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Post by willytopp84 on Nov 23, 2024 15:52:20 GMT
City loved that video with Barber's dad don't they (and rightly so) 🤣 unlucky da sh**! 🤪 That clip certainly aged well ….. Mr barber won't ever live that clip down 😂 alot of us thought wael was gunna get us to the prem back then (myself included) |
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Post by totend50 on Nov 23, 2024 16:20:12 GMT
Maybe the new owners haven't invested because Wael was involved. A bit like no home improvements get done while a couple are going through a divorce. Why spend money on the club just to increase the value owed to someone you don't like? Not saying this is the case but if the 2 owners of our club don't get on, you can hardly expect investment. I liked Wael, but it's been clear things are not working with 2 owners in place. I'm prepared to give the new (sole) owners a bit of time before I jump to doomsday conclusions. Yes. Like a number of you, I too had the privilege of listening to and speaking to Weal some time ago. And I was struck by his passion and ambition for Rovers. But I was left wondering whether he had fully understood the massive financial implications. And so it unfolded. One thing none of us should underestimate was the fact that, especially during COVID, Wael kept the club going single handed. Unfortunately I know very little about the current owners. So like most of us, I am a bit apprehensive about the future. There is so much to do in order to improve the Mem as well as the playing side. But I am an optimist. You have to be to be a Rovers fan for as long as me. So maybe, just maybe it is going to happen this time. |
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Post by totend50 on Nov 23, 2024 16:31:46 GMT
Only one thing and one thing only covers up this new lot and that’s winning football which I don’t see. DC did it for Higgs, same men in box1 v Alfreton as the same men against Mansfield when we went down. No one talked about Higgs when DC ran towards our fans behind the goal at Wembley or in Div2 when we were putting a run together before Wael bought us. I’d also say Higgs had the UWE in his back pocket as well. Fast forward to now, a defeat today, City on a good run, I hope they get into the play offs (and lose) but it puts the spotlight on this lot. The Hussain’s worst nightmare is Manning somehow taking them up, it was Wael’s as well but he got away with it. Them in the promised land, it magnifies everything x10 how bad a state we are in and lack of communication. Let’s hope we start to see some winning football I'm not so sure the owners would be particularly bothered. The fans however would be gutted, in the same way if it was us that went up Lansdown would really be that bothered but the sh'eds would be gutted. Don't really see that this has anything to do with it. City are City and Rovers are Rovers. Two entirety separate entities. |
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Post by lympstonegas on Nov 23, 2024 16:57:01 GMT
Wrong thread
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Post by daniel300380 on Nov 23, 2024 17:00:49 GMT
I'm not so sure the owners would be particularly bothered. The fans however would be gutted, in the same way if it was us that went up Lansdown would really be that bothered but the sh'eds would be gutted. Don't really see that this has anything to do with it. City are City and Rovers are Rovers. Two entirety separate entities. Obviously both teams have an impact on each other. Any fans in the middle, will support the team in the higher league, that is playing against better teams. If they go up, they will sell out every game and attract new fans. Our core supporters won't leave, but it will have an impact over time. |
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Post by Topper Gas on Nov 23, 2024 17:12:13 GMT
I sense City getting promoted is the least of the Al Saeed's worries at the moment, regardless there's nothing they can do about it anyway.
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Post by roadman on Nov 23, 2024 17:18:16 GMT
I sense City getting promoted is the least of the Al Saeed's worries at the moment, regardless there's nothing they can do about it anyway. We are obsessed by them and we sign anti Bristol City songs when we are losing. We glorify in them struggling, then doing well would make our fans look at ourselves and demand more. We have fans thanking Wael for keeping us going through Covid, no other chairman of the 92 let a club go bust. We’d also lose a generation of fans, it’s bad enough seeing kids in City shirts. If they do bad, it’s as if we are fine being bad as well. |
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Post by Topper Gas on Nov 23, 2024 17:37:14 GMT
The "story" Weal's posted on Instagram is a bit OTT, when he's hardly turned us into a Brentford or Brighton during his period of ownership.
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Post by Hugo the Elder on Nov 23, 2024 17:38:53 GMT
The "story" Weal's posted on Instagram is a bit OTT, when he's hardly turned us into a Brentford or Brighton during his period of ownership. But he stopped us being a Bury. |
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Post by Tilly's Thighs on Nov 23, 2024 17:40:17 GMT
I sense City getting promoted is the least of the Al Saeed's worries at the moment, regardless there's nothing they can do about it anyway. We are obsessed by them and we sign anti Bristol City songs when we are losing. We glorify in them struggling, then doing well would make our fans look at ourselves and demand more. We have fans thanking Wael for keeping us going through Covid, no other chairman of the 92 let a club go bust. We’d also lose a generation of fans, it’s bad enough seeing kids in City shirts. If they do bad, it’s as if we are fine being bad as well. Rovers were one of the last clubs in Leagues One and Two to furlough players and non-playing staff, the club had paid them all full wages until then. Once furloughed, the club topped up any shortfall so that staff were not out of pocket. Some clubs asked people to take a wage cut, or defer payment of a portion of their wages, which would be a bit impact for those on lower league salaries. I think that Wael does deserve a bit of credit there. |
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Post by roadman on Nov 23, 2024 17:44:13 GMT
We are obsessed by them and we sign anti Bristol City songs when we are losing. We glorify in them struggling, then doing well would make our fans look at ourselves and demand more. We have fans thanking Wael for keeping us going through Covid, no other chairman of the 92 let a club go bust. We’d also lose a generation of fans, it’s bad enough seeing kids in City shirts. If they do bad, it’s as if we are fine being bad as well. Rovers were one of the last clubs in Leagues One and Two to furlough players and non-playing staff, the club had paid them all full wages until then. Once furloughed, the club topped up any shortfall so that staff were not out of pocket. Some clubs asked people to take a wage cut, or defer payment of a portion of their wages, which would be a bit impact for those on lower league salaries. I think that Wael does deserve a bit of credit there.  Fair points and I’m not saying he doesn’t but ultimately he had to keep us going like the other 92 to protect his investment. There are a lot of good things he did and tried to do, my biggest issue has and always will be, making Barton our manager. He is leaving us in a better state than when he arrived. |
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Post by gasandelectricity on Nov 23, 2024 17:53:49 GMT
The way I see it
Wael (and at the time his family) bought us out when we were on the verge of going out of business.
The fan experience moved forward over the years and then backwards again.
He put his money where his mouth was most of the time and sorted us out with a training ground and if not a new stadium at least a new stand.
The club is left in a much healthier place than when he bought us out and we had some fun along the way with two crazy promotions.
However there were in my eyes some unforgivable decisions made whilst he was our owner. I don't think DC and GC were backed enough and as soon as GC left the purse strings were opened for Ben Garner with training grounds built and a whole new squad assembled for him. Some of the playing and club management decisions were absolutely shocking - for me the lowlights were signing Garner as manager and replacing Starnes with Gorringe who in my eyes did not have the experience or credibility to act as CEO. Our new owners are accused of treating the club as a play thing but some of these decisions aren't a million miles removed. Then there was the whole fruit market circumstance which the less said the better really - especially regards that video.
But on balance Wael is a legend for what he has done for this club and I will always look back favourably on him being our owner.
Onto our new owners - I don't buy that they don't have cash. If you're into property investment you try not to let your cash get locked up in your assets so you can grow your portfolio as large as possible. With this in mind I can understand why they're slow at buying out Wael and making payment for players.
We were told there wouldn't be budget for this season but they have used most of the money received for Evans and Collins on new players and IMO we have a really good squad. A little raw but it's starting to work with MT managing the squad and the players are starting to gel.
I'd love to see plans for the Mem but if they're not finalised yet there's not much point in them sharing the plans early. They're only 14 months or so in - it would be unreasonable to expect much more than an intended direction yet - those that came before had decades to deliver their plans and the most that came to fruition was the new South Stand. If we have to sell a package of the training ground to turn it into a B Academy then so be it - it's better than it sitting around as fields if we can flog part of it and develop the rest to a high standard.
As for rumoured Dutch investment I suggested the other day that their proposed business plan fills me with a little dread. You never know what the alternatives are going to be like. Supporters who think that means instant stadium, instant success and instant training ground are I'm sorry deluded and what has come of the Al Qadi and Al Saeed ownership to date demonstrates that. All we can do is hope that the Al Saeeds do the right thing by us and get the plans sorted for the Mem and training ground and a spade in the ground of both. If they sell us off after that so be it so long as the development actually happens.
I'm happy to give them time and see what comes of it. You don't run a football club without breaking some eggs and upsetting some people. There was plenty in the way of unfavourable comments about Wael and this thread is largely complimentary. I don't think they can outdo Wael's passion but here's hoping they can outdo his legacy and deliver us that ground we need!
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Post by yattongas on Nov 23, 2024 17:59:28 GMT
The "story" Weal's posted on Instagram is a bit OTT, when he's hardly turned us into a Brentford or Brighton during his period of ownership. Can you post it on here Topper as I don’t do instagram? |
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Post by singupgas on Nov 23, 2024 18:16:40 GMT
The "story" Weal's posted on Instagram is a bit OTT, when he's hardly turned us into a Brentford or Brighton during his period of ownership.  Can you post it on here Topper as I don’t do instagram? He is only sharing posts other people have thanked him in. |
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Post by aghast on Nov 23, 2024 21:52:57 GMT
How much did we pay to buy the land and develop the Quarters?
And who owns it and any future profits from a sale of the land for housing?
I ask because I don't know. Taking on the debts of BRFC 1883 or whatever the legal entity is called is one thing. Buying and owning land is potentially another and the two may not be directly connected.
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Post by Gasshole on Nov 23, 2024 22:50:42 GMT
Don't really see that this has anything to do with it. City are City and Rovers are Rovers. Two entirety separate entities. Obviously both teams have an impact on each other. Any fans in the middle, will support the team in the higher league, that is playing against better teams. If they go up, they will sell out every game and attract new fans. Our core supporters won't leave, but it will have an impact over time. You may be right about the floaters. But some will always support their nearest team. Some may also prefer the retro experience of standing on a terrace, with the ability to move position at any given time. I should imagine price point also comes into it , we must be cheaper than Championship/ Prem footy. Don’t forget if you have a hankering for a burnt sausage roll…. The Mem is ground zero for all things crispy. |
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Post by Hugo the Elder on Nov 23, 2024 23:01:49 GMT
Obviously both teams have an impact on each other. Any fans in the middle, will support the team in the higher league, that is playing against better teams. If they go up, they will sell out every game and attract new fans. Our core supporters won't leave, but it will have an impact over time. You may be right about the floaters. But some will always support their nearest team. Some may also prefer the retro experience of standing on a terrace, with the ability to move position at any given time. I should imagine price point also comes into it , we must be cheaper than Championship/ Prem footy. Don’t forget if you have a hankering for a burnt sausage roll…. The Mem is ground zero for all things crispy. Except for the crisps, which are stale. |
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Post by Gasshole on Nov 23, 2024 23:10:08 GMT
You may be right about the floaters. But some will always support their nearest team. Some may also prefer the retro experience of standing on a terrace, with the ability to move position at any given time. I should imagine price point also comes into it , we must be cheaper than Championship/ Prem footy. Don’t forget if you have a hankering for a burnt sausage roll…. The Mem is ground zero for all things crispy. Except for the crisps, which are stale. Rovers are preparing our tastebuds for the end of the world apocalypse. A time will come when you will have to kill a man for a packet of stale cheese n onion crisps . |
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Post by stuart1974 on Nov 23, 2024 23:39:05 GMT
How much did we pay to buy the land and develop the Quarters? And who owns it and any future profits from a sale of the land for housing? I ask because I don't know. Taking on the debts of BRFC 1883 or whatever the legal entity is called is one thing. Buying and owning land is potentially another and the two may not be directly connected. My recollection is £700,000 to purchase the land itself, with approximately £1.5m+ on the pitches. Then there will be the building, gym, reservoir and landscaping, plus utilities. All in all, we are probably looking at c£3.5m maybe. Ownership wise, it was originally bought by a separate Jersey based company called Dwane Colony, I don't know if anything has changed since. |
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Post by stuart1974 on Nov 23, 2024 23:42:11 GMT
Obviously both teams have an impact on each other. Any fans in the middle, will support the team in the higher league, that is playing against better teams. If they go up, they will sell out every game and attract new fans. Our core supporters won't leave, but it will have an impact over time. You may be right about the floaters. But some will always support their nearest team. Some may also prefer the retro experience of standing on a terrace, with the ability to move position at any given time. I should imagine price point also comes into it , we must be cheaper than Championship/ Prem footy. Don’t forget if you have a hankering for a burnt sausage roll…. The Mem is ground zero for all things crispy. The catchment area must be around 3m people within an hour or so from the Mem, plenty to tap into. We have to get ourselves sorted out though and give people a reason to attend in the first place. |
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