Matt

Deal to buy Salford City is on apparently

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26775674

View from the Ammies:

They haven't really 'bought' us because we were never 'owned'...

 

The MEN have never shown the slightest interest in Salford City and their recent article is based on the few known facts mixed in with a huge dollop of supposition. Our name is not changing to Salford 92, we will still be playing at Moor Lane and the committee running the club this season will be running it on a day-to-day basis next season.

 

We do not have too many fans but those we've got are amongst the most committed I've ever come across. 'Proper' football fans, I would say. The club's committee have worked astoundingly hard - in some cases for decades - to keep Salford City going and competing at as high a standard as we can manage. With the crowds we attract you could argue that we are punching a bit above our weight in the NPL and that is down to the people who have put half a lifetime's care and dedication into the job. Not the sort of folk to hand their club over to just anybody, you might think, and you'd be right.

 

The group of individuals who have chosen to become involved in the club were able to offer a very tempting vision - a vibrant, community focused football club who will look to encourage, develop and use local talent. A chance in a million to take Salford City forward in a manner that was only a pipe dream previously.

 

It had to be taken and it was. Like every football club we hope to extend our support and the publicity generated will attract football fans from within the city and beyond who will at first be interested in how far we can go. That interest - we hope - will turn into the genuine support that the club will certainly need in order to progress.

 

Make no mistake, our 'gang of five' are in for the long haul and are genuinely excited about the future of the club. A breath of fresh air perhaps - people who have done very well out of the game and are now disposed to put something of real value back in.

If the purchase of Salford was to come to fruition, it'd be interesting to see the effect on FC United support. I would predict that a good few would switch allegiances.

Might get the odd one or two seeing what it's like however on the surface it's basically a takeover, name change and offering attractive professional contracts in a bid to charge up the leagues - contrary to popular belief, not what FC are about. However the key here again is the land, they'll buy the club, move it to their facility, bang a load of houses on Moore Lane and that'll be that. You'll never see Salford anywhere near L2.

News today that Scholes (net worth £19m) along with the Nevilles, Butt, Giggs and Beckham are fronting a Qatari led consortium to buy United from the Glazers.

 

Unsure what the purchase price is but for c£8 million would that buy the club and the ground with just the running costs as outgoing....

I think you've got your sources all mixed up. It's Salford City FC or 92 as they will be called if it gets green lit; championship football within 15 years - good luck to them. So that's them, Fylde, Hednesford, Halifax, North Ferriby and probably some more all laying claim to League football as a long term target. We shall see.

Regarding the old firm if not Celtic why not rangers

Clearly Celtic are the better attraction, plus I don't think they can afford it. *chuckle*

Some of those teams from the then Rhodesia must still be knocking around.

pk. I do not use rudeness as a means to not answering people's concerns. However I am not obliged to give answers to people who are offensive and sometimes sometimes abusive.

 

Barry

Are you using an online translator? Odd syntax.

 

Because of typical scum arrogance.

FC are quite humble to be fair. Just a little club doing its own thing, making friends along the way.

We love you. xxx

I hope they enjoy the love in. I'm just a supporter of :censored:ty lickle Oldham, I'm still working on loving United but it's heavy going.

Good luck with all of that.

I'm guessing it's exactly the same reason that the many clubs called United don't carry on as if they are the only one. Not arseholes.

FC aren't the only one. The club and the fans have had plaudits and praise from around the leagues, many are pleased - certainly those I have talked to - with what FC are doing, and support the projects and are very happy for FC fans that Moston was being built.

Some don't like us, usually :censored: clubs that hate MUFC. Go figure.

https://www.fundingcircle.com/

Peer-to-peer loans from local businesses...

"Do you, or does someone you know, have a voice in making decisions in other organisations? We are inviting organisations to lend money to the club – and benefit from this great deal as well as contribute to a fantastic new community facility. *football team name removed to prevent some :censored:ing flute giving it the ABU* has already successfully raised almost all of the £5.7m finance package needed to build the new ground. *football team name removed to prevent some :censored:ing flute giving it the ABU* members have contributed over £1.8m to the club’s pioneering Community Share Scheme. The loan stock offer is one of the last pieces in the jigsaw..."

"...As a Society for the Benefit of the Community (formerly known as Industrial and Provident Society), *football team name removed to prevent some :censored:ing flute giving it the ABU* is a one-member, one-vote organisation. It also has the power to sell loan stock, or borrow, at a rate agreed by its board. The Board has decided to offer loan stock to organisations at between 3% and 4% interest pa - partly to replace more expensive loans and partly to finance increased development costs."

Link to football team who shall not be named to prevent some :censored:ing flute giving it the ABU

None of the thousands of other "FC"'s that came before them claim it as their own - why should they?

Ask the thousands of other clubs why they didn't bother.

Please stop referring to them as "FC"

Nope.

Why not just get recordings of loud, cheering, happy fans and play it during the game, even simpler. It might even wake some of the fans up too.

WCW did that, then the fans started rioting and WCW went bust.

"GOLDBERG!"

My gripe with them is that the fans still continue to support Man United and enjoy (maybe not so much this season) league, cup and european wins. It's as if they want the buzz of a community club, standing and away days at small grounds with small crowds away from the megastore bag holding 1 game per season "fans". But at the same time they want to take part in and enjoy the glory of being one of the most successful clubs in the world paying players 8 figure salaries.

 

If FC was born out of protest against what the Glazers have done at MUFC, why continue to support MUFC?

 

Smacks of having their cake and eating it.

LUHG. http://andersred.blogspot.co.uk/

Also, I wonder how many Oldham fans like watching United or City on the TV? Or actually go to OT or Etihad as well as Oldham? I reckon there are a few.

For the thousands of fans who wanted a club to call their own and to have a say in the running of a club - it's happened, and FC have made many friends at home and abroad by doing so - making friends not millionaires.

pic

That doesn't make any sense at all.

Misconceptions perhaps the one about the glaziers taking over United would lead to the club imploding it hasn't happened has it?

Why does everyone think Manchester United are owned by window manufacturers?

Your complete view of the situation reveals everything about the lack of understanding about what FC is, and why it was formed; The aim is to create a sustainable club for the long term which is owned and democratically run by its members, which is accessible to all the communities of Manchester and one in which they can participate fully. Although driven by very different circumstances, FC takes as its inspiration a number of supporters' groups who have gone down this route, including AFC Wimbledon, who have offered unstinting support. FC is intended to create a football club which addresses the concerns which many fans have had over the last decade or more with how MUFC is developing culminating in the the takeover of Glazer, and how football in general has developed, the regimented way football is run and cost.

And knowing one of the burnley directors (main money man) personally, for all the good, bad, tight or generous types - burnley has always had a board of directors 6-7 strong, all fans incidentally (and decent business men in their own right). It's been my view for a long time that Corney / the club would benefit hugely by appointing some board members who run businesses who can bring structure, strategy and organisation to the place. Corney rightly can't be away from his family and with his focus firmly on the stand which he sees as his to get sorted he needs help, and if investors aren't forthcoming at least give your business the best help you can by inviting some non-exec directors onto the board to help things.

 

It would take some pressure off, add more contacts into the mix which can lead to something. Unfortunately I fear it is Corneys ego that is stopping such a sensible move.

 

By the way I have offered this suggestion up along with days spent putting together strategy/ vision reports to the current board and have so far found a door in much the same state as you Rummy...firmly shut.

An interesting insight, thanks.

I know you and all your friends at Fc United are single handedly heroically saving football from the evil corporate pigs and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart but seriously knowone cares.

This old chestnut. Well there is quite a lot of misinformation out there about FC, that statement being one of them. The fact is FC doesn't care what anybody else thinks, FC isn't saving anything, Why does it bother you what FC do?

So many misconceptions.

:censored: 'em.

Is it working?

 

Of course, football is different in reality because of the passion it stirs from fans. However, just because we are fans, doesn't entitle us to decide everything, nor does it it mean we have to be involved in any decision making.

Just read that bit, and you are wrong.

 

Try it again, Rummy. After a public statement like that, he might be more welcoming.

I have no :censored:ing interest whatsoever.

On the other hand - there are clubs like Burnley. I was talking to a Burnley fan the other day, and he pointed out that the Chairmen and the board throughout their history (good or bad) have always had strong links with the club and the community, and have usually been influential local businessmen. He pointed out Bob Lord and Garlick as two examples from very different eras. Lord's strength, money, influence and ability to run a club with tight pockets are traits that Burnley hold dear to this day.

 

Corney puts it well in the article by highlighting that he has an open-door policy. So, if you doubt him, criticise him or whatever - go meet him, rather than hide behind the keyboard.

I did, and he :censored: out.

 

The legal entity might be, but Oldham Athletic Football Club isn't theirs, it's ours, whoever owns it. It belongs to every supporter, every fan who has ever cheered the boys in blue, orange, white, red, raspberry, black, lime green on. It'll be around (in one form or another) long after they're gone.

That's very romantic, but it's not. You have no say whatsoever in the club, you can either go to the match and buy their wares or not go to the match at all. Those are the only choices you have.

And you are right as well, it will be here after they have gone, but then it will be somebody else's plaything. The common factor in all of this is the poor :censored:er who still buy tickets for the matches, who sees their club being passed along the :censored:ing chain of Chairmen and investors who have no connection to the club or the wherewithal to run it in the first place.

Fan ownership is no easy ride, mind you - ask any Portsmouth fan/owner.

It's not their club

It is their club, and they allow you to go and pay to watch. If you want it back, you need a collective movement to get it back and fan own it - and I can't see a AFC Wimbledon or a Portsmouth type of revolution happening any time soon because there's no fight and nobody to lead it, so you're stuck with it.

Don't expect Owen to help, he's a company man.

Mods -:I meant to make votes public

I don't think it can be changed when active, I'll take a look.

EDIT: No it can't