Torquay United Fans Forum

nickbrod wrote: 02 Aug 2017, 16:04 They still wouldn't see it unless they can read backwards in a mirror!

Lol, you're right.

Plainmoor78 wrote: 01 Aug 2017, 19:16 Some people need the above quote to be tattooed on their foreheads.

They still wouldn't see it unless they can read backwards in a mirror!

In today's Herald Express, Dave Thomas STILL thinks Clarke Osborne is going to build a new multi-purpose stadium in Torquay. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

hector wrote: 01 Aug 2017, 10:58
It may be that some are persuaded by a shiny ORANGE/MANGO Nike kit, a new website and badge but let's just remember that Clarke Osborne is a property developer who DOES NOT build new stadiums. He is, however, very adept at somehow helping clubs lose the stadium they play in.

Some people need the above quote to be tattooed on their foreheads.

I

torregull wrote: 30 Jul 2017, 16:37 Yes.and avoids situations where these questions will be asked: Fans Forum,meeting with TUST Board,meeting With Kevin Foster MP(postponed by Osborne twice now),local Business Forums;with Nicho representing the club instead.He doesn't like scrutiny and those that would scrutinise.

Exactly. Osborne has reneged on his promise made 8 months ago to hold a Fans Forum. No doubt because there would bound to be someone there who would press him on his inability to build stadiums, even if it is something David Thomas refuses to acknowledge or press Osborne on.

If Clarke Osborne cannot even keep a promise to hold something as simple as a Fans Forum, then why on earth would anyone believe that he could manage to build a stadium? And if, by some unheard of miracle that he did, then it would no doubt be the sort of flat pack, meccano stadium that Swindon Robins speedway seem to have in storage in a field in Wales somewhere. Osborne is not to be trusted on this issue.

It may be that some are persuaded by a shiny ORANGE/MANGO Nike kit, a new website and badge but let's just remember that Clarke Osborne is a property developer who DOES NOT build new stadiums. He is, however, very adept at somehow helping clubs lose the stadium they play in.

The easily fooled will somehow be persuaded that things will be different with TUFC, but why would it be? The chances of GI delivering a new stadium for TUFC probably lie somewhere between zero and nought. Even Chris Roberts had a more feasible plan.

SenorDingDong wrote: 29 Jul 2017, 13:33 Furthermore he steadfastly refuses to comment upon his history unless he's pushed very hard - i.e Swindon speedway, and even when he does comment it's very suspicious and doesn't feel people full of confidence. Not once has he given us a reason or stated why his numerous other stadium ventures have failed and why we should trust him with our club, regardless of the largely positive behind the scenes actions of this summer.

Yes.and avoids situations where these questions will be asked: Fans Forum,meeting with TUST Board,meeting With Kevin Foster MP(postponed by Osborne twice now),local Business Forums;with Nicho representing the club instead.He doesn't like scrutiny and those that would scrutinise.

SenorDingDong wrote: 29 Jul 2017, 13:33 Furthermore he steadfastly refuses to comment upon his history unless he's pushed very hard - i.e Swindon speedway, and even when he does comment it's very suspicious and doesn't feel people full of confidence. Not once has he given us a reason or stated why his numerous other stadium ventures have failed and why we should trust him with our club, regardless of the largely positive behind the scenes actions of this summer.

Take note, no agreement with the local authority is in place yet and I do believe this is someway off. At the moment he (GI) is bankrolling TUFC even if his input is mediocre. Lets focus (for now) on the football.

merse btpir wrote: 29 Jul 2017, 10:53 None of what you write is dismissed; however you ~ like Dave Thomas in the Herald Express ~ stubbornly or inadvertently ~ neglect to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Namely that Clarke Osborne has not once delivered a single opened and operating project in over thirty years of promising and renaging on such projects; and as it is he who is the proponent in such a vision the whole thing is rendered invalid!

Furthermore he steadfastly refuses to comment upon his history unless he's pushed very hard - i.e Swindon speedway, and even when he does comment it's very suspicious and doesn't feel people full of confidence. Not once has he given us a reason or stated why his numerous other stadium ventures have failed and why we should trust him with our club, regardless of the largely positive behind the scenes actions of this summer.

I appreciate that Merse, but do we really think he is going to be around for the long haul? Surely the local council and businesses need to get involved and take this forward, perhaps, and the more likely course of action, in partnership with TUFC, GI are not/will not be able to do it on their own, as their track record proves.

None of what you write is dismissed; however you ~ like Dave Thomas in the Herald Express ~ stubbornly or inadvertently ~ neglect to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Namely that Clarke Osborne has not once delivered a single opened and operating project in over thirty years of promising and renaging on such projects; and as it is he who is the proponent in such a vision the whole thing is rendered invalid!

I’m by no means a GI fan and I find their proposal of a new stadium within 3 years slightly laughable, BUT, I for one believe a new stadium is needed for the good and benefit of the club whether they are in charge of the club or not. I appreciate it won’t be easy or cheap and everyone is entitled to an opinion, but this is mine.
Yes it would cost a lot of money
Yes the council/national lottery/Arab sugar daddy would have to help finance it,
But a new leisure complex incorporating a stadium at nightingale park (or elsewhere) will be the best thing that has happened to TUFC and Torbay as whole for 50 years.
Just the general construction and development of the area will produce jobs for the dwindling south west construction industry. The facilities provided will then produce hundreds of jobs thereafter.
The commercial side of TUFC at present will have to dramatically improve for this to be successful and I for one would suggest that the personnel in these positions at the minute are definitely not capable arranging such a project,
The list of facilities for the new complex is endless and only limited by people’s imagination (and probably budget), just a few are as follows
Hotel
Shops
Restaurants/ pub
Bowling alley
Indoor bowls
Creche/ nursery/ pre-school
Office units
Conference centre/ Theatre hall
4g pitches (5 a side)
Leisure centre including Tennis/badminton courts, Netball/basketball courts, Gymnasium, Spa, Sports hall
Users of the facility can include schools, local sports teams, residents. The TUFC community guys will have a centre that they can use 7 days a week.
The TUFC brand would be everywhere and within 5 years the complex would probably pay for itself by bringing more people/business to the bay.
We’ve spend millions on a new by pass to open the bay up to more people and improve the infrastructure but have done nothing to encourage people to actually drive down the dam thing. A new facility will only encourage more businesses to invest in the area improving the poor economic situation we find the bay in now.
Exeter chiefs are 20 minutes up the road, ask their fans how their 5-year plans going???
Premiership champions after 3 speaks for itself.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/plymout ... story.html

Seems even Argyle are looking at improving their stadium, will people of TUFC/ Torquay ever wake up and see its needed

'The club' is owned by Riviera Stadium Ltd; sole shareholder Clarke Osborne.

Riviera Stadium Ltd is just one of his many companies (including gaming International) under the Toklon banner ~ company secretary Stephen Hayward son of Norman Hayward former owner of AFC Bournemouth and then Yeovil Town FCs; and Clarke Osborne being the sole directors of that. So if the club rents the stadium from Gaming International it is renting it from who? None other than Osborne of course.

The whole point that needs constant observation of is when Osborne decides to dispose of Riviera Stadium Ltd and with it Torquay United as he surely will once he has used it as a vehicle for achieving his greater goal.

merse btpir wrote: 24 Jul 2017, 20:51 You have to look beyond that and not be so naïve as to miss the point that 'the club' is owned by who? You now the answer to that so why are you so blinkered and easily taken in?

I haven't missed the point at all.

If a club owns the stadium, rather than rents it from, ooh, I dunno, GI, say, it's easier to funnel that revenue back into to the club. Any profit from the stadium will belong to the club itself, not to the Landlord. Yes, there's still the chance that whoever happens to own the club has nefarious goals of their own, but the business entity that is the club will get the profits directly. And, obviously, tying the ownership of the club with the ownership of the stadium means that you it's a lot harder to separate the two, which is clearly what GI are trying to achieve.

My suggestion above about the club owning the stadium means that I don't want any stadium plans while Gaming International at the helm. I rather thought that was obvious from my post, but maybe I was wrong.

Also, I think you meant "know", not "now"