Forest Green

[Chris FGR]

We can't all have owners coming in, changing the whole identity of the club but having very deep pockets so therefore making it ok.

Fair point, and not all fans are happy with all the changes, to say the least. But what can you do? It's Vince's club, he can do what he wants, and nothing will stop him.

I don't want to stop supporting my club, so I decided to put up with the changes and try to enjoy the upsides of the investment. I know people who have stopped going, but tbh I couldn't bring myself to.

 

[Roger Stone]

I think a club can be competitive (challenging for play-offs) whilst living within their means, but I think winning the league is certainly a very tall order. I'm hopeful that Wrexham will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. It does take a lot of work though, especially on building up the fanbase and the commercial side, as they became the only real sources of income. Realistically we will never be the top spenders in the league even with our current average attendance of around 5,000.

There is a minority who want us to "speculate to accumulate" and find someone to "invest" (i.e. lend the club lots of money with no real way of ever paying it back. Surprisingly not many people are keen to do that with a club with no assets). Having been through what we've been through in the past, however, I think the vast majority of fans buy into what we are trying to do.

Interesting thread this particularly when you consider our recent history. Genuine question pal - whats the arrangement with you lot playing at the Racecourse, do you lease from the Uni and if so do you get a good deal ? Could do with some more taffs in the FL so hope you get over the line this season.

 

[Bluandwite]

Fair point, and not all fans are happy with all the changes, to say the least. But what can you do? It's Vince's club, he can do what he wants, and nothing will stop him.

I don't want to stop supporting my club, so I decided to put up with the changes and try to enjoy the upsides of the investment. I know people who have stopped going, but tbh I couldn't bring myself to.

That highlighted part actually makes me ache, not even having a go at you here, just the fact that mindset is instilled in to a football fans head like it is.

 

[Sledge FGR]

It's not his club, he's just the temporary custodian. It's his stadium, players, etc but the club belongs to the fans.

 

[Alty Pieman]

It's not his club, he's just the temporary custodian. It's his stadium, players, etc but the club belongs to the fans.

True, but it's also his team colours, his menu, his personality stamped all over it, and when he eventually fucks off, which he will eventually, who knows what will be left of the original club the fans supported. Should be renamed "Ecotricity Rovers".

 

[Gibber_McGee]

Interesting thread this particularly when you consider our recent history. Genuine question pal - whats the arrangement with you lot playing at the Racecourse, do you lease from the Uni and if so do you get a good deal ? Could do with some more taffs in the FL so hope you get over the line this season.

We have a "licence" to play at The Racecourse and to use Colliers Park, our training ground, rather than a lease. That means that we don't have exclusive use. Crusaders rugby league team also use it. I believe our licence costs are covered by the university's shirt sponsorship.

There are lots of question marks over the ground. Lots of rumours that we will be buying it back or signing a long-term lease where we become responsible for all maintenance. This is because it needs lots of repairs (£1.4m worth over the next 10 years) and the uni don't have the money, inclination or motivation to carry them out. The uni's previous vice chancellor was the main mover behind buying the ground and he has now left, and the financial environment for universities has changed a lot in the few years since. I think they probably regret buying it now and would happily get rid.

 

[UTS]

Once the new multi sporting and business park complex is built, we'll be in a sports and business centre for the entire district. Vince is confident of getting planning permission and says a conservative estimate for the project to be complete is 5 years. We could easily be the English Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim has a catchment of over 200,000 in a 10 mile radius due to the local towns of Heidelberg and Sinsheim. Nailsworth has a population of 5,000 and is in the middle of nowhere. Not comparable.

 

[rudebwoyben]

But the new ground is not going to be in Nailsworth but in Stonehouse, which is in between Gloucester and Stroud which has a catchment area population of over 100k.

 

[UTS]

Stroud has a population of 13k and Glouscester is 15 miles away and a rugby dominated town, hence why their own city club have been rotting in non league their whole history.

Whichever way you dress it up it is not remotely comparable. Wigan are more comparable to Hoffenheim, not Forest Green.

I would definitely consider a name change if I was the FGR chairman, in order to appeal to a wider audience, something like Cotswold Forest Green or something like that

 

[rudebwoyben]

Cotswolds surely?

 

[JaggerCFC]

Dale Vance FC

 

[rudebwoyben]

Is that a cross between Dale Vince and Norman Vance?

 

[Si Robin]

Ecotricity FC.

 

[Roger Stone]

We have a "licence" to play at The Racecourse and to use Colliers Park, our training ground, rather than a lease. That means that we don't have exclusive use. Crusaders rugby league team also use it. I believe our licence costs are covered by the university's shirt sponsorship.

There are lots of question marks over the ground. Lots of rumours that we will be buying it back or signing a long-term lease where we become responsible for all maintenance. This is because it needs lots of repairs (£1.4m worth over the next 10 years) and the uni don't have the money, inclination or motivation to carry them out. The uni's previous vice chancellor was the main mover behind buying the ground and he has now left, and the financial environment for universities has changed a lot in the few years since. I think they probably regret buying it now and would happily get rid.

Cheers pal - looks like a tough promotion battle again this season. Fancy Grimsby for the automatic and either Chelt or you boys for the playoff. Pob lwc.

 

[Alty Pieman]

Ecotricity Rovers,.. will be facing their antithesis on saturday, fan owned debt free little part time Alty. I would go but I'm a meat eater

 

[FGRJC]

Ecotricity Rovers,.. will be facing their antithesis on saturday, fan owned debt free little part time Alty. I would go but I'm a meat eater

And we'll enjoy the 3 points you give us

 

[BeesKnees]

FGR could always change their name back to Stroud FC

 

[rudebwoyben]

They were FGR before they became Stroud. In fact they won the FA Vase as FGR!

 

[BeesKnees]

They were FGR before they became Stroud. In fact they won the FA Vase as FGR!

I know, but if they are moving closer to Stroud it makes sense to change.

 

[Chris FGR]

Not easy to change a club's name now though, look at Hull for example.

I can't see the FA allowing company names, otherwise more would do it and it would end up like the Welsh League. Stroud FC was a failure, so I can't see why changing to that again would be a good idea, the chances are we'd lose more fans then we'd gain.

 

[Alty Pieman]

And we'll enjoy the 3 points you give us

You will have to take them, we love being underdogs

 

[EnglishRed]

Not easy to change a club's name now though, look at Hull for example.

I can't see the FA allowing company names, otherwise more would do it and it would end up like the Welsh League. Stroud FC was a failure, so I can't see why changing to that again would be a good idea, the chances are we'd lose more fans then we'd gain.

It's not just the Welsh league. What about Vauxhall Motors?

 

[Jemfy]

Ecotricity Rovers,.. will be facing their antithesis on saturday, fan owned debt free little part time Alty. I would go but I'm a meat eater

I've seen you post this several times, but when did Alty become fan owned? Which fan ownership model is the club done under?

 

[Alty Pieman]

I've seen you post this several times, but when did Alty become fan owned? Which fan ownership model is the club done under?

Its not under any particular model as such. It was written into the clubs constitution in 1996 that no single person is allowed to have a majority of the shares,... and in fact the club has many hundreds of shareholders and nobody has more than about 5% of them, even the directors, who are extremely dedicated fans as well. The club has no loans, debt or borrowings at all, an 80 year lease on the ground and only 2 full time staff who run our new Community Sports Hall, everyone else is a volunteer. Club never been in a healthier state, ever.

 

[Chris FGR]

Ecotricity Rovers,.. will be facing their antithesis on saturday, fan owned debt free little part time Alty. I would go but I'm a meat eater

Your free to bring any food you want in with you, plus there are several good chippies in Nailsworth. Poor excuse.

 

[The_Boss]

Your free to bring any food you want in with you, plus there are several good chippies in Nailsworth. Poor excuse.

Could I bring in a Rustler burger and get Dale to warm it up in his solar powered microwave for me?

 

[Alty Pieman]

That was an attempt at irony, but you knew that. Must admit that many older Alty fans have never forgiven that twat Peake when he was running your lot and stuck the knife into Alty over the James Robinson affair back in 2006. Cant go anyway as I'm busy doing my hair and cant face watching you stuff us

 

[Chris FGR]

Could I bring in a Rustler burger and get Dale to warm it up in his solar powered microwave for me?

Wont you be in North Wales that day?

Or are you coming along to support Alty?

 

[The_Boss]

Wont you be in North Wales that day?

Or are you coming along to support Alty?

It was more on the off chance of passing one day and getting a craving for poorly manufactured artificial beef and couldn't think of a better place to share it with a fellow enthusiast!

 

[Jemfy]

Could I bring in a Rustler burger and get Dale to warm it up in his solar powered microwave for me?

You'd have to come by on a bicycle around this time of year, in order to power the microwave yourself.