Meet Simon Hallett

Meet Simon Hallett:

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Seems the focus is being put on "Community"

ATD it would seem, is not part of that...?


Advice for you Simon in American parlance...  It's the Soccer, stupid!

How much is Uncle Si worth, anybody know?

Community .... academy ... da da da. Sounds like classic Brent to me. And of course, these two things cannot be achieved without taking the stadium back from the actual community that already own it through the vehicle of the City Council. The much smaller Argyle community have also spoken very clearly through the AFT stating they see the stadium as an asset of community value that should be owned by the REAL community, and not the football club, given the recent history of outrageous leverage and speculation. Still, that won't stop Si and HIS idea of community that he intends to foist on everyone else on the odd occasion he visits us. You couldn't make it up. But there you go.

The world of is full of 60 year old executive somethings, looking to play with the river that spawned them. Fortunately, this one is only on an activity bus man's holiday.
I don't have a problem with this particular individual, I don't know him from Adam, but I wish these Todd sorts would leave my park alone. They have no empathy with it whatsoever, and why would they.

Well well well.
Making the Argyle Communications department work harder eh?
Good luck with that one Simon

He'll need Alistair Campbell working flat out for the club and still end up more unpopular than Blair if he associates with clowns like Brent.

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

How much is Uncle Si worth, anybody know?

No proberly worth bundles on paper..but cold hard cash thats another thing altogeter hmmmm???????

Given Mr Brent's admitted lack of thought about buying the ground I wonder if Si has jogged his memory. As sure as eggs is eggs they will take up the option this Autumn which is not supported by three-quarters of the fanbase.

i think the mob have just about scraped up the cash to buy the ground now - assets is assets!!

RegGreen wrote:

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

How much is Uncle Si worth, anybody know?

No proberly worth bundles on paper..but cold hard cash thats another thing altogeter hmmmm???????

Well he seems to have dropped over a million in "cold hard cash" so far, (or at least guaranteed it)?

That isn't chickenfeed for most people, and think of how much you must have to be able to 'invest' such a sum into a business, that anyone worth his salt in 'investments' would probably say is financial suicide?

How much is "Uncle Si" worth? I'm guessing more than Brent. Or at least more willing to put his money where his mouth is....

anyone coming forward to confirm they used to stand in the Devonport with Simon back in 1966?
just saying like...

Chris Webb?

Newell was in his bovver boots in the Devonport then wasn't he? Given the crowds weren't that heaving he should surely recognise one of his old muckers.......?

BBC1 wrote:

anyone coming forward to confirm they used to stand in the Devonport with Simon back in 1966?
just saying like...

Funny how all these returnees all stood in the "iconic" half empty Devonport. Not one used the Lyndhurst of course, or the Mayflower where we all stood.
Along with the ghosts of Webby, Todd and everyone else, we must have topped 30,000 for every game.
The very fact he's "put money in" (just like Todd put money in, that is still owed to him ) as an investment, shouts they're going to buy the stadium to make themselves money. And it sounds as if we're going to have to put with herald sermons from his sister's husband as well, who only found out of his life long ambition a month or two ago.

I really don't lie being played for a fool.
Still, the family seem to be a smash hit with Rickler. Can't think why.  

While I have no desire to see the ground in the hands of these - or any other - private individuals, I'd be interested to hear what people here think are the realistic ways of seeing Brent exit the club without that happening and/or how the club grows without the ground as part of any sales package to future potential buyers?

As long as the ground is in public hands and especially with the current contract strategy, where we don't even have any player assets, which sane individual would throw the required millions at PAFC in exchange for a bag of kit and a couple of goalposts?

I've always been happier with Home Park in council hands but it seems counter-intuitive to also wishing for a post-Brent world. The only way that happens is when he makes his money back. To bitch about him buying the ground seems pretty pointless, unless you want more of the same for years to come.

I don't think he has spent any of his own money has he ? He claims to have made 'loans' ........................

Could someone also explain to me how these 'new shares' work ?

Brent and wife I believe were sole owners and shareholders. Wrathall is supposed to have bought 5% and the new guy 30%. I'd just like to know what it all means in terms of who owns what ?

Innocent Egbunike wrote:

While I have no desire to see the ground in the hands of these - or any other - private individuals, I'd be interested to hear what people here think are the realistic ways of seeing Brent exit the club without that happening and/or how the club grows without the ground as part of any sales package to future potential buyers?

As long as the ground is in public hands and especially with the current contract strategy, where we don't even have any player assets, which sane individual would throw the required millions at PAFC in exchange for a bag of kit and a couple of goalposts?

I've always been happier with Home Park in council hands but it seems counter-intuitive to also wishing for a post-Brent world. The only way that happens is when he makes his money back. To bitch about him buying the ground seems pretty pointless, unless you want more of the same for years to come.

You are of course, correct.

Put simply, Brent got involved with Argyle not to save a football club, but to make money. Saving the club was the first necessary step on the road to a potential financial killing. Only - thank God, he f ucked it up.

Some people perhaps forget or didn't realise that Brent would have been a hugely significant part of the decision made with the Council regarding the option to purchase the ground for 12 x current annual rent, every 5 years.

Brent wouldn't have signed off on that idea without being delighted to rubber-stamp it.

Brent's end game see's him exiting with a tidy profit made for himself and Mrs B. That can only realistically happen after he owns the ground.

It is a neccessary evil if we want to see the back of him. This new fella buying in is hopefully the first significant step in moving the process to it's conclusion.

Or the fans could be canvassed and a poll used to judge the feeling of the fanbase on this issue. This could be carried out in a neutral capacity by say The Argyle Fans Trust then if the fans are overwhelmingly against the idea they could then present the findings to the owners and maybe highlight this opposition to the media?
Buying a football club is not like buying any other capitalist vehicle, it's a community thing and should be treated as such. If Brent has lied to the fanbase about his plans for the club then tough titties if he catches a cold.
Anybody seen Bobs bollocks? He hides them pretty well if he has any.

I think Hallett from my reading has bought shares worth £500,000 and that has gone in cash to Plymouth Argyle. In addition he has paid for half the debt held by someone (probably Brent or one of Brent subsidiary companies) to the tune of £600K. Surprisingly this has hardly raised an eyebrow given the debt must be £1.2 million (seemingly excluding the balance of the loan owed to the council).

That debt has risen from £364k from the last available accounts which are up to the end of 2014. The repayment date for that loan was 21st January 2020.

Hallett must be fully aware of the plans to buy the ground and the likely outcome. It would be nonsensical to believe he's gone into this with due diligence without knowing what is going to happen.

Amsterdamage wrote:

Or the fans could be canvassed and a poll used to judge the feeling of the fanbase on this issue. This could be carried out in a neutral capacity by say The Argyle Fans Trust then if the fans are overwhelmingly against the idea they could then present the findings to the owners and maybe highlight this opposition to the media?
Buying a football club is not like buying any other capitalist vehicle, it's a community thing and should be treated as such. If Brent has lied to the fanbase about his plans for the club then tough titties if he catches a cold.
Anybody seen Bobs bollocks? He hides them pretty well if he has any.

That's fine, Amsters but what then? Do you want Brent in perpetuity? That's what we'll get unless he can scarper with his cash and to get that cash, he needs the ground. Furthermore, to get a preferable owner to Brent, with the wherewithal to push the club on, the ground needs to be on the table....unless you're happy for us to muck along in the 4th division til kingdom come.

Or is there a viable 3rd way - one that doesn't involve some fantastical Swansea-like plan where PCC spends millions on a spanking new HP (selfishly, how I wish it were so...)?

Tringreen wrote:

I don't think he has spent any of his own money has he ? He claims to have made 'loans' ........................

Could someone also explain to me how these 'new shares' work ?

Brent and wife I believe were sole owners and shareholders. Wrathall is supposed to have bought 5% and the new guy 30%. I'd just like to know what it all means in terms of who owns what ?

You've kind of answered your own question. Brent has 65%, Hallett has 30% and Wrathall has 5%. Instead of selling the existing pool of shares, they created new ones - presumably in the hope the value of the club rises and the net worth of each share goes up and Mr Brent still holds the same amount as he did previously.

Innocent Egbunike wrote:

Amsterdamage wrote:

Or the fans could be canvassed and a poll used to judge the feeling of the fanbase on this issue. This could be carried out in a neutral capacity by say The Argyle Fans Trust then if the fans are overwhelmingly against the idea they could then present the findings to the owners and maybe highlight this opposition to the media?
Buying a football club is not like buying any other capitalist vehicle, it's a community thing and should be treated as such. If Brent has lied to the fanbase about his plans for the club then tough titties if he catches a cold.
Anybody seen Bobs bollocks? He hides them pretty well if he has any.

That's fine, Amsters but what then? Do you want Brent in perpetuity? That's what we'll get unless he can scarper with his cash and to get that cash, he needs the ground. Furthermore, to get a preferable owner to Brent, with the wherewithal to push the club on, the ground needs to be on the table....unless you're happy for us to muck along in the 4th division til kingdom come.

Or is there a viable 3rd way - one that doesn't involve some fantastical Swansea-like plan where PCC spends millions on a spanking new HP (selfishly, how I wish it were so...)?

Sorry for not buying into TINA but I never have. Who cares if we never get a shit Ministand complete with Nandoes? As for bumbling along in this league for ever it's only Brent who's enabling that. If the fans money was spent on the team we should already be a higher part of league one team at least with the crowds we get. If we have to break Brent in the process so be it, he's mugged us and should be mugged himself. We know Brent's future for the club and it's not rosy.
The third way that you speak of would involve someone who would put the club first, not take away any ambition and diverting non match day income away from the club, if they don't show up then maybe we could get some lottery money and tart up the Mayflower reinstall the seating and with a fanbase fully behind the venture the crowds would easily pay for much higher league football than we now enjoy?
Brent is the wrong guy to be in charge of the club, he's never been fit for purpose and never will be, period.

Brents exit strategy has always been known. Get to the Championship and then sell. His route to the Championship is all the more rocky because he is set on doing it differently to the majority of football - ie via self sufficiency.

To this end by his own admission he needs the Higher Home Park development to go ahead. To date he has failed in this spectacularly by not getting his half cocked squeezed in development off the ground. Even before Bretonside came along he couldn't fill two thirds of the commercial properties in the development - something that conveniently becomes forgotten by Brent apologist blaming the council for giving the go ahead for the cinema in the city centre for the building not commencing at Home Park.

Amsterdamage wrote:

Innocent Egbunike wrote:

Amsterdamage wrote:

Or the fans could be canvassed and a poll used to judge the feeling of the fanbase on this issue. This could be carried out in a neutral capacity by say The Argyle Fans Trust then if the fans are overwhelmingly against the idea they could then present the findings to the owners and maybe highlight this opposition to the media?
Buying a football club is not like buying any other capitalist vehicle, it's a community thing and should be treated as such. If Brent has lied to the fanbase about his plans for the club then tough titties if he catches a cold.
Anybody seen Bobs bollocks? He hides them pretty well if he has any.

That's fine, Amsters but what then? Do you want Brent in perpetuity? That's what we'll get unless he can scarper with his cash and to get that cash, he needs the ground. Furthermore, to get a preferable owner to Brent, with the wherewithal to push the club on, the ground needs to be on the table....unless you're happy for us to muck along in the 4th division til kingdom come.

Or is there a viable 3rd way - one that doesn't involve some fantastical Swansea-like plan where PCC spends millions on a spanking new HP (selfishly, how I wish it were so...)?

Sorry for not buying into TINA but I never have. Who cares if we never get a shit Ministand complete with Nandoes? As for bumbling along in this league for ever it's only Brent who's enabling that. If the fans money was spent on the team we should already be a higher part of league one team at least with the crowds we get. If we have to break Brent in the process so be it, he's mugged us and should be mugged himself. We know Brent's future for the club and it's not rosy.
The third way that you speak of would involve someone who would put the club first, not take away any ambition and diverting non match day income away from the club, if they don't show up then maybe we could get some lottery money and tart up the Mayflower reinstall the seating and with a fanbase fully behind the venture the crowds would easily pay for much higher league football than we now enjoy?
Brent is the wrong guy to be in  charge of the club, he's never been fit for purpose and never will be, period.

I don't disagree with any of the vision you outline as being preferable to what we currently have but there is a reality....he isn't going anywhere until he gets his dime.....and I don't see anyone 'breaking Brent' in the near future. In the absence of a groundswell of resistance to the current administration (beyond the ultimately toothless keyboard warriorship we all engage in here), to my mind we are simply left with the hope that Brent is on his way sooner rather than later....and that will only be facilitated by him getting his loans back, with a cherry on the top.

Stapleton's board got the club to the Championship by having a good lower league manager and a decent fanbase for a club with no top flight history. Everyone knows that Argyle will rise to the second tier again at some stage, even if there is little money in the boardroom.
What happens then is key. Stapes and co got greedy, blaming stay away janners and keeping their fingers in the pie while selling some shares to people who weren't interested in taking the club forward, just trying to cash in themselves.

If Adams or someone else gets the club on a roll and we get back up, will brent get greedy too ?

Tringreen wrote:

Stapleton's board got the club to the Championship by having a good lower league manager and a decent fanbase for a club with no top flight history. Everyone knows that Argyle will rise to the second tier again at some stage, even if there is little money in the boardroom.
What happens then is key. Stapes and co got greedy, blaming stay away janners and keeping their fingers in the pie while selling some shares to people who weren't interested in taking the club forward, just trying to cash in themselves.

If Adams or someone else gets the club on a roll and we get back up, will brent get greedy too ?

Possibly but all we can do is hope that he wants out....and the quickest possibility of that happening is the club getting some on-field success and with Brent trousering the freehold

Innocent Egbunike wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

Stapleton's board got the club to the Championship by having a good lower league manager and a decent fanbase for a club with no top flight history. Everyone knows that Argyle will rise to the second tier again at some stage, even if there is little money in the boardroom.
What happens then is key. Stapes and co got greedy, blaming stay away janners and keeping their fingers in the pie while selling some shares to people who weren't interested in taking the club forward, just trying to cash in themselves.

If Adams or someone else gets the club on a roll and we get back up, will brent get greedy too ?

Possibly but all we can do is hope that he wants out....and the quickest possibility of that happening is the club getting some on-field success and with Brent trousering the freehold

Trings take on it isn't far off, all Brent needs to do is back Adams to the same extent that Stapes and co backed Luggy the first time round, at that time it was still sustainable and got us to the CCC. If Brent did that and bailed when we had crowds of 14 or 15k every week someone with enough clout to develop the ground properly may appear. Maybe he's already here in the shape of Hallet who knows? In the meantime Brent is getting far too easy a ride but the fanbase is starting to stir let's hope it's not to late and above all don't right off people power.