The National League (Conference) and non league football thread

[SEA Grecian]

Other than the totally unsuitable Darlington Arena, Which new stadium has "Destroyed" a club or local economy? Genuine question.

Rushden and Diamonds?

 

[DB9]

Rushden and Diamonds?

No, The owner pulled out his money out of the club, Not because of the stadium.

 

[DB9]

Richo and Kassam come to mind as nearly ruining clubs.

Both had nothing to do with the stadiums, The problems they had were and is how the previous owners set out the terms of ownership, A stadium per say. doesn't destroy a club.

 

[Trapdoor]

Semantics. I wasnt referring to the physical structure as much the projects as a whole.

 

[fred binneys head]

No, The owner pulled out his money out of the club, Not because of the stadium.

Not sure that’s true. He funded the club including building a stadium much bigger than they needed. When the club couldn’t make any money and he couldn’t afford to continue funding the losses, the business was wound up. The stadium was a big cause of the problem at R&D, not the only one but definitely part of the problem.

 

[fred binneys head]

A stadium per say. doesn't destroy a club.

Clubs go bust when they run out of cash and can’t pay their debts. The biggest individual item of expenditure which is normally funded through debt is the stadium. Small clubs with large stadiums generally go bust because they can’t service the debt that was needed to build the stadium. Not always, but often. So I agree that a stadium as of itself doesn’t destroy a club, but it’s often a major reason for a small club to go bust.

 

[DB9]

Not sure that’s true. He funded the club including building a stadium much bigger than they needed. When the club couldn’t make any money and he couldn’t afford to continue funding the losses, the business was wound up. The stadium was a big cause of the problem at R&D, not the only one but definitely part of the problem.

Mr Doc Martin pulled the funding plug, Left and let some others (Can't remember who) The stadium was built because two clubs amalgamated and for a while R&D were doing ok, Decent cup runs and into L2, Then the owner pulled the money plug because it was costing him a shed load and that is why the club ceased, Not because of the building of Nene Park.

 

[fred binneys head]

Mr Doc Martin pulled the funding plug, Left and let some others (Can't remember who) The stadium was built because two clubs amalgamated and for a while R&D were doing ok, Decent cup runs and into L2, Then the owner pulled the money plug because it was costing him a shed load and that is why the club ceased, Not because of the building of Nene Park.

Yes but rushden town and irthlingborough diamonds never needed a stadium that size. They were successful on the pitch but only because of the money that Max Griggs was ploughing in, including building the stadium. Ultimately he walked away because he couldn’t fund the losses and didn’t want to increase the huge debt he had already committed, including the building of the stadium.

 

[DB9]

Yes but rushden town and irthlingborough diamonds never needed a stadium that size. They were successful on the pitch but only because of the money that Max Griggs was ploughing in, including building the stadium. Ultimately he walked away because he couldn’t fund the losses and didn’t want to increase the huge debt he had already committed, including the building of the stadium.

Exactly, He brought the club down by walking away, Building the stadium was part of his plan to go higher in the leagues then realised even with his wealth he couldn't fund it and walked. The original point was new stadiums "Destroys" clubs and the local economy, They don't, It's the people involved that do this, Just because they build a new stadium it doesn't guarantee success and Grigg? found out the hard way that it's more than that.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

Hold on chaps, iirc when Griggs left he handed over ownership to their supporters trust, along with a dowry (of £2million ?), so whilst yes, R & D might be considered his "vanity project", he didn't exactly "leave them in the lurch" !