Never Again - Update (1st September)

'NEVER AGAIN’ – An update statement (1st September 2016)

Following the PAFC Board statement issued on Tuesday night, the following comments are offered on behalf of signatories to the ‘Never Again’ statement:-

1. We fully acknowledge that the Board have unanimously decided that the purchase of freehold of Home Park for £1.7m is in the interests of Plymouth Argyle Football Club although no final decision has been made and that there is still an opportunity for supporters to ask searching questions of Board members.

2. We are pleased that the original statement generated thoughtful and passionate debate about the subject and enabled direct contact to be made with Board members before any final decision on whether to purchase the freehold is taken.

3. We are grateful to James Brent and the Board for understanding that the statement was based on a matter of principle rather than an adverse commentary on the commendable stewardship of the Football Club in the past five years.

4. We note with specific interest that the Board’s stewardship has resulted in an uplift in turnover to £6m (for 2015/2016) and the generation of a surplus of £800,000 which demonstrates what CAN be achieved by a Football Club, concentrating on football matters alone without the purchase of the freehold of the stadium.

5. We note the comments on paying rent on the stadium and that it will increase between 2% and 4% per year depending on the CPI. However, at the present level of turnover the rent payable represents just under 2.5% of turnover. To put that into context if someone was earning an average wage of around £25,000 per year then 2.5% of their income equates to the cost for rent on a home of around £625 per annum or £52 per month.

6. It is noted that the Board have stated the freehold purchase would be funded through the issue of new ordinary shares to existing shareholders. These shares would be irredeemable, i.e. never repayable, and the shareholders do not expect to receive any dividends on them. We think the Board need to more clearly explain what this means in language the average supporter can understand and quantify.

7. It is additionally noted that nothing has been clearly stated about the sale of those shares to a third party. It was the subsequent sale of 20% of the enhanced equity in the Football Club by the Stapleton Board that started a chain of events, coupled with loans secured on the stadium, an over commitment on expenditure and a cost control failure, including a failure to pay HMRC, that ended in administration.

8. It is the subsequent sale of shares by individual Board members, with a value, perhaps, uplifted by a revaluation of the stadium, as happened under the Stapleton Board that is the root of the principle objection to the freehold purchase and the ‘Never Again’ statement. Why put the future of the Football Club at risk when clearly it is performing exceptionally well financially at the moment and paying a very low level of rent, believed to be the lowest of any publicly owned stadium in the Football League. As stated by the Board the purchase of the freehold is in the ‘interests of Plymouth Argyle Football Club’, but is it in the best interests of the Club?

We fully acknowledge the right of all supporters to have divergent views and we respectfully request that should they wish that they table questions on the freehold purchase either at the meeting or in writing, direct to the Board, at the Fans Forum on Saturday 24th September 2016 by e-mail (argyle@pafc.co.uk) by 5pm on 21stSeptember 2016. That is what the original signatories to the ‘Never Again’ statement intend to do.

Coherent, intelligent, sensible and thoughtful...a great response from John and the team. Just goes to show that the crudeness shown by those opposed to the original statement from the Never Again team gets more embarrassing with every passing day...

Whilst others elsewhere are proud to proclaim that they will be leaving the Trust at the earliest opp, this kind of diplomatic response actually may turn my head at last to become a Trust member

A thoughtful and probing response.

I fear the shareholders will go ahead with the ground purchase regardless. What then ?

My guess is that there will be no 'Never Again' led protest. No publicity to the wider fanbase. No attempted boycott of matches etc etc.

In return, the trust will be awarded further polite but ultimately toothless dialogue with MS and a few other leading fans' spokesmen will be offered the Directors' Box Experience for being good boys.

Argyle fans are so easy for a city gent to manipulate.

Tring, do you really think there is any appetite for a protest? I don't believe there is, or will be at any point.

The freehold purchase will happen, so to my mind the pertinent questions are around 7 & 8 in the update. The most wooly response from the club came around any transfer of ownership to a 3rd party.

As an idealist, I would like to see the ground remain in public ownership; as a realist, I would like to see supporter groups now pressure the board into giving maximum clarity/assurance that the ground and club will not be separated in the future etc.

It is clear that without the 'Never Again' statement the PAFC response would not have been forthcoming - that is a triumph in itself.

I hear what you're saying Tring however I don't think that these supporters, particularly John and Graham, are ones to be smitten by the Directors' Box experience. For one they've probably already been dangled that one and secondly I would assume that the bile that has been thrown their way would mean that they wouldn't wish to share space with the porcine one and his plastic bag carrying biggles dreaming oppo.

Furrymuff chaps.............Nudge me if the situation ever improves.

It's hard enough trying to encourage ordinary people to see the bigger picture in politics and vote accordingly. PAFC has become a microcosm of UK politics. Like turkeys voting for Christmas.

I have always said that there will be no protest, 'Janners' .... like taking sweets from a baby

Dick Trickle wrote:

I hear what you're saying Tring however I don't think that these supporters, particularly John and Graham, are ones to be smitten by the Directors' Box experience. For one they've probably already been dangled that one and secondly I would assume that the bile that has been thrown their way would mean that they wouldn't wish to share space with the porcine one and his plastic bag carrying biggles dreaming oppo.

The other interesting things the statement seems to have brought about are :
1. ATD is now referred to by name on pisspoti by nool and his mods - they no longer censor the name.
2. They obviously all read this vile site. All the time. Every day.

nzgreen wrote:

The other interesting things the statement seems to have brought about are :
1. ATD is now referred to by name on pisspoti by nool and his mods - they no longer censor the name.
2. They obviously all read this vile site.  All the time. Every day.

At the Cambridge game last year I was sat behind De Liar. Every time he checked Pasoti on his phone he then checked ATD. As I was a mod at the time I was able to capture his IP address and for the next couple of months we were able spot every time he logged on. He was checking the site every 20 minutes or so. Its nice to know that they are still obsessed with us.

That was a funny Saturday afnoon in the Mod Room.

Frank Bullitt wrote:

nzgreen wrote:

The other interesting things the statement seems to have brought about are :
1. ATD is now referred to by name on pisspoti by nool and his mods - they no longer censor the name.
2. They obviously all read this vile site.  All the time. Every day.

At the Cambridge game last year I was sat behind De Liar. Every time he checked Pasoti on his phone he then checked ATD. As I was a mod at the time I was able to capture his IP address and for the next couple of months we were able spot every time he logged on. He was checking the site every 20 minutes or so. Its nice to know that they are still obsessed with us.

I genuinely dont know what De Liar looks like so any reference to a photograph would be nice. I want to be sure who I'm clocking at the Fans meeting.....Wouldn't want any mistakes obviously

He'll be the one getting punchy with some carrier bags.

alannotivvy wrote:

He'll be the one getting punchy with some carrier bags.

It seems every time I go away I miss something juicy, I'll have to take my laptop next time, or learn how to internet on my phone. Anyway, well done to Never Again for standing up for the fears of the (silent) majority.