Following the release of the "Never Again" statement on Friday, there has been a vibrant debate across many platforms on the future ownership of Home Park.
The intention of the group of fans who composed the statement was to stimulate an informed discussion on this vital issue, ahead of a PAFC board meeting on Tuesday when the option to buy back the freehold will undoubtedly be on the agenda.
As is often the case, the intention to discuss the issues has at times been overtaken by personality-based distractions, amongst other misunderstandings. That is unfortunate, but also to be expected.
Let's clear a few things up.
Firstly, the statement is in no way an attack upon James Brent and the current PAFC board. Instead, there are words of praise for his stewardship of Plymouth Argyle over the last five years, as the club continues its gradual recovery from the dark days of administration.
Secondly, there is no suggestion that James Brent and the current PAFC board have anything other than the best interests of the club at heart.
Thirdly, this was not an AFT statement - instead it was a wider group of fans coming together to make their views known in a public way, some of whom are also AFT board members.
What is stated - and should be accepted by all - is that James Brent has not yet made the public case for the freehold buyback option to be exercised. This is a matter of principle for us, not a personal criticism. It stems from a genuine desire to learn from our history.
When Paul Stapleton's board purchased the freehold from Plymouth City Council in 2007, most fans greeted the decision as a positive move for the club, made by people known to be bona fide fans of the club.
It was the first time that the ground had left public ownership - four years later, three separate loans had been secured against the property and financial disaster loomed.
Balance that chaotic interval to the 115 years of public ownership that preceded and then followed and you may agree that the risks of private ownership are clear and evident.
We do not fear what the current board may do with the asset following the acquisition of the Home Park freehold, but we do fear a repeat of the transfer of that asset to a future board with less clearly stated credentials as Argyle fans.
The speed of the descent from the Championship to the foot of the league while in the hands of speculators and investors with other motives was alarming - and should not be forgotten.
Given the absence of a revised plan or a timetable for the redevelopment of the Grandstand, or a clearly detailed explanation of how the freehold purchase will directly benefit the club, it is reasonable to have concerns that the purchase could set Argyle on a similar path once again.
That is the conversation that we wish to have.
As Argyle fans, we are all part of an extended family. As with every family, we're not always going to agree with each other, voices may occasionally be raised and tempers may flare. But we all agree on one thing - we want the best for our club.
Let's talk about it some more, with that in mind.
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Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:34 pm
Red Chris, will never agree to someone like Jimmy owning the freehold. 
