Could people really not see this coming? I'd have been more shocked if "Project Proud To Be" had been any good. What an arrogant, ill-informed, misjudged piece of rubbish. The few good points it contained are simply drowned by the sea of "know-it-all" claptrap. I'm sorry but it's soooo bad it's too good not to ridicule. Someone has had the audacity to read a few online articles and believes they know better than professionals who have devoted their careers to the various subjects. It's like someone who plays Football Manager and applies for the England job.
What was Meccano's quote the other month. Something like the most in depth study of the club in it's history. Identifying macro level issues. Making it up as they go along. What people at the club got interviewed to find out what they do? How many coaches did you speak to? What knowledge of the current practices do you have and how did you obtain that information?
In fact here's some easy ones for anyone involved to answer. Who wrote it? Who else contributed? Provide an appendix listing your source matter and finally state what experience those involved in the writing of it bring.
As it's a living breathing document let's add some more sections.
GROUND IMPROVEMENTS
Problem - Not enough people behind the bar.....Solution - get more people behind the bar
Problem - Burgers are too expensive.....Solution - Sell cheaper burgers
Problem - The East Stand isn't finished.....Solution - Finish the East Stand
In fact this document has proven life changing for me on a personal level. This morning I ran out of toothpaste. Left me stumped what to do.....then I thought what would Project Proud To Be suggest? Yep, buy more toothpaste! It's that simple. Late for work....leave earlier. Hungry...eat something. Thirsty....have a drink. Thank you Project Proud To Be.
So the Trust board didn't see this. YEAH RIGHT!!! Andy Roberts spoke in interviews about some of the topics it contained. People can back track all they like. Everyone knew this was part of the event and if you didn't you are either lying or incompetent.
I note none of the usual suspects have appeared yet to even attempt to offer a defence. Open and Honest remember the mantra.
So apart from that disaster let's talk community/fan ownership. On the plus side fabulous to get an Exeter perspective represented warts and all. No better experience and example of the challenges we would face.
Here are the problems though. We've come up with a hybrid model. Ask yourself why? It's obvious, fan ownership alone simply cannot afford to buy and finance the club. So let's get local business involved.
Ask yourself this though. What's in it for them? Does being local make a business man suitable to put our Trust in? Who decides whether that businessman is fit and proper and when do the membership get consulted. Bear in mind they admitted they approached the club already with a backer. Who was that backer and what was their motivation? Convenient to claim commercial sensitivities to avoid answering tough/any questions. The irony of being secretive and not letting you the members share this information. This from people that in the next sentence slaughter the current ownership for not disclosing development information.
Next the idea that somehow a community ownership would be better placed to get a development moving. Well for starters you don't have the immediate finance and secondly you will face all the same council planning delays everyone else does. Explain to me what you skills and expertise you possess that everyone else is missing.
It's the lunatics taking over the asylum. Community ownership is a sure fire way of guaranteeing we stand still AT BEST and it costs you personally more money just to do so. But you will all be happier apparently as we get to have a say....except you don't.....the lunatics in charge will do and share what they deem fit.
Finally the club for sale price. I assume if the Trust got the club for a quid they will sell it for a quid when the inevitable time comes to seek the investment required to progress to the next level?
Good post. Difficult to argue with much of that.