Brents Q & A From OS

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

James Brent's Q & A from the official site.

Part 1.


THE MANAGER

The club is in danger of relegation. Was it a mistake to appoint an inexperienced manager like Carl Fletcher, particularly when other struggling clubs appointed an experienced manager?
Naughty Forty; Lee WSM; Womble; Simon and Sam my 7 year old son; Calum Abbot; Darren Stoneman

A:There were a number of factors that I (and then the Board) needed to consider in confirming Carl’s position as manager. On the downside, there was inexperience; on the upside, passion, commitment and drive, knowledge of the players and club, thoughtfulness, loyalty of the players, etc. The appointment was not without risk, but any appointment would have had risks. The Board is happy with Carl’s performance thus far and we are hoping this will be sustained for the remainder of the season.

If you had to go into battle, who would you rather have: a leader who has fought in many battles and has the experience and knowledge to lead a campaign; or an inexperienced leader who has been into battle but does not have the tactical knowledge to lead from the front? This man should be under the experienced leader learning the ropes.
We are in a result driven game, and I am sure that, if one of your companies was not making money, you would want to know why, and try to rectify it.
Roger Day

A: Ideally, I would rather have an experienced leader who also had the attributes listed above. A person with all these attributes was not available to us, but, with Carl, we have ticked a lot of boxes. Perhaps this is why many war-time leaders have been in their 30s, as Carl is.

I expect the management teams in all our businesses to perform; our businesses are results-focused also. When we have an issue, I try to understand how it arose and what the Board and I can do to help improve performance. Sometimes it is the manager’s fault and the issue cannot be addressed; more often, it is outside his or her control and/or he or she needs help to improve. In my view, the frequent dismissals in football are extraordinary.

Could you describe John Deehan’s role at the club?
Steve

A:The purpose of the role of Director of Football is to provide mentoring and one-to-one coaching and technical support to the first-team manager and his assistants on a daily basis, whilst enhancing programmes that support the development of players within the club, to ultimately improve first team performance and results to attain a higher League position.

This role is responsible for liaising with the Board of Directors on matters relating to the football side of the business within the budget limitations of the club, for example: identifying potential player acquisitions for the club; handling players’ contract negotiations; facilitating selected players’ movement out of the club in a professional and appropriate manner, all with the support of the Club Secretary.

FIGHTING RELEGATION

It’s fair to say all fans were happy when the club was eventually bought and it gave, to a point, some optimism for this coming season, only so far as to expect that we wouldn’t struggle as badly as we had done the previous two seasons. Clearly, that optimism has been unfounded.

I wonder, as a self-confessed non-football fan, are you aware of the consequences of this club falling out of the Football League? If so, do you, or the Board, plan to take any action to give this club the best possible chance of remaining in League 2?
Garry

A: As you know, the club remained in administration for a significant period as the Joint Administrators sought a bidder and then chose a preferred bidder who failed to perform. The club was hamstrung during this period and collapsed to a position that many pundits felt was irrecoverable. A significant number of new players have been brought into the club, the disciplinary record has materially improved, and the results have followed suit. We are not out of the woods yet, but we are pointed in the right direction. I remain very optimistic about our club: imagine what we can achieve without the handicap with which we began this season.

FINANCE

If the club is relegated, will there be any staff redundancies? Will the club still be able to make payments to the staff as part of the deal after administration if the club is relegated?
ArgyleIggy

A: As I made clear from the outset, plans A, B and C involve us retaining League status and this is where our focus has been. We have ensured that new playing contracts protect us from relegation (and we will continue to do this going forward) but, otherwise, we have not focused on relegation; no discussions have been had about staff redundancies in this event. The payments to staff are contractual and are not dependent on League status.

How badly affected is the club by the football debt that must be paid off over the next 5 or so years? Are we still going to be able to compete financially with our rivals?
Womble

A: The annual payment of football club debt is £200,000 per annum - a large absolute amount, but less than 5 % of the club’s forecast turnover. Our player budget (even allowing for the football club debt) is the envy of the vast majority of League 2 clubs and many in League 1.

Will the long-term debt repayment have an effect on the money available for the wage within the cap limits? If it does, could you provide any indication, even if in broad percentage terms based on projected attendance/shop trading information, on how the payment of the long-term debt will impact on our wage-cap for the next few seasons if indeed it will impact at all?
Neil B

A: Please see above. Yes, it does count against the wage-cap but is relatively modest (less than 5% of turnover) and will not materially impact on our ability to compete.

Can you make public the debt situation - how much debt is the club still carrying following the Administration process, to whom is it owed, and what are the repayment plans?
Richard Jones

A: The club has no financial indebtedness other than the £275,000 of convertible securities which are expected to convert into equity and then a loan of £330,000 repayable to Plymouth Argyle Supporters Training and Development Trust, of which we have paid back £33,000.

The debt owed to football creditors is around £2.8m - some £900k is payable over the next four and a half years and the balance of £1.9m at the end. The payments will be accelerated by 50% of unbudgeted income, starting with the last payment first.

You may be aware that there are amongst the fans those who have said that you are simply a hard-nosed businessman whose prime/only motivation is to make money for you and your companies. Equally, there are those who see you as a philanthropic investor whose prime motivation has been to save Plymouth Argyle. I’d be interested in your response to both extremes.
Knecht

A: The rationale for our involvement was initially to underwrite the club’s future to buy time for another purchaser to acquire it (the Administration was unfunded and if the Administrators were not confident of sale, liquidation was highly likely). In this sense, our involvement was philanthropic. We are very happy, however, to have seen our underwriting exercised and we look forward to developing the club.

I do not believe that football clubs make for sound investments. It may be that the development at Home Park creates a profit, but there are no shortage of development sites in the South West.

Do you have any notion, at this stage, what sort of split between profit and investment you foresee and on what premises you may base your decisions?
Knecht

A: I anticipate that any surpluses generated by the club are likely to be reinvested in football activities. We are hoping to develop a new grandstand for Plymouth Argyle Football Club and this will provide the club with further income. Plymouth Argyle Football Club will not be exposed to development risk on the Grandstand.

Q: May I ask whether the liabilities for the football creditors (to be paid over five years) fall to Akkeron/yourself or to income into the football club (via gate sales, merchandise sales, etc.)?

May I also enquire as to the status of the debts to Mastpoint, Ticketus, Lombard, Sir Roy Gardner and the Development Trust (i.e., whether they have been paid, when they are due to be paid, and how they have been/are being paid?) I appreciate some of these are slightly personal questions but in this new era of transparency, and in the light of recent worries expressed about our ability to re-pay this debt, I feel a statement of the extent of it and how it will be paid would be most welcome.

May I go on to ask that if a large proportion of this debt re-payment comes from income into PAFC, to what extent you are entirely confident that this debt will be able to be re-paid if we drop out of the league, which will inevitable see a decline in the attendances?
Sam Down

A: The football club liabilities are a primary obligation of Plymouth Argyle Football Club. One of our companies has provided a guarantee: £200k is payable per annum and the balance of £1.9m in five years time, but this will be accelerated by 50% of unbudgeted income. We are confident that this debt will be serviced, regardless of league status. The loan from the Development Trust is being repaid by quarterly instalments over five years with interest at 1.75 % pa. Plymouth Argyle Football Club has no primary liability to any of the other parties you mention although some participate in windfalls (e.g. any sale of club; promotion to Championship/Premiership; and, in the case of Lombard, super profits on development).

May I ask you how close the club were to liquidation before you decided to put your money where your mouth is?
Deep Throat

A: We don’t know for sure: the Administrators were clearly in control of this. The Administration was, however, unfunded and I suspect the club was very close to liquidation.

Would you still have purchased the club if there wasn’t an opportunity to own the land surrounding the stadium?
Calum Abbot

A: Yes, but not on the same terms.

When the commercial developments are finished will any of the profits be invested in the football club?
Calum Abbot

A: The expectation is that the club will get a new grandstand without bearing any of the development or build cost; failing this (which is in my view unlikely), it will share in the development profits.

Are there any plans for the current debt situation to be shared with the supporters?
Calum Abbot

A: Please see answers above.

My only real concern is that if we are relegated, with the lack of revenue we would receive, is there any chance of a ‘double dip’ and end up in Administration again, like we are seeing with clubs like Port Vale and Portsmouth who have both been in multiple administrations in recent years? My question to you is how do you plan on not letting this happen?
Neil Smith

A: No, I do not see this as a material risk: the debt obligation (described above) is manageable and is guaranteed by one of our companies. My understanding is that Port Vale’s and Portsmouth’s latest Administrations did not result from unexpected relegation, but from other club-specific issues.

I want to ask a question on the players’ current contracts. From my understanding, most clubs which suffer financial problems leading to administration can only seem to get players on short-term contracts (i.e. one, maybe two years at best). I wanted to ask whether this is the case with our current squad and, if so, whether the contracts would be renewed before our best players get snapped up by our rivals?
Chris; Dave Burns

A: We have not seen this as an issue. We have got most of the players that we wanted. We have kept the contracts reasonably short and have typically introduced relegation clauses to protect the club.

Mr Brent,
You have described your purchase of the club as costing you “millions of pounds worth of liabilities” so I have two questions:

If the chance arises to allow people with a long standing interest in the club or football to buy Argyle from you, would they have to just take on responsibility for these “liabilities” or would you expect an additional cash payment, and if so how much?
Grovehill

A: We have no intention to sell Argyle. If we did at a future date, the terms would, of course, be determined by market conditions at that future date.

Do you believe that the club can be self-sustaining in financial terms over the next five years while the football creditor debts have to be cleared, or do you intend to provide funding to ensure the club can continue? If you provide extra funding would this be in the form of a loan with interest being payable, or as a straightforward gift to the club?
Grovehill

A: We have injected additional cash since you raised the question and the form and terms have been publicised. Whether or not additional capital is required will depend on a number of factors. No terms have been set for any future capital raise.

Are the rumours about staff being “asked” to go self-employed correct?
Grovehill

A: Coaching staff working part time – usually evenings – with the youth squads will, in future, be paid on a ‘self-employed’ basis to both streamline the administration process and reduce the costs to the club. All coaching staff have been retained on this new basis

Are you envisaging any other changes to the T&Cs of employees?
Grovehill

A: No.

Are you able to reveal the extent of Argyle’s “football creditor debt”? How long will it take to repay this debt assuming no unanticipated additional income through windfalls? Is this the only debt that the football club has? To what extent will this debt prevent Argyle from paying competitive wages necessary to attract players capable of achieving promotion to the Championship?
Lunarjetman

A: Please see response to Knecht and Neil B in answer to all but your last question. As noted, the annual debt repayment is manageable relative to turnover and will not materially impact on our ability to recruit and retain good players.

NEXT SEASON

Will there be any investment into the team for next season?
Naughty Forty; Steve Gray

A: We will continue to strengthen the team next year but the budget has not yet been set by the Board.

The club is in a precarious position in so many ways and it’s hard to look beyond this season at the moment, but whatever league we find ourselves in can we be assured that the on the field football side of the business will be given a high priority?
Mark Pedlar; Matthew

A: You have our assurance.

If we are relegated to the BSP, what plan is in place to ensure we make a swift return back to the Football League?
Connor Clarke; Chardreadz; Darren Stoneman

A: The focus has been on retention of League status. The Board will look at what is required to achieve promotion from BSP if and when this becomes relevant.

Will the supporters have any input into the designs for next season’s kits (this has proven to be a fantastic form of engagement at other clubs)?
Darren; David Weeks

A: The time-schedule in choosing a kit for next season necessarily meant that the process had to move very swiftly after completion of takeover of the club. Simply, there was no time to seek supporters’ input. However, in future years, we will try to involve the Green Army in the selection process. We are very hopeful that the designs will go down well with fans – and we have also secured back-of-shirt advertising for both home and away shirts.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Part 2

NEW GRANDSTAND/RE-DEVELOPMENT

When is work likely to start on the replacement grandstand and what do you expect the capacity of Home Park to be once the work is completed?
Gaspargomez; Lloyd; Chardreadz

A: We are hopeful that, subject to necessary planning consents and putting in place the requisite funding, work can start within the next couple of years. Capacity of the stadium has not been finally agreed but we hope will be circa 20,000 and will be designed to facilitate a further increase in capacity when required.

Is the car-park and development land owned by PCC, the club or another sector of Akkeron?
Richard Jones

A: As per the recent announcement which your question pre-dated, the car-park and development land are now owned separately from the club. The owners have, however, contractually agreed either to build a new grandstand for the club or to share in profits. The strong expectation is that the new grandstand will be delivered.

Will the supporters have any input into the design of a new grandstand?
Darren

A: Yes, that is the intention.

The turnstiles outside the Grandstand are 80 years old. They were built and paid for by the supporters, i.e. our grandparents and great grandparents. As we see with so many other clubs when redeveloping their grounds, nothing of the club’s heritage is kept in the race to stay “up to date”. Are there any plans to save the old turnstiles or integrate them into the new grandstand? It would signal how proud the club is of its heritage whilst moving forwards with new facilities.
Kevin Dacombe

A: We are at an early stage in designing the new grandstand. We will consult our fans: any and all thoughts are welcome. As discussed below, we will certainly want to recognise and share the club’s history with future Greens and visitors.

Are their plans to include a Hall of Fame within the new Grandstand development?
Greenrod

A: Our thinking has not progressed to this level of detail but thank you for your comments which will be taken on board and considered by the Grandstand Committee when it meets. I believe that there will be support for preserving and sharing our proud history.

It appears that the football ground is now owned by Plymouth City Council, but a piece of land (car-park?) was kept owned by Mr Brent. Will any of the revenue from developing that land be returned to the club? If so, what kind of percentage and over what period of time?
Greenblooded1

A: Please see earlier responses and those to the set of the questions relating to the investment and land sale at Home Park.

Can the plans for the grandstand wait and we concentrate on the team and using funding to ensure we stop this rapid descent down the footballing pyramid?
Matthew

A: The Board strongly believes that the development of performance on the pitch and the hospitality and environment for fans are complementary, not competitive. In other words, we think we should do them in tandem rather than sequentially.

If the grandstand is built, does it include any revenue flow back into its staff and players?
Matthew

A: We believe that the club will increase both its match-day and non match-day income from a new grandstand and that this will facilitate further development of the club and its team.

Will a new grandstand attract sufficient open air concerts in order to fund our losses, and more during a close season?
Matthew

A: We hope that concerts will provide the club with some additional income, but, unfortunately, the margins are not great. Additionally, we hope that increased utilisation of the stadium will help create Home Park as the sporting and leisure centre of the South West, bringing in footfall and wealth to the city for the benefit of Plymothians.

As part of the proposed Grandstand development will there be some form of bar area/ social club built within as seen at many other clubs. It’s an excellent way to generate revenue and bring many fans together prior to kick off.
Greensummit

A: Yes there will: agreed.

If we go down to the BSP, would that delay the building of the last part of the stadium, i.e. the grandstand?
Brian Rogers; Tony Smith

A: The timing of a new grandstand is unlikely to be impacted by League status. All attempts are clearly being made to avoid relegation but, if we were relegated, we would endeavour to seek promotion at the earliest opportunity.

What will happen to match-day hospitality side of things if the knocking down and rebuilding of the grandstand does go ahead?
Sean

A: We will work hard to mitigate the disruption but thinking is at an early stage.
Could you comment on the perception of a number of supporters that your purchase of the football club was capitalising on a property development opportunity rather than saving a football club?
Garry

A: Please see response to Knecht above.

Are you able to reveal a timetable for the completion of the new grandstand and it’s associated developments?
Lunarjetman

A: It is too early to announce a timetable, but we want to move forward sooner, rather than later.

How will this be financed?
Lunarjetman

A: It will be financed separately from, and without risk to, the club.

Will the football club directly benefit from non match-day income from a new grandstand development or do you anticipate non match-day income being paid into a separate, associated business?
Lunarjetman

A: Plymouth Argyle Football Club will benefit directly from non-match-day income.

MATCH-DAY EXPERIENCE

Will the club review the quality of the football for the long term?
Pete Colbourne

A: The wish to provide exciting and winning football lies at the very heart of the club.

Will the club adopt a more attacking passing game mentality, from the management and coaching of the first team right through to the youth players, centre of excellence, etc. and make the club renowned for it?
Pete Colbourne

A: This is a matter for the manager and his staff. I have no doubt that Carl is doing all he can to meet his primary objective: to secure the club’s League status in a fair and sportsmanlike manner.

Please could you give an update on your review of the catering facilities and the Tannoy system?
Alexander

A: It is our intention to improve the present offering on match-days, both in terms of products offered and service provided. Once we have finalised details, the club will make an announcement, but it is intended that the new arrangements will be in place for the first game of next season. The sound system is defective: to revamp it to acceptable standards would cost in the region of £15,000. This will be addressed as part of the new grandstand.

Are there any plans to re-introduce the buses (not free) to transport fans to and from the home games, this is a serious question, many fans were disappointed when the free buses were stopped, starting this has a paid service would go down well with a lot of supporters?
Mike

A: There are no current plans but happy to review over the summer and see if there is a solution that is appealing to fans and economically acceptable to the club.

The Green Taverners have introduced the brilliant Fans Fests, would you consider giving them a key role in the development of match-day entertainment going forward?
Lloyd

A: Agreed, and yes we are.

Catch Them Young - DJM games to start at 12.30pm on a Saturday or played on a Sunday to allow the young players and their parents to attend Argyle games. Will the club push for this to happen?
Miles Bidgood

A:We have always had, and will continue to enjoy, a good relationship with the DJM, who schedule most of their games to kick off at these times.

Match Day Experience - will the club provide pre-match entertainment using talented local people?; Will the club provide a smoking zone outside of the stadium?; Will the club look at the poor stewarding at Home Park?; Will the club take a look at the catering facilities at Home Park and the high cost?
Miles Bidgood

A:The club is considering all these areas (other than smoking areas which we cannot consider).

Do you have any plans to introduce any tangible half-time entertainment? In my view, there are 15 minutes of ‘prime time’ in front of thousands of supporters that are not exploited by any club I know of. Arsenal have embarked upon an Arsenalification of their Emirates Stadium, which has given a previously soulless arena some identity. Could this be implemented at Home Park, for example, a ‘Devonport End: Home of Forza Verde’ sign on the top of the stand, and ‘Home Park, Plymouth’ lettering on the Lyndhurst similar to the North Stand at Old Trafford, visible on TV. It may seem incredibly small, but again, really drives home an identity lacking at other clubs.
Biggs

A: Match-day entertainment is being reviewed and is dependent on a number of factors: cost, the groundsman being happy, the manager being happy, and others. The club will report back on this once the review has been completed.

Can we not stock quality pasties from the likes of Dewdneys or go Cornish with WC Rowe? I think it’s daft that there are vendors outside of the ground selling decent pasties when within the stadium we have pasties that are of poor quality and value.
Sam

A:The club is reviewing catering.

Please could you take a look at the robust stewarding, including the supervisors, in the Devonport End?
Dangermouse

A: We are reviewing stewarding alongside the wider match-day experience and will report back.

A few posts have been made on PASOTI about fans leaving before the end of the match. A few seasons ago the exits and lights were controlled by police officers and/or the special constabulary.
I am wondering if the alteration to policing the emptying the car-park has something to do with this? It can take anything upwards to an hour plus to leave the car-park after the match. My wife and I always stay to the end but getting out of the car-park is frustrating and can possibly spoil the match-day experience for some people.
I can accept that this is a minor point in the larger picture of things, but I do feel that the situation will only get worse when the Life Centre is fully up and running. I can remember when the club was in the championship the car park was chock-a-block and was managed by stewards and police. Now in this situation the chaos would be even worse.
Lunarjetman

A: The police now have no responsibility for traffic control which is now the responsibility of the City Council. Although this has legally been the case since 2004, the police did not withdraw their services immediately.

The car-park is owned by Plymouth City Council, and they have put in the central exit road which is controlled by traffic lights. This has only been in place for a couple of weeks but should alleviate any problems leaving the car-park. We will liaise with them to make sure that the phasing of the lights is suitable on match-days. At present, there is a further problem with the lane closures in Outland Road, over which we have no control and will have a knock-on effect with the car-park.

Are the stewards subject to CRB checks and do Argyle know if there are there people working as stewards with previous convictions for violent offences ? Would the club employ a steward with a previous conviction? Are steps being taken to improve the professionalism and customer service skills of the stewards?
Lunarjetman

A: A third of the stewards are SIA trained and qualified. They are the stewards that are involved in all licensing activity, searching and ejecting. These are all CRB checked by the SIA authority. Ordinary stewards are not CRB checked as there is no requirement for them to be. They are all trained to at least NVQ Level 2. In both cases, previous convictions do not necessarily preclude them but this would depend on the conviction. It would depend on what the conviction was for as to whether we would allow a steward (who is employed by a sub-contractor) to work at Home Park. Both SIA and NVQ training includes modules on customer care and professionalism. We continually monitor and train stewards. If we feel that individuals need one to one tuition, then we do so. This is an ongoing process that will continue for the foreseeable future.

THE TRUST/GASB

I would be interested in the thinking around the setting up of the GASB at the same time as offering the Trust a 20% stake. How do you see the roles of these two bodies differing in future?
Knecht

A: As you know, there are a number of fans’ groups with overlapping membership and a number of fans who are not represented by any of these groups. The GASB is being set up to represent all the fans in providing constructive challenge to the Board of Directors and liaison between the Board and the fanbase. The appointment of the GASB will be independent from the club and the majority of its members will be directly and democratically elected. I believe the Trust’s mandate is clear. One of the issues raised by the Trust has been the acquisition of a stake in Plymouth Argyle Football Club: the club will give them the option to acquire this.

Is video conferencing a possibility for fans who cannot get to meetings?
Totnes comie mike

A: Apologies but, for governance reasons, the Board and Management of Plymouth Argyle Football Club have had no involvement in the establishment of GASB. Could you liaise with Chris Webb or David Wheeler?

Has there been any progress with the Trust over the 20% offer? Is there any aspect of the discussions or terms that can be made public currently? What do they get for 20% etc?
Mathew Appleton

A: The Trust’s Board has raised a number of questions and we are due to meet - the ball is in my court. Perhaps we can update after this meeting.

Finally, with the trust maybe acquiring a 20% in the club how does that affect the debt liability and the repayment of it?
Mathew Appleton

A: It depends on how the proceeds are applied. This will be one of the points to be discussed with the Trust.

Would it be an idea to see if we can have a slot, each week, in local papers (The Herald for Plymouth and Cornish papers) which is dedicated towards helping supporters who do not have access to the internet, to have up to date news about things going on around Plymouth Argyle, such as advertising the Green Taverners Fans Fests / updated news from the Trust and the ‘to be’ GAS Board / weekly interviews from a board member giving any up to date news and so on ... that will help to make the Green Army feel as though they are being kept in touch with everything going on?
Sue Pollard

A: The Herald, WMN and the most read Cornish newspapers are all part of the same group. In the past, the Herald has carried a bi-weekly column from the manager. Your idea seems very sensible to us and we will investigate the art of the possible.

SEASON TICKETS/STUDENT - CONCESSION TICKETS

As a student (although graduation soon) my financial situation isn’t going to be very strong next year. Whilst I understand the financial implications we are still under (especially if the worst happens this season) are there any plans for Under-23/Under-25 concession tickets?

I feel we are currently missing a potential mass audience in the city with University students studying in Plymouth, as well as alienating younger supports who have less income.

Southampton FC promote tickets for their club through the University and as part of Freshers’ Week promotions. Could Argyle do something similar?
Drew; Andy Cooke; Sam Down; Dangermouse; Sam

A: The Board agrees with your views. We are on record recognising the importance of encouraging support from younger supporters and the promotion for the Aldershot game is hopefully the first sign of this. The UoP had a delegation at the match last Saturday (including the President-elect of the Students’ Union) and we plan to follow this up and improve co-operation between us.

If we go down to non-league football will you lower season ticket prices as they already to high for this standard of football?
Cult of Personality; Landons Forehead

A: We have delayed the launch of the season-ticket offer so that fans have greater clarity on our likely League status. The Board has not looked at pricing for the BSP.

Could free tickets or concessions be given to the Armed Forces, ex-servicemen and disabled War Veterans?
Lee WSM; Greenrod

A: The Board is very keen to recognise our Armed Forces and there will be recognition of this in our season-ticket offer. As a starter, we have given 500 free tickets to the Armed Forces to recognise Armed Forces Day on Saturday, April 21 against Oxford United. We hope that servicemen and women will turn up in uniform so that we can show our respect to them.

My first question is in reference to the White membership (which used to allow supporters to buy admission to six games at the beginning of the season). First of all, will the White membership be returning next season? If so, would you consider allowing the customer to choose how many games they wish to buy using the White membership?

I ask this because I no longer live in Cornwall and am no longer able to go to as many games as I would like so would love to have been given the option to buy a season ticket of some sorts to gain from some of the benefits such as saving money for buying ticket in bulk and in advance of the game.

Continuing the theme of season-tickets, the introduction of extras being added to the season-ticket has also been discussed on this website. I’m not sure if these were based on ideas already formed by the board but I personally felt these would be a nice addition to season ticket. The idea being when a customer purchases their season ticket they can “top it up” with discounted extras such as a discounted replica shirt or a season’s worth of match-day programmes purchased alongside the season-ticket, similar to my Orange phone where I can add “Animal Deals” such as so many free text messages or free internet for a month.

Obviously you could not offer Argyle supporters free text messages with a season-ticket but extras such as the ones I have previously suggested could be considered as “top-ups” for the regular season-ticket which could also be offered at increasing discounts on each individual extra when the customer purchases further extras.
Ollie Pope (Miles Bidgood and Adam Baker also pose the same question regarding White Membership)

A: We do not want to ‘front-run’ the announcement on season-tickets which will follow shortly. Suffice to say, however, that a sub-committee of the Board and senior management at the club have spent considerable time trying to optimise the package and recognise the importance of season-ticket holders and that your ideas above are, in my view, good.

At what point will I be able to purchase a ticket via an on-line system? Recently I tried on four occasions to get through, I had to wait 20 minutes, 45 minutes and finally 60 minutes before I gave up and relied on a good friend of mine to visit Home Park. The club needs to make it easy for fans to buy tickets, creating revenue for the club. Will there be any concessions for young children, i.e: kids go free with full paying adult?
Greensummit; Loyal1970

A: As the saying goes ‘we would not have started here’ with our systems, and your comments are fair. However, online ticketing will very shortly be operational. The Board strongly agrees with your sentiment regarding, not only children, but younger supporters generally. The offer for the game against the Shots evidences this and there will be further recognition in the season-ticket offer.

Surely it’s time to drop the cost of entrance to games?
Havnmysay

A: The club will lose money this year and quite probably next. The Board needs to balance the cost of tickets against the financial requirements of the club to develop its football team. We believe that the ticket prices for next season will achieve this balance.

The Old Age Pensioners seem to have been forgotten, I know there is a concession but there are many OAP who have supported the club all of their lives who can’t afford to attend games anymore, are there any plans to consider further concessions for this group of people.
Dunlop

A: The OAPs have certainly not been forgotten and, as all attendees of Home Park know, are a critical constituency of the club. There will continue to be concessions for next season. If there are OAPs who cannot afford these concessionary rates and continue to follow our club, it may be possible to review this on a case-by-case basis.

Have you considered the potential co-location of Argyle, Albion and Raiders and joint season tickets for all three teams for fixtures that don’t clash?
Lloyd

A: We would like to see Home Park (the club, together with its neighbour the Life Centre) provide the region with a sporting and leisure centre of excellence. No discussions are taking place with either Albion or the Raiders but we would not rule anything out in this regard.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Part 3

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT/TRAINING FACILITIES/SCOUTING SYSTEM

Is there a vision of the club regarding youth development? There was talk of an “academy” type set up, the idea being to ensure a flow of quality talent into the club rather than through aquisition.

On a similar theme: Are there any “investment” plans regarding the training/coaching staff & facilities.
Greenblooded1; Biggs

A: We have made an announcement this week which covers this in detail. The announcement can be found here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ... 75,00.html.

Are there areas that significant funds could be raised by fans to build and own something separate from the club, but is for the long term good of our club. For example the/a training ground or some facilities for the youths, etc.
Greenblooded1

A: We are reviewing training facilities generally. If the fans would like to play a direct part, the club would be delighted to consider this.

I know money is tight but have you considered investing in a broader scouting network?
Andrew Patton

A: Scouting is being reviewed.

MISCELLANEOUS

When you read/hear about negative things said about you on sites such as PASOTI do you think was it really worth it?
Lee Jameson

A: On the rare occasion, yes - but I quickly get over it! I am convinced that the aspirations of the vast majority fans are closely aligned with the Board’s and my own, i.e. to see a thriving, sustainable and successful football club acting with integrity and with respect for all. I have learned late in life that football drives huge emotional swings and I respect this. There are clearly a handful of individuals who claim to be supporters but seem to support nothing about the club: either they merely enjoy a good moan about everything (in which case good luck to them) or they support a competitor club (in which case...!)

How would you appraise your brief tenure at Plymouth Argyle so far? Do you feel that you have delivered (to date) what you realistically thought was possible when the takeover was completed? What are the aspirations and objectives here at Argyle?
Adam Runnalls. Joeseph Bell

A: It has been a very steep learning curve and I (and the Board) will no doubt have made some mistakes. Please ask me again at the end of the season for a view on the footballing side. On the financial side, we will end the year very close to where we expected but with some big swings and roundabouts (i.e. we had some luck as well as judgement). Looking forward, I am more positive now than I have ever been that Argyle is a wonderful club with great potential. The Board and I look forward to playing our part in developing this potential.

I have a friend who is a Palace supporter (foolish man!). Apparently on their fans’ web-site there is a section in which the present owners regularly answer questions. Is this something that is possible here?
Knecht

A: I hope that our engagement with fans will be second to none. Our primary interaction between the club and our fans will continue to be via the official website. Regular meetings between the GASB and the statutory Board will provide a formal framework for raising concerns and ideas, while ad hoc sessions like this, meetings with the Senior Greens and at the Guildhall will provide further access and challenge. I hope that your Palace friend will look at what we are doing in six months time and advise the owners of CP to take note!

Marketing - What strategies are the Board aiming to implement to try to attract the people who used to attend but have drifted away during the recent decline?
Community links - We have heard that the football club is/should be an important part of the city. How does the Board see this link developing from the position we are currently in?
CheshireGreen

A: We all know that Rome was not built in a day. Our club has clearly been through a torrid time over a number of years and this will take time to address. I am a great believer that you get the ‘product’ right and then sell it. This said, we have an exciting story of how we will rebuild our club as a thriving, sustainable and successful football club acting with integrity and with respect for all, and Peter Jones is leading a team focused on branding and marketing.
I have been impressed by how much our colleagues in the Argyle Community Trust are doing. We need to continue to publicise their endeavours (I had not fully appreciated them) and support their development alongside that of the club. A couple of specific initiatives will be announced shortly.

Q: I would like to compare Argyle to what I see in Ottawa sports teams.
1 Food and drink are taken care of by companies who pay the team for the privilege of selling their wares, we have pizza/burger/donut outlets all of these are established franchised outlets. I’m sure you could set up the same thing inside of Home Park. Maybe have some of those food establishments that I see outside of HP inside, do not give all the catering to one company.
2 Ticketing here we have full-season, half-season and mini-season tickets. Mini season tickets are usually five or ten game packages, one of the reasons for this is for instance the NHL season has 42 home games and can get very expensive, even so in a 20,000-seat stadium, more than half the seats are with season-ticket holders.
3 Have lots of interaction with the players and fans, have meet the player days, open training sessions, visit schools, have pub quiz nights, travel with the players to away games.
4 Free giveaways to fans, such as at games give away t-shirts.
5 Promotion of the club is the most important thing to do. Every single day in the local papers there are at least three or four articles on about the players, at least 1/2 advertising pieces about up-coming games or various promotions about the team and players.
6 The key thing is to make going to Home Park an entertaining event, provide good food and beverages, good facilities and good entertainment, do that and not many will complain.
Most sporting facilities over here have restaurants, bars and entertainment for before and after the games, the Fans Fests sound like this is the start but you need more of this and bigger facilities
I think you need to come over to North America and see how teams over here promote themselves.
Ottawa Green

A: I totally agree with the principle you are espousing. We are already doing/looking to do some of the things you suggest and will look into the others. The biggest change will clearly come with the physical change of the stadium in the development of a new grandstand. To inform us of what is ‘best in class’, we are looking at facilities provided by sporting clubs, both football and other. The Board has the benefit of counsel from Richard Holliday who, as Global Head of Sports Finance at RBS, has experience of leading facilities both in the UK and overseas, most notably in North America. We will give some thought to a North American visit.

Are there any plans to start up an official Argyle Junior Greens club, to include entering teams to play in the Devon Junior & Minor?
Mike

A: No. We already have teams from Under-18s down to Under-9s playing competitive matches as part of the Football league Centre of Excellence Games Programme. In addition, the Youth and Community Departments arrange a regular programme of friendly matches at younger age levels.

Are there any plans for a Memorial Garden at Home Park?
Havnmysay

A: Yes. We propose to include the Garden as part of the Grandstand and surrounding development.

Will Plymouth Argyle be able to have a presence in the city centre again, where obtaining match-day tickets and merchandise will be more accessible for supporters/attracting new ‘customers’ to come to a match?
Sue Pollard

A: Saltrock has agreed in principle that Plymouth Argyle tickets can be bought from the shop in Drake’s Circus; a further announcement will follow. Unfortunately, our retail colleagues do not believe that selling Argyle and Saltrock goods from the store will work.

Q:The fans who do not come any more (at present) and to our community as a whole, would it be worth putting together a questionnaire (placed on the internet/local papers/handed out in the city centre/handed out to school pupils to take home to their parents and so on) to gather information on what would encourage them to come for the first time/come back to Argyle?
I know the obvious answer to the above, is seeing a team who is doing well and climbing the league and the cost of season tickets/potd prices, but other than this, these very people may have opinions and ideas WE are not thinking about ourselves, that could make a difference as to what can be done in future to build Plymouth Argyle on the up again and make a match-day experience something that is worth coming to/back to.

During the close of season, a time in which I normally loath waiting for the new season to arrive, can we as supporters (and whoever wants to/has the time for this) and the club itself, do anything to help promote Argyle during this time?

An idea of which is maybe too late for this year (which may sound a bit daft ... or is it?) but could we use such things as the Lord Mayor’s Day to promote Argyle by having the clubs’ presence in the parade?

Argyle needs to be seen in as many ways as is possible...so Pilgrim Pete, waving Argyle flags, having a few members of the team/or kids who play football around the city/Argyle’s Semper Fidelis being played/football chants being sung/handing out leaflets and so on would be another way of hopefully getting people interested to come along to Argyle.
Sue Pollard

A: I think these are all good ideas and we will feed them into the branding/marketing review being led by Peter Jones.

Prior to the Administration process decimating our club, the club had a presence in the city centre. This helped to keep Argyle in the minds of shoppers using the Mall. As one of your companies (Saltrock) has a presence in the Mall would it be possible to have a small presence within that shop? Shoppers would then be able to buy match tickets and other items on the spur of the moment.
Mike Greening

A: Saltrock has agreed in principle that Plymouth Argyle Football Club tickets can be bought from the shop in Drake’s Circus; a further announcement will follow. Unfortunately, our retail colleagues do not believe that selling Argyle and Saltrock goods from the store will work.

While thanking the current sponsors, would there be an opportunity for Saltrock to sponsor shirts in the future and produce merchandise that could then be retailed through Saltrock outlets (quantities depending on location) and providing the opportunity for a much larger income stream?
Pastiesforlife

A: We have minority investors in Saltrock so it is particularly important that the independent board members of that company take decisions relating e.g. to sponsorship of Argyle and that Martin Baker and I recuse ourselves from any such decisions. This said, our colleagues at Saltrock have been providing (and I am sure will continue to provide) retail guidance to Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

If you are so keen on transparency, clarity, and fan interaction why don’t you join the message boards of PASOTI or the Fans Trust forum (when it goes live). You could post as James Brent, answer people’s questions and clarify and correct wrongful assumptions that are posted by fans?
Lawn Mower Man.

A: As previously stated, I hope that our engagement with fans will be second to none. Our primary interaction between the club and our fans will continue to be via the official website. Regular meetings between the GASB and the statutory Board will provide a formal framework for raising concerns and ideas, while ad hoc sessions like this, meetings with the Senior Greens and at the Guildhall will provide further access and challenge.

Could the club bring in more stock of the 125 year celebratory home shirt, especially in the popular sizes of Large and above?
Keepitgreen. Paul Hatrey.

A: Unfortunately, Puma have been cleaned out of the 125 home shirt and are unable to supply any more. Administration meant we were obliged to use an off-the-shelf design, and the shelves have simply been emptied. However, we have just taken delivery of some very smart casual sports tops which replicate the design of the first shirt that we ever played in, 125 years ago.

I am just interested to know what has been the “best” part of the Plymouth Argyle experience for you so far?
Frazer

A: Winning a match and seeing the elation amongst the Green Army.

What has excited you, engaged you and caught your eye as it were, and what you are most looking forward to in the future?
Frazer

A: The passion amongst all (the Green Army, staff and players) to survive, retain League status and develop the club. I am most looking forward to working with colleagues to develop our club and prove that a thriving, sustainable and successful football club acting with integrity and with respect for all provides a good club for future generations of Greens.

Do you feel the need to appoint some locally based board members? (It occurs to me that the current board consists of non-locally based people). In any event, do you have plans to appoint more board members in the near future?
Gaspargomez

A: The Board may decide to appoint one further member. We have tried to select Directors who as a collective provide most benefit to the club and I am confident we have got this right. My home is in Devon, and Peter Jones and David Felwick have homes in Devon and Cornwall respectively; Martin Baker claims his home is in the Midlands but spends six days a week in Devon.

Do you have plans to sell a share of the club to board members in the future?
Gaspargomez

A: Other than the recent issue of convertible securities (to which Richard Holliday subscribed) there are no current plans

What is the timetable for appointing a new Chief Executive (or Football Administrator) to permanently replace Peter Ridsdale?
Gaspargomez

A: Jason Turner is doing an excellent job as our General Manager and Club Secretary; we need no further help here. Martin has been Acting CEO and the Board will review this with him at the end of the season: without prejudging this review, he has also made a great contribution to our club so far.

More communications please, off field rather than on.
John Cooper

A: We are trying hard but will no doubt continue to improve.

More ticketing news for away matches, especially where ticketing is limited.
John Cooper

A: As soon as we receive ticketing details, on home or away matches, they are posted on the website - in three separate areas – and, if appropriate, press released.

Given your recent experience as the Chair of the Plymouth City Development Company and your upcoming role as Chair of the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, you will undoubtedly have given a lot of thought to the added difficulties that come from running an organisation with a high public profile and managing expectations of meaningful progress, while under intense scrutiny. Of the three roles, which would you say is likely to be the toughest task?
John Lloyd

A: I think they all have had/will have very different challenges. RD&E has been very well run but is facing a tough and changing environment in healthcare; immediately prior to Administration, Plymouth Argyle Football Club was not well-managed and it is operating in a tough ‘industry’. In both cases, when times are good, success will be achieved in spite of the Chairman; when things go wrong it will no doubt be the Chairman’s fault. Notwithstanding this, I volunteered for each job and I am excited by them!

Has the club President been appointed into his role on a permanent basis or is it for a fixed period of time?
Gaspargomez

A: There is no fixed term.

Should the President role have a maximum tenure, or should there be a process by which different individuals might be considered for the role in forthcoming years?
Gaspargomez

A: The position will be kept under review by the Board. In my view, Chris Webb is doing a very good job and the club is fortunate to have his help.

QUESTION TO RICHARD HOLLIDAY:

Your expertise is in sports finance (I assume amongst others) - is your expected contribution to be in terms of funding for physical infrastructure or do you have a wider brief?
Knecht

A: I will help to determine aspects such as the timing, scope and specification of additional infrastructure as well as its funding.

QUESTION TO DAVID FELWICK

Your background is in the retail industry. How far do you think the “customer” model will transfer to the more traditional “fan” model associated with football?
Knecht

A: In my eyes, and those of the Board, our “fans” are our “customers” although many football clubs do not seem to understand this principle and fail to provide a value for money experience. Our aim, through consultation and implementation, is to progressively address the legitimate criticisms and weaknesses PASOTI and other fans have identified to build, not only a successful football club, but one that also satisfies the ambitions and wishes of its supporters and local community at all levels.

QUESTIONS TO PETER JONES

Unless I am very much mistaken, yourself and Jason Turner are the only two board members who have experience of working at a football club prior to Plymouth Argyle. Does this lack of football men on the board room (and presumably making the majority of the football decisions) concern you at all, and is it something that you are looking to address?
Sam Down.

A: Sam, I’m not concerned about that. Beyond Jason, there are plenty of other people working at the club who are well versed in the football industry. Indeed, I’m pleased that there is now high-level experience from other sectors at the club’s disposal. Football does tend to operate in something of a bubble, and can definitely benefit from learning from the ways other successful organisations go about their business.

Peter, I think you are heading up the working party to look at the price of season tickets. Many years ago one of the benefits of being a season-ticket holder was being put in the draw for the FA Cup Final tickets that were allocated to the club can that be re-introduced, and are there any normal fans on the working party?
Mike

A: We’re pretty much ready to go with the structure of our new season-ticket offer now. Yes, the concept has been exposed to a number of “normal” fans, as you put it. The Cup Final ticket draw could possibly be resurrected at a later stage, but, thus far, we have focused our efforts on benefits that revolve around the HP match experience.

Q: In your first spell as director, Peter, you advocated an approach which prioritised development of, and investment in, the first-team playing squad. Whether previous directors really ever ‘went for it’ is another conversation, but significant money was undoubtedly chucked at new players, through both transfer fees and wages.

Yet, for a number of reasons, more arrivals than not failed to justify the investment that the club made in them. I’d argue that this was largely down to a lack of an overarching football philosophy and recruitment strategy. Indeed, over the years, we’ve seen plenty of managers come and go, each bringing with them a different idea about how to play the game and a long list of new players that fit their plans: Paul Sturrock (direct); Bobby Williamson (who knows, but less direct); Tony Pulis (very direct); Ian Holloway (gung-ho); Paul Sturrock; Paul Mariner (less direct); Peter Reid (patient) and Carl Fletcher (who knows, but less direct).

Meanwhile, modestly-sized clubs such as Swansea, Reading, Watford, Stevenage, Exeter and (until recently) Doncaster have made leaps by opting for a particular style and selecting managers, and by implication players, based on this approach. The Swans are the perfect example and some of the players that are doing so well for them this season were present back in their lower league days.

In my eyes, it is the continuity and a slow and patient development of momentum which has more often than not resulted in the success at many of these clubs. My question, then, is whether the new board are prepared to put together a similar blueprint to the aforementioned clubs and establish a particular style and approach that PAFC will, over the years, become known for?
Lloyd Langman

A: Agreed – what you outline is a great aspiration. Continuity and patience are both values that can only be beneficial as the club sets out to climb back up the leagues.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Part 4

QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE CLUB STATEMENT ON INVESTMENT AND LAND SALE AT HOME PARK

What will be the crowd capacity of the new grandstand?

A: This has not been fixed but the capacity of Home Park is expected to be circa 20,000 with the ability to add further capacity as we hopefully improve our league position and attract both existing and new fans to visit Home Park.

When will the new grandstand be built?

A: No timeline has been fixed, but we hope to move forward with it promptly.

Will the new grandstand incorporate other leisure facilities?

A: It is anticipated that it will include (club) offices, food and beverage and banqueting and conferencing facilities. The design is at an early stage.

How will the £700,000 be spent?

A: To meet trading losses (in line with the original budget) and fund football operations going forward. It will explicitly not be used to fund planning-related costs in relation to the new stadium.

If this is unbudgeted income, will 50% go towards accelerating the payments to the staff?

A: The original deal with the Football League allowed the club to raise money to fund its operations and this is not unbudgeted revenue. There are, however, other unbudgeted revenues of which 50% will go to the staff and players fund.

What will be built or developed on the land?

A: No planning application has been made but it is expected to be in line with the Area Action Plan for Central Park which limits the development to sporting and leisure-elated and ancillary activities (e.g. sports/leisure retail; food and beverage; hotel).

Apart from the initial £700,000 payout, will the football club benefit from any developments built on the land?

A: Yes, the club will receive a new grandstand delivered without cost (as well as improving the match-day experience, this should also deliver additional match-day and non match-day income to support the football operation) or, failing this, will share in the profits.

Is there a time-scale envisaged regarding any future development and will this encompass sports facilities that are not provided by the Life Centre?
Mike Greening

A: No timetable has been set, but we are keen to move forward as soon as practicable. We are contemplating additional sporting and leisure uses.

What will be the capacity of the new grandstand? What would your ideal total capacity for Home Park be? If it’s lower than 25,000 are there plans to increase the capacity to this figure or further if demand requires?
Long Old Poke; Esmer; Pafcintheplace; Tony Cholwell

A: This has not been fixed. The capacity of Home Park is expected to be circa 20,000 but designed in such a way that we can add further capacity as we improve our league position and attract new fans.

On a personal note, I have to say I am sad to see the “car-park” and ground being separated in this way. Whilst appreciating you could have transferred the land for less than paid the ability of Argyle as a club to generate income from developing that site is now gone forever and probably with it any hope Argyle had of sustaining a CCC club, let alone one in the Premiership.
Tony Cholwell

A: On this rare occasion, I need to beg to differ, Mr Cholwell! In my view, the development can only be delivered in the current (and I expect foreseeable future) economic environment, if it is legally separated from the football club. Funding partners are cautious about investing in a football club for reasons that are well understood. The structure of the proposed development is designed to take risk and cost away from the club and deliver it a new grandstand without cost. As well as improving the match-day experience, this should also deliver additional match-day and non match-day income to support the football operation. In the hopefully remote event that we do not develop a new grandstand, the club will share in the profits. Based on our numbers, the club can operate as a sustainable Championship club...and who knows about the Premiership?

Has the design of the new stand been decided upon? Will it enable the club to become a 7 day a week operation?
Esmer; Babararacucudada

A: The design has not been agreed, but we do expect it to operate on non-match-days (possibly seven days a week).

Will the money from the land and share sale be used to pay some of the football club debt?
What is going to happen to the £700k Argyle gets for selling the adjacent land?
Esmer; Babararacucudada

A: To clarify, £425k came from the sale of the land; and about £275k from the issue of new convertible securities. The proceeds will be used to meet trading losses (in line with the original budget) and to fund football operations going forward. It will explicitly not be used to fund planning-related costs in relation to the new stadium.

You have previously stated that 50% of all unbudgeted income will go towards accelerating the staff payments and we are now being told that this £700,000 is unbudgeted income. Does this mean that £350,000 will be paying off debt owed to the staff?
Damon Lenszer

A: The original deal with the League allowed the club to raise money to fund its operations and this is not unbudgeted revenue. There are, however, other unbudgeted revenues that to go to the staff and players fund.

Could you please provide us with an update to the staff pay deficit in relation to this news (i.e. how much has been or is being paid back to them and how the terms of repayment may have reduced in terms of years) as this money exceeds the amount that was budgeted?
Lee Phipps

A: 50% of non-budgeted income is to be distributed to current and previous players/staff on a quarterly basis.

“Non-Budgeted Income” comprises:
non-budgeted increases in the pool account payments from the Football League and/or the Premier League;
any increase in solidarity payments made by the Premier League;
any additional net incomes made by non-budgeted cup matches;
any non-budgeted player sales (including any sell-ons that fall due during the five-year period);
any net play off monies; any promotion monies and any additional net sponsorship monies).

To date, the club has received £98,970 of unbudgeted income, of which 50% will be paid as per above. The land transfer and the convertible cash injection announced recently do not fall into the non-budgeted income definition and therefore would not accelerate any of the staff payments.

Q: Will the grandstand when built have extended facilities beyond seats to watch the game in and will it be very profitable in its own right? This may seem cynical and is not at all a slight on you personally, for whom I have the utmost respect and admiration, but it could be seen as if the grandstand is competing with the land owned by your company as has been announced today. Apologies if this sounds overtly suspicious or paranoid which is not the intention, but can you provide any of us wondering with your assurance that a percentage of the profitable facilities will be placed on PAFC’s land and not just on yours that has just been purchased?
Sam Down

A: This seems a fair and reasonable question to me. The design is at an early stage but it is anticipated that the club will have food and beverage and conferencing and banqueting facilities. It is anticipated that the food and beverage offering will compete with other food and beverage offerings at Home Park. No competing conferencing and banqueting facilities are contemplated at Home Park. The Exeter Chiefs alleged experience at Sandy Park augurs well for the Grandstand. I would point out that my wife and I beneficially own 84% of the club and 82.5% of the development land, so the fear of bias against the club and in favour of the development land is probably not correct.

Other than short-term revenue, what are the benefits to the club of selling off land located in such a prime location to take advantage of development around the stadium and life centre?
John H

A: In addition to extracting full market value for the land (reflecting the development potential under the AAP), to enable a new grandstand to be built without cost or risk to the club - with additional facilities to generate incremental revenues (on match-days and other days).


Before this avenue was chosen, did the club consider all other options (e.g. going into partnership with a specialised development partner) so that the club could benefit from future profits?
John H

A: The club will benefit from future profits. The transaction was executed at valuation and (in addition) the club receives a new grandstand or 50% of the profits. I genuinely do not think an external investor would have seen these terms as fair to them.

Is the James Brent Pension fund going to be the source of development capital as well? What other sources were considered?
John H

A: It is likely that the new landowner (82.5% owned by my SIPP) will work with a major property investor to deliver the scheme. Discussions have been held but the final structure and partner are still to be agreed.

From a club perspective, was there any kind of competitive process or due diligence weighing up other offers before deciding that the James Brent pension fund offered the best value? If not, how can we be assured that this offer represents best value for the club?
John H

A: Please see above. Please note that, before the transaction took place, my wife and I indirectly owned 100% of the club and I now indirectly own 82.5% of the demerged property and, upon conversion of the securities, 84% of the club. Although it was appropriate for the independent directors to review, there was not a motivation to value shift away from the club when I have a higher percentage ownership of this.

Is the club short of funds and if so what other options were considered prior to selling off prime assets?
John H

A: As anticipated at the date of acquisition and underwritten by one of my companies, the club needed to raise funds to meet the (budgeted) shortfall for this year and next. I believe (and the independent directors agreed) that this is the best solution for the club.

Does this mean that the land assets sold are no longer part of the club? If this is the case, is there any provision for the club to have these assets returned to them in the future?
John H

A: No, the club received full value on Day One and the right to benefit from a new grandstand without cost or (failing this) receive a share of the profits from the development.

What implications will the sale of this land have on the footprint for stadium development?
John H

A: None.

Is the scenario that the club faces a straight choice for the club between taking 50% of future revenue on the land and having a stand built for free?
John H

A: The hope and expectation is that the new grandstand will be delivered; the share of profit is a fall-back position if this is not feasible.

The best-case scenario for the club is that the stadium is redeveloped and, in addition, receives a proportion of the revenue generated from development its former land. As a man who has clearly stated that the club needs to be sustainable and who has its best interests at heart, is this something that you can facilitate?
John H

A: I agree: this is the plan and I hope we can. Assuming it goes to plan, the club gets a new grandstand and the revenues generated from food and banqueting and conferencing.

What development do you anticipate on the land you have acquired and what annual returns are you anticipating to deliver to the pension fund (presumably there will have been some kind of business case and due diligence put together before investing the fund’s assets)?
John H

A: The development will be in line with the Central Park Area Action Plan i.e. focused on sporting, leisure and ancillary use. The independent trustees and I (as a trustee) were willing to buy the interest at third-party valuation.

In my estimation, the focus of a pension fund is to gain maximum return on investment for its stakeholders, and the aim of a football club is to reinvest in the squad and the infrastructure in order to become as successful as possible and win stuff. Taking this as a given:

Q: How are you going to reconcile the obvious conflict of interests you have due to your interest in both of these entities when making the decision as to whether the club would be better off with a stadium or 50% profit share?
John H

A: The hope and expectation is that the new grandstand will be delivered; the share of profit is a fall-back position if this is not feasible.

How has this affected your decision making with relation to the deal for the land?
John H

A: For me, the decision was simple, the transaction (hopefully) enables a development to take place that will have huge benefit to the club and which otherwise would not have taken place. The transaction was consummated on terms approved by independent directors (for the club) and independent trustees (for the fund). I suspect few private companies demonstrate this level of governance?

How do you personally stand to financially benefit from this deal?
John H

A: My wife and I own an 84% (indirect) interest in Plymouth Argyle Football Club and I have an indirect 82.5% interest through my pension fund in the property.
With the two options of either building a new grandstand for free or Plymouth Argyle Football Club receiving 50% of the profit generated from the developments you plan to do on the car-park area, how will the final decision of which one of these options be made? And is there going to be a long or relatively short timescale to reaching this decision?

Q: The news of this sounds exciting and is very welcome in the eyes of wanting to see Plymouth Argyle move forward and prosper in future, but inevitably generates more questions from supporters who, understandably, want to know more information on what the exact proposals are for a) a new stadium and b) what you have in mind to develop on the car-park ground, to be able to ponder on what would truly benefit our club for the better, in the long run.

When we are hopefully enlightened a bit further, on the above, will the supporters be able to have a say on which option we would prefer to have happen or will the final decision actually be made solely between yourselves/the club?

Would you consider including the kind of things we would like to see within a new stadium, for example, in the design of it, to what we feel would help generate income for our club/will make coming to Home Park a better experience for all? Or do you have this totally planned out without feeling the need to add anything else?
Sue Pollard

A: The hope and expectation is that a new high quality grandstand will be built for the club; the profit-share is merely a fall-back lest this subsequently be proven not to be feasible (we hope and believe that this is unlikely to be the case). The plans are at an early stage. We have just formed a Committee of Directors, management and fans to start developing detailed thoughts. We expect to consult our fans widely and regularly.

Will the grandstand be on PCC land and belong to the football club?
Lloyd

A: It will be on PCC-owned land. PAFC will have a 30-year lease over the football-related parts and a 125-year lease over the other parts included incorporated in the grandstand.

Will be revenue generating to the extent that it could support at least a Championship level club?
Lloyd

A: We believe that with the additional revenue the club should be able to sustain itself at Championship level.

Will be physically separated from any development on the adjacent land? (Had previously expected the stand and hotel to be combined, sharing conference facilities, bars, restaurants, etc..)
Lloyd

A: There is likely to be a small part of the development that crosses the different titles.

Will be joined to the Devonport and Barn Park stands?
Lloyd

A: To be finalised in design.


Will it incorporate all of the offices, box office and shop?
Lloyd

A: Yes, that is planned, plus some food and beverage and conference and banqueting facilities.

Will it have sufficient parking for players, officials, directors, etc..?
Lloyd

A: On Higher Home Park, but not in the grandstand.

Will it be built in the close season to minimise any impact on home games?
Lloyd

A: Unfortunately, the build period for a facility of this scale cannot be built in the close season alone. The programme will, however, be structured so as to minimise disruption as far as is possible.

Also, are there plans to incorporate a memorial garden somewhere within the boundary of the club?
Lloyd

A: At Higher Home Park, yes, but not necessarily on the PCC land.

Very much hope this happens in the very near future as it could provide a tremendous boost to the team, fans and to the wider community. (There is no doubt in my mind that ‘Phase 1’ of the stadium rebuild contributed significantly to our previous rise up the leagues.)
Lloyd

A: I agree.

When you get to the point where you think it is time to sell the football club to another owner, what assets do you hope the football club will have?
Dunlop

A: There are no plans whatsoever to sell, but I would hope a thriving football club in a modern Championship/Premiership Stadium providing additional income...and with the best fans in football!

Who will own the freehold of the new grandstand (and associated developments) once it is completed?
Gaspargomez

A: Plymouth City Council will own the land on which the grandstand is built. Plymouth Argyle Football Club will have a 30-year lease over the football parts and a 125-year lease over the balance. The cost of the new development will be borne by the property owner.

If the grandstand development contains facilities that will attract non match-day income (for example conference facilities, restaurants and retail outlets) to whom will the non match-day revenue benefit? And will it directly benefit the football club company?
Gaspargomez

A: The benefit of the conferencing/banqueting facilities will fall to the club, as will the club’s shop plus some food and beverage facilities.

Will the football club’s rent increase?
Gaspargomez

A: Not in relation to the football part of the grandstand. Plymouth Argyle Football Club will pay 10% of a fair market rent of the non-football related activities to Plymouth City Council. The capital for the development will be provided by the owners of the Higher Home Park land but they will receive no rent.

In terms of planning constraints and other legally binding restrictions, is development of non-football related uses (such as a hotel on adjacent land) contingent on a new grandstand being provided at Home Park?
Gaspargomez

A: No, I do not believe so.

What is the phasing of this development likely to be (i.e. what gets built first in Central Park)? What is your target start date for construction to commence?
Gaspargomez

A: Scheduling of works has not been undertaken yet. No start date has been set but we would like to move forward sooner rather than later.

You have publicly stated that you wished to purchase the football club in order to save an important local institution. Would you also agree that another reason for wanting to purchase the football club was the opportunity to engage in property development, specifically hotel development, which might benefit you individually?
Gaspargomez

A: My initial involvement was to assure the Administrators (who were unfunded) that if another party did not buy the club, we would. This assurance was felt necessary to avoid liquidation. When our underwrite was ‘exercised’, we said that we would not be reluctant owners: we are thrilled with the club so far and we aim do the best we can with it so any future developments are of benefit to both the club and its investors.

Which do you see as more important - investment in the playing and coaching staff to improve the performances on the field or other investments that have a less direct benefit to the football side of the business?
Grovehill

A: I do not see how they are mutually exclusive: surely they complement each other? I am new to the game, but do not the most successful football clubs have good quality teams playing from high quality facilities? I think we can and should do both: why would we want any less?

Is there Plan A if we stay up and a Plan B if we go down with differing development planning?
Alexander

A: No. Plans A, B and C have always been about staying up and Plan D for relegation. If we did get relegated, we would endeavour to obtain promotion as quickly as possible and I do not think the plans would change.

Would any future investment of the club have a knock-on effect for other sports clubs within the city? Would the club offer its grounds to DJM, etc., for example, and help to inspire the youngsters who in turn may be the players of the future?
Havnmysay

Could the club also start to earn in other avenues in as such as sports therapy/physio college type learning, by teaching those youngsters who maybe cannot make the grade as players but be inspired to step into the sport in other areas?
Havnmysay

A: The Board totally buys into this general thinking whole-heartedly. We want to see Argyle at the heart of our community and working closely with partners - especially in youth - to enhance the sporting and leisure facilities in our region and enhance well-being. Clearly discussions are still at a relatively early stage, but the Board will keep you briefed on progress.

Ambitious projects such as a new grandstand don’t come cheap but I’d say that this is a club defining decision and must be done right. Can the necessary funds be raised under your ownership?
with-menace

A: I agree with your points and we believe that the funds can be raised.

The End.

Good old Lee

A couple of things stand out.

The football debt is being paid of slowly with the bulk staying until the end of the 5 years unless with any un budgeted income going to pay down the end bulk payment. Brent got some deal on that. He might not even be around and the next mugs investors will be saddled with it.

The coaching staff are going self employed. Much debate on the other side when it was rumoured. Unless The President has kicked up a fuss in private he's given tacet agreement to a not altogether agreeable change to terms and conditions. Can you imagine him putting his name to that in any other sphere?

The 'investment' is to cover a budget shortfall for this year. I always thought it was odd that the deal had to be done when it was. At least we know why now - there wasn't enough money available to see the club through to the end of the season. Hopefully there will be for next and for real investment in the team.

Like to hear/see what others have picked up on.

Several of the given answers contradict information already in the public domain.

Makes it clear the club needs to be "sustainable"

No plans to inject more capital into the club

Budget not done for next year, but certainly knows what qualifies as "unbudgeted income" to speed up staff payments! Sale of the land was "budgeted"!

Lump sum of £1.9 million to be paid at end of year five-I'd like to see the "budget" for that on a sustainable basis.

All coaching staff now self-employed- if this is correct it would mean no redundancy/compensation if they get sacked.

When he says "banqueting facilities" I think he means a restaurant.

Whatever couldn't have been "copy & Patsed" from a Todd/Suroy press release could have been (probably was) written by Beardy and Stairpost.

Charlie Wood wrote:

Good old Lee

Don't you think the answer to that one could have been written by the Brents Chauffeur

Nothing remarkable said really. So we now know the sale of the land won't be going towards the staff back pay, and indeed it won't be going on players. The coaches being made to go self-employed is disappointing to say the least, and it would seem that Carl Fletcher is doing an amazing job, as is the President.

You just get the feeling that this lot don't understand the difference between League 2 and the BSP, in terms of revenue and stature. I can't see this seasons gate average increasing unless we are challenging right from the start of the season, thats assuming we manage to stay up this year, and if we are struggling under Fletcher again, I could see people getting totally disillusioned and gates falling rapidly. Even in the Championship the gates plummeted after a couple of years, so another season of League 2 struggling could scupper any income forecasts the board have made.

I know we will lose some higher paid players next season, but it doesn't sound to me as though we will be signing any superstars, so Fletcher will get his chance to prove us doubters wrong.

OMFG I see my question was answered but it was modified by the Iranian secret police sorry I mean pasoti admin for advertising this place.

"If you are so keen on transparency, clarity, and fan interaction why don’t you join the message boards of PASOTI,( the word ATD was removed by pasoti admin) or the Fans Trust forum (when it goes live). You could post as James Brent, answer people’s questions and clarify and correct wrongful assumptions that are posted by fans?
Lawn Mower Man.

A: As previously stated, I hope that our engagement with fans will be second to none. Our primary interaction between the club and our fans will continue to be via the official website. Regular meetings between the GASB and the statutory Board will provide a formal framework for raising concerns and ideas, while ad hoc sessions like this, meetings with the Senior Greens and at the Guildhall will provide further access and challenge."


In the answer above there is no mention about the trust which could prove the point that the trust is maybe slowly being sidelined. HMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Promptly is the new imminently. Can you imagine Brent getting briefed. "Jimmy! Ferchrissakes don't use the word 'imminently' whatever you do. Got it?" "Got it, Pete."

To be fair he has answered a lot more questions with a lot more openness than any of his farm biatches ever would, but as others have noted spin is easy to form.

When I spoke to Rick Cowdery last week, he said that the ATD Q&A with James Brent would have to wait until after the answers to the pasoti Q&A session had been published; very sensibly, in my view, done in order to avoid repetition of questions.

Hopefully, now the pasoti session is in the public domain, we'll be able to move forward with our questions to the owner, so please try, when deciding upon questions to ask, to come up with something original for Mr Brent. As soon as I hear from JB or Rick I will of course get the ball rolling, and I look forward to ATD being afforded the same courtesy and respect that has been shown to pasoti. I know ATD posters will provide tough questions for Mr Brent, but I also know they'll be intelligent, thoughtful and respectful, too.

Grovehill wrote:

All coaching staff now self-employed- if this is correct it would mean no redundancy/compensation if they get sacked.

And no holiday pay, sick pay or other protections.

He does say 'part-time coaching staff', though. Sometimes people choose this way of working because it suits them better: let's hope this has been a matter of choice and not compulsion.

How about a short comment to the press advertising this Q&A session?

Andy_Symons wrote:

When I spoke to Rick Cowdery last week, he said that the ATD Q&A with James Brent would have to wait until after the answers to the pasoti Q&A session had been published; very sensibly, in my view, done in order to avoid repetition of questions.

Hopefully, now the pasoti session is in the public domain, we'll be able to move forward with our questions to the owner, so please try, when deciding upon questions to ask, to come up with something original for Mr Brent. As soon as I hear from JB or Rick I will of course get the ball rolling, and I look forward to ATD being afforded the same courtesy and respect that has been shown to pasoti. I know ATD posters will provide tough questions for Mr Brent, but I also know they'll be intelligent, thoughtful and respectful, too.

How about a different approach?

It must have taken hours for Brent and others to sift through those questions and answer them all.

How about ATD'rs meet Brent in a pub for an hour. Real fans meeting and all that. Looking into the whites of his eyes etc, etc.

This way he doesn't get to 'prepare' answers, and those posing the questions would get the chance to follow up on the answers he gave.

Someone could tape it and throw it up on youtube for all of us that are unable to attend.

It would take up a lot less of Brent's time and I am sure more enjoyable for him than sitting typing enless responses to the same question asked five different ways.

Addes to that... He would get to meet ATD'rs and realise we are not freaks or vile scum, but just normal concerned fans and if he needed further persuasion.. I'll pick up his bar bill.

Win - Win!

Rickler wrote:

Andy_Symons wrote:

When I spoke to Rick Cowdery last week, he said that the ATD Q&A with James Brent would have to wait until after the answers to the pasoti Q&A session had been published; very sensibly, in my view, done in order to avoid repetition of questions.

Hopefully, now the pasoti session is in the public domain, we'll be able to move forward with our questions to the owner, so please try, when deciding upon questions to ask, to come up with something original for Mr Brent. As soon as I hear from JB or Rick I will of course get the ball rolling, and I look forward to ATD being afforded the same courtesy and respect that has been shown to pasoti. I know ATD posters will provide tough questions for Mr Brent, but I also know they'll be intelligent, thoughtful and respectful, too.

How about a different approach?

It must have taken hours for Brent and others to sift through those questions and answer them all.

How about ATD'rs meet Brent in a pub for an hour. Real fans meeting and all that. Looking into the whites of his eyes etc, etc.

This way he doesn't get to 'prepare' answers, and those posing the questions would get the chance to follow up on the answers he gave.

Someone could tape it and throw it up on youtube for all of us that are unable to attend.

It would take up a lot less of Brent's time and I am sure more enjoyable for him than sitting typing enless responses to the same question asked five different ways.

Addes to that... He would get to meet ATD'rs and realise we are not freaks or vile scum, but just normal concerned fans and if he needed further persuasion.. I'll pick up his bar bill.

Win - Win!

I like that idea. I'll put it to Rick Cowdery when I speak to him next. I suspect that people on A Certain Other Website would be up in arms at the thought of Brent meeting us and finding out that, actually, we're just regular supporters, not at all freaky or weird. And, if my experience of meeting ATD posters as well as pasoti posters is anything to go by, he might actually enjoy our company more...

Yes but how can they snipe from behind their keyboards then Ricker?

Perhaps it could take place in an internet café

pilgrim_pete wrote:

Yes but how can they snipe from behind their keyboards then Ricker?

Perhaps it could take place in an internet café

Have you met James PP? And I mean by yourself, not attached to Newells ringpiece by your tongue?

Talk about a fuckwit. Snipes behind a keyboard about people sniping behind a keyboard? About right I guess, seeing as Newell is the biggest two-faced lying hypocrite I have ever come across. His ass-licking sycophants are bound to pick up his bad habits.

Yes. I have.

Next.

pilgrim_pete wrote:

Yes. I have.

Next.

Picked up his bad habits? Yes I can see that.

Did you look him in the eye and know he was to be trusted Or could you not see his eyes due to being tongue deep in Porkys chocolate starfish?

pilgrim_pete wrote:

Yes. I have.

Next.

Pontyesque !

Have you met him Greenjock?

Taxi for pilgrim_pete.

But not from the one company though, the owners a c***. Well according to someone anyway.

Yea Man wrote:

Taxi for pilgrim_pete.

But not from the one company though, the owners a c***. Well according to someone anyway.

If you are talking about Tower Cabs, I know the owner and the rest of his matchday guests, and thoroughly nice people they are too.