ElstreeBlue
Coach
The last few months have been a very depressing time to be a Blues fan with all the financial uncertainty hanging over the club with the threats of possible liquidation/administration. Things are clearly still far from perfect. However, it's possible that things may be about to change.
I hear that the club's owners may have finally accepted that they can't finance the move to FF alone and have been looking to outside money to help make it happen. Apparently wealthy fans have been having talks to help fund the new development. Let's hope they come on board. If all works out well, building work at FF could start very soon.
This could be fantastic news if it happens. I personally don't care whether or not Ron Martin or anyone else makes loads of money out of the club's move and the development project. What I DO care about is whether the club has a sustainable long-term future.
If the move and building work does actually proceed, there are still key questions that we need to have answers to (and which have not yet been answered). They are:
1 What does it really mean financially for the club? And I mean no more spin and wishy-washy comments; facts please.
2 Will the club have to pay rent?
3 If so, how much and when?
4 What will happen to the rent and other monies that have been "lent" during the last few years which the club has not yet had to pay - will that finally be written off or will the club have to pay that?
5 If the club has to pay it back, on what terms?
6 Will the club have a legal entitlement to receive a share of the ancillary revenues (eg from the hotel, shops, etc)?
7 If so, how much and on what legal basis (if the club is just another tenant and does not own the land)?
8 Most importantly, how will the club's long-term financial future be enshrined, so that the club has a ground to play in, rent-free and with rights to the ancillary revenues - all for many many years to come?
I hope that if a long-standing fan comes on board then these things will be sorted for the club's long-term benefit, but it would be good for these questions all to be answered properly.
I have been critical about the lack of genuine openness surrounding the club's long-term future and have asked questions that have not previously been answered, but I hope this changes very soon and that this will encourage the fans to keep faith and coming to the club, which would surely be a win-win situation for everyone.
I hear that the club's owners may have finally accepted that they can't finance the move to FF alone and have been looking to outside money to help make it happen. Apparently wealthy fans have been having talks to help fund the new development. Let's hope they come on board. If all works out well, building work at FF could start very soon.
This could be fantastic news if it happens. I personally don't care whether or not Ron Martin or anyone else makes loads of money out of the club's move and the development project. What I DO care about is whether the club has a sustainable long-term future.
If the move and building work does actually proceed, there are still key questions that we need to have answers to (and which have not yet been answered). They are:
1 What does it really mean financially for the club? And I mean no more spin and wishy-washy comments; facts please.
2 Will the club have to pay rent?
3 If so, how much and when?
4 What will happen to the rent and other monies that have been "lent" during the last few years which the club has not yet had to pay - will that finally be written off or will the club have to pay that?
5 If the club has to pay it back, on what terms?
6 Will the club have a legal entitlement to receive a share of the ancillary revenues (eg from the hotel, shops, etc)?
7 If so, how much and on what legal basis (if the club is just another tenant and does not own the land)?
8 Most importantly, how will the club's long-term financial future be enshrined, so that the club has a ground to play in, rent-free and with rights to the ancillary revenues - all for many many years to come?
I hope that if a long-standing fan comes on board then these things will be sorted for the club's long-term benefit, but it would be good for these questions all to be answered properly.
I have been critical about the lack of genuine openness surrounding the club's long-term future and have asked questions that have not previously been answered, but I hope this changes very soon and that this will encourage the fans to keep faith and coming to the club, which would surely be a win-win situation for everyone.
