Most liked posts in thread: Fan Buyout

It’s ok buying him out but then what?

 

I agree.
My wife and I are both ST holders.
No way could we afford to spend £1500 so our very wealthy owner (who has wealth we can only dream about) can get a completely unrealistic price for the club.

 

Not read the whole thread but I'd steer clear of fan ownership at all costs. Based on our experience:

1. You'll have no money. You will not be able to provide a budget that allows you to compete where you should/want to be. This was the case for us in Non league - it'd be even worse in this league.
2. Fans will fall out even more and it will divide the fan base. With us it got toxic.
3. Those elected in our case would do anything to stay in power even to the detriment of the club.
4. It should only be used as a way to save a club like we did with no other options and a last resort.
5. There's a reason only 31 fans voted against the takeover.
We of course had it from 2011 to 2021 and bar the odd season flirting with success it was a disaster.
Some Wrexham fans will claim otherwise but before the takeover we were heading for oblivion.
The Trust board went rogue basically and fans stopped trusting them after the revelation of many lies and even dare I say rigged membership resolution votes (allegedly) to keep themselves in power and to seize control. The money stopped coming in (many stopped paying the £12 per year membership and many more were paying more but stopped that also). There's a lot more to it but I won't bore you with it all.

In reality with our model the fan base had very little say, had very little power and became alienated.

There's a book I could write about those on the Wrexham Trust and club boards shenanigans.

This is just based on my own experiences. It could well work for you given the size of the club and fan base but i can't see it.
Your fans expectations would not be met by a club thats owned by its supporters trust.
And that was our main issue, we all thought we should be challenging for the title in the top tier of non league but the reality was that the likes of Harrogate, Sutton, Solihull, Gateshead (for a while) etc etc (many smaller clubs) all had bigger budgets than us and boy it showed.

 

I remember that. I think I put £40 in, but I know the take up was very low indeed. Didn't we get Graeme Lee, Chris Brandon and the Bouldings?

I believe my £40 bought Rory Boulding...

 

Sorry but, no chance. Thousands of our STs are kids. I got my three a seat each as they were cheap and even if they don’t turn up its extra space.

we need to know really how many are adults/senior citizens. Then what % of those would be willing to cough up cash?

I doubt we’d get over 1k doing so, personally, as these things sound good on paper but don’t really work in reality?

 

What did they do with the change?

 

There are no circumstances under which Ryan Sparks is an adequate person to lead the club.

 

No, its not. Fan Ownership models can work, and at least the OP is suggesting something constructive.

I'd be willing to participate, but the logistics are difficult. I think the first step to any change, has to be an organised movement to make clear how disenchanted the fanbase is, and how seriously we're seeking change at the top.

 

That paid for Zesh Rehman

 

Football is a strange business, arguably one of the only businesses where owners seem happy to spend money they haven't got and with no genuine hope of getting it back other than to hit the jackpot by selling a player for millions. Maybe Stefan Rupp would have been better served talking to common sense football fans rather than his financial advisor, they'd have told him was raving mad to even think about investing in a football club with the intention of making a profit

 

I would be reluctant to contribute further to Bradford City given we have wasted money on players and nobody is owning up to this. I paid £603 over the last year for an ex seat for a catering service I cannot refuse. The food from the contractors is abysmal and I won’t touch it. I can have a drink and the toilet facilities are much better. Great view as well. However, I would need some convincing to do so again when my primary reason for attending is poor.

Nevertheless I haven’t given up altogether, but I want to see some acknowledgment from the management group what has happened and not a series of guff posted in the TA as engagement with fans!

Then I want a plan, not “we want promotion “ with an action plan attached plus timescales including if we need more expertise then so be it we employ that expertise. Not just expecting managers to somehow paper over the huge mistakes he was not present or had any input. Or expecting him to somehow weave his magic with the ill thought current squad.

So if Bradford City want to keep milking my bank account I suggest they get their skates on tic tock.

 

So does Harry lewis...

 

It's not even a fit stadium for Rugby,

 

Most fans in this season ticket number baulk at paying £15 to watch a cup match, or come out in hives at the prospect of anything near the market rate for a season ticket, which I think tells us all we need to know.

 

A fan owned club would never have the resources to progress to the level we could potentially reach. Definitely couldn’t deal with Championship costs.

The irony is that Rupp is the multi millionaire we’d longed for. The problem being he’s just no interest in football now and the money he did pump in was spoffed by Rahic so he’s unwilling to contribute anything else other than the bare minimum going forward.

 

So to sum up. we are stuck with Rupp and the Gibb pension fund until the multi millionaire white knight, with one brain cell arrives.

As i said my lottery ticket is in hand.

 

I was thinking more in Germany, but I won't pretend to understand the detail.

I don't think its realistic for us, but i won't knock the idea or someone trying to come up with something. Under this regime, nothing good is going to happen.

 

An owner, listing something for sale has already given away leverage.

Its fairly clear the issue is price.

 

Here’s a novel idea…..instead of pie in the sky dreams of buying the club or buying the ground which wouldn’t progress us from where we are now, how about we back the club financially by renewing season tickets at an increase of £100 which is way cheaper than buying a 25000 seat stadium that would need looking after.
And how about we attend cup games in bigger numbers which is a valuable source of extra income for the club.
That said, it goes without saying that we’d need assurances that the extra income would be used to strengthen the playing squad with proven players at this level.