If you say - I'm ready to buy and the seller says - hang on I'm waiting for somebody else, you might say stuff it might you not? Th eclub isn't sold until the signatures.
I Love the Valley so many memories there but at the end of the day that's what they are memories. History can never be undone but at the end of the day we have to do what is right for this football club if that means re homing to Greenwich then so be it. Times have changed and so has football its not just a game any more its a business and would people here who disagree with the idea of moving, rather 10-20 years down the line when we are behind the rest of the football clubs in this country watch our beloved club dissolve into history.
If we do not get taken over by end December and miss the transfer window we will be lucky to avoid relegation
The loan window closes this Thursday 28th November at 7:00PM and the new Transfer window opens Jan 1st - 31st, 2014. So this Thursday to 'freshen up' and January for a 'make over'...finances permitting.
yes, but the first bidders could walk away if delayed too long!
I'm not stating an opinion one way or the other on the Charlton situation.
However due diligence can be a two way thing. The potential purchaser wants to assure himself that he would actually receive in reality what purports to be on offer but equally the vendor needs to know that the proposed purchaser is good for the potential offer.
yes, but the first bidders could walk away if delayed too long!
I'm not stating an opinion one way or the other on the Charlton situation.
However due diligence can be a two way thing. The potential purchaser wants to assure himself that he would actually receive in reality what purports to be on offer but equally the vendor needs to know that the proposed purchaser is good for the potential offer.
Don't the Bank and the previous directors also have a right of veto?
yes, but the first bidders could walk away if delayed too long!
I'm not stating an opinion one way or the other on the Charlton situation.
However due diligence can be a two way thing. The potential purchaser wants to assure himself that he would actually receive in reality what purports to be on offer but equally the vendor needs to know that the proposed purchaser is good for the potential offer.
Don't the Bank and the previous directors also have a right of veto?
I seem to remember reading that somewhere too Kap.
Given both are still owed money then absolutely they would have a right of veto. If both were paid back in full in respect to this transaction then less so I would imagine, although any owner would still need to be able to pass KYC checks to operate a Bank account.
Well, as I have said, I'm open too. I'm just a bit more sceptical than many here about the actual benefits. Of course its a long way down the line too, but I will try and take a leaf out of Henry's book. He has made an excellent checklist against which to evaluate the business plan of any new owners. Something similar can be done with the stay/move issue.
So here's my list of test questions, all suggestions for improvement welcome:
Staying
What extra seating, executive boxes and entertainment can be built into the Valley? What is the development cost of such work? What is the expected extra revenue? - in this League/In the FAPL? What is the annual running cost?
Moving
What seating, executive boxes and entertainment is planned? What is the forecast revenue - in this League/In the FAPL What is the expected rental and maintenance cost? What new benefits - such as a Safe Standing area- are offered What car parking will be available, at what expected cost?
Anyone got anything to add to the questions?
So much I want to say on this but I can't yet reach sufficient coherence. What I can and will say now though is that the most important thing in any decision is that all stakeholders in Charlton Athletic - the board, the investors, the staff, the supporters - are properly consulted and bought into it.
Such questions can help with that process, but for me there would need to be a definite, definitive alternative and compelling reason to move before the debate should be even entertained.
The Peninsula might offer us a unique opportunity to be part of something that if missed we might regret for generations to come. The fight for the Valley back in the 80s was in big part symbolic of the marriage of the identity of the club with its ground (and supporters, of course). That heart and identity wouldn't necessarily be lost at a new ground. If everyone shared the vision for what the Peninsula could bring and bought into it it might actually grow both - but I think it would need to be something uniquely offered by the Peninsula that couldn't be matched at The Valley.
To be clear I don't want to leave the Valley. I can however see that our walk up support could be dramatically increased at the Peninsula - those taking in an O2 concert might opt for some footy and a meal beforehand, for example - and it's a location that will undoubtedly be 'sexier' than Floyd Road and linked directly by tube and the cable car, and therefore very likely to be more attractive commercially. Would it help us back to the Prem? I think that's very doubtful.
What absolutely mustn't happen is that we are moved for the benefit of a handful of owners who won't be here tomorrow. The club has a place in its community and an identity in all of us, and unless we're bought in it mustn't happen. The Valley is our home - a new Valley could be too, but we'd need to see it and like it first.
I recently moved out of London for the first time in my 45 years. In fact, out of South East London for the first time. I never saw myself leaving, I stayed in my last home for 16 years - but then I found reason to go and, whilst I do miss some things about life in South East London (mostly kebab shops open to 2am), I'm really very happy with a change I could never previously have imagined.
For this reason I remain open to a move, provided that should the opportunity ever present itself the identity of Charlton Athletic -its history, its supporters - is not lost in individuals looking for a quick buck. The Message to Our Supporters next time should be this: "We want you to be happy that our club's identity will grow at a new place, we want you to come with us or we're lost, here's why we think this is right for Charlton Athletic - please join with our vision and make it happen for supporters now and for future generations. Because if we don't, well - who will he support?"
If you say - I'm ready to buy and the seller says - hang on I'm waiting for somebody else, you might say stuff it might you not? Th eclub isn't sold until the signatures.
From a personal perspective you may want to tell them to stuff it but surely business, especially buying a football club, is different ?
There are other football clubs and you may not like being messed around. Airman suggested the story was planted -possibly for the benefit of another potential bidder - I'd be a bit cross about that personally. Hopefully, if it is about locality - this shouldn't be a problem!
If you say - I'm ready to buy and the seller says - hang on I'm waiting for somebody else, you might say stuff it might you not? Th eclub isn't sold until the signatures.
From a personal perspective you may want to tell them to stuff it but surely business, especially buying a football club, is different ?
Rich people = typically big ego's = even more likley to turn round and say stuff it in my experience.
Well, as I have said, I'm open too. I'm just a bit more sceptical than many here about the actual benefits. Of course its a long way down the line too, but I will try and take a leaf out of Henry's book. He has made an excellent checklist against which to evaluate the business plan of any new owners. Something similar can be done with the stay/move issue.
So here's my list of test questions, all suggestions for improvement welcome:
Staying
What extra seating, executive boxes and entertainment can be built into the Valley? What is the development cost of such work? What is the expected extra revenue? - in this League/In the FAPL? What is the annual running cost?
Moving
What seating, executive boxes and entertainment is planned? What is the forecast revenue - in this League/In the FAPL What is the expected rental and maintenance cost? What new benefits - such as a Safe Standing area- are offered What car parking will be available, at what expected cost?
Anyone got anything to add to the questions?
tl;dr - I think primarily we don't need questions for staying, it should be assumed that we will stay unless a compelling argument to move comes up. For moving, we need to understand the compelling reason, the new opportunities, and the new risks and exposures we'll likely be taking on.
lets not forget ultimately (and indirectly) the reason we were forced to leave the valley was because the club/owner didn't have the cajones to make the necessary changes to the club when there was an oppurtunity to take the club to the next level a couple of decades prior. Could we be making a similar mistake in rejecting a move to the peninsular?
Rikofold, if that is you with a lack of coherence I'd love to read you when you are coherent.
Very well put.
I agree that the default position should be we stay until there is a clear advantage for all the stakeholders in moving. And not just now but long term.
Comments
I'm just a bit bored of it all, be it the sale, moving grounds, Cardiff fans having digs elsewhere. Just let it be done when its done.
However due diligence can be a two way thing. The potential purchaser wants to assure himself that he would actually receive in reality what purports to be on offer but equally the vendor needs to know that the proposed purchaser is good for the potential offer.
Don't the Bank and the previous directors also have a right of veto?
Such questions can help with that process, but for me there would need to be a definite, definitive alternative and compelling reason to move before the debate should be even entertained.
The Peninsula might offer us a unique opportunity to be part of something that if missed we might regret for generations to come. The fight for the Valley back in the 80s was in big part symbolic of the marriage of the identity of the club with its ground (and supporters, of course). That heart and identity wouldn't necessarily be lost at a new ground. If everyone shared the vision for what the Peninsula could bring and bought into it it might actually grow both - but I think it would need to be something uniquely offered by the Peninsula that couldn't be matched at The Valley.
To be clear I don't want to leave the Valley. I can however see that our walk up support could be dramatically increased at the Peninsula - those taking in an O2 concert might opt for some footy and a meal beforehand, for example - and it's a location that will undoubtedly be 'sexier' than Floyd Road and linked directly by tube and the cable car, and therefore very likely to be more attractive commercially. Would it help us back to the Prem? I think that's very doubtful.
What absolutely mustn't happen is that we are moved for the benefit of a handful of owners who won't be here tomorrow. The club has a place in its community and an identity in all of us, and unless we're bought in it mustn't happen. The Valley is our home - a new Valley could be too, but we'd need to see it and like it first.
I recently moved out of London for the first time in my 45 years. In fact, out of South East London for the first time. I never saw myself leaving, I stayed in my last home for 16 years - but then I found reason to go and, whilst I do miss some things about life in South East London (mostly kebab shops open to 2am), I'm really very happy with a change I could never previously have imagined.
For this reason I remain open to a move, provided that should the opportunity ever present itself the identity of Charlton Athletic -its history, its supporters - is not lost in individuals looking for a quick buck. The Message to Our Supporters next time should be this: "We want you to be happy that our club's identity will grow at a new place, we want you to come with us or we're lost, here's why we think this is right for Charlton Athletic - please join with our vision and make it happen for supporters now and for future generations. Because if we don't, well - who will he support?"
Very well put.
I agree that the default position should be we stay until there is a clear advantage for all the stakeholders in moving. And not just now but long term.