Time to recalibrate Argyle's aspirations

Czarcasm wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

No prospect of expansion and the sort of sub 5k stand that has 'perennial lower league minnows' stamped all over it.  

Oh don't be a cnut,

I'm afraid that's a trait you've managed to monopolize, old fella.   

Five minutes on here at any time of the night or day would be enough to clearly show the error in that statement, cnuttery being rife in the world of ATD.

What is most surprising is how much bitter whinging is still going on despite Brent having given you a team which now has to be fancied for the play offs.

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

Lord Tisdale wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

No prospect of expansion and the sort of sub 5k stand that has 'perennial lower league minnows' stamped all over it.  

Oh don't be a cnut,

I'm afraid that's a trait you've managed to monopolize, old fella.   

Five minutes on here at any time of the night or day would be enough to clearly show the error in that statement, cnuttery being rife in the world of ATD.

What is most surprising  is how much bitter whinging is still going on despite Brent having given you a team which now has to be fancied  for the play offs.

Yet you just can't keep away from the place.

  

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

In just about every respect.

I feel that shibboleths abound in our little corner of the footballing world and a constructive debate concerning what might be done next would help everybody. But where to start?

Well we assume that HHP is going ahead. This may have no more basis in fact than the promise of a "magnificent two-tiered stand". If it does not then what are the implications? Could the development plans be sold on to a third party? After all Akkeron's financial situation is on the record and if there really is a £37m black hole then some assets might need to be realised. What assets does Akkeron still have? We know about Argyle, there is also: Saltrock; 4 hotels in Scotland; Oldway. Is there anything else? The HHP site, especially with planning permission, is a card that Brent could play in a number of ways and whatever he decides will impact in some way on the club.

We assume that James Brent is going to be our Chairman for quite some time. This may well not be the case and he could up and go at any time. What if he decides to sell up and move on tomorrow? Who might his replacement be? What if there isn't one! Argyle's finances are in no better a state now than they were on exiting administration and the balloon payment looms ever closer. Anybody taking the club on would be doing so knowing that it is heavily indebted and has a significant bill looming. James Brent's notorious offer to AFT of 20% for £400k would be laughed out of court today, wouldn't it?; when Brent decides to go he might not even be able to give the club away. Could AFT step forward as a "buyer of last resort" and has it even considered whether or not it could? And if it can't then who? Tony Wrathall, maybe? How would we feel if he invited Stapleton back onto the board?

Could PCC reunite the Home Park land long since siphoned off by James Brent with Home Park? If it can't, and HHP doesn't go ahead, what might happen to it?

If HHP ends up being continued but in a heavily modified format does the existing planning permission still hold?

If it all goes completely pear-shaped and Argyle ends up in administration again the chances are a severe point penalty, similar to what happened to Luton, will be levelled by the FL that will inevitably result in relegation. How do we respond to that, should it happen?

If it all goes well and we both reach and win the play-offs we'll then have to consider the realities of playing in a higher league. What challenges might that entail?

So everywhere we look (ownership, stadium, the league we play in, league status itself) the foundations on which what it means to be a football club are, possibly, about to be seriously questioned.

We live in interesting times.

Bump.

Under James Brent the only aspirations are League Two football [with the possible flirtation of the POs]...

Oh for a rich oligarch to come and step in when it is most needed.

Iggy wrote:

GC has to be really careful because of his job, he is tolerated by Brent but I wouldn't say he was liked by Brent. Just remember that GC has bought loads of stuff to our attention, he was and is one of the good guys. Him telling Brent that he is a cnut would achieve nothing

I am not sure what my job has got to do with it. I left the Council twelve years ago!