Should Exeter City remain a fan-owned club?

[LOG]

The review mentioned above is available here: https://www.weownexetercityfc.co.uk/trust-review

Is it ironic that this is the first I have heard of this review?

It was publicised on social media (as was the members' handbook). I don't think there's been a Trust newsletter issued since it became available though but i guess it'll be mentioned in the next one.

 

[Spoonz Red E]

I know that Spoonz, I was talking about 2003, Once relegated and the wheels came off for R&L and the whole debt was realised, Imagine if someone was vaguely interested then, they'd have to look at the books, Seen we owed then £4m+ No ownership of the stadium and about to lose more money from going out of the league. Any individual would have needed money to clear the debt (No new owner would have got a CVA like the Trust did) Probably wanted to investigate the status of the lease on the ground and eventually tried to have bought it and also had to get a new manager in to build a new team, I reckon all that would have cost best part of say £7m-£8m+ to any potenial owner, Never in a million years would someone invest that kind of dosh for a "Plaything" Nope in 2003 the Trust coming in was the best and only solution, We were the last stop before the club going squit, Even when in 1995 things were going badly, No one in the club at that time wanted fans involved, Except for trying to get donations to save the club out of them.

I understand what you're saying.
I made my point because, in my opinion, 'when it was needed' spanned decades if we are talking about the viability of Exeter City being run by a wealthy owner.
2003 was just the tipping point.

 

[malcolms]

The discussion as to whether the club is Trust or privately owned entity is largely irrelevant. It's highly unlikely that you would be able to interest a private buyer in negotiating with an organisation that is so tied into it's own processes as the Trust is...My personal preference would be a board made up of private investors who hold an affection for the club, together with a meaningful representation of Supporter interests. It's not going to happen because the accepted wisdom amongst many of the people who run the Trust, exhibits a deep mistrust and probably a political bias against it taking place...I'm not suggesting that there isn't reasonable grounds for this disenchantment.

 

[DB9]

I understand what you're saying.
I made my point because, in my opinion, 'when it was needed' spanned decades if we are talking about the viability of Exeter City being run by a wealthy owner.
2003 was just the tipping point.

Unfortunatly it wasn't until 2003 that the fans were the only people around that stepped up to the plate, The crisis before that time were always "Sorted" without fans involvement.

 

[scottus86]

I love this type of question.

a. Stay the same
b. Change, but I won’t say how.+






+ Choosing b could result in your death, it also might not. Who knows. Vote anyway.

It's basically a small scale Brexit referendum.

 

[Boyo]

It was publicised on social media (as was the members' handbook). I don't think there's been a Trust newsletter issued since it became available though but i guess it'll be mentioned in the next one.

The article on the Trust website has been clicked 149 times. That suggests to me that it's not common knowledge. Given large parts of the review are about communication, I continue to find this ironic.

 

[Anonymous]

the accepted wisdom amongst many of the people who run the Trust, exhibits a deep mistrust and probably a political bias against it taking place...I'm not suggesting that there isn't reasonable grounds for this disenchantment.

More than that, I think that mistrust and disenchantment was fairly earned throughout the late 90's/early Noughties. Ancient history for some of the younger fans I'm sure... Fortunately there are frequent cautionary tales every few years to remind us why we harbour these feelings, see Blackpool, Bury etc. etc.

 

[robchave]

If a multi, multi millionaire came along, who wanted to 'give' - rather than 'loan' - money to the club, then it's worth discussing. Until then, why are we bothering to discuss it?

 

[DB9]

If a multi, multi millionaire came along, who wanted to 'give' - rather than 'loan' - money to the club, then it's worth discussing. Until then, why are we bothering to discuss it?

No one "Gives" money away like that, Why would anyone other than a fan do that?

 

[Pobbop]

The fact is with hardly any revenue coming in due to covid, we are about as investable (as are most lower league clubs) as we were in 2003,and before tbh, and I am even happier than normal we're under Trust ownership who won't bail if money becomes too tight.