Takeover of the club at an advanced stage

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 18 Apr 2016, 10:17

No, what will keep the momentum going is carrying on the way we are without entertaining the histrionics from people like yourself who just want to know they're actually doing something. Let them get on with it the way they want, it's their baby now.

Clive Bissel · Post by **Clive Bissel** » 18 Apr 2016, 10:27

Agree yes and sorry to be brutal but the pat backing on what has been a great turnaround is all very good and justified but we need now to get back to the real goal of Football League status and this can only happen with investment and hence bring on the new regime .

Celebrate on Sat and at Guiseley but let's get the new board in situ ASAP and get out of this League next season .

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 18 Apr 2016, 10:43

I agree with Southampton Dave. I always thought the job of supporters was to support the team on match days and to assist the club in other ways when needed; it's not their job to tell the board how to run the club or to query every decision. If any supporters want to do that they should put their money where their mouths are and buy shares or make a takeover offer. Whether or whenever new owners come in, the work of the club must carry on as normal. And it's now pretty obvious that everything has been agreed and the foreseeable future of the club is assured. And some people are quibbling about the timing of an announcement? It's less than two weeks until the last game of the season. So what's all the rush about? It takes some supporters until mid to late summer before they've saved enough to buy a season ticket!

Lloyder5 · Post by **Lloyder5** » 18 Apr 2016, 10:58

[quote="Gullscorer"]I agree with Southampton Dave. I always thought the job of supporters was to support the team on match days and to assist the club in other ways when needed; it's not their job to tell the board how to run the club. If any supporters want to do that they should put their money where their mouths are and buy shares or make a takeover offer.

Or join the Trust to give it the muscle for supporters to have a collective voice at some point in the future.

Clive Bissel · Post by **Clive Bissel** » 18 Apr 2016, 11:04

The point kit robin was trying to make I think is just to build on the feel good factor and maximise this as much as possible . No one is telling anyone what to do its just opinion again and looking at seamlessly getting the new regime in situ .Personally think with their new investment the buyers bring with them and promote this through the media etc this will get further stay always back on side and maybe even increase Sats gate .

Kit_robin · Post by **Kit_robin** » 18 Apr 2016, 13:17

SG:

Histrionics indeed. For stating what? That it would be better to announce that it's done than keep it hush hush? What is histrionic about that exactly?

I disagreed that it would be disrespectful (as you suggested) for the takeover to be announced. That's because it wouldn't be, unless you expect them to come out and say how useless the current board are? That would be disr spectrum, but I very much doubt that would happen.

It is very rare indeed for the entire fanbase (well 99%) to be extremely positive about the club, even brucie is at it. If we lost the last two games everyone would still be happy, but it would put a bit of a dampener on things .. Better to make hay when the sun shines.

RussianGull · Post by **RussianGull** » 18 Apr 2016, 13:48

Is anyone else getting annoyed with TUST? I see they've sent another open letter to Dave Phillips. TUST feels like one man with an agenda rather than listening to peoples opinions on the direction of the club. Celebrate staying up, trust in Breedy and co - they've steered us this far.

Kit_robin · Post by **Kit_robin** » 18 Apr 2016, 15:56

RussianGull wrote:Is anyone else getting annoyed with TUST? I see they've sent another open letter to Dave Phillips. TUST feels like one man with an agenda rather than listening to peoples opinions on the direction of the club. Celebrate staying up, trust in Breedy and co - they've steered us this far.

Don't you want to meet the new owners then? I do. Just like I was keen to meet the 2007 consortium and the current board last close season. Doesn't matter who you are but I'm always keen to hear the plans of people who look after my football club.

Paigntongull · Post by **Paigntongull** » 18 Apr 2016, 16:45

RussianGull wrote:Is anyone else getting annoyed with TUST? I see they've sent another open letter to Dave Phillips. TUST feels like one man with an agenda rather than listening to peoples opinions on the direction of the club. Celebrate staying up, trust in Breedy and co - they've steered us this far.

Hi RussianGull

Sorry you feel that way. I guess it's all down to interpretation as I viewed the e-mail more positively than that and am encouraged that TUST are trying to keep on top of things.

I suppose the issue is that we are all rightfully rejoicing in "being safe", but is it not more important to look further ahead and make sure the club is moving in the right direction. The word "clarity" comes to mind and I see TUST as trying to generate this. After all, we don't want to be in the same position as we were last year and risk putting all of KN and the team's hard work to waste? I like you trust in Dave Phillips and Steve Breed as they are TUFC supporters to the core and will only want what is best for the club, but can we honestly say that at this stage about our pending new owners? That may be doing them a big injustice and hence the need for clarity to stop rumours and unhelpful gossip. Sometimes its' just about asking those extra questions that even the current board may not have considered perhaps. Maybe seeing the whites of the eyes, establishing there is a human being behind all of this..

Anyway, its' all down to opinions I suppose and who is to say my opinion is more right than yours..

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 18 Apr 2016, 16:59

RussianGull wrote:Is anyone else getting annoyed with TUST? I see they've sent another open letter to Dave Phillips. TUST feels like one man with an agenda rather than listening to peoples opinions on the direction of the club. Celebrate staying up, trust in Breedy and co - they've steered us this far.

As a TUST member, I was surprised (I wouldn't go as far as being annoyed) to see another letter to Dave Phillips, asking for a meeting with the prospective new owners before 30th April. I know we are expecting an announcement from the new owners 'this week', but surely it is rather premature to be requesting a meeting before the signatures are on the dotted line ?

Post by **Dave** » 18 Apr 2016, 17:34

That's the part of the open letter written by TUST that got me as well. How on earth can we have a fans forum/meeting with the new owners to hear what that their plans for the club are going forward, before they actually, and officially own the club, that to me, is ridiculous notion.

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 18 Apr 2016, 18:10

Sadly, I get the impression that TUST has been getting a little too big for its boots, acting as if it has any authorisation from supporters or any kind of right to be involved in the club at board level. Currently it comes across as a small immature fledgling organisation which needs to vastly increase its membership and its financial assets before it can claim to act with authority on behalf of supporters. Rights and privileges have to be earned. The club certainly may meet with TUST out of common courtesy and good manners, but at this stage need grant it no more than it would afford fans on the terraces. The information given to the public so far should be quite sufficient and nobody really has a right to expect more at present.

torq2u · Post by **torq2u** » 18 Apr 2016, 18:55

RussianGull wrote:Is anyone else getting annoyed with TUST? I see they've sent another open letter to Dave Phillips. TUST feels like one man with an agenda rather than listening to peoples opinions on the direction of the club. Celebrate staying up, trust in Breedy and co - they've steered us this far.

I don't see it as one man's agenda - that man, in fact everyone in TUST, is a typical supporter representing typical supporters. The key thing TUST is trying to achieve is some meaningful communication from the Board to the fans, rather than "hey, we're been taken over, but shh! better not say a word in case we rock the boat; we'll tell you more later". Leaving typical supporters confused at least, angry and resentful at most. TUST certainly does recognise the Board's efforts and achievements thus far, that bit is very clear.

So come on, as a typical supporter (whatever that is!), I say let's have a fans' forum and hear all about it.

Post by **Dave** » 18 Apr 2016, 19:26

Trouble is, and the point I think is being missed, what communication regards the takeover can there be until it's complete, none is the answer. Asking the potential new owners to talk through their plans for the club is bit like agreeing to buy a house subject to contract and asking to redecorate prior to the contract exchange with the risk of the purchase falling though.

It's not right to ask or expect the potential new owners to spend hours talking through their plans for something they do not own yet, and certainly is not right to ask Dave Phillips and the current board to reveal the plans of the potential new owners, it's not their business to, or their place to do such a thing.

All the indications are this whole deal could/may be completed in the next few days/maybe a into a few short weeks, patience ladies and gentlemen, whilst I have no inside knowledge in this, when Dave Phillips says we're going to like their plans for our club, I trust him 100%

SenorDingDong · Post by **SenorDingDong** » 18 Apr 2016, 19:52

Gullscorer wrote:Sadly, I get the impression that TUST has been getting a little too big for its boots, acting as if it has any authorisation from supporters or any kind of right to be involved in the club at board level. Currently it comes across as a small immature fledgling organisation which needs to vastly increase its membership and its financial assets before it can claim to act with authority on behalf of supporters. Rights and privileges have to be earned. The club certainly may meet with TUST out of common courtesy and good manners, but at this stage need grant it no more than it would afford fans on the terraces. The information given to the public so far should be quite sufficient and nobody really has a right to expect more at present.

Too big for it's boots? It has over 400 members, which is about 20% of the current match going audience at Plainmoor and when you consider probably 20-30% of them are actually children, it has a far higher percentage of the adult (aka paying) attendance. They are the largest and only active fan group and have enough members to be taken seriously. Yes they're not as large as they should be but they have every right to bring up their objections...especially considering they're an officially recognised supporters Trust. They are not a fan club or anything else that people on this site seems to think they are, they're not here to raise money for lawnmowers.

Their role is to hold the football club to account and to provide a voice for supporters who despite keeping the club afloat with their entry money so often have. None of this is outside that remit, just because the current board are also fans doesn't mean they should be allowed to continue with their apppalling attitude towards keeping fans informed of what is going on, despite having promised more openness last summer. All that is requires them to do, if Gaming International are so adverse to making a statement before the deal goes through (which they can do although I do agree that many companies prefer not to) is discretely inform the TUST of what is happening and give them some indication of what is happening, after which the TUST can state they are confident in what is occuring and ask the fans to wait a couple weeks. This would go a long way to calming people down, as because the TUST is an independent actor they have a certain element of 3rd party trustworthiness that those involved in the deal currently lack.

Let us not forget that when it all went quiet last season and no one knew what the hell was going on, it was the TUST that was giving us most of our information. In the dying embers of the Chris Roberts era/Mike Bateson returning and appointing Leroy, it was the TUST's predecessor which did great work in keeping fans informed.

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