What I understood from David Buttress's podcast interview last year is he didn't instigate the Blues coming in but he did have the right to veto it, which obviously he declined to do.

"It was the right thing to do, as well as a financial benefit" I believe was a phrase he used, which I found interesting. Mainly because it was while discussing protecting the pitch, but also because AFAIK the RP rental returns, are based on what facilities are used. So due to covid, no use of anything other than the pitch, changing rooms, and camera gantry. Which even Newport Rugby could afford, so wouldn't have been a great deal.

Also I was discussing the use of Rodney Parade as a covid testing center, with a commercial property surveyor last week. His comment related to a valuation that he did in West Wales, but that rental was agreed at £70k plus a month. The valuation based not on the previous use of the site, more on how easy can you obtain a similar site, at very short notice, in an urban setting?
I have no idea what was charged for Rodney Parade, but I do wonder who benefitted.

Two points arising.

The first of course is that with over 3,000 hits the topic of the our status at Rodney Parade is of interest to people. That does not imply that posters agree with me but clearly this is a matter on which people either have a view, are interested in the views of others or both.

Secondly whoever owns Rodney Parade, as Bangitinternet has ably pointed out is in a position to benefit financially from the uses it has or which might crop up from time to time. So in that respect if it were possible ownership outright would be the best. Unfortunately that is difficult to see happening. The next best option in my view would be joint ownership with the Dragons. Not entirely out of the question. My third best option would be to rent from the council, as joint tenants with the Dragons. As the sports teams in Newport bring money into our city and create ancillary wealth, the City Council have a vested interest in our success. The fourth option is renting our home ground from a private landlord. This is less favourable than renting from the Local Authority as a private landlord will charge as high a rent as possible and if we have no alternative to Rodney Parade we have no alternative but to pay. My least favoured option is renting from either the Dragons or the WRU. Quite simply their interest is the same as that of a private landlord with the added burden of our long term security being in doubt if the rugby ever decide our being there is not worth the rent they receive from us.

The paragraph above sets out my views. And of course there are other valid opinions. But I have yet to hear any reason why we as a club shouldn't make a 'phone call to David Buttress, and genuinely believe that there isn't an argument that can be put as to why we shouldn't.

3000 views, and a handful of people commenting, so similar to the season ticket thread.

RP isn't for sale.

You state that the Council should invest to secure the future of The Dragon's and Newport County. How does this magic happen, when you say your concern is the Dragon's being culled and Newport County being relegated?

In short Newport County have faced all sorts of problems, in all sorts of locations, and have addressed them at the time they became an issue.
Basing everything purely on assumptions of what may happen, is what solicitors do, not those with responsibilities.

When there is an issue, or when you have a plan, or when there is an opportunity for positive change, crunch the numbers and come back.

Bangitintrnet wrote: May 26th, 2022, 12:21 pm

When there is an issue, or when you have a plan, or when there is an opportunity for positive change, crunch the numbers and come back.

But there is an issue, that is the long term security of our club having a suitable venue at which to play. I believe it wise to try to fix a leaking roof whilst the sun shines, not when it starts to rain. I do have a plan, and that is that those who have charge of our club should examine each and every opportunity and explore ways to move our club forward. I believe it is imperative that we all engage with each other. Nobody has all the the ideas, and many ideas don't work. But the more we work together the better our chances of making the progress we all want.

So on this one point, I think we should be making a phone call. It isn't a complicated plan. Then again the wheel wasn't a complicated invention.

You don't have a plan at all Stan. A plan is something that a responsible individual can evaluate, cost and deliver if that is the chosen route.

What you have is a wish list, for someone, anyone, other than yourself.

If there becomes an issue with security , don’t you think that David Buttress is better qualified, and better able to deal with, what after all is his remit? If he can't find a buyer for the Dragon's that is his issue, not ours. His problem to solve.

Finally it is not the WRU who are considering a list of proposals, (only one of which is culling the Ospreys or the Dragon's) , it is a committee of 8, only two of which are WRU representatives.

Bangitintrnet wrote: May 26th, 2022, 1:13 pm You don't have a plan at all Stan. A plan is something that a responsible individual can evaluate, cost and deliver if that is the chosen route.

What you have is a wish list, for someone, anyone, other than yourself.

If there becomes an issue with security , don’t you think that David Buttress is better qualified, and better able to deal with, what after all is his remit? If he can't find a buyer for the Dragon's that is his issue, not ours. His problem to solve.

Finally it is not the WRU who are considering a list of proposals, (only one of which is culling the Ospreys or the Dragon's) , it is a committee of 8, only two of which are WRU representatives.

I disagree I do have a plan.

Saying that I believe that Newport County should contact David Buttress to see if a joint approach to our future is a simple plan but nonetheless a plan. Indeed I agree entirely that David Buttress is better qualified and better able to deal with it. As you say that is his remit. So contacting him would seem an eminently sensible thing to do.

The very best ideas are very often simple. And to meet your point that a plan is something that a responsible individual can evaluate. Again I find myself in complete agreement. Evaluation is a cost benefit analysis. The cost is a phone call. The potential benefit is huge. The down side is the cost of a 'phone call. So to assist let's take away even that. I'll give the club 10 pence to make the call, so now there's no downside.

Dear Mr Satan Einstein, of the Panic Station, Witts End Lane, Worryaton.

I note your concern that we may have a hole in the roof, but can confirm that the pitch at Rodney Parade does not have the dome that Jerry Sherman promised all those years ago.

As for your plan to get the Council to fix the giant leak, again I can confirm that the cabbage patch has not wealded any vegetables of oversize proportions in recent times.

I would like to point out that the club are in the healthiest financial position probably ever, having been in profit for the last 4 years, two of which was during covid and despite having to share with those nasty Romans.

I know you have asked "what have the Romans ever done for us?"

Well actually to obtain finance to resurface the pitch, greatly enhance our options for electronic advertising, alterations to the hospitality boxes seating, new flood lighting, and re vamped changing rooms, is quite difficult to arrange for a small company post covid. So we are grateful to our Roman friends, along with the Council for such a lovely bridge providing foot access for the Amber Army, now that the amphitheatre has fallen into such distress.

Have a good day, and try hard to put things into proportion.

Kind regards,
Gormless G.

Bangitintrnet wrote: May 26th, 2022, 2:29 pm Dear Mr Satan Einstein, of the Panic Station, Witts End Lane, Worryaton.

I note your concern that we may have a hole in the roof, but can confirm that the pitch at Rodney Parade does not have the dome that Jerry Sherman promised all those years ago.

As for your plan to get the Council to fix the giant leak, again I can confirm that the cabbage patch has not wealded any vegetables of oversize proportions in recent times.

I would like to point out that the club are in the healthiest financial position probably ever, having been in profit for the last 4 years, two of which was during covid and despite having to share with those nasty Romans.

I know you have asked "what have the Romans ever done for us?"

Well actually to obtain finance to resurface the pitch, greatly enhance our options for electronic advertising, alterations to the hospitality boxes seating, new flood lighting, and re vamped changing rooms, is quite difficult to arrange for a small company post covid. So we are grateful to our Roman friends, along with the Council for such a lovely bridge providing foot access for the Amber Army, now that the amphitheatre has fallen into such distress.

Have a good day, and try hard to put things into proportion.

Kind regards,
Gormless G.

As I say if you wish to be constructive and argue the issues I am happy to engage. And I'm quite happy for there to be banter in the cut and thrust of debate. Let's face it we all need a bit of levity in life. Unfortunately I can't engage with anything written above. Not because of the manner of the post but rather there is no substantive point made. It's a very simple point I've raised, that being what harm can there be in making a phone call?

So if you have any reason for thinking there is harm in making a call, I would be grateful if you'd let me know what it is. I will read your objection and if I believe your point is good I shall say so. If I believe your point is bad I shall say why I think it is bad.

Best wishes,

Stan aka Brendan.

.

I actually have Stan, it is up to you to point out the benefits, which you singularity refuse to do, and keep saying that there are no benefits to anything other than Council ownership. You keep saying that the WRU are screwing us, will close the Dragon's and we will go bust. Any comment to the contrary is not engaged with at all, just simply ignored.

Are you supprised that absolutely no one wants to discuss this with you? It is easier to get an actual real debate, discussing it with a brick.

Why someone would choose to write an open letter, and then genuinely wish to debate it after the event is puzzling enough. However it appears that you now wish to get backing for a closed follow up letter. Why? just send it, you are not getting any backing, but you will no doubt pretend that you have it on the basis of 3000 views. I know you have been egged on by someone who really should know better, but this is pointless in the extreme.

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 26th, 2022, 6:31 am What I understood from David Buttress's podcast interview last year is he didn't instigate the Blues coming in but he did have the right to veto it, which obviously he declined to do.

Which begs the question who received the revenue for it and more importantly who receives the revenue for our use of the ground. I can see an argument for all of that going direct to the Dragons rather than to the WRU or to the Dragons via the WRU but also see that the WRU might want the revenue going to them in the first instance.

On another thread, it was intimated that we had already agreed a deal to continue using the ground beyond next season. Again who did we sign/agree this with, WRU, Dragons or some other entity?

Bangitintrnet wrote: May 26th, 2022, 3:46 pm I actually have Stan, it is up to you to point out the benefits, which you singularity refuse to do, and keep saying that there are no benefits to anything other than Council ownership.

I'm afraid that simply isn't true.

My view, which I am going to state in full for the final time is as follows.

1) I believe that the position of Newport County with respect of security of tenure at Rodney Parade is precarious.

2) As recent discussions on the future of Welsh rugby have come to light I believe that also applies to the Dragons.

3) I therefore think that the interests of Newport County and the Dragons coincide.

4) As Rodney Parade is an iconic stadium I believe that in any event the outcry if Newport City Council owned it and wished to sell it off for development would be immense.

5) If Dragons were to liaise with Newport County to lobby Newport City Council in order to ensure both codes having a future at Rodney Parade I believe this could be successful.

6) I believe that because having two football clubs highlighting the name of Newport, and the ancillary revenue Dragons and County makes such a proposition attractive to Newport City Council.

7) I believe it can only work if the Dragons are interested.

I think that however slim the chance that it might work is, the potential benefit is so great that it is worth a telephone call.

If it works great. If it fails because the Dragons are not interested County lose the price of a telephone call. I will gladly pay for that telephone call. So for no risk we have a potentially huge benefit. And as of yet I haven't heard a good argument as to why it isn't worth that call.

You never ever will Stan, will you. You are completely deaf, as it doesn't suit, does it?

I have previously commented on each of the points mentioned above, and pointed out to you, that each, and every one, is based on an assumption. In fact it is your own personal assumption, it isn't actually factual. You don't seem to understand (or want to understand) the difference between facts and fiction. That doesn't seem to cut any ice with you does it?

The lack of any other comments on this thread should be deafening, however for you it just isn't, is it?

Bangitintrnet wrote: May 26th, 2022, 5:34 pm You never ever will Stan, will you. You are completely deaf, as it doesn't suit, does it?

I have previously commented on each of the points mentioned above, and pointed out to you, that each, and every one, is based on an assumption. In fact it is your own personal assumption, it isn't actually factual. You don't seem to understand (or want to understand) the difference between facts and fiction. That doesn't seem to cut any ice with you does it?

The lack of any other comments on this thread should be deafening, however for you it just isn't, is it?

Well there we are. You don't think I've been clear, I don't think you have. The readers of this board can make their own minds up. It's regrettable that you finish with insults, but I've decided that it's far better not to engage in exchanging such barbs. It doesn't get us anywhere.