Just seen on Twitter we made a loss of £36k last year. Some of the spending has been on improving the stadium, focusing on heating and disabled access.

Says Peaks Parkway isnt going ahead because of the lack of political will? Nothing to do with not having the finance then?

Does anybody know where the actual accounts can be downloaded from? The club would normally have a link on the article? But they haven't so far.

Quoted from Cloudy

Says Peaks Parkway isnt going ahead because of the lack of political will? Nothing to do with not having the finance then?

I'd love to hear what the council have to say in response.

I'd imagine the lack of political will referred to is the lack of willingness to let those packets of land around town to be sold off for a song to housing developers in return for financing of the proposed stadium. The figures always seemed a bit iffy, truth be told.

If the East Marsh proposal is now going to be the way forward, I'd hope that facilities for use by the wider community will also be included in the final plan.

Classic GTFC statement.

Claiming there’s “no political will” for Peaks Parkway sums up the brains in that boardroom. The council is a broad reflection of the community it is elected to represent - stating that there is no political will, and by extension local public will, for a supposed Community Stadium sums up just how bad a job the club have done in convincing anyone it’s a good idea. In trying to deflect blame onto the council, they’ve shone a light on their own failings.

What they really mean is that there’s no will from external funders to finance a duff project and Extreme have been found out, big time. This is another attempt by the universally unpopular Cllr Fenty to use the club as as leverage in his own axe-grinding campaign against those he shares a council chamber with.

Quoted from ska face

Classic GTFC statement.

Claiming there’s “no political will” for Peaks Parkway sums up the brains in that boardroom. The council is a broad reflection of the community it is elected to represent - stating that there is no political will, and by extension local public will, for a supposed Community Stadium sums up just how bad a job the club have done in convincing anyone it’s a good idea. In trying to deflect blame onto the council, they’ve shone a light on their own failings.

What they really mean is that there’s no will from external funders to finance a duff project and Extreme have been found out, big time. This is another attempt by the universally unpopular Cllr Fenty to use the club as as leverage in his own axe-grinding campaign against those he shares a council chamber with.

Because the council there is well known for being progressive and forward thinking?

I'd say the council is far more afraid of the nimbys and the consequences of upsetting a few than doing what is unpopular to a few but benefits the town as a whole. The lack of progress over there since I moved away is stark compared to other places in the country.

It reads to me like if the club doesnt get its own way by getting Peaks parkway they are throwing the toys out of the pram and half heartedly refurbing parts of Blundel park. Obviously Fenty does not want the move to Freemo even though it makes sense.

Quoted from monkeyboy

It reads to me like if the club doesnt get its own way by getting Peaks parkway they are throwing the toys out of the pram and half heartedly refurbing parts of Blundel park. Obviously Fenty does not want the move to Freemo even though it makes sense.

Of course he doesn't. Wouldn't be in his complete control.

Quoted from ginnywings

Of course he doesn't. Wouldn't be in his complete control.

I hope he does hate the idea because it would be great if we could move into a community stadium with a clean break from Mr. Fenty.

If it was me, I would put all my energies into the team, whilst continuing to give BP a lick of paint, and hope for a cup run or league success or unearth a gem to sell for big money, take the money I was owed and call it a day.

If the council wish to pursue the Freeman Street idea it will take years anyway, so just let them get on with it because their vision and Fenty's vision will never match up as it will be about the wider community, not just the football club.

There is one small snag with my plan however - Fenty won't leave and the stadium will never be built  ;D

Does anybody really think that the council are going to invest a large chunk of the regeneration money into a new ground? Nope, me neither.

We can't get an enabling project off the ground. The council are not going to invest a massive chunk of their government money into it, so that leaves a private investor/s as the only option for a new ground now. It aint going to happen.

Only viable option currently is to smarten up BP somehow, but that will take a small fortune given the state of it.

I do think people are underestimating the amount of work, funding and goodwill which would be required for a site in the East Marsh. I'd think we're talking about a decade-long project to even get the details agreed before even the first sod is turned (or, more precisely, the first of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of masonry is cleared).

Truth be told, even with the regeneration money which is becoming available, I can't see how it could possibly be afforded.  :-/

I reckon there will be a film made one day about this whole stadium fiasco..... it's just convincing Hollywood that it actually happened for real  😁

No doubt there would be huge amounts of work and effort required to even stand a chance of having a stadium as part of the redevelopment of Freeman Street.

Which is why the club should be absolutely kicking doors down to highlight how important they are to the community, especially in that area.  Acting on behalf of the club, Fenty should be canvassing for the support of the community to not only develop that area but also have a community asset (i.e GTFC) at the heart of it.

There may not be funding in place, there may not be any agreements.  But what the club must do is get local support for the move.  Relying on the Trust to do some surveys now and then won't wash with anyone.  

Instead the club are sulking and have resorted to petty mud-slinging at the council which will just weaken any hopes of a progressive partnership with the council.  Thanks, John.  Thanks a lot!

Quoted from diehardmariner

No doubt there would be huge amounts of work and effort required to even stand a chance of having a stadium as part of the redevelopment of Freeman Street.

Which is why the club should be absolutely kicking doors down to highlight how important they are to the community, especially in that area.  Acting on behalf of the club, Fenty should be canvassing for the support of the community to not only develop that area but also have a community asset (i.e GTFC) at the heart of it.

There may not be funding in place, there may not be any agreements.  But what the club must do is get local support for the move.  Relying on the Trust to do some surveys now and then won't wash with anyone.  

Instead the club are sulking and have resorted to petty mud-slinging at the council which will just weaken any hopes of a progressive partnership with the council.  Thanks, John.  Thanks a lot!

Until we get a more collegiate board of directors and a man who can unite the town, or at least galvanise it then we are stuck. I think Mr. Fenty knows his Fentydome dream is over, so the future looks a bit bleak in that regard.

The team have got to deliver us to better things or it could get really grim.

Quoted from pen penfras

Because the council there is well known for being progressive and forward thinking?

I'd say the council is far more afraid of the nimbys and the consequences of upsetting a few than doing what is unpopular to a few but benefits the town as a whole. The lack of progress over there since I moved away is stark compared to other places in the country.

You've got a historical point re the council but they are offering an olive branch regarding East Marsh. As you're talking about being progressive and forward thinking.. what about the club? No progression or forward thinking for the past twenty years, so many clubs left us behind in that time and now the fig leaf of an absurd and eye-watering £250m Peaks Parkway project has finally been removed, what has JF and his cohorts got left to offer? Already blaming the council for PP being a non-starter. Future talks won't exactly get off to a convivial start will they?

Early season home attendances of less than 4k home fans, away support although still good in comparison to other League Two clubs is dropping off alarmingly. JF has just about ground our club down to a pulp. And as for making improvements at BP.. just look at the state of what they've done with the away end with that cheap plastic sheeting! Embarrassing and definitely nothing about how the club goes about its business smacks of being anything other than non-league bound and dying a lingering slow death.

While the present incumbents are in charge, we are well and truly fooked. Whether it's in three years, five years or ten years, we are well and truly fooked. It's even embarrassing that relatives and associates of JF and even club staff come on here voting down fans opinions. This forum should be a resource for assessing fans opinions and acting upon them not disagreeing with them or trying to dilute opinion by red crossing. It just shows what level our club has sunk to. But then again, it's not our club is it? It's John's club, John's reputation, John's return on his (ahem) investment that matters and it's John's dream. We are all here to purely fund it until a time when he sees fit to leave which I can't see happening any time soon, so it looks like one by one, ten by ten, hundred by hundred, thousand by thousand we'll all have to leave him to it. It's not all bad at the club though. There are one or two good things. Good programme, bars are run well, but then again both are outsourced, so that should tell everyone something.

The feel good factor of OP has certainly disappeared and the apathy we all feared has well and truly set in. After all this time surely JF can't believe he is the chosen one can he? Surely no-one can be so arrogant and ignorant to fail to assess what GTFC has become under his role as custodian? I can't foresee good things for our club while he's at the helm. Our reputation is well and truly set as a bottom feeding lower League Two club always looking over its shoulder at non-league football. Good luck in attracting decent players on a "competitive" budget to a decrepit ground and shoestring training facilities under those circumstances. "You don't have to wash your own kit anymore and you can now watch Sky TV at our training ground, we're very progressive don't you know, championship football in four years too, fancy signing for us?"

Whether we beat Cambridge or not on Saturday is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The fact is that the public of NE Lincs are absolutely fed up to the back teeth of being associated with a John Fenty led football club. An association derived from birthplace that will never be broken to support another team, but is being increasingly being put to one side by hundreds if not thousands who are finding alternative ways to invest their time into enjoying their weekends. Apathy is much more relevant a danger while us diehards cling to the hope of League Two football in 2019/20. It seems like we're in a hopeless spiral that we can't get out of because of how our club operates.

If you've got nothing new to offer John, just write those loans off on the GTFC balance sheet that you've already written off in your head and let someone else have a go. A clean break with no strings attached. Chances are, the next twenty years can't possibly be as bad as the past twenty years and most probably the club could stumble upon someone who can can dynamically engage with the fanbase and indeed the council so we can all hope for a brighter future. Project Fenty was over a long time ago, and now Peaks Parkway is dead in the water. You've put your best efforts in, you've had your go at living out a dream, it's time to wake up and realise it was just one big nightmare, not only for you, but for every poor sod else who has had to put up with easily the worst sustained period on and off the pitch in our club's long and proud history..

Getting back to financial performance, it looks like the sacking of Slade has prevented us turning a small profit.

The political jibe is disappointing.

I prefer to think of it as the sacking of Slade prevented a larger loss.

Quoted from Abdul19

I prefer to think of it as the sacking of Slade prevented a larger loss.

The sacking of Slade has certainly prevented a disastrous 2018/19 financial performance.

Quoted from pen penfras

Because the council there is well known for being progressive and forward thinking?

I'd say the council is far more afraid of the nimbys and the consequences of upsetting a few than doing what is unpopular to a few but benefits the town as a whole. The lack of progress over there since I moved away is stark compared to other places in the country.

This is probably a good point at which to remind you that it was the Council who originally offered the Parkway land to the club. However it is dressed up the facts are that the opposition to the Parkway site led by De Freitas has been far better organised than the campaign for the site (despite the early efforts of the Trust's leaflet and on-line campaign of support). You only have to look back at the multiple threads on here to see how opinion is divided. Sadly we have collectively failed to convince the residents of the Borough that the Parkway is the best site.
You may have a point about NIMBYs and council's fear of them but I strongly suspect that is not unique to NE Lincs.

Quoted from Davec

Does anybody know where the actual accounts can be downloaded from? The club would normally have a link on the article? But they haven't so far.

Not been filed at Companies House yet.

Quoted from Bigdog

You've got a historical point re the council but they are offering an olive branch regarding East Marsh. As you're talking about being progressive and forward thinking.. what about the club? No progression or forward thinking for the past twenty years, so many clubs left us behind in that time and now the fig leaf of an absurd and eye-watering £250m Peaks Parkway project has finally been removed, what has JF and his cohorts got left to offer? Already blaming the council for PP being a non-starter. Future talks won't exactly get off to a convivial start will they?

Early season home attendances of less than 4k home fans, away support although still good in comparison to other League Two clubs is dropping off alarmingly. JF has just about ground our club down to a pulp. And as for making improvements at BP.. just look at the state of what they've done with the away end with that cheap plastic sheeting! Embarrassing and definitely nothing about how the club goes about its business smacks of being anything other than non-league bound and dying a lingering slow death.

While the present incumbents are in charge, we are well and truly fooked. Whether it's in three years, five years or ten years, we are well and truly fooked. It's even embarrassing that relatives and associates of JF and even club staff come on here voting down fans opinions. This forum should be a resource for assessing fans opinions and acting upon them not disagreeing with them or trying to dilute opinion by red crossing. It just shows what level our club has sunk to. But then again, it's not our club is it? It's John's club, John's reputation, John's return on his (ahem) investment that matters and it's John's dream. We are all here to purely fund it until a time when he sees fit to leave which I can't see happening any time soon, so it looks like one by one, ten by ten, hundred by hundred, thousand by thousand we'll all have to leave him to it. It's not all bad at the club though. There are one or two good things. Good programme, bars are run well, but then again both are outsourced, so that should tell everyone something.

The feel good factor of OP has certainly disappeared and the apathy we all feared has well and truly set in. After all this time surely JF can't believe he is the chosen one can he? Surely no-one can be so arrogant and ignorant to assess what GTFC has become under his role as custodian? I can't foresee good things for our club while he's at the helm. Our reputation is well and truly set as a bottom feeding lower League Two club always looking over its shoulder at non-league football. Good luck in attracting decent players on a "competitive" budget to a decrepit ground and shoestring training facilities under those circumstances. "You don't have to wash your own kit anymore and you can now watch Sky TV at our training ground, we're very progressive don't you know, championship football in four years too, fancy signing for us?"

Whether we beat Cambridge or not on Saturday is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The fact is that the public of NE Lincs are absolutely fed up to the back teeth of being associated with a John Fenty led football club. An association derived from birthplace that will never be broken to support another team, but is being increasingly being put to one side by hundreds if not thousands who are finding alternative ways to invest their time into enjoying their weekends. Apathy is much more relevant a danger while us diehards cling to the hope of League Two football in 2019/20. It seems like we're in a hopeless spiral that we can't get out of because of how our club operates.

If you've got nothing new to offer John, just write those loans off on the GTFC balance sheet that you've already written off in your head and let someone else have a go. A clean break with no strings attached. Chances are, the next twenty years can't possibly be as bad as the past twenty years and most probably the club could stumble upon someone who can can dynamically engage with the fanbase and indeed the council so we can all hope for a brighter future. Project Fenty was over a long time ago, and now Peaks Parkway is dead in the water. You've put your best efforts in, you've had your go at living out a dream, it's time to wake up and realise it was just one big nightmare, not only for you, but for every poor sod else who has had to put up with easily the worst sustained period on and off the pitch in our club's long and proud history..

A post I obviously agree with, but I think Mr. Fenty will just dig his heels in and hope Michael Jolley can perform a miracle and find some footballing fortune.

What is equally concerning is when do we withdraw our support? Like you say we have lost a lot already but on the whole the fans are very loyal which paradoxically is helping to keep Mr. Fenty in situ because he hasn't got to cover any substantial losses.  

I have said that after nearly 60 years of going another fall into non league would be it for me, but merley surviving year in year out isn't much different really.

So according to the Fishy the council are OK to string the club along for years forcing the club to spend allot of money on feasibility studies and the like on a site the council proposed and to use a developer the council insisted on to only pull the rug from under them years down the line as a site they probably always want the club to use comes available,
The council have no funding for this just a big piece of land in a run down area and no plan of how to fund it and some say this is an olive branch, The redevelopment and regeneration  fund spouted around has already been confirmed that it can not be used to build a stadium.  
Sorry the club just cant win  

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

A post I obviously agree with, but I think Mr. Fenty will just dig his heels in and hope Michael Jolley can perform a miracle and find some footballing fortune.

What is equally concerning is when do we withdraw our support? Like you say we have lost a lot already but on the whole the fans are very loyal which paradoxically is helping to keep Mr. Fenty in situ because he hasn't got to cover any substantial losses.  

I have said that after nearly 60 years of going another fall into non league would be it for me, but merley surviving year in year out isn't much different really.

That's the Catch 22 in a nutshell LCL. The diehards are too loyal to make a stand and the apathetic have been apathetic for so long now that we really don't have a strong base to force Fenty out. Couple that with the fear of fan protest upsetting any apple cart season after season just in case it affects player performance so much that we could drop into non-league, we are always left in limbo and nothing ever comes to a head or gets fixed permanently for the long term greater good of the club..

Even now with the council openly supporting the club to get involved in the Town Deal, our board are digging their heels in and say they're looking at alternative sites. Where for God's sake and with what funding? 66% support for a new stadium at East Marsh on the Telegraph website way above alternative options like social housing etc. The saying goes don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but our lot can't even see the horse. Even if we have to compromise with certain elements of income streams from a community based and funded stadium, we would be in a far better position for the club to grow on and off the pitch rather than chase unrealistic pipe dreams for decades upon end that will never come to fruition.

It's obviously time for a change in leadership. The failure of securing Peaks Parkway seems a perfect tipping point but I agree with you, Fenty wiill be last man standing. we may be in National League North playing Cleethorpes Town, but Fenty will still be there hanging onto his pipe dream..

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

So according to the Fishy the council are OK to string the club along for years forcing the club to spend allot of money on feasibility studies and the like on a site the council proposed and to use a developer the council insisted on to only pull the rug from under them years down the line as a site they probably always want the club to use comes available,
The council have no funding for this just a big piece of land in a run down area and no plan of how to fund it and some say this is an olive branch, The redevelopment and regeneration  fund spouted around has already been confirmed that it can not be used to build a stadium.  
Sorry the club just cant win  

Hang on a sec Rob. It was nearly two years ago that the council invited planning to be presented for Peaks Parkway and the club have done nothing about it because they haven't got the necessary funds. It's the club who have failed to attract inward investment for years and years and we all know the reasons why. If the council are prepared to offer land for a new stadium to be built at East Marsh, the club need to find ways to raise 20-25m to build it and not necessarily by way of enabling projects or borrowing. It's just that our board haven't got the contacts or ability to do it so should step aside. It's about the future of GTFC and that shouldn't be constrained by the lack of talent, contacts or empathy for others that we have currently in the boardroom. Fans fault, council's fault, always somebody else's fault. After all these years it's time for someone to hold their hands up and take responsibility for their actions and most notably inactions. After all they're the ones who've willingly took a vice like control of the club so should be fully accountable. If they can't deliver, it's time to step aside, because last time I looked we were called Grimsby Town FC not John Fenty FC and there will be people out there far better equipped to solve the job in hand..

Quoted from Bigdog

Hang on a sec Rob. It was nearly two years ago that the council invited planning to be presented for Peaks Parkway and the club have done nothing about it because they haven't got the necessary funds. It's the club who have failed to attract inward investment for years and years and we all know the reasons why. If the council are prepared to offer land for a new stadium to be built at East Marsh, the club need to find ways to raise 20-25m to build it and not necessarily by way of enabling projects or borrowing. It's just that our board haven't got the contacts or ability to do it so should step aside. It's about the future of GTFC and that shouldn't be constrained by the lack of talent, contacts or empathy for others that we have currently in the boardroom. Fans fault, council's fault, always somebody else's fault. After all these years it's time for someone to hold their hands up and take resposibility for their actions and most notably inactions. After all they're the ones who've willingly took a vice like control of the club so should be fully accountable. If they can't deliver, it's time to step aside, because last time I looked we were called Grimsby Town FC not John Fenty FC and there will be people out there far better equipped to solve the job in hand..

Hello BigDog I don't know much about you but I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Perfectly put your last two posts on this thread. I worry the next decision us fans have to make is when to walk out and starve out the current board. That will never be a popular option and will cause deep rifts in fans and friends alike. I feel the worst is yet to come for us.

As i see it  there is no point in having a new ground that will not have the room for the extras that will create cash for the club to move forward.  As we will still be in the same place financially and going no where, Just have a posher ground . We need the extra income to progress end of . And who will hold all the cards,, council  or fenty ?... The trouble is that the club cannot move forward where we are as we have no golden goose, just a load of old crows in charge. the biggest stumbling block is our so called leader and his merry men... Imo i think the council should buy Fenty and his men out and put a chief exe in charge with the view of working out something with a fan owned club or look for a buyer that wants to take the club forward

Bigdog posts are the dog's dangly bits. That is all.

I think the council and the club are doing tonnes of stuff already regarding Freemo. Just because it’s not in the telegraph or on the fishy doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. The negativity on here is really frustrating but a sad fact of life in this town I’ve found.

I’m still hugely confident we will be playing at a new community stadium down Freemo within the next 5 years.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

So according to the Fishy the council are OK to string the club along for years forcing the club to spend allot of money on feasibility studies and the like on a site the council proposed and to use a developer the council insisted on to only pull the rug from under them years down the line as a site they probably always want the club to use comes available,
The council have no funding for this just a big piece of land in a run down area and no plan of how to fund it and some say this is an olive branch, The redevelopment and regeneration  fund spouted around has already been confirmed that it can not be used to build a stadium.  
Sorry the club just cant win

And what have they done to make it win? Why can't we have some clarity from the club about Extreme's role? Have they been removed from the process? You know, a bit of honesty could go a long way.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

And what have they done to make it win? Why can't we have some clarity from the club about Extreme's role? Have they been removed from the process? You know, a bit of honesty could go a long way.

Egg  on face springs to mind

Can't be long before the "fans forum" if it is to be held at the end of November.....same as last year.

Could be another humdinger with all that isn't happening at GTFC.

Quoted from psgmariner

I think the council and the club are doing tonnes of stuff already regarding Freemo. Just because it’s not in the telegraph or on the fishy doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. The negativity on here is really frustrating but a sad fact of life in this town I’ve found.

I’m still hugely confident we will be playing Championship football at a new community stadium down Freemo within the next 5 years.

Edited for you Mr Day

Quoted from Bigdog

Hang on a sec Rob. It was nearly two years ago that the council invited planning to be presented for Peaks Parkway and the club have done nothing about it because they haven't got the necessary funds. It's the club who have failed to attract inward investment for years and years and we all know the reasons why. If the council are prepared to offer land for a new stadium to be built at East Marsh, the club need to find ways to raise 20-25m to build it and not necessarily by way of enabling projects or borrowing. It's just that our board haven't got the contacts or ability to do it so should step aside. It's about the future of GTFC and that shouldn't be constrained by the lack of talent, contacts or empathy for others that we have currently in the boardroom. Fans fault, council's fault, always somebody else's fault. After all these years it's time for someone to hold their hands up and take resposibility for their actions and most notably inactions. After all they're the ones who've willingly took a vice like control of the club so should be fully accountable. If they can't deliver, it's time to step aside, because last time I looked we were called Grimsby Town FC not John Fenty FC and there will be people out there far better equipped to solve the job in hand..

I think the club did have a financial plan in place based on some housing and retail built on land away from PP that  the council had put forward to develop but then pulled the plug on the option further down the line making the club go back to the drawing board again. until the council commit the land to GTFC they cannot put planning in and that was never going to happen.

As stated in another post why would the club want to move the ground only to have exactly the same facilities as they have now with no space to expand or further none match day revenue.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

I think the club did have a financial plan in place based on some housing and retail built on land away from PP that  the council had put forward to develop but then pulled the plug on the option further down the line making the club go back to the drawing board again. until the council commit the land to GTFC they cannot put planning in and that was never going to happen.

As stated in another post why would the club want to move the ground only to have exactly the same facilities as they have now with no space to expand or further none match day revenue.

A new stadium wouldn't have the same facilities though would it? A better matchday experience all round should be delivered for a start. Renewed pride in our club should deliver at least 2-3k on home attendance bringong in an extra million or so for playing budget, better football, more fans etc, etc. Plus there will still be real estate within the structure of the stands to boost extra revenue which can't be developed at BP. Better dining facilities, exec box experiences, so much more. Even renting out part of the structure for council offices or similar, there's a multitude of income streams that can be driven from the footprint of a new stadium compared to what BP can offer at present. So no, moving grounds wouldn't have exactly the same facilities as a decrepit football ground that's way past its sell by date. All we've got at BP is an outdated McMenemys, club bars, outsourcied crapp catering and a club shop. So much more could be done within the boundaries of a new stadium without the current penalty of maintenance costs. Other clubs have hotels, supermarkets etc to help with enabling costs. Any step from BP would be a step up. If there's compromises the club has to make to fund the new stadium the rewards will still be far greater than staying where we are..

Quoted from Bigdog

A new stadium wouldn't have the same facilities though would it? A better matchday experience all round should be delivered for a start. Renewed pride in our club should deliver at least 2-3k on home attendance bringong in an extra million or so for playing budget, better football, more fans etc, etc. Plus there will still be real estate within the structure of the stands to boost extra revenue which can't be developed at BP. Better dining facilities, exec box experiences, so much more. Even renting out part of the structure for council offices or similar, there's a multitude of income streams that can be driven from the footprint of a new stadium compared to what BP can offer at present. So no, moving grounds wouldn't have exactly the same facilities as a decrepit football ground that's way past its sell by date. All we've got at BP is an outdated McMenemys, club bars, outsourcied crapp catering and a club shop. So much more could be done within the boundaries of a new stadium without the current penalty of maintenance costs. Other clubs have hotels, supermarkets etc to help with enabling costs. Any step from BP would be a step up. If there's compromises the club has to make to fund the new stadium the rewards will still be far greater than staying where we are..

I agree moving anywhere would be a step up and have a better match day experience but the size of the land at Freemo would just fit a ground the exact same size as ours now and not any bigger, as 3 of our stands are not big enough to fit much more than a small bar in them whats the point,

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

So according to the Fishy the council are OK to string the club along for years forcing the club to spend allot of money on feasibility studies and the like on a site the council proposed and to use a developer the council insisted on to only pull the rug from under them years down the line as a site they probably always want the club to use comes available,
The council have no funding for this just a big piece of land in a run down area and no plan of how to fund it and some say this is an olive branch, The redevelopment and regeneration  fund spouted around has already been confirmed that it can not be used to build a stadium.  
Sorry the club just cant win  

Rob do you have an evidence link to support the premise that the Regeneration money cannot be used to fund the building of a centre piece stadium?

There's usually a link to the accounts when they are announced - can't see one anywhere!

Quoted from barralad

Rob do you have an evidence link to support the premise that the Regeneration money cannot be used to fund the building of a centre piece stadium?

No sorry  I cannot remember where I read  it online but  I was speaking to someone within NELC as part of my day job and they confirmed that the Regeneration money cannot be spent on the stadium direct as well.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

I think the club did have a financial plan in place based on some housing and retail built on land away from PP that  the council had put forward to develop but then pulled the plug on the option further down the line making the club go back to the drawing board again. until the council commit the land to GTFC they cannot put planning in and that was never going to happen.

As stated in another post why would the club want to move the ground only to have exactly the same facilities as they have now with no space to expand or further none match day revenue.

I get the impression that you have never questioned anything your match day passengers tell you. JF has a long established habit of expressing opinion as fact.
Dig a little, do some research and quite often you will find it is hogwash. Others have done so, and that is a primary reason why we have had TWO failed ground moves. I would hate to  guess how much of these costs are wrapped up in the benign loans?

John has demonstated that he is great with smoke and mirrors, fantastic at pointing fingers of blame but frankly extremely light on any action or result.

I have great hope for the regeneration of out Town, it needs many groups to pull together positively, but when virtually the clubs opening line is to sling mud I fear we will yet again be led up the garden path to nowhere.

Change the board, gets some people who see challenges not negatives, and maybe, just maybe we could deliver

Quoted from Cloudy

I get the impression that you have never questioned anything your match day passengers tell you. JF has a long established habit of expressing opinion as fact.
Dig a little, do some research and quite often you will find it is hogwash. Others have done so, and that is a primary reason why we have had TWO failed ground moves. I would hate to  guess how much of these costs are wrapped up in the benign loans?

John has demonstated that he is great with smoke and mirrors, fantastic at pointing fingers of blame but frankly extremely light on any action or result.

I have great hope for the regeneration of out Town, it needs many groups to pull together positively, but when virtually the clubs opening line is to sling mud I fear we will yet again be led up the garden path to nowhere.

Change the board, gets some people who see challenges not negatives, and maybe, just maybe we could deliver

We carry on going round in circles with the same people conveniently forgetting how long this 'new ground' has been on the cards. Councillor Oxby has stated today that his belief is that Peaks Parkway is off the table - hopefully, that's a clear message to JF and the board that NELC hold the cards on this, whether he likes it or not.

So back to the original title, I assume we are in dept (oops sorry, benign loan) of another £36k to Mr Fenty. What would we do without him, yet again he has saved our club.

Quoted from Gaffer58

So back to the original title, I assume we are in dept (oops sorry, benign loan) of another £36k to Mr Fenty. What would we do without him, yet again he has saved our club.

The club has an overdraft which Mr Fenty guarantees, so no need to increase the benign loans. I'm fairly sure the accounts last year had more than enough cash to cover this fairly small loss.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

I think the club did have a financial plan in place based on some housing and retail built on land away from PP that  the council had put forward to develop but then pulled the plug on the option further down the line making the club go back to the drawing board again. until the council commit the land to GTFC they cannot put planning in and that was never going to happen.

As stated in another post why would the club want to move the ground only to have exactly the same facilities as they have now with no space to expand or further none match day revenue.

You mean the new ground could be built with shitty bogs, decrepid stands and look a dump?

Quoted from pen penfras

The club has an overdraft which Mr Fenty guarantees, so no need to increase the benign loans. I'm fairly sure the accounts last year had more than enough cash to cover this fairly small loss.

As you seem to be clarifying things, would it be possible to reduce the 'loan account' whilst still making a loss?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

As you seem to be clarifying things, would it be possible to reduce the 'loan account' whilst still making a loss?

Yes, it would be possible.

Are you accusing somebody of something without any facts? That'd be a shock on the fishy.

Quoted from pen penfras

Yes, it would be possible.

Are you accusing somebody of something without any facts? That'd be a shock on the fishy.

Not at all. I asked if it would be possible. I've learned to get my facts right.

Quoted from Bigdog

A new stadium wouldn't have the same facilities though would it? A better matchday experience all round should be delivered for a start. Renewed pride in our club should deliver at least 2-3k on home attendance bringong in an extra million or so for playing budget, better football, more fans etc, etc. Plus there will still be real estate within the structure of the stands to boost extra revenue which can't be developed at BP. Better dining facilities, exec box experiences, so much more. Even renting out part of the structure for council offices or similar, there's a multitude of income streams that can be driven from the footprint of a new stadium compared to what BP can offer at present. So no, moving grounds wouldn't have exactly the same facilities as a decrepit football ground that's way past its sell by date. All we've got at BP is an outdated McMenemys, club bars, outsourcied crapp catering and a club shop. So much more could be done within the boundaries of a new stadium without the current penalty of maintenance costs. Other clubs have hotels, supermarkets etc to help with enabling costs. Any step from BP would be a step up. If there's compromises the club has to make to fund the new stadium the rewards will still be far greater than staying where we are..

There is currently 1 disabled toilet in the disabled area which is not under cover and those who watch have the pitch at eye level. This disabled toilet also doubles as a female toilet which I believe puts the total number of toilets for women in the Main Stand to three?

Men on the other hand have world class facilities where they urine in to a trough the urine openly falls out the bottom into an open channel which then goes down the drain.

A 94 year old isn’t able to have a disabled car parking space at the ground and needs to walk from the Main Stand to th corner of The Imperial pub to be picked up by his companion who runs back to his car and drives back to pick him up.

Turn it in pal.

Quoted from pen penfras

Yes, it would be possible.

Are you accusing somebody of something without any facts? That'd be a shock on the fishy.

Wasn't he just asking a question?

The reality is that a third of the way through our 3rd season back in the league, we are languishing in the bottom 6 with no signs of any progress since our return. We are averaging 1 point a game and 0.75 goals per game; lose more home games than we win and are on our 4th manager in 2 and a bit seasons. Not really a recipe for making a profit is it?

The sad thing is that it has been thus for what seems like an eternity, and nothing ever changes, except the managers and players on a regular basis. The ground gets a bit more dog eared with each passing season but it's Groundhog Day at BP, season after depressing season.

Quoted from ginnywings

The reality is that a third of the way through our 3rd season back in the league, we are languishing in the bottom 6 with no signs of any progress since our return. We are averaging 1 point a game and 0.75 goals per game; lose more home games than we win and are on our 4th manager in 2 and a bit seasons. Not really a recipe for making a profit is it?

The sad thing is that it has been thus for what seems like an eternity, and nothing ever changes, except the managers and players on a regular basis. The ground gets a bit more dog eared with each passing season but it's Groundhog Day at BP, season after depressing season.

This, entirely.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

So according to the Fishy the council are OK to string the club along for years forcing the club to spend allot of money on feasibility studies and the like on a site the council proposed and to use a developer the council insisted on to only pull the rug from under them years down the line as a site they probably always want the club to use comes available,
The council have no funding for this just a big piece of land in a run down area and no plan of how to fund it and some say this is an olive branch, The redevelopment and regeneration  fund spouted around has already been confirmed that it can not be used to build a stadium.  
Sorry the club just cant win  

but.....the land offer was there wasnt it ?...its the club/development partners who couldnt come up with the funding otherwise it would have happened....same as Great Coates....the club dont have the money...JF wants a new ground effectively for free but needs the enabling development to do that....the council made steps and extended the time periods on PP didn't they ? But we dont have a pot to p!ss in so regardless of "political will" we cant do anything......the council could change the local plan, ignore protests, just give planning permission and a landowner could give the land for free and we still wouldnt be able to build anything as we dont have the money.

The club can't win with the current regime Rob. Haven't a clue and have failed on almost every measure of success you care to name.

The council were willing to let the PP land go for a song and the club couldn't come up with the finances. It's just another in a long line of failures.

Failed on the pitch so many times it's painful, despite being one of the best supported clubs at this level.

Absolute garbage whichever way you look at it.

Quoted from ginnywings

The reality is that a third of the way through our 3rd season back in the league, we are languishing in the bottom 6 with no signs of any progress since our return. We are averaging 1 point a game and 0.75 goals per game; lose more home games than we win and are on our 4th manager in 2 and a bit seasons. Not really a recipe for making a profit is it?

The sad thing is that it has been thus for what seems like an eternity, and nothing ever changes, except the managers and players on a regular basis. The ground gets a bit more dog eared with each passing season but it's Groundhog Day at BP, season after depressing season.

Exactly why I haven't been to one game since we've been back in the league.
Nothing changes for the better,  so I aren't giving anymore of my hard earned money to this regime

Quoted from ginnywings

The reality is that a third of the way through our 3rd season back in the league, we are languishing in the bottom 6 with no signs of any progress since our return. We are averaging 1 point a game and 0.75 goals per game; lose more home games than we win and are on our 4th manager in 2 and a bit seasons. Not really a recipe for making a profit is it?

The sad thing is that it has been thus for what seems like an eternity, and nothing ever changes, except the managers and players on a regular basis. The ground gets a bit more dog eared with each passing season but it's Groundhog Day at BP, season after depressing season.

I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Success increases interest and numbers through the gate. 0.75 goals per game equates to £24 per goal if you pay on the gate.

I want to see Blundell Park full again and I want to see the Osmond Stand packed to the rafters with away fans as it creates an excellent atmosphere and brings in much needed revenue.

Given time I have confidence Jolley can produce. His interview for the Cambridge game shows he acknowledges our lack of cutting edge in the final third.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Given time I have confidence Jolley can produce. His interview for the Cambridge game shows he acknowledges our lack of cutting edge in the final third.

I don't think that has any significance in his ability to manage or how well he will do, every fan who watchesTown knows we don't score enough goals.

If he didn't acknowledge it I would be very worried where he will take us.

We can unearth the odd gem of a player.
MJ may go on to a successful managerial career.
But with the current regeme none of them will stay with this club.
To bury the news of the PP collapse in a financial report is shameful, but I’m afraid typical.
Once again nothing is the fault of this ‘ board’ in their (his) own eyes. They (he) don’t even appear to be supportive of a new Stadium around Freemo.
JF has stated on more than one occasion how much the club needs a new home to survive.
Well John, you are clearly not the person able to see that through. So name a realistic price, no smoke and mirrors, get someone to market the club properly. Not your good friend Mr Marley, who also would appear incapable. Let’s see if there really isn’t anybody out there to move us forward.
The fan base is rapidly dwindling and the bunch of young fans we did have coming through have all but disappeared
All on your watch John. Make a serious effort to sell the club or somehow find a chairman/CEO with genuine enthusiasm for the job. One that you will let  do the job properly.

£36k loss? Looking at the muppets in charge I think that could be termed as “a lucky escape”.

Lots of interesting comments and debate above and most of it correct imho.

But the main issues still remain....

- We’ll never move forward with the Gang of Four at the helm.

- A new stadium would be nice but we’re skint and nobody in reality is going to throw (apparently) £30 million at us.

- If we built it we would are hardly likely to fill it.

I know the last point might get some yes “but if we where doing well people would come” but would they? Just seen a piece on Twitter where we knocked 5 past Southend in the mid 90s under Buckley in front of 4500 fans.

The club is not years behind I think it’s decades behind now and that sits at the door of 1 man.

UTM!!

Quoted from ginnywings

Of course he doesn't. Wouldn't be in his complete control.

But JF wants out and is willing to sell to any serious buyer. If he sells then he won't be in control so that blows that statement out of the water!

Quoted from Cloudy

I get the impression that you have never questioned anything your match day passengers tell you. JF has a long established habit of expressing opinion as fact.
Dig a little, do some research and quite often you will find it is hogwash. Others have done so, and that is a primary reason why we have had TWO failed ground moves. I would hate to  guess how much of these costs are wrapped up in the benign loans?

John has demonstated that he is great with smoke and mirrors, fantastic at pointing fingers of blame but frankly extremely light on any action or result.

I have great hope for the regeneration of out Town, it needs many groups to pull together positively, but when virtually the clubs opening line is to sling mud I fear we will yet again be led up the garden path to nowhere.

Change the board, gets some people who see challenges not negatives, and maybe, just maybe we could deliver

Which is exactly the same as a few posters on here.

We need a new chairman, a new board, a new striker, a new ground and new fans.

Quoted from psgmariner

We need a new chairman, a new board, a new striker, a new ground and new fans.

But apart from that, we're doing alright.

And who's on the council? Cllr Fenty. I realise he would prob wouldn't be allowed to vote for permission for stadium to be built at PP himself, conflict of intrest on the council, but surely I would think he's in perfect position to influence people to get the political will to get PP through..., if he's got the ability and able to work with fellow councillors..

I honestly thought years ago that was his master plan, get on the council to influence fellow councillors and get the planning permissions through..

Quoted from bluerose13x

And who's on the council? Cllr Fenty. I realise he would prob wouldn't be allowed to vote for permission for stadium to be built at PP himself, conflict of intrest on the council, but surely I would think he's in perfect position to influence people to get the political will to get PP through..., if he's got the ability and able to work with fellow councillors..

I honestly thought years ago that was his master plan, get on the council to influence fellow councillors and get the planning permissions through..

It was  ;D

Quoted from rancido

Which is exactly the same as a few posters on here.

We’ve been utter shitte for nearly 2 decades would you class that as fact ?
The present owner doesn’t appear to be able to deliver a new stadium ? Is that fact ?

Quoted from bluerose13x

And who's on the council? Cllr Fenty. I realise he would prob wouldn't be allowed to vote for permission for stadium to be built at PP himself, conflict of intrest on the council, but surely I would think he's in perfect position to influence people to get the political will to get PP through..., if he's got the ability and able to work with fellow councillors..

I honestly thought years ago that was his master plan, get on the council to influence fellow councillors and get the planning permissions through..

And I think it was but talking to a couple of people I know at NELC it's not going to be PP for the completely opposite reason.

Quoted from psgmariner

We need a new chairman, a new board, a new striker, a new ground and new fans.

If the first one happens I'm in no doubt the rest will automatically follow on afterwards.

Quoted from promotion plaice

If the first one happens I'm in no doubt the rest will automatically follow on afterwards.

Don't know about 'new' fans but would certainly stir some old fans into attending again.

I'm not convinced having a new ground is linked to how well the team will do in the future. Chesterfield and Barnet were relegated to the conference last year and both have new grounds, and I'm sure there are many other examples - Lincoln being top of the league with their shambles of a ground being another.
.

We dont need a bigger ground just to house a few more people on that once a decade game,, We need better facilitys , and someone in charge that can run the club , but not in to the ground like these merry men have done

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

I'm not convinced having a new ground is linked to how well the team will do in the future. Chesterfield and Barnet were relegated to the conference last year and both have new grounds, and I'm sure there are many other examples - Lincoln being top of the league with their shambles of a ground being another.
.

Brighton, Swansea, Cardiff, Reading, Doncaster, Rotherham, Leicester, Huddersfield, Millwall, Reading, Preston, Hull and Fleetwood have all benefitted from a higher place in the football pyramid and higher attendances in new facilities than in the past and there's a plethora of clubs who have significantly upgraded their original stadiums too with similar results..

While Chesterfield, Barnet, Coventry, Darlington, Chester have done worse..

And West Ham, Northampton, Colchester, Blackpool, Walsall, Derby, Middlesbrough, Stoke, Bolton and Morecambe have all seen very little change.

There's no magic formula, but couple funding of a new stadium that won't saddle a club with debt with a progressive owner, onfield success and a larger and more engaged fanbase usually follows. Players are attracted to progressive clubs with newer facilities. We just cannot contemplate staying at BP for much longer.

If you look at the Premier League and the Championship, there's only Bournemouth and Brentford that have got inadequate grounds for their level and both will be in new stadiums within the next few years and half of the clubs in League One have stadia that would be at least sufficient in the Championship.

With clubs like Salford snapping at our heels, as the years go by there's nowhere for us to hide other than be on a perpetual struggle of holding onto league status or suffering another fatal drop into non-league. We need significant investment and a fresh start. We cannot go on like this.

I'm trying not to have a dig here but I'm trying to deal with the facts. In the past fifteen  years or so after two successive relegations from the Championship we've finished higher than the lower half of League Two once. Once FFS. In that time we've not secured a new stadium and chased away the only significant investor in that time.

Is our club is bigger than one man's crusade to justify himself while ruining the whole fanbase enjoyment of supporting their football club at the same time? There's a bigger picture and there's bigger and more able players that could take us forward. Loads of other clubs find them, why can't we? Our owner shields the ownership of our club like it's his and his alone. In all of this time with our owner professing he'd sell if an offer came along, has the club been publicly put up for sale? No is the answer. All we've had is board members going through contact pages of dusty old filofaxes. I don't believe our owner when he says he'd be willing to sell up as much as when he said that he'd written off the loans in his head. Add another ten years of him trying to leave a stadium legacy to the previous seventeen and that would amount to half of most fans adult lives. That's a ridiculous amount of time for fans to endure this kind of sustained failure.

It's an horrific display of selfishness that I just can't get my head around and for what? Lending us a couple of mill just after the turn of the century and we'll soon be heading into the 2020s. For every Darlington there's five Brightons, for every Chester, there's five Rotherhams or Doncasters and there's plenty of Torquays, Stockports, Yorks, Herefords, Scarboroughs, Halifaxes that didn't go out and secure the necessary level of funding required to be a fully fledged Football League club in the 21st century.

We need a new stadium and we need a new backer. If Jf could secure a new backer it would be the best thing he could do for the club, especially with the potential for a new stadium in the offing. He could leave with some credit in at least stabalising the club financially even if it was at the expense of pyramid position and some really dull and unsuccessful football in that time. As he hasn't got the wealth to bridge any finance for the new stadium, I'm worried that even if he somehow achieves in getting the thing built, due to his lack of wealth we'll be saddled with some kind of financial compromise when it comes to the playing side for years to come. Seventeen years plus another five to ten to get the stadium built and another twenty or thirty years of playing budget compromise, the time of JF legacy starts stacking up to be the whole lifetime of a fan, generations and generations.

My gut tells me that we don't have an owner that can deliver anything exciting and sustainable and all evidence sadly points to the fact that he can't deliver. I'd much rather the club be openly put up for sale at what could be a significant turning point in the club's history. To be led by someone who loaned the club two mill and wants it back is just not enough for a Football League club in this day and age. Just look through the league tables and the balance of probabilities will tell us all that. Pointing to the odd club that's built a new stadium and failed is a really negative way of looking at things. I prefer to look at the multitude of successful examples but then again they've all come to fruition coupled with significant investment from new owners and I truly believe we'll need this to happen for a new stadium at East Marsh to be a long standing success rather than a long standing millstone. We're seventeen years into one millstone, we don't need another..

If anyone out there could map out a compelling argument why I shouldn't be concerned about the future finances and playing side of our club run by JF, I'd love to see a comprehensive reply so we could actually debate it..

This thread is in serious danger of going round in circles. Some brilliant points made but try as I might I cannot get beyond the fact that although there may be people out there with a deeply held desire to invest in GTFC whoever comes in will not only have to consider finding that investment to run the playing side and commercial opportunities but will from the start have to be prepared to deal with the funding for a venue to either replace or completely redevelop B.P.
I said at the time that the failure to get the Great Coates development off the ground would come back to bite us. At that time retail enablement was the tried and tested way of getting stadia built. Those days are long gone. Costs have risen disproportionately for most infra structure big projects. There are many teams in a better position to attract that huge level of inward investment given their league positions. I'm given hope from the fact that clubs such as the aforementioned Brentford and Bournemouth are still pursuing their dreams but the fact that in Bournemouth's case specifically they are not only backed by significant foreign investment they also have the Premierships millions to help tempers my enthusiasm. I would dearly love someone to come in and take the club by the scruff of the neck and propel it into the 21st. Century. Never say never but the task gets harder by the year.

Quoted from barralad

This thread is in serious danger of going round in circles. Some brilliant points made but try as I might I cannot get beyond the fact that although there may be people out there with a deeply held desire to invest in GTFC whoever comes in will not only have to consider finding that investment to run the playing side and commercial opportunities but will from the start have to be prepared to deal with the funding for a venue to either replace or completely redevelop B.P.
I said at the time that the failure to get the Great Coates development off the ground would come back to bite us. At that time retail enablement was the tried and tested way of getting stadia built. Those days are long gone. Costs have risen disproportionately for most infra structure big projects. There are many teams in a better position to attract that huge level of inward investment given their league positions. I'm given hope from the fact that clubs such as the aforementioned Brentford and Bournemouth are still pursuing their dreams but the fact that in Bournemouth's case specifically they are not only backed by significant foreign investment they also have the Premierships millions to help tempers my enthusiasm. I would dearly love someone to come in and take the club by the scruff of the neck and propel it into the 21st. Century. Never say never but the task gets harder by the year.

I think this is the point Barra. As fans we seriously have to have have a realistic long term look at the future of football. As the potential for a new stadium is in the offing, the next few years will define the next century in the history of the club. There are only 72 football league clubs and at least half of them have secured new facilities and owners, possibly a greater percentage than that. There's only a handful left for investors to look at. What do we want as fans? What do we want the football club to look like in 20 years? If it's stay at BP, stick with Fenty, hope for an FA Cup run once every twenty years and develop youth in order to earn a payday once every ten years, then in twenty years I can only see National League North beckoning. New stadium with some kind of bridging loan will probably enable us to stand still as others progress with greater finance and backing. I'm not saying I'm in complete agreement with how much investment is flowing into English football clubs, but it's here to stay and a fact of life. Whether it's local, whether it's UK based or whether it's foreign, we've got to be realistic in our choices if offers come along, because if we stick to long held principles, those principles are going to deliver non-league football in the end. There's ridiculous wealth out there. Eyewatering amounts which building a new stadium wouldn't make a dent. No need for return on investment, just the thrill of owning a club and seeing how successful it could be. Look at the Leicester owner. Wasn't a Leicester fan but lauded for what he's done there. There's no right or wrong in fan's opinions about what they'd like their club to look like in twenty years, it's a personal choice. What I'm scared of is that with JF clinging onto our club like it's his plaything and on a personal mission to be its saviour, we could easily be missing out on greater opportunities at this significant period in our history..

To clarify, have the club made any statements in the last 7 days regarding PP, I know there was a comment in the financial results, that was a good day to bury bad news. Are they positive about Freeman Street or not?

Quoted from rancido

But JF wants out and is willing to sell to any serious buyer. If he sells then he won't be in control so that blows that statement out of the water!

Does that serious buyer have to pay for Fenty's mistakes. ie the benign loan or is Fenty willing to write it off.

Quoted from rancido

But JF wants out and is willing to sell to any serious buyer. If he sells then he won't be in control so that blows that statement out of the water!

I must have missed press releases, articles in the Telegraph and national newspapers, bylines on Sky Sports News and social media campaigns promoting that GTFC is up for sale and the club are looking for a new owner and investment. I must have missed all of that publicity that might spark an interest..

You seriously swallow his lies Rancido? I assume you believe the benign loans are written off in his head too..