League Two Club Ownership Thread

[White Army]

View attachment 16408

What website is this from?

 

[F!RTHY]

What website is this from?

EFS English Clubs

 

[Myblueheaven04]

I have just read through most clubs history on that stats site and it makes very interesting reading.
Also highlights how crap we are now lol.....

 

[Chris FGR]

I'd file Phil Wallace under the good owner section. Saved the club from going under, has spent many seasons making up the short fall whenever the club spent beyond it's means, has over seen improvements to the ground, training facilities and the youth setup as well as getting the club into the the Football League.

Unfortunately the last few years on the pitch have been poor, it's leading to some fans to lose patience. Unless I've read the room wrong, I don't think there are many calling for change at the very top but he's facing more questions now than he has at any other time.

Wallace has spoken about wanting the club to be more sustainable over the past few years, combine this with questionable recruitment and poor managerial appointments and we're trending downwards. Truth is, a sustainably run Stevenage is a middling to bottom end League Two club which is where we're at.

I look at some other clubs and I count my blessings with Wallace in control, he's not everyone's cup of tea but we're professionally run, stable and debt free.

Tbf for most smaller clubs the main thing the owners should be judged on is if the club is professionally run, stable and debt free. A stable football club with strong community lInks and a decent youth set up is a lot more important then splashing the cash being ‘ambitious’ which will in most cases end in a financial collapse. Success on the pitch is less important then that and in fact means fuck all if it ends in bankruptcy.

The main priority for all owners should be to make sure there is a decent level community football club still in existence by the time they hand over the reigns.

 

[Bottega Don]

Our chairman has put out a statement today, mostly consisting of waffle as usual.

The striking parts though are that he seems resigned to relegation and the fact the club is for sale. However, the club is for sale only if the buyers purchase the land and stadium as well, the same land that our chairman sold himself for a cut price.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

2600 at the game today, 600 odd from Newport. How much will it take for us to go in to administration…

 

[RiftHouseLad]

We're owned by Raj Singh who has a care home 'empire' and property investments on a decent scale. He is the bloke responsible for Darlow going pop.

Quite a number of fans think the sun shines out his ring piece because he saved us from going bust. That much I guess is true. It also depends which fan group you're in. He favours certain groups that champion him at every turn.

On the flipside he is a massive Tory and snidey c*** who has no problem sacking people and refusing to pay their dues. You just have to watch him in interviews, the arrogance just oozes out of every orifice.

He's also allegedly desperately unpopular with anyone who works with him (can't leave quick enough) can't take criticism and is a control freak. This is evidenced by people willing to invest but then they get nowt in return. No say, nothing. All allegedly, of course it is.

He also appears to be a massive skinflint who seemingly breaks promises to managers, will spend the absolute bear minimum on the team. Will not repair anything in the ground as by the look of it wants to take us away from the Vic and get his hands on town centre land. Trying to force the council's hand.

I do not trust him at all.

Most worrying part is he thinks supporters are dumb, Which could lead to our and his downfall.

 

[saddler78]

Pomlett out!!!!

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Rupp out!

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Most worrying part is he thinks supporters are dumb, Which could lead to our and his downfall.

I'm grateful for Singh saving our bacon ,as no one else was bothered.
We had a great chance to enhance the feelgood factor around the club with a little investment in the playing side, but he has right royally fecked it up.
His choice of manager & coach when DC left was a huge mistake & we're going backwards at an alarming rate.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I'm grateful for Singh saving our bacon ,as no one else was bothered.
We had a great chance to enhance the feelgood factor around the club with a little investment in the playing side, but he has right royally fecked it up.
His choice of manager & coach when DC left was a huge mistake & we're going backwards at an alarming rate.

The whole thing at Pools really boils my piss. If he'd bothered to offer terms people are worth, we would have kept the nucleus of that side and we would be challenging the top 7. Then he withholds almost 300k of budget to blackmail Challinor who'd already started talking to targets. If he'd been backed, with the momentum behind us he wouldn't have gone to Stockport and we'd possibly be on for a promotion challenge. Look at Sutton, I rest my case.

Instead he withholds the budget, DC forced to sign non league players on peanuts, loanees not ready for senior football, he got fucked off and left and now we're picking up the pieces. We are now just a little better than Oldham and Scunny but worse than the rest.

I don't even know why he owns us. If it's ego and prestige surely he'd invest just some money (loads of revenue this year) in the club and we'd progress. There's only one way we're going and unless there's massive changes it's back down to oblivion and it's a fucking shame it really is.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

The whole thing at Pools really boils my piss. If he'd bothered to offer terms people are worth, we would have kept the nucleus of that side and we would be challenging the top 7. Then he withholds almost 300k of budget to blackmail Challinor who'd already started talking to targets. If he'd been backed, with the momentum behind us he wouldn't have gone to Stockport and we'd possibly be on for a promotion challenge. Look at Sutton, I rest my case.

Instead he withholds the budget, DC forced to sign non league players on peanuts, loanees not ready for senior football, he got fucked off and left and now we're picking up the pieces. We are now just a little better than Oldham and Scunny but worse than the rest.

I don't even know why he owns us. If it's ego and prestige surely he'd invest just some money (loads of revenue this year) in the club and we'd progress. There's only one way we're going and unless there's massive changes it's back down to oblivion and it's a fucking shame it really is.

I,ll put all that into one sentance.

2 fingers up to the supporters.
----------------------------------
One of His biggest quotes is " Value for money"

Well we are definately getting that aren,t we............................
If i,m not proved wrong this week, Then i know exactly where my money will be staying, enough is enough.
Rant over.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I,ll put all that into one sentance.

2 fingers up to the supporters.
----------------------------------
One of His biggest quotes is " Value for money"

Well we are definately getting that aren,t we............................
If i,m not proved wrong this week, Then i know exactly where my money will be staying, enough is enough.
Rant over.

He's got his two nodding ducks in as managers who'll not complain as they're very fortunate to be in this job. That's what he wants, yes men who won't dare to call him out.

He doesn't care what we think. Danger is fans will vote with their feet so he might well do what he did at Darlo and think fuck this and put us in the shitter. I hope I'm wrong like

 

[RiftHouseLad]

He's got his two nodding ducks in as managers who'll not complain as they're very fortunate to be in this job. That's what he wants, yes men who won't dare to call him out.

He doesn't care what we think. Danger is fans will vote with their feet so he might well do what he did at Darlo and think fuck this and put us in the shitter. I hope I'm wrong like

Spot on.
But we wll never be defeated, We,ll be here(in some form) long after he,s ran away with his mate Pally.

 

[Carver]

How is it that there seems to be more and more shitty little former non league clubs getting wealthy owners like Forest Green, Salford and Fleetwood etc yet the bigger clubs like us are left with stubborn old men running the club who do not have a pot to piss in?

 

[Monkey Tennis]

How is it that there seems to be more and more shitty little former non league clubs getting wealthy owners like Forest Green, Salford and Fleetwood etc yet the bigger clubs like us are left with stubborn old men running the club who do not have a pot to piss in?

Those clubs will only have a fraction of the debt that bigger clubs like Carlisle have attached to them, and no massive old ground to maintain either.

 

[Uncle Pastuzo]

Dale Vince was on Radio 4's Any Questions last night - 8 p.m. Friday on BBC Sounds or 1.10 p.m. today on R4 as a repeat.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

I know we're no longer in this league, but using the thread as an update for those interested.

We gave one of the young players(don't tell Northampton) his debut and released him a week later
Our Physio and other backroom staff have gone to our friends up the M180
We still haven't paid off the EFL Loan
No news from our new CEO or "Fan on the board" about plans for next season
We've turned down 2 offers to buy the club(unconfirmed)
The Holding company who "funds" SUFC and has seperated the ground from the club has taken a mortgage out on Glanford Park, presumably to fund SUFC for next season.
The Holding Company has been loaned money by another Listed Company, Property 2 or something, Set up 2 years ago with £5 Capital. Property 2 have never published accounts.

So all perfectly normal here...

 

[Indian Dan]

We are now no longer under an EFL embargo, having repaid the loans!

 

[Agombar stool]

We are now no longer under an EFL embargo, having repaid the loans!

It will be interesting to see if we are now unrestricted for contract offers and we can start getting our Paynes, Reeds, Williams etc tied down onto longer deals. The journey starts now!

 

[Casey]

Well, my post near the start of the thread lasted a long time.

Thanks for all the cash Ziya. I still don't know what you got out of it but from what I can tell you were an honest businessman and haven't squirrelled money out of the club.

The new lot Wagmi (which stands for We're All Gonna Make It), walked into a shit show which wasn't of their making but the exaggerations are already coming (league 1 in 2 years, championship after that etc) which always make me cringe and doubt the motives.

I think we might need to move to the " It's complicated" bracket.

Casey

 

[Chief Rocka]

I think I'd be incredibly concerned if the owners of my club relied on selling monkey JPEGS to morons as a source of income.

 

[EricSabin]

I think I'd be incredibly concerned if the owners of my club relied on selling monkey JPEGS to morons as a source of income.

And a lot higher profile people aren’t making any money out of NFT’s

The first ever tweet on Twitter from its creator was bought as an NFT in 2021 for $2.9m. Offered to auction in April this year? The highest bid received was £4,700.

Think Liverpool also struggled to gain any real income from their NFT’s. But Crawley will manage it!

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

How is it that there seems to be more and more shitty little former non league clubs getting wealthy owners like Forest Green, Salford and Fleetwood etc yet the bigger clubs like us are left with stubborn old men running the club who do not have a pot to piss in?

No pressure.

It sounds harsh but they spent the money as they want and is little pressure because their fan base never has expectations because they never hit this level.

They can change identity, ground name, kit colours, team name etc etc without too much incident.

Salford for example have removed almost anything that was ‘Salford’ before they took it over and made it a media sideshow but the 100 odd fans who watched it will have left or will not have a big enough voice to cause a scene……now they want to move them miles away from where they were, you may think it’s still in Manchester, but it’s a good 30-60 minutes extra travel with little public transport.


Of course the other big thing is if it goes belly up there isn’t many will notice it’s gone like rushden.

If you have cash and want a toy much better one without all the claptrap

 

[valefan16]

No pressure.

It sounds harsh but they spent the money as they want and is little pressure because their fan base never has expectations because they never hit this level.

They can change identity, ground name, kit colours, team name etc etc without too much incident.

Salford for example have removed almost anything that was ‘Salford’ before they took it over and made it a media sideshow but the 100 odd fans who watched it will have left or will not have a big enough voice to cause a scene……now they want to move them miles away from where they were, you may think it’s still in Manchester, but it’s a good 30-60 minutes extra travel with little public transport.


Of course the other big thing is if it goes belly up there isn’t many will notice it’s gone like rushden.

If you have cash and want a toy much better one without all the claptrap

You have this or a clean slate project, Fleetwood for example. In fairness they've invested a lot in infrastructure unlike Salford with the superb training facilities and so forth.

 

[Spanishstag]

Those clubs will only have a fraction of the debt that bigger clubs like Carlisle have attached to them, and no massive old ground to maintain either.

You lost it at bigger clubs like carlisle

 

[Spanishstag]

I think I'd be incredibly concerned if the owners of my club relied on selling monkey JPEGS to morons as a source of income.

I dont even know what a JPEGS is

 

[Casey]

I think I'd be incredibly concerned if the owners of my club relied on selling monkey JPEGS to morons as a source of income.

Oh, I with you regarding jpeg sales but that's not all they do. Crypto-currency trading gets a look in as well...I would imagine they are buying right now as the value has tanked recently. There is also a sports betting/ analytics man involved.

They did have to lodge 2 years worth of finances before being allowed to take over the club but as they are unknown to us, and speak American which does tend to grate, we are all a bit wary but so far they seem OK.

Casey

 

[Carver]

You lost it at bigger clubs like carlisle

We're bigger than you and much better, going by the last time we played you which was fairly recent..

 

[shoddycollins]

Interesting revelations about David Holdsworth and Purepay/Philip Day/Edinburgh Woolen Mill coming from our board now that he's gone.

Firstly confirming what was already known, that Holdsworth was appointed DoF at the behest of Philip Day, but in a way that makes it sound less like the rest of the board were keen on his appointment. Quite why Holdsworth is such good mates with a man who flogs cardigans has never been clear but if you ever saw DH's togs while sat in the director's box you might think that's it.

Secondly, that Holdsworth appointed Chris Beech on his own, with even our CEO being unaware that we'd appointed a new manager until Beech turned up for work. That's just fucking mental, to have a DoF imposed on the club who then has the power to change managers mid-season without notifying the other directors (not that I think replacing Pressley with Beech was a bad decision at all).

We still have a debt to Purepay, whether this could potentially result in Philip Day making decisions on the footballing side of the business again, or how and when we might pay it back is all unclear.