Does anyone have any idea of the bottom line service costs of say a 6,500 capacity stadium: Business rates, Water charges, GasElectricity, Insurance?

PMG wrote:Stan I would love us to have a new stadium
How are we going to achieve that goal
And how much is it going to cost to run and maintain it
And the bigger question how are we going to fund it in the first instance,
The council need to be involved as we have no sugar daddy and have no income stream to fund a stadium which will cost several million
The reason we got to the football league was because of the move to RP
The council refused to help develop spotty Park
Hence the move
Which was fundamental in us achieving promotion,
Help me out here how can we do it ?????
It’s great to dream everyone needs a dream
But sometimes you have to be careful for what you wish for
Look at the clubs that have built new stadia and have fallen by the wayside because they didn’t have a sustainable income
We are a poorly supported league two club
And that’s where we sit
We have to grow our club organically
Academy etc etc

I don't disagree with any of that. However you say 'we have to grow organically'. I agree. But we also need to ask the question why have we failed to grow organically over the last 30 years? Here's a thought. Rather than everyone ever involved in Newport County AFC defending themselves how's this for a better approach?

David Hando, Chris Blight, Gavin Foxall, and every director of Newport County has made mistakes. And that is a good thing. The only way to avoid making lots of mistakes is to make the biggest mistake of the lot and do nothing.

The bad thing is not the making of mistakes, it is the failure to learn from those mistakes. I have heard 'til I'm sick justification for every decision ever made. Never once have i heard the following.

We did A. It failed because......... On reflection what we should have done was........ With the benefit of hindsight what I'd suggest now is........

Think about it.

frostyjohn wrote:Does anyone have any idea of the bottom line service costs of say a 6,500 capacity stadium: Business rates, Water charges, GasElectricity, Insurance?

Hopefully the COO.

Stan: Other than gate money for matches you've attended, ancillary spending on match days and merchandise and buying a small number of shares, can you enlighten us on what you've actually DONE for the club in all your years as a supporter of the team?

George Street-Bridge wrote:Stan: Other than gate money for matches you've attended, ancillary spending on match days and merchandise and buying a small number of shares, can you enlighten us on what you've actually DONE for the club in all your years as a supporter of the team?

I sniff out the turds.

Ha ha. Not George's, you don't, because he brings his own private toilet to your internet squabbles.

No, hang on, I'm muddling you two up with someone else.....

George Street-Bridge wrote:Stan: Other than gate money for matches you've attended, ancillary spending on match days and merchandise and buying a small number of shares, can you enlighten us on what you've actually DONE for the club in all your years as a est of the team?

Okay let me think.

When I was a kid I used to go to Somerton Park in the summer and weed the pitch. I doubt I did much good, it was if I am honest, more I felt I was helping and a very kind man who knew the importance of encouraging kids indulged me. His name was Billy Lucas.

Some years ago I used to take a chap called Brian Gough to games. He wasn't ambulent and had given up hope of ever seeing his beloved County again. I recall one sweetly sad day. I lived five miles from Braintree. Promoted County were playing their final game of the season there. I got up at nine o'clock. Drove three hours to Bracknell where he lived. Drove back three hours to Essex. Watched the game with him, held him up with the help of other supporters of both sides when he became unsteady on his feet and fell. I then drove him home. I got home that night at about ten o'clock. That was the last time Brian saw his beloved County. He died that summer. I am glad he lived to see County get back to national level. I believe that the ten or so games he saw that season allowed him to die happier than had he not been to those games.

Often when there is a charity appeal on here I contribute. I always ask only that my contributions remain anonymous.

I feel embarrassed that someone as sanctimonious as you has forced me into writing this. You really believe I need to answer to the likes of you?

Edit.

I should add that I don't doubt that there are many County supporters who have done much more than me and I salute them. I certainly don't think of myself as any better or more special than any County supporter.

To answer you directly, Stan.

There is little that we can do, other than hope for the best and that maybe we can attract some interest in the club - even from an overseas investor I would take that.

However, just as it can go well (as is currently the case with Bradford City) it can also go wrong (Charlton Athletic, Morecambe etc.) so we need to be weary and also not afraid to ask questions.

Ultimately, if we go down this season, I wouldn't be unhappy if we moved back to Newport Stadium if it meant that a) we had a venue of our own (though I gather Newport City FC may have to go bye the bye) and b) we'd not be at risk of meddling bureaucrats in the WRU with our future in their hands.

The long and short is hope for a Les Scadding Mk 2. Maybe a younger man/lady who is looking to invest or give back to the community (maybe even GLC - yes, I'd have them as owners!) and who would be in it for the long haul.

Develop some homegrown stars (perhaps the next Bale/Ramsey) and in time move to a Championship-standard stadium.

How much would it cost to have a stand in Friar's Walk?

RThomas55 wrote:To answer you directly, Stan.

There is little that we can do, other than hope for the best and that maybe we can attract some interest in the club - even from an overseas investor I would take that.

However, just as it can go well (as is currently the case with Bradford City) it can also go wrong (Charlton Athletic, Morecambe etc.) so we need to be weary and also not afraid to ask questions.

Ultimately, if we go down this season, I wouldn't be unhappy if we moved back to Newport Stadium if it meant that a) we had a venue of our own (though I gather Newport City FC may have to go bye the bye) and b) we'd not be at risk of meddling bureaucrats in the WRU with our future in their hands.

The long and short is hope for a Les Scadding Mk 2. Maybe a younger man/lady who is looking to invest or give back to the community (maybe even GLC - yes, I'd have them as owners!) and who would be in it for the long haul.

Develop some homegrown stars (perhaps the next Bale/Ramsey) and in time move to a Championship-standard stadium.

How much would it cost to have a stand in Friar's Walk?

Thanks, it is a pleasure to read your thoughts. Whether you are right or not in that there is nothing we can do other than hope is perhaps at the crux of the matter. I hope you are wrong but I am not sure that you are. Unlike yourself I believe that returning to Spytty would be the end of our dreams.

George Street-Bridge wrote:Stan: Other than gate money for matches you've attended, ancillary spending on match days and merchandise and buying a small number of shares, can you enlighten us on what you've actually DONE for the club in all your years as a supporter of the team?

So George,

As you can see above I have taken the time and done you the courtesy of answering your question. Perhaps now you could return the compliment.

Do you think myself or anyone else for that matter has to answer to you and demonstrate that they have put enough into the club before they are allowed to express an opinion?

Pensioners Facebook Squabbles

Your help for Mr Gough was admirable and I’Ve said as much here and on the old email list. But the answer to the precise question is, effectively, nothing. While trying to pass yourself off as some sort of visionary going back decades.

George Street-Bridge wrote:Your help for Mr Gough was admirable and I’Ve said as much here and on the old email list. But the answer to the precise question is, effectively, nothing. While trying to pass yourself off as some sort of visionary going back decades.

You are entitled to your opinion. As I said I don't regard myself as anything special as a supporter and I salute those who have given much more to the club than me.

However George I shall continue giving my opinions and I will not seek from anyone else that they should justify holding their views.

Edit.

I also notice that you didn't have the courtesy to answer my question. Are you suggesting that one has to demonstrate a level of commitment to the club before you can voice an opinion? If no, why do you ask the question? If yes who appointed you to be the moral arbiter?

And further how on earth did you come to the conclusion that what I may or may not have done is in any way relevant to the topic of how to ensure the future of our club? Thankfully despite your best efforts a serious discussion is being had.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:So here's the question. We currently rent from the Welsh Rugby Football Union Rodney Parade and as such have a stadium which if not the best will suffice for a League 2 football team. In five years time that license runs out. Now it may be possible to renew that license. However there is a realistic possibility it will not be possible to renew.In that eventuality what should we do?

I believe it's more than a realistic possibility. It's probable. I believe the WRU will offer us a deal we can't meet so we have to walk. They do not need us like NRFC did. I believe there's no way the WRU will accept us having primacy of fixtures when they own RP outright. They'll offer us a deal alright not to look the bad guys, dress it up and tell everyone how great it is.


As you may recall i've always thought private ownership is the way forward, I accept this can go tits up too. But a board of volunteers raffling a 1.0L Ford Ka every Xmas for your granny to drive to Asda once a month to do the shopping isn't going to cut the mustard.


There is a place for the trust as a very small percentage owner of shares but they need to draft as many money men as they can.


All the financial doom and gloom after a great 2017-18 season!


There's only one way we're going in our current format.

Dai Nelmes wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:So here's the question. We currently rent from the Welsh Rugby Football Union Rodney Parade and as such have a stadium which if not the best will suffice for a League 2 football team. In five years time that license runs out. Now it may be possible to renew that license. However there is a realistic possibility it will not be possible to renew.In that eventuality what should we do?

I believe it's more than a realistic possibility. It's probable. I believe the WRU will offer us a deal we can't meet so we have to walk. They do not need us like NRFC did. I believe there's no way the WRU will accept us having primacy of fixtures when they own RP outright. They'll offer us a deal alright not to look the bad guys, dress it up and tell everyone how great it is.


As you may recall i've always thought private ownership is the way forward, I accept this can go tits up too. But a board of volunteers raffling a 1.0L Ford Ka every Xmas for your granny to drive to Asda once a month to do the shopping isn't going to cut the mustard.


There is a place for the trust as a very small percentage owner of shares but they need to draft as many money men as they can.


All the financial doom and gloom after a great 2017-18 season!


There's only one way we're going in our current format.

Agreed on all fronts.

Private ownership is the way forward, but if/when that happens the trust needs to remain an effective force and retain a small stake in the club. If we ever go to the wall/fall upon hard times, holding a sizeable pot of funds in a segregated account to give us some impetus for a fresh takeover / relaunch, etc, would be important.