SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[Shrimper1985]

Ron's statement yesterday could and should legally be considered a public offer.

I don't see him putting such a clear and serious invitation out there if he wanted to flog it to some cronies.

I think that would have happened by now, or he would be keeping it very quiet before they finalise it.

Agreed. He wouldn't have publicly announced the amounts etc if he was just getting his mate to buy it.

 

[Beefy]

From memory I believe Keegan was referring to the pitch which in those days was regarded as one of the best in the lower divisions.

I believe it was the whole ground. It's hard to think about now but for almost 30 years into the early 1980s Roots Hall was the newest ground in the entire Football League.

 

[GBJ]

On top of that, you'll need to fund the club, which is losing about £1.2m a year whilst you look to redevelop

Sorry, I don’t buy this.

Can you - or anyone - tell me why we’re losing £1.2m a year? Why haven’t we cut our cloth accordingly?

Where is that money going? Legal fees? Architectural drawings? Hiring and firing the wrong managers time and time again? Fines? Helicopters?

Without Ron at the helm, there’s no reason why this club can’t run on an even keel, or even turn a profit… just like any other club.

This line, that we lose vast amounts of money every year, is something that Ron has brainwashed us into believing. It’s his business methods & practices that have led us to that point. It’s him. Not the club itself. We’re not some freak of footballing nature, where despite what we do, we’re forever doomed to lose money year after year.

We’ve all asked the question, how can small clubs like Accrington and Morecambe, with tiny attendances, be run so better than us? It’s not rocket science, they’ve learned to live within their means and utilise what they’ve got. We, on the other hand, have pressed pause on the general day-to-day running of the business and put all of our eggs into the FF basket, hoping for the best. Where we’ve stagnated and run out of funds, clubs like Accrington and Morecambe have shown us how it’s done, whilst embarrassing our owner in the process. Now we’re not only out of the EFL, but are now close to being out of the NL too.

And we’ve all heard that Roots Hall doesn’t make money. But why? Simple answer is because it was completely shelved over a decade ago. Ron made his mind up that he wasn’t going to spend a penny utilising the old girl. Why would he want to trim his profit margins? So the money we could have earned in the last decade, is in the wind now.

Several people in this thread alone have given some brilliant examples of just how we could utilise RH in its current state, to make more money. This isn’t innovative, design and technology, it’s simply catering to your fanbase, which is something Ron stopped giving a **** about, years ago. Just ask the East stand toilets.

On top of that, we could learn to budget properly. Maybe not paying off multiple management teams (and doing financial gymnastics to bring them in, in the first place) would be a start.

Running the business properly so we’re not racking up fines and and legal fees would be handy too. I’m sure every club will encounter this, but 18(?) trips to the High Court says we’re in a League of our own when it comes to that expenditure.

Don’t mean to rant, it’s nothing personal, but this notion that we’re a club who loses bucket loads of cash every year is frankly garbage.

Take Ron out of the equation, replace him with someone that has a shred of business acumen, and tell me we’d still be in this position.

 

[Paddypel]

Feels like one way or another, were getting some traction and any potential buyers, Kimura included are now getting their ducks in a line.

 

[Boreham Blue]

With the amount of activity on this thread surely SZ could sell enough advertising to buy the club. All those leaving Twitter must be looking for a new online home

 

[kentblues]

FFS in what way has Ron breached a NDA?

He hasn’t named any interested parties, he hasn’t revealed anyone’s bid, he hasn’t divulged any bidder’s confidential information.

Kimura let information out there (and here) prior to Ron mentioning (or we should say repeating) their name. He’s named no one else (partly because they are largely fiction of course but nonetheless..). I don’t think there is valid arguments re breach of NDAs on either side that would be actionable.

 

[Napster]

He’s named no one else (partly because they are largely fiction of course but nonetheless..)

They are not fictional. There were other parties and there still are

 

[Smiffy]

Sorry, I don’t buy this.

Can you - or anyone - tell me why we’re losing £1.2m a year? Why haven’t we cut our cloth accordingly?

Where is that money going? Legal fees? Architectural drawings? Hiring and firing the wrong managers time and time again? Fines? Helicopters?

Without Ron at the helm, there’s no reason why this club can’t run on an even keel, or even turn a profit… just like any other club.

This line, that we lose vast amounts of money every year, is something that Ron has brainwashed us into believing. It’s his business methods & practices that have led us to that point. It’s him. Not the club itself. We’re not some freak of footballing nature, where despite what we do, we’re forever doomed to lose money year after year.

We’ve all asked the question, how can small clubs like Accrington and Morecambe, with tiny attendances, be run so better than us? It’s not rocket science, they’ve learned to live within their means and utilise what they’ve got. We, on the other hand, have pressed pause on the general day-to-day running of the business and put all of our eggs into the FF basket, hoping for the best. Where we’ve stagnated and run out of funds, clubs like Accrington and Morecambe have shown us how it’s done, whilst embarrassing our owner in the process. Now we’re not only out of the EFL, but are now close to being out of the NL too.

And we’ve all heard that Roots Hall doesn’t make money. But why? Simple answer is because it was completely shelved over a decade ago. Ron made his mind up that he wasn’t going to spend a penny utilising the old girl. Why would he want to trim his profit margins? So the money we could have earned in the last decade, is in the wind now.

Several people in this thread alone have given some brilliant examples of just how we could utilise RH in its current state, to make more money. This isn’t innovative, design and technology, it’s simply catering to your fanbase, which is something Ron stopped giving a **** about, years ago. Just ask the East stand toilets.

On top of that, we could learn to budget properly. Maybe not paying off multiple management teams (and doing financial gymnastics to bring them in, in the first place) would be a start.

Running the business properly so we’re not racking up fines and and legal fees would be handy too. I’m sure every club will encounter this, but 18(?) trips to the High Court says we’re in a League of our own when it comes to that expenditure.

Don’t mean to rant, it’s nothing personal, but this notion that we’re a club who loses bucket loads of cash every year is frankly garbage.

Take Ron out of the equation, replace him with someone that has a shred of business acumen, and tell me we’d still be in this position.

Absolutely this.

From the second Ron ****s off and has zero ties to our football club, we are already in a better position with an improved cashflow, without even doing anything.

 

[Beefy]

Sorry, I don’t buy this.

Can you - or anyone - tell me why we’re losing £1.2m a year? Why haven’t we cut our cloth accordingly?

Where is that money going? Legal fees? Architectural drawings? Hiring and firing the wrong managers time and time again? Fines? Helicopters?

Without Ron at the helm, there’s no reason why this club can’t run on an even keel, or even turn a profit… just like any other club.

This line, that we lose vast amounts of money every year, is something that Ron has brainwashed us into believing. It’s his business methods & practices that have led us to that point. It’s him. Not the club itself. We’re not some freak of footballing nature, where despite what we do, we’re forever doomed to lose money year after year.

We’ve all asked the question, how can small clubs like Accrington and Morecambe, with tiny attendances, be run so better than us? It’s not rocket science, they’ve learned to live within their means and utilise what they’ve got. We, on the other hand, have pressed pause on the general day-to-day running of the business and put all of our eggs into the FF basket, hoping for the best. Where we’ve stagnated and run out of funds, clubs like Accrington and Morecambe have shown us how it’s done, whilst embarrassing our owner in the process. Now we’re not only out of the EFL, but are now close to being out of the NL too.

And we’ve all heard that Roots Hall doesn’t make money. But why? Simple answer is because it was completely shelved over a decade ago. Ron made his mind up that he wasn’t going to spend a penny utilising the old girl. Why would he want to trim his profit margins? So the money we could have earned in the last decade, is in the wind now.

Several people in this thread alone have given some brilliant examples of just how we could utilise RH in its current state, to make more money. This isn’t innovative, design and technology, it’s simply catering to your fanbase, which is something Ron stopped giving a **** about, years ago. Just ask the East stand toilets.

On top of that, we could learn to budget properly. Maybe not paying off multiple management teams (and doing financial gymnastics to bring them in, in the first place) would be a start.

Running the business properly so we’re not racking up fines and and legal fees would be handy too. I’m sure every club will encounter this, but 18(?) trips to the High Court says we’re in a League of our own when it comes to that expenditure.

Don’t mean to rant, it’s nothing personal, but this notion that we’re a club who loses bucket loads of cash every year is frankly garbage.

Take Ron out of the equation, replace him with someone that has a shred of business acumen, and tell me we’d still be in this position.

Our issue has always been cashflow and that isn't going to change whoever owns us. Very few football clubs run profitably and even the ones that do have to be mindful of cash.

 

[Blue Yonder]

Sorry, I don’t buy this.

Can you - or anyone - tell me why we’re losing £1.2m a year? Why haven’t we cut our cloth accordingly?

Where is that money going? Legal fees? Architectural drawings? Hiring and firing the wrong managers time and time again? Fines? Helicopters?

Without Ron at the helm, there’s no reason why this club can’t run on an even keel, or even turn a profit… just like any other club.

This line, that we lose vast amounts of money every year, is something that Ron has brainwashed us into believing. It’s his business methods & practices that have led us to that point. It’s him. Not the club itself. We’re not some freak of footballing nature, where despite what we do, we’re forever doomed to lose money year after year.

We’ve all asked the question, how can small clubs like Accrington and Morecambe, with tiny attendances, be run so better than us? It’s not rocket science, they’ve learned to live within their means and utilise what they’ve got. We, on the other hand, have pressed pause on the general day-to-day running of the business and put all of our eggs into the FF basket, hoping for the best. Where we’ve stagnated and run out of funds, clubs like Accrington and Morecambe have shown us how it’s done, whilst embarrassing our owner in the process. Now we’re not only out of the EFL, but are now close to being out of the NL too.

And we’ve all heard that Roots Hall doesn’t make money. But why? Simple answer is because it was completely shelved over a decade ago. Ron made his mind up that he wasn’t going to spend a penny utilising the old girl. Why would he want to trim his profit margins? So the money we could have earned in the last decade, is in the wind now.

Several people in this thread alone have given some brilliant examples of just how we could utilise RH in its current state, to make more money. This isn’t innovative, design and technology, it’s simply catering to your fanbase, which is something Ron stopped giving a **** about, years ago. Just ask the East stand toilets.

On top of that, we could learn to budget properly. Maybe not paying off multiple management teams (and doing financial gymnastics to bring them in, in the first place) would be a start.

Running the business properly so we’re not racking up fines and and legal fees would be handy too. I’m sure every club will encounter this, but 18(?) trips to the High Court says we’re in a League of our own when it comes to that expenditure.

Don’t mean to rant, it’s nothing personal, but this notion that we’re a club who loses bucket loads of cash every year is frankly garbage.

Take Ron out of the equation, replace him with someone that has a shred of business acumen, and tell me we’d still be in this position.

Absolutely. The months he had to pile money in was because he’s always been spending this seasons income on last years debts. It must be possible to run an NL team with our support on a sustainable basis.

 

[hlane17]

Either way unless there’s been a drastic change of tune since last night it’s about to get interesting.

'May you live in interesting times' - Chinese proverb comes to mind

Could this rollercoaster finally be coming to an end? I really hope so... we've done enough living in interesting times to fill an entire lifetime here at SUFC.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Absolutely. The months he had to pile money in was because he’s always been spending this seasons income on last years debts. It must be possible to run an NL team with our support on a sustainable basis.

Even with £400k to keep RH in shape every season, that’s 1000 season tickets. Take them off our normal sales and we still earn more than those clubs mentioned

 

[TrevorFitzpatrickHattrick]

Loathe to say it given my pony track-record, but feeling a bit more positive today...

 

[Boreham Blue]

Our issue has always been cashflow and that isn't going to change whoever owns us. Very few football clubs run profitably and even the ones that do have to be mindful of cash.

Why do you think a new owner cannot be cash rich? By the sounds of it Kimura raise cash for a living and it sounds like their decision is can they make a return or get any other benefit they see from SUFC (status, future redevelopment) rather than cash flow.
others may be in the same position.

 

[Shrimperjohn]

There’s been at least 2 serious buyers wanting to do a deal in the past month. RM has just changed the goal posts on them publicly!

That may be the case but it doesn’t necessarily follow that either or both are in play now for whatever reason. Ron by going public has basically made it an open field to attract potential new buyers . I could be wrong . I hope I’m wrong but my taking this course of action it could be I’m right.

 

[bazzashrimper]

'May you live in interesting times' - Chinese proverb comes to mind

Could this rollercoaster finally be coming to an end? I really hope so... we've done enough living in interesting times to fill an entire lifetime here at SUFC.

Agreed. We have become “experts” in property, NDAs, documentary making law, takeovers, hedge funds and so on. All because we really want to chat about whether Bart or Darryl was better

 

[Che's Left Foot]

Agreed. We have become “experts” in property, NDAs, documentary making law, takeovers, hedge funds and so on. All because we really want to chat about whether Bart or Darryl was better

Bart was tho.

 

[Westcliff DGS]

So as per CP it isn't the Goulds that form one of the other interested parties, are there any rumours to who these other parties are

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

There is zero mention of the £26m debt. So you’re paying £4.5m to also inherit that?

Also what is the £4.5m for? If it’s just Roots Hall in its current state you’re in dreamland but if it includes the land, the site & freehold you’re laughing.

This still needs a lot more clarity.

Interestingly no mention of FF either.

 

[fredheim_holm]

Loathe to say it given my pony track-record, but feeling a bit more positive today...

Certainly seems positive, though the little I’ve heard is just that, more positive (regarding next steps) than conclusive (regarding outcome), so whilst we should be glad wheels are moving we shouldn’t assume any outcomes (unless things have really changed in the past 12 hours).