Obviously, it's a pointless diatribe, but it was quite cathartic to write: Dear Mr Coupe, I am writing to you regarding today’s High Court judgement passed down by Justice Proudman, finding for Sainsbury’s in its legal dispute with Bristol Rovers. As a lifelong supporter of Bristol Rovers, I am very disappointed at the ruling. I feel that Sainsbury’s have acted in very bad faith and have used a legal technicality to get out of its contract with the football club. This has dashed the hopes of thousands of supporters, deprived dozens of families of a home (as over 60 were due to be built as part of the deal), and prevented a much-needed sports facility to be built in South Gloucestershire. It is quite clear to me that Sainsbury’s pay lip service to Corporate Social Responsibility. Once your accountants decided that the shift to discounters and smaller stores left the Memorial Stadium development less viable than you thought, your company has clearly done everything possible to wriggle out of the contract, whilst stringing the football club along. Your dishonest approach has led to dashed hopes and a large legal bill for a football club the size of Bristol Rovers. Sainsbury’s has acted arrogantly and very much like a bully in this saga. I have explained to my crestfallen young sons why this has happened - that Sainsbury’s have in effect bullied Bristol Rovers into submission. My sons hate bullies and are disgusted by your behaviour – they are potential future customers – ones you will now never see. As a family, we spend considerable sums in your Dursley store. That will stop immediately; instead we will switch to the Tesco at Cam. I know of 10 other Rovers-supporting families in the Cam and Dursley area that will do the same, and there are doubtless many more. Therefore, the repercussions of your disgraceful behaviour will be felt not just in Bristol, but farther afield. My family’s decision, and that of others’, may only constitute a few tens of thousands of pounds, but along with the thousands of other Rovers-supporting families across the region who will be boycotting your stores, I would imagine that we’re looking at several million per annum that you will lose in the West Country, every year. I sincerely hope that your decision to protect your bottom line (depressingly, as ever with a plc), rather than discharge your responsibilities as a reputable company which honours contracts will have the reverse effect and actually damage your profitability, certainly in Bristol and its environs. Over my lifetime, I have worked for Sainsbury’s as a student in your Bristol Clifton Down store in the 1980s and I’ve spent many tens of thousands of pounds in your supermarkets, garage forecourts etc. Your stores were always my first choice – not any more, indeed never again. I sincerely hope you rue your decision to dishonour your contract with Bristol Rovers.
Listening to NH interview I am sure he said that the judge said that Sainsbury's broke the contract, if I heard this correctly then what is the point of having contracts if a party can pull out just because it suits them even though they are in the wrong
I just left it short and to the point..... Dear Mr Coupe / Mr Tyler, You are a bunch of twats and I hope you get a hogweed plant rubbed on your dicks, balls and eyes. I will also be going in every single Sainsbury store and filling up my trolly full of expensive freezer foods and dumping them all over the store in and behind other items in random aisles to defrost and smell. I will also take a dump prior to my arrival and deposit it in and around the stores too. While im at it, I will leave expensive bottles of champagne in a position where they can easily fall and smash. I will also flood your toilets and sinks. Just because I can and will. Twats.
As a City supporter, it gives me no pleasure at all, that you gasheads have lost out to Sainsbury's...they can stick Sainsbury's where the sun dont shine for all I care, my wife & I wont be shopping there again I can promise you that.
Nice of you to say that BigJohn but I dont think it will matter anyway to Sainsburys. What will hurt them is a much bigger scale of a boycott like what happened to Tescos not so long ago. I dont think all those who say they wont shop their again will be enough to hurt them. What doesnt help either is gasheads saying they wont shop at Sainsburys yet Sainsburys at Wembley was packed with gasheads!
Why people put up with it, I have no idea. If this kind of thing happened in Manchester, there would be riots. Agreed, but that would mean living there.....unless you're a Man U fan of course, then you'd live in Dover of course or Abu Dhabi.
No idea. Few years ago I was more positive that UWE would happen. Then when planning was given, I stupidly thought done and dusted. But for a while now, I have been more of a half glass empty over this. Im gutted and pissed off of course but at the same time im not surprised. We are Rovers, its rare anything goes our way. I still think we will lose our penalty shoot out vs Grimsby when I re-watch them. Its hard work being a gashead! Be glad you have Lansdown who have been great for you. We have full planning permission for UWE and a good fan base (oi no laughing at the back) so we have it nicely set up for someone to invest and gamble on us. Then sale the Mem and get a good return back. Surely someone will take us forward, if not then why not. The answer to that points to our board of directors!
Agreed - Manchester is crap. But, along with every other major city in the UK, it does have great stadia. London Manchester Birmingham Liverpool Cardiff Glasgow Nottingham Sheffield Leeds Edinburgh Newcastle Coventry Middlesborough Reading Southampton Leicester Wolverhampton Norwich Ipswich Blackburn Brighton Derby all have far better stadia than Bristol and at least half the above list are smaller and less wealthy than Bristol. It's an absolute farce.
You should make that point to George Ferguson! But im sure his number 2 in command - Daniella Radice will convice him that Bristol should be a village!
I worked in Rotherham a few years ago when the New York Stadium was being built to replace Millmoor. Rotherham council totally embraced the concept of a new venue, the extra jobs in construction and hospitality and everything else a new stadium brings. It's the pride of the town and is quite central and moreover looks great. There were no objections, dog fanciers, protest marches etc. They got on and did the job and the local community and Rotherham as a whole benefitted.
Captain , remember Ashton Vale and the dog walkers, we do, we hated the dog walkers in Ashton Vale, you didn't, now all city fans will be going to Sainsbury's to do there weekly shop Bigjohn, thought you shopped at Morrisons, i did, but i will be shopping at Sainsbury's from now on.
Alan, I use to say im off to walk the dog at Ashton Vale but I didnt even have a dog It was just banter. If I had a dog, I wouldnt be assed to go to BS3 to walk it if you know what I mean. Regards to Sainsburys, happy shopping there You will be most likely financially worse off for it!
Only Joking Captain, a pensioner like me couldn't afford to shop at Sainsbury's, i'm more of a Lidl and Aldi man, seeing i'm only two mins from each.
Higgs mentions exploring other options to deliver a new stadium. I would've thought one option was blindingly obvious - sell the Mem for a smaller store and more housing and build a smaller stadium. Sure, it would be great to have a 21,700 ground but if we can't sell the Mem for the money we want we'll need to compromise. We're a League 2 club and we haven't been higher than League 1 for decades. Sure, we're well-supported for our level but we won't be needing a 21,700 stadium for quite some time. We should go for a cheaper 13-14k bowl - the Keepmoat holds over 15k and that cost £20 million including the land. We can always add capacity at a later date if our league position / attendances merit it. We all want a lovely Premier League standard ground but we can't pay for it. We do, however, have a very valuable asset in the Mem that we can still get a considerable whack for - surely we can build a decent all-seater from that?
Issue is though, you are looking at 4 years minimum I believe before we will be playing in a new stadium of our own.
Why's that? We could cut our losses with Sansbury's, effect a quick sale of the Mem to the likes of Aldi and a housebuilder - planning permission wouldn't be difficult as the site already has planning permission for retail and housing - then stick up a 14k bowl at UWE. Should be able to do that in a couple of years / 2 and half.
