Crowd funded ownership poll

Following on from the Fenty thread, I think its about time we test interest for this.  There is no 'not interested' option because obviously we would only be looking at those who would have an interest in participating.

I suggest a 5 step process:

1. Poll here; if sufficient interest
2. Poll on Twitter/Another social media platform;
3. Discussion thread on here on results;
4. Discussion closure or Options on crowd funding model;
5. Run crowd fund to determine actual interest;

I am happy to take this up. If we get to 4. Please note I've never crowd funded anything before so if we got that far I would need advice/help or someone else may want to do that bit. I am not precious or presumptuous about this.

Obviously should we get as far as 5. Then we will start to need something more coherent and substantial than an individual as an appropriate vehicle, but let's not put the cart before the horse as perhaps there may be no appetite for this whatsoever.

As a start I think my gut feeling would be £1k personally. But I could go up a bit if the figure was close enough to what was required. Perhaps 1k towards purchase and another 30% to be held to support the balance sheet. I could be convinced to go to the 2k if the numbers were close enough.

I would find £500 IF I thought it viable and a possible way of raising the cash might be long term season tickets for some of our more affluent supporters?

This again.

Quoted from Dan

This again.

I must of missed this being set as a formal question, the suggestion on the other thread was that this site is just an echo chamber with no suggestions for moving forward. What's wrong with gauging interest? If there isn't any we can put this to bed .

Says it all really, only two so far actually confirm they will invest.

Easy to say you will in a poll but how many would, not going to happen.

If the trust turned round tomorrow and said it wants to take over the club and we won't ever sell out (like Notts County and Portsmouth) I'd be straight on to the Nationwide site.

Any crowdfunder would have to be subject to proper governance*, and pledges be subject to a minimum total target. I wouldn't just pledge money to any hazy organisation with no prospect of success - a few thousand in shares, for example, would just be a waste.

* we've got the structure in place (the Trust). It just needs gingering up with an influx of members who want real change.

The Trust in charge.....

I see the Brains Trust has finished for the season. What are you going to do in the evenings now Boys Paddock?

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

Following on from the Fenty thread, I think its about time we test interest for this.  There is no 'not interested' option because obviously we would only be looking at those who would have an interest in participating.

I suggest a 5 step process:

1. Poll here; if sufficient interest

I was just wondering what would be considered sufficient interest? So far with 55 votes, if all donated there stated maximum amount we would have raised around 40k...maybe we should by Grimsby Borough instead?    

Personally I would love to see us have a membership style system. If its good enough for Barca then why not us  




              

Quoted from Malta_Mariner_90

I was just wondering what would be considered sufficient interest? So far with 55 votes, if all donated there stated maximum amount we would have raised around 40k...maybe we should by Grimsby Borough instead?    

Personally I would love to see us have a membership style system. If its good enough for Barca then why not us  




              
I would only ever consider putting money into GTFC

Quoted from Malta_Mariner_90

I was just wondering what would be considered sufficient interest?

To be honest I'm not sure!  That response isn't horrible at first glance, perhaps we need some context, maybe Rob could tell us the average number of respondents to a poll on the fishy??? Also knowing the number of active users may help.


So far with some assumptions about the less than and greater than numbers it looks like the average figure could be around £750 per person (that's assuming 3k on average for those who picked the greater than option).  At that rate we'd need 2000 people to reach the £1.4m figure suggested on the Fenty out thread. That seems a stretch.

I guess  it could become highly skewed if any of those who ticked the greater than option, wanted to put a substantially  bigger figure in, not sure if anyone who ticked that option would be happy to post whatever that might be on here though.

I think Fenty would take a lot less than 1.4 million.
1.4 million for a club that is worthless is crazy.
I think around £500000 would do it.
He should take the offer or the fans should boycott.

This is not my main account, I wish to remain anonymous when using this account. I have already been offered to buy out a member of the board, but I am not ready or able to do this yet. I will one day, hopefully not for a long time inherit some substantial assets, as will my brother. I have been an avid town fan all my life, and attend many matches both home and away. I would like to think that I know a thing or two about football, footballers and football clubs. What I also know about is business. Very soon I will have completed my training and be on a very lucrative 'pay ladder' at a global leading firm in London. I will not be disclosing my profession. My brother although younger consistently performs within the top exam scores in the country, he has the brains that perhaps I, in some areas lack, however I am more of a 'people person' so together we are a strong unit. When we have both settled in our jobs/lives in a number of year we have the full intention to purchase a substantial, if not the majority share in our beloved football club, we are lucky to have had the education, opportunity and means to be in a position where this is a realistic aim. Watch this space, stay strong, remain faithful! There is a bright future for this historic club, and it does not involve lingering in the lower reaches of LG 2. UTM!

Quoted from Mariner8

This is not my main account, I wish to remain anonymous when using this account. I have already been offered to buy out a member of the board, but I am not ready or able to do this yet. I will one day, hopefully not for a long time inherit some substantial assets, as will my brother. I have been an avid town fan all my life, and attend many matches both home and away. I would like to think that I know a thing or two about football, footballers and football clubs. What I also know about is business. Very soon I will have completed my training and be on a very lucrative 'pay ladder' at a global leading firm in London. I will not be disclosing my profession. My brother although younger consistently performs within the top exam scores in the country, he has the brains that perhaps I, in some areas lack, however I am more of a 'people person' so together we are a strong unit. When we have both settled in our jobs/lives in a number of year we have the full intention to purchase a substantial, if not the majority share in our beloved football club, we are lucky to have had the education, opportunity and means to be in a position where this is a realistic aim. Watch this space, stay strong, remain faithful! There is a bright future for this historic club, and it does not involve lingering in the lower reaches of LG 2. UTM!

Hi ... err... Aaron?

Quoted from Mariner8

This is not my main account, I wish to remain anonymous when using this account. I have already been offered to buy out a member of the board, but I am not ready or able to do this yet. I will one day, hopefully not for a long time inherit some substantial assets, as will my brother. I have been an avid town fan all my life, and attend many matches both home and away. I would like to think that I know a thing or two about football, footballers and football clubs. What I also know about is business. Very soon I will have completed my training and be on a very lucrative 'pay ladder' at a global leading firm in London. I will not be disclosing my profession. My brother although younger consistently performs within the top exam scores in the country, he has the brains that perhaps I, in some areas lack, however I am more of a 'people person' so together we are a strong unit. When we have both settled in our jobs/lives in a number of year we have the full intention to purchase a substantial, if not the majority share in our beloved football club, we are lucky to have had the education, opportunity and means to be in a position where this is a realistic aim. Watch this space, stay strong, remain faithful! There is a bright future for this historic club, and it does not involve lingering in the lower reaches of LG 2. UTM!

I too will be in a very lucrative and financially strong position in a few years time...that's if my numbers come up on the lottery!!..and I don't even do the bloody thing...

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

I too will be in a very lucrative and financially strong position in a few years time...that's if my numbers come up on the lottery!!..and I don't even do the bloody thing...

Always good to be taken seriously... Do you want me to release my tax returns like Trump?

Quoted from Mariner8

This is not my main account, I wish to remain anonymous when using this account. I have already been offered to buy out a member of the board, but I am not ready or able to do this yet. I will one day, hopefully not for a long time inherit some substantial assets, as will my brother. I have been an avid town fan all my life, and attend many matches both home and away. I would like to think that I know a thing or two about football, footballers and football clubs. What I also know about is business. Very soon I will have completed my training and be on a very lucrative 'pay ladder' at a global leading firm in London. I will not be disclosing my profession. My brother although younger consistently performs within the top exam scores in the country, he has the brains that perhaps I, in some areas lack, however I am more of a 'people person' so together we are a strong unit. When we have both settled in our jobs/lives in a number of year we have the full intention to purchase a substantial, if not the majority share in our beloved football club, we are lucky to have had the education, opportunity and means to be in a position where this is a realistic aim. Watch this space, stay strong, remain faithful! There is a bright future for this historic club, and it does not involve lingering in the lower reaches of LG 2. UTM!

All interesting stuff but Billy Big Bollox tends not to work with GTFC supporters

Quoted from HertsGTFC

All interesting stuff but Billy Big Bollox tends not to work with GTFC supporters

Quite. You’re either pro or anti and there’s no grey.

I'd be happy to setup a standing order for £50 a month to go into a trust fund etc.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Quite. You’re either pro or anti and there’s no grey.

So what you saying it's either black or white with town?

Quoted from Mariner8

Always good to be taken seriously... Do you want me to release my tax returns like Trump?

Take you seriously when you hide behind a mask?...so did bleeding male private Turpin...
Sorry but you cannot spout the sort of stuff you have without a level of mistrust, certainly not to a forum that's used to false dawn's and bullish!t..

If 4000 fans contributed to £50 p/m you'd get

50 x 4000 = 200,000 x 12 = 2.4 mill

Quoted from Meza

If 4000 fans contributed to £50 p/m you'd get

50 x 4000 = 200,000 x 12 = 2.4 mill

£600 is a big ask for a lot of families. And in amongst that 4000 there'll be quite a few families in there so for some of them it'd be £1200, £1800, £2400...

I've no doubt people would rally round a worthy cause with a chance of success.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Take you seriously when you hide behind a mask?...so did bleeding male private Turpin...
Sorry but you cannot spout the sort of stuff you have without a level of mistrust, certainly not to a forum that's used to false dawn's and bullish!t..

Yes, I take your point completely. I hope you'll understand that at this point I wish to maintain my privacy whilst I try and make sure this all works out as planned...
I just wanted to let people know that it won't always be this way, JF isn't the only fan lucky enough to be in a position where taking a large shareholding in the club is a realistic proposition in the near future. This isn't some sort of exercise to blow my own trumpet, nor do I expect many people to take my word for it. At this moment in time all I can do is keep my head down and continue to raise the necessary funds. I'm afraid this won't happen overnight, but I'd be lying if I said that... I look forward to a time when we will be able to talk to the fans more frankly prior to our takeover. This won't happen unless we both continue to keep our hands to the grindstone!

Quoted from Mariner8

This won't happen unless we both continue to keep our hands to the grindstone!

Are you sure you're not John Fenty with phraseology like that  

Quoted from Meza

If 4000 fans contributed to £50 p/m you'd get

50 x 4000 = 200,000 x 12 = 2.4 mill

And if my Aunty has a member she’d be my uncle.

Quoted from Mariner8

Yes, I take your point completely. I hope you'll understand that at this point I wish to maintain my privacy whilst I try and make sure this all works out as planned...
I just wanted to let people know that it won't always be this way, JF isn't the only fan lucky enough to be in a position where taking a large shareholding in the club is a realistic proposition in the near future. This isn't some sort of exercise to blow my own trumpet, nor do I expect many people to take my word for it. At this moment in time all I can do is keep my head down and continue to raise the necessary funds. I'm afraid this won't happen overnight, but I'd be lying if I said that... I look forward to a time when we will be able to talk to the fans more frankly prior to our takeover. This won't happen unless we both continue to keep our hands to the grindstone!

Have you made tentative inquiries to JF to at least establish the size of the monetary target you are aiming at.

Quoted from Mariner8

This is not my main account, I wish to remain anonymous when using this account. I have already been offered to buy out a member of the board, but I am not ready or able to do this yet. I will one day, hopefully not for a long time inherit some substantial assets, as will my brother. I have been an avid town fan all my life, and attend many matches both home and away. I would like to think that I know a thing or two about football, footballers and football clubs. What I also know about is business. Very soon I will have completed my training and be on a very lucrative 'pay ladder' at a global leading firm in London. I will not be disclosing my profession. My brother although younger consistently performs within the top exam scores in the country, he has the brains that perhaps I, in some areas lack, however I am more of a 'people person' so together we are a strong unit. When we have both settled in our jobs/lives in a number of year we have the full intention to purchase a substantial, if not the majority share in our beloved football club, we are lucky to have had the education, opportunity and means to be in a position where this is a realistic aim. Watch this space, stay strong, remain faithful! There is a bright future for this historic club, and it does not involve lingering in the lower reaches of LG 2. UTM!

Get your brother to teach you how to construct sentences and keep buying those lottery tickets.  

This feels a whole lot like Brexit lol. Asking people to vote for something that is not well defined is not going to get us a meaningful answer...

In order for people to actually vote meaningfully (nevermind actually contribute), the proposal would need at the very least to have named, committed, experienced people in key roles. It would need to have a long term (10+ years) business plan. It would need to have confirmation on what it would cost to acquire the club, and to maintain it at (at the very least) the current level of financial levels. It would need to clearly document how fan involvement is achieved? All investors get to vote on certain key matters? Are the votes binding? Do fan representatives vote on behalf of the fans? Can the manager/key people overrule the vote? Where does fan involvement start and end?

Would I vote for a fan owned model led by key individuals with large amounts of industry experience (football, financial, management, PR, etc) who work full time, and a sound business model involving a limited amount of non-binding (but normally acted upon) fan input. Probably yes.

But that is a heck of an ask. I'd vote for Fenty who cares, and will ensure our clubs survival, over any lesser proposal.

I fear a poorly executed attempt at this could end our club. I believe that Mr Fenty would rightly be very wary of handing over control to such a proposal.

Then to me the solution is as follows.

No that the trust doesnt have to pay this 30k a season it uses that to pay off the Fenty debt. And once that’s cleared job done. The trust is handed to the club to proactively find a buyer.

The sustainability of the club is as follows.. it sustains itself, as no new money has gone in in years. All new money until a buyer is found comes from a boost the budget type fundraiser.

Quoted from psgmariner

Get your brother to teach you how to construct sentences and keep buying those lottery tickets.  

To be fair, I study History at one of the UK's top universities, the majority of my work involves extensive essay writing and don't see too much wrong with Mariner's sentence structure...

Quoted from Mariner8

Always good to be taken seriously... Do you want me to release my tax returns like Trump?

No-just give me the 50p for those dolly mixtures I bought you-and real money this time, not that Noddy money

Quoted from 139847

To be fair, I study History at one of the UK's top universities, the majority of my work involves extensive essay writing and don't see too much wrong with Mariner's sentence structure...

To be fair,I have studied football for 65 years and still can't work out what Jolly's plan is

Quoted from drbell

This feels a whole lot like Brexit lol. Asking people to vote for something that is not well defined is not going to get us a meaningful answer...

In order for people to actually vote meaningfully (nevermind actually contribute), the proposal would need at the very least to have named, committed, experienced people in key roles. It would need to have a long term (10+ years) business plan. It would need to have confirmation on what it would cost to acquire the club, and to maintain it at (at the very least) the current level of financial levels. It would need to clearly document how fan involvement is achieved? All investors get to vote on certain key matters? Are the votes binding? Do fan representatives vote on behalf of the fans? Can the manager/key people overrule the vote? Where does fan involvement start and end?

Would I vote for a fan owned model led by key individuals with large amounts of industry experience (football, financial, management, PR, etc) who work full time, and a sound business model involving a limited amount of non-binding (but normally acted upon) fan input. Probably yes.

But that is a heck of an ask. I'd vote for Fenty who cares, and will ensure our clubs survival, over any lesser proposal.

I fear a poorly executed attempt at this could end our club. I believe that Mr Fenty would rightly be very wary of handing over control to such a proposal.

I think this is a reasonable post, most of what you say would fit between points 4 and 5 of the OP. I'd expect a considerable amount of time would have to go into developing a suitable proposal and model for delivery prior to running any crowd fund.

I still think running a rough poll can act as an initial bellwether to such an exercise, I mean what would be the purpose of expending considerable time developing all the legitimate points you cite if there is no demand for anything at all?