My Football Club

[TrueBlue]

Dear Scott

MyFootballClub has agreed a deal in principle to purchase a controlling stake in Ebbsfleet United FC. Placed 9th in the Conference, Ebbsfleet United FC is one promotion from reaching the Football League for the first time in its history.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

If that deal goes through the first thing MyFC should do is change the name back to Gravesend and Northfleet...

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

So all the Leeds rumours were absolute cack then?

 

[TrueBlue]

Bit more.....


Dear Scott

MyFootballClub has agreed a deal in principle to purchase a controlling stake in Ebbsfleet United FC. Placed 9th in the Conference, Ebbsfleet United FC is one promotion from reaching the Football League for the first time in its history.

Now is the time for you to join MyFootballClub members who have already contributed over £700,000 towards taking over and improving a football club.




Own the club, pick the team

Members will own the club through the MyFootballClub Trust. You will vote on team selection, player transfers and on major club decisions. Join thousands of other football fans and take part in the challenge of guiding a club up the football leagues.

The football club selection process

In all, MyFootballClub was approached by nine football club owners, and we approached several others. Getting to know one club and meeting the personalities involved is a process that can take several weeks. In three months, we took a close look at seven clubs. Confidentiality means we cannot disclose details of any of these discussions.

Of the seven football clubs considered, the MyFootballClub team believes that Ebbsfleet United FC present a unique opportunity. Here is some background to the deal and the football club:

Price

We have been able to structure a deal so that the up front payment is relatively small (to allow investment in the squad), with a further staged payment due 12 months after takeover. The club will also have a small amount of debt, which will need to be repaid or refinanced 3 years after takeover.

Only when DD is complete can further details be released.

Current Directors and club staff

For continuity, all club staff will remain. Directors will become non-executive Directors and will continue their roles at the club.

The manager

Liam Daish's title will change from Manager to Head Coach, in recognition of the unique role he will perform. Liam's backroom staff, including assistant Alan Kimble, will remain.

Liam Daish commented, "As a football fan, I think the MyFootballClub idea is fantastic. And as the coach, I look forward to the challenge of working with thousands of members to produce a winning team. Alan Kimble and myself are 100% committed to making this work."

Division

Playing in the Conference National, MyFootballClub members across the UK will have the opportunity of going to watch Ebbsfleet United matches. This would not have been the case with a club in a regional division.

Promotion to the Football League is one of the great prizes in English football, and the Conference also has a Wembley play-off final. The division enjoys a similar amount of TV and press coverage as Division Two.

Ground

Stonebridge Road was built in 1946 and has a capacity of 5,248 of which approximately 4,000 is standing. The club has a 17-year lease to play there the with a peppercorn rent. Plans are ongoing to build and move to a new stadium in the vicinity.

So as well as offering something for the traditionalist, there is also the prospect of a new stadium in the future.

Club sponsor

Eurostar is the club's main sponsor. The club is in the first season of a three-year deal. The club will receive monies in year two and three.

Location and transport

Ebbsfleet United FC is in northwest Kent and enjoys good transport links. By car it is junction 2 on the M25. And Northfleet station (a 5 minute walk to the ground) is 55 minutes from Charing Cross, London. Gravesend Station is also near by.

Ebbsfleet International Station, on the Eurostar line, opens on 19 November. It's approximately 500m from the Stonebridge Road ground. A high speed 15-minute domestic service from St Pancras will be introduced in 2009.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

One of the original conditions is:- The club has the potential to reach the Premiership.

Can't see how Ebbsfleet will meet that requirement:D .

The top 15 voted for clubs were:-
1 Leeds United
2 Nottingham Forest
3 Cambridge United
4 Accrington Stanley
5 Halifax Town
6 Barnet
7 York City
8 Brighton
9 Brentford
10 QPR
11 Torquay United
12 Oxford United
13 Woking
14 Notts County
15 Dagenham & Redbridge

Can't see Ebbsfleet in that list.

Good luck to them hope it works.

 

[londonblue]

Maybe i'm missing something, but how does the Coach work out his week's training, and set tactics, and work on this during the week if he doesn't know who is going to be in the starting 11?

 

[SUFC_Al]

also, how are some 20,000 members going to see the players to know who to vote for?

 

[Mr. Benedict]

One of the original conditions is:- The club has the potential to reach the Premiership.

Can't see how Ebbsfleet will meet that requirement:D .

The top 15 voted for clubs were:-
1 Leeds United
2 Nottingham Forest
3 Cambridge United
4 Accrington Stanley
5 Halifax Town
6 Barnet
7 York City
8 Brighton
9 Brentford
10 QPR
11 Torquay United
12 Oxford United
13 Woking
14 Notts County
15 Dagenham & Redbridge

Can't see Ebbsfleet in that list.

Good luck to them hope it works.

Probably because none of the clubs listed were interested in selling a controlling stake to MyFC. If they do buy Ebbsfleet, it'll be interesting to see how things work, or how long Daish stays.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Daish's comments to me sound like those of a man who's been thoroughly briefed by a PR consultant. I can't see him staying long if he's got serious hopes for his management career!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Maybe i'm missing something, but how does the Coach work out his week's training, and set tactics, and work on this during the week if he doesn't know who is going to be in the starting 11?

When is the starting 11 voted for? If it's at the start of the week at least he will have something to work on.

also, how are some 20,000 members going to see the players to know who to vote for?

They have about 53,000 members so far, not sure if everyone has paid or if they have to pay yet? Unless you think 30,000 are going to turn up for their 1st game, that could be interesting with a 5,000 capacity ground! I wonder if their crowds will go up?

Probably because none of the clubs listed were interested in selling a controlling stake to MyFC. If they do buy Ebbsfleet, it'll be interesting to see how things work, or how long Daish stays.

Yeah, I have read a bit more about the selection process on their web site. Can't see Daish staying that long.

 

[Einstein]

also, how are some 20,000 members going to see the players to know who to vote for?

IMO, the one thing I'm most curious about is the effect it will have on attendances.

IMO a conservative estimate would say that there's 2,000 members, which are from the London/Kent/Essex area.

If 20% go and watch Ebbsfleet when their own team is away then that is a substantial increase in revenue.

400(supporters) x 15 (gate price) = GBP 6,000 per game.

25(home games) x 6,000 (per game) = GBP 150,000.

For a conference side, that is a lot of extra revenue bringing into the club without merchandise revenue etc. Depending how the money is spent they could quite easily be in the League within a couple of years IMO. To be honest, I think it just depends how many of the 20,000 members have their head screwed on, and how much control Ebbsfleet board have actually really given MyFC.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

Daish's comments to me sound like those of a man who's been thoroughly briefed by a PR consultant. I can't see him staying long if he's got serious hopes for his management career!

I would think that they'll have trouble appointing managers when Daish goes. Who'll want to coach a side when you can't control anything about the team? And I'll bet the 'Head Coach' will still be the one that recieves the sack if the team are not performing to expectations...

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

One of the original conditions is:- The club has the potential to reach the Premiership.

Can't see how Ebbsfleet will meet that requirement:D .

The top 15 voted for clubs were:-
1 Leeds United
2 Nottingham Forest
3 Cambridge United
4 Accrington Stanley
5 Halifax Town
6 Barnet
7 York City
8 Brighton
9 Brentford
10 QPR
11 Torquay United
12 Oxford United
13 Woking
14 Notts County
15 Dagenham & Redbridge

Can't see Ebbsfleet in that list.

Good luck to them hope it works.

Updated list on the MyFC web site today, had Ebbsfleet as the 14th placed club.

Just looked again and they are now 13th in the list, people are now voting for Ebbsfleet even though they are already the selected club.

 

[SUFC_Al]

They have about 53,000 members so far, not sure if everyone has paid or if they have to pay yet? Unless you think 30,000 are going to turn up for their 1st game, that could be interesting with a 5,000 capacity ground! I wonder if their crowds will go up?

I read this morning that they have 53,000 members, but 20,000 had paid their £35.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

I read this morning that they have 53,000 members, but 20,000 had paid their £35.

That's only £700,000.
Can't see them being able to do too much with that amount of money, considering that they have to buy the club with it as well. If I was an Ebbsfleet fan, I'd be slightly concerned by this takeover.

 

[Napster]

Good old Ebbsfleet - maybe they should look at some French players coming over on the Eurostar.

I think it's a cracking idea, and a great location. :)

 

[SUFC_Al]

That's only £700,000.
Can't see them being able to do too much with that amount of money, considering that they have to buy the club with it as well. If I was an Ebbsfleet fan, I'd be slightly concerned by this takeover.

that's the figure quoted as well, John.

It seems they're buying in to the club with a small amount to begin with.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

that's the figure quoted as well, John.

It seems they're buying in to the club with a small amount to begin with.

I read that bit, but must have missed the bit when they quoted the amount.
Another interesting part is that the club will have a 'small amount of debt'. What do they class as 'a small amount', I wonder...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Good old Ebbsfleet - maybe they should look at some French players coming over on the Eurostar.

I think it's a cracking idea, and a great location. :)

A great location? Its a ****ing ****hole.


Are Gravesend and Northfleet, or whatever they are called these days a long ball team? With a management duo of dirty Cambridge scum Daish and Kimble you've got to wonder.

Do they have that Fleetwood up front? He seems to score every week, I expect he'll get a game!

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Do they have that Fleetwood up front? He seems to score every week, I expect he'll get a game!

Doesn't he play for Forest Green Rovers?
If fans were in charge of team affairs at SUFC, there would probably be a clamour to sign him, purely so we could get back to singing "Duh duh de duh Stuart Fleetwood" :p