North Curry House wrote: ↑29 Mar 2024, 07:30
I have grave doubts about the calibre of the TUST personnel, which are shared by real business people (past and present). It appears more about them than the club.
I question why a small minority of "fans" are in talks with potential owners and what right do they have to represent every other supporter - when were they elected? and by who? Certainly not me!
Sounds a great idea for fans to run a club BUT needs the proper people in charge, NOT the butcher, the baker, fish & chips shop worker, retired teacher and supermarket worker......None of whom I want representing me or my club.
Speaking to a top TUST member yesterday, he was mentioning the talks they are having with potential buyers, saying Edwards had wanted to get his hands on the cash donated to pay wages etc. He also said, when asked that he thought the club were "a couple of months" behind with HMRC payments, which would be a concern for me.
I hope the local man, made good can take over quickly and sort the club out......from top to bottom - on and off the pitch.
The sooner Osborne and the arrogant Edwards are jettisoned out of Plainmoor, the better.
Good Morning North Curry House
I have read your comments and wanted to try and allay your concerns if I could.
Firstly, you may not be aware that TUST now have 817 members as at 8.30 this morning and therefore a growing number of supporters are placing their faith in the actions of the TUST Board. The TUST board are made up of people from a wide variety of backgrounds who give up their time and meet their own costs (which are considerable in respect of the TUST Chairman who lives in Somerset and travels up and down to Torquay for meetings all the time). As the TUST Official mentioned earlier, the board is democratically elected.
None of the TUST Board would profess to be "experts" on football matters, but they are all hard-working dedicated TUFC supporters. Anyone can put themselves forward for election to the board and therefore if you are not a TUST member and wish to get involved, I would encourage you to join and put yourself forward if you have something to contribute. As far as I am aware there are no butchers, bakers or fish and chip shop workers on the board (not that I think it would matter), so if you run a curry house I'm sure you would be most welcome!!
In all seriousness, you can take it from me (if you want to believe me) that none of the individuals on the TUST board have inflated egos or indeed any desire to push their head above the parapit so am not sure what you refer to when you say "it is more about them than the club". Indeed, if the TUST / Consortium approach is the only game in town and things move forward, I think I can safely say that any revised board of directors at the club would be people who have the requisite skills to perform the roles they need to fulfull. I don't know of any TUST board members who have any desire to want to try and fulfill such a role. These are people who would rather beaver away in the background and get things done rather than court any publicity or attention. Sure, there has to be spokespeople and therefore you have the right people speaking to the media who are best equipped to do that, but this is certainly not "about them". Instead, I am sure any future board positions would be considered for any interested applicants who have the requisite skills/ knowledge and importantly time!
The businessmen who would form the consortium are all "savvy" and "successful" individuals who also are lifelong TUFC fans so they only have the best interests of the club at heart. They bring with then fresh ideas and access to resource which when coupled with the human capital that TUST may be able to lean on from its' 817 members will hopefully bring about a real "in it together" ethos.
You also make the comment "I question why a small minority of "fans" are in talks with potential owners and what right do they have to represent every other supporter - when were they elected? and by who? Certainly not me". I think I may have answered the election question, but of course that only refers to TUST members. In terms of what right TUST have to represent every other supporter, then you are are correct as they can't of course represent every supporter unless every supporter is a member of TUST, but then again they are the largest supporter organisation on behalf of TUFC representing around 40% of the average attendance, so I would suggest in the absence of any other set of fans they have as much reason as anybody to want to try and save the club.
The point us, I am of the strong belief that sadly a large element of our fanbase perhaps don't quite realise the significance of the situation we are in as a club right now. We would all like to have someone with big pockets and a local fan come in and bank roll the club indefinitely so we can merely turn up on a Saturday afternoon and watch the football. Trust me, I would like nothing else. However, I haven't seen one of those around. Indeed, if there was one in the background I am sure the TUST board would welcome him/her with open arms. So, what is left? Do we stand by and let the club fold just because our first choice sugar daddy approach fails or do we all pull together as fans and do what we can to save the club?
So in summary, I would call on all supporters to set aside their scepticism and instead focus on where we are now and how we can move things forward on the understanding that we all want the same thing for our beloved football club. I am sure you do, or you would not waste time on a forum commenting accordingly. Therefore, I would never deride someone's opinion, but nevertheless I would always want to try and alter their way of thinking if I honestly believed there was reason to do so. With that in mind, feel free to drop me a PM and I will happily have a chat with you if that helps. Apologies if that sounds patronising, I didn't mean it to, but hopefully you get the gist of what I am saying?
All the best
Matt
