Today's Guardian Article About Plymouth's Very Dire Financial Position

[Bozza]

Is it only me that feels a little bit uneasy when Albion fans come over all preachy about the financial circumstances of some clubs.

Don't get me wrong there are some obvious cases of incredible mis-management and/or fraud that deserve little sympathy but is this one, Plymouth, one of those? From the little I've read it sounds as though the directors have tried to keep the club ticking along but have been swimming against the tide somewhat. We've lived beyond our means for some time but, like Plymouth, we've been bailed out by directors and the like which has helped keep the club alive, and we now have our very own knight in shining armour who, from what we can tell, has set the Albion up for a very prosperous future.

I'm sure Plymouth could have been managed better - the key issue here seems that they didn't have a "what if we are relegated from the Championship?" Plan B to put into action - but this seems a long way from Pompey's £100m+ debts and all the very shady stuff that goes along with that.

That clubs falling out of the Premiership faced uncertain futures has been a story for many years now. It doesn't seem right that the financial gulf between Championship and League One should open up so that clubs falling out of the Championship also face battles for survival.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

All of this.

 

[BensGrandad]

What has happened to the Cornish businessman who was interested in buying the club. Or is Ridsdale waiting to buy them for £1 with little or no debt from admin..

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I am sorry, but David Conn is also an arsehole. He wrote one of the nastiest polemics ever about the Falmer campaign, spinning some sort of right-on yarn to suggest it was all about rich men making money out of environmental destruction. Lewes LibDems have probably still got the cutting on their bathroom ceilings. As warped propaganda went it was right up there. No respect whatsoever.

Might have to revise that grudge then.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Whether that wage bill is 7.5m or higher, surely that's ridiculous? Wasn't ours 2.8m or something rising to 3.5m this year from that Swiss article?

They already dumped their saleable player assets now surely they could have unloaded some players as free transfers? Especially when players realised they may not get paid and thus could take a slightly lower wage elsewhere with a longer deal and security if no-one would take them on current deal?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Don't get me wrong there are some obvious cases of incredible mis-management and/or fraud that deserve little sympathy but is this one, Plymouth, one of those?

Quite. Argyle have not really chased the dream have they ? They have not particularly gambled on climbing the heights. Certainly some poor decisions - and I am sure even Tony Bloom is capable of those.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

You've got to love the last line of that article, the quote from Derek Chapman

This was my point really. Conn left a nasty whiff of something-not-quite-right about Prescott's decision. The harmless fact that Prescott ate a meat pie in the Portacabin was turned into him "having a meal with the directors". By suggesting that his company was going to build the stadium, Conn set up Derek Chapman to look like a man with his hands in some trough or other (with no evidence because there isn't any) and the smarmy Baker's ludicrous suggestion that it was 'indefensible' for Prescott to attend a long-arranged and brief ceremonial event involving one of the many companies connected to the stadium was simply slid in without comment. Smart journalists don't have to rant to get their message across and the impression of corporate naughtiness was as unpleasant as it was untrue. Conn knew what he was doing.

 

[Gwylan]

This was my point really. Conn left a nasty whiff of something-not-quite-right about Prescott's decision. The harmless fact that Prescott ate a meat pie in the Portacabin was turned into him "having a meal with the directors". By suggesting that his company was going to build the stadium, Conn set up Derek Chapman to look like a man with his hands in some trough or other (with no evidence because there isn't any) and the smarmy Baker's ludicrous suggestion that it was 'indefensible' for Prescott to attend a long-arranged and brief ceremonial event involving one of the many companies connected to the stadium was simply slid in without comment. Smart journalists don't have to rant to get their message across and the impression of corporate naughtiness was as unpleasant as it was untrue. Conn knew what he was doing.

Not at al. It seems crazy to be revisiting this five years after the event but your assertions are just ludicrous. Norman Baker made some unsubstantiated allegations against minister in reference to his behaviour. They may well have been bonkers assertions but, in writing such a piece, Conn is obliged to mention them. And having mentioned such an allegation, he's beholden to say what they're about.

The impression I get from this article as that it's something well-researched with both sides of the debate putting their views across. It's plain bonkers to say that it's anti-Albion polemic- the last line of the piece alone suggests what side Conn is on, although he's too a good a journalist to be so blatant. As Dick Knight's Mumm says, your anti-Conn postings just read like a grudge and is not an edifying spectacle.

 

[clippedgull]

I feel sympathy for the fans. Plus the non playing staff. It appears that everyone else seems to be milking it out of existence.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

Did i see on SSN yesterday that Risdale has walked away from Plymouth?
Or have i just imagined that?

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Not at al. It seems crazy to be revisiting this five years after the event but your assertions are just ludicrous. Norman Baker made some unsubstantiated allegations against minister in reference to his behaviour. They may well have been bonkers assertions but, in writing such a piece, Conn is obliged to mention them. And having mentioned such an allegation, he's beholden to say what they're about.

The impression I get from this article as that it's something well-researched with both sides of the debate putting their views across. It's plain bonkers to say that it's anti-Albion polemic- the last line of the piece alone suggests what side Conn is on, although he's too a good a journalist to be so blatant. As Dick Knight's Mumm says, your anti-Conn postings just read like a grudge and is not an edifying spectacle.

No grudge but I stand by my view that Conn cleverly moved the debate away from the essence of the story (the rights and wrongs of the stadium) and into a fringe area, created by Baker, where he could leave a nasty smell. As you say, Baker made allegations against the minister, which Conn chose to give an airing to in his story about the stadium - the point here is that any allegation against Baker is also an allegation against others and it makes me weep when innocent men are tarred with a journalist's brush.

But you are completely correct - it is pretty late in the day for us to be debating this. I apologise for allowing Mr Conn to stick in my craw.

 

[Easy 10]

Did i see on SSN yesterday that Risdale has walked away from Plymouth?
Or have i just imagined that?

He has walked out on the current board and owners (out of frustration I gather), but he is still actively pursuing potential buyers for the club.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

He has walked out on the current board and owners (out of frustration I gather), but he is still actively pursuing potential buyers for the club.

 

[Easy 10]

BBC Sport - Football - Peter Ridsdale steps back from Plymouth Argyle role

Peter Ridsdale is pulling out of the day-to-day running of Plymouth Argyle, although he will keep trying to find new investors for the club.

Ridsdale has been working as the cash-strapped League One club's football consultant since December.

But BBC Spotlight understands there has been a rift between Ridsdale and the current board of directors.

Ridsdale is unhappy that members of the current board wish to stay on if the club survives its current cash crisis.

The former Leeds and Cardiff City chairman has cancelled a proposed trip to Plymouth on Wednesday, however he is due to meet possible investors in London on Thursday and will present a rescue option to a board meeting on Friday.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

if the monthly wage bill results in a £350k PAYE bill, then the monthly wages must be about £850k - £950k, which works out £10m-£11.5m per year. Surely someone on their board must have realised this wasn't sustainable and they should have had a firesale in the summer transfer window let alone January this year! Why don't they just loan out all the players to reduce the wage bill and play the youth team or something, they're going down anyway. Didn't Pompey get some special permission to sell players outside of the transfer window to stay afloat or have i dreamt that up?

Loan to who and pays those wages ?

 

[Ecosse Exile]

He has walked out on the current board and owners (out of frustration I gather), but he is still actively pursuing potential buyers for the club.

Cheers easy, just worried that i had imagined it the way people were talking.

 

[Rougvie]

I've got sympathy with the Fans (well not that big fat topless bald guy that used to taunt the Albion support with the usual shit) but I spend a fair bit of time in Plymouth and its a grim tale.

The usual story, club overspends to stay in the Champ'p then drops down, loaned up to the hilt (as most clubs are in the good times) and then all of a sudden the club gets relegated and the vultures start circling.

Lots of people getting the blame, but isnt the whole system to blame? Like most provincial towns you rarely talk people who actually go to games, but the pubs are bursting when Chelsea (and the new trend of Spurs) are playing.

 

[somerset]

Is it only me that feels a little bit uneasy when Albion fans come over all preachy about the financial circumstances of some clubs.

Don't get me wrong there are some obvious cases of incredible mis-management and/or fraud that deserve little sympathy but is this one, Plymouth, one of those? From the little I've read it sounds as though the directors have tried to keep the club ticking along but have been swimming against the tide somewhat. We've lived beyond our means for some time but, like Plymouth, we've been bailed out by directors and the like which has helped keep the club alive, and we now have our very own knight in shining armour who, from what we can tell, has set the Albion up for a very prosperous future.

I'm sure Plymouth could have been managed better - the key issue here seems that they didn't have a "what if we are relegated from the Championship?" Plan B to put into action - but this seems a long way from Pompey's £100m+ debts and all the very shady stuff that goes along with that.

That clubs falling out of the Premiership faced uncertain futures has been a story for many years now. It doesn't seem right that the financial gulf between Championship and League One should open up so that clubs falling out of the Championship also face battles for survival.

Yep, thats the one,.....

Its tough at the moment for all of us,... but is there a fund we can perhaps donate to,... then spread the word around other clubs,..... perhaps we can build on the goodwill we got last night from Brizzle and help Argyle survive in some way,.... I DO NOT WANT ALBION TO LOSE 6 POINTS..

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The problem with being in the Championship is having to spend shedloads to stay there , when relegation happens the shit can hit the fan big time. Players without relegation clauses in their contracts will still be on big money and there is a big drop in income from numerous sources.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Anyone who's interested can read it again here. Most will struggle to find anything vaguely nasty or polemic inside

Football: Brighton torn between old England and new Albion | Society | The Guardian

Edit - already been mentioned