Fan Buyout

I applaud your sentiment Steve but it would without doubt, spell doom. When we played there before , we had hope and something to look forward to and frankly would have put up with anything ( we did!) as VP was being rebuilt. We would go there this time, with entirely the opposite outlook . No thanks.

 

Interesting concept, but fan owned clubs are hit and miss.

What about a model where we're part fan owned? What if we raised enough to part own the club and have a say on running it with Rupp still around to protect his investment until someone else comes along?

Let's face it, Rupp isn't interested but he wouldn't let us fail to the point of going under because it wouldn't be in his best interest. So as a balance why not the above? Then the fans can help Rupp.

 

9 in 3 games lol

 

Huddersfield are having issues with their stadium as it is, and have been for years now. Kirklees Council own 40%, Town own 40% and the Giants own 20%. Kirkless Council back in 2021 said they weren't going to spend another penny on the stadium due to the poor conditions the tenants have left it in and want to sell their shares. Think it was back in Sept/Oct ish last year that the council said that they were willing to sign off their 40% shares for nothing to Town and Giants, but neither Town alone or them and the Giants taking it together on would be able to afford the work needed on the ground.

They are still in the stalemate (as far as i know). But the Town owner is seemingly still in negotiations with the council, but has said he wants to move the Giants onto somewhere new if/when he becomes the majority owner and re-negotiate everything as the development ground which all 3 are part of is close to going bust.

 

Not quite us then

 

More difficult for some to get to, but now Park Avenue are effectively a non-entity, we have plenty of fans this side of town and those of us this side would find it a doddle to get to….. NIMBY and all that! Swings and roundabouts but I wouldn’t class location as a ‘con’ for Odsal. The other stuff, fair enough.

 

Can’t the Giants move to Odsal? Win win.

 

We keep saying that it would be good to know the season ticket holder geographical locations. I’m sure I read years ago it could be a simple North South split similar to the City / Avenue fan base of old?

 

It's not even a fit stadium for Rugby,

 

Thanks for that, interesting reading, I just assumed the football club owner also owned the ground

 

Maybe, although its not that much of a difference time wise once the council sort the roadworks out on Jacob’s Well roundabout. Its only 15 mins difference by car.

Odsal is just as well served by bus routes. Better parking than VP in fairness if they sorted out Richard Dunn’s site, but can’t see the council doing anything drastic given the financial mess they are in.

still not even sorted out the interchange after the roof damage - if that was Leeds Council it would have been opened within a week!

Odsal is dilapidated, I went to a playoff game last year, toilets are very grim in the main stand. Agree with others - it might not actually pass a lot of the criteria to host Football League games.

In terms of trains, Low Moor Station is on a Leeds line, but its an uphill walk. That said, Interchange and Forster Square also require unpleasant uphill walks, so probably a stalemate there.

if it means helping us renegotiate with Gibb, if that then means getting a new buyer to replace Rupp, I don’t care if we play at Peel Park for two or three years tbh!

Rupp out!

 

Just for the pie in the sky wishful thinking of greater times which could come, how much do we reckon a willing party would need to completely re-shape the club? To need to buy the club & the stadium and our own training complex? Plus a budget boost.

Just for fantasy's sake, surely a good £20m? To get Rupp his £10m, then whatever it costs to buy VP. Along with the costs of land and building a training complex and a squad? Or would they even buy VP or look to build new?

 

As you say pie in the sky

 

I like fantasy speculation it helps relieve the stress. I think you might be a bit short there. I would say £25/30 mill for infrastructure. Then there is the ongoing budget; but tbh I think supporters will come back and generate funds because they will see somebody actually cares about our club.

it is a difficult one on to stay at VP or move. We would need to do a full reccy of the area to see what land is available and generate a plan of building so fans can see what might be achieved. Very tricky because we love our old stadium, and it is part memorial as well.

 

I went up there for the Keighley game and to put it bluntly its one big shithole that should have been filled in years ago .......... and how many folk are gonna travel from thevother side of the City to get piss wet through ?????

Aint it a fooking shame that we dont live in a City with a vision

 

If we magically had the money then the whole aim should be to buy VP back any other option would be into tens of millions.

Ok folk going for the Odsal option but its a slum and would need a hell of a lot of money spending on it if we did actually keep with our levels of support .

Honestly i aint purposely putting a downer on it but you wanna go view a game up there and see what jm getting at.

You watch the video City brought out in 1991 and hear the great Trevor Cherrys view on it ......." as far as im concerned it should be filled in and no sport should be played up there"

That was 1991 and it still remains tbe same apart from some banqueting suites that look outdated

 

Exactly, just for our wishful thinking more than anything. Yes I reckon you are probably right, at least £25m all in.

 

The main issue , VP is in easy walking distance of VP with plenty of “ attractions” . Odsal has nothing, Wibsey has a couple, Bankfoot? , otherwise it’s a desert. Eateries X , Pubs?

Then it’s a chip or burger van . We know what happened to the last chip van sited at Odsal?

 

Its grim around VP Kev. Don’t even have the burger van at the end of Midland Road (where car rental place is) these days.

no good pubs around the ground at all. City Vaults and North Parade are decent but require a walk.

Cue gardens at Osdal is better than the dives immediately around VP for a pre-match pint. Not as good as North Parade was in its pomp though, granted.

I suppose it only really matters for those who make a day of it. I drive and park up as late as possible so it doesn’t really matter to me if I can get a £3 camel burger meal deal on Manningham Lane or go via a pub before hand….its not part of my matchday experience at home. Will matter more to other fans though.

 

Agree BL , it’s horses for courses of course. VP vicinity is a dump, it’s not the “ old days” anymore. The largest attraction is N/ Parade and a stroll to the ground. In comparison “ Odsal” has nothing . Perhaps @Bronco or @Rogered Tart could give a steer?