I compliment you all on a polite and interesting debate. Lyndhurst's categorisation of the types of club owner is a good one. I suppose the best owner is someone with a huge fortune, has strong business management skills and who most importantly has a die-hard commitment to the club in question. That way, the club gets access to a disproportionate playing budget, has strong and successful general management and is at no risk of the owner walking away. The closest I can think of is Dave Whelan's connection with Wigan Athletic although even that hasn't prevented them dripping into League 1 after his 20 years of ownership gave 8 years in the PL, an FA Cup victory, a brief foray into Europe and a new stadium. We know of no such creature and so thereafter it's all a question of compromise. At least Brent's motivations are crystal clear. He expected profits from the land developments around Home Park and to put enough into PAFC to lift it one or two divisions when, no doubt, he'd have sought to sell it on at sufficient value to recover his investment. We'd have to worry who he sold it to but if by then we were in the Championship, with a new stand replacing the current wreck and with sound finances, I don't think we'd be able to complain about Brent's era. We know the Home Park development has been hit by the Bretonside project just when a recovering economy might have made funding it easier. Brent also remarked recently in relation to Sheridan's departure that as the original 5-Year Plan had PAFC higher up the league by now, both he (Brent) and Sheridan had to be regarded as having failed, which you can't disagree with. It may be that he hasn't bailed out because there isn't an escape hatch available to him but it seems he remains committed to doing something for the club and the Home Park development. Until there's a better alternative, I think we have to give Brent the benefit of the doubt. Has he become enough of an Argyle fan to retain ownership of the club once it's self sustaining? I don't know but I am sure that if that was the case, I'd rather stick with him, despite his intention not to provide sugar-daddy, subsidies rather than run the risk of a change in ownership in the hope of "jam tomorrow".
Interesting to see that Shaun Wright-Phillips has joined his brother Bradley at New York Red Bulls.....and in passing it mentioned that Bradley has scored 41 goals in 63 games for NYRB's.....thats one goal every 1.54 matches or 0.65 goals per game.....that's impressive for someone with only one good knee......sorry folks to mention BWP again.....and because of admin we gave him away.
I don't expect Brent to become a sugar daddy owner and never have. What I've always questioned is what he has actually contributed to the saving of the club which is what a lot of fairly green tinted people believe he did. Ok he lent his name to it which I suppose gave it credibility at the time. What he didn't do in my opinion is invest anything as some believe. He obtained the club for nothing is my take on it. What he has done is set about trying to make it worth more than it was for when he does bail and therein will lie his wages for doing the above. I also don't want Argyle to live above it's means again. That way lies certain ruin as some other clubs have found out recently. There are more to come I would reckon. It is also true that there isn't a queue forming outside of the ground of multi millionaire types who are so in love with Argyle they want to keep it and feed it for life. I'm not so sure Brent would have found any of his proposals for the grandstand easy to finance with or without a change in global wealth. I don't think Bretonside scuppered it exactly and that it was already on it's way down the plug hole before that ever came along. That and the problem it was a bad plan in the first place. I actually think that Brent has done something for Argyle but not as much as some believe. He is sort of a bit like Dan McCauley. Never going to be loved but not the Devil incarnate they are made out to be. He won't bail out. Mainly because he hasn't got the means to get his investment payoff if he does it now. I will never believe he is a fan but more a foster parent who only wants to look after the baby as long as there is a wage in it. The proof will come one way or another if and when somebody else with more financial clout turns up and offers to relieve him of the burden. I will bet his cash register will start to ching very loudly and Argyle will be worth a lot more than he would give it credit for now. I don't begrudge him making a few bob and never have. But, just be a bit more honest about it and stop trying to bullshit the people who have invested years in Argyle who morally should be the real owners.
Is Bradley your love child Plym? Sadly what I remember him for is being a sicknote when it should have been for his goals.
Sick note or not....he scored goals wherever he played.....13 goals in half a season and ends up still our top scorer......moves to Charlton for peanuts and scores another 13 goals......if only he had two knees he would have made his brother shaun look second rate.
I hear young River Allen has signed up for non league Gateshead. I still can't help thinking this is one that might have got away and is better than that. Also read an article by Carey about Adams and the way he likes to play. Says we should be entertained which to be honest in itself will make a change if it happens. Says Adams is an honest guy who says it as it is. If you are doing crap he tells you and if you are doing well he tells you. As it should be in my opinion. Not long now to wait for blast off. Got my season ticket today, sorry membership, and collected the group's who I go with. No excuses they will have to attend.
Just checking if Bristol Rovers tickets where on general sale yet. I despair.........I ended up in a very busy queue for play-off tickets for Wycombe Wanderers.....you couldn't make it up could you.......
They must be predicting the same scenario this season.. get your ticket now plym. what date is the game? i could go and get you a couple if you wanted?
Just asked the not606 pompey bunch who have said they have not heard the rumour about Reid. Fingers crossed then.
Somebody now said rumour is strong one. You never know what to believe do you. I now think this rumour has credence and might happen. Having given him his start in football life and sort of resurected him when he looked down and out you would like to think he wouldn't want to go wouldn't you. Fat bleddy chance....
Well, hopefully he will stay as what better are Pompey than us? only a better history. They are in a similar position to us. I think we have a better chance or going up.. If he does go it will be undisclosed and i doubt we will get the true value for a goalscorer in league 2.. may be 100k.. didn't think Pompey had any cash?
Thanks for the offer Joe, but I'll wait a little longer.....PAFC have a members first ticket scheme.....season ticket holders have their seats for the season......the lowest membership level allows you to pick six home games whenever throughout the season.......so to make sure that these members are not disappointed tickets for home games are only available to those members until much nearer the match date.......then sales are opened up for general sale. So exiles like me who would never go to six home games in a season cannot become members......even if you've supported the club for over sixty years. I would never book accomodation before obtaining match tickets.....ok most home games would not be full, although some might be all ticket.....mostly derby games of course.....which Bristol Rovers would be classed as a west country derby. Booking nearer the match date means you can miss out on room offers.....Premier Inns would come in that category and others as well. PAFC should offer some form of membership scheme to supporters who would not go to up to six games a season (such as exiles).....which would include some form of perks....such as team news on pre match days etc......I would pay a small membership fee for such a thing and membership would allow you to buy tickets before they go on general sale......derby games mean that you would not have to wait for the left overs and get a better seat position than waiting for general release of tickets. Just a thought.....I did query that with PAFC a few years back....but didn't get any satisfactory answer.......you do get the feeling at times that PAFC feel the system would work better if it didn't have to deal with (awkward ?) fans......it's like the buses.....they would run to schedule if it wasn't for damn passengers stopping them at bus stops............. PS.....I did e-mail the ticket office last week....asking when tickets might go on general sale.....the answer was.....no answer at all....but that is typical PAFC efficiency....that's my view....I hope it isn't generally the case.
Not sure about the Reid offer(if there is one- I have have no knowledge on how serious this might be) i.e. not sure how I would feel about him going. Clearly anyone who bangs in that amount of goals will be difficult to replace but quite a few were scored from the spot. Apart from his goals, I spent much of last season being irritated by him; admittedly he was injured and the system didn't suit him. He looks a whole lot sharper in pre season than I thought he would and I expect that the 'new'style of play will result in lots of chances. I guess that my overriding feeling is that everyone has their price- Given it is League 2 and he only has a year left on his contract I suspect £350k is the absolute max and more realistically £250k would be accepted. With a few exceptions, players dont move for 'big money' in the lower leagues anymore. Big question is, can the remaining players make up for his loss?
Portsmouth would be one of the favourites AGAIN for promotion.....we don't need to help them by letting Reid go there....lets hold on to him and give Adams the best chance for promotion.
i is a tst because the best Pompey can offer is League 1 football next season, the same as us. Plus I suppose nightclubs he's not banned from. I can't imagine they're swimming in money: aren't they owned by a fans' trust following administration? Offer him a 3 year contract at an increased wage now.
