A Statement

[Daz]

The following is a statement from a fan of the Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

James, My interest in Argyle is seeing the football team play on a Saturday afternoon, having a few beers with friends and just having an enjoyable afternoon watching a game of football and having a shout, swear and general release of tension that the working week has bought.

I trust you to look after the club with your best intentions, I don't care if you make money from your investment (I hope you do as that will clearly be better for pafc than losing money), but I'm honestly not interested in every nook and cranny of what is going on behind the scenes. I just want to be able to see Plymouth Argyle play on a Saturday afternoon. I'd love us to be in the premier league, but actually some of the best times I've had were in the dark days of administration with fans that didn't care what the score was but just wanted to be there with likeminded people supporting their team.

Until the day that you actually give me a reason to fear that you are affecting my ability to watch my local team play football (good or bad) you have my backing 100%. Keep up the good work you and the board are doing.

P.s I like the q and a's you do with fans, forget the 'fans bodies', talk to us directly and you will win more friends.

Daz :thumbup:
Plymouth Argle supporter 1985-20....

This post reads better if you imagine it under Paul Stapleton in 2008 or similar.

''You are a great chairman, I have no reason to doubt you, I am just a simple man who likes a few beers at the football with my mates, I trust you to get on with it and prefer not to poke my nose in your business" etc.

What if fans didn't poke their nose into the business back then?

Before James Brent came in it was supporters who cottoned on to some horrendous mishaps behind the scenes.

Fair enough I understand some of the individuals involved might get up noses, perhaps, but a little accountability can be no bad thing surely?

I for one am a little dismayed at how distant James Brent seems to want his boardroom to be from the fans. He came into the club with promises of an entirely different approach to this.

A little insight to the finances, to know we are doing well isn't too much to ask for surely? But Brent seems to seal his boardroom door watertight. I don't understand the need for it. Me not understanding this leads to slight worry and apprehension, which would multiply considerably if the mortgage to the ground is to be on the line.

I never said I was a simple man.

I said I want to watch football and enjoy it with mates. I couldn't give a rats arse about all the politics behind the scenes as long as we have a club to support I will be there when I can. Until James Brent or anyone else puts that in to doubt I'm happy for him to crack on.

 

[IJN]

I've often thought you were simple.

 

[Daz]

I've often thought you were simple.

:lol: I don't mind if you've met me.

 

[Knibbsworth]

The following is a statement from a fan of the Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

James, My interest in Argyle is seeing the football team play on a Saturday afternoon, having a few beers with friends and just having an enjoyable afternoon watching a game of football and having a shout, swear and general release of tension that the working week has bought.

I trust you to look after the club with your best intentions, I don't care if you make money from your investment (I hope you do as that will clearly be better for pafc than losing money), but I'm honestly not interested in every nook and cranny of what is going on behind the scenes. I just want to be able to see Plymouth Argyle play on a Saturday afternoon. I'd love us to be in the premier league, but actually some of the best times I've had were in the dark days of administration with fans that didn't care what the score was but just wanted to be there with likeminded people supporting their team.

Until the day that you actually give me a reason to fear that you are affecting my ability to watch my local team play football (good or bad) you have my backing 100%. Keep up the good work you and the board are doing.

P.s I like the q and a's you do with fans, forget the 'fans bodies', talk to us directly and you will win more friends.

Daz :thumbup:
Plymouth Argle supporter 1985-20....

This post reads better if you imagine it under Paul Stapleton in 2008 or similar.

''You are a great chairman, I have no reason to doubt you, I am just a simple man who likes a few beers at the football with my mates, I trust you to get on with it and prefer not to poke my nose in your business" etc.

What if fans didn't poke their nose into the business back then?

Before James Brent came in it was supporters who cottoned on to some horrendous mishaps behind the scenes.

Fair enough I understand some of the individuals involved might get up noses, perhaps, but a little accountability can be no bad thing surely?

I for one am a little dismayed at how distant James Brent seems to want his boardroom to be from the fans. He came into the club with promises of an entirely different approach to this.

A little insight to the finances, to know we are doing well isn't too much to ask for surely? But Brent seems to seal his boardroom door watertight. I don't understand the need for it. Me not understanding this leads to slight worry and apprehension, which would multiply considerably if the mortgage to the ground is to be on the line.

I never said I was a simple man.

I said I want to watch football and enjoy it with mates. I couldn't give a rats arse about all the politics behind the scenes as long as we have a club to support I will be there when I can. Until James Brent or anyone else puts that in to doubt I'm happy for him to crack on.

And what if you don't have a club to support? It's a bit late to go back and say 'I wish I'd have paid some attention to what was going on' after HMRC have wound the club up.

The other thing is you may trust James Brent, but after he/the club buys the ground, the club will most likely go to the highest bidder, not the most trustworthy character.

The same thing happened when control of the club passed from Stapleton to those shysters who put the club to rack and ruin (apologies if shysters is considered a libellous term). Stapleton loves the club equally as much as Brent does, but when shares were being sold money spoke the loudest.

If you were to make the club future proof, renting Home Park is a lot less threatening to the club's survival than owning Home Park, which can be used as an asset against which to borrow and potentially default on.

The club have only owned Home Park for a short period of the club 's history. How long after buying it did the club nearly lose it for good? With out having the precise fact to hand, it must literally have only been a couple of years.

In a few short years of owning the ground, despite being a well run club since 1886, the money men with the big ideas came in and ran it into the ground. If that isn't a lesson worth learning for the future...

 

[Fat_green_belly]

The following is a statement from a fan of the Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

James, My interest in Argyle is seeing the football team play on a Saturday afternoon, having a few beers with friends and just having an enjoyable afternoon watching a game of football and having a shout, swear and general release of tension that the working week has bought.

I trust you to look after the club with your best intentions, I don't care if you make money from your investment (I hope you do as that will clearly be better for pafc than losing money), but I'm honestly not interested in every nook and cranny of what is going on behind the scenes. I just want to be able to see Plymouth Argyle play on a Saturday afternoon. I'd love us to be in the premier league, but actually some of the best times I've had were in the dark days of administration with fans that didn't care what the score was but just wanted to be there with likeminded people supporting their team.

Until the day that you actually give me a reason to fear that you are affecting my ability to watch my local team play football (good or bad) you have my backing 100%. Keep up the good work you and the board are doing.

P.s I like the q and a's you do with fans, forget the 'fans bodies', talk to us directly and you will win more friends.

Daz :thumbup:
Plymouth Argle supporter 1985-20....

This post reads better if you imagine it under Paul Stapleton in 2008 or similar.

''You are a great chairman, I have no reason to doubt you, I am just a simple man who likes a few beers at the football with my mates, I trust you to get on with it and prefer not to poke my nose in your business" etc.

What if fans didn't poke their nose into the business back then?

Before James Brent came in it was supporters who cottoned on to some horrendous mishaps behind the scenes.

Fair enough I understand some of the individuals involved might get up noses, perhaps, but a little accountability can be no bad thing surely?

I for one am a little dismayed at how distant James Brent seems to want his boardroom to be from the fans. He came into the club with promises of an entirely different approach to this.

A little insight to the finances, to know we are doing well isn't too much to ask for surely? But Brent seems to seal his boardroom door watertight. I don't understand the need for it. Me not understanding this leads to slight worry and apprehension, which would multiply considerably if the mortgage to the ground is to be on the line.

I never said I was a simple man.

I said I want to watch football and enjoy it with mates. I couldn't give a rats arse about all the politics behind the scenes as long as we have a club to support I will be there when I can. Until James Brent or anyone else puts that in to doubt I'm happy for him to crack on.

And what if you don't have a club to support? It's a bit late to go back and say 'I wish I'd have paid some attention to what was going on' after HMRC have wound the club up.

The other thing is you may trust James Brent, but after he/the club buys the ground, the club will most likely go to the highest bidder, not the most trustworthy character.

The same thing happened when control of the club passed from Stapleton to those shysters who put the club to rack and ruin (apologies if shysters is considered a libellous term). Stapleton loves the club equally as much as Brent does, but when shares were being sold money spoke the loudest.

If you were to make the club future proof, renting Home Park is a lot less threatening to the club's survival than owning Home Park, which can be used as an asset against which to borrow and potentially default on.

The club have only owned Home Park for a short period of the club 's history. How long after buying it did the club nearly lose it for good? With out having the precise fact to hand, it must literally have only been a couple of years.

In a few short years of owning the ground, despite being a well run club since 1886, the money men with the big ideas came in and ran it into the ground. If that isn't a lesson worth learning for the future...

If we did lose the club it would rise again in some form. Its too big to go under completely. It might even
benefit some of its supporters who would prefer a trust run model with maybe youth development to the fore.
Very unlikely it all happening again. Has a club ever gone into admin twice for the same reason like ours?

JB has quoted that he has already turned down offers to buy as the bidders were of the character you mention.

I trust JB and co to sell eventually in PAFCs interest as well as there own. Hopefully by then the HPP development will be
completed and a todd/gardner repeat avoided. We must show some faith in the board. There are people on there who know
all about what happened last time. I trust them as well as JB not to make the same mistakes again.
Does anybody have suggestions on completing the stand if HP is kept in public ownership? Assuming now we can no longer get
the funding from multiplex in a mixed development. Then there was all that opposition to the size of the stand proposed. So
maybe even more funding required for a preferred larger one. Funnily enough it seems to be the same people now opposed
to any freehold purchase.

We all know its safer in public ownership but how do we progress the club? It might also be used as an asset against
which to borrow safely to complete the stand. Who knows? I aint business minded to comment on that. Im sure i read somewhere that
JB opposes this method anyway? Whatever, i trust these guys to do whatever they think best.

Didnt stapleton and co buy the freehold previous to sell the club to try and progress it at championship level?
They took it as far as they could so to speak. Improving argyle, or so they thought, and making some money at the same time?
I just dont see JB and co selling at this time anyway. They surely have to progress the club first especially the development.
I remember reading somewhere that all JBs plymouth development projects were linked and had to be achieved in order
for the funding to become available one after the other. HHP being the first in line.

 

[Leigh Rapson]

I know my opinion doesn't carry any weight but I think I did my. It during the dark days to comment.


My thoughts are these.

1) the statement from the signatories is fine, they've raised concerns that at least 30% of the fan base have, I think they probably should have done it mid week rather than the day before the game to allow the club an opportunity to respond.

2) the club buying the freehold makes me nervous, but, for our club to push on and grow it needs to have its own tangible assets. Currently we don't have any, previously players have been put as assets in the accounts at an apparently inflated value. James Brent has done a great job in keeping us afloat and making progress both financially and on the field, things may be happening slower than we would like but there is a stability that we need. I think it is important that when the club (if) buys the freehold back there is a clause written in that the council remain a shareholder in ownership to ensure that should the worse happen they can buy the stadium back.

3) we know that a new grandstand is highly unlikely to be built but a redevelopment and refurbishment of our existing facilities is a good way to help us grow, it also opens the door for new ownership and a new chance for the club to grow even more. We all know that JB never intended to stay long term, he needs to be able to move things forward to help that saleability.

4) I think the trust have made a massive judgement of error in asking for the acv, there's. k way they could raise funds for stadium purchase, they couldn't raise funds for the sponsorship on the back of the shirt. I thought the trust had done a good job in recent years but sadly imho they've ballesed it all up with the acv and now this statement.

It's good that we have people that question the club, it's vital we have people that question the club but it's also important that the club keep somethings quiet and bussiness like.

 

[Knarf Reprah]

I know my opinion doesn't carry any weight but I think I did my. It during the dark days to comment.


My thoughts are these.

1) the statement from the signatories is fine, they've raised concerns that at least 30% of the fan base have, I think they probably should have done it mid week rather than the day before the game to allow the club an opportunity to respond.

2) the club buying the freehold makes me nervous, but, for our club to push on and grow it needs to have its own tangible assets. Currently we don't have any, previously players have been put as assets in the accounts at an apparently inflated value. James Brent has done a great job in keeping us afloat and making progress both financially and on the field, things may be happening slower than we would like but there is a stability that we need. I think it is important that when the club (if) buys the freehold back there is a clause written in that the council remain a shareholder in ownership to ensure that should the worse happen they can buy the stadium back.

3) we know that a new grandstand is highly unlikely to be built but a redevelopment and refurbishment of our existing facilities is a good way to help us grow, it also opens the door for new ownership and a new chance for the club to grow even more. We all know that JB never intended to stay long term, he needs to be able to move things forward to help that saleability.

4) I think the trust have made a massive judgement of error in asking for the acv, there's. k way they could raise funds for stadium purchase, they couldn't raise funds for the sponsorship on the back of the shirt. I thought the trust had done a good job in recent years but sadly imho they've ballesed it all up with the acv and now this statement.

It's good that we have people that question the club, it's vital we have people that question the club but it's also important that the club keep somethings quiet and bussiness like.

:nworthy: :clap:

 

[Argylegames]

So what is the ACV actually on? If Brent buys the freehold it gets cancelled? And what's to stop the AFT putting on another one?

The ACV order stops the sale of the asset for six months to give a local group the opportunity to raise the money to buy the asset to keep it for the community as it currently is. It has mostly been used to protect pubs and local shops from being closed and turned into houses. The order stops the owner selling it for six months, once sold, the order is cancelled as the owner has changed.

As I understand it the clauses in the lease on HP give Argyle opportunities to buy HP and these have precedence over the ACV order.

Another thing - the ACV order can hold up the sale for six months, but the owner of the ACV does not have to sell it to the local group - they can still sell it to who they want.

 

[Argylegames]

It would only mean that any future takeover would be made public so as to allow an opportunity for the bid/bidder to be scrutinized to ensure that the best interests of PAFC were being protected. Transparency ?

No it wouldn't. The ACV order/listing only stops the owner selling for six months whilst a local group tries to raise the money to buy the asset. There is no requirement on the owner to disclose anything about the bids from other parties, in fact they'd probably be sued if they did. Once the six months is up they can sell to anybody they like, they do not have to accept the offer from the local group.

As things stand Argyle are not the subject of an ACV listing, Home Park is. In fact that is probably the only part of the Argyle setup which CAN be listed, the ACV is a physical thing. Getting HP listed wouldn't stop JB from selling Argyle, he'd just have to wait six months before he could sell HP.

 

[Argylegames]

Another thing which surprises me and somewhat amused me about the listing of HP.

ACV listing is done on behalf of the community by the local borough council. The one on HP is the first I have heard of where a borough council (PCC) has listed one of its own assets! Thus in theory PCC has stopped PCC selling HP for at least six months after it declares the intention.

 

[Quizmike]

That's brilliant. Thank for the info.

So all the ACV does is hold up the sale for six months.

I've read something as well about planning permission. Now obviously this is to stop pubs being turned into flats, but under the ACV if we we were looking to build a new Grandstand (miracles can happen) and a rival fan were to object saying the current Grandstand was part of ACV, would that screw things up and if so how much?

 

[briangreen]

I've said all the way through that James Brent is a man that I feel can be totally trusted. It was ironic to note that several of the less salubrious of characters on this site started questioning the motives of the man just after the 'brent honeymoon' came to a shuddering halt. Suddenly there was a hidden agenda, why would a man who has no interest in football buy a football club?
Yes he probably did see it as an investment opportunity, but like me and many others argyle grows on you and it becomes addictive, even in the god awful times.
I think we should trust the judgement of this man, he has not set us wrong yet and the club has progressed amazingly so since the dark days. People talk about potential owners to come, Simon Hallett seems a pretty decent person and astute businessman, I would say Brent did well there. The future is always a lottery, but I would say we have a pretty good hand with James Brent in charge. The man is highly rated in the business world, let him get on with it.
Btw, I heard that it was the aft not turning up at meetings with Brent not that he wouldn't meet with them. Could we have some clarification on that from the higher echelons of the aft?

 

[Knibbsworth]

I've said all the way through that James Brent is a man that I feel can be totally trusted. It was ironic to note that several of the less salubrious of characters on this site started questioning the motives of the man just after the 'brent honeymoon' came to a shuddering halt. Suddenly there was a hidden agenda, why would a man who has no interest in football buy a football club?
Yes he probably did see it as an investment opportunity, but like me and many others argyle grows on you and it becomes addictive, even in the god awful times.
I think we should trust the judgement of this man, he has not set us wrong yet and the club has progressed amazingly so since the dark days. People talk about potential owners to come, Simon Hallett seems a pretty decent person and astute businessman, I would say Brent did well there. The future is always a lottery, but I would say we have a pretty good hand with James Brent in charge. The man is highly rated in the business world, let him get on with it.
Btw, I heard that it was the aft not turning up at meetings with Brent not that he wouldn't meet with them. Could we have some clarification on that from the higher echelons of the aft?

How on earth is six seasons of League Two football "the club progressing amazingly"? Are you sure you aren't confusing James Brent with the Paul Stapleton board, as their progression was a little more amazing than this.

Has Pompey progressed amazingly too, with their successive seasons of failure to get promoted, and successive seasons of avoiding the wrath of HMRC. Interesting that what they consider outright failure, we apparently consider 'amazing progression'.

Also the contracts fiasco of last season has cost us severely. We are mid table at best with this season's squad and that will likely take some time to repair.

 

[Daz]

I've said all the way through that James Brent is a man that I feel can be totally trusted. It was ironic to note that several of the less salubrious of characters on this site started questioning the motives of the man just after the 'brent honeymoon' came to a shuddering halt. Suddenly there was a hidden agenda, why would a man who has no interest in football buy a football club?
Yes he probably did see it as an investment opportunity, but like me and many others argyle grows on you and it becomes addictive, even in the god awful times.
I think we should trust the judgement of this man, he has not set us wrong yet and the club has progressed amazingly so since the dark days. People talk about potential owners to come, Simon Hallett seems a pretty decent person and astute businessman, I would say Brent did well there. The future is always a lottery, but I would say we have a pretty good hand with James Brent in charge. The man is highly rated in the business world, let him get on with it.
Btw, I heard that it was the aft not turning up at meetings with Brent not that he wouldn't meet with them. Could we have some clarification on that from the higher echelons of the aft?

How on earth is six seasons of League Two football "the club progressing amazingly"?

Has Pompey progressed amazingly too, with their successive seasons of failure to get promoted, and successive seasons of avoiding the wrath of HMRC. Interesting that what they consider outright failure, we consider 'amazing progression'.

Also the contracts fiasco of last season has cost us severely. We are mid table at best with this season's squad and that will likely take some time to repair.

I hope our friend that likes to screenshot posts like this is on the ball tonight because I'll take a wager on mid table at best. :thumbup:

 

[Knibbsworth]

I've said all the way through that James Brent is a man that I feel can be totally trusted. It was ironic to note that several of the less salubrious of characters on this site started questioning the motives of the man just after the 'brent honeymoon' came to a shuddering halt. Suddenly there was a hidden agenda, why would a man who has no interest in football buy a football club?
Yes he probably did see it as an investment opportunity, but like me and many others argyle grows on you and it becomes addictive, even in the god awful times.
I think we should trust the judgement of this man, he has not set us wrong yet and the club has progressed amazingly so since the dark days. People talk about potential owners to come, Simon Hallett seems a pretty decent person and astute businessman, I would say Brent did well there. The future is always a lottery, but I would say we have a pretty good hand with James Brent in charge. The man is highly rated in the business world, let him get on with it.
Btw, I heard that it was the aft not turning up at meetings with Brent not that he wouldn't meet with them. Could we have some clarification on that from the higher echelons of the aft?

How on earth is six seasons of League Two football "the club progressing amazingly"?

Has Pompey progressed amazingly too, with their successive seasons of failure to get promoted, and successive seasons of avoiding the wrath of HMRC. Interesting that what they consider outright failure, we consider 'amazing progression'.

Also the contracts fiasco of last season has cost us severely. We are mid table at best with this season's squad and that will likely take some time to repair.

I hope our friend that likes to screenshot posts like this is on the ball tonight because I'll take a wager on mid table at best. :thumbup:

I will be very surprised if we make the playoffs. I would dearly love to be proved wrong but I don't think we have recruited a promotion chasing pack in the summer additions.