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Post by darkbluegas on Jul 19, 2022 14:23:58 GMT
Financially the FM originally died when the developers realised that they weren't getting their hands on the Mem for peanuts. This was reinforced when Wael took full ownership of the club and was able to stabilise the financial position. This avoided the "Fire Sale" of the ground, which we were fast approaching. That's been the case for nearly two years now but it harms no one at the club to perpetuate the new stadium myth. That is not to blame Weal in any way, he has to do everything he can to keep the ship afloat. The problem he does have is how long to string this out before finally the penny drops with enough of the fan base to make a difference. A balancing act CEO's perform daily up and down the country in any line of business. As I've stated before, I've pretty much lost interest in attending the Mem due to the facilities and mainly stick to away games and low attendance matches where I can choose a seat. That is in part due to family members now expecting to be able watch an event, buy a drink and use the toilets in at least a sanitary environment. I loved the 70's, Twerton Popular Terrace, etc but those days have gone. A new ground isn't getting built now in the life time of us mature Gasheads but is there a will to move with the times where we are? It's a bit odd you've never posted that suggestion previously? I did about 18 months/two years ago and repeated it a few times since. |
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Post by islaplanagas on Jul 19, 2022 14:27:16 GMT
I hope you can all indulge me for a moment or two with this story from late yesterday afternoon. I picked up my youngest and his two mates from the open Air pool / Lido at Portishead teatime yesterday, all are 16 years old just finished there GCSE's and chilling until they all go off and do there Football courses at college. The conversation in the car back to Bristol was a real eye opener. All three boys love the Thatchers end and love the Mem and couldn't think of watching the Gas anywhere else. They love the atmosphere especially because they can stand on the terraces. Now they are at the back, rather than behind the goal stood on their stools when I used to take 2 of them when they were 6 or 7. My lads best mates a top four Premier league fan and goes with his dad as season ticket holders. However he has been with the other two lads a couple of times now in the Thatchers and says he loves the banter the songs, atmosphere and says not quite Premier level but enjoys it even more. My other lads mate goes with his dad to another London Premier league club (which I wont name) and says the ground is a real hole and doesn't have the magic of the Mem. He has been going with my lad since they where both as I said 6 or 7. My lad is an absolute Gashead and no allegiance to any other team but the GAS. I have to admit every time I take him to St Mary's he loves it but says the atmosphere and match day experience of standing to watch a game in the Thatcher's with other gasheads is just better every time. (I have to say cheaper too). We do a few away games, and he says League two and League one clubs we have been to over the years still dont match the Gas experience (Pompey and maybe Oxford comes close he says). Anyway, bored you all now. The moral for me is there are some fans and I think its the youngster's like my lad and his mates wouldn't have it any other way but watch the Gas at the Mem. My lad said with his mates in the car yesterday it just wouldn't feel the same to be sat down in a new stadium. As I said at the start a real eye opener for me that there must be some supporters that still have a love for the Old Girl and would not move for anything. I now know their are three 16 year olds that do. (Provided that Saftey, Security, toilets, food, ect are all ok of course). What a reassuring post. Exactly how I feel, which I put down to me being an Old Git. I do appreciate that in order to progress and basically generate more money, a new ground is needed, but enjoy Our Mem’ while we can as there are a lot of things we’ll miss if/when we move. IPG |
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 19, 2022 14:47:20 GMT
Well Tilly, I hope you know I’m usually positive with what Wael’s done. But with regards to the ground Wael has failed, so far. I remember Wael’s words on the takeover in Feb 2016, Wael said categorically that “financing the new stadium would be no problem.” That was clearly not true and we were mislead. With all the problems over current capacity I’m afraid the lack of planning and such stuff is coming back to haunt us. I hope he can solve it but so far we have failed regarding the new stadium and to pretend otherwise is delusional. Colyton and others have made the case far more elequently than I have. UTG! Not necessarily the case, financing a stadium isn't the same as financing the right stadium. I don't doubt there are backers there if the project works out in terms of a financial return. Stuart you may be right over your ‘interpretation’ of what he said but he did say it and to pretend otherwise is a tad misleading, imo. I do agree about making sure it’s the right ground and stadium. It’s why I didn’t necessarily criticise when the UWE went awry. Of course it’s got to be the right stadium. My point is after 6 years of very little it’s beginning to look as if there is no Plan B, if there was ever a Plan A. Wael has had time to put together an alternative plan and it doesn’t look as if that’s happened. I hope I’m wrong. Meanwhile, I love the Mem and I can understand all the people saying how they love it. But the capacity was 12,000 (?), last season it was barely 10,500. This season it looks like it’s less than 9,500 and in the last few days it’s gone down even more for the opening games to around 9,000 (?). I’m sure it’s not just me who can see the effect of this on how we can possibly grow, survive and thrive in the next 2/3 years in League 1. After 55 years it looks like I will struggle to get tickets and at my age I do like to sit down! I’ve got standing tickets in East Terrace for the first couple of games and I think I’m lucky, so no problem. But it’s a problem that looks unlikely to go away. I like what JB did last year but we are in the win League 2 promotion/ struggle in League 1/ get relegated back to League 2 / get promoted back....... cycle. And we can’t be expected to do anything else whilst we are treading water over a new stadium. Commit to the Mem or move, one of the two and given Wael won’t commit to the Mem it seems there’s only one option which he can’t organise. My hard hat is on. 😉 As ever, UTG! Now and forever. |
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Post by darkbluegas on Jul 19, 2022 14:47:23 GMT
It's a bit odd you've never posted that suggestion previously? That’s because it’s just his opinion and not based on any facts whatsoever. It's strange that I posted this opinion based on what I'd heard about two.years ago. I was aware that developers thought they were getting a "very good deal" when Wael was hamstrung by his family. About a year ago Sam frost stated the deal was back on, which I couldn't dispute as it may have been that Wael himself have raised the money. The issue remains if outside investment is required the figures no more add up than they did two years ago. Someone needs to make some money out of this deal and unless Wael changes his mind over giving over control to the developers of FM that would appear to be impossible |
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Post by yattongas on Jul 19, 2022 14:55:38 GMT
That’s because it’s just his opinion and not based on any facts whatsoever. It's strange that I posted this opinion based on what I'd heard about two.years ago. I was aware that developers thought they were getting a "very good deal" when Wael was hamstrung by his family. About a year ago Sam frost stated the deal was back on, which I couldn't dispute as it may have been that Wael himself have raised the money. The issue remains if outside investment is required the figures no more add up than they did two years ago. Someone needs to make some money out of this deal and unless Wael changes his mind over giving over control to the developers of FM that would appear to be impossible Gossip. Unless you have any evidence to back this up ? |
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Post by gas2 on Jul 19, 2022 15:13:17 GMT
I hope you can all indulge me for a moment or two with this story from late yesterday afternoon. I picked up my youngest and his two mates from the open Air pool / Lido at Portishead teatime yesterday, all are 16 years old just finished there GCSE's and chilling until they all go off and do there Football courses at college. The conversation in the car back to Bristol was a real eye opener. All three boys love the Thatchers end and love the Mem and couldn't think of watching the Gas anywhere else. They love the atmosphere especially because they can stand on the terraces. Now they are at the back, rather than behind the goal stood on their stools when I used to take 2 of them when they were 6 or 7. My lads best mates a top four Premier league fan and goes with his dad as season ticket holders. However he has been with the other two lads a couple of times now in the Thatchers and says he loves the banter the songs, atmosphere and says not quite Premier level but enjoys it even more. My other lads mate goes with his dad to another London Premier league club (which I wont name) and says the ground is a real hole and doesn't have the magic of the Mem. He has been going with my lad since they where both as I said 6 or 7. My lad is an absolute Gashead and no allegiance to any other team but the GAS. I have to admit every time I take him to St Mary's he loves it but says the atmosphere and match day experience of standing to watch a game in the Thatcher's with other gasheads is just better every time. (I have to say cheaper too). We do a few away games, and he says League two and League one clubs we have been to over the years still dont match the Gas experience (Pompey and maybe Oxford comes close he says). Anyway, bored you all now. The moral for me is there are some fans and I think its the youngster's like my lad and his mates wouldn't have it any other way but watch the Gas at the Mem. My lad said with his mates in the car yesterday it just wouldn't feel the same to be sat down in a new stadium. As I said at the start a real eye opener for me that there must be some supporters that still have a love for the Old Girl and would not move for anything. I now know their are three 16 year olds that do. (Provided that Saftey, Security, toilets, food, ect are all ok of course). Eastville was the same. A true home from home. The likes of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham have soul-less facilities ---- I am SURE that we would not go down that route. Or would we?? I know where I would rather watch a game and it ain't at Memorial ground as it is now |
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Post by Topper Gas on Jul 19, 2022 15:17:23 GMT
That’s because it’s just his opinion and not based on any facts whatsoever. It's strange that I posted this opinion based on what I'd heard about two.years ago. I was aware that developers thought they were getting a "very good deal" when Wael was hamstrung by his family. About a year ago Sam frost stated the deal was back on, which I couldn't dispute as it may have been that Wael himself have raised the money. The issue remains if outside investment is required the figures no more add up than they did two years ago. Someone needs to make some money out of this deal and unless Wael changes his mind over giving over control to the developers of FM that would appear to be impossible Earlier you've posted the FM is a mirth but now you've posted you've no idea if Wael's raised the finance or not. So which is it, the FM is a total mirth and eventually the club will confirm that's the case, or it's still possible that we may get an announcement that the stadium is going ahead? |
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Post by gasandelectricity on Jul 19, 2022 15:23:53 GMT
It's strange that I posted this opinion based on what I'd heard about two.years ago. I was aware that developers thought they were getting a "very good deal" when Wael was hamstrung by his family. About a year ago Sam frost stated the deal was back on, which I couldn't dispute as it may have been that Wael himself have raised the money. The issue remains if outside investment is required the figures no more add up than they did two years ago. Someone needs to make some money out of this deal and unless Wael changes his mind over giving over control to the developers of FM that would appear to be impossible Gossip. Unless you have any evidence to back this up ? Hearsay is funny. Because I've heard from a few sources there's a very strong likelihood of good news in the not too distant future. Unless you've heard it from someone at the club in a position of a note (and no, that's not your uncles step sons girlfriends whose cousin works for the club in some half removed fashion but someone like TG or Wael himself) it's hearsay. I wouldn't worry about this deadline on the FM with the developers. The fact we haven't had an extension could be massively positive just as much as it could mean it has all fallen apart. The extension would only be needed if there was a massive gap that was necessary to fill with something to give the buyers and sellers confidence that keeping going was worth the financial and time investment required. The way we're spending and bringing in players of note, and keeping onto Joey, before you even think of the investment in training facilities, indicates good news is very possibly on the horizon in itself. Fingers crossed for positive news soon. |
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Post by Topper Gas on Jul 19, 2022 16:24:29 GMT
Not really sure you can link Wael backing JB to the FM going ahead, as he did similar with DC in the past but the UWE talks still eventually came to nothing.
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Post by darkbluegas on Jul 19, 2022 17:06:51 GMT
It's strange that I posted this opinion based on what I'd heard about two.years ago. I was aware that developers thought they were getting a "very good deal" when Wael was hamstrung by his family. About a year ago Sam frost stated the deal was back on, which I couldn't dispute as it may have been that Wael himself have raised the money. The issue remains if outside investment is required the figures no more add up than they did two years ago. Someone needs to make some money out of this deal and unless Wael changes his mind over giving over control to the developers of FM that would appear to be impossible Earlier you've posted the FM is a mirth but now you've posted you've no idea if Wael's raised the finance or not. So which is it, the FM is a total mirth and eventually the club will confirm that's the case, or it's still possible that we may get an announcement that the stadium is going ahead? At the time i posted it was dead in the water some time ago, it was down to the fact it was believed that the developers saw an opportunity to get the Mem on the cheap. That was a possible prior to Wael securing sole ownership of the club. It then appeared there was no need for a fire sale and the prospect became unappealing to developers. Since then rumours have been allowed to circulate the deal is still on as it serves no ones purpose to quash them. As to whether Weal is prepared to organise finance privately, I have no idea, nor would anyone else outside of his immediate circle. I would however agree with your comments above the Fruit Market is no doubt a Mirth |
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Post by chippenhamgas on Jul 19, 2022 17:14:26 GMT
The FM is a massive smokescreen and it's worked brilliantly!
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Post by bluestickgas1 on Jul 19, 2022 17:22:27 GMT
The FM is a massive smokescreen and it's worked brilliantly! I see you voice this opinion quite often Chippenham and I have no idea whether that’s true or not but would welcome your rationale as to why it is such a ‘massive smokescreen’…. Or is it a smokescreen because whilst everyone thinks we’re involved and going to develop a stadium there, it’s actually been a negotiation tactic and we’re actually building a stadium in a completely different place and we used the FM as leverage to keep the price low by showing we aren’t completely reliant on the new place?? Reality is that unless you are within the inner circle of the teams negotiating and planning and have access to information that is restricted by confidentiality clauses etc, then no one actually knows and it’s all pure speculation |
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Post by supergas on Jul 20, 2022 10:37:25 GMT
Eastville was the same. A true home from home. The likes of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham have soul-less facilities ---- I am SURE that we would not go down that route. Or would we?? Agree about the Emirates stadium and London Stadium but I quite liked the new Spurs stadium. It was NFL not football that I saw there but I was impressed by the unique design of the seats, the overall quality and feel of the stadium and the concourse facilities. I suspect in 202-whenever we finally break ground on our new stadium the best we can hope for is something as interesting and different as New White Hart Lane, albeit on a much smaller scale.... |
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Post by CrispPusher on Jul 20, 2022 10:51:32 GMT
The more stupid stuff like going cashless AND cardless is hotly debated, the less likely the club are likely to be asked any difficult questions regarding progress for any new stadium or alternative plan, with the current ground now being it's least fit for purpose ever. We really are mugs 😂
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Post by baggins on Jul 20, 2022 10:51:57 GMT
Eastville was the same. A true home from home. The likes of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham have soul-less facilities ---- I am SURE that we would not go down that route. Or would we?? Agree about the Emirates stadium and London Stadium but I quite liked the new Spurs stadium. It was NFL not football that I saw there but I was impressed by the unique design of the seats, the overall quality and feel of the stadium and the concourse facilities. I suspect in 202-whenever we finally break ground on our new stadium the best we can hope for is something as interesting and different as New White Hart Lane, albeit on a much smaller scale.... I hope it's financially on a smaller scale as well, the new Spurs Stadium cost close to a £billion. |
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Post by baggins on Jul 20, 2022 10:54:48 GMT
The more stupid stuff like going cashless AND cardless is hotly debated, the less likely the club are likely to be asked any difficult questions regarding progress for any new stadium or alternative plan, with the current ground now being it's least fit for purpose ever. We really are mugs 😂 Thought they'd been asked several times regarding new Stadium? Doubt if cashless and cardless will stop that question being put to them. Not sure how any of that makes us mugs? |
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Post by seanclevedongas on Jul 20, 2022 11:35:18 GMT
Eastville was the same. A true home from home. The likes of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham have soul-less facilities ---- I am SURE that we would not go down that route. Or would we?? Agree about the Emirates stadium and London Stadium but I quite liked the new Spurs stadium. It was NFL not football that I saw there but I was impressed by the unique design of the seats, the overall quality and feel of the stadium and the concourse facilities. I suspect in 204-whenever we finally break ground on our new stadium the best we can hope for is something as interesting and different as New White Hart Lane, albeit on a much smaller scale.... Fixed that for you |
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Post by bidefordgas on Jul 20, 2022 11:47:46 GMT
Eastville was the same. A true home from home. The likes of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham have soul-less facilities ---- I am SURE that we would not go down that route. Or would we?? Agree about the Emirates stadium and London Stadium but I quite liked the new Spurs stadium. It was NFL not football that I saw there but I was impressed by the unique design of the seats, the overall quality and feel of the stadium and the concourse facilities. I suspect in 202-whenever we finally break ground on our new stadium the best we can hope for is something as interesting and different as New White Hart Lane, albeit on a much smaller scale.... I find the most amazing thing about the Spurs stadium is that the pitch can be moved under the stands at the touch of a button in three pieces. The stadium can then be used for concerts/ other events. |
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Post by gashead1981 on Jul 20, 2022 11:48:09 GMT
It's a bit odd you've never posted that suggestion previously? I did about 18 months/two years ago and repeated it a few times since. I’d say that is total nonsense. Never, ever, has Wael said that the Mem was up for sale for a pittance, never indicated we were so in trouble that selling it for a pittance was the only solution and has proven, quite unequivocally that he is willing to invest in the infrastructure to the benefit of the club and not it’s detriment. Perhaps the developers had a figure in mind and offered it, but it doesn’t mean we ever considered accepting it. I don’t think anyone is perpetuating a myth, it’s obvious we need a new stadium and for now, Wael has said he is dedicated to sorting one. He also promised us a training ground which he has fulfilled. Neither projects are overnight deliveries. Hes only been here for 7 years. I don’t think any of us veteran gasheads appreciated how far behind the curve we were in every department. We have had to do more than catch up, we have had to reinvent and build a new club. |
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Post by eric on Jul 20, 2022 11:53:56 GMT
Agree about the Emirates stadium and London Stadium but I quite liked the new Spurs stadium. It was NFL not football that I saw there but I was impressed by the unique design of the seats, the overall quality and feel of the stadium and the concourse facilities. I suspect in 202-whenever we finally break ground on our new stadium the best we can hope for is something as interesting and different as New White Hart Lane, albeit on a much smaller scale.... I find the most amazing thing about the Spurs stadium is that the pitch can be moved under the stands at the touch of a button in three pieces. The stadium can then be used for concerts/ other events. Perhaps we could have something similar to slide pitch invaders off the premises? |
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