O/T Andy Pilley and Fleetwood

[BerlinWaller]

Andy Pilley is going to be doing some videos about the state of Fleetwood Town, English footy and his businesses. For anybody interested the link is here

https://twitter.com/capboy70/status/124 ... 89184?s=19

[redrobo]

Will be interesting to see what he has planned for his club and his business.

Did some work for his energy business some 10 years ago and he came across as a very forceful type who knew what he wanted and wouldn't stand for anybody who got in his way. He may have mellowed over the years but he had a timetable for his football club and seems well on track to achieving it.

He's appears to be on the brink of making major changes at his football club and wouldn't be surprised if it involves a team of younger players going forward as his Academy appears to be going from strength to strength.

As a result there may well be a dramatic clear out as and when we have a close season.

[redrobo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=www5kAd ... e=youtu.be

Predicting that there will be no football this year watched by spectators.

Interesting.....

[redrobo]

Just watched to the latest video from Pilley where he makes suggestions as to how football at our level should be financed and in particular how it should be a level playing field for all.

As one who has bankrolled his club by finance from his business interests he in my opinion has a bloody cheek telling others how it should be done in the future. It's owners like him that have created an in balance in the wages of players and is now calling for a salary cap and that clubs should operate with a maximum of 25 players 4 of whom should be under 24. Fine and worthwhile investigating further but he should look at his own club and the salaries it is rumoured that it pays especially the number of players who have joined his club purely because of what he has been paying to buy success.

Have a look at this latest of a series of videos and see what you think.

Wonder if those bank rolling Salford would agree with his thoughts...

And although we are being kept alive by our owners it is nowhere near the level of funding that other clubs in our league are operating under. Rod said earlier that when this current crisis is over that the EFL needs to look at the entire structure of its leagues and for the good of the game going forward.

Totally agree with that sentiment and the sooner the better.

[BerlinWaller]

I'm not sure we are much different than Fleetwood. We were nothing more than a NPL side with a crumbling ground until PMG came along. He chucked lots of money at the club to get us in to League footy and the wheels came off when he turned the tap off.

[redrobo]

I'm not sure we are much different than Fleetwood. We were nothing more than a NPL side with a crumbling ground until PMG came along. He chucked lots of money at the club to get us in to League footy and the wheels came off when he turned the tap off.

No doubt someone will correct me but even under PMG we still had one of the lowest if not the lowest playing budget of all.

[morecambegeek]

No doubt someone will correct me but even under PMG we still had one of the lowest if not the lowest playing budget of all.

Not in the conference.

[BerlinWaller]

We chucked loads of money at getting out of the conference. None of it would have happened if PMG didn't bank roll us. I remember Jacko having a boot deal with Umbro and Twissy turning down league footy with Chester to sign for us.

We were no different from Pilley and Fleetwood.

[redrobo]

No doubt someone will correct me but even under PMG we still had one of the lowest if not the lowest playing budget of all.

Not in the conference.

Totally agree but in the EFL our budget has been one of the lowest if not the lowest.

Without PMG's money it's doubtful we would have got out of the Conference. But since our promotion finances have been a major problem. However we are not the only club having such problems.

Despite these financial worries we survive, season after season but this enforced break could see a much needed radical change of ideals within the EFL Hierarchy.

[Freez]

PMG wasn’t involved in the NPL at all behind the scenes. He got involved when we had established ourselves in the early Conference time.
The North Stand wasn’t paid for by PMG alone, the club borrowed 220k from Lancaster City Council and the rest was a commitment from ALL the other directors.

However, we did turn into a similar Pilley run one man club in the latter years of our Conference days, as PMG assumed more control. The difference was PIlley has always been a one man show, PMG acted like it was but expecting all the other directors to stump up a share but have no real say, which is why we gained and lost so many board members over the years.

So we were similar, but not quite as spoiled or dictated to.
But I do take the point that we have ended up in a new ground and Highbury is an all new ground all be it on the same site. So we were similar.
We are definitively not anything like them now, unfortunately. Their training facilities are superb and they have spent wisely under the surprising Barton era. Good luck to them.

[redrobo]

In his latest video Pilley says that next season Fleetwood FC will become a 'paperless club in terms of finance. All spectators at games will be expected to pay electronically via their bank cards this is to save money in administration and time at turn styles on entry.

He's also in favour in exploring regionalized leagues stating that there is no sense in playing Portsmouth on a Tuesday evening.

Plenty to discuss and consider.

[BerlinWaller]

Looks like Mr Pilley and Fleetwood are deep in the brown stuff

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/statu ... 05376?s=19

[redrobo]

Looks like Mr Pilley and Fleetwood are deep in the brown stuff

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/statu ... 05376?s=19

Many years ago before I took early retirement at the age of 60 I had the misfortune of doing some business with his energy company and it took an age for them to pay for our services. It was at that time that he got involved with Fleetwood who where non league at the time and many felt that one day the writing would be on the wall and Fleetwood FC would be the casualty as his business empire crumbled before him.

The current energy crisis brings into focus his company and it would be surprising if he and they survive.

Nobody likes to see a club go to the wall but it could well be which would be a pity for their fans and the town.

[BerlinWaller]

It's not only the club that are in trouble. Mr Pilley and his Sister are both in court on money laundering and fraud charges.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news ... ol-3392290

[marky No.1]

The other side of the story

https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/new ... -west-10m/

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

What can one say? His BES company (or the equivalent back in the day) were subject to many scathing reviews from small business owners who felt they had been duped into punitive contracts with Mr Pilleys companies. These are well documented on line.

Trading standards obviously gave the complaints credence which resulted in a law agency combined raid on the company offices at Fleetwood Town FC back in 2016 where company records, computers etc' were seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

If it's taken 5 years from then to file charges against several individuals, you would imagine a thorough investigation has taken place in the interim and the CPS are satisfied there are cases to answer.

Add to that the current wholesale gas price increases and it would appear Mr Pilley is currently facing the perfect storm. His legal fees to defend the criminal allegations alone must be enormous and would cripple folk with far greater resources than him. If he and the other defendants are innocent then I'm sure we all wish them the best of luck. However if found guilty then this could well spell the end of Fleetwood Town FC as we currently know it.

Watch this space!

[BerlinWaller]

All they are missing is a skint Brazilian and a fat Italian in a Fila Tracksuit

[P/T Indie]

Haven't Fleetwood just spent a few million on a new training complex as well.

[BerlinWaller]

Haven't Fleetwood just spent a few million on a new training complex as well.

I am not sure if Pilley owns that rather than Fleetwood?

[Gone_Shrimping]

Haven't Fleetwood just spent a few million on a new training complex as well.

I think Andy Pilley personally owns the training complex rather than Fleetwood Town but if it all goes pear-shaped it will belong to the receiver. I should think Blackpool FC will be keeping an eye on that as they still train on a field near Squires Gate.

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

The other side of the story

https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/new ... -west-10m/

Interesting comments to the article Mark.

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

If anyone needs to know anything about BES Utilities go to their website and look at the reviews from customers. I became aware of them several years ago when the reviews were just as bad. Appears nothing has changed. If ever anything was needed to convince folk to check up on companies before using them then these many horrendous reviews should be it. They haven’t changed after all these years

[Keith]

If anyone needs to know anything about BES Utilities go to their website and look at the reviews from customers.

I Googled them for reviews and found they had a 94% satisfaction rate. Most reviews were either 5* or 1*
https://www.reviews.co.uk/company-reviews/store/bescouk

Read a couple of reviews and realised it is a different company, with the same name That's unlucky.

[Keith]

Ouch!
https://repdigger.com/reviews/bes-utilities

[Freez]

Who knew?
Cough!!