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Quoted from Civvy at last

And long may it continue. IMO it’s the right thing to do.

Let’s face it, IF (and it’s still a bloody big if) there is something happening, the club could be silent for two reasons.
One being that any discussions at the moment are confidential. Or two, having had their fingers burnt (yet again) by premature announcements they are waiting for something concrete to be able to announce.

So well done to JF and the board. Keep up the silence please.

My point about Fenty's silence was not specifically in connection with the current take over rumour (or any buy-for that matter)

It was merely to point out that he normally cannot keep his mouth shut and himself out of the limelight when we go on a good run (as we did til last week) or when we go on a bad run (the point at which he normally issues one of his ridiculous twice yearly rallying calls) or whenever there is any news / speculation about the fictitious new stadium project or when some sodomist on here upsets him (and getyourfactsright suddenly pops up)

All this and the claims that he was missing at a couple of games recently coupled with his Hammer Horror-like appearance the last time he was caught on camera led me to ask if he had died and gone to the big board room in the sky where no one argues with him and he keeps everyone, not just the Trust, in the dark

Quoted from LongEatonMariner

Is this a legitimate trusted source though? I’m sure I’d seen elsewhere it was a newly registered domain name and no known journalists are linked to it? Sounds like someone in their bedroom with too much time on their hands 😳

Good for them if that's the case! If I find myself in my bedroom with too much time on my hands I just end up wanking myself silly.

Sounds to me they have taken the various rumors / suggestions posted on here and expanded it into "an Exclusive"

Thought this was gonna be another thread about Palace pubs.

Fair play if this isn't real, creating a news website from November last year to roll out this story is top level commitment to hoaxing.

Plenty of the trust on here isnt there? surely someone highish from it can spill some info.?

Dont need mega details just a yay or nay if theres something afoot?

Gets the fans excited and good for business spilling half rumours

I said i would run round B.P. with a white feather stuck up my Arsen if Ashley Took over-the offer still stands if this recent "rumour " is true. £2-50 entrance fee if it materialises.

Quoted from monkeyboy

Plenty of the trust on here isnt there? surely someone highish from it can spill some info.?

Dont need mega details just a yay or nay if theres something afoot?

Gets the fans excited and good for business spilling half rumours

If, and it is a massive IF, there is any remote bit of truth in this, I wouldn't want anyone from the Club or Trust to come out and say anything about it which may end up jeopardising the whole thing. As much as we all want to know what's going on ,we can't always be privy to everything and sometimes it's for the best.

Quoted from monkeyboy

Plenty of the trust on here isnt there? surely someone highish from it can spill some info.?

Dont need mega details just a yay or nay if theres something afoot?

Gets the fans excited and good for business spilling half rumours

Even if there is something going on, if the club aren't saying it then why would the trust? Any reason would be because it's nowhere near a done deal and likely to get egg on their faces or lose the deal. Plus if the trust say something that puts a deal in jeopardy, then they'll quickly lose any privileges that they currently have. Just because they are here to represent the fans doesn't mean that they should tell the fans everything they know about what's going on.

Quoted from golfer

I said i would run round B.P. with a white feather stuck up my Arsen if Ashley Took over-the offer still stands if this recent "rumour " is true. £2-50 entrance fee if it materialises.

£2.50 entrance fee? entrance fee to what your ars e?

You could have a feather stuck up your ars e. but you could be wearing trousers, so you'd still be sticking to your promise and keeping your meat and two veg out of site!

These rumours have to come somewhere but I’ll only believe it once skysports news confirm it

Quoted from golfer

I said i would run round B.P. with a white feather stuck up my Arsen if Ashley Took over-the offer still stands if this recent "rumour " is true. £2-50 entrance fee if it materialises.

Well I know my information is factually correct but that does not mean it will happen. Personally, I will only pay £2.50 if the white feather is still attached to a live chicken 😄😄😄

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Well I know my information is factually correct but that does not mean it will happen. Personally, I will only pay £2.50 if the white feather is still attached to a live chicken 😄😄😄

That sounds foul to me ;D

Quoted from denni266

That sounds foul to me ;D

Worth a flutter! I was going to suggest a live Swan but I am not that cruel 😄😄

Don’t count your chicken too soon.

Sounds like a plan could be about to hatch.

just out of curiosity ....if this does happen would the trust keep their shares or would they have to sell them?

One thing I would say, if this all pans out to be true - which in itself is a big if!

We should all be mindful the grass isn’t always greener. Yes John splits opinion and I wouldn’t disagree with a lot of the criticism aimed at him in terms of decisions made etc. However we see some of the disasters that happen with some owners who come in and in some respects have no affiliation/attachment with the club prior (just look at Blackpool and chesterfield) and one thing that certainly cannot be said about John is that he doesn’t care about this club or have it’s best interests at heart.

If there is a takeover then I’m happy to see how it goes as I think a fresh approach is needed, but we shouldn’t just assume everything is going to be rosey.

I believe that you might only have to offer to buy all shares if you get 50% of the shares. To buy Fenty out you need to take 43% of the shares.

Quoted from Brazilnut

just out of curiosity ....if this does happen would the trust keep their shares or would they have to sell them?

I would guess a buy out would mean the trust would have to agree to sell there shares. but depending on weather they want fan s to be part of it, or they want total control

Quoted from Mikey_345

One thing I would say, if this all pans out to be true - which in itself is a big if!

We should all be mindful the grass isn’t always greener. Yes John splits opinion and I wouldn’t disagree with a lot of the criticism aimed at him in terms of decisions made etc. However we see some of the disasters that happen with some owners (just look at Blackpool and chesterfield) and one thing that certainly cannot be said about John is that he doesn’t care about this club or have it’s best interests at half.

If there is a takeover then I’m happy to see how it goes as I think a fresh approach is needed, but we shouldn’t just assume everything is going to be rosey.

You don't think the past twenty years have been a disaster then? Our grass hasn't been green for a very long time..

As long as they love the club, better the ineptitude you know eh?

I'm already concerned if Bryan Huxford is involved. He made some truly awful financial decisions when he was chairman (especially his obsession with bringing in no name foreign 'talent' and paying them massive wages and sacking Buckley after 3 games and bringing in Lennie Lawrence).

Much of the debt that Fenty inherited (including the £750k tax bill) was built up on Huxford's watch.

Was told at Notts game there was serious interest from someone about taking over and that Fenty was happy to let it happen and woulkd be gone by the end of the season.

Quoted from Bigdog

You don't think the past twenty years have been a disaster then? Our grass hasn't been green for a very long time..

As long as they love the club, better the ineptitude you know eh?

That’s clearly not what I said is it? Point I’m making is if it’s true we shouldn’t presume the new owners are the messiah just because they aren’t John Fenty.

Last years have been terrible, but unlike others we still have a club that is also football league.

It’s just a word of caution.

Quoted from Mikey_345

One thing I would say, if this all pans out to be true - which in itself is a big if!

We should all be mindful the grass isn’t always greener. Yes John splits opinion and I wouldn’t disagree with a lot of the criticism aimed at him in terms of decisions made etc. However we see some of the disasters that happen with some owners who come in and in some respects have no affiliation/attachment with the club prior (just look at Blackpool and chesterfield) and one thing that certainly cannot be said about John is that he doesn’t care about this club or have it’s best interests at heart.

If there is a takeover then I’m happy to see how it goes as I think a fresh approach is needed, but we shouldn’t just assume everything is going to be rosey.

Every aspect of life involves risk, including getting the right people to run a football club.

However, in our circumstances there has been no new ideas or investment to speak of for 20 years, and often during those years things have been absolutely diabolical.

We all feel a little more encouraged with our present form and Michael Jolley, but all the underlying problems remain, especially the chronic lack of investment in all areas to keep up to date in a fast-changing football world.

We need a new start, new dynamism and new investment to try to get us moving forward.

The grass is not always greener as you say, but when you haven't a lot of grass to begin with surely it would be best to have a fresh start?

Quoted from Mikey_345

That’s clearly not what I said is it? Point I’m making is if it’s true we shouldn’t presume the new owners are the messiah just because they aren’t John Fenty.

Last years have been terrible, but unlike others we still have a club that is also football league.

It’s just a word of caution.

I know Mikey.. but my instinctive feelings in hearing rumours (true or not) about a change in ownership are of hope and excitement instead of going straight to fear and caution..

Sounds a load of shite

Quoted from Bigdog

I know Mikey.. but my instinctive feelings in hearing rumours (true or not) about a change in ownership are of hope and excitement instead of going straight to fear and caution..

I get that mate, really I do. Honestly a new approach and ideas plus investment would be much needed and great for us.

Just hopeful it isn’t a crack pot or a fruit loop 😂

Quoted from Youngy

I'm already concerned if Bryan Huxford is involved. He made some truly awful financial decisions when he was chairman (especially his obsession with bringing in no name foreign 'talent' and paying them massive wages and sacking Buckley after 3 games and bringing in Lennie Lawrence).

Much of the debt that Fenty inherited (including the £750k tax bill) was built up on Huxford's watch.

Totally agree. As I have stated on another thread he is far from my favourite person. Having met through previous buinesses dealings In my opinion his ego was far bigger than his capabilities of chairman. When you put him along side the likes of Carr/Furneaux who went before him he was out of his depth both as a chairman and as a person.

This info confirms what I was told a couple of weeks ago by someone extremely in the know. I never repeat what he has told me previously, on his request, and he has never been wrong. As the story is out I’m sure he won’t mind me disclosing on this occasion. Although this info is missing a lot of details, overall it’s on the right track.

Always amazes me how many people on here are in the know or "been told...". They also always seem to post after the news has broke funnily enough ;D

Is this a legitimate trusted source though? I’m sure I’d seen elsewhere it was a newly registered domain name and no known journalists are linked to it? Sounds like someone in their bedroom with too much time on their hands 😳

Quoted from chipsandgravy

. Having met through previous buinesses dealings In my opinion his ego was far bigger than his capabilities of chairman. When you put him along side the likes of Carr/Furneaux who went before him he was out of his depth both as a chairman and as a person.

Sounds like we may as well; keep Fenty then, we've already got someone with a huge ego bigger than his capability and out of his depth, clearly no one would notice the difference

Personally I would much prefer that any takeover by a group had a local man (even Huxford) involved somewhere

But then if its all balderdash it doesn't matter anyway does it?

Only time will tell eh ;)

No idea if a Huxford is/may be involved but I hope not. The strongest rumour in my circles is a hedge funded guy

In the article, it does state that it is being led by an Investment banker and goes onto say that Huxford is also involved. So the way I read it, Huxford isn't the main player.

Quoted from nightrider

Sounds a load of shite

Well if it is the said Director was telling porky pies to my mate which I do not believe to be the case and the interest is genuine.

Currently sat with The Wurzels in my local drinking Chedddar Valley cider. They say they wrote this story.

See you all tomorrow

Quoted from Mikey_345

One thing I would say, if this all pans out to be true - which in itself is a big if!

We should all be mindful the grass isn’t always greener. Yes John splits opinion and I wouldn’t disagree with a lot of the criticism aimed at him in terms of decisions made etc. However we see some of the disasters that happen with some owners who come in and in some respects have no affiliation/attachment with the club prior (just look at Blackpool and chesterfield) and one thing that certainly cannot be said about John is that he doesn’t care about this club or have it’s best interests at heart.

If there is a takeover then I’m happy to see how it goes as I think a fresh approach is needed, but we shouldn’t just assume everything is going to be rosey.

if this rumour is true, I kind of share your caution. I sincerely hope that any deal doesn't involve the Trust giving up its shares. I wouldn't want to see a repeat of a rich man holding a loaded gun to its head.

Quoted from Teesknees

£2.50 entrance fee? entrance fee to what your ars e?

You could have a feather stuck up your ars e. but you could be wearing trousers, so you'd still be sticking to your promise and keeping your meat and two veg out of site!

To be fair though. That would be preferable to the full contents of the grocery store being on display.

Quoted from Tommy

That's what I thought whilst reading that. A lot of detail for a rumour like that. Whether that makes it more or less believable, I don't know.

People who lie tend to add in a lot of additional detail when spinning a yarn. Not saying this article is a lie. Just saying, don't assume that because there's a lot of detail that it's true.

Quoted from pizzzza

Always amazes me how many people on here are in the know or "been told...". They also always seem to post after the news has broke funnily enough ;D

Sometimes, folk get told stuff in confidence and don't break that confidence. I hear stuff from time to time, and only ever pass on what i think is credible, unless told specifically to keep it to myself. I was told for instance that Hooper was on his way out, and was going to Chesterfield. I posted that info and indeed he was out on loan within days, but not to Chesterfield, so the info was partly right. My brother was told on the Friday night before the Blackpool game that Bignot was out and Slade was coming back. He texted me the info, and we both thought it was bollox, so thought no more about it. Both those pieces of info came from the same source, so you tend to give those sorts of people more credence.

Sometimes you hear stuff quite monumental and think it has no legs, but turns our to be correct. I'm sure there are people who claim to be "in the know" and actually know nothing, but there are always some who seem to have relevant gossip.

As regards takeovers and a Freemo stadium, I've not heard anything concrete personally, but have heard plenty that sounds feasible, just not feasible enough to comment on. One thing we know almost for sure, is that Peaks Parkway and Extreme is dead in the water, so unless the idea of a new stadium has been totally ditched altogether, there must be discussions going on at some level as to where and when a new stadium can be realised.

By the way Ipswin, JF was alive and well at the game on New Years day.

“Freemo stadium, I've not heard anything concrete”

Is it going to be wooden like Village green then Ginny? 😉

Regarding the Freeman street stadium in the Telegraph today Councillor Oxby said there is still no definite plan for GTFC to move there :-/

But they are knocking down from kent st to the market.
Creates more space

Quoted from The_Laughing_Mariner

But they are knocking down from kent st to the market.
Creates more space

'Once flattened, and with renewed business interest in the area thanks to the burgeoning offshore wind industry, the vision is to replace the old buildings with a mixture of state-of-the-art offices, modern eco-friendly housing, some retail units and a landscaped public space and a spanking new stadium for GTFC'

Quoted from promotion plaice

Regarding the Freeman street stadium in the Telegraph today Councillor Oxby said there is still no definite plan for GTFC to move there :-/

I would imagine he's so busy planning where to cause more traffic chaos, than thinking about Stadiums. :)

Quoted from Ipswin

Is John Fenty actually still alive? I've never known him keep his gob shut for so long

I've heard that he has a home in Belarus and spends a lot of time there.

Quoted from mariner91

Good for them if that's the case! If I find myself in my bedroom with too much time on my hands I just end up wanking myself silly.

Have you achieved your goal yet then ?

Quoted from rancido

[/b]

Have you achieved your goal yet then ?

;D I didn't think Slade would be such a disaster so probably!

Heard a major announcement to be issued in Feb .... with ABP & Dong Energy involved...not Freemo either. Dont particularly hold out much credibility to it apart from i think the last word from the club when questioned about Freemo was that PP was off and they were looking at an alternative site that wasnt Freemo....which ties in with what i heard yesterday.

Quoted from moosey_club

Heard a major announcement to be issued in Feb .... with ABP & Dong Energy involved...not Freemo either. Dont particularly hold out much credibility to it apart from i think the last word from the club when questioned about Freemo was that PP was off and they were looking at an alternative site that wasnt Freemo....which ties in with what i heard yesterday.

Brilliant, The Dong Stadium.

Quoted from moosey_club

Heard a major announcement to be issued in Feb .... with ABP & Dong Energy involved...not Freemo either. Dont particularly hold out much credibility to it apart from i think the last word from the club when questioned about Freemo was that PP was off and they were looking at an alternative site that wasnt Freemo....which ties in with what i heard yesterday.

Dong Energy are no more.
https://mobile.offshoreenergytoday.com/dong-energy-changes-name-as-it-exits-oil-and-gas-business/

Quoted from Perkins

Brilliant, The Dong Stadium.

Should have a Bell End ;)

Regarding Freeman Street any idea who all these "Freemans of Grimsby" are?

Can't find any lists but I know Cleethorpes M.P. Martin Vicars recently joined along with a few others?

Apparently, they own all the land around that area.

QUOTE:
Who owns the land?

The land is owned by the Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby, who are the driving force behind the regeneration plan.

They were granted total ownership of a part-dilapidated section of Freeman Street following a High Court ruling in March 2018.

This section includes the former House of Holland down to Freeman Way, including the seven-storey Freeman House, which is former council offices.
UNQUOTE.

More secretive than the Freemasons secret handshakes and all that lol

Quoted from Perkins

Brilliant, The Dong Stadium.

Come and watch Ring on the wing at the Dong!

Quoted from RoboCod

Come and watch Ring on the wing at the Dong!

The players could run on to the pitch to the sound of
" l want you to play with my ding a ling "

In Norway, a "Dong" is a nickname for a condom. ;D ;D

Quoted from Perkins

Brilliant, The Dong Stadium.

….except the company isn't called Dong anymore and hasn't been for quite a few months now! Keep up lads !!

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Regarding Freeman Street any idea who all these "Freemans of Grimsby" are?

Can't find any lists but I know Cleethorpes M.P. Martin Vicars recently joined along with a few others?

Apparently, they own all the land around that area.

QUOTE:
Who owns the land?

The land is owned by the Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby, who are the driving force behind the regeneration plan.

They were granted total ownership of a part-dilapidated section of Freeman Street following a High Court ruling in March 2018.

This section includes the former House of Holland down to Freeman Way, including the seven-storey Freeman House, which is former council offices.
UNQUOTE.

More secretive than the Freemasons secret handshakes and all that lol

Very low profile body of people. Link below gives a bit of history - basically they were just that, free men who didn't owe allegiance to any lord unlike most people in the Middle Ages. In Grimsby they were the electors of the Corporation (i.e. the council) and two MPs of Grimsby before every adult had the vote and they claimed control of common (ie not in private ownership) pasture land around the town (hence Pasture Street) and including the East Marsh (hence Freeman St). They basically own the land everything is built on (not sure of the extent of it) just as Sidney Sussex College owned the land in north Cleethorpes.

http://www.enrolledfreemenofgrimsby.org

https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/council-information-partnerships/enrolled-freeman-grimsby/

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Regarding Freeman Street any idea who all these "Freemans of Grimsby" are?

Can't find any lists but I know Cleethorpes M.P. Martin Vicars recently joined along with a few others?

Apparently, they own all the land around that area.

QUOTE:
Who owns the land?

The land is owned by the Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby, who are the driving force behind the regeneration plan.

They were granted total ownership of a part-dilapidated section of Freeman Street following a High Court ruling in March 2018.

This section includes the former House of Holland down to Freeman Way, including the seven-storey Freeman House, which is former council offices.
UNQUOTE.

More secretive than the Freemasons secret handshakes and all that lol

The Freemen ( or Burgesses ) of Grimsby where formed in the 11 century and have ancient rights , including land ownership, in the town of Grimsby.

Quoted from rancido

The Freemen ( or Burgesses ) of Grimsby where formed in the 11 century and have ancient rights , including land ownership, in the town of Grimsby.

I knew some of them was oldish bit flippin ekk ;D

My ex late father in law was called Burgess and he was a freeman of Grimsby. He didnt have any money, he drank what he earnt down the Nats club!

I understand if I lived local my son would inherit the title or whatever it's called.

Quoted from moosey_club

Heard a major announcement to be issued in Feb .... with ABP & Dong Energy involved...not Freemo either. Dont particularly hold out much credibility to it apart from i think the last word from the club when questioned about Freemo was that PP was off and they were looking at an alternative site that wasnt Freemo....which ties in with what i heard yesterday.

That's the gist of what I've heard too. I didn't give it much credibility either, but something is brewing somewhere.

Quoted from moosey_club

Heard a major announcement to be issued in Feb .... with ABP & Dong Energy involved...not Freemo either. Dont particularly hold out much credibility to it apart from i think the last word from the club when questioned about Freemo was that PP was off and they were looking at an alternative site that wasnt Freemo....which ties in with what i heard yesterday.

I heard some weeks ago abolut ABP's involment.

Could be the same source?

Quoted from Teesknees

My ex late father in law was called Burgess and he was a freeman of Grimsby. He didnt have any money, he drank what he earnt down the Nats club!

I understand if I lived local my son would inherit the title or whatever it's called.

There used to be an annual payout to all Freemen living in the area, a decent little amount at one time, but as Freemo and its commercial income has dwindled so has the money that supplied the payouts, it's probably a couple of quid now.

Quoted from Teesknees

My ex late father in law was called Burgess and he was a freeman of Grimsby. He didnt have any money, he drank what he earnt down the Nats club!

I understand if I lived local my son would inherit the title or whatever it's called.

urine artist? ;)

Rainieri is the dilly dong man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPNzhJQbzJ8

I've been told that I am a freeman-well that's what the prison governor called me.

Quoted from golfer

I've been told that I am a freeman-well that's what the prison governor called me.

Yeah but what did the guy on the top bunk call you(wub2)(wub2)(unsure)

Quoted from RoboCod

Yeah but what did the guy on the top bunk call you(wub2)(wub2)(unsure)

Sweet cheeks 😂😂

I thought i was a Freeman up untill a few weeks ago when my Wife decided not to sign the devorce papers i hand delivered to her.

Quoted from RoboCod

Yeah but what did the guy on the top bunk call you(wub2)(wub2)(unsure)

Slack Arris

Quoted from RoboCod

Yeah but what did the guy on the top bunk call you(wub2)(wub2)(unsure)

He kept shouting out the Russian Presidents name

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/freeview--john-fenty-on-takeover-rumours/

Comrade Fenty has come out to rubbish these rumours, but mentions they did listen to a takeover proposal a few months ago which didn't come to anything:

[url]https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/freeview--john-fenty-on-takeover-rumours/[/url]

He's also sounding distinctly disinterested in trying to get a stadium built near Freemo, and is STILL harping on about Peaks Parkway even though everyone with eyes can see that one is completely dead in the water (anyone heard anything from EXTREME in the last year? didn't think so!)

Well that's 14 minutes of my life I won't get back! :o

As we clearly won't be a) leaving BP or b) replacing Fenty in my lifetime (or his) he'd better get his bottom up the floodlight pylons and get welding bloody quick

john the baptist ruins dreams again

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Well that's 14 minutes of my life I won't get back! :o

Thanks to you and Chrisblor for saving me the time watching it, then!

Quoted from Maringer

Thanks to you and Chrisblor for saving me the time watching it, then!

To summarise:

Michael & the players are doing a great job of reconnecting the club to the fans, far better than me & the board can.
There's a bit more transfer activity possible.
We're spending £70k on the ground but the floodlight towers are also fooked
We might put a disabled lift in the Youngs
The board aren't going anywhere
Peakes Parkway is still his preferred option but the council don't want it there

Door is always open for expressions of interest....

So here you are, John. We, the fans, are interested in the club. Name your price, please.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Door is always open for expressions of interest....

So here you are, John. We, the fans, are interested in the club. Name your price, please.

We wont be deemed suitable by him.. and neither will any one else . He just want control of every thing as usual imo

rather depressing isn't it?

council: we don't want the ground at P.P. We'd like it at Freemo please

JF: i don't want the ground at Freemo. We'd like it at P.P. please

and repeat ad infinitum.........

Another well-timed interjection from Mr Buzz Killington.

Stupid cuunt.

Anyone else hear him say committing players to full contracts, Hendrie?

There seems like a great opportunity to get the ground built at Freemo. Which seems like a fantastic chance to clean up that area of town that desperately needs it and at the same time give GTFC the ground that we have needed for years...

Why are the Town board not actively seeking this.. ???

I sometimes think he can't win. He said that the Freemo development wasn't feasible in terms of an enabling development because there just isn't the space to provide it - as the council are so keen for it to go there he is waiting for them to come up with ideas of how it can be financed. That seems fair enough to me. He also said that there was interest in buying the club 3 months ago but they didn't have proof of funds to move the club forward...either he is lying or that is also a fair enough response.

Quoted from tarka

I sometimes think he can't win. He said that the Freemo development wasn't feasible in terms of an enabling development because there just isn't the space to provide it - as the council are so keen for it to go there he is waiting for them to come up with ideas of how it can be financed. That seems fair enough to me. He also said that there was interest in buying the club 3 months ago but they didn't have proof of funds to move the club forward...either he is lying or that is also a fair enough response.

There are councils & football clubs working together all over the country and still we have this apparent stand-off between NELC and John Fenty.

Michael Jolley, Anthony Limbrick are working their butts off to re-connect the football club with the fans and along comes JF with all the comedy timing in the world and blows it out of the water with an interview that basically says we're going nowhere fast. As for proof of funds, the last three sets of accounts shows the levels of directors loans being reduced which, whilst good in that it's reducing the indebtedness to JF, is also doubtless impacting on the playing budget. Is 'proof of funds' code for 'they won't pay my loans off'?

With regards to Estadio Del Freemo, if the Council are building the stadium/providing the land, why does it need an 'enabling development'?

Quoted from tarka

I sometimes think he can't win. He said that the Freemo development wasn't feasible in terms of an enabling development because there just isn't the space to provide it - as the council are so keen for it to go there he is waiting for them to come up with ideas of how it can be financed. That seems fair enough to me. He also said that there was interest in buying the club 3 months ago but they didn't have proof of funds to move the club forward...either he is lying or that is also a fair enough response.

He hasn't got the funds to move the club on either. Whats the difference?

I would rather have a fresh start with people who are more adept than John Fenty at running a customer based business and are able to offer a more collegiate approach in getting new investment.

With things looking up a bit on the field, the last thing we needed was an update from him.

Quoted from tarka

I sometimes think he can't win. He said that the Freemo development wasn't feasible in terms of an enabling development because there just isn't the space to provide it - as the council are so keen for it to go there he is waiting for them to come up with ideas of how it can be financed. That seems fair enough to me. He also said that there was interest in buying the club 3 months ago but they didn't have proof of funds to move the club forward...either he is lying or that is also a fair enough response.

That's the bit that gets me.

Someone could move the club forward without investing millions. The current board don't invest anything, so a new board without huge funds would be an equivalent to them in that regard. Only they might have a better idea of how to actively move the club forward.

I reckon we've probably got the only council that would want a ground somewhere, then turn it down when it came to the planning application

And the timing, as usual, is impeccable. We don't hear from him (thankfully) for months and then at the first sign of positivity, enthusiasm and a sense of goodwill returning along comes JF, and is his usual ham fisted way tries to destroy it.
what a contrast with the 'can do' attitude of Jolley and the players, instead we get the negative ' this can't be done, that's not possible, nothings happening' negativity of Fenty. With Fenty there's always a reason not do something, and never a reason TO do something (unless of course it's his plan and only then is something doable)

A complete farce - end of
I can't think I have ever come across so many stumbling blocks to a new stadium build
So much intransigence on both sides
We seem to have a 21st century playing set up and a 19th century board
As someone quite rightly alluded to - it is like Saturday's balloon of optimism has been slowly and depressingly deflated

Fenty sort of saying as guardians of the club we can't take risks blah blah
But surely a huge part of this is self interest - if a USA company wanted 100% control then no one on the current board would be retained so why would turkeys vote for Xmas?

Only thing we can do is get behind MJ and the boys - UTM!!!

Quoted from forza ivano

And the timing, as usual, is impeccable. We don't hear from him (thankfully) for months and then at the first sign of positivity, enthusiasm and a sense of goodwill returning along comes JF, and is his usual ham fisted way tries to destroy it.
what a contrast with the 'can do' attitude of Jolley and the players, instead we get the negative ' this can't be done, that's not possible, nothings happening' negativity of Fenty. With Fenty there's always a reason not do something, and never a reason TO do something (unless of course it's his plan and only then is something doable)

It would appear he's just found the 'self-destruct' button that he lent to old Shut-Up at the Fans Forum.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

There are councils & football clubs working together all over the country and still we have this apparent stand-off between NELC and John Fenty.

Michael Jolley, Anthony Limbrick are working their butts off to re-connect the football club with the fans and along comes JF with all the comedy timing in the world and blows it out of the water with an interview that basically says we're going nowhere fast. As for proof of funds, the last three sets of accounts shows the levels of directors loans being reduced which, whilst good in that it's reducing the indebtedness to JF, is also doubtless impacting on the playing budget. Is 'proof of funds' code for 'they won't pay my loans off'?

With regards to Estadio Del Freemo, if the Council are building the stadium/providing the land, why does it need an 'enabling development'?

Where is it said the council will give the land and build the stadium, I missed that bit

Quoted from RoboCod

There used to be an annual payout to all Freemen living in the area, a decent little amount at one time, but as Freemo and its commercial income has dwindled so has the money that supplied the payouts, it's probably a couple of quid now.

4 groats!

Quoted from MuddyWaters

With regards to Estadio Del Freemo, if the Council are building the stadium/providing the land, why does it need an 'enabling development'?

The council aren't building the stadium...that's the point!

gawd bless him he does try.....

does seem to contradict a previous statement made by i am sure another GTFC rep regards a completely different site being looked at that wasnt PP or Freemo....wish i could remember who it was who said it.

also if retail and housing demand isn't there then why the fck are you hell bent on pushing for a stadium on a site that can only be developed with retail and housing partners to enable it !!!! Reload and shoot your other foot off FFS.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

There are councils & football clubs working together all over the country and still we have this apparent stand-off between NELC and John Fenty.

Michael Jolley, Anthony Limbrick are working their butts off to re-connect the football club with the fans and along comes JF with all the comedy timing in the world and blows it out of the water with an interview that basically says we're going nowhere fast. As for proof of funds, the last three sets of accounts shows the levels of directors loans being reduced which, whilst good in that it's reducing the indebtedness to JF, is also doubtless impacting on the playing budget. Is 'proof of funds' code for 'they won't pay my loans off'?

With regards to Estadio Del Freemo, if the Council are building the stadium/providing the land, why does it need an 'enabling development'?

Is this true??

After the highs of Palace, balloons bursting all over NE Lincs this evening. The guy couldn't sell a brand new Bentley for a fiver and who's he got to help him? A solicitor and an accountant..

Why was the statement needed? And what was the key objective the club was trying to achieve by doing so?

Loads of different phrases are used but he can't quite come out and say GTFC is up for sale. That little phrase would get far more local, national and international publicity in the press and TV than the zero achieved by the specialist they hired a few years back.

Let's face it, the current board haven't got a penny to put towards moving this club forward and they should be moving heaven and earth to find someone that can, above all else. None of these self promotion videos of trying to look presidential and wise when reading between the lines they make him and the club look like backward thinking heel draggers.

A paltry £70k is still substantial investment for a Football League club in JF's eyes, and he revealed that he's presided over years of the dressing room showers not working, reliable hot showers surely a prerequisite for any club wanting to be taken seriously in attracting players. The way he talks about big investment, he sounds like the chairman of a National League North club.

Peaks Parkway still his preferred option but in another sentence outlines that lack of demand for retail and housing which makes it a no go. And it's been six months since the council expressed their desire for a stadium yet the club haven't had enough conversations with them to know what's going on and worse still the owner is a councillor! You couldn't make it up could you?

JF and SM clearly have competence in balancing the books, (thank fook for the Bogle money by the way) but show a lack of competence in every other aspect needed to run a successful club. Yet again everything is put on Jolley's shoulders. You can't build the foundations of a football club on a manager, they all leave in the end and what are we left with? Where is the sense of urgency and enthusiasm in this statement to try and deal with the future foundations of the club?

An owner without a clear vision for the club, who demands to rubber stamp a buyer's clear vision for anyone else to take it forward. Self congratulatory nonsense once again on this video while attempting to look presidential. The guy hasn't got a clue. The elephant in the room is that the club needs cash to move forward with a new stadium in the offing with the backing of the local council and the current incumbents haven't got the funds to do so, so get on Radio Humberside, Look North, Sky Sports and talk about it, use social media, send press releases to the national press etc, because everything else is just pussyfooting around getting absolutely diddly squat done while trying to achieve some cheap point scoring based on ego.

GTFC is up for sale.. say those exact words John, not to 5k fans on a club website, say it to the world.. mean it and let's see what happens..

I want the best for my football club and these videos offer the same year after year, mundane old penny pinching, point scoring ego inflated clap trap while nothing ever gets done..

If any statement is to be made it should be made to the right audience. Not to the fans, to prospective buyers outlining the potential of the new stadium project and the club, not a list of excuses justifying the existence of the current owner..

Quoted from tarka

The council aren't building the stadium...that's the point!

I apologise if I've misunderstood that.

Quoted from Bigdog

After the highs of Palace, balloons bursting all over NE Lincs this evening. The guy couldn't sell a brand new Bentley for a fiver and who's he got to help him? A solicitor and an accountant..

Why was the statement needed? And what was the key objective the club was trying to achieve by doing so?

Loads of different phrases are used but he can't quite come out and say GTFC is up for sale. That little phrase would get far more local, national and international publicity in the press and TV than the zero achieved by the specialist they hired a few years back.

Let's face it, the current board haven't got a penny to put towards moving this club forward and they should be moving heaven and earth to find someone that can, nothing else. None of these self promotion videos of trying to look presidential and wise when reading between the lines they make him and the club look like backward thinking heel draggers.

A paltry £70k is still substantial investment for a Football League club in JF's eyes, and he revealed that he's presided over years of the dressing room showers not working, reliable hot showers surely a prerequisite for any club wanting to be taken seriously in attracting players. The way he talks about big investment, he sounds like the chairman of a National League North club.

Peaks Parkway still his preferred option but in another sentence outlines that lack of demand for retail and housing which makes it a no go. And it's been six months since the council expressed their desire for a stadium yet the club haven't had enough conversations with them to know what's going on and worse still the owner is a councillor! You couldn't make it up could you?

JF and SM clearly have competence in balancing the books, (thank fook for the Bogle money by the way) but show a lack of competence in every other aspect needed to run a successful club. Yet again everything is put on Jolley's shoulders. You can't build the foundations of a football club on a manager, they all leave in the end and what are we left with? Where is the sense of urgency and enthusiasm in this statement to try and deal with the future foundations of the club?

An owner without a clear vision for the club, who demands to rubber stamp a buyer's clear vision for anyone else to take it forward. Self congratulatory nonsense once again on this video while attempting to look presidential. The guy hasn't got a clue. The elephant in the room is that the club needs cash to move forward with a new stadium in the offing with the backing of the local council and the current incumbents haven't got the funds to do so, so get on Radio Humberside, Look North, Sky Sports and talk about it, use social media, send press releases to the national press etc, because everything else is just girl private footing around getting absolutely diddly squat done while trying to achieve some cheap point scoring based on ego.

GTFC is up for sale.. say those exact words John, not to 5k fans on a club website, say it to the world.. mean it and let's see what happens..

I want the best for my football club and these videos offer the same year after year, mundane old penny pinching, point scoring ego inflated clap trap while nothing ever gets done..

Maybe pussyfooting is one word?

Quoted from Bigdog

After the highs of Palace, balloons bursting all over NE Lincs this evening. The guy couldn't sell a brand new Bentley for a fiver and who's he got to help him? A solicitor and an accountant..

Why was the statement needed? And what was the key objective the club was trying to achieve by doing so?

Loads of different phrases are used but he can't quite come out and say GTFC is up for sale. That little phrase would get far more local, national and international publicity in the press and TV than the zero achieved by the specialist they hired a few years back.

Let's face it, the current board haven't got a penny to put towards moving this club forward and they should be moving heaven and earth to find someone that can, nothing else. None of these self promotion videos of trying to look presidential and wise when reading between the lines they make him and the club look like backward thinking heel draggers.

A paltry £70k is still substantial investment for a Football League club in JF's eyes, and he revealed that he's presided over years of the dressing room showers not working, reliable hot showers surely a prerequisite for any club wanting to be taken seriously in attracting players. The way he talks about big investment, he sounds like the chairman of a National League North club.

Peaks Parkway still his preferred option but in another sentence outlines that lack of demand for retail and housing which makes it a no go. And it's been six months since the council expressed their desire for a stadium yet the club haven't had enough conversations with them to know what's going on and worse still the owner is a councillor! You couldn't make it up could you?

JF and SM clearly have competence in balancing the books, (thank fook for the Bogle money by the way) but show a lack of competence in every other aspect needed to run a successful club. Yet again everything is put on Jolley's shoulders. You can't build the foundations of a football club on a manager, they all leave in the end and what are we left with? Where is the sense of urgency and enthusiasm in this statement to try and deal with the future foundations of the club?

An owner without a clear vision for the club, who demands to rubber stamp a buyer's clear vision for anyone else to take it forward. Self congratulatory nonsense once again on this video while attempting to look presidential. The guy hasn't got a clue. The elephant in the room is that the club needs cash to move forward with a new stadium in the offing with the backing of the local council and the current incumbents haven't got the funds to do so, so get on Radio Humberside, Look North, Sky Sports and talk about it, use social media, send press releases to the national press etc, because everything else is just pussyfooting around getting absolutely diddly squat done while trying to achieve some cheap point scoring based on ego.

GTFC is up for sale.. say those exact words John, not to 5k fans on a club website, say it to the world.. mean it and let's see what happens..

I want the best for my football club and these videos offer the same year after year, mundane old penny pinching, point scoring ego inflated clap trap while nothing ever gets done..

As ever you put it very eloquently.

He has a wonderful habit of saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. It is all about ego with Mr.Fenty I am afraid and it will never change. I was hopeful after the takeover rumours seemed to have some foundation, but as always happens it is just one big let down and the biggest thing, as you say, is not one positive message emanates from his intervention. No ideas, no vision, no investment, nothing at all of note.

It’s just a petulant response to someone posting on here that it’s been great he’s kept his gob shut for so long .
Which makes it even worse ffs !!

Quoted from moosey_club

gawd bless him he does try.....

does seem to contradict a previous statement made by i am sure another GTFC rep regards a completely different site being looked at that wasnt PP or Freemo....wish i could remember who it was who said it.

also if retail and housing demand isn't there then why the fck are you hell bent on pushing for a stadium on a site that can only be developed with retail and housing partners to enable it !!!! Reload and shoot your other foot off FFS.

Exactly I thought the idea of pulling all that property down was to provide new HOUSING and COMMERCE to bring Freeman Street up to modern standards.

So not only has he Peed off fans wanting a new stadium he also pours scorn on the idea that Freeman Street will provide any sort of exciting venture.

The council has already said a consortium of people are determined to make this happen.

So how the feck does Fenty know otherwise???

Sounds like the tory tosser as tried to score political points also with this latest outburst.

Quoted from Bigdog

After the highs of Palace, balloons bursting all over NE Lincs this evening. The guy couldn't sell a brand new Bentley for a fiver and who's he got to help him? A solicitor and an accountant..

Why was the statement needed? And what was the key objective the club was trying to achieve by doing so?

Loads of different phrases are used but he can't quite come out and say GTFC is up for sale. That little phrase would get far more local, national and international publicity in the press and TV than the zero achieved by the specialist they hired a few years back.

Let's face it, the current board haven't got a penny to put towards moving this club forward and they should be moving heaven and earth to find someone that can, nothing else. None of these self promotion videos of trying to look presidential and wise when reading between the lines they make him and the club look like backward thinking heel draggers.

A paltry £70k is still substantial investment for a Football League club in JF's eyes, and he revealed that he's presided over years of the dressing room showers not working, reliable hot showers surely a prerequisite for any club wanting to be taken seriously in attracting players. The way he talks about big investment, he sounds like the chairman of a National League North club.

Peaks Parkway still his preferred option but in another sentence outlines that lack of demand for retail and housing which makes it a no go. And it's been six months since the council expressed their desire for a stadium yet the club haven't had enough conversations with them to know what's going on and worse still the owner is a councillor! You couldn't make it up could you?

JF and SM clearly have competence in balancing the books, (thank fook for the Bogle money by the way) but show a lack of competence in every other aspect needed to run a successful club. Yet again everything is put on Jolley's shoulders. You can't build the foundations of a football club on a manager, they all leave in the end and what are we left with? Where is the sense of urgency and enthusiasm in this statement to try and deal with the future foundations of the club?

An owner without a clear vision for the club, who demands to rubber stamp a buyer's clear vision for anyone else to take it forward. Self congratulatory nonsense once again on this video while attempting to look presidential. The guy hasn't got a clue. The elephant in the room is that the club needs cash to move forward with a new stadium in the offing with the backing of the local council and the current incumbents haven't got the funds to do so, so get on Radio Humberside, Look North, Sky Sports and talk about it, use social media, send press releases to the national press etc, because everything else is just pussyfooting around getting absolutely diddly squat done while trying to achieve some cheap point scoring based on ego.

GTFC is up for sale.. say those exact words John, not to 5k fans on a club website, say it to the world.. mean it and let's see what happens..

I want the best for my football club and these videos offer the same year after year, mundane old penny pinching, point scoring ego inflated clap trap while nothing ever gets done..

If any statement is to be made it should be made to the right audience. Not to the fans, to prospective buyers outlining the potential of the new stadium project and the club, not a list of excuses justifying the existence of the current owner..

So how is he supposed to say the club is up for sale? Surely there is no better way than on the clubs' official website? Maybe you think he should put an ad in the Classified Ads in the Financial Times -" League 2 football Club for sale, all interested parties contact GTFC , Blundell Park, Grimsby".

Some posters on here question why he put out this statement. Surely the fact that this " rumour " is rife all over the town and is the subject of this thread is justification enough. Perhaps he should have said nothing and loads of fans would have thought it was a reality only to find out months down the line that it was just a " rumour " perpetuated by a load of people who know absolutely nothing about what is going on.

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

It’s just a petulant response to someone posting on here that it’s been great he’s kept his gob shut for so long .
Which makes it even worse ffs !!

I thank you !

Quoted from rancido

So how is he supposed to say the club is up for sale? Surely there is no better way than on the clubs' official website? Maybe you think he should put an ad in the Classified Ads in the Financial Times -" League 2 football Club for sale, all interested parties contact GTFC , Blundell Park, Grimsby".

Some posters on here question why he put out this statement. Surely the fact that this " rumour " is rife all over the town and is the subject of this thread is justification enough. Perhaps he should have said nothing and loads of fans would have thought it was a reality only to find out months down the line that it was just a " rumour " perpetuated by a load of people who know absolutely nothing about what is going on.

I'm pleased you've wrote and posted this because it saved me the time in doing so. JF cannot do right for doing wrong. Fans/posters on here have been asking for a statement about these rumours, he's done what is asked and it's still not good enough!!

“There is no silver bullet for relocation – we haven’t got huge demand for housing, we haven’t got huge demand for retail, and they are the two vehicles that broadly football clubs are raising funds from to be able to relocate.”

Really could have fooled me I thought there was a MASSIVE demand for housing.

No Sign of Fenty Towers at Peakes Parkway and it won’t happen at Freeman Street!! He’s hanging around for his ‘Football Fortune’.

Absolutely clueless with no vision for the future unless it makes HIM Rich!! Is he really the FAN that he says he is?

Sometimes, if you love something so much, you’ll let it go!!

Quoted from rancido

So how is he supposed to say the club is up for sale? Surely there is no better way than on the clubs' official website? Maybe you think he should put an ad in the Classified Ads in the Financial Times -" League 2 football Club for sale, all interested parties contact GTFC , Blundell Park, Grimsby".

Some posters on here question why he put out this statement. Surely the fact that this " rumour " is rife all over the town and is the subject of this thread is justification enough. Perhaps he should have said nothing and loads of fans would have thought it was a reality only to find out months down the line that it was just a " rumour " perpetuated by a load of people who know absolutely nothing about what is going on.

The thing is Rancido, you've replied to me but I didn't mention the rumours once. My point was about other matters. A simple two lined statement re the "takeover" may have sufficed instead of a 14 minute video covering other aspects like the new stadium etc.

The club desperately needs new investment to take a step forward, even JF admits that, yet the biggest challenge of new funding that faces our club in having a brighter future is not being actively addressed by the club, that is my whole point, all we got is a running commentary of negativity and that's not going to get the job done. There just seems to be no awareness or urgency at all on the club's part. How many years of inactivity have to drift on before fans like you wake up and smell the coffee ignoring the absolute bigger picture while fussing over trivialities? And I'm pleased you're not anything to do with club PR if you think a video on the official club website is "no better way" in advertising putting the club up for sale..

Some fans are seriously sleepwalking hand in hand with JF..

Quoted from rancido

So how is he supposed to say the club is up for sale? Surely there is no better way than on the clubs' official website? Maybe you think he should put an ad in the Classified Ads in the Financial Times -" League 2 football Club for sale, all interested parties contact GTFC , Blundell Park, Grimsby".

Some posters on here question why he put out this statement. Surely the fact that this " rumour " is rife all over the town and is the subject of this thread is justification enough. Perhaps he should have said nothing and loads of fans would have thought it was a reality only to find out months down the line that it was just a " rumour " perpetuated by a load of people who know absolutely nothing about what is going on.

Really?

Just how widely read is the club's website?

Surely if he is serious about selling the club then it should be nationally or even internationally advertised.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

“There is no silver bullet for relocation – we haven’t got huge demand for housing, we haven’t got huge demand for retail, and they are the two vehicles that broadly football clubs are raising funds from to be able to relocate.”

Really could have fooled me I thought there was a MASSIVE demand for housing.

Spot on.

We need three million new homes in the next 20 years according to reports today.

One other thing, whilst he was busy availing us of some facts, why was there no mention of Extreme?

For those on here in sound mind and don't want to waste 15 minutes of your life Listening to a load of woffle,

We are no nearer to getting a new stadium than we were 2 years before Great Coates was first mentioned..

Plus

We are no nearer of saying goodbye to Fenty than we were 18 years ago.

We are stuck with him and Blundell Park for the foreseeable.

On the plus side we have a great manager and a set of players to be proud of.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

“There is no silver bullet for relocation – we haven’t got huge demand for housing, we haven’t got huge demand for retail, and they are the two vehicles that broadly football clubs are raising funds from to be able to relocate.”

Really could have fooled me I thought there was a MASSIVE demand for housing.

I thought his reference to these were that the sale of the BP site would not bring in any significant funds because of these factors but I may have misinterpreted his comments.

Does not tally with my mate was told by a fellow Director so will have to revisit that one. I know many are desperate for change but I would concur that we do not want a new owner a la Bolton or Chesterfield, however, how much money does the buyer have to be willing to invest?

Assume buying the club will cost at least £3M if all debts/ shares are purchased at full value, plus JF is looking for investment once in place but to what level? He also states Trust members attended this meeting so not sure if they could throw further light on what size wallet any purchaser requires?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Spot on.

We need three million new homes in the next 20 years according to reports today.

I would expect those 3 million homes are for areas that have investment, i.e. London, Birmingham, Manchester and not Grimsby. With knocking down all the flats, how many people have become homeless or were the empty properties in the town just utilised? The fact a four bed detached house in the area goes for less than £200K and the area has below average earnings would suggest that there isn't a need for housing in the area, which would be needed to help fund this development.

Quoted from grimsby pete

For those on here in sound mind and don't want to waste 15 minutes of your life Listening to a load of woffle,

We are no nearer to getting a new stadium than we were 2 years before Great Coates was first mentioned..

Plus

We are no nearer of saying goodbye to Fenty than we were 18 years ago.

We are stuck with him and Blundell Park for the foreseeable.

On the plus side we have a great manager and a set of players to be proud of.

Waffle.
Doesn't really affect you though does it? Seeing as you don't attend home games?

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

Waffle.
Doesn't really affect you though does it? Seeing as you don't attend home games?

Thanks for the warning :)

Quoted from arryarryarry

Really?

Just how widely read is the club's website?

Surely if he is serious about selling the club then it should be nationally or even internationally advertised.

Maybe you can correct me on this but I have never known a club that was up for sale ( and there have been many over the last few years) advertise that the club was for sale either nationally or internationally. It's a known fact that Hull are up for sale but have you seen any adverts? All I've seen about this is interviews by the media with the owner.

What a massive overaction yet again to a fairly inocuous statement. Same people that overacted to someone who had clearly too much time on the hands and created a spoof takeover bid story. Then perpetuated by every man and his dog who knew someone that had "heard the same" which then finally ended up in the media. Now Fenty has gone and "burst the balloon" by clarifying the issue.
Some need to get a grip and get back to simply supporting our brilliant manager and team.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

Waffle.
Doesn't really affect you though does it? Seeing as you don't attend home games?

AND he rears his ugly head again to support his idol.

As I have said before I bet I have attended more games than you.

The point is rancido, that as usual his timing is impeccably poor. He says nothing for months and then as someone said, along he comes to burst the bubble of positivity.
A 14 minute video of negativity could've been replaced by a brief statement saying there had been takeover talks but the werent successful and they were still looking for people to take over. He could've then finished by merely saying that constructive discussions were ongoing with the council viz a vis the location for a new stadium.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I'm pleased you've wrote and posted this because it saved me the time in doing so. JF cannot do right for doing wrong. Fans/posters on here have been asking for a statement about these rumours, he's done what is asked and it's still not good enough!!

105 POSTS OVER A FEW YEARS AND EVERY ONE TO STICK UP FOR FENTY sad git !!!!!!

Quoted from rancido

[/b]

Maybe you can correct me on this but I have never known a club that was up for sale ( and there have been many over the last few years) advertise that the club was for sale either nationally or internationally. It's a known fact that Hull are up for sale but have you seen any adverts? All I've seen about this is interviews by the media with the owner.

Nobody has said adverts Rancido. It's 2019. Hull's availability for sale (as have many other clubs) was seen ubiqitously across many different kinds of media through PR. So many online and physical channels to get messages across without placing an advert.anywhere, which is what I believe the club did and I know for a fact that they haven't updated their prospective investors proposal document for years .

Quoted from Bigdog

The thing is Rancido, you've replied to me but I didn't mention the rumours once. My point was about other matters. A simple two lined statement re the "takeover" may have sufficed instead of a 14 minute video covering other aspects like the new stadium etc.

The club desperately needs new investment to take a step forward, even JF admits that, yet the biggest challenge of new funding that faces our club in having a brighter future is not being actively addressed by the club, that is my whole point, all we got is a running commentary of negativity and that's not going to get the job done. There just seems to be no awareness or urgency at all on the club's part. How many years of inactivity have to drift on before fans like you wake up and smell the coffee ignoring the absolute bigger picture while fussing over trivialities? And I'm pleased you're not anything to do with club PR if you think a video on the official club website is "no better way" in advertising putting the club up for sale..

Some fans are seriously sleepwalking hand in hand with JF..

You will notice that my reply to your post was as regards the highlighted part - that's why it was highlighted. The reference to rumours was a general comment to many of the posters who will read this post, not specifically at you. They are the ones that keep these rumours going and then get angry with the Club/JF because these rumours are unfounded and he is the one that has squashed them.

Quoted from chipsandgravy

What a massive overaction yet again to a fairly inocuous statement. Same people that overacted to someone who had clearly too much time on the hands and created a spoof takeover bid story. Then perpetuated by every man and his dog who knew someone that had "heard the same" which then finally ended up in the media. Now Fenty has gone and "burst the balloon" by clarifying the issue.
Some need to get a grip and get back to simply supporting our brilliant manager and team.

This..... pointless statement so pointless reacting to it IMHO.

Quoted from Bigdog

Nobody has said adverts Rancido. It's 2019. Hull's availability for sale (as have many other clubs) was seen ubiqitously across many different kinds of media through PR. So many online and physical channels to get messages across without placing an advert..

I agree that advertising and availability are two different things.The post I replied to was by Arryarry and he specifically mentioned advertising both nationally and internationally which is word specific.

I might be being a bit thick here, but if someone wanted to buy the club, couldn't they just buy 51% of the shares and there is nothing John Fenty could do about it? Couldn't the Trust actually buy more shares and then they could actually own the club?

Quoted from grimsby pete

105 POSTS OVER A FEW YEARS AND EVERY ONE TO STICK UP FOR FENTY sad git !!!!!!

So someone who takes an opposite view to yours about an individual is a " sad git " . The word " bigot " springs to mind.

Proves beyond any doubt that other people are interested in taking the club on.

Be interesting to hear from the other party on what the stumbling block was. I would be amazed if it wasn’t the asking price.

The ground included in the regeneration of Freeman Street would be something marvellous that everyone could get behind. Very sad their appears to be little appetite for it from the board.

Quoted from rancido

I agree that advertising and availability are two different things.The post I replied to was by Arryarry and he specifically mentioned advertising both nationally and internationally which is word specific.

No worries mate. My beef is that the club have got their priorities totally wrong. Without additional investment nothing is ever going to happen re progress off the pitch and the club are doing absolutely nothing proactively about it. It should be priority number one. Everything else discussed around the future of GTFC is just hot air otherwise. Looking at the video again, the only positive message for the club by JF was based around MJ, which is very short termist at best and that is a massive concern for me. When it comes to setting out a future plan for the club JF just looked like a man wallowing around in dead ends because the cash isn't there in my opinion..

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Proves beyond any doubt that other people are interested in taking the club on.

Be interesting to hear from the other party on what the stumbling block was. I would be amazed if it wasn’t the asking price.

The ground included in the regeneration of Freeman Street would be something marvellous that everyone could get behind. Very sad their appears to be little appetite for it from the board.

I've just posted this, but if someone buys 51% of the shares, they get control of the club, That is the asking price, 51% of shares at the share price. You'd then owe the directors there loans and then you'd be debt free...!

Quoted from rancido

So someone who takes an opposite view to yours about an individual is a " sad git " . The word " bigot " springs to mind.

No the reason I said sad git was because he only posts to defend Fenty which  is  0.11 a day.  over a few years,

You on the other hand  do defend him as well but you do post about other topics apart from Fenty related ones.

I respect your right to have a different view to most on here so I am not a bigot  am I  ? ;)

The guy is a prize idiot. He doesn't learn. He's done this sort of thing before. All he needed to do was make a brief statement saying there had been interest but nothing came of it because the interested party couldn't demonstrate they had the resources. End.

Regarding 'enabling development' why does he think retail and housing will do the trick if there isn't huge demand for retail and housing? Self-defeating argument there John.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Proves beyond any doubt that other people are interested in taking the club on.

Be interesting to hear from the other party on what the stumbling block was. I would be amazed if it wasn’t the asking price.

The ground included in the regeneration of Freeman Street would be something marvellous that everyone could get behind. Very sad their appears to be little appetite for it from the board.

I find it a bit crass that the regime with the worst track record in the club’s history feels it has the moral objectivity to vet the next one.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

The guy is a prize idiot. He doesn't learn. He's done this sort of thing before. All he needed to do was make a brief statement saying there had been interest but nothing came of it because the interested party couldn't demonstrate they had the resources. End.

Regarding 'enabling development' why does he think retail and housing will do the trick if there isn't huge demand for retail and housing? Self-defeating argument there John.

Would whoever red-crossed this like to say why? What do you disagree with?

Quoted from Bigdog

No worries mate. My beef is that the club have got their priorities totally wrong. Without additional investment nothing is ever going to happen re progress off the pitch and the club are doing absolutely nothing proactively about it. Everything else discussed around the future of GTFC is just hot air otherwise. Looking at the video again, the only positive message for the club by JF was based around MJ and that is a massive concern for me. Just looked like a man wallowing around in dead ends in my opinion..

I agree and I am as frustrated as you over the direction the club is going. We need new blood on the Board with a forward thinking approach to match our new forward thinking manager and coaching staff. I just don't see how the Board can achieve this. I understand JF wants completely out but is not prepared to write off his " benign" debt or give his shares away and in a way I sort of agree with him. It's easy for some posters to say he should but I wonder how many would do the same in his position. It's very easy to offer advice when you are either not involved or have never been in that situation. All I want is for GTFC to flourish and over 50 years I've seen Chairmen/Boardmembers come and go but all I care about is the clubs' future.

Quoted from rancido

I agree and I am as frustrated as you over the direction the club is going. We need new blood on the Board with a forward thinking approach to match our new forward thinking manager and coaching staff. I just don't see how the Board can achieve this. I understand JF wants completely out but is not prepared to write off his " benign" debt or give his shares away and in a way I sort of agree with him. It's easy for some posters to say he should but I wonder how many would do the same in his position. It's very easy to offer advice when you are either not involved or have never been in that situation. All I want is for GTFC to flourish and over 50 years I've seen Chairmen/Boardmembers come and go but all I care about is the clubs' future.

And most of us feel exactly the same way.

It has become the norm for our expectations to be knocked down as soon as we get them built up. As every year passes, the board find new ways of alienating the fans.

Quoted from SteffiMariner

I've just posted this, but if someone buys 51% of the shares, they get control of the club, That is the asking price, 51% of shares at the share price. You'd then owe the directors there loans and then you'd be debt free...!

Which is completley unrealistic.

That is the maximum asking price for someone who doesn’t want to sell.

Quoted from grimsby pete

No the reason I said sad git was because he only posts to defend Fenty which  is  0.11 a day.  over a few years,

You on the other hand  do defend him as well but you do post about other topics apart from Fenty related ones.

I respect your right to have a different view to most on here so I am not a bigot  am I  ? ;)

I didn't realise you are the forum police. 👮‍♂️

BREAKING NEWS.........the new stadium is never going to happen while Mr Fenty is in charge :o

Actually, you don't need to buy 51% of the shares, what you need to do is align yourself with Mike Parker and The Trust and you only need 13.92% more shares for you to have a controlling interest.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I didn't realise you are the forum police. 👮‍♂️

No I am not but we have Lincoln fans on here who post more than you,

Why dont you come on and talk about how good the team are playing and what a good manager Jolley is becoming,

Plus the new signings there is more to this board than Fenty,

Come back and do that and I will be more civil with you until then good bye..

Quoted from grimsby pete

No I am not but we have Lincoln fans on here who post more than you,

Why dont you come on and talk about how good the team are playing and what a good manager Jolley is becoming,

Plus the new signings there is more to this board than Fenty,

Come back and do that and I will be more civil with you until then good bye..

I think you're getting a little too obsessed with this forum again Pete. I don't have to post what you want me to, I post what I feel is necessary. Who cares how many times I post?? I don't come on here everyday unlike some people and if i was to say my thoughts on the manager and players I would be typing for a very long time (in a good way) I have nothing but admiration for the manager and the players and the way the team is developing.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I find it a bit crass that the regime with the worst track record in the club’s history feels it has the moral objectivity to vet the next one.

Quite. Like the McCann's telling someone they wouldn't make a suitable baby sitter.

Quoted from rancido

[/b]

Maybe you can correct me on this but I have never known a club that was up for sale ( and there have been many over the last few years) advertise that the club was for sale either nationally or internationally. It's a known fact that Hull are up for sale but have you seen any adverts? All I've seen about this is interviews by the media with the owner.

Perhaps adverise is the wrong word but certainly make people who may be interested in a League 2 club aware it is for sale, which still comes back to my point that just mentioning on the club's website isn't really doing that to the wider world.

Quoted from chipsandgravy

What a massive overaction yet again to a fairly inocuous statement. Same people that overacted to someone who had clearly too much time on the hands and created a spoof takeover bid story. Then perpetuated by every man and his dog who knew someone that had "heard the same" which then finally ended up in the media. Now Fenty has gone and "burst the balloon" by clarifying the issue.
Some need to get a grip and get back to simply supporting our brilliant manager and team.

I haven't read every post on here so apologies if this is taken out of contest.

Whilst there have been several claims of takeovers in the offing not sure how you can claim there has been a spoof takeover bid when John Fenty has just stated there was one.

Quoted from SteffiMariner

Actually, you don't need to buy 51% of the shares, what you need to do is align yourself with Mike Parker and The Trust and you only need 13.92% more shares for you to have a controlling interest.

You still wouldn't control the club whilst it owes Fenty in the region of £2m.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Would whoever red-crossed this like to say why? What do you disagree with?

Still the muppets* keep silent.

* that's a kind word for the sad little twerps

Quoted from chipsandgravy

What a massive overaction yet again to a fairly inocuous statement. Same people that overacted to someone who had clearly too much time on the hands and created a spoof takeover bid story. Then perpetuated by every man and his dog who knew someone that had "heard the same" which then finally ended up in the media. Now Fenty has gone and "burst the balloon" by clarifying the issue.
Some need to get a grip and get back to simply supporting our brilliant manager and team.

So what part of JF saying that there was an interested party 2 or 3 months ago, who made an offer to take the club forward a spoof? Who's bubble has been burst exactly, apart from the long suffering fans? There were negotiations, some folk heard about them, and they came into the public domain. That is not the definition of a "spoof rumour".

All we have ever had and still have is the usual, "nothing to see here" statements. We have no idea why those overtures were rejected. JF may have asked for 20 million and that the new owners had to don lederhosen and ginger wigs to all home games. Or the supposed new regime may have offered 10 quid and second hand sideboard. Nobody knows apart from those involved. What we do know is that someone was interested because JF says so. Get a grip indeed.

Quoted from SteffiMariner

Actually, you don't need to buy 51% of the shares, what you need to do is align yourself with Mike Parker and The Trust and you only need 13.92% more shares for you to have a controlling interest.

This is where business people look at the lay of the land and realise that to own the club, £2 million pounds of Fenty's benign loan are tied up with the clubs assets leaving you owning the club but not the ground and walk away, a bit like a freehold but not as fun.

The other thing he mentioned is that the prospective buyers didn't demonstrate the vision for the club. Wonder what that means even.

So that's two conditions:

Price - what do you want John?
Vision - what do buyers need to do, how is this judged?

Probably Fenty's best interview, unfortunately there was no real substance apart from woe is me.

What is wrong with Developing PP and using the extra space where the ground would have been to build something that would generate the 7 day income the club needs and then building the new ground at the old flat site that will probably attract regeneration funding + money from the enabling project at PP win win.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Proves beyond any doubt that other people are interested in taking the club on.

Be interesting to hear from the other party on what the stumbling block was. I would be amazed if it wasn’t the asking price.

The ground included in the regeneration of Freeman Street would be something marvellous that everyone could get behind. Very sad their appears to be little appetite for it from the board.

The stumbling block may have been the starting block for all we know, whilst i dont feel the current board are investing enough capital they definately arent running up huge debts either, which is their way of being a good custodian....whoever was interested may have had a very short term boom or bust plan based on financing the club to the hilt.
I really dont want him to sell off to any Johnny come lately with shady finances and zero affinity to the club...that may be fanciful but my hope would be for someone who has the club at heart to takeover....thats a pretty small pond in reality .....Leicester got lucky to have a foreign owner who saw the bigger picture and has done tons of work in the local area/ community...but again they were in a much more attractive position to attract such an owner.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

The other thing he mentioned is that the prospective buyers didn't demonstrate the vision for the club. Wonder what that means even.

So that's two conditions:

Price - what do you want John?
Vision - what do buyers need to do, how is this judged?

I think that means he also wants the buyer to sign up to taking the club to a new home.....which if that is what it means then he is taking the p1ss....he has failed to do that in all his tenure despite it being one of his top priorities, so if he is making that part of a takeover agreement then he is just inserting obstacles.
Any interested party may have their own plan to make BP more viable and forget the move...just because he wants to be the one to deliver a new stadium it doesnt mean thats how someone else may see it. If they have the cash...proven..and the ties or commitment to safeguard the club then sell and let them get on with it.

Quoted from ginnywings

So what part of JF saying that there was an interested party 2 or 3 months ago, who made an offer to take the club forward a spoof? Who's bubble has been burst exactly, apart from the long suffering fans? There were negotiations, some folk heard about them, and they came into the public domain. That is not the definition of a "spoof rumour".

All we have ever had and still have is the usual, "nothing to see here" statements. We have no idea why those overtures were rejected. JF may have asked for 20 million and that the new owners had to don lederhosen and ginger wigs to all home games. Or the supposed new regime may have offered 10 quid and second hand sideboard. Nobody knows apart from those involved. What we do know is that someone was interested because JF says so. Get a grip indeed.

A theme for Lincoln away?

Quoted from ginnywings

So what part of JF saying that there was an interested party 2 or 3 months ago, who made an offer to take the club forward a spoof? Who's bubble has been burst exactly, apart from the long suffering fans? There were negotiations, some folk heard about them, and they came into the public domain. That is not the definition of a "spoof rumour".

All we have ever had and still have is the usual, "nothing to see here" statements. We have no idea why those overtures were rejected. JF may have asked for 20 million and that the new owners had to don lederhosen and ginger wigs to all home games. Or the supposed new regime may have offered 10 quid and second hand sideboard. Nobody knows apart from those involved. What we do know is that someone was interested because JF says so. Get a grip indeed.

Some person was interested months ago. Then some one decided to dress it up recently as a consortuim. Mike Ashleys brother, sister, dog and probably Aunty May were all offered up as interested parties. Then the best bit Bryan Huxford was being reported as the figurehead.
Then Fenty came and put the record straight and then he was accused of bursting the post Palace enthusiasm .
If thats not needing to get a grip i dont know what is?

Quoted from chipsandgravy

Some person was interested months ago. Then some one decided to dress it up recently as a consortuim. Mike Ashleys brother, sister, dog and probably Aunty May were all offered up as interested parties. Then the best bit Bryan Huxford was being reported as the figurehead.
Then Fenty came and put the record straight and then he was accused of bursting the post Palace enthusiasm .
If thats not needing to get a grip i dont know what is?

2 months ago, which is when people started to mention it here and elsewhere. We have no idea who the interested parties were, so yeah that part may be fanciful, although we don't know for sure.

Didn't know the Aunty May rumour myself. She would have got us going places for sure.

Quoted from ginnywings

2 months ago, which is when people started to mention it here and elsewhere. We have no idea who the interested parties were, so yeah that part may be fanciful, although we don't know for sure.

Didn't know the Aunty May rumour myself. She would have got us going places for sure.

I would have had her over Bryan Huxford any day. Fair made me shudder that one.

“There is no silver bullet for relocation – we haven’t got huge demand for housing, we haven’t got huge demand for retail, and they are the two vehicles that broadly football clubs are raising funds from to be able to relocate.”

Fenty dome forever. literally.

https://media2.giphy.com/media/sXTTgpfFzeRyg/giphy.gif?cid=3640f6095c352aa86c72385032095f0f

Quoted from chipsandgravy

Some person was interested months ago. Then some one decided to dress it up recently as a consortuim. Mike Ashleys brother, sister, dog and probably Aunty May were all offered up as interested parties. Then the best bit Bryan Huxford was being reported as the figurehead.
Then Fenty came and put the record straight and then he was accused of bursting the post Palace enthusiasm .
If thats not needing to get a grip i dont know what is?

Fenty in crooked record saga I can just see the headlines ;D

Yesterday`s statement was all too predictable and in my opinion the timing was NO accident? Mr Fenty loves the limelight and once Swin posted last week about him being AWOL it was only ever going to be a matter of time before he reared his head.Voila the fans are buzzing the team`s playing well a possible sale in the background and a Saturday home game vs lowly opposition with offers on to boost the gate.A suitably timed grenade chucked over the fence into a box of fireworks sit back and *BOOM* works every time. I have no problem with Mr Fenty`s statement other than the timing it could have waited til next Monday and it actually says very little it just seems to jab away at things he doesn`t like? Sadly as long as Mr Fenty holds sway over this football club it`s going nowhere positive that much is clear and has he kills our dreams one by one he just erodes that will to support a little bit more. FENTY OUT

Not a fan of Fenty and would love a viable party to come in. However as a concept I don’t mind him being interested in the vision of prospective owners. It does show he cares about the club and wants to make sure the club isn’t in the wrong hands. The problem is that Fenty’s idea of a correct vision seems like it might be very myopic- there’s a difference between making sure the person actually cares about what happens to the club and saying ‘we must have a new stadium at PP, I must be kept as a director and our away kit must contain lime green’. Since none of us have any idea what he’s asking of investor I feel like we have to err on the side of caution and trust him for now.

Quoted from grimsby pete

No the reason I said sad git was because he only posts to defend Fenty which  is  0.11 a day.  over a few years,

You on the other hand  do defend him as well but you do post about other topics apart from Fenty related ones.

I respect your right to have a different view to most on here so I am not a bigot  am I  ? ;)

It could be said that a person who trawls through another persons' posts and analyses their total contents is a " sad git " ;)

I don't always defend him and have said on numerous occasions on here that I want him gone. Unfortunately, until a credible alternative comes along then we are stuck with him

Quoted from rancido

It could be said that a person who trawls through another persons' posts and analyses their total contents is a " sad git " ;)

I don't always defend him and have said on numerous occasions on here that I want him gone. Unfortunately, until a credible alternative comes along then we are stuck with him

In Pete's defence though, It's quite easy to notice there are a few posters who always pop up on here to post in defence of the board (or individuals within it) and never have any input towards any football related discussion.

Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with them doing that. It just could maybe lead to assumptions about who they might be. And it's clearly noticeable with some posters, without having to trawl through their post history.

Fishy snowflakes complain Fenty and the board are quiet regarding takeover rumours, Fenty comes out and quashes all the BS rumours then confirms that the club is still open for offers. Then predictably the fishy snowflakes default to abuse mode... good old Fishy.

Then predictably Grim74 defaults to 'snowflake/Daily Mail' mode... good old Fishy....

Quoted from Grim74

Fishy snowflakes complain Fenty and the board are quiet regarding takeover rumours, Fenty comes out and quashes all the BS rumours then confirms that the club is still open for offers. Then predictably the fishy snowflakes default to abuse mode... good old Fishy.

Quashed the rumours or fanned the flames? Can I just ask you what do you make of the timing of yesterday`s statement and do you not agree it would have been better served put out after Saturday`s home game?

Quoted from RoboCod

Then predictably Grim74 defaults to 'snowflake/Daily Mail' mode... good old Fishy....

I don’t read the Dail Mail!

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Quashed the rumours or fanned the flames? Can I just ask you what do you make of the timing of yesterday`s statement and do you not agree it would have been better served put out after Saturday`s home game?

Makes no difference the man can’t win, he was being berated on here and social media for not commenting on the BS rumours, I for one wanted to hear what the board had to say in response and I appreciate he has now put the rumours to bed.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

The other thing he mentioned is that the prospective buyers didn't demonstrate the vision for the club. Wonder what that means even.

So that's two conditions:

Price - what do you want John?
Vision - what do buyers need to do, how is this judged?

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

Quoted from rancido

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

This is true but pointing out the obvious two sides to every story. All well and good people saying yesterday`s statement has quashed all these rumours but it hasn`t at all because we only have one version. I surely can`t be alone in wanting to know who where the interested party/parties and why did they not pursue after showing interest in buying GTFC? Clearly something is stopping potential buyers/investors from coming forward and the only 2 who have been brought in and put some money in very quickly left why was that,what went wrong there please?

If someone is going to buy GTFC then at least make it easy for potential buyers to find out about it. Pay to have GTFC as the top search result in Google for the exact term: "football club for sale uk". It'll cost peanuts because nobody else is bidding on that search term. If I type that organic searches appear for Thurrock, Hednesford and so on but we could be above them all.

Quoted from GrimRob

If someone is going to buy GTFC then at least make it easy for potential buyers to find out about it. Pay to have GTFC as the top search result in Google for the exact term: "football club for sale uk". It'll cost peanuts because nobody else is bidding on that search term. If I type that organic searches appear for Thurrock, Hednesford and so on but we could be above them all.

Its because he doesn't want to sell.

If you were selling your car you wouldn't just tell the people on your contact list.

He may sell if someone unsolicited came along and agreed to every condition, including paying off all his benign loans, but he knows there is virtually no chance of that happening and is quite happy to sit tight hoping Michael Jolley can dig him out of a whole, while he himself continues to offer next to nothing.

He will continue to get all the benefits whilst the fans finance the club.

Quoted from rancido

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

I must have missed the current compelling business case developed by the board to take us forward, when was that put in place before or after 3 relegations and multiple failed relocation efforts?

Quoted from rancido

It could be said that a person who trawls through another persons' posts and analyses their total contents is a " sad git " ;)

I do not have to trawl through anybodies posts mate,

All we need is a Fenty video or statement and I comment on it and by magic fishy fairytail pops up to reply to my posts.

Quoted from rancido

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

If you read what I said, I wasn't questioning the conclusions (I don't want the club sold to just any Tom, male private or Harry). I was questioning the terms.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

I must have missed the current compelling business case developed by the board to take us forward, when was that put in place before or after 3 relegations and multiple failed relocation efforts?

The search for the missing fagpacket starts again..... ;)

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

I must have missed the current compelling business case developed by the board to take us forward, when was that put in place before or after 3 relegations and multiple failed relocation efforts?

I fully agree, when has John Fenty and the board come out with a commitment and proof of funding going forward?

Quoted from arryarryarry

I fully agree, when has John Fenty and the board come out with a commitment and proof of funding going forward?

The club and the Trust do that exercise every year by setting a playing budget and how that budget is going to be paid and a guarantee of who will put in any shortfall if the projections fall short.
Just because hey dont post the figures on here does not mean it does not happen

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

The club and the Trust do that exercise every year by setting a playing budget and how that budget is going to be paid and a guarantee of who will put in any shortfall if the projections fall short.
Just because hey dont post the figures on here does not mean it does not happen

The trust have feck all to do with allocating the budget so don’t come that one. How far has your mate taken us forward under his tenure?
How far does he look like taking us forward??

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

The club and the Trust do that exercise every year by setting a playing budget and how that budget is going to be paid and a guarantee of who will put in any shortfall if the projections fall short.
Just because hey dont post the figures on here does not mean it does not happen

But I assume this initial budget is to break even and hope for some " football fortune" e.g. a good cup run as this season, the thing is do the board ever think that they just might push the boat out a little to have a go at a promotion year.

Quoted from Gaffer58

But I assume this initial budget is to break even and hope for some " football fortune" e.g. a good cup run as this season, the thing is do the board ever think that they just might push the boat out a little to have a go at a promotion year.

That I cant answer sorry but would be a good question to ask at the next fans forum, I suppose the only issue is if they do and it fails to get us promotion then it possibly piles more debt on to the club which for some is unacceptable

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

The club and the Trust do that exercise every year by setting a playing budget and how that budget is going to be paid and a guarantee of who will put in any shortfall if the projections fall short.
Just because hey dont post the figures on here does not mean it does not happen

Based on set income like league money and projected attendances. If we lose money and they (well JF) have to cover the shortfall, it's because gates are down and we have gone out of the cups in the early rounds. This usually indicates the team is playing badly and mostly losing, something that has happened in way too many seasons. No-one is putting in extra money and speculating to accumulate. The argument many have is that all they are doing is deciding where the money goes, and that any set of fairly competent people can do that. We have the same board year in year out, because we are in hock to one of them.

I do appreciate that the board do a good job of balancing the books, and there are clubs in far worse financial state than we are, just for balance.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I fully agree, when has John Fenty and the board come out with a commitment and proof of funding going forward?

Unfortunately they have the power so dont have to show their hand at all....entirely upto him whether he sells or not....he could have all his unknown terms and conditions met but still choose to stay.....he has the majority share...he has the board in his pocket...am i right in thinking that currently he cant even be forced out at as he holds 51% doesnt he ?

unchallengeable control that the Trust membership handed him on a plate with the Parker shares if i recall correctly.

I wonder if the trust board rep or other members of the board actually know what terms have to be met for JF to accept a takeover or is it just dependant on his mood that day and if he likes whoever the person(s) are.

Quoted from rancido

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

Proof of funds to do what? Invest in the club or pay off JF's loans? If they seriously wanted to move forward I doubt they had no funding in place.

Quoted from denni266

https://www.grimsbyindependent.com/2019/01/04/gtfc-proposed-sale/?fbclid=IwAR1v6p0FunCp1yIgoxSdEUxMhq3B1BBFsNWi1NIDTYKg4fx23MozJIijP4w

Very interested report ,Hope it happens, would like to see Brian Huxford back on the GTFC board

Quoted from rancido

According to JF's statement on the back page of todays GET - " They ( the interested parties) seriously wanted to move forward but, at the same time, they weren't providing us with the proof of funds, and the necessary business case for taking the club forward".

I think that explains why the Board rejected the approach. Under those circumstances I think any responsible " custodian " of a football club would have come to the same conclusion.

I heard that the interested parties had promised to lend the club £2m for twenty years replacing JF's loan with their own, promised to ensure that lower League Two or Conference football will be guaranteed every season, embarrass the club publicly on at least an annual basis and make zero progress on the new stadium for another two decades.

JF turned them down flat saying that any custodian of GTFC would be a lunatic to accept such a poor vision for the future of the club..

One again the light at the end of the tunnel turns out to be an oncoming train.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

The club and the Trust do that exercise every year by setting a playing budget and how that budget is going to be paid and a guarantee of who will put in any shortfall if the projections fall short.
Just because hey dont post the figures on here does not mean it does not happen

Sorry rob, don't know who you are but wow that is a disingenuous comment of Trumpist proportions. So what you're trying to say is that the trust have an equal whip hand to fenty in setting the budget? Sorry but that's bollox. I am a founder member of the trust so support them to the hilt, but let's be honest; as things stand Fenty rules the roost and it's his decisions that shape our club. The trust may be able to act as a brake on his excesses, but in reality that's the extent of their power

Quoted from moosey_club

Unfortunately they have the power so dont have to show their hand at all....entirely upto him whether he sells or not....he could have all his unknown terms and conditions met but still choose to stay.....he has the majority share...he has the board in his pocket...am i right in thinking that currently he cant even be forced out at as he holds 51% doesnt he ?

unchallengeable control that the Trust membership handed him on a plate with the Parker shares if i recall correctly.

I wonder if the trust board rep or other members of the board actually know what terms have to be met for JF to accept a takeover or is it just dependant on his mood that day and if he likes whoever the person(s) are.

He doesn't own that much. There's £2.275m in share capital and he holds £0.975m by my calculation (43%). Anyone whose shareholding goes up to 51% has to buy the other shareholders out - this is in the company articles of association and is the thing that Fenty caught Mike Parker out with (Parker made his additional cash injection in the club in shares and Fenty did it in loans).

What gives Fenty effective control is his loans.

The Trust's donation of shares to Fenty just meant he became the largest shareholder instead of the Trust.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

He doesn't own that much. There's £2.275m in share capital and he holds £0.975m by my calculation (43%). Anyone whose shareholding goes up to 51% has to buy the other shareholders out - this is in the company articles of association and is the thing that Fenty caught Mike Parker out with (Parker made his additional cash injection in the club in shares and Fenty did it in loans).

What gives Fenty effective control is his loans.

The Trust's donation of shares to Fenty just meant he became the largest shareholder instead of the Trust.

Can we have a second referendum on the shares please? 8) 8)

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Can we have a second referendum on the shares please? 8) 8)

A People's Vote you mean.

The other annoying thing about this is that at the rate we're going (couple of hundred thou paid back each season) we would have paid off any money he leant in that period, yet he will still have the shares given him by the Trust.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

That I cant answer sorry but would be a good question to ask at the next fans forum, I suppose the only issue is if they do and it fails to get us promotion then it possibly piles more debt on to the club which for some is unacceptable

Next fan`s forum Rob are you sure that`s wise ;)

Quoted from KingstonMariner

He doesn't own that much. There's £2.275m in share capital and he holds £0.975m by my calculation (43%). Anyone whose shareholding goes up to 51% has to buy the other shareholders out - this is in the company articles of association and is the thing that Fenty caught Mike Parker out with (Parker made his additional cash injection in the club in shares and Fenty did it in loans).

What gives Fenty effective control is his loans.

The Trust's donation of shares to Fenty just meant he became the largest shareholder instead of the Trust.

So he has 3 mill invested in the club ,, peanuts in football terms , and with only 43% he can be out voted , not likely but possible.

Quoted from denni266

So he has 3 mill invested in the club ,, peanuts in football terms , and with only 43% he can be out voted , not likely but possible.

Even if mathematically he could be outvoted (and it would need a coalition of the other major shareholders) it would be pointless because he could take his bat home being the club’s main creditor, and I don’t think there’s the appetite for calling his bluff*

* at least there wasn’t when the Trust members voted to let him have half the shares Parker gave.

so in theory then...if he doesnt own over 50%... any potential investor only has to convince over 50% of the shareholders that its time for JF to move on and force him out ? They would of course need £2 m or so to hand to repay the loans that JF would no doubt call in under such circumstances but in theory is that how it could work ?

Or does the "board" have to accept any takeover by a vote regardless of shareholding ?

Quoted from moosey_club

so in theory then...if he doesnt own over 50%... any potential investor only has to convince over 50% of the shareholders that its time for JF to move on and force him out ? They would of course need £2 m or so to hand to repay the loans that JF would no doubt call in under such circumstances but in theory is that how it could work ?

Or does the "board" have to accept any takeover by a vote regardless of shareholding ?

They could buy up unissued share capital, and then buy out one or more of the other large shareholders. No need for board approval as it's technically a public limited company (anyone can buy shares). Once you go over 50% though, under the rules, you have to buy out the other shareholders because their shareholding is then worthless because whoever holds more than half will always get their way.

Subject of course to sorting out the loans from JSF. If he doesn't want it to happen it won't happen, and any new investor wouldn't want his threat hanging over them. This is always going to be the stumbling block. All roads lead to him. For minimal investment he has achieved effective control. Very clever.

The shares the Trust bestowed upon JF I did ask him about returning them with a view to the Trust selling them then reinvesting the money. I can`t recall his exact answer to me but it was a resounding NO on the subject at the time and I was quite suprised he was that bothered? JF could be getting the Club in some funds by flogging some or all of those shares whilst reducing his shareholding or he could sell them back to the Trust for a £1 with a view to them selling them etc etc. He would still be the biggest shareholder the fact he is in effect sat on them suggests to me he isn`t that bothered about getting out? From time to time he gets some grief but in relation to how other clubs fans have reacted to far less stress he and the board have had a very easy ride from the fans here.

He could also sell the shares kindly donated by Mr Parker and put them towards his loans, further freeing up the noose around the clubs throat.
Sorry Mr Parker you got bummed.

If the club has just about zero assets but they have debts of £2000000 [benign loans] then surely the club is worthless so the shares in something worthless must also be worthless ????

Isnt it about time we put this to bed. If we keep this conjecture up i fear we could end up with another statement and all hell would be let loose on here.
Let it go back to radio silence and us contentrating on the team. I feel safe there.

Quoted from chipsandgravy

Isnt it about time we put this to bed. If we keep this conjecture up i fear we could end up with another statement and all hell would be let loose on here.
Let it go back to radio silence and us contentrating on the team. I feel safe there.

That's fine until the next losing run then everyone turns on Fenty again

Quoted from chipsandgravy

Isnt it about time we put this to bed. If we keep this conjecture up i fear we could end up with another statement and all hell would be let loose on here.
Let it go back to radio silence and us contentrating on the team. I feel safe there.

Nothing changes does it?

There has been some interest - all we needed was to know that this has now gone away not that the players' showers now have hot water.

Quoted from Ipswin

That's fine until the next losing run then everyone turns on Fenty again

Next losing run....havent you heard were not having one!

Quoted from denni266

So he has 3 mill invested in the club ,, peanuts in football terms , and with only 43% he can be out voted , not likely but possible.

Grudgingly, I have to say Mr Fenty has played a blinder. For such a small* amount, most of which he expects to get back anyway, he has held complete sway at a professional football club for the best part of two decades. Completely in charge of the club from top to bottom, and able to use it as he so wishes; not a bad gig if you could afford it at the start. He put the money in initially when nobody else would if I remember correctly, and again kudos for that.

He has seen off anyone who threatened his total control and allowed the fans, who obviously love the club, to finance the majority of it over the years whilst himself making minimal (at best) improvements on and off the field.

* in professional football terms.

Quoted from golfer

If the club has just about zero assets but they have debts of £2000000 [benign loans] then surely the club is worthless so the shares in something worthless must also be worthless ????

As of May 2018, the club was worth minus 600k taking into account the "benign" loan, so yes, as it stood then, the shareholders (including JF) on paper in pure numerical terms would be facing paying a potential investor around 25p per share held (not receiving £1 per share) as a contribution towards paying JF his loan off and get the club back to exactly where the club would be worth on the balance sheet without the loans if the deal were to be equitable, and that's not including the necessary cost of upgrades at BP in the very near future too. It underlines how much a potential investor would have to "waste" before ever investing positively in the club if they had to pay the 1.8m loan off and buy the 2.25m shares at face value and take on the burden of BP. The accounts and JF's stranglehold are seriously fooked up in pure numerical terms. Proper little black hole bunker JF has built for himself and the future prospects of the club.

Not only is JF demanding investors pay a substantial amount to get the club back to zero just to gain control, they need to prove additional funds for investment in a new stadium and a vision for the future. He will then walk away with his cash back in full, having cost the club 3m for leading us back into the Conference and never having provided a vision himself. Seriously fooked up state of affairs when you look at the proposition in pure numerical terms in my opinion..

I'm all for the current board ensuring that potential investors prove that they have the funds to take the club forward, but JF seriously has to consider the true value of what he is selling (and hopefully he will be taking this into account) rather than insisting on them paying for a worthless and punitive financial barrier before ever being able to allocate funds for physical investment..

Quoted from Ipswin

That's fine until the next losing run then everyone turns on Fenty again

So let's not stop now then.

The problem with this thread and others like it is that they just go round in circles and we are still none the wiser. Obviously this is a message board and all topics should be discussed but any thread involving JF inevitably goes in one direction and that is that he should go. I agree with this wholeheartedly but he will only go when the conditions suit him and that, in all fairness businesswise, is not an unreasonable position to hold. He has made it absolutely categorically clear that he wants out and is slowly loosening his dealings with the club. All we can hope is that some kind of deal acceptable to him comes soon otherwise this whole saga will just keep going on and on and on.

Quoted from Bigdog

As of May 2018, the club was worth minus 600k taking into account the "benign" loan, so yes, as it stood then, the shareholders (including JF) on paper in pure accounting terms would be facing paying a potential investor around 25p per share held (not receiving £1 per share) as a contribution towards paying JF his loan off and get the club back to exactly where the club would be worth on the balance sheet without the loans if the deal were to be equitable, and that's not including the necessary cost of upgrades at BP in the very near future too. It underlines how much a potential investor would have to "waste" before ever investing positively in the club if they had to pay the 1.8m loan off and buy the 2.25m shares at face value and take on the burden of BP. The accounts and JF's stranglehold are seriously fooked up in pure accounting terms. Proper little black hole bunker JF has built for himself and the future prospects of the club.

Not only is JF demanding investors pay a substantial amount to get the club back to zero just to gain control, they need to prove additional funds for investment in a new stadium and a vision for the future. He will then walk away with his cash back in full, having cost the club 3m for leading us back into the Conference and never having provided a vision himself. Seriously fooked up state of affairs when you look at the proposition in pure accounting terms in my opinion..

Is that why we've got an accountant as a director?

I've said (ad nauseam I know) that the loans make the club a worthless investment proposition but never before has a completely devalued club looked such bad value.

Quoted from chipsandgravy

Next losing run....havent you heard were not having one!

Well far be it for me but we have currently lost two on the bounce ;)

Quoted from Bigdog

As of May 2018, the club was worth minus 600k taking into account the "benign" loan, so yes, as it stood then, the shareholders (including JF) on paper in pure accounting terms would be facing paying a potential investor around 25p per share held (not receiving £1 per share) as a contribution towards paying JF his loan off and get the club back to exactly where the club would be worth on the balance sheet without the loans if the deal were to be equitable, and that's not including the necessary cost of upgrades at BP in the very near future too. It underlines how much a potential investor would have to "waste" before ever investing positively in the club if they had to pay the 1.8m loan off and buy the 2.25m shares at face value and take on the burden of BP. The accounts and JF's stranglehold are seriously fooked up in pure accounting terms. Proper little black hole bunker JF has built for himself and the future prospects of the club.

Not only is JF demanding investors pay a substantial amount to get the club back to zero just to gain control, they need to prove additional funds for investment in a new stadium and a vision for the future. He will then walk away with his cash back in full, having cost the club 3m for leading us back into the Conference and never having provided a vision himself. Seriously fooked up state of affairs when you look at the proposition in pure accounting terms in my opinion..

I'm all for the current board ensuring that potential investors prove that they have the funds to take the club forward, but JF seriously has to consider the true value of what he is selling (and hopefully he will be taking this into account) rather than insisting on them paying for a worthless and punitive financial barrier before ever being able to allocate funds for physical investment..

So Bigdog, why not hop on a plane back to Blighty and put your money where your mouth is If it's oh so simple and as straight forward as you think it is?

Quoted from Ipswin

Well far be it for me but we have currently lost two on the bounce ;)

I do wonder about you Swin, sometimes you have to let go of the past and look to the future and for the record...a football no longer has laces or a pigs bladder🤣🤣

The loans are benign though. Obviously they sit on the books and we're paying them off but other than that completely benign.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

So Bigdog, why not hop on a plane back to Blighty and put your money where your mouth is If it's oh so simple and as straight forward as you think it is?

The point I was making was that it's not so simple and straightforward for an investor to get involved and if I had 5mill spare I wouldn't invest 60% of the 5mill into something that was worthless on paper to have 2mill left to spend on the project.. but anyway, thanks for raising the level of debate.. again!!

And by the way.. the only people that are putting their money where their mouth is are the fans and for a good few years now..

Quoted from rancido

The problem with this thread and others like it is that they just go round in circles and we are still none the wiser. Obviously this is a message board and all topics should be discussed but any thread involving JF inevitably goes in one direction and that is that he should go. I agree with this wholeheartedly but he will only go when the conditions suit him and that, in all fairness businesswise, is not an unreasonable position to hold. He has made it absolutely categorically clear that he wants out and is slowly loosening his dealings with the club. All we can hope is that some kind of deal acceptable to him comes soon otherwise this whole saga will just keep going on and on and on.

But that's the point. We've already spent 18 years going nowhere - JF has ultimate control, has a board of directors that nod their heads and the Trust sold their souls down the river by voting Mike Parker's shares over.

Quoted from Bigdog

The point I was making was that it's not so simple and straightforward for an investor to get involved and if I had 5mill spare I wouldn't invest 60% of the 5mill into something that was worthless to have 2mill left to spend on the project.. but anyway, thanks for raising the level of debate.. again!!

And by the way.. the only people that are putting their money where their mouth is are the fans for a good few years now..

So how does it become no longer worthless? I assume you mean that JF should write off his loans and donate his shares to the Trust? The only thing wrong with that is that I can't think of any person who would do that in the same position. Would you do that in his position? But then you could argue that you wouldn't have made the same decisions as he has to put the club in that predicament. But that is an easy riposte if you have never been in those sort of circumstances.

Quoted from rancido

So how does it become no longer worthless? I assume you mean that JF should write off his loans and donate his shares to the Trust? The only thing wrong with that is that I can't think of any person who would do that in the same position. Would you do that in his position? But then you could argue that you wouldn't have made the same decisions as he has to put the club in that predicament. But that is an easy riposte if you have never been in those sort of circumstances.

I agree with you, It's so easy for people say he should walk away and leave the club but as you've stated above who in all honesty would walk away and write off that amount of money?

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I agree with you, It's so easy for people say he should walk away and leave the club but as you've stated above who in all honesty would walk away and write off that amount of money?

Someone whose decisions have lost the club thousands of pounds by having to operate at least one level and possibly two for a large percentage of his period in power. And someone who has continued to fail to deliver the new stadium “that the club needs to survive financially “ - his words.

Quoted from rancido

So how does it become no longer worthless? I assume you mean that JF should write off his loans and donate his shares to the Trust? The only thing wrong with that is that I can't think of any person who would do that in the same position. Would you do that in his position? But then you could argue that you wouldn't have made the same decisions as he has to put the club in that predicament. But that is an easy riposte if you have never been in those sort of circumstances.

In all honesty I would have invested into the club by buying shares and been accountabe for my performance in running the business by way of share value rather than having a free hit by loaning. I'm not assuming that JF should write off his shares and donate any shares to the Trust other than the ones they gave to him, but something has to give somewhere because the 925k shares that he owns plus the 1.8m loan he's owed added together fall way below the book value of the business in the accounts. We are going to be in a perpetual state of non-investment and stagnation at this rate.

And I think your questions should be addressed to JF rather than me as after 18 years he is the architect of the mess we are in off the pitch. I'm just a fan pisssed off with eternal stagnation, he's the one whose responsibility it is to get the club in a better financial state and secure a new stadium. He knew that when he signed up for the job and has delivered nothing in the advancement of the club and merely plugged up one black hole with his own while presiding over the worst spell on the pitch in the club's history. He's had 18 years to make the club more attractive to investors and failed and chased one or two away. He's had 18 years to get a new stadium sorted and even though the council are making the right noises, due to lack of cash and the downbeat message he gave, I feel we're just as far away as ever. Chances were missed in developing a collegiate atmosphere in the boardroom to build on and grow with MP but that went pear shaped and JF seems as difficult now as ever with his stubbornness re PP.

We're either going to have to wait for football fortune until JF gets his money back or we're going to have to keep putting the pressure on for something to happen and keep the debate open. Let's say it takes the club another ten years to pay off the benign loan. Would 28 years of stagnation at our beloved club justify one person having a free hit at living out his dream? Morally that doesn't stack up to me at all. The club has trundled along at its lowest ebb for far too long now and somehow fans who are cheesed off about it are the bad guys for asking questions and opening up the debate? If they had 15mill in the bank, I would like to think that most posters would throw a chunk into the GTFC pot without tying a noose around its neck for what's looking like its going to be at least a quarter of a century and live quite happily off the other 13mill..

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I agree with you, It's so easy for people say he should walk away and leave the club but as you've stated above who in all honesty would walk away and write off that amount of money?

I would.

He says he's written off the loans in his head, and i think he's said he wants out, so what's stopping him? If it were me, i would just think fook this and all the grief i get from all sides, life's too short and i still have more money than i could ever spend, so there you go, it's all yours, i'm off to travel the world while i'm still young enough. Hand everything to the Trust and sail off into the sunset.

Then i'm not fussed about being wealthy, which is why i never will be. You can't take it with you can you? I think he likes being in charge of the club and doesn't want to let go, but neither does he want to chuck any more money at it, so it's as you were, unless someone comes along and meets all of his criteria, of which we in the dark.

Quoted from Bigdog

In all honesty I would have invested into the club by buying shares and been accountabe for my performance in running the business by way of share value rather than having a free hit by loaning. I'm not assuming that JF should write off his shares and donate any shares to the Trust other than the ones they gave to him, but something has to give somewhere because the 925k shares that he owns plus the 1.8m loan he's owed added together fall way below the book value of the business in the accounts. We are going to be in a perpetual state of non-investment and stagnation at this rate.

And I think your questions should be addressed to JF rather than me as after 18 years he is the architect of the mess we are in off the pitch. I'm just a fan pisssed off with eternal stagnation, he's the one whose responsibility it is to get the club in a better financial state and secure a new stadium. He knew that when he signed up for the job and has delivered nothing in the advancement of the club and merely plugged up one black hole with his own while presiding over the worst spell on the pitch in the club's history. He's had 18 years to make the club more attractive to investors and failed and chased one or two away. He's had 18 years to get a new stadium sorted and even though the council are making the right noises, due to lack of cash and the downbeat message he gave, I feel we're just as far away as ever. Chances were missed in developing a collegiate atmosphere in the boardroom to build on and grow with MP but that went pear shaped and JF seems as difficult now as ever with his stubbornness re PP.

We're either going to have to wait for football fortune until JF gets his money back or we're going to have to keep putting the pressure on for something to happen and keep the debate open. Let's say it takes the club another ten years to pay off the benign loan. Would 28 years of stagnation at our beloved club justify one person having a free hit at living out his dream? Morally that doesn't stack up to me at all. The club has trundled along at its lowest ebb for far too long now and somehow fans who are cheesed off about it are the bad guys for asking questions and opening up the debate? If they had 15mill in the bank, I would like to think that most posters would throw a chunk into the GTFC pot without tying a noose around its neck for what's looking like its going to be at least a quarter of a century and live quite happily off the other 13mill..

Superb post Bigdog.

The guy should have kept out of the limelight. He does himself no favours. If he wanted to rebut the rumours about a takeover a simple statement would have done, setting out the facts. Less is more.

Instead, he sets up what appears to be a casual interview and uses it as a platform to get stuff off his chest. I suspect one of his motivations was to bask in the glow of the good feeling swirling around. The interview starts off with lots of talk about the feeling of positivity. Almost as if he is trying to attract some of the glory.

If it wasn't a cynical exercise in self-promotion and an opportunity to tell the world how JS Fenty sees things, he maybe ought to do what he urged us all to do in his fireside chat (the one with the nudey lady picture) and think three times before pressing send.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

The guy should have kept out of the limelight. He does himself no favours. If he wanted to rebut the rumours about a takeover a simple statement would have done, setting out the facts. Less is more.

Instead, he sets up what appears to be a casual interview and uses it as a platform to get stuff off his chest. I suspect one of his motivations was to bask in the glow of the good feeling swirling around. The interview starts off with lots of talk about the feeling of positivity. Almost as if he is trying to attract some of the glory.

If it wasn't a cynical exercise in self-promotion and an opportunity to tell the world how JS Fenty sees things, he maybe ought to do what he urged us all to do in his fireside chat (the one with the nudey lady picture) and think three times before pressing send.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/w88mETv.jpg[/img]

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

It's just that some people think things could be going even better with a new owner, me included.

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

So we’re all excused for whatever we do or say because we’re all Town.

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

We were....he started it by making a largely unnecessary statement.

Quoted from moosey_club

We were....he started it by making a largely unnecessary statement.

The takeover rumour got way out of hand as usual.
Even the local media started asking the question.
Major shareholder comes and puts the record straight.
He also takes the opoortunity to thank the team for there heroic efforts at Palace.

Was that largely uneccsssary?

Quoted from moosey_club

We were....he started it by making a largely unnecessary statement.

He started it?? Grow up!

Quoted from moosey_club

We were....he started it by making a largely unnecessary statement.

Unnecessary? Making a statement about a rumoured takeover isn't unnecessary, neither is an update on the stadium.

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

A simple statement that said something along the lines of - there was some interest, we carried out due diligence and they've gone away would have done.

We simply did not need to be reminded that he'd been on the board 18 years, we already knew (for whatever reason) he favours Peakes Parkway and we know BP is haemorrhaging cash (he's told us for long enough!)

Quoted from MuddyWaters

A simple statement that said something along the lines of - there was some interest, we carried out due diligence and they've gone away would have done.

We simply did not need to be reminded that he'd been on the board 18 years, we already knew (for whatever reason) he favours Peakes Parkway and we know BP is haemorrhaging cash (he's told us for long enough!)

I know what you mean but there are a lot of posters on here who would not have been happy with a simple statement like that. They want all the bases covering and feel they should be privy to all that goes on at BP.

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

Very sensible post imo!

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

I understand your sentiment, but you state things are going well. It's true that things are looking up on the pitch, so we should all be happy with that, but the same can't be said about off field matters. We can all pull together when all aspects of the club are going in the right direction, not just what MJ is doing with the team. There are legitimate concerns amongst fans about the lack of progress re the new stadium, the club's apparent lack of effort in trying to attract new investment, so why can't there be one thread out of fifty on here discussing it? If only one thread containing worries about the mid and long term future of the club can ruin any optimism that you could get from the other 49, just don't read this one. There's the team which is looking promising and deserves our backing and then there's the club which is looking far from promising and hasn't for two decades. The team and its manager are transient and once they leave we'll be left with the club again. We all know how quickly things can change in football. Look how fast the optimism of OP dissipated. To cushion the impact of successful managers leaving, sound funding and infrastructure in place always helps in lessening the blow and shortens the number of lean years. So when we're so bereft of a future vision for the club and the new stadium looks like it's being put on the back burner due to the seemingly lack of urgency in the video, why can't concerned fans discuss it? And why can't fans who are less concerned read about something else? All the positivity around the team and MJ is being built upon quicksand unless we get necessary external funding in as quickly as possible. The floodlight pylons need a huge repair and where's the money coming for that? It can only be from the playing budget as we aren't attracting any new investment, and what will be next? The Main Stand getting refused a safety certificate? What would happen then? We desperately need a fresh cash injection and fresh ideas and impetus at the club to drag us into the 21st century and also to insure us from any unseen eventualities that could impact severely on playing budget etc. The lack of clarity and urgency for future planning in the video left me fearful for the mid to long term future and I'm pretty sure many others think that too. While worrying and discussing it, it doesn't detract me in any way from being excited about the team Jolley is building, just two different subjects re GTFC that deserve polar opposite feelings and I'm quite capable of separating the two. I'm miffed that more fans aren't talking about the off field problems we have instead of ignoring them and concentrating solely on Jolley, because I'm sure one day the lack of anger and disquiet from some will come back to bite us in the bottom as lack of progress off the pitch will severely impact the team on the pitch. After eighteen years of stagnation and the current lack of vision or urgency shown by JF, not enough pressure is being put on the board to move the club forward off the pitch in my humble opinion..

Quoted from 4055

Can we give John Fenty a break, things are going pretty well at Town now , lets continue this positive flow and cut out the anti Fenty posts for now. John Fenty is a Town fan just like us. I await the red crosses but its my hopeful wish we can all pull together for the benefit of GTFC.

No.

He is a failure. Not because of anything to do with the playing, but because a large number of clubs have long overtaken GTFC in the quality of their stadium, hospitality and conferencing, training and other facilities. He is clearly not capable of delivering in that respect and the club will be become more and more of a backwater club as a result, success on the pitch will be a temporary blip. If Jolley does really well he will be off. 30 years ago the likelihood of Shrewsbury Town poaching a manager from GTFC would have been negligible, likewise Scunthorpe / Doncaster / Rotherham / Lincoln etc...he has presided that over the decline if he is a true fan he needs to accept that and help find people who can deliver...

Bigdog, you have identified a number of realistic  potential risks and costs to GTFC operating as a viable business and football club sometime in the future.

The caveat being that no additional funding is received or made available to fund them.

Taking the above potential costs from the playing budget is a worry.

The Board should be looking at these risks and how to manage and fund them.  This is prudent and part of their responsibilities. Also identifying contingencies (if the Main Stand was closed).

If the Board are unable or unwilling to cover these potential risks and costs, then they should look harder at attracting and engaging with other parties than can supply new investment, ideas and energy.  Change is good.

The problem with having the " benign " loans is that any extra income, e.g., this years cup run, will just go to pay some off, instead of being used as additional investment in the club, so basically we just tread water each year.

If we can't secure the requisite funding for a new ground, then at some point we are going to have to find funding to improve BP. The floodlights and the Main stand are on their last legs, and the Osmond isn't far behind, so it's not even a case of updating them because we would want to, more a case of we will have to at some point. We can't keep going on putting a sticking plaster over the cracks forever if we are going to be there for some time to come. Where's the money going to come from? I can see a floodlight fund starting up if they get condemned and the fans having to dig into their pockets again at some point. Maybe it's time to stop dreaming of a new ground, and start to think of ways to give the old home a face lift?

Do we just ignore all this and concentrate on the team because they are starting to show some promise? Do we just stick our fingers in our ears and hope it all goes away? Smacks of fiddling while Rome burns to me.

As fans, of course we have concerns over the future direction of the club, and the future direction of the club is determined by the board, chief of which is JF. So as fans, we are going to discuss him and the other board members on a GTFC fans forum, are we not? I have absolutely no axe to grind with JF, and in my brief times talking to him, he's a decent bloke. Doesn't mean that he can't be called out, or held to account, as anyone in his position should be. He's the main director of our local team and a councillor, so public scrutiny goes with the territory.

For the record, i think he was right to comment on recent speculation over a takeover, but i can understand those who think he should have maybe kept it a bit more brief. I didn't watch it personally, so i have no comment on the full content of the interview.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

He started it?? Grow up!

Yep.
Answer the takeover rumour if he really felt it necessary to, it was a daft rumour that could have been ignored and would have died on its own but ok , he chose to publicly respond. No issue with that.

Just think the rest of it wasnt necessary .

However.....at least it sounded like the council are actively pushing for something

Quoted from chipsandgravy

The takeover rumour got way out of hand as usual. A simple press release stating there had been interest but the party concerned couldn't demonstrate they had the funds.
Even the local media started asking the question. Yes, that well known journalist Phil Space.
Major shareholder comes and puts the record straight. See item 1
He also takes the opoortunity to thank the team for there heroic efforts at Palace. He could do that face-to-face, they don't need to watch it on video.

You forgot to mention the bit where he maintains that that failed project of Peaks Parkway is the best option

Was that largely uneccsssary?

Yes!

Quoted from tarka

Unnecessary? Making a statement about a rumoured takeover isn't unnecessary, neither is an update on the stadium.

He said a lot more than that though. A simple PR would have been sufficient.

Update on the stadium? He gave his opinion that PP was the best option and made some nonsensical statement about it being funded by enabling development (in the same interview as saying that there isn't the demand in the area for housing and retail.) That's not really an update is it? It's an admission his 'vision' was flawed.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

He said a lot more than that though. A simple PR would have been sufficient.

Update on the stadium? He gave his opinion that PP was the best option and made some nonsensical statement about it being funded by enabling development (in the same interview as saying that there isn't the demand in the area for housing and retail.) That's not really an update is it? It's an admission his 'vision' was flawed.

It's unbelievable isn't it.

Didn't watch the interview myself, but perhaps he meant that there are not the enabling projects to be had anywhere other than PP, which is a big plot of land, and lends itself to a housing development?

Well, as usual, the Fenty statement as taken over the feel-good factor and brought us back down to earth.

Is this reality? Probably yes whilst he is here.

Peaks Parkway has been shelved (dead in the water) but he seems in denial.

Talking to a "FREEMAN OF GRIMSBY" He says the football stadium is NOT part of their plans for Freemo.

So where does that leave us back to square one it seems.

Political differences should not come into it but you can't help thinking a Conservative councillor/ the major gtfc investor/club director V a Labour council in charge are at play here as well.

Both stubborn and with massive egos to boot.

Even Jolley would find it hard to mend that rift.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

Bigdog, you have identified a number of realistic  potential risks and costs to GTFC operating as a viable business and football club sometime in the future.

The caveat being that no additional funding is received or made available to fund them.

Taking the above potential costs from the playing budget is a worry.

The Board should be looking at these risks and how to manage and fund them.  This is prudent and part of their responsibilities. Also identifying contingencies (if the Main Stand was closed).

If the Board are unable or unwilling to cover these potential risks and costs, then they should look harder at attracting and engaging with other parties than can supply new investment, ideas and energy.  Change is good.

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

Thanks for the insight John! Always refreshing to hear the facts on here.

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

John, honest question - is there anyone in the building who advises you on PR & external comms? I believe offers have been made, and declined, in the past that might’ve helped in this area.

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

Another honest question John, is there a "fans forum" in the pipeline ?

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

snip...

A very welcome post, I'd be happy to get these sort of updates from you Mr Fenty. No antagonism, just straight to the point with clarity.

More please, on a semi-regular/as needed basis.

Up the Mariners.

Quoted from RoboCod

A very welcome post, I'd be happy to get these sort of updates from you Mr Fenty. No antagonism, just straight to the point with clarity.

More please, on a semi-regular/as needed basis.

Up the Mariners.

Yes but...

The stadium and training facilities may be physically better than 18 years ago, but relatively, compared to other clubs they are alot worse. Take Doncaster as an example. Belle Vue was a derelict hole and Doncaster struggled to get 2k fans, we wouldn't have a hope of competing with Doncaster for players, coaches and managers now. And more pertinently - if Lincoln get a new stadium before Town they will absolutely clean up in our wider fan catchment area. Unless there are fanatical parents who are Town, who do you think the kids are going to support in the arc from Rasen round to Louth and Mablethorpe if Lincoln are League 1 / Championship with a shiny new stadium? They will become a mini-Norwich and have special buses running from the wider county to home games. Years ago that was GTFC, we were the big club of Lincolnshire. Once you lose a generation of potential fans that becomes a permanent loss. Football is a competitive world and not just on the pitch on matchdays, John, and we've been losing for years...

Honest question John
After 3 relegations, 6 years out of the football league, most of the rest at the bottom end of the 4th division, complete failure to secure a new ground and falling miles behind similar sized clubs how would you'd rate your performance?

Good to see you back on here John, another honest question just how far our we away from actually getting a new ground, or at least getting a site for one approved ??🤔

Another question John,
Would it be possible to build the houses and training facilities at PP,
To fund the new stadium at Freeman St,
I understand the council are keen to have a part of the Freeman St stadium is that a problem with you.?

The arrogance in Mr Fenty's post is breathtaking. We are light years behind clubs of similar size, and only Michael Jolley' s relative success over the last few weeks is saving him from a barrage of abuse. To highlight one or two basic improvements in 18 years takes some nerve I will give him that.

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

Dear John

I think it was my post which used the Main Stand as merely a random "for example of an unforseen cost" rather than being an impending threat. It wasn't even a question to answer. The point I was making was about how underfunded we are for the club to progress rather than a criticism of the current standard of care and maintenance.

I believe the "investment" in the youth set up comes from a good percentage of the EFL annual solidarity payment and can't be spent on anything else. Nobody is doubting that the club spends everything it receives from the EFL or the fanbase on the playing budget and the upkeep of the facilities to the best of its ability, but that isn't the question that everyone is asking. as you would know from reading this thread.

In the spirit of openness could you answer the following questions please?

Is the club actively looking to relocate to a new stadium? If so, has it the funds to progress with it? Even just the administrative costs, ie architects, planning etc?

Why does there seem to be a lack of clarity about what the council are proposing regarding Freeman Street and why are you in the dark if you're a councillor yourself?

Why do you keep insisting that PP is the best way forward and in another breath outline the reasons why it most likely will never come to fruition?

Are the board of GTFC PLC actively looking for new investment at this present moment in time or have you given up? Are you moving heaven and earth to find external investment that is badly needed?

If you're looking for new investors, do you think there are better ways to market the club is for sale or open to new investment other than solely the club website which has such a small audience? Do you think this could be improved to widen the net and make it more public knowledge than it is?

What is your vision for the next five, ten and twenty years for the club? To date we haven't got anything other than more of the same? Do you think that is enough to enthuse the fan base and provide a vision for them to buy into and get more more bums on seats? Or is it all on MJ's shoulders and then what happens when he leaves?

I've never doubted that you and SM can balance the books every year and keep the club in a stagnant position but as we're now in 2019 and the football world has moved on at a fast pace in the past thirty years and is leaving us behind in so many ways, we obviously need new investment, fresh ideas and a new stadium. As the custodian of the club can you set out a clear fully costed plan that we can envisage?

Instead of setting facts straight to something that was only used as a for example, could you please answer the questions above about subjects that have dominated this thread instead,. all subject matters that fans are worrying about and have worried about for years regarding the medium and long term health and future of our club.

I know these are harder questions to answer but as captain of the ship it's part of your responsibility to do so for our club to flourish. If you can answer the questions and give us some positivity then the questions will stop but until there's proof of the club taking strides forward or openly making a concerted and determined effort to drive the club forward, the questions are never going to go away.

A reliable maintenance of stagnation isn't enough for me and many others. What plans are you putting in place to change things for the long term betterment of the funding and infrastructure of the club?

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

The arrogance in Mr Fenty's post is breathtaking. We are light years behind clubs of similar size, and only Michael Jolley' s relative success over the last few weeks is saving him from a barrage of abuse. To highlight one or two basic improvements in 18 years takes some nerve I will give him that.

Good to see him posting at least.
The majority of supporter's still back him unless there evidence to say otherwise?

Quoted from Stadium

Good to see him posting at least.
The majority of supporter's still back him unless there evidence to say otherwise?

Majority? Seriously! I would say the majority are against unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise.

Quoted from Stadium

Good to see him posting at least.
The majority of supporter's still back him unless there evidence to say otherwise?

I'm not saying you're right or wrong, but how can you say that?

Devils advocate would say where is your evidence to say the majority of supporters still back him?

Quoted from Stadium

Good to see him posting at least.
The majority of supporter's still back him unless there evidence to say otherwise?

Fantastic - absolutely thrilled to know we're nowhere near a new stadium and still busy bodging up the old one.

Quoted from TheRealJohnLewis

Majority? Seriously! I would say the majority are against unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise.

Mmm.
Personally I wouldn't have thought so.
A while ago it was suggested to run a poll on the ownership of the club etc.
We'll never know either way.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Fantastic - absolutely thrilled to know we're nowhere near a new stadium and still busy bodging up the old one.

You could always ask him a question.

Quoted from Stadium

You could always ask him a question.

Well it took him less than 24 hours to answer a made up scenario re the Main Stand. Let's see how long it takes him to answer the real questions that are on everyone's mind about the future prosperity of our club regarding external investment and the new stadium.

I'll wait..

Any chance JF could replace some of the bulbs in the floodlights, we must have some of the worst in the Football League. 8)

Quoted from arryarryarry

Any chance JF could replace some of the bulbs in the floodlights, we must have some of the worst in the Football League. 8)

Totally agree, I posted the same on here a couple of weeks ago.....think I'll bring a torch with me next time 8)

Had a nice long weekend in London for the Palace game, went Sat, came home Monday.

On the Sunday evening, I did a guided "Jack the Ripper" tour around Whitechappel.

When I arrived at the location outside Tower Hill tube station to meet the guide,spoke to the guide about what I'd been up to that day etc. When I said I was from Grimsby and that I'd been to a footy match previous day, a group of 4 people piped up oh we went to that as well. All the way from Sweden to watch it. 1st ever Grimsby match, even thou where in Palace end.

Very intresting convo for the next 2 hours as we made our way thru the Victoican alleyways.

Quoted from Bigdog

Well it took him less than 24 hours to answer a made up scenario re the Main Stand. Let's see how long it takes him to answer the real questions that are on everyone's mind about the future prosperity of our club regarding external investment and the new stadium.

I'll wait..

Good point.
I think he should never speak to the fans at all.

Quoted from Stadium

Good point.
I think he should never speak to the fans at all.

That depends. On a Fans Forum like a year ago? No, he shouldn't ever, it remains an absolute disaster in Towns very recent history. As a post on here though, this was an improvement. And I'm just desperate for improvement and will take anything that is at least positive, that can be seen as the slightest step forward.
The club is broken, I still have little faith in this board to do anything to resolve that but I don't want the club that I love and support to be that club that slapped the face of the collective fans with that Forum.
It's taken far, far too long for a reasonable and semi-informative post from the non-Chairman to appear on here but this was along those lines, and I'm quite grateful for that, nothing more.

Quoted from RoboCod

That depends. On a Fans Forum like a year ago? No, he shouldn't ever, it remains an absolute disaster in Towns very recent history. As a post on here though, this was an improvement. And I'm just desperate for improvement and will take anything that is at least positive, that can be seen as the slightest step forward.
The club is broken, I still have little faith in this board to do anything to resolve that but I don't want the club that I love and support to be that club that slapped the face of the collective fans with that Forum.
It's taken far, far too long for a reasonable and semi-informative post from the non-Chairman to appear on here but this was along those lines, and I'm quite grateful for that, nothing more.

Last paragraph is the point. The fans being treated with respect should be the norm not the exception. The board have created the lack of trust not the fans.

Quoted from chrissy

Another question John,
Would it be possible to build the houses and training facilities at PP,
To fund the new stadium at Freeman St,
I understand the council are keen to have a part of the Freeman St stadium is that a problem with you.?

That shower-It'd be a problem with me-what do you want it called -"The Oxley Colosseum "

Quoted from golfer

That shower-It'd be a problem with me-what do you want it called -"The Oxley Colosseum "

**Oxby**

Quoted from barralad

**Oxby**

Geshundeit!

Quoted from barralad

**Oxby**

So you've heard about it as well ! :) :)

Quoted from ginnywings

Didn't watch the interview myself, but perhaps he meant that there are not the enabling projects to be had anywhere other than PP, which is a big plot of land, and lends itself to a housing development?

Well he had the perfect opportunity to clarify when he posted on here earlier. But instead he chose to address a point that Big Dog made out of context.

Besides, if the money was there, there's nothing to stop us building the stadium by Freemo and packing PP with houses.

Quoted from Bigdog

Dear John

I think it was my post which used the Main Stand as merely a random "for example of an unforseen cost" rather than being an impending threat. It wasn't even a question to answer. The point I was making was about how underfunded we are for the club to progress rather than a criticism of the current standard of care and maintenance.

I believe the "investment" in the youth set up comes from a good percentage of the EFL annual solidarity payment and can't be spent on anything else. Nobody is doubting that the club spends everything it receives from the EFL or the fanbase on the playing budget and the upkeep of the facilities to the best of its ability, but that isn't the question that everyone is asking. as you would know from reading this thread.

In the spirit of openness could you answer the following questions please?

Is the club actively looking to relocate to a new stadium? If so, has it the funds to progress with it? Even just the administrative costs, ie architects, planning etc?

Why does there seem to be a lack of clarity about what the council are proposing regarding Freeman Street and why are you in the dark if you're a councillor yourself?

Why do you keep insisting that PP is the best way forward and in another breath outline the reasons why it most likely will never come to fruition?

Are the board of GTFC PLC actively looking for new investment at this present moment in time or have you given up? Are you moving heaven and earth to find external investment that is badly needed?

If you're looking for new investors, do you think there are better ways to market the club is for sale or open to new investment other than solely the club website which has such a small audience? Do you think this could be improved to widen the net and make it more public knowledge than it is?

What is your vision for the next five, ten and twenty years for the club? To date we haven't got anything other than more of the same? Do you think that is enough to enthuse the fan base and provide a vision for them to buy into and get more more bums on seats? Or is it all on MJ's shoulders and then what happens when he leaves?

I've never doubted that you and SM can balance the books every year and keep the club in a stagnant position but as we're now in 2019 and the football world has moved on at a fast pace in the past thirty years and is leaving us behind in so many ways, we obviously need new investment, fresh ideas and a new stadium. As the custodian of the club can you set out a clear fully costed plan that we can envisage?

Instead of setting facts straight to something that was only used as a for example, could you please answer the questions above about subjects that have dominated this thread instead,. all subject matters that fans are worrying about and have worried about for years regarding the medium and long term health and future of our club.

I know these are harder questions to answer but as captain of the ship it's part of your responsibility to do so for our club to flourish. If you can answer the questions and give us some positivity then the questions will stop but until there's proof of the club taking strides forward or openly making a concerted and determined effort to drive the club forward, the questions are never going to go away.

A reliable maintenance of stagnation isn't enough for me and many others. What plans are you putting in place to change things for the long term betterment of the funding and infrastructure of the club?

Great questions BG, but he never answers pertinent direct questions, he only addresses points he wants to make.

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

John - any chance of a game of snooker?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Great questions BG, but he never answers pertinent direct questions, he only addresses points he wants to make.

The thing is Kingston, we never get an answer to them from the swathes of posters that suddenly appear but never post. They'll red cross away to support John, but is that supporting the future of the club? Club before self every time shouldn't it be? I'm not having a go for having a go's sake at individuals, I'm seriously worried that our club in its present guise will never have the werewithal to deliver the facilities and business model our fans deserve. I'm only asking questions to the person who has chosen to be responsible for that himself. I'm starting to get on a bit and would like to see us being something better than non-league or perennial League Two strugglers. The odd manager like Jolley in five or six Harry Merry-Go -Rounds may come along from time to time but it's not sustainable is it? And I think it's more honest to ask these questions when things are looking up on the pitch a bit. I'll wait for any counter arguments about why it's wrong to ask these questions or better still someone finally outlines how the club is going to achieve a brighter sustainable future, but years go by and not a single answer arrives. I think it was this month that JF promised spades would be breaking ground at Peaks Parkway, yet here we are four years on, nothing's happened, we're none the wiser, and the last video painted a pretty depressing and confused picture of stagnation off the pitch. These questions should never be put to one side or forgotten..

Quoted from Getyourfactsright

Morning Fishes, and not wanting to prolong, this already too long post, but it might be worth noting.

The Main Stand is not at 'risk' in the medium term or even the long-term as long as it is, up kept 'and it is' and that risk assessments are mitigated against 'which they are'

The cost of improvements have largely been met by external funding and certainly have not hit and will not hit the playing budget.

It might help to know that the playing budget can only be 50% of turnover plus permanent investment under salary cap rules. We have committed that sum and any improvements will come from elsewhere. Grants and the likes included.

I maintain that the stadium and it's upkeep, together with the training ground, plus the youth academy are light years ahead of 18 years ago having had considerable investment in them.

Could we have done better 'maybe' do we need new facilities 'yes' but are they well cared for? Nick Dale who is largely responsible these days for the facilities, does a really good job of maintaining the stadium to conform and provide the best match-day experience at BP give a Victorian stadium.

Kind regards  John Fenty
UTM and fingers xx today

Come back when you've got something to crow about

[img]https://i.imgur.com/VH9L5u9.gif[/img]

Quoted from Bigdog

The thing is Kingston, we never get an answer to them from the swathes of posters that suddenly appear but never post. They'll red cross away to support John, but is that supporting the future of the club? [NO] Club before self every time shouldn't it be?[YES] I'm not having a go for having a go's sake at individuals, I'm seriously worried that our club in its present guise will never have the wherewithall to deliver the facilities and business model our fans deserve. I'm only asking questions to the person who has chosen to be responsible for that himself. I'm starting to get on a bit and would like to see us being something better than non-league or perennial League Two strugglers. The odd manager like Jolley in five or six Harry Merry-Go -Rounds may come along from time to time but it's not sustainable is it? And I think it's more honest to ask these questions when things are looking up on the pitch a bit. I'll wait for any counter arguments about why it's wrong to ask these questions or better still someone finally outlines how the club is going to achieve a brighter sustainable future, but years go by and not a single answer arrives. I think it was this month that JF promised spades would be breaking ground at Peaks Parkway, yet here we are four years on, nothing's happened, we're none the wiser, and the last video painted a pretty depressing and confused picture of stagnation off the pitch. These questions should never be put to one side or forgotten..

Completely agree BG.

There's never a 'right time' with some people. When we're struggling it's 'we need everyone to be singing from the same hymn sheet'. When we're doing well it's 'don't upset the applecart'.

JF has taken on this role. He fought for control when he talked the Trust into giving him those shares. His choice. His team around him in the board. His vision to move to PP. Which he can't seem to let go of. It's good to have vision but when the plan's unrealistic you have to move on and adapt the plan and get on with it.

And like you, I'm not getting any younger.

This is the 300th reply on this thread...in the future when/if there is actually a "Takeover"... there's going to be one hell of a thread ;D

Quoted from codcheeky

Honest question John
After 3 relegations, 6 years out of the football league, most of the rest at the bottom end of the 4th division, complete failure to secure a new ground and falling miles behind similar sized clubs how would you'd rate your performance?

LOL! Reminds me of a line in People Of Earth sitcom, "On a scale of 1-10, how incompetent is John?"

Quoted from Stadium

Good to see him posting at least.
The majority of supporter's still back him unless there evidence to say otherwise?

Hi John, you keeping well?

Quoted from ska face

John, honest question - is there anyone in the building who advises you on PR & external comms? I believe offers have been made, and declined, in the past that might’ve helped in this area.

[img]https://i.ibb.co/xSmwQXC/marley.jpg[/img]

Quoted from Biccys

Hi John, you keeping well?

How original.

Without saying " just fcof " the E.U. would ask "What do you want " so what do we want of J.S.F. ?

Quoted from golfer

Without saying " just fcof " the E.U. would ask "What do you want " so what do we want of J.S.F. ?

See earlier in this thread.

Commends him and SM for managing the status quo, but also asks all the pertinent questions regarding the future development of our club, and asked in a reasonable manner..

Is the club actively looking to relocate to a new stadium? If so, has it the funds to progress with it? Even just the administrative costs, ie architects, planning etc?

Why does there seem to be a lack of clarity about what the council are proposing regarding Freeman Street and why are you in the dark if you're a councillor yourself?

Why do you keep insisting that PP is the best way forward and in another breath outline the reasons why it most likely will never come to fruition?

Are the board of GTFC PLC actively looking for new investment at this present moment in time or have you given up? Are you moving heaven and earth to find external investment that is badly needed?

If you're looking for new investors, do you think there are better ways to market the club is for sale or open to new investment other than solely the club website which has such a small audience? Do you think this could be improved to widen the net and make it more public knowledge than it is?

What is your vision for the next five, ten and twenty years for the club? To date we haven't got anything other than more of the same? Do you think that is enough to enthuse the fan base and provide a vision for them to buy into and get more more bums on seats? Or is it all on MJ's shoulders and then what happens when he leaves?

I've never doubted that you and SM can balance the books every year and keep the club in a stagnant position but as we're now in 2019 and the football world has moved on at a fast pace in the past thirty years and is leaving us behind in so many ways, we obviously need new investment, fresh ideas and a new stadium. As the custodian of the club can you set out a clear fully costed plan that we can envisage?

Instead of setting facts straight to something that was only used as a for example, could you please answer the questions above about subjects that have dominated this thread instead,. all subject matters that fans are worrying about and have worried about for years regarding the medium and long term health and future of our club.

I know these are harder questions to answer but as captain of the ship it's part of your responsibility to do so for our club to flourish. If you can answer the questions and give us some positivity then the questions will stop but until there's proof of the club taking strides forward or openly making a concerted and determined effort to drive the club forward, the questions are never going to go away.

A reliable maintenance of stagnation isn't enough for me and many others. What plans are you putting in place to change things for the long term betterment of the funding and infrastructure of the club?

So if he does all these things do you want him to stay or what do you want him to do ?

Quoted from golfer

So if he does all these things do you want him to stay or what do you want him to do ?

If he delivers these key objectives which the club desperately needs, then he would have my backing to stay.. Nothing personal, just want the club to progress and not get left behind off the pitch.

Trouble is at the minute from a fan`s point of view anything to do with takeovers or new ground just throws up more questions and it leads to further frustration because we don`t get any REAL answers. If someone ever got things right here off the pitch Grimsby Town have the potential to be a real success story regular crowds of 15k are obtainable but it requires a lot of work and vision. JF in his tenure to date has shown glimpses of being on the right track but for whatever reason he only gets a very small way down the path. The Club is crying out for new blood and he should be actively pursuing it JF and MP (possibly Lee Mullen) apart what have the other board members contributed financially?

OK. This thread are more than long enough, but I thought I`d like to chip in with some information that I got elsewhere that is not directly in relation to Grimsby Town, but may be relevant regarding a possible takeover at some time in the future.

First of all - I can completely understand why Mr. Fenty may be reluctant to give over control of the club to just "anyone" that may be interested to invest in/buy the club. That is a very BIG decision to make, and if he gives over control to someone who doesn`t run the club the "right way" he will always be remembered as the man who destroyed the club for all future to come. I imagine that is a legacy he doesn`t want to leave behind in regards to the club that he, in spite of all opinions to the contrary, care about and love.

Now, back to what I started this post with - I recently talked to someone who is on the "inside" of a club in the top half of the "Norwegian Premier League" - Tippeligaen. He told me that there have been several requests to many clubs recently regarding the possibility of buying them. Among these there have been several requests from China. All have been denied. He didn`t know the details, but I imagine there have been good reasons for not accepting their offer.
Before you say - "yeah, yeah, but this is in Norway where you have enough money" - the facts are that most Norwegian clubs are very poor and that with the possible exception of Rosenborg and Molde - they are constantly looking for funds to secure the daily running of the club.
There have also been requests of a buy-out from the American MLS (Major League Soccer) that may have been accepted by one of the clubs in our league. The others have denied their request because the intention of the buy-out is to use the club as a farmer club. And personally, I can understand why most clubs reject such a deal.
So, I believe that if you want to set a club up with new owners, and most importantly - with the RIGHT owners, the process may be more complicated than most of us here on the Fishy realises. I believe Fenty is doing the club a favour in the long run by not accepting every offer he is given. This should be given careful consideration, and for now I am very happy to have John as a caretaker in that regard.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Trouble is at the minute from a fan`s point of view anything to do with takeovers or new ground just throws up more questions and it leads to further frustration because we don`t get any REAL answers. If someone ever got things right here off the pitch Grimsby Town have the potential to be a real success story regular crowds of 15k are obtainable but it requires a lot of work and vision. JF in his tenure to date has shown glimpses of being on the right track but for whatever reason he only gets a very small way down the path. The Club is crying out for new blood and he should be actively pursuing it JF and MP (possibly Lee Mullen) apart what have the other board members contributed financially?

Maybe not a lot but Philip Day is a considerable asset for his legal expertise, Mr Marley clearly advises on financial matters & adds his considerable charm and Mr Chapman offers......horse racing tips?

Quoted from geir

OK. This thread are more than long enough, but I thought I`d like to chip in with some information that I got elsewhere that is not directly in relation to Grimsby Town, but may be relevant regarding a possible takeover at some time in the future.

First of all - I can completely understand why Mr. Fenty may be reluctant to give over control of the club to just "anyone" that may be interested to invest in/buy the club. That is a very BIG decision to make, and if he gives over control to someone who doesn`t run the club the "right way" he will always be remembered as the man who destroyed the club for all future to come. I imagine that is a legacy he doesn`t want to leave behind in regards to the club that he, in spite of all opinions to the contrary, care about and love.

Now, back to what I started this post with - I recently talked to someone who is on the "inside" of a club in the top half of the "Norwegian Premier League" - Tippeligaen. He told me that there have been several requests to many clubs recently regarding the possibility of buying them. Among these there have been several requests from China. All have been denied. He didn`t know the details, but I imagine there have been good reasons for not accepting their offer.
Before you say - "yeah, yeah, but this is in Norway where you have enough money" - the facts are that most Norwegian clubs are very poor and that with the possible exception of Rosenborg and Molde - they are constantly looking for funds to secure the daily running of the club.
There have also been requests of a buy-out from the American MLS (Major League Soccer) that may have been accepted by one of the clubs in our league. The others have denied their request because the intention of the buy-out is to use the club as a farmer club. And personally, I can understand why most clubs reject such a deal.
So, I believe that if you want to set a club up with new owners, and most importantly - with the RIGHT owners, the process may be more complicated than most of us here on the Fishy realises. I believe Fenty is doing the club a favour in the long run by not accepting every offer he is given. This should be given careful consideration, and for now I am very happy to have John as a caretaker in that regard.

He won't sell till he gets his money back he feels he is owed. No one will do that, because they will be paying for all his mistakes, while he has had next to no risk. It is poor business sense to pay that money out which would be better spent on future plans for the club.

Neither is he willing or seemingly able to attract and keep any new investors; furthermore, he seems unwilling to see the club in any terms other than his own.

A succession of managers has tried and failed to bring us success, which is proving impossible because the investment in better players and infrastructure is not there.

We have got a loyal fan base, without whom the club would go under, but without new owners and/or investment we are destined to bob along in the lower reaches of league 2, or worse, for the foreseeable future.

It could and should be so much better, and as some other posters have said, I would like to think I would see a resurgence of the club before I am too old to appreciate it.

I take your point Geir that we don't want to hand control of the club to just anyone. But that doesn't mean JF is spotless as Lew CC has just pointed out.

It's really hard to run a football club so much more to it than most realise , I read posts all the time and its all very unrealistic people just don't have the knowledge.
They think they do but don't people can hear whispers about how it should be run but unless you are involved you just won't know.
To be honest Fenty does not do a bad job your accounts were quite good for a L2 side, attracting in investment is really hard especially being a mid table L2 side.
Apart from Slade he was really bad.

For us its easy at the moment sell out crowds ,team doing well ever since the conference the Cowleys have put us on the map we have become fasionable when in the past we were Little Lincoln.

It should be Fenty taking his time getting in the right people in, in the past alsorts of clowns tried to get into Lincoln.
That would have been a disaster for the club.

Quoted from Helgy

It's really hard to run a football club so much more to it than most realise , I read posts all the time and its all very unrealistic people just don't have the knowledge.
They think they do but don't people can hear whispers about how it should be run but unless you are involved you just won't know.
To be honest Fenty does not do a bad job your accounts were quite good for a L2 side, attracting in investment is really hard especially being a mid table L2 side.
Apart from Slade he was really bad.

For us its easy at the moment sell out crowds ,team doing well ever since the conference the Cowleys have put us on the map we have become fasionable when in the past we were Little Lincoln.

It should be Fenty taking his time getting in the right people in, in the past alsorts of clowns tried to get into Lincoln.
That would have been a disaster for the club.

You miss the point completely.

Fenty has no intention of getting "the right people in." Most people are very restrained on here in their condemnation of his tenure, which by every measure has been an unmitigated disaster.

I am sure it is very difficult to run a football club as it is difficult with any business. It is even more difficult when you don't invest in it, insult your customers, insult the media who are trying to promote it and drives away anybody that offers to share the burden.

PS I am pleased for little Lincoln that they are enjoying a modicum of success in league 2. Don't let it go to your head.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Trouble is at the minute from a fan`s point of view anything to do with takeovers or new ground just throws up more questions and it leads to further frustration because we don`t get any REAL answers. If someone ever got things right here off the pitch Grimsby Town have the potential to be a real success story regular crowds of 15k are obtainable but it requires a lot of work and vision. JF in his tenure to date has shown glimpses of being on the right track but for whatever reason he only gets a very small way down the path. The Club is crying out for new blood and he should be actively pursuing it JF and MP (possibly Lee Mullen) apart what have the other board members contributed financially?

Why would they be? We have only had 5 incidences of this happening since 1925. If we got a new stadium, the attendances would probably double at most,

15k average crowds is a pipe dream, I’ve not seen us get anywhere near that in 40 years of supporting town.

We might be able to fill a new 12,000 seater stadium during a purple patch. In order to sustain anything above that we would require Championship status as a minimum and unprecedented investment in local, national and international outreach, ie not very likely. The sky's the limit with some imagination though; if we can replicate the enthusiasm for away games on home turf we could achieve more than we think.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Trouble is at the minute from a fan`s point of view anything to do with takeovers or new ground just throws up more questions and it leads to further frustration because we don`t get any REAL answers. If someone ever got things right here off the pitch Grimsby Town have the potential to be a real success story regular crowds of 15k are obtainable but it requires a lot of work and vision. JF in his tenure to date has shown glimpses of being on the right track but for whatever reason he only gets a very small way down the path. The Club is crying out for new blood and he should be actively pursuing it JF and MP (possibly Lee Mullen) apart what have the other board members contributed financially?

It must be time to stop this now. When we have a thread that has Bryan Huxford, Lee Mullen and possible 15k attendances in it it has to be enough for now until a real takeover comes along!

If you go down the list of the 92 EFL and Premier League clubs there's only around a dozen left that have got old facilities and would benefit greatly from a new stadium. Out of the rest most have got new stadiums, upgraded what they already had or are awaiting planning permission. One or two like Rochdale, Bury and Yeovil for example are still poor but have upgraded to satisfy their demands. We're becoming one of the few not one of the many.

After three decades with nearly 90% of all clubs upgrading here we are. What about investment? "We've put a statement out on our club website. If anyone wants a conversation, we'll have one." What about the new stadium? "Peaks Parkway is still on the table although it looks impossible to fund it with an enabling project as there's no demand for housing and retail in the area." What about Freeman Street five months on from the council statement? "We still don't know what the council is offering."

Hardly inspiring stuff and a distinct lack of urgency shown. My question would be.. are we just going to bimble along as we are patching up BP until JF gets his investment back or is the club making a concerted effort and actively exploring every avenue possible to find the necessary investment to push the club forward and being a willing partner in current discussions with the council to get the new stadium project going?

I can't work out whether we're in a holding pattern until JF gets the rest of his money back or the club is trying to push forward. All available evidence at the minute seems to be that we're in a holding pattern with JF quite willing to explain how BP is being maintained and says absolutely nothing of any consequence re the new stadium or how the club are going to attract investment other than they tried something very low key a few years back. The club is not openly up for sale to a wider audience and they don't seem to have had any meaningful discussions with the council. You'd think by now there'd be a continuous open dialogue and shouting from the rooftops for investment.

It would be a crying shame if in a few years time it became evident that we had been in a holding pattern whereby our owner ended up getting paid all of his money back (so his net investment would be zero) and no progress had been made on a new stadium or external investment. Twenty odd years would have gone by and for what? It's not what I want to happen but it's what I'm most fearful of. Just hoping we'll actually see some positive action off the pitch in the next few months to put many minds at rest..

My question is, who actually owns GTFC, as I own my house, if it requires a new garage roof I pay to have it repaired, if I then decide to sell my house 3 years later I do not expect to charge any prospective owner the cost of these repairs on top of the value of the house. So why do the current shareholders expect that any money they spend, whether on players or infrastructure they get back.

Quoted from Bigdog

If you go down the list of the 92 EFL and Premier League clubs there's only around a dozen left that have got old facilities and would benefit greatly from a new stadium. Out of the rest most have got new stadiums, upgraded what they already had or are awaiting planning permission. One or two like Rochdale, Bury and Yeovil for example are still poor but have upgraded to satisfy their aims. We're becoming one of the few not one of the many.

After three decades with nearly 90% of all clubs upgrading here we are. What about investment? "We've put a statement out on our club website. If anyone wants a conversation, we'll have one." What about the new stadium? "Peaks Parkway is still on the table although it looks impossible to fund it with an enabling project as there's no demand for housing and retail in the area." What about Freeman Street five months on from the council statement? "We still don't know what the council is offering."

Hardly inspiring stuff and a distinct lack of urgency shown. My question would be.. are we just going to bimble along as we are patching up BP until JF gets his investment back or is the club making a concerted effort and actively exploring every avenue possible to find the necessary investment to push the club forward and being a willing partner in current discussions with the council to get the new stadium project going?

I can't work out whether we're in a holding pattern until JF gets the rest of his money back or the club is trying to push forward. All available evidence at the minute seems to be that we're in a holding pattern with JF quite willing to explain how BP is being maintained and says absolutely nothing of any consequence re the new stadium or how the club are going to attract investment other than they tried something very low key a few years back. The club is not openly up for sale to a wider audience and they don't seem to have had any meaningful discussions with the council. You'd think by now they'd be a continuous open dialogue.

It would be a crying shame if in a few years time it became evident that we had been in a holding pattern whereby our owner ended up getting paid all of his money back (so his net investment would be zero) and no progress had been made on a new stadium or external investment. Twenty odd years would have gone by and for what? It's not what I want to happen but it's what I'm most fearful of. Just hoping we'll actually see some positive action off the pitch in the next few months to put many minds at rest..

If BP is being "patched up" I must have missed it! Filthy exterior, rusting floodlights, cracked and missing windbreak panels on the Findus, poor facilities in general for the 21st century.

I actually love BP - the memories, the atmosphere when its rocking and I would be happy for the club to stay there if even a modicum of improvements could be funded. A new main stand, new floodlights, something done with the open corners, new bars under the new stand - willing and eager ball boys(!) in club tracksuits, a new sound system and a paint job from top to bottom.

Would it be impossible for the much vaunted "conference facilities" to be away from BP? Could not we have a GTFC hub (for want of a better word) within the regenerations starting in Grimsby?

In any event, Mr. Fenty reminds me of a neighbour of mine. "Everything will be different when we get a new place - I will suddenly start doing all the things I want to do when I get the new place." The trouble is the neighbour cannot afford to move, so he sits there dreaming of what life might be like. Even if he did move, he would not change the way he operates (the neighbour that is) and I suspect if a miracle occurred and we got a new stadium GTFC would not be able to change sufficiently under Fenty to make anything of it.

If Fenty cannot fund basic repairs at BP, and has ruled out any improvements to BP to bring it up to date and cannot deliver a new stadium, why is he there?

Quoted from chipsandgravy

It must be time to stop this now. When we have a thread that has Bryan Huxford, Lee Mullen and possible 15k attendances in it it has to be enough for now until a real takeover comes along!

Threads about takeovers will stop when we have investors who are looking to improve the club rather than past investors holding the club back. Maybe someone with no political interest that's interfering with community involvement, someone who isn't looking for the return of his loan or someone who puts the fans at the heart of the club.

As Bigdog says, we have had the thick end of two decades of this. And it shows now sign of ending. And it needs to.

I agree totally with you Bigdog.  A very good post.

We (very reasonably) complain when there is no progress or news about a new stadium.  Then after a number of years there isn’t any progress.  Very frustrating. Explanations from JF on why there is little or no progress on a new stadium then annoy fans even more.

JF then goes very quiet in communicating with fans.  This is until somebody comments that he has been very quiet for some time.  Then he pops up and makes up for his silence in one outburst.  Trouble is that there is still no progress to talk about.  The only definite is that there is no positive news about moving to a new stadium.  And there is no timescale when there might be any news or progress.

This cycle of inaction is a perfect storm for the club stagnating and killing any hope for the club to move forward and modernise.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

If BP is being "patched up" I must have missed it! Filthy exterior, rusting floodlights, cracked and missing windbreak panels on the Findus, poor facilities in general for the 21st century.

I actually love BP - the memories, the atmosphere when its rocking and I would be happy for the club to stay there if even a modicum of improvements could be funded. A new main stand, new floodlights, something done with the open corners, new bars under the new stand - willing and eager ball boys(!) in club tracksuits, a new sound system and a paint job from top to bottom.

Would it be impossible for the much vaunted "conference facilities" to be away from BP? Could not we have a GTFC hub (for want of a better word) within the regenerations starting in Grimsby?

In any event, Mr. Fenty reminds me of a neighbour of mine. "Everything will be different when we get a new place - I will suddenly start doing all the things I want to do when I get the new place." The trouble is the neighbour cannot afford to move, so he sits there dreaming of what life might be like. Even if he did move, he would not change the way he operates (the neighbour that is) and I suspect if a miracle occurred and we got a new stadium GTFC would not be able to change sufficiently under Fenty to make anything of it.

If Fenty cannot fund basic repairs at BP, and has ruled out any improvements to BP to bring it up to date and cannot deliver a new stadium, why is he there?

I think I know your neighbour. Is he the one who wants a property out of town with space for a building alongside to run a business from so that he can afford a bigger, better house?

It'd be a fantastic plan, if only he could persuade the money men that his business will be profitable enough to enable him to pay for the house. Oh and persuade those nincompoops at the council (who he put in their place the last time he spoke to them*) to approve his plans.

* And that twerp from the parish newsletter who keeps sticking his nose in where it's not wanted. And his whinging customers are not much better - he's had to set them straight a few times too. As for his last, useless business partner (loads of money but no nouse) and the other bloke (made his money in some big company). Saw them off sharpish!

Not read the majority of this thread, but only thing I say is, that Fenty genuinely is a fan of the club, and will only do what is right.
We have seen takeover's go very wrong in this country in the past, and he is doing everything to avoid that, and i respect him for keeping us afloat and running, until the right person comes in.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Not read the majority of this thread, but only thing I say is, that Fenty genuinely is a fan of the club, and will only do what is right.
We have seen takeover's go very wrong in this country in the past, and he is doing everything to avoid that, and i respect him for keeping us afloat and running, until the right person comes in.

Right for who? Himself, the club or both. I believe he's out for himself the way he's held his "benign" loans over the club like a hangman's noose.

JF's appaling track record suggests he is not the right person to judge who is best to run the club.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Not read the majority of this thread, but only thing I say is, that Fenty genuinely is a fan of the club, and will only do what is right.
We have seen takeover's go very wrong in this country in the past, and he is doing everything to avoid that, and i respect him for keeping us afloat and running, until the right person comes in.

He doesn't put any funds in to keep us afloat. The fans pay for most of it. He presides over how the income is distributed and makes a poor job of everything else.

The biggest problem, in my opinion only, is that not only has he single handedly presided over the worse times on the pitch in our proud history he also has held back the club from moving forward into the 21st century....
Huddersfields chairman made a great statement recently about "not letting the club sleepwalk into relegation" and proactively did something to arrest that slide...What has JF ever done to stop us from "sleepwalking into the football abyss and becoming a bottom feeder in the football league"...nothing, in fact I do not believe he even kniws the meaning of acting proactively!!
And he optimised everything that his wrong in his actions on Saturday by trying to put himself back in the limelight by presenting MJ with MOM award...
That should've been presented by someone from either one of our sponsors or better still, one of the mascots.....

He prob thought the applause was for him ;)

Quoted from Gaffer58

, as I own my house, if it requires a new garage roof I pay to have it repaired, if I then decide to sell my house 3 years later I do not expect to charge any prospective owner the cost of these repairs on top of the value of the house. .

Of course you do, indirectly maybe, but by repairing the roof you maintain or even possibly increase the value of your house so what you spent on repairs in included in the value. You'd sell it for a lot less if there was a bloody great hole in the garage roof!

A few comments regarding possible gates of 15k. I agree it seems far off and given the stats even unlikely BUT I maintain it`s still possible to achieve that figure given the catchment area and the right set of circumstances.IF Town had a date for relocating to a new stadium and it was happening the first thing they should do is the hard sell on remaining games at BP. I recall Hull doing this at Boothferry Park and it`s stood them in good stead crowds wise since albeit they have also had a successful period on the pitch. My point is far better to enter any new ground with a average home support of 7k at BP as oppossed to the 4-4.5k we currently get. The support taken to Wembley,Cardiff and various Cup games over the past 20 year`s tells you Town have a lot more than 4k people with an interest in them. I would argue in terms of floating support we must be one of the biggest Clubs in the bottom 2 Divisions and it is upto the football club to get them back with a prolonged campaign of marketing. I can`t recall since 79 when I first attended this club doing anything different to get extra fan`s in consistantly and less still to keep them? I have raised this with the MT who agreed with my points and put them to the Club these points were looked at and though I feel nothing went far enough they have tried to implement the odd bit. Now clearly it`s not enough I mean Lg 2 football isn`t really that appealing given our history but if we don`t believe we can once again rise to the Championship level as a Club not really any point the Club carrying on or the fan`s supporting it . I expect GTFC back in the Championship within the next 10 year`s because football tends to go in cycles and we are well overdue another crack. The key this time is the fooball club getting it right off the pitch at the same time as on it and sustaining and building that momentum. They got it right in the early 80s and 80-81 saw an average home support of 11k which slowly ebbed away to where we are now. Buckley late 80s early 90s got us upto around 7k but we failed him off the pitch.The biggest failure was after 98 when the Club had huge momentum and failed to hit home that support from within the Town and when all seemed lost they got another smaller stab after beating FGR and failed again. That needs looking at the support is there in my opinion the Club just can`t harness it correctly.

Quoted from TheRealJohnLewis

Right for who? Himself, the club or both. I believe he's out for himself the way he's held his "benign" loans over the club like a hangman's noose.

JF's appaling track record suggests he is not the right person to judge who is best to run the club.

If he truly was just out for himself then surely he would have accepted the proposed takeover , if just to get his money back? The fact that he suspected that the consortium ( or whatever it was) didn't have the funds to take the club forward indicates that he does have the clubs interests and future at heart. Surely he could so easily have cut and run. He hardly lives in the area now and he could so easily take the money and never bother about setting foot in Grimsby again - he no longer has any business ties here anyway.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

A few comments regarding possible gates of 15k. I agree it seems far off and given the stats even unlikely BUT I maintain it`s still possible to achieve that figure given the catchment area and the right set of circumstances.IF Town had a date for relocating to a new stadium and it was happening the first thing they should do is the hard sell on remaining games at BP. I recall Hull doing this at Boothferry Park and it`s stood them in good stead crowds wise since albeit they have also had a successful period on the pitch. My point is far better to enter any new ground with a average home support of 7k at BP as oppossed to the 4-4.5k we currently get. The support taken to Wembley,Cardiff and various Cup games over the past 20 year`s tells you Town have a lot more than 4k people with an interest in them. I would argue in terms of floating support we must be one of the biggest Clubs in the bottom 2 Divisions and it is upto the football club to get them back with a prolonged campaign of marketing. I can`t recall since 79 when I first attended this club doing anything different to get extra fan`s in consistantly and less still to keep them? I have raised this with the MT who agreed with my points and put them to the Club these points were looked at and though I feel nothing went far enough they have tried to implement the odd bit. Now clearly it`s not enough I mean Lg 2 football isn`t really that appealing given our history but if we don`t believe we can once again rise to the Championship level as a Club not really any point the Club carrying on or the fan`s supporting it . I expect GTFC back in the Championship within the next 10 year`s because football tends to go in cycles and we are well overdue another crack. The key this time is the fooball club getting it right off the pitch at the same time as on it and sustaining and building that momentum. They got it right in the early 80s and 80-81 saw an average home support of 11k which slowly ebbed away to where we are now. Buckley late 80s early 90s got us upto around 7k but we failed him off the pitch.The biggest failure was after 98 when the Club had huge momentum and failed to hit home that support from within the Town and when all seemed lost they got another smaller stab after beating FGR and failed again. That needs looking at the support is there in my opinion the Club just can`t harness it correctly.

I suspect the exile support as a percentage of total support is higher at GTFC than virtually any other club, hence the large support at special games. For the first ten years of supporting Town (50's and 60s) I saw every game at Blundell Park including reserves, alternative Saturdays when I could not get to first team games and Northern Intermediate Games too. It remains in the blood and you inculcate it into your children but other life pressures and distances involved mean you can't get to home games regularly. I was one of the 22,500 at BP to watch us beat Exeter City in 1972. Costs of getting to Grimsby and going to a Match are prohibitive and I think the aspirational 15,000 is a tough ask given the widespread supporters and costs. Agree with the sentiments though. UTM

Quoted from rancido

If he truly was just out for himself then surely he would have accepted the proposed takeover , if just to get his money back? The fact that he suspected that the consortium ( or whatever it was) didn't have the funds to take the club forward indicates that he does have the clubs interests and future at heart. Surely he could so easily have cut and run. He hardly lives in the area now and he could so easily take the money and never bother about setting foot in Grimsby again - he no longer has any business ties here anyway.

Did the proposed takeover offer to pay back his loans?

Quoted from TheRealJohnLewis

Right for who? Himself, the club or both. I believe he's out for himself the way he's held his "benign" loans over the club like a hangman's noose.

JF's appaling track record suggests he is not the right person to judge who is best to run the club.

You have a lot of hatred my friend why not sit down and have a nice cup of tea

Quoted from golfer

You have a lot of hatred my friend why not sit down and have a nice cup of tea

No hatred, I just dislike the way he's run our club.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Did the proposed takeover offer to pay back his loans?

Surely the fact that they wanted to take the club over would indicate that they would buy out JF's interest in the club? He did specifically say that it was their future plans that didn't stack up.

Quoted from rancido

Surely the fact that they wanted to take the club over would indicate that they would buy out JF's interest in the club? He did specifically say that it was their future plans that didn't stack up.

But he said nothing of how much they offered, and what proportion of the company they wanted. No specifics.

Do you know something that wasn't mentioned in the interview?

Quoted from rancido

Surely the fact that they wanted to take the club over would indicate that they would buy out JF's interest in the club? He did specifically say that it was their future plans that didn't stack up.

Perhaps the future plans involved repaying back his loan over a period of time and it was that part of the deal he didn’t like.

Quoted from rancido

If he truly was just out for himself then surely he would have accepted the proposed takeover , if just to get his money back? The fact that he suspected that the consortium ( or whatever it was) didn't have the funds to take the club forward indicates that he does have the clubs interests and future at heart. Surely he could so easily have cut and run. He hardly lives in the area now and he could so easily take the money and never bother about setting foot in Grimsby again - he no longer has any business ties here anyway.

Where have you got that from?? He does live in the area still and he does have business ties too along with family and friends here too.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

Where have you got that from?? He does live in the area still and he does have business ties too along with family and friends here too.

Well as I understand it he has a property in Belarus where he spends a fair amount of time and he is involved with a riding school/stable complex in the countryside near Alford ( I do believe ). He may have friends and family in Grimsby but that doesn't mean it still is the centre of his world.

The fact remains though that he does want out and has repeatedly said he does.

Quoted from rancido

Well as I understand it he has a property in Belarus where he spends a fair amount of time and he is involved with a riding school/stable complex in the countryside near Alford ( I do believe ). He may have friends and family in Grimsby but that doesn't mean it still is the centre of his world.

The fact remains though that he does want out and has repeatedly said he does.

I think you may understand some things incorrectly if that's the case. And Grimsby is the centre of his world. It's his home town.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I think you may understand some things incorrectly if that's the case. And Grimsby is the centre of his world. It's his home town.

There are a vast number of people who no longer live in their home towns and to them their home town is no longer the centre of their world.

Quoted from rancido

There are a vast number of people who no longer live in their home towns and to them their home town is no longer the centre of their world.

I understand that, what I was trying to say politely is that you are wrong about his residential status.

Quoted from Fishy_fishtails

I understand that, what I was trying to say politely is that you are wrong about his residential status.

So my understanding that he owns a property in Belarus and spends time there is incorrect then?

He hardly lives in the area now and he could so easily take the money and never bother about setting foot in Grimsby again - he no longer has any business ties here anyway.

That is the bit that is incorrect, that is what I was correcting.

Quoted from rancido

Well as I understand it he has a property in Belarus where he spends a fair amount of time and he is involved with a riding school/stable complex in the countryside near Alford ( I do believe ). He may have friends and family in Grimsby but that doesn't mean it still is the centre of his world.

The fact remains though that he does want out and has repeatedly said he does.

His daughter has the equestrian place near Utterby.

Quoted from Ipswin

Of course you do, indirectly maybe, but by repairing the roof you maintain or even possibly increase the value of your house so what you spent on repairs in included in the value. You'd sell it for a lot less if there was a bloody great hole in the garage roof!

But what if you do your house up on the cheap. Using inferior builders and contractors that quite frankly weren’t up to the job.
What if your house was in a far worse state than when you bought it due to your bad decision making Would you expect a new buyer to pick up the tab for your ineptitude? I wouldn’t!

Quoted from Civvy at last

But what if you do your house up on the cheap. Using inferior builders and contractors that quite frankly weren’t up to the job.
What if your house was in a far worse state than when you bought it due to your bad decision making Would you expect a new buyer to pick up the tab for your ineptitude? I wouldn’t!

Houses all look the same when they're demolished, should be an incentive to build a new one.

Quoted from norfuk mariner

I suspect the exile support as a percentage of total support is higher at GTFC than virtually any other club, hence the large support at special games. For the first ten years of supporting Town (50's and 60s) I saw every game at Blundell Park including reserves, alternative Saturdays when I could not get to first team games and Northern Intermediate Games too. It remains in the blood and you inculcate it into your children but other life pressures and distances involved mean you can't get to home games regularly. I was one of the 22,500 at BP to watch us beat Exeter City in 1972. Costs of getting to Grimsby and going to a Match are prohibitive and I think the aspirational 15,000 is a tough ask given the widespread supporters and costs. Agree with the sentiments though. UTM

Massive exiles fanbase and not tapped into AT ALL by GTFC which is a failing in my eyes. If BP was to host it`s final game next Season and the Club marketed it correctly a large % of those exiles would make the pilgrimage to see the old girl off. Some would argue this is just misty eyed sentiment and maybe so but these exiles spend an awful lot of time following GTFC across social media etc for snippets of news so they are interested. The floating support is key to any future success for this Club it must be harnassed the hardcore 4.5k are going nowhere it`s all the others and future generations the Club need to get on board. We are here now Mid Jan and I would be highly sceptical of the Club doing anything but the tried and tested renew your ST at the discounted rate?

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Massive exiles fanbase and not tapped into AT ALL by GTFC which is a failing in my eyes. If BP was to host it`s final game next Season and the Club marketed it correctly a large % of those exiles would make the pilgrimage to see the old girl off. Some would argue this is just misty eyed sentiment and maybe so but these exiles spend an awful lot of time following GTFC across social media etc for snippets of news so they are interested. The floating support is key to any future success for this Club it must be harnassed the hardcore 4.5k are going nowhere it`s all the others and future generations the Club need to get on board. We are here now Mid Jan and I would be highly sceptical of the Club doing anything but the tried and tested renew your ST at the discounted rate?

I’m a misty-eyed sentimentalist (and no that’s not cataracts) and I wholeheartedly concur. Blundell Park is not capable of holding everyone who would want to be there for its last game (if that day ever came).

There is a vast untapped resource that will never be exploited under the present (type of) regime. Better promotion and marketing and better communications could improve the finances of the club though. But not as much as if it truly were a community club.

Let’s look down the A46 for a bit of inspiration. Lincoln has pretty much quadrupled their gates in the space of 3 seasons. I’m not saying that we could do that but with a decent team and decent marketing we could regularly get 8-10 thousand

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

Let’s look down the A46 for a bit of inspiration. Lincoln has pretty much quadrupled their gates in the space of 3 seasons. I’m not saying that we could do that but with a decent team and decent marketing we could regularly get 8-10 thousand

During Buckley's heydey, I think we only averaged over 7,000 once, and this was playing two divisions higher with much larger away support. Last time we averaged over 8,000 was in 1981/82, almost 40 years ago.

Barring an unlikely turn of events and rapid promotion to the Premier League, we've got pretty much no chance of getting anywhere near 8,000 regularly. Lincoln have had the 'footballing fortune' we've heard so much about and have managed to push on from there, but don't think for a minute that they will keep these attendances up when they begin to struggle in the next couple of years.

The towns (Grimsby/Meggies) have been hit massively financially. We love the town and surrounding areas, but unfortunately planners/business' etc don't see things through the same rose tinted glasses we do. Some perceive the place as a sh1t hole, but, it's our sh1t hole.

Without massive investment in the area this will continue but the freeman street project looks very promising indeed. Let's hope the council stop p1ssing money up the wall and actually concentrate on what can benefit the area.

Quoted from Maringer

During Buckley's heydey, I think we only averaged over 7,000 once, and this was playing two divisions higher with much larger away support. Last time we averaged over 8,000 was in 1981/82, almost 40 years ago.

Barring an unlikely turn of events and rapid promotion to the Premier League, we've got pretty much no chance of getting anywhere near 8,000 regularly. Lincoln have had the 'footballing fortune' we've heard so much about and have managed to push on from there, but don't think for a minute that they will keep these attendances up when they begin to struggle in the next couple of years.

This thinking annoys me because statistically you are 100% correct in what you say BUT I would argue the case the football club have never once shown any initiative or drive to get the gates up on a consistant basis. They will always do an offer which is much appreciated and sees an increase of support but never a sustained push.