merse
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Post by merse on Oct 11, 2009 9:29:38 GMT
I can reveal that exploratory talks have been ongoing for twelve months now between the Racecourse Directors, The Board of the Football Club and the local council about a possible relocation to the racecourse whereby the desired building of a new stand located two furlongs from the winning post would be the start point of a brand new stadium built to accomodate a crowd big enough to satisfy the needs of a League 1 club or one aspiring to climb even higher. The new stand for the racecourse would be "double raked" so that the side facing away from the track would incorporate seats facing the new football pitch and the rest of the stadium would be constructed around that footprint. Before His Worshipful The Mayor of The Model Village gets on his high horse and the usual suspects start ranting because they cannot read a post accurately, I will tell you that the racecourse is Cheltenham, the football club Cheltenham Town and the local council Cheltenham Borough Council............................there, Patrickm, does that suffice for YOU to pay attention? The idea is to locate the new build on the sight of the current tented village that is set up for Festival week for those of you who are familiar to the event, as the racecourse directorate view the current downturn in hospitality business indicative of future trends and wish to make better use of that part of the complex. Of course the football club need assurances and guarantees of future revenue raising opportunities at the new stadium and of the rent for it, but as they readily concur; their current 7,000 capacity home at Whaddon Road (despite recent development) although adequate for League 2 football is hardly conducive for any club aspiring to climb higher and stay there in the football pyramid. So what are the views on here of the idea of a similar relocation for OUR club? Unlike Cheltenham there would only be the minimum amount of Saturdays when football would not be possible due to the racing calender as Newton follow the "summer" jumping season rather than the traditional "winter" one that Cheltenham do and such clashes of interest were never a problem at Doncaster for example anyway with such football matches as did clash being played on a Friday night.....................and they could always be staged on a Sunday remember. Just think, much better parking facilities, a more accessable location, the chance to develope corporate facilities that would benefit from a significant extension of "use" days through the racing calender and an amalgamation of the club's match day and training facilities into one site....................to say nothing of the chance to construct a proper sized stadium with a capacity to do justice to the term "Football League". Sounds good to me and a worthy blueprint for the future........................what do others think?
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Post by ohtobeatplainmoor on Oct 11, 2009 9:49:55 GMT
I'm never closed to any ideas that see the club moving forwards. Talk of the superrstadium at the Rec was pie-in-the-sky under the penniless, brainless and morally bankrupt roberts, but that isn't to say that I wouldn't ever rule such an idea out. That goes for a potential move to Clennon Valley, The Willows or even perhaps the Racecourse at Newton. I don't buy into the "Plainmoor is good enough". If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got. We have to look at ways forward, if this means moving forward away from Plainmoor then so it be.
A potential move to Newton would probably be unpopular with the vocal minority, but that doesn't mean that the unspoken majority wouldn't dislike the idea either (and vice versa). I guess the obvious difference with Cheltenham and our position is that Cheltenham Racecourse is in Cheltenham itself, effectively we would be relocating to a different town altogether.
Like anything with such a potential move of such impact (either good or bad), "the devil is in the detail". Revenue streams perhaps is one of the most important things of all - would we have the same sort of deal where we retain the majority of money raised as we do at Plainmoor, or would most of the funds go to some dodgy 3rd party as it seemed they would under roberts?
Interesting theory, but I can't ever seeing it happen with TUFC.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Oct 11, 2009 11:41:27 GMT
Good day fellow fans of Torquay United this is the mayor of the model village speaking and the future mayor of Torbay, the one who will rid the Bay of the balloon and get the Bay looking spick and span again, with out the need for high rise tower blocks on our beautiful harbours.
Be very weary of that fellow Merse a man who changes his views to suit the weather I’m afraid and one who seems is unable to remember the arguments he has used before and therefore looks so often a fool when he starts a new subject to debate.
He has in the past told us how the people of Newton Abbot would be more rewarding and more deserving having our football club located in their town than those who live in Torbay. Yet those Newton people could not even get of their asses to go and support Buckland in their first ever FA Cup proper match in their history.
There once was a time when many Newton people supported our club, the days when he had 10.000 gates would have been made up from people from Newton and many other towns and villages in Teignbridge. The facts today are you are more likely to find more Plymouth fans in Newton Abbot then Torquay ones, but thankfully there are still some TUFC fans living in Newton.
We all know merse supported Roberts plans to have our stadium on the Rec site in Torbay, a site so unsuited for a football stadium for so many of the reasons I and others posted about back in the days Roberts was here.
Yet when we had a thread running about the club moving to Clennon Valley, Merse gave us a list why the club should remain at Plainmoor. He told us the ground should be in the heart of a community, it should have pubs and book makers close by and not be located in some soulless place.
Yet you can be sure he would support a move to Newton racecourse and sorry but what a soulless place that would be and it sure does not have any of the requirements merse used in his argument why the club should stay at Plainmoor.
It would be a very bad move as far as I’m concerned, if the club should ever move it should only be to another location in Torbay, even if that meant the club had to have a slight name change, far better than being Torquay United in Newton Abbot.
The very best site would always be Clennon Valley; the only real problem would be getting past all the objections that would be made by those living in Penwill Way etc. As someone who does know about the holiday trade in Torbay, I do believe a stadium at Clennon could be used not only for our games and concerts etc to give us much needed extra revenue, but it could form part of a holiday package.
Let me explain, the current mayor of Torbay has slagged of the grey pound in the Bay, all those old folks who come here on coach holidays, but he is a fool and fails to understand the market and just how valuable to the Bay, all those coach holidays really are.
Its fine talking about just trying to get the rich big spenders to come to the Bay, but the facts are, they like so many others who have been able to take advantage of cheep holidays abroad will be spending their money in some foreign land.
The hotels welcomed the coach companies, they could fill hotels 52 weeks of the year nearly, with people who had the time and the money to take holidays whenever they wanted. No it’s not the big bucks the Mayor might hope to get, but without all those coach loads of older people, Torbay would see half its hotels close down.
I believe a football club located at Clennon Valley could really benefit from not only the holiday trade, but the coach firms who run so many holidays packages in the Bay. Just look close by and see all the caravan parks and other holiday accommodation and also the beaches etc nearby to Clennon.
There has to be a market for coach companies to sell a football weekend packages, they would consist of a weekend stay in one of the nearby camps, the game in the afternoon for the men, while the ladies could be taken to Exeter or Plymouth shopping and then a concert or show of some sort in the stadium in the evening.
I was speaking to a man who works and lives in Dorchester of Thursday when I called into his work place. He and his wife and two friends have booked a weekend in a guest house in Torquay later this month. I asked him what their plans were to do while here for the weekend. He did not have any and he said he was sure they would find something to do when they got here.
I bet a weekend where the lads could watch a game and enjoy a weekend break that had also kept the wife happy has to be a winner and if marketed and sold properly could not only generate large sums for TUFC, it would also bring more money into Torbay.
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merse
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Post by merse on Oct 11, 2009 12:43:48 GMT
As a matter of interest what is the distance to Clennon Valley from Plainmoor and what is the distance to the Racecourse? Also, what is the travelling time to each venue? I'd wager that there is insignificent difference in the mileage and that the racecourse is a lot quicker to get to than Clennon. Whilst we're at it...................why can't the word "remember" now be seen on this site? Is it the new swearword in the filter? and why do posts read differently on the "last 100" format than on the thread? Why would a "coach trip" from another area totally unconnected to either team playing at Torquay United, or one playing there for that matter; be a more attractive proposition because the game was to be played at Clennon Valley than Kingsteignton ~ which incidentally, is the town that the racecourse is located in? Please note that I did ask for my post to be read properly and that I did not propose such a move for OUR club, merely that I thought it "sounded good" and was a "worthy blueprint for the future" and asked for the ideas of others on the theory. Don't be blinded by location as a means of identity.....................look how MK Dons have flourished away from the limited cofines of small time support in Wimbledon, nor by the fact that either Clennon or the Racecourse are not in Torquay ~ Grimsby play in Cleethorpes, Bournemouth in Boscombe and Brighton used to play in Hove. So what? Clubs like Gillingham belong to the whole of Medway, just as Torquay belong to the whole of South Devon and there is plenty of urban conurbation from which to draw support. Travel to a game at Boston and you will see people at bus stops well away from the town going to the match, it's the same in Bristol where support for Rovers or City is not drawn up on geographical lines to a particular extent. For a match day experience I don't think you can beat being amongst the chimney pots of Plainmoor to be honest and the club has never in it's history made a decent fist of elevating itself above the lowest sphere of the Football League. But, and I emphasize but; if it wants to survive more easily then it will have to elevate above the confines and restrictions of it's present location and survival in a bigger environment will probably be a little easier than it is now amongst the brinkmanship of the lowest level of sustainable full time professional football.
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Post by mattpuma on Oct 11, 2009 14:27:46 GMT
Please enlighten us on how a new super stadium has helped Darlington FC. If you look closely they are not doing too well and have an average gate of 1900 this season.
To use Stadium:Franchise in Milton Keynes as an example is an insult to football fans surely, but I suppose money counts in London.
As far as I can see Plainmoor is perfectly adequate for TUFC requirements. To fantasize that we will ever be a consolidated member of the Championship is foolhardy, just ask Bury or Crewe fans if they expected to sail into a glorious future of non stop success.
There is nothing wrong with ambition but it has to be tempered with realistic expectations. Not every club can be an Arsenal or a Manchester United.
Maybe in a few years we will all be reflecting on the sad demise of Notts County after some ludicrous fantasy of Premiership football within 3 years. I truly hope not for the sake of that clubs true supporters.
Finally to say Newton Abbot is easily accessible must mean you have never travelled on the Newton Road!
Torquay United- the clue is in the name.
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merse
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Post by merse on Oct 11, 2009 14:53:01 GMT
To use Stadium:Franchise in Milton Keynes as an example is an insult to football fans surely, but I suppose money counts in London. to say Newton Abbot is easily accessible must mean you have never travelled on the Newton Road! Torquay United- the clue is in the name. To those who have grown up and don't wish to bang a political agenda, MK are far better off where they are and are now developing as a properly run professional football club with a future than in the shitehole that was Plough Lane or camping out at Palace. Too few people cared enough about them for them to be viable in SW19 and they have never managed to relocate to "Wimbledon" as AFC, nor ever will they I'd wager. For your information Matt, Huddersfield Town moved down the road from Leeds (where they were Leeds City), Arsenal's move accross town from Plumstead proved to be their making and QPR and Millwall have long since left Queens Park and The Isle of Dogs. The Newton Road gets far more congested going into town rather than out in any case...................admittedly I rarely DO travel on it as it gets on my tits, so I use the route up over Milber! ...................and I'd never envisage something on the scale of Darlo's arena, rather more something like Doncaster or Bournemouth which are a hell of an improvement on what they had before; and with a little imagination and application Feethams could and should have been developed as a wonderfully located town centre site along the example of Burnley's Turf Moor. Anyway, I'm neither proposing nor dismissing the idea; merely offering it for consideration. A clue in the name? Look how far and to where Bolton Wanderers moved.................it didn't do them any harm did it?
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Jon
Admin
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Post by Jon on Oct 11, 2009 15:18:16 GMT
To those who have grown up and don't wish to bang a political agenda, MK are far better off where they are and are now developing as a properly run professional football club with a future than in the shitehole that was Plough Lane or camping out at Palace. Too few people cared enough about them for them to be viable in SW19 and they have never managed to relocate to "Wimbledon" as AFC, nor ever will they I'd wager. You really have completely and utterly missed the point Merse. Fortunately, I think you are in the minority.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 11, 2009 15:23:41 GMT
For your information Matt, Huddersfield Town moved down the road from Leeds (where they were Leeds City) Oh no, they didn't. Leeds City were disbanded for financial irregularities. Leeds United were formed straightaway and took over City Reserves' fixtures. Port Vale took their place in the League. There was a plot to move Huddersfield to Elland Road when City were disbanded. Fan power put a stop to that.
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Dave
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Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Oct 11, 2009 15:36:04 GMT
Whilst we're at it...................why can't the word "remember" now be seen on this site? Is it the new swearword in the filter? and why do posts read differently on the "last 100" format than on the thread? Would you like to explain what the hell you are on about, no new words have been added to the filter and just what words can't be seen and where? A new code was added that should only change the word member to TFF member and guest to visitor in the online and last 24 hr on line box in the info centre, is this causing the problem you have. The posts in the last 100 read the same as they do on the threads, so once again what are you on about. I have done an edit on your last post, you asked only if you could put up a thread letting people know about you blog, this I agreed too, not to have you keep putting it in every post as you have both last night and today. Many thanks Dave R
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merse
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Posts: 2,684
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Post by merse on Oct 11, 2009 16:06:40 GMT
Whilst we're at it...................why can't the word "remember" now be seen on this site? Is it the new swearword in the filter? and why do posts read differently on the "last 100" format than on the thread? Would you like to explain what the hell you are on about, no new words have been added to the filter and just what words can't be seen and where? A new code was added that should only change the word member to TFF member and guest to visitor in the online and last 24 hr on line box in the info centre, is this causing the problem you have. The posts in the last 100 read the same as they do on the threads, so once again what are you on about. I have done an edit on your last post, you asked only if you could put up a thread letting people know about you blog, this I agreed too, not to have you keep putting it in every post as you have both last night and today.Many thanks Dave R I've not plugged my blog in "every post both last night and today" as you falsly claim, now stop messing with my post as I put it up; replace the "plug" or you can stick your forum where Southampton Gull stuffed his!
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Post by mattpuma on Oct 11, 2009 16:07:52 GMT
What was that about growing up?
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Oct 11, 2009 16:15:21 GMT
I've not plugged my blog in "every post both last night and today" as you falsly claim, now stop messing with my post as I put it up; replace the "plug" or you can stick your forum where Southampton Gull stuffed his! I will repeat what I posted, i agreed for you to put up a thread, not to use this forum for advertising your latest entries, if you want a button as a direct link under the banner, then I'm happy to put one there for you. You are always free to leave the forum at any time you feel you don't like or agree with the way I run it. Dave R
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Post by aussie on Oct 11, 2009 18:30:33 GMT
I've not plugged my blog in "every post both last night and today" as you falsly claim, now stop messing with my post as I put it up; replace the "plug" or you can stick your forum where Southampton Gull stuffed his! I will repeat what I posted, i agreed for you to put up a thread, not to use this forum for advertising your latest entries, if you want a button as a direct link under the banner, then I'm happy to put one there for you. You are always free to leave the forum at any time you feel you don't like or agree with the way I run it. Dave R Guys sort it out and put your hand bags away, please!
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Dave
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Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Oct 11, 2009 19:12:01 GMT
I will repeat what I posted, i agreed for you to put up a thread, not to use this forum for advertising your latest entries, if you want a button as a direct link under the banner, then I'm happy to put one there for you. You are always free to leave the forum at any time you feel you don't like or agree with the way I run it. Dave R Guys sort it out and put your hand bags away, please! Nothing to sort out Aussie mate, I received three Pm's from members who feel the blog is getting rammed down their throats. Merse put in a post last night he had added to his blog, that was fine, but he did it again today. The plain facts are not everyone wants to read it and I let merse put up a thread that allowed him to let us all know he had a blog, as I did for Joe Barlow. I have offered to put up a proper link if he wants me to, so as far as I'm concerned I been more than fair in my actions, it should be remembered I have to consider the views of all the TFF members and not pander to just one.
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Post by teddgull on Oct 11, 2009 19:26:12 GMT
Dave R
The word 'member' is being replaced by 'TFF member' in the Last 100 posts, but this does not happen when viewing an individual thread. Wierd?
Watched the game on Sky - with the odd text from Longeatongull coming in - and found another Tqy fan watching in the same bar....
Weak interview after the game by the Notts manager. Ellis, Robertson and Charnock looked strong throughout, some good deliveries from Nicho and overall each player put a good shift in. Yes they 'could' have scored more in the first half. So what, we could have scored more in the second.
Did the Notts County manager mention that in the interview? (When he wasn't mumbling and looking at the floor)
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