There's worse to come !

Don't forget it's an early kick-off.

 

Does that mean we'll be (another) 3 points lighter a couple of hours earlier than the rest of L2 ?

 

An interesting read ( on Kentonline ) - and NO, it's not me!
PJH2303 wrote:
01/12/2022 11:36
Just my opinion.

Nothing at all over the 20-30 years that Paul Scally has been involved with the club has ever been straightforward - certainly not where money is concerned (which is almost everything).
The stadium 'appears' to have now had a morgage loan taken out on it. The purpose, from Mr Galinson's perspective, in the immediate, is to receive regular repayments against an asset which can be realised in the event that the current stadium owner/s cannot repay the loan. In such dire circumstances for we, the supporters, all manner of hurdles would exist before Mr Galinson could tear the stadium down and redevelop it. So let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The biggest question should be about the reasons for 'the owner/s' taking on the mortgage at all.
I suggest that PS sees the very real possibility of the club falling into administration and has looked to realise monies from this principle asset while he still can and to do what he needs to do to reassure the lender that the asset will then be beyond the reach of creditors.
No suggestion, yet, by-the-way, that Mr Galinson has any interest whatsoever in even becoming involved in the running of the club let alone being some altruistic, deep-pocketed, ethereal figure who will go on to fund the building of a shiny new all singing, all dancing new stadium. And on that particular point I say again what I have many times said on this forum that such has never, EVER been a genuine possibility - simply a regular 'somewhere over the rainbow' ploy to calm the frustration of supporters.
The various transactions over the years regarding the stadium are a moot point, methinks. Bought for a single pound, sold for ten million, then bought back for almost one tenth of that figure and now mortgaged, for an unknown sum. At some point, I suggest, HMRC will look into this multi-faceted matter and not like what it sees.
And what about the monies received for this loan?
There's an assumption - repeatedly stated by some - that funds will now be available to the benefit of the squad. I caution against this hope because nowhere in the club's history books, under PS, are there any entries detailing his own personal financial investment in our beloved club ... other than that original £1.

 

Don't know what to think of all this mate, but then I never really have. Unlike what happens on the pitch, I've generally been quiet in the way the club is run financially, but that certainly shouldn't be read by our chairman, any potential investors, or anyone that has a financial interest in our club that I don't have concerns, quite the opposite I have major concerns.

One's that have led me to believe the last few seasons under Evans (not blaming Steve btw) that this club is heading to the National League, certainly hastened by covid. Anyone that thinks any differently is either deluded or completely stark raving bonkers mad. So what's the answers, I honestly don't know apart from hoping for a miracle.

I just hope if that miracle should happen it's someone with a bit more than a quid in their pocket, who first tries to move the club out of Gillingham, to then promise a relocation nearer by in some five year pipe dream.

Anyone that don't take this seriously, needs to go check out the bottom of the National League, Torquay, Scunthorpe, Oldham and (Gateshead). It obviously can't go without full thanks to our chairman who has taken us Full Circle at least I like Michael Palin.

 

Well, I have always thought that ownership of Football clubs has been an expensive hobby of ‘rich’ Chairmen/women – who would indulge their fantasies by ‘wasting’ huge amounts of cash…It certainly hasn’t been about a return on their investment ……….. although manipulative people can make a killing by spending just one measly £ of their own money.

With regards to the American, I cannot see any affinity that he may have with ANY English ( or American ) ‘soccer ‘ club – So, his reason for ‘investment’ must be financial…… and with THAT in mind, I expect him to think with his head rather than heart. (( he really has NO reason to simply throw money at GFC, or any other club WITHOUT expecting serious money in return – with no sentiment as to how it’s achieved – or what suffers in the process.

The way I understand the ‘transaction’ is that Mr. Scally is looking to raise a mortgage – using the security of the ONLY asset at GFC – the ground.

I can only speculate the purpose of the ‘mortgage.’…I ( actually ) hate to be cynical – and have suspicion against Mr. Scally…. What will he do with cash – if it’s not destined for his own pockets? THAT has been Scally’s strategy since day 1… Mr. Scally has provided so much evidence to support my allegation!

Mr. Galinson appears to be offering funds to Mr. Scally – on the condition that money is secured against the Ground - - a sensible move – just like a bank or building society providing people a mortgage to buy your home, or associated purpose…. And if you default on payment – you lose your home!........ I worry as to the reason for the ‘mortgage’ – and have lost ALL trust in Mr. Scally that he won’t squander the money – and yet will be sitting pretty – in the knowledge that he has a property developer who would give Mr. Scally millions of £££, for land that is ripe for a housing project.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST --

I talked about Father Christmas ! ….. It would be my dearest wish that Mr. Scally can do a mortgage deal that encourages Mr. Galinson to provide funds for a new stadium and a decent amount of cash for several decent players – on the understanding that, when the new stadium is built, Priestfield Stadium can be fully sold to Mr. Galinson – who can build as many pieces of property as he wishes – and Mr. Scally can get his ‘cut.’

When I created this thread – it wasn’t just about the prospects of further poor results to come (( that’s gone ‘well’ so far )), or the fear of National League next season – but the real fear that, for Gillingham Football Club, there may be NO next season !.... THAT fear has not disappeared… If Mr. Scally cannot change the current situation (( on and off the pitch )), or refuses to accommodate a scenario that may save the Club, then GFC will very shortly not exist… If NOTHING is done, that day may be written in next year’s diary!

 

Ok, I'm going to play dumb here, I thought the ground was given back to the club? whoever the club maybe on behalf of Gillingham FC...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/jul/21/gillingham-buy-back-priestfield-stadium

Quote:
It is all very odd. Digger asked Scally on Thursday for the reason behind what is seemingly an extremely generous decision either by Scally or the bank to hand over the stadium for what seems such a relatively small sum. "These questions are for the shareholders to ask," he said. "I can't discuss it with you because I am bound by confidentiality agreements and it would be inappropriate to comment."

 

So is the ground Ours, Scallys or Another?

and what happened to the 10 million?

It's like trying to find answers to the black holes in the universe.

 

brb - try to follow this;
Scally buys the Club for one measly £.
Scally sells the ground for £10 Million, and takes 'control' of the cash through his 'ownership' of the Club.
Scally buys back the ground for £1 Million (( of money that really was owed to creditors in the mid 90s.))
Scally now owns the Club, land, all the bog rolls etc - and lines up a property developer to give an unspecified amount on mortgage -payments for which, will be defaulted.
Galinson will 'call in' the debt.
Scally then puts the Club into Administration..... avoids the debt - sells the land to Galinson - hey presto - new housing.

 

https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2022/december/club-statement---01.12.22/

So - basically - if Scally doesn't like a question - he won't answer it...... even if the question is reasonable....
Scally then tries to ward off uncomfortable questions with talk of lawyers........ who, I am sure will advise Mr. Scally of the Freedom of Information legislation.......
....... so - where did that £10 Million end up........

.... and now for a free weather forecast - I hear it's still sunny in Dubai.

 

I don't like these threats of lawyers all the time, I 'seem' to hear it far too often for my liking.

 

If Scally managed to get 10 million then buy it back for 1 million he has made a killing. Sounds very iffy.

 

I did tell you that he is a brilliant business man - for Scally Ltd!

 

I just get more and more always-right...(sometimes I can hate myself).
After the 2nd half display ( well - the 30 minutes of it that I bothered to suffer ), I am running out of different words to describe excrement..... anyone got a shorter word for it ?

 

Dare I say they are lacking in confidence more than quality?

From what I gauged of the first half the Gills played reasonably well, with Reeves getting a few decent mentions. So was it confidence that helped to beat Brentford, maybe it was, so what does it require to instill that same confidence in the league?

There are the usual easy solutions, just sack the manager and the players, but maybe a psychologist wouldn't go amiss but I'm assuming the GFC budget dosen't stretch that, it would rather pay out more for the former solution, the crazy world of football eh.

 

Was thinking about the reality of how far we have come since I first supported the club and the reality of that situation is worse...

1973-74 we were runners up behind Peterborough to the then Division 4 title, and it makes me think and compare to the clubs that got promoted with us, remembering there were no play-offs in them days, so the top four places were automatically promoted.

Bury if memory serves me correctly came fourth and recently became defunct, so not a good sign for the Gills, when you then look at Colchester who came third and are suffering a similar performace fate as us, occupying currently one place above us.

The Gills themselves are looking as though they are heading towards the National League, and my thoughts are will we go out of business, so not a happy scenario for all those three clubs promoted all those decades ago, demonstrating the financial struggles of todays game.

Posh being the only club that have done sounder financial business or maybe a Chairman with deeper pockets, although not sure if the latter is true.

Can things get worse for us, well let's look down that table again from all those decades ago, and their current top 4 league status:

Workington - GONE
Darlington - GONE
Scunthorpe - GONE NL
Torquay - GONE NL
Bury - GONE

Although there is some good news from that year, 19th place, a team we recently beat in the cup and they occupy the Premier League, it shows maybe where we could have been with a bit of remodelling...

https://tuftsdaily.com/sports/2021/...entfords-meteoric-rise-to-the-premier-league/

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I'm sure Neil Harris has a sense of humour, the fans could always try this to put players in a positive mindset...

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The team could learn a lot about movement off the ball from this too.

 

Just received an email from the club, as I suspect many of us did, with the subject ‘Beat the Gills at Buckmore Park’.

Really? Who wrote that and couldn’t see the irony in it, when the customer base are sick to the back teeth of the Gills getting beaten everywhere they go for the last 2 years?

I’m going to need anger management soon.

 

Yeah I had the same email mate, deleted it after a brief read, purely because I didn't see the GFC connection with it at first.