told of experiments ongoing with US owned clubs in Scandinavia and even Dundalk FC in Ireland (average crowds 3000) being owned by associates of the people I was speaking to because of the potential offered by their participation in European competitions. But as for interest in Rovers it was a resounding NO. For these people and I’m sure many others the desire is to develop a football club not build infrastructure. And because there are sufficient clubs on the market which already have adequate infrastructure I am afraid, without something big like the Fruit Market to attract them, the types of investors which could seriously transform our club will not be looking at Rovers. Problem is that we have no idea what Rovers would have to give up for the FM to come to fruition, I guess in the past Coventry fans thought the Ricoh Stadium was a great opportunity, now they are £60m in debt with no stadium and you do wonder whether they'll survive CV given their pension fund owners will have taken a massive hit from the worldwide stock market falls. What company is going to buy the land and build a football stadium w/o getting a massive payback in return, if they were prospective owners it may be an interesting proposition but it seems all they see the FM and Rovers is as an investment opportunity.
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Post by a more piratey game on Mar 29, 2020 16:56:42 GMT
this bit hasn't materialised yet though Last November seems like a lifetime ago now doesn’t it. I tried to bring the Fruit Market plan to the fore at that time because there was enough evidence to show it was “real” and it seemed a chance for Rovers to finally break out of the mediocrity we are mired in by partnering with some serious players and eventually putting ourselves in a position to compete with City again. My concern was that the plan would fade away without it being properly examined and debated and that is exactly what has happened. My constant pushing of the subject prompted a lot of people to get in touch and through this I learned a great deal more about things which were happening around Rovers during the early months of the year. Anxious to try to help I did speak to some people here in the US about Rovers and again learned a lot. There is definitely an appetite for wealthy international investors to look at European lower league clubs because of the lucrative benefits associated with worldwide TV exposure. And they are seriously attracted by taking a scientific approach to both the football and marketing side of the clubs they target. I was told of experiments ongoing with US owned clubs in Scandinavia and even Dundalk FC in Ireland (average crowds 3000) being owned by associates of the people I was speaking to because of the potential offered by their participation in European competitions. But as for interest in Rovers it was a resounding NO. For these people and I’m sure many others the desire is to develop a football club not build infrastructure. And because there are sufficient clubs on the market which already have adequate infrastructure I am afraid, without something big like the Fruit Market to attract them, the types of investors which could seriously transform our club will not be looking at Rovers. that's very interesting
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