Business plan for Morecambe FC?

[Shrimpy]

someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but surely the only people a business is obliged to disclose a business plan to are it's own board members and any investors. The Trust and any other random supporter, as far as I'm aware, has absolutely no right to expect to see the club's business plan.

An interesting take on it, I suppose it depends on whether you view the relationship between club and supporter on the same level as that between a business and customer.

Personally I think football clubs shouldn't be compared like for like with other businesses, they are community assets and have many people who have an emotional connection with the club. You don't get that with whatever supermarket you decide to shop at for example.

It should be a two way street, the people at the Trust who work tirelessly and dedicate hours upon hours to try and improve things for both their fellow fans and the club itself should get something in return for their efforts, whether that's a greater insight to the inner workings of the club than we get now or even an actual say in how things are run.

The Trust (and it's predecessors) and wider fan base have been involved with many initiatives that raise money for the club itself, paying Jim's fine, helping with Barrys testimonial, defibriliators, training ground fence for example. You don't get shoppers at Asda raising money to hand over to the business so they can make improvements to the store, it's a completely different dynamic between fan and club than customer and business.

As soon as you start referring to the club as "the business" and that the board of directors don't need to keep the "customers" informed as to their intentions / plan this is where divides start forming between those in charge and the fans which will lead to apathy, mistrust and dwindling supporter base which is pretty much what's happened over the past 5 / 10 years.

If the club is going to thrive and grow then the board of directors need to be open with fans, engage with us and start repairing bridges, not continue to operate in the shadows and continue the "us and them" feel around the place.

[Knightrider]

someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but surely the only people a business is obliged to disclose a business plan to are it's own board members and any investors. The Trust and any other random supporter, as far as I'm aware, has absolutely no right to expect to see the club's business plan.

An interesting take on it, I suppose it depends on whether you view the relationship between club and supporter on the same level as that between a business and customer.

Personally I think football clubs shouldn't be compared like for like with other businesses, they are community assets and have many people who have an emotional connection with the club. You don't get that with whatever supermarket you decide to shop at for example.

It should be a two way street, the people at the Trust who work tirelessly and dedicate hours upon hours to try and improve things for both their fellow fans and the club itself should get something in return for their efforts, whether that's a greater insight to the inner workings of the club than we get now or even an actual say in how things are run.

The Trust (and it's predecessors) and wider fan base have been involved with many initiatives that raise money for the club itself, paying Jim's fine, helping with Barrys testimonial, defibriliators, training ground fence for example. You don't get shoppers at Asda raising money to hand over to the business so they can make improvements to the store, it's a completely different dynamic between fan and club than customer and business.

As soon as you start referring to the club as "the business" and that the board of directors don't need to keep the "customers" informed as to their intentions / plan this is where divides start forming between those in charge and the fans which will lead to apathy, mistrust and dwindling supporter base which is pretty much what's happened over the past 5 / 10 years.

If the club is going to thrive and grow then the board of directors need to be open with fans, engage with us and start repairing bridges, not continue to operate in the shadows and continue the "us and them" feel around the place.

Thats an outstanding post shrimpy, your the third poster I have encountered who is capable of civilised debate here which does not breach the forum rules you agree to when registering. Well done.

[black morse]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of EFL clubs operate in the way you suggest. I don't think you are wrong just doubt whether that many clubs do let fans know the behind the scenes goings on.

Yes, I know there are exceptions such as Accy

[mrpotatohead]

knightriders posts are a very well orchestrated plan to cause hassle between whoever ,be it the board ..svs...the trust ..or individuals ..he or rhey are not in this for the wind up..its agenda is to cause disharmony...anyone who rises to it is gullible.

[KenH]

If the club is going to thrive and grow then the board of directors need to be open with fans, engage with us and start repairing bridges, not continue to operate in the shadows and continue the "us and them" feel around the place.

Well said. Couldn't agree more. What about the club's radio advs "It's YOUR club, be part of it". The Board/owners want it to be a community club when it suits them, i.e. when they want support, money, etc., but don't reciprocate with any form of proper dialogue or information about their end of things. The new owners have an ideal opportunity to make long overdue changes to the club/fans relationship - I hope they take the initiative.

[Shrimpy]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of EFL clubs operate in the way you suggest. I don't think you are wrong just doubt whether that many clubs do let fans know the behind the scenes goings on.

Yes, I know there are exceptions such as Accy

Yep, you will be correct in that the vast majority don't really get kept informed. However, I think clubs such as ours should be. We're a rudderless ship, the club is haemorrhaging money and no one in the boardroom has been able to do anything about it for a decade or so. There is no knight in shining armour like Andy Piley or Andy Holt on the horizon coming to save the club and whilst that is the case the fans need to be given a greater say / responsibility for helping steer the club in the right direction.

There are fans, people on the Trust, people within the local business community that given the right leadership within the club are dying to get involved, to help the club and move it forward but they need letting behind the curtain and engaged with. From what I see that doesn't seem to be happening at the moment.

[Knightrider]

knightriders posts are a very well orchestrated plan to cause hassle between whoever ,be it the board ..svs...the trust ..or individuals ..he or rhey are not in this for the wind up..its agenda is to cause disharmony...anyone who rises to it is gullible.

With respect what relevance does your post have to the title of the thread? Have a bit of respect for those who wish to comply with the forum rules and engage in civilised debate for the benefit of the football club, the town and its community.

Are you the ringleader of the circus here? If you are may I suggest you create your own personal insulting threads so that you and your PALS can create your own entertainment and achieve absolutely no positive outcome and damage the football club, town and community by dividing it further.

Thank you.

[bill ding]

Why is everyone letting this troll get under their skin , he,she,it is obviously on here only to wind people up ...... And it's working , ban him or just ignore his posts !

[mrpotatohead]

Funny.....just what I expected SR ....your agenda is transparent and your "shabby" treatment by the club was no less than you deserved

[Knightrider]

Shrimpy your post really does connect the dots.

For instance this revealing post from a smart entrepreneur Posh. Instead of the three musketeers locking them themselves in at Riversway House would the outcome of the design and content of the facility have been any different if they had CONSULTED their valued staff and customers?

An effective Supporters TRUST is the football clubs last hope in my opinion.

Everyone is right about Christie Park because no one knows and we will never know what truly went on. My understanding is that the loans that some but not all directors built up at Christie Park were paid back from the proceeds of the sale to Sainsburys. That inevitably reduced the sum that could be spent. The interest element is true but don’t spend what you haven’t got.

The fact is that PMG, Mark and Brian locked themselves away in an office at Riversway House near Greyhound Bridge and planned a ground with little or no consultation with fans or frankly anyone else, which is why we ended up with such a dog’s dinner. They could have gone to Burton, asked them for the plans, asked what would they do better again and for less money got a ground that’s been enough to support a Championship club.

They hired and fully trusted a group of Lancaster University undergraduates to do the full business plan for the 3G pitches, which turned out to be highly inaccurate; they served wild boar steaks in a fan’s bar because they completely and utterly failed to understand their audience and that we were at the start of the biggest financial crisis the world had ever known; they didn’t built any training facilities, despite loads of land; and whatever financial cushion was left was pissed away in the first season by Sammy McIlroy.

All this led to multiple bailouts by Nigel, Graham, the PFA and anyone else with deep pockets wishing to burn cash. It also led to multiple failed promises.

Given all that I have no idea why Diego, Abdullah and the latest owners still retain PMG. He has some hold on them that I don’t get - works for free? It desperately needs a change of direction because it seems rudderless and if it wasn’t for the likes of Toby, Gill and Mike O’Brien for the knowledge, continuity and professional expertise they provide I don’t know where we would be as a business.

So, simple question. Who is the Managing Director or equivalent of Morecambe FC?

P.S. Someone asked and Knightrider isn’t me (despite nicking my location tag!). Associating yourself with David Hasselhoff is not smart.

[Andy D]

For instance this revealing post from a smart entrepreneur Posh. Instead of the three musketeers locking them themselves in at Riversway House would the outcome of the design and content of the facility have been any different if they had CONSULTED their valued staff and customers?

well of course it would!!

Think most fans like me feel lead up the Garden Path, being told we'd got a shit load of cash, although its not confirmed off Sainburys around 10 Million with some saying 12 Million

And then were excited looking forward to moving and getting this, only to feel short changed

[Knightrider]

I'm no Knight in shining armour but this music very relevant in my opinion to the positive direction this thread is taking despite the efforts of the clowns in the circus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9-fdHqBJ98

Dedicated to a club legend Dave Edge RIP

[Gnasher]

knightriders posts are a very well orchestrated plan to cause hassle between whoever ,be it the board ..svs...the trust ..or individuals ..he or rhey are not in this for the wind up..its agenda is to cause disharmony...anyone who rises to it is gullible.

With respect what relevance does your post have to the title of the thread? Have a bit of respect for those who wish to comply with the forum rules and engage in civilised debate for the benefit of the football club, the town and its community.

Are you the ringleader of the circus here? If you are may I suggest you create your own personal insulting threads so that you and your PALS can create your own entertainment and achieve absolutely no positive outcome and damage the football club, town and community by dividing it further.

Thank you.

If MPH is the ringleader, you must be the clown.

Question. Were you previously known on this forum as "Truth"?

[Knightrider]

knightriders posts are a very well orchestrated plan to cause hassle between whoever ,be it the board ..svs...the trust ..or individuals ..he or rhey are not in this for the wind up..its agenda is to cause disharmony...anyone who rises to it is gullible.

With respect what relevance does your post have to the title of the thread? Have a bit of respect for those who wish to comply with the forum rules and engage in civilised debate for the benefit of the football club, the town and its community.

Are you the ringleader of the circus here? If you are may I suggest you create your own personal insulting threads so that you and your PALS can create your own entertainment and achieve absolutely no positive outcome and damage the football club, town and community by dividing it further.

Thank you.

If MPH is the ringleader, you must be the clown.

Question. Were you previously known on this forum as "Truth"?

With respect Gnasher, does exactly what it says on the tin, I do not engage with trolls or posters who dont respect the forum rules of engagement by making personal attacks. Like the circus ringleader your post has no relevance to the thread title so may I suggest you create your own thread "Is Knightrider Truth?" and see what benefit that creates for the football club, town and community instead of hijacking threads and creating chaos and division.

Thank you.

[redrobo]

If anybody is creating chaos then it is yourself Knightrider and what is of interest to I would suggest most of us on this Fans Forum is what are you hoping to achieve

Matters relating to the sale of CP and The Globe are history and should be put down as not the finest hour in our club's history BUT we are stuck with what we've got and other than some White Knight(rider?) coming along with a pot of gold and being prepared to fund the development of those areas that financially were not possible at the original time of construction then we have to accept that it's far from perfect but (in my eyes) is and remains so a progressive step for our club that the majority acclaimed at the time of its conception.

[Gnasher]

With respect Gnasher, does exactly what it says on the tin, I do not engage with trolls or posters who dont respect the forum rules of engagement by making personal attacks. Like the circus ringleader your post has no relevance to the thread title so may I suggest you create your own thread "Is Knightrider Truth?" and see what benefit that creates for the football club, town and community instead of hijacking threads and creating chaos and division.

With no respect KnightTiddler (due entirely to your disgraceful intrusion into the condolences thread), I continued your discussion introducing the circus. Surely that is enough for you to be banned under the terms & conditions of the forum that you accepted?

P.S. I did not accept the terms & conditions. Work that one out

[Knightrider]

knightriders posts are a very well orchestrated plan to cause hassle between whoever ,be it the board ..svs...the trust ..or individuals ..he or rhey are not in this for the wind up..its agenda is to cause disharmony...anyone who rises to it is gullible.

Of course the other point of view is that they could be gullible if they take any notice of the exceptionally influential circus ringleader and SV "management team" who are?

[Gnasher]

Of course the other point of view is that they could be gullible if they take any notice of the exceptionally influential circus ringleader and SV "management team" who are?

SV Management Team, confirms your delusion

If you want to know who runs the forum, learn how to use the forum and the Truth is there.

[Knightrider]

If anybody is creating chaos then it is yourself Knightrider and what is of interest to I would suggest most of us on this Fans Forum is what are you hoping to achieve

Matters relating to the sale of CP and The Globe are history and should be put down as not the finest hour in our club's history BUT we are stuck with what we've got and other than some White Knight(rider?) coming along with a pot of gold and being prepared to fund the development of those areas that financially were not possible at the original time of construction then we have to accept that it's far from perfect but (in my eyes) is and remains so a progressive step for our club that the majority acclaimed at the time of its conception.

Trying to keep it rational here despite the personal attacks.

Progressive step?

Are the annual debts being created at the Globe Arena greater or less than when the football club was at home at Christie?

Sadly its certainly history but as KenH asks the key question has the new management learnt from past mistakes?

[redrobo]

No personal attacks just a straight forward question 'what are you hoping to achieve' I'm sure some if not all would welcome a reply.....please!

[Knightrider]

No personal attacks just a straight forward question 'what are you hoping to achieve' I'm sure some if not all would welcome a reply.....please!

Hijacking the thread again PAL please create your own.

Thank you.

[Andy D]

Ignore him(Knightrider) you can tell he's taking the piss to a private audience egging him on.

[Gnasher]

Ignore him(Knightrider) you can tell he's taking the piss to a private audience egging him on.

That implies he has friends which I very much doubt. Best response is not to reply directly but take the thread in another direction. Only reason I've joined in again.