Torquay United Fans Forum

notnow wrote: ↑26 Dec 2023, 20:36 Okay,we are currently a team of full time non first team players who are not regularly playing together, some of which are indeed first team players who might I add only a month or so ago were said by most that they are not fit to wear a tufc shirt, I.e. mcgavin, are playing “part time” teams who play like they are in a cup final against the likes of us and Yeovil.? So I can only assume you would prefer GJ to go out and get another 10 loan players at whatever cost and when Jarvis, Dawson, Hall, etc etc come back we will have a squad of 30 players? Yeah sounds great but hardly sustainable, I’m not going to be rude and suggest the same as you did about who’s fooled easily.

Who’s fooled easily, it’s still you. The situation is down to the manager, the coach, the general manager of the club and ultimately the owner and if you can’t see that then yes you are easily fooled.

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑20 Dec 2023, 16:26 Well going by Osborne's statement that he's only ever had successful ventures I'd say success for him means our ruin. Perhaps he sees us groundsharing Sandy Park??

our ruin, without a doubt. Sorry, i meant, where do we go in terms of, what can we as fans do about it other than wait for the inevitable demise, however long that takes and then start a phoenix club if the ground still exists. I don't have an issue with a Phoenix club other than, the prolonged wait for a situation that requires it. It's the long drawn out demise, the lies and the false promises that make it all so disgusting. Do we have to wait or can we take strong positive steps now?

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑20 Dec 2023, 08:59 I've literally just watched the video and came on here to post my thoughts but the post above by Hector says all anyone needs to know.

agreed, Hector has captured it perfectly. Where do we go from here though?

culmstockgull wrote: ↑07 Dec 2023, 15:21 A lot has happened in one week, the TUST has had a meeting with the board something they have been requesting for several years, the board agrees to regular meetings and more inportantly the TUST now has a seat at the table albeit at this early stage of the relationship it may not be in the expensive seats, did they get everything they were after, NO, I would have been surprised if they did.
I agree with the clubs views on respecting personal opinion but not having to endure personal, aggressive and threatening attitudes, such as occurred at dartford. if our case is strong we should not have to resort to such behaviour, were such comments made by TUST members, or even regular home supporters I would like to think not, and I am not sure how the club can hold the TUST responsible for such comments if they are not members of the TUST.
But the relationship has started and that can only be a good thing.

" b) Respect between TUST and TUAFC Board – no comments on person, character, background or publishing an opinion."

They are not respecting personal opinion, according to the line in speechmarks. How you manage to make so many misinterpretations and continue to view the situation with rose tinted optimism is beyond comprehension.

- b) Respect between TUST and TUAFC Board – no comments on person, character, background or publishing an opinion.

This is very obtuse, or, it's not obtuse all and they actually are requesting that no opinions are allowed to be written on any form of social media by any TUST member.

Time and again through history, especially recent history, when an individual or group attempt to stifle and shutdown speech, it is always because they have something to hide and the said speech is too close to the truth for comfort.

Culmstock, you raise points of objection, some of which i have suggested how to resolve, specifically, how TUST can raise more funding. You seem to offer only criticism and no suggestion for solution other than to cross our fingers and continue doing nothing.

I wrestled with bothering to respond because unfortunately it seems that your response and mindset is very typical of the majority, a very naive, meek and unambitious outlook on the situation. This mindset is precisely what Osborne is counting on and it will result in the utter downfall of the club eventually, the very thing you fear would happen now if we actually took solid action, will happen in the near future anyway. But if you think people couldn't stand to miss a game now in order to work towards saving the long term future of the club, and they should do nothing except continue to attend, hope for good things but get nothing and then in time very likely have no club and no games to go to at all and no plan in place or funds to do anything about it because when we had the opportunity to do something (now) we all couldn't agree and wanted to live in hope that a man who has previous form for destroying sports clubs, wouldn't do the same to TUFC.

Everyone points to Osborne keeping the club afloat to the tune of £1m per year, has anyone seen the accounts to prove this is the case?

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑13 Jan 2018, 20:27 I've taken this quote from Michel Thomas and to be honest I'm pretty stunned at the lack of foresight.

Most who know me will know that I've never been a fan of trusts or trust ownership but like others I've come to realise that our only way out of this whole mess with Clarke Osborne is for the fans to unite and work towards some kind of fan ownership. To this end I was hoping to see someone today and offer what little help I can and join the trust with a financial commitment too. I was absolutely astounded by this reply from Mr Thomas as I feel any chance to meet fans face to face and enlighten them as to the seriousness of our situation is an opportunity not to be missed.


The best and easiest way to get in touch, for us and for you, is to go to our dedicated website and send an email.Just to remind you, it is clearly indicated
below the recent TUST statement. We will then try to answer you as soon as we can.We are not looking to recruit members whilst at Plainmoor. However, if you know us, we are happy to have a chat. If you don't, just contact us beforehand.We are working at being more visible, and felt on this occasion we would make our statement available to all supporters. Normally, we would obviously post through our monthly newsletters and bulletins to our members.Personally, I am hoping that we can all establish some unity in our concern for some clarity,then to work towards a sustainable future for our beloved club.

I appreciate that the people running TUST are giving up their time for free, genuinely I do, but I find this attitude simply staggering and there isn't a cat in hells chance of the fans working towards the end goal of acquiring the club from the dirty mits of Osborne while this attitude prevails. Sending a monthly newsletter to members isn't going to achieve anything. Leaflets handed out to fans explaining the severity of the situation is one step and so is engaging people through social media. Too many fans are still oblivious to the real situation and while the trust take this attitude it'll stay that way.

Agreed 100%, i'll add, TUST should cease all communication with the people running the club and return the offer of their meaningless communication with the contempt it deserves.

TUST need to invest time and energy in recruiting more members to the cause and uniting the fan base. Make clear intention/mission statement regarding the removal of Osborne, Edwarda and the Johnson’s from the club and a fan owned and run club.
A peaceful sit in today will achieve nothing much at all, instead, draw a line in the sand between the fans and the current regime, hit them where it will hurt and at the same time increase the strength and position of TUST by boycotting games and asking those boycotting, who haven’t already paid for a season ticket, to donate the money to the TUST pot.

This is the way to get out club back. There is no worthwhile communication to be had with these people and playing along with their empty gesture only allows them to continue with whatever scam they are in the process of pulling off, whilst appeasing an already far to nice TUST membership.
We need to get some bite and venom in our approach because without meaning to belittle the real thing, this is already a war we are in if we really want to save the club in the long term.

Fight back now.

Cheddargull wrote: ↑13 Aug 2023, 13:44 Absolutely bang on the nail. My fear is that Torquay are a club living on past glories (well past memories, we haven't has much glory) and set ups like Worthing represent a new breed of clubs coming up to supplant us and the likes of Oldham and Rochdale.
I don't think our current owners have any interest in building a proper infrastructure whereby we can emulate the likes of Worthing or even locally Exeter.

we need a renaissance in the same vein as what Exeter have achieved over time, if only. Fan ownership, well organised, building for the future, excellent academy and bringing player through to the first team. Well drawn up contracts with sell on clauses and no piss take offers accepted, I hate to say it but we should be looking at Exeter as our example to try to follow. First we need to get rid of the rot, which I fear, we cannot do, because the rot's motivation for owning TUFC is nothing to do with Football or Torquay.

Skillsy wrote: ↑13 Aug 2023, 11:47 In no way I am defending two poor performances, but the whole 'sack 'em all' attitude is ridiculous. So easy to sit behind a keyboard and find fault with everything/everyone. Two weeks ago the consensus was that Johnson should take us up, with a few exceptions. After two games he has apparently become a dinosaur and doesn't have a clue what he's doing. As I said, if we are nowhere when the season has taken shape then a change may be necessary, but at the moment we should all get behind the team/management/staff and help turn things round. They haven't all become useless overnight, hopefully it's just a poor start that will soon be corrected.
I will be there on Tuesday.....

No quite right, they were useless all last season as well.

Johnson has to go. It's that simple. Agreed, monotone, uninspiring. I'd like to see him get a post match interview with a real football journalist, this guy sucks up to him every time, never asks a hard question and lets him drawl on.

Don’t bother, there’s a powerful force on this planet intent on killing the dumbest most stupid of the human herd.
Interfering with that force is unwise to say the least. Its well connected and can reach out to anyone who interferes with the death energy it requires to live.
If you know what’s going on, keep your head down, seek private conversation with people on your wavelength.
I don’t see this post as a contradiction of what it advises because I’m certain the dumb herd will simply crack up in hysterics at this message.

Welcome to the hotel california

Drumming doesn't create an intimidating atmosphere in the slightest, in fact it is a hindrance to creating a proper football atmosphere, the constant banging stifles the chance most of the time for a spontaneous chant to get started, much along the same lines as playing crappy music right up till the second after kick off. Atmosphere used to be allowed to build up as the ground filled up, but now it's just constant noise from the speakers.

lucy6lucy wrote: ↑13 Sep 2017, 21:08

Midtable is a tad optimistic at this point. You can have the best manager in charge, but when the squad is unfit and again unfit
In the terms of playing for torquay, we have a problem. Coupled with our inbred operation manager employed to slowly destroy the club. I however admire your optimism.

My optimism stretches as far as avoiding being related this season.

Mid table would be an achievement. Avoiding relation by the skin of our teeth would be an achievement also, but lesser than mid table.

There are enough games left to climb out, 1 win while those around us lose, lol, I say around us, there is no one below so, those immediately above us, and the picture starts to improve immediately. It's a long season, I hope this guy can turn our fortunes around and I'll back him with that in mind.

Optimism is the god given right of every football fan everywhere.

lucy6lucy wrote: ↑13 Sep 2017, 20:35 Promotion? Have you seen the league table. It's now a 36 game season, against the others having a 46. Feels like being in administration with a 10 point deduction. Yet the squad is incapable of performing, ok we did have goal scorers at Gateshead.

Yeah I in no way was referring to a possibility of promotion this season, I thought that would have been interpreted without explanation. I mentioned mid table for this season as an achievement.