Here's a question...

Mr Irrelevant · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:25 pm **Posts:** 22683

I throw it up for debate, no more than that.

Quote:

With all of these "rumours" of investment/take over IF the Council sell the ground, can anybody honestly tell me that they think it is a good idea to sell a public asset to a private company in order for them to make money and therefore leave this former public asset in the hands of another private company (or companies) of whom no one knows anything about?

no6bus · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:55 pm **Posts:** 5096

the council are short of money the money goes into the coffers stipulations are made in the sale preventing the land being used for housing retail etc seems straightforward enough to me

The Lightning Tree · **Joined:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:30 pm **Posts:** 5804

And me.

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:15 pm

And me aswell!!!! :grin:

Fetish_Bob · **Posted:** Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:29 pm

Not much of a debate so far

oshkosh · **Joined:** Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:09 pm **Posts:** 133

Well you need to keep your eyes on these fly by nights who have been pumping millions into Pools for only eleven years :roll:

no6bus · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:55 pm **Posts:** 5096

even with covenants inplace to prevent new owners cashing in on land and ultimately the council would back heel any plans to develop on land

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:12 pm

i think its been said already. As long as the council were to put the safeguards in place then there should be no issues

Tax Paying Poolie · **Joined:** Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:18 am **Posts:** 9053

I've asked on here a million and five times why do people want to sell the ground to IOR and still yet to see a convincing reason.

confised

tREE_wiTH_hAMStER · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2007 11:00 am **Posts:** 20758

no6bus wrote:

the council are short of money the money goes into the coffers stipulations are made in the sale preventing the land being used for housing retail etc seems straightforward enough to me

Its very hard to sell someone something and tell them what they can/cant do with it.

In fact i believe its almost impossible to now put covenants inplace to stop them selling it for land etc

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:57 pm

Tax Paying Poolie wrote:

I've asked on here a million and five times why do people want to sell the ground to IOR and still yet to see a convincing reason.

confised

I agree. We dont need a bigger ground or anything, its situated in a prime location that supporters can get to from the pub. If IOR did own it then what improvements will we see? Increasing the size of the ground will not generate more profits (apart from if the away end was increased and we play one of the most supported teams) The amount of supporters we are curently getting wont claw back any money IOR pump into the club for any ground sale.

If IOR want to invest more money then worry about the players and manager. Get a proper "manager" in and some players to attract fans through the gate. once attendances increase to that approaching capacity it will be worth considering ground capacity increases. Only then.

confised

QuakerPete · **Joined:** Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:43 pm **Posts:** 70

Tree_With_Hamster wrote:

no6bus wrote:

the council are short of money the money goes into the coffers stipulations are made in the sale preventing the land being used for housing retail etc seems straightforward enough to me

Its very hard to sell someone something and tell them what they can/cant do with it.

In fact i believe its almost impossible to now put covenants inplace to stop them selling it for land etc

Just to give my 2p worth - Feethams had a covenant on it saying the land could only be used for sporting purposes for the townspeople - but the cricket field trust soon circumvented that. Once land (an asset) passes into private hands, the club is at the mercy of the landowner (which may not be the club - as in Darlo's case). At least with the council as owners, they can be pressured into doing what the town wants . . . to ensure the future security of the club. IOR may be good owners now, but it isn't guaranteed to last forever.

alienlife · **Posted:** Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:12 am

chip fireball wrote:

i think he is more concerned about them getting the ground on the cheap, then bailing out as soon as the sale is complete, at a profit and to a buyer none of us know anything about.

I think that could be a huge issue, at present the club isn't a hugely attractive proposition for an investor. If money was paid to buy the club all they get would be some office equpiment, some kit, and some contracts. If the ground is part of the deal (would the land behind the rink end and next to the mill house be part of the deal?) then the club becomes an asset even if on the pitch we ended up dropping to non league level purely as a property.

I don't think IOR would be bothered fannying about trying to buy the ground just to sell up to developers, but I would be concerned by new owners.

tREE_wiTH_hAMStER · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2007 11:00 am **Posts:** 20758

QuakerPete wrote:

Tree_With_Hamster wrote:

no6bus wrote:

the council are short of money the money goes into the coffers stipulations are made in the sale preventing the land being used for housing retail etc seems straightforward enough to me

Its very hard to sell someone something and tell them what they can/cant do with it.

In fact i believe its almost impossible to now put covenants inplace to stop them selling it for land etc

Just to give my 2p worth - Feethams had a covenant on it saying the land could only be used for sporting purposes for the townspeople - but the cricket field trust soon circumvented that. Once land (an asset) passes into private hands, the club is at the mercy of the landowner (which may not be the club - as in Darlo's case). At least with the council as owners, they can be pressured into doing what the town wants . . . to ensure the future security of the club. IOR may be good owners now, but it isn't guaranteed to last forever.

Yup spot on, i dont want IOR to own our ground ever.

Warwick Hunt · **Posted:** Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:48 am

Putting covenants in does not guarantee anything. West rugby club fell for that one.

IOR are a trustworthy owner but what if they sell at a later date to a Gary Gibson type?

Here's a question...

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