Red Bill
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
- Messages
- 2,876
We often hear on hear from posters who think our ownership model is holding us back and if only we could find a rich owner to take over everything would be great. Well maybe its time to take a look at Bristol Rovers to get a picture of what the reality of that might be.
A couple of years ago Rovers found themselves a new rich foreign investor to buy the club. Their fans were over joyed, there was talk of their plans for a new stadium being rescued, promise of a new training ground and genuine belief among some of their fans the they were on an upward trajectory that could only end in the premier league. Living in the Bristol area we not only get to hear the news about the club but most of us know plenty of Gasheads, and get the real fans view. A couple of years down the line and the stadium plans have evaporated, the new training ground also doesn't look like happening, the club are sitting in the relegation places, the new owner hasn't supported the club financially in the way the fans expected and now not only their manager has left but their assistant manager Marcus Stewart, a man with Rovers running through his blood, has also gone.
In the meantime, we however have two new stands, a training ground that will be the envy of many lower league teams, are in reasonably good financial health and our biggest complaint is that our new rookie manager has allowed us to slip down to 9th in the league. Be careful what you wish for Trust bashers, our ownership model does bring limitations, but private ownership certainly isn't the holy grail!!!
A couple of years ago Rovers found themselves a new rich foreign investor to buy the club. Their fans were over joyed, there was talk of their plans for a new stadium being rescued, promise of a new training ground and genuine belief among some of their fans the they were on an upward trajectory that could only end in the premier league. Living in the Bristol area we not only get to hear the news about the club but most of us know plenty of Gasheads, and get the real fans view. A couple of years down the line and the stadium plans have evaporated, the new training ground also doesn't look like happening, the club are sitting in the relegation places, the new owner hasn't supported the club financially in the way the fans expected and now not only their manager has left but their assistant manager Marcus Stewart, a man with Rovers running through his blood, has also gone.
In the meantime, we however have two new stands, a training ground that will be the envy of many lower league teams, are in reasonably good financial health and our biggest complaint is that our new rookie manager has allowed us to slip down to 9th in the league. Be careful what you wish for Trust bashers, our ownership model does bring limitations, but private ownership certainly isn't the holy grail!!!