Gaming International have taken our club hostage

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:14

SenorDingDong wrote: This is the salient point. For roughly a year now, ever since the Dean Edwards falling out, the fans have been asking for the full picture, asking for information, so that we'll connected people, the TUST, the general public could realise how bad it was and try to put in place a way out of this mess. Instead the board refused to release specifics, constantly kept us in the dark and fed us shit and then flogged us off to a property development company on the basis of an impending administration, which not one member of the board mentioned in the past few months despite the fact they were probably well aware of it being over the horizon.

Why didn't they mention it and use it as a rallying call to attempt to organise a rescue package....because it would have destroyed their opportunity to sell the club for a sum and to try and recoup their 'we don't care if we lose it, we're fans' initial investment.

15 years down the line, the last two seasons will be a case study in how fans taking over a club is not necessarily a good thing, how very quickly they can become self interested, their communication can actually be worse than the 'much despised' old owners they take over from and how they can actually become the exact opposite of the open, honest, fan facing administration they claim to be.

And that seems to be the crux of it. Never interested in anything other than selling to the highest bidder and getting their money back. Nothing necessarily wrong with that had they been honest about it.

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:17

Spineless simply isn't at all fair I don't think. They tried very very hard and lost big sums of their money in doing all this but they got cornered by really professional players. If they made a mistake it's one we could all make, fans one minute declining into unpopularity the next and gradually losing contact with the fans they once had been. Horrible. Horrible. But personally I wish to thank them one and all. They did save the club. Spineless never, stubborn maybe, but really gutsy yes...thanks to you- you did save the club..

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:20

Dazza wrote:Spineless simply isn't at all fair I don't think. They tried very very hard and lost big sums of their money in doing all this but they got cornered by really professional players. If they made a mistake it's one we could all make, fans one minute declining into unpopularity the next and gradually losing contact with the fans they once had been. Horrible. Horrible. But personally I wish to thank them one and all. They did save the club. Spineless never, stubborn maybe, but really gutsy yes...thanks to you- you did save the club..

:}

SenorDingDong · Post by **SenorDingDong** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:31

Dazza wrote:Spineless simply isn't at all fair I don't think. They tried very very hard and lost big sums of their money in doing all this but they got cornered by really professional players. If they made a mistake it's one we could all make, fans one minute declining into unpopularity the next and gradually losing contact with the fans they once had been. Horrible. Horrible. But personally I wish to thank them one and all. They did save the club. Spineless never, stubborn maybe, but really gutsy yes...thanks to you- you did save the club..

They have not saved the club. If the club has not been run out of business within five years by GI or having sold its grounds and is shackled with very high rent payments at a new stadium, bordering on unsustainable, like with Coventry City I will be mightily surprised.

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:40

We need to work together to make sure that doesn't happen.

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:42

Maybe if Dodgy Dave had "worked with us" we wouldn't be in this shit.

Mrdistance · Post by **Mrdistance** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:47

After looking at posts and what had been said in the press . we the. Chinese group would like to state what really happened with our bid. We will be contacting the Hersld and making a statement On forum we are happy to explain any thing we are legally allowed to answer, we believe the truth should come out .

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 19 Dec 2016, 19:47

Dazza wrote:Spineless simply isn't at all fair I don't think. They tried very very hard and lost big sums of their money in doing all this but they got cornered by really professional players. If they made a mistake it's one we could all make, fans one minute declining into unpopularity the next and gradually losing contact with the fans they once had been. Horrible. Horrible. But personally I wish to thank them one and all. They did save the club. Spineless never, stubborn maybe, but really gutsy yes...thanks to you- you did save the club..

Dazza, Are you kidding me, Thank them one and all?? Some of them buggered off ages ago.

We are in a worse state now than when they took over

Mrdistance · Post by **Mrdistance** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:01

The Chinese group came in two weeks ago and were told that GI had more or less signed the deal, we decided to try and bid for the club and spoke to the board and agreed to pay the figures requested . To buy shares in Plainmoor Ltd £220 k to pay GI loan £120 to keep going as there will be a shortfall for rest of season £300 k. The board also requested £60 k on. Friday to pay wages and bills until end of Jan, we asked for a letter outlining this so we could send money but club would not and requested we just give £60 k with no fallback if they decided to go with GI , this we could not do so board agreed to sell to GI.

monkeyboy · Post by **monkeyboy** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:01

Are we in a worse place now that we have new owners who were able to keep the old regime going with a loan?

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:06

monkeyboy wrote:Are we in a worse place now that we have new owners who were able to keep the old regime going with a loan?

We are if what I think may be happening happens. That is that the current board still have a share in the club and Philips remains as chairman.

Mrdistance · Post by **Mrdistance** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:08

We agree , it is more loans from GI and the. Board are to remain with Pete Marsters I believe is his name on the board , he stated the rule about not having involmentvin two clubs is stopppmg for next season .

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:09

Okay Mr Distance if you don't want to develop Plainmoor go and see that nice Mr Osborne. If you give him a fair top up on his investment to date I am sure he would be prepared to talk rather than take on Torbay Council for years to come.

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:09

Mrdistance wrote:The Chinese group came in two weeks ago and were told that GI had more or less signed the deal, we decided to try and bid for the club and spoke to the board and agreed to pay the figures requested . To buy shares in Plainmoor Ltd £220 k to pay GI loan £120 to keep going as there will be a shortfall for rest of season £300 k. The board also requested £60 k on. Friday to pay wages and bills until end of Jan, we asked for a letter outlining this so we could send money but club would not and requested we just give £60 k with no fallback if they decided to go with GI , this we could not do so board agreed to sell to GI.

Forgive me for my curiosity but why would a group of Chinese investors want to own a struggling English 5th tier club with no money? What attracted you to Torquay United in particular?

Mrdistance · Post by **Mrdistance** » 19 Dec 2016, 20:22

Chinese investors from all over the country are looking to buy a number of English Clubs from Premiership to Nationsl League . Clubs been discussed are. Newcastle Spurs. Hulll . Rotherham Sunderland. Carlisle Torquay as a few . I was asked to find a club for one group of under 2 million with little debt fulll time and good potential. Dagenham was one and I was told of Torquay , and then spoke to the Chairman who give the figures to buy the club, this was passed on and they decided after looking at books that if they invested they could get club to League 1 . Yes of course they looking for a return and the monies from the League each season and promotion would give them back the investment . Torquay was looked at as a challenge but have little debt compared to most clubs We were expecting to have a deal but late on Friday club changed its mind and have not contacted us in any way to say why we were not picked . We are going to make a full statement in the press as we are not happy at way we were dealt with in the end. We have spoken in length to club staff and we're happy to speak to fans and the Trust . and be fully transparent .

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