[Archived] An Open Letter

[punerover]

Stuart is right. I am naive. Are you saying they bought the football club for the real estate?

Sorry to butt in but just to mention the Blackpool thing, they already had a wealthy guy on board, Russian I think. He threw his hat in with the Oystons and got his money back out of the parachutes then fell out with them and their mishandling of the club.

He was the clout behind the fans takeover bid and another reason why the O's won't surrender control. Factor in why they got involved so heavily with BFC in the first place, real estate and all the land around that location at Bloomfield road almost in the centre of a place like Blackpool. They'll never let it go for that reason unless some wealthy American mob offer them 50 mill plus to build a casino on it, which is what they were after a long time ago I think.

Ownership wise completely different to us really.

[tomphil]

Stuart is right. I am naive. Are you saying they bought the football club for the real estate?

Not Rovers I'm on about Blackpool.

Years and years ago probably before my time but Owen Oyston bought into the club with other things in mind. This is according to my BFC supporting pals but Oyston was a right chancer back in the day. Don't get me wrong he's done a lot of good there but totally let it be destroyed to get his money plus profit back. Also when he bought it they were a shell of a club not an established Premiership one with multi million pound income & multi million pound players on the books like us.

Anyway I was just pointing out they had a guy on board already to make a concrete offer. I don't think we've actually been in that position as regards Venkys. If someone showed them 16 million right now then who knows ?

[punerover]

Not Rovers I'm on about Blackpool.

Years and years ago probably before my time but Owen Oyston bought into the club with other things in mind. This is according to my BFC supporting pals but Oyston was a right chancer back in the day. Don't get me wrong he's done a lot of good there but totally let it be destroyed to get his money plus profit back. Also when he bought it they were a shell of a club not an established Premiership one with multi million pound income & multi million pound players on the books like us.

Anyway I was just pointing out they had a guy on board already to make a concrete offer. I don't think we've actually been in that position as regards Venkys. If someone showed them 16 million right now then who knows ?

So then let us assume that Venky's might accept a 16 million offer. If you include 25000 fans contributing 640 pounds, you could easily raise that figure via crowd funding. Even if you double that figure to 32 million it would come to 1280 pounds per person. Shouldn't this be doable? Or am I getting my math wrong? What problems do you see in executing this?

[yoda]

So then let us assume that Venky's might accept a 16 million offer. If you include 25000 fans contributing 640 pounds, you could easily raise that figure via crowd funding. Even if you double that figure to 32 million it would come to 1280 pounds per person. Shouldn't this be doable? Or am I getting my math wrong? What problems do you see in executing this?

You are doing an awful lot of fishing punerover

[punerover]

yoda: agreed. I got overly optimistic that the club could be bought back from them. Anyway. Back to getting depressed

[tomphil]

So then let us assume that Venky's might accept a 16 million offer. If you include 25000 fans contributing 640 pounds, you could easily raise that figure via crowd funding. Even if you double that figure to 32 million it would come to 1280 pounds per person. Shouldn't this be doable? Or am I getting my math wrong? What problems do you see in executing this?

It would be doable in a place like Derby or Leicester but not in Blackburn. Of course other fans may contribute more to balance it out but we'd still need the initial 16 mill benefactor.

[Paul]

sorry - Late back to the conversation again

Paul - I think its looks like our stance is from different perspective to each other- agree with what you say with regard to the 50m if we are looking to try and make it worse for ourselves but for me its far to far down the road for miracles and our heady days in the P/L - I just want the club back to some normality and not blinded by the over glamourised P/L even though it might be the 'golden goose'

We don't need ' the toss pot loons for that, many clubs are never going to compete with the elite anymore off the field financially ( and indirectly off it) in the strict word of things, but for the structure /pyramid to work more clubs will sink into severe financial issues if it means ridiculous amounts of '£££s having to be spent to survive never mind the strive of the make believe P/L...and something needs to change ( this is one thing I don't lay at their door and is just the state of football at the moment which surely can't continue')

The way the game has gone and is still , if money that has/is being haemorrhaged away from the game is allowed to carry on. there will be countless more clubs that start floundering - this I don't blame the loons for but continue with them at the helm with or without funding and we will just basically fade away.

We need a fresh start and if required a rebuild - not the loons and not their apparent funding

I'd agree with this as a different perspective.

More recently I've viewed our problems in terms of solving the current financial situation to hopefully give the club some form of longer term stability. I only see two solutions; promotion to earn sufficient PL money to erase the debt and provide our financial platform as it did before Venky's arrival. This is a very high risk strategy and I can see why the owners are probably against it. The second option, and possibly cheaper, is for Venky's to write off the debt and cut our cloth accordingly.

Your feeling is we will survive without Venky's? I agree, I feel the club would survive but in what form I can't imagine. If still go! In this instance you're right we do not need their money.

Where I think we are in full agreement, based on the above and my hazy memory, is on a view the root of our problems is the madness of football finances.

For me the CAUSE, before I get hammered from some directions this is different from RESPONSIBILITY, is TV and sponsorship money coupled with the complete failure of football administrators or authorities of every hue, each club which has enjoyed the PL, and every PL club chairman to in anyway foresee or control the billions which have flowed in to the game since the arrival of the PL.

Collectively the clubs have peed billions of pounds down the drain. Billions which could have improved and secured football at every level in this country and still have enough left over to make a few thousand young men amongst the richest sports professionals on the planet.

I've been saying for years Sky is the worst thing that could happen to Englush football and Rovers situation is just one piece of that jigsaw. Yes we have the players, the spectacle, the stadia but do we have foundations? For me no. English football is now reliant on the whim of RV executives- when the finances cease to stack up the house will come tumbling down.

[ABBEY]

[K-Hod]

Your odd convention of posting your reply before the quote is problematic.

However, I've no clue what you mean by that statement.

I agree. Punerover- when quoting another poster, please can you start after their quote, rather than before? It makes your posts really hard to read!!

[CAPT KAYOS]

I'd agree with this as a different perspective.

More recently I've viewed our problems in terms of solving the current financial situation to hopefully give the club some form of longer term stability. I only see two solutions; promotion to earn sufficient PL money to erase the debt and provide our financial platform as it did before Venky's arrival. This is a very high risk strategy and I can see why the owners are probably against it. The second option, and possibly cheaper, is for Venky's to write off the debt and cut our cloth accordingly.

Your feeling is we will survive without Venky's? I agree, I feel the club would survive but in what form I can't imagine. If still go! In this instance you're right we do not need their money.

Where I think we are in full agreement, based on the above and my hazy memory, is on a view the root of our problems is the madness of football finances.

For me the CAUSE, before I get hammered from some directions this is different from RESPONSIBILITY, is TV and sponsorship money coupled with the complete failure of football administrators or authorities of every hue, each club which has enjoyed the PL, and every PL club chairman to in anyway foresee or control the billions which have flowed in to the game since the arrival of the PL.

Collectively the clubs have peed billions of pounds down the drain. Billions which could have improved and secured football at every level in this country and still have enough left over to make a few thousand young men amongst the richest sports professionals on the planet.

I've been saying for years Sky is the worst thing that could happen to Englush football and Rovers situation is just one piece of that jigsaw. Yes we have the players, the spectacle, the stadia but do we have foundations? For me no. English football is now reliant on the whim of RV executives- when the finances cease to stack up the house will come tumbling down.

Totally agree Paul and excellent post and eloquently put as usual.

From the moment the loons stepped in the door they have had this make believe that they will profiteer out of this - knowingly or conned - it doesn't matter now as it ain't going to happen which you would feel they do actually see now ( or then again this is hard to believe) -but its only them that can resolve it and quickly and then step out the door and let somebody else in and to hypothesise ' move in on a new Community Charge tariff'.

My worst fears in all this and not naïve to think that this may not be a possibility and hope to god its not ( I am not an 'in the know' poster) - is that somewhere maybe in the future the truth will surface and that maybe the problems we have lay at the door of elsewhere - way before the loons appeared and it will surprise everybody to core.

[yoda]

Totally agree Paul and excellent post and eloquently put as usual.

From the moment the loons stepped in the door they have had this make believe that they will profiteer out of this - knowingly or conned - it doesn't matter now as it ain't going to happen which you would feel they do actually see now ( or then again this is hard to believe) -but its only them that can resolve it and quickly and then step out the door and let somebody else in and to hypothesise ' move in on a new Community Charge tariff'.

My worst fears in all this and not naïve to think that this may not be a possibility and hope to god its not ( I am not an 'in the know' poster) - is that somewhere maybe in the future the truth will surface and that maybe the problems we have lay at the door of elsewhere - way before the loons appeared and it will surprise everybody to core.

Going off the Lunes performance in the last five years what rating would posters give to the question,

how easy on a scale of 1 - 10, (10 being the most dupable) do you think it would be to dupe the Lunes ?

Same question but substitute the Lunes for the FA.

My answers are

10

10

[BlueMonday]

Of course I know what debt is. I might not be as brilliant as you, but I am not illiterate. I know that businesses change hands for 1 pound because of debts. Does not mean a person will sell for 1 pound. Knowing the Venkys' they will probably let the debts go higher and higher or get us into admin leaving us a couple of leagues below. They should let it go at 1 pound but they wont. As the price increases their chances of letting go of the club get higher. They might not relent at pound 1 but surely some figure would entice them. 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 million? Do we know such a figure? Or are you saying even if they were offered 120 million they would not be interested? So that it doesn't come to administration and we can still get the club back at a reasonable price?

When Venkys decide to sell, their asset will be (is) worthless. They will not be in a sellers market.

What genius Business People they are.

[yoda]

Hummmmm I guess its pound 1 as the best offer. Administration / Conference here we come.

Do you still think my offer is low ?

[punerover]

Do you still think my offer is low ?

Do you want to see us in the Conference? I dont.

[yoda]

Do you want to see us in the Conference? I dont.

That's where we are heading

[punerover]

That's where we are heading

i am sure you are enjoying it. I am not.

[gumboots]

Do you want to see us in the Conference? I dont.

nobody does but it's looking more and more certain unless someone finds some way to free us from venkys control

[yoda]

i am sure you are enjoying it. I am not.

Where did you pluck that derisory comment from, how far from Pune are you again ?

[VinjayV4]

Probably be oblivion before it comes to that and besides this club would always be a huge attraction for better players at League 2 level. Oblivion would be more likely unfortunately.

Not to be pedantic either but its the National League now.

Where did you pluck that derisory comment from, how far from Pune are you again ?

Yeah didn't he say he's actually over a hundred miles from Pune?

[punerover]

Yoda - Apologies - Frustration set in

[yoda]

Yoda - Apologies - Frustration set in

Take it out on the real culprits, or would that be a conflict of interest.

While you are doing that ask who trousered the Rhodes money

[punerover]

Take it out on the real culprits, or would that be a conflict of interest.

While you are doing that ask who trousered the Rhodes money

Come over. We will both hold the Venky's OUT placard somewhere.

[ABBEY]

i suggested last friday at the cricket

[punerover]

Everyone is welcome We will take selfies as proof that we were there and post it here on the msgboard for all to see.

[yoda]

Everyone is welcome We will take selfies as proof that we were there and post it here on the msgboard for all to see.

You are turning into a right knob