Battery Man
|
I think the only thing putting people off backing a fan owned club is the uncertainty on financing the club, however, we have seen many times over the last 35 to 40 years that having a private owner in no way means a club is securely and well financed. I think fan ownership is certainly worth looking at in some depth, as if the finances can be put in place at least to ensure we are in no worse a position than now then why not. At least we would know the owners only wants whats best for the club.
|
|
|
|
BedsCobb
|
The only reason that people could oppose the concept of 'community ownership' is a financial one surely? All things being equal, I'm sure almost every football supporter in the world would prefer their club to be owned by supporters rather than individuals..
It is a very legitimate argument that there are very few successful fan/community ownership models that have worked in the long run in the UK. However, this doesn't mean that it couldn't work for the cobblers...each club's circumstances are different, the 'assets' of each club are different and the skills and expertise of the supporters are different.
I can't see why everybody shouldn't welcome the Trust's exploration of options. It is encouraging that the present owners are prepared to at least talk to the supporters trust. You can think about a huge number of clubs where supporters are completely cut out of any dialogue with the club. Some club owners have even resorted to legal action for defamation against supporters who post adverse comments on notice boards etc.
Whatever you might think of the present owners, they deserve quite a lot of credit for their openness..
The other things about the club is the fact that it has to be run as a business. It has two ways of operating: it either operates at a loss that requires financial support from its owners or it breaks even/makes a profit and doesn't need that financial support.
Historically, since the turn of 2000, the club has operated at a loss almost every year - in total it lost £6m under the Cardoza's (Im not quite sure why someone queried this figure the other day) and for the last published accounts the club lost about £250,000. The next accounts are due at the end of March but in KT's interview he alludes to making a loss this year as well.
Therefore, in any credible community owned club there will have to be a recognition of the fact that the club is not currently financially self sustaining and hasn't been largely for many years - this is a FACT!
For all of the claims about future revenue streams and the good ideas on here, the reality is the club needs more resources or to cut its expenditure. But even cutting expenditure is not enough - were the club to ever be 100% supporter owned no bank would ever support this model without a substantial cash reserve in case the club got into financial difficulties - this again is fact.
Therefore, the idea of a hybrid ownership model makes sense because the 'larger private owners' might be the 'lenders of the last resort' in case of difficulty, but they in turn will want control..who would invest, say £50,000 each, into a club where the spending decisions are being made by other people?
Hence NBC's idea in 2013 that the club needed to be put onto a more sustainable financial footing (i.e to become profitable) by using the land around the East Stand. What happened next of course was a fiasco but the idea was very good even if the execution was very poor.
Now, KT and others have the chance to work with NBC and private developers to deliver on NBC's idea of 2013 - i.e. to use the land to generate profits to pay for the development of a ground and club that is financially sustainable.
There are a great number of issues around the basic concept and nobody outside NBC or the club know what the basis of the discussions currently are.What are NBCs objectives? How does KT see the future?
It is a very difficult situation: on the one hand NBC is an elected body and as council tax payers everybody has a right to know what is going on.
At the same time, the club and land around the East Stand is in private hands and why should private developers explain to the public what they are up to? Do you show your bank balance to the neighbours?
So in summary, I think the Supporters Trust is absolutely right to explore models of supporter and community ownership at this time. I hope that NBC and KT are in a position as soon as possible to explain their plans and the supporters and council tax payers van then evaluate them.
Now for three 3 points...
You can not claim to have lost £6m over 10 years because you are trading at 25% of your capabilities due to very poor infrastructure , bad management and zero growth. How much of that £6m could've had us trading 50% up over several years of he sustained such losses? For years we have tried to build teams that could achieve promotion out of league 2 but only to sell the back bone of the team for a fraction of there worth when Sixfields inadequacy kicks in. With a supporters/ local buisneses working together with full understanding of the job in hand, all involved would soon see steady improvements in all the key areas that increase turnover, resulting in more breaking even than losses. So KT has announced we expect to show a loss. After 20 years trying to buck the trend of a well trod path, no one should really be surprised.
|
|
« Last Edit: February 04, 2019, 12:19:46 pm by BedsCobb »
|
Report Spam
Logged
|
|
|
|
Manwork04
|
Thomas isn't going to sell a 50% share to anyone that does not meet his valuation, currently about £2m.
|
Rule Britannia
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
I think the only thing putting people off backing a fan owned club is the uncertainty on financing the club, however, we have seen many times over the last 35 to 40 years that having a private owner in no way means a club is securely and well financed. I think fan ownership is certainly worth looking at in some depth, as if the finances can be put in place at least to ensure we are in no worse a position than now then why not. At least we would know the owners only wants whats best for the club.
Don’t kid yourself, it’s not the only thing. Along with a couple of other points the thing concerning me is that some of the individuals on here end up in a position of significant influence in the decision making process. I have visions of the board room being like scenes from the Mad Hatters tea party.
|
|
|
|
FezNTFC
|
Don’t kid yourself, it’s not the only thing. Along with a couple of other points the thing concerning me is that some of the individuals on here end up in a position of significant influence in the decision making process. I have visions of the board room being like scenes from the Mad Hatters tea party.
To clarify again. Another important thing to remember is that the current Trust board would not be running the show. They would bring in professionals to run the football club. No supporters owned club is run by the people who used to run the car boot sales or make the coffees on matchdays.
Add 'argue on the forum' to that list
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
To clarify again. Add 'argue on the forum' to that list To continue the row, who are the “they” who bring in the professionals?
|
|
|
|
FezNTFC
|
To continue the row, who are the “they” who bring in the professionals?
I don't know. We don't know what the model is yet or whether it would get to that stage. It if was majority fan owned I assume the Trust board would bring someone in, most likely with the aid of Supporters Direct who would have plenty of contacts within that field. If there's a hybrid model of fan ownership and a private individual or consortium, those individuals or groups would probably want some say on who runs the show.
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
I don't know. We don't know what the model is yet or whether it would get to that stage.
It if was majority fan owned I assume the Trust board would bring someone in, most likely with the aid of Supporters Direct who would have plenty of contacts within that field.
If there's a hybrid model of fan ownership and a private individual or consortium, those individuals or groups would probably want some say on who runs the show.
Understood, so to repeat my original point, the thing concerning me is that some of the individuals on here end up in a position of significant influence in the decision making process. I have visions of the board room being like scenes from the Mad Hatters tea party. Get me a piece of chalk someone?
|
|
|
|
Battery Man
|
Understood, so to repeat my original point, the thing concerning me is that some of the individuals on here end up in a position of significant influence in the decision making process. I have visions of the board room being like scenes from the Mad Hatters tea party. Get me a piece of chalk someone?
I do share your concerns on this. Let’s see what the trust are proposing and I think after that we will see if the idea could work.
|
|
|
|
FezNTFC
|
Understood, so to repeat my original point, the thing concerning me is that some of the individuals on here end up in a position of significant influence in the decision making process. I have visions of the board room being like scenes from the Mad Hatters tea party. Get me a piece of chalk someone?
I understood 'decision making process' to mean the running of the club itself, as you mentioned the boardroom. Hence my response.
|
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
I understood 'decision making process' to mean the running of the club itself, as you mentioned the boardroom. Hence my response.
No Fez, the decision making process is making all and any decisions regarding the formation, structure and running of the new club including recruitment. Joking aside my point is that someone is going to make or guide decisions surrounding these issues and I have no idea as to the caliber or quality of those individuals (although I have formed an opinion about some). That’s fine until the opportunity to put in a few grand becomes a possibility, it adds a certain hesitation for me. I take your point in the context you make it though.
|
|
|
|
tcobb
|
So even with their FA Cup success of this and last season, Newport are looking at having a minority fan ownership. Because of the losses they would have suffered and will need external investment.
|
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
|
|
|
guest3114
|
So even with their FA Cup success of this and last season, Newport are looking at having a minority fan ownership. Because of the losses they would have suffered and will need external investment.
Oh dear, now you’ve done it. Stand by for references to catchment area, fans / local businesses in blissful partnership for the greater good and finances raised solely from food and beverage sales from the Mad Hatter himself? In an ironic twist of fate can I just add that Luton happens to be the home of The Hatters.
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
My take on this is that it is imperative that you raise enough finance to support the club in the medium term including a contingency for the unforeseen. As previously stated my blind opinion is 7 to 8 million from the fan base with 49% of the total value from corporate bodies in addition. It is difficult to convey the scale of achievement it would be to succeed with that proposal. Even then be under no illusion that there would still be significant risk attached. As I said, pure guesswork on my part, but if there isn’t the appetite for a proposal along these lines then we are wasting our time. However, it is possible and the end result could be the answer to everything.
|
|
|
|
meccanostand
|
That's an old story. They have made adjustments to put them on a more secure financial footing since then. They also have rent issues that we don't have to deal with. the current board have put us on a good footing to explore community ownership. What's more we are in a position to cherry pick the best from the private and community owned models.
|
|
|
|
meccanostand
|
I don't know. We don't know what the model is yet or whether it would get to that stage.
It if was majority fan owned I assume the Trust board would bring someone in, most likely with the aid of Supporters Direct who would have plenty of contacts within that field.
If there's a hybrid model of fan ownership and a private individual or consortium, those individuals or groups would probably want some say on who runs the show.
Not much point discussing this yet as it's just abstract discussion without the models being presented. Elections to the board would make the idea that cranks would get roles laughable. There are far more meritocratic systems available than the one that delivered Michael McRitchie Anthony and David Cardoza to positions of destructive and supreme influence.
|
|
« Last Edit: February 08, 2019, 08:52:11 am by meccanostand »
|
Report Spam
Logged
|
|
|
|
guest3114
|
Not much point discussing this yet as it's just abstract discussion without the models being presented.
Elections to the board would make the idea that cranks would get roles laughable. There are far more meritocratic systems available than the one that delivered Michael McRitchie Anthony and David Cardoza to positions of destructive and supreme influence.
Don’t you believe it, people said that about Donald Trump. I’ve personally met people that sit on boards who shouldn’t be trusted with a box of matches.
|
|
|
|
Alfred
|
That's an old story. They have made adjustments to put them on a more secure financial footing since then.
But still relevant to the overall picture, or are we not allowed a balance view. The fact remains at that point in time fan ownership wasnt deemed sustainable, sorry if this dosnt fit your agenda.
|
|
|
|
|