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.

As you know my view is that the Trust model is the way forward, so on that we will have to agree to differ.

However if your analysis is correct with respect to the WRU and my view is that you may very well be right on that, whether it's private investment being brought in or the Trust managing the situation, what, if anything do you think we can do?

I should add that the question is one I can't think of an answer to. Whatever happened in the past has happened and frankly my pointing out what we should of done 15 years ago is not going to assist now. I am genuinely pessimistic and have not the first clue about how we should go about getting out of this mess. Like you I don't think burying our head in the sand is going to help but beyond that I don't have the first clue.

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

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.

As you know my view is that the Trust model is the way forward, so on that we will have to agree to differ.

However if your analysis is correct with respect to the WRU and my view is that you may very well be right on that, whether it's private investment being brought in or the Trust managing the situation, what, if anything do you think we can do?

I should add that the question is one I can't think of an answer to. Whatever happened in the past has happened and frankly my pointing out what we should of done 15 years ago is not going to assist now. I am genuinely pessimistic and have not the first clue about how we should go about getting out of this mess. Like you I don't think burying our head in the sand is going to help but beyond that I don't have the first clue.

I'm thinking more hope than expectation Stan.


Basically, I think we need to grow the supporter base by investing £££'s in players and the overall product.


Those £££'s will not come in sufficient quantity from well meaning supporters donating £10 a month.


Back to the hoping bit, we need money people with deep pockets who like NCFC to fund investment. I hope the board know some likely candidates because I'll admit it, I don't.

The product has to be right to grow the supporter base. The supporter base has to grow to make the club viable.


Fund the product!

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

Where did Vincent Tan come from? Genuine questions, because I don't know. How was he, as a far Eastern businessman, attracted to a south Wales club like Cardiff City? .... Did he gain from Ninian Park being turned over to housing? Who owned Ninian Park in the first place? Did he do a great deal on getting other income streams once the new stadium was built? If you asked him today, "Mr.Tan, in monetary terms, are you up or down from your involvement at Cardiff?" , what would his answer be?
I'd like to know how was he attracted in the first place?....

Leave aside all the red kit rebrand then back to blue (not all Malaysian businessmen are so eccentric), has he been good or bad for Cardiff City?.... what was the initail attraction?.... Could Newport County attract such an investor, and if not, why not?

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

It isn't easy, but it can be done. Look at the job Chris Blight did in getting Les involved with the club; it was great work.

Newport and the surrounding areas have a lot of wealthy entrepreneurs who may well take an interest; just to keep their businesses profile in the spotlight if nothing else. Admiral, GoCompare and the Celtic Manor are but three off the top of head. What it needs is a well-connected individual or group of individuals to try and get the dots connected together. We were on the cusp of it whilst Les was in charge but the group were told to do one unfortunately.

newgroundrodney wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

Where did Vincent Tan come from? Genuine questions, because I don't know. How was he, as a far Eastern businessman, attracted to a south Wales club like Cardiff City? .... Did he gain from Ninian Park being turned over to housing? Who owned Ninian Park in the first place? Did he do a great deal on getting other income streams once the new stadium was built? If you asked him today, "Mr.Tan, in monetary terms, are you up or down from your involvement at Cardiff?" , what would his answer be?
I'd like to know how was he attracted in the first place?....

Leave aside all the red kit rebrand then back to blue (not all Malaysian businessmen are so eccentric), has he been good or bad for Cardiff City?.... what was the initail attraction?.... Could Newport County attract such an investor, and if not, why not?

I was told in a chance meeting by somone who works for Tan in a professional capacity that Tan bought CCFC for networking purposes to meet people and promote his wider financial empire through the lure of the Premier League.


That's just what I was told - I don't pretend to understand big business. The professional was a lawyer.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

My worry is that 'wishful thinking' is all we got Stan. Just being honest, you might as well buy extra lottery tickets than throw £10 a month at the Trust. £10 a month supplied by all supporters will not suffice.

"If you spend your time thinking about what’s holding you back, then you’ll never move forward – it’s wasted energy" Hayley Parsons (Go Compare)

rncfc wrote:
........... Admiral, GoCompare and the Celtic Manor are but three off the top of head. What it needs is a well-connected individual or group of individuals to try and get the dots connected together. We were on the cusp of it whilst Les was in charge but the group were told to do one unfortunately.

Again I'm open to being convinced. I can see the logic of your argument

Who told this group to 'go and do one'? If this group were so told would they still be interested if whoever told them to go and do one was no longer involved with the club? Again I really am not trying to be clever but my experience in over fifty years of watching County is that business people have too often run County into the ground and it has been the supporters who have collectively bailed the club out.

Dai Nelmes wrote:

My worry is that 'wishful thinking' is all we got Stan. Just being honest, you might as well buy extra lottery tickets than throw £10 a month at the Trust. £10 a month supplied by all supporters will not suffice.

I don't know which is the most depressing. Your post or the fact I agree?

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Dai Nelmes wrote:

My worry is that 'wishful thinking' is all we got Stan. Just being honest, you might as well buy extra lottery tickets than throw £10 a month at the Trust. £10 a month supplied by all supporters will not suffice.

I don't know which is the most depressing. Your post or the fact I agree?

It's sad in a way, that leaving the stadium aside, £10 a month from 1500 fans would be somewhere in the region The Trust say we need to comfortably tick over....or at least HELP to tick over.

Developing NGR's last two posts, an idea. I agree with Ms Parsons by the way.

Vice President's club. Every perk that we can imagine. Interview in a match programme. Super seat in the stand. Coffee and biscuits at half time. A chance for the well healed County supporter to have the opportunity to show off a bit. £1,000. Membership limited to 100. Vice President's Company membership. As above but eight seats, plus full page add in the programme. £10,000 limited to ten companies. A chance for Gwent based small and medium sized companies to sponsor and raise their profile.

If you could do that it's £200,000 pa.

By all means feel free to improve upon the idea

newgroundrodney wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

rncfc wrote:
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.

As I said to Dai I believe in the Trust model. However let's assume I am wrong. Now I can see your argument and unless I am mistaken it is as follows.

If we could attract a business owner to invest in Newport County he/she/they could develop the club and importantly develop a stadium.

Now I am not trying to catch you out, but what I don't understand is where such a white knight is coming from. Our collective experience of business ownership is not good. As I say I am open to being converted but it does seem to me that we need more than wishful thinking.

Where did Vincent Tan come from? Genuine questions, because I don't know. How was he, as a far Eastern businessman, attracted to a south Wales club like Cardiff City? .... Did he gain from Ninian Park being turned over to housing? Who owned Ninian Park in the first place? Did he do a great deal on getting other income streams once the new stadium was built? If you asked him today, "Mr.Tan, in monetary terms, are you up or down from your involvement at Cardiff?" , what would his answer be?
I'd like to know how was he attracted in the first place?....

Leave aside all the red kit rebrand then back to blue (not all Malaysian businessmen are so eccentric), has he been good or bad for Cardiff City?.... what was the initail attraction?.... Could Newport County attract such an investor, and if not, why not?

What I recall Tan became involved with City as part of a consortium led by Dato Chan Tien Ghee who was attracted to the club by Peter Ridsdale in 2010. The sale of Ninian Park and the building of CCS came a few years before Tan arrived at the club.

NP was owned by Cardiff City FC but the land it was built on was on a long term lease from Cardiff City Council, again what I recall CCC donated the land under NP to the club along with the Leckwith Stadium and car park so that the club could build a new stadium on the provision the club builds/pays for a new athletic stadium near by and improve the road infrastructure around the stadium. Which was all done after NP was sold to Redrow for housing.

CTY74 wrote:

"What I recall Tan became involved with City as part of a consortium led by Dato Chan Tien Ghee who was attracted to the club by Peter Ridsdale in 2010. The sale of Ninian Park and the building of CCS came a few years before Tan arrived at the club.

NP was owned by Cardiff City FC but the land it was built on was on a long term lease from Cardiff City Council, again what I recall CCC donated the land under NP to the club along with the Leckwith Stadium and car park so that the club could build a new stadium on the provision the club builds/pays for a new athletic stadium near by and improve the road infrastructure around the stadium. Which was all done after NP was sold to Redrow for housing."
........................................................................................................................................................................................


So Tan comes into a Cardiff City where the CCS (2nd best ground I've ever been to by the way - love the place!) is already built. He takes over presumably with the Premier League as his goal. But with the higher level, comes higher wages etc, though admittedly higher attendances somewhat, and higher ticket prices perhaps, but there doesn't SEEM to be much more option to Tan to make money than any other middling football chaiman. In the light of that, with no stadium in place, I can't see how Newport County are going to attract anyone if that investor's first outlay is going to be £15M to build a ground......unless we get REALLY lucky!

We have 2500 diehard fans and another 1000 fairly regular fans.Only 1000+ bother to join the Trust,why is this?.Is it,they don’t know how to join or they don’t think their £10 will make a difference.This is something the Trust need to explore.Even at £10 a year,that would bring an extra £10-15k in.