Are we going to get our own referendum at Albion
By noibla
March 29 2016
And more importantly will the clubs future be decided by a final vote from the shareholdes having been given the exact details of the proposed takeover. As of course the shareholders "own" the club along with the help of course with all the other supporters who put their hard earned cash into the ticket office the bars and the food outlets each and every home game come what may.
I am asking this question on our web site because I was, to put it mildly, bitterly disapointed to read last Thursday the 24th. March that we are staring administration in the face again, only more so it seems than was previously thought. Because although we knew the club were financially challanged again, which was a body blow after so many improvements were made to the infrastructure during the previous months and the lads were doing so well on the pitch and there was I felt a genuine feel good factor from all, a total change from last season, and this was backed up by a statement from the board that " We are more stable than we were and are happy with the progress made both on and off the field" and encouragingly accepted those words were to, only for the latest statement fom the board announcing the administration senario, quite a body blow to all.
And now as I see it, we are in something of a tail spin with a lot of unhappy bunnies to boot. What we need now is surely for the right decisions to be made to enable the club to travel down the right path which will enable the club with it's magnificent history of some 140 odd years to continue to provide a platform where competitive rugby can be played and supported without getting into debt.
In this capacity I feel the board need to present to the shareholders all the available options open to the club including any subsequent developements since the last meeting and their implications for the club going forward including of course any gaurentees that are legally binding by those who wish to buy out the club in order that those present can come to a decision that they feel is in the best long tem interest of Plymouth Albion. our club. A great many folk have supported and helped out the club over many years with various amounts of financial help to fend off various disasters when asked, and this much needed and appreciated assistance must not be forgotten and left by the wayside.
I feel that before the heart and soul of the club is handed over to anyone other than the shareholders, who themselves could then be in a position of having lost everthing, what a waste that would be, but most of all the clubs future security for the benifit of the city and it's people needs to be protected by those who have been part of the clubs very history in so many different ways both past and present.
On a personnel note I think I would rather have the club do a "Richmond" and find it's own level from which to build on rather than lose Albion altogether to someone who may wll have their own agenda !
Oh ! that one of our supporters would win the "Euro Millions" but then thats not likely but I do know that many have tried this route without any luck so far. But I just hope and pray that we can between us find the right path otherwise I'll have to find something else to do on a Saturday and it would be an almighty loss in so many ways to so many people.
The time for action is here and now, and I know there are many others who are very concerned over the possible consequences that the coming days and weeks could bring for us.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:04:18:17:50:36 by noibla.
This looks like a prepack Administration. If so, shareholders, creditors etc will get wiped out and the new owners buy for very little ( £1 ? ), but if we understand it correctly, the issue is losses week after week, so they will need deep pockets, especially if the standard of the squad is to be maintained for next season.
I am not aware that the supporters have ever been consulted on anything, so we'll sit back and watch what unfolds in the next couple of weeks. I am concerned for the staff. We have some long serving employees that we need to look after. They are as much part of the Club as everyone else, but referendum seems unlikely now.
Albion is destined to be owned. Not by 125 shareholder/supporters but in the hands of a few wealthy individuals. In that respect, we'll not be that different to many other top Clubs, but whether we like it or not is another matter. Only time will tell.
We need to look forward with positivity and try to get as many through the gates in the remaining matches of what's left of this season, and look forward to a fresh start and big push next season.
The club has been through rough times, but lets hope those days are behind us. If the team play next season as they have this I think there will be some very worried clubs out there.
So lets get behind the new consortium and the team and look forward to a hopefully brighter future, both for the club and us fans.
The right people would be a breath of fresh air and get the support of all, we will soon know who is in charge, fingers crossed.
So in that sense it matters greatly I feel, and then we can all look forward to a settled future again.
Semper Sersum.
As you say, let's get in there and enjoy the rest of the season.