|
|
Post by John Anderson on Sept 4, 2018 20:08:28 GMT
I wanted to share a few thoughts with supporters following Saturday’s disappointing result/performance v Staines.
The first thing to say is that Jamie Whisken has apologised to me for the unseemly exchange of words he had with Franklyn as they left the field after the game. He was totally accepting that it was not befitting his role as captain of the side and the more so because it was in public view. He cares passionately about the Club and his role as skipper and just let the frustration of the moment get the better of him.The way he has apologised to me is enough for it to be regarded as an end to the matter and we move on. As a Club we are in my view privileged to have someone of Jamie’s calibre as the dressing room leader.
As the Echo article on Monday showed the defeat hurt Tom deeply and he and I have spent long stretches of precious time discussing all aspects of the squad and the way forward. We categorically want to get back to NLS and will do all we can to achieve that aim.
Saturday saw the side devastated by injury. No team at our level and a lot higher for that matter could easily cope with being deprived of so many key players. Look at it like this, if the 16 that were fielded Saturday were the only players available to us and Tom demanded the means to sign new players, and the BOD gave him those means and he went out and signed Marvin Brooks,Steve Devlin.Luke Roberts,Richard Gillespie,Michael Walker,Sam Griffin—would we not all be elated?? Jack Dickson too was carrying a bad knock so was not fully fit. Those are seven players who would grace any of our rivals in this league and in the NLS. They are all our players who were denied us at the weekend.
We must keep things in perspective. Had we won Saturday we would have gone joint top of the league.
We will get it right at the Black Gold-mark my words.
Finally some of the doom merchants on the Club’s message Board have posted negative comments about our long term future given the length of our existing lease – we have 6 years 4 months to run.Please let everyone be reassured that the board is not dragging its heels re the future. There is no point in me putting fans into promised land until there are specifics to disclose but talks are ongoing at a high level and Poole Borough Council are categorically not being obstructive. I can assure you all-they do not deserve any criticism. If the past is a predictor of the future we will come good –as we always have since those grim days of Clive Arthur and I rescuing the Club from liquidation in 1991,losing the Stadium through the faults of previous adminisrtrations.descending to county football at Holt and Haskells Rec and then creating a step 2 football ground at a school field against all the odds. Think of all those ground grading battles we had to win-all those contested planning applications we had to fight and win-all that money we had to find. The list goes on and on. We haven’t come this far to fail.
I look forward to a massive turnout at the Stadium (greyhound restaurant ) Monday night 10th September with a 7.30 start for the Supporters Club AGM. I will be ther as will my new Vice Chairman Richard Gale who has been a breath of fresh air on the Board and will address the meeting. Alex Pike our new Commercial Manager will be in attendance and other PTFC commitments being willing so will Tom.
See you there.
Chris
|
|
|
|
Post by Choirboy Dave on Sept 4, 2018 21:28:36 GMT
Good glad Jamie has said sorry.
Really hope Franklyn has a future at the club too. He is a young lad trying to make is way on life. Would be disappointed to think we might lose him after what happened at the end of the match, last Saturday.
|
|
|
|
Post by dave on Sept 5, 2018 8:47:41 GMT
Looking on the Shaftesbury FC website I came across the following:
SHAFTESBURY FC SECURE 25-YEAR LEASE 6 Jun, 2018
It is with extreme delight that Shaftesbury Football Club can announce the successful agreement of a 25-year lease with Shaftesbury Town Council for our Coppice Street home.
Chairman Steve Coffen was ecstatic with securing the new lease
“We’re extremely happy with this news, it allows us to put many disastrous years behind us. Moving forward, it creates a massive stability for the club, we can now financially project for the long-term future.”
“Thanks to all the councilors for their support in helping us reach this agreement, especially Brie Logan for her personal assistance in helping with this matter.”
“I’d like to also thank all the Directors for their positive approach to the discussions.”
Shaftesbury Town Council have released the following statement.
“Shaftesbury Town Council is delighted to announce that a long term partnership with the Directors of Shaftesbury Football Club has been formed. After months of working together to find a sustainable future for the football club Shaftesbury Town Council recently agreed a 25-year lease to enable and support the management team to reach their aspirations as laid out in the business plan.
The Directors and Club Committee have worked tirelessly over the past 3 years to support the Shaftesbury Football teams and have had a fantastic couple of seasons with the 1st Team gaining back to back promotions and now play in the Wessex Premier League for the 1st time in the club history. The Reserve Team was also promoted in the 2017/ 18 season to the Dorset Premier League this 2017/ 18 Season. In 2016, the Ladies Team was formed and in 2017, a third team was introduced to replace the u18’s and known as The Colts, this team is to develop the younger players of Shaftesbury.
The Football Club representative Cllr Piers Brown publicly acknowledged the hard work, dedication and commitment of the Directors, all of which volunteer their time to support the club. He quotes Shaftesbury has one of the most successful clubs in Dorset but definitely one of the best teams and the Club is at its highest level in its history. The Town Council has been working closely with the club’s management team and we are looking forward to effectively working together to support them in achieving their ambitions for the club.
The Lead Councillor for the Football club Cllr Luke Kirton states “I am really glad that Shaftesbury Town Council is playing a small part in supporting Shaftesbury Football Club to continue their impressive success on the pitch and the improvement off it. I look forward to working with the dedicated volunteers on the management committee over the next year to maintain the improvements and see this vital community asset sustained for the foreseeable future.
Shaftesbury Football club was founded in 1888 and Shaftesbury Town Council is looking forward to working effectively with the club management team and supporting them to achieve their aspirations of raising the profile of football within the community.
The next step is for the lease to be prepared and this signals the start of a 25-year lease by the Shaftesbury Football Club on the Coppice Street site.”
Thom Belk, Shaftesbury FC Director, was delighted with the deal
“This news provides the club with a massive boost, providing the Football Club with a long term future and allowing us to push on with our ambitious plans.”
|
|
|
|
Post by benito on Sept 5, 2018 9:19:16 GMT
Decent blog from the Chairman, explains a fair bit, credit for putting it out there. Also we have the answer regarding the 'ground' 76 x months and counting! I am not trying to be pessimistic but you see how quick those months will tick bye. As posted on another thread you can look at the pictures of Borough of Poole from the air until you are blue in the face BUT there is no suitable area to go. Have we not tried over the last 20 odd years after being evicted from our home. We have tried Hamworthy, Branksome, Learoyd Road, Merley, Turlin Moor, plus countless others I cant remember we have even thought about merging with other teams (Poppies)just to get a ground. Good luck finding a suitable piece of Poole land now after all these years and false dawns. I really hope as the Chairman has said the Council (at High Level) are going to help at last, but I am really not holding my breath. I still maintain there is only one place this football club can go. It still has our club Plaque cemented in the wall. Our See you at Shaftesbury.
|
|
|
|
Post by dave2 on Sept 5, 2018 12:07:26 GMT
Don't forget there will be no Borough of Poole from March next year, but a new Unitary Authority of Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole with an elected Council and new counselors who will represent the whole of the new Authority (not just Poole) So the decisions they make will be for the benefit (or not) of all three former individual towns. So if a new ground for Poole Town Football is supported by the council of the new Unitary Authority it could be any where in Poole, Bournemouth or Christchurch!
For example there will be only one 'Planning Dept' under one Head of Planning etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bay Dolphin on Sept 5, 2018 14:08:52 GMT
Yes, another informative and positive blog from the Chair. Thanks Chris.
Lucky Shaftesbury. They just need a rich man and they'll be able to be the next Gretna, North Ferriby or even the next Fleetwood Town!
And thanks benito and dave2 for your thoughts, and the ominous information. Many years ago, I suggested amalgamation with Hamworthy as "Poole United" or simply "Poole F.C.". Isn't the County Ground (Hamworthy's home) owned by the Dorset F. A.? It's in Poole, it's ripe for development and it's easy to get to. If there's nowhere else in Poole, what could be better?
|
|
|
|
Post by parky on Sept 5, 2018 15:58:47 GMT
If you remember tho heysham,when we shared with them after we left the s*****m,we had nothing but complaints from the people in the flats & our crowds were half of what we get now! It would never work.
|
|
|
|
Post by Choirboy Dave on Sept 5, 2018 16:02:22 GMT
Think the local councils will be to caught up in the merger to bother about any of the non league clubs that will come under the new authority's remit. So yet another delay in securing our future most probably. Of course there is one club in the area who will continue to get all the attention they need. As they are currently in the L of G. Good luck to them I say. Of course if the get relegated, I hope they don't, then they might find that councillors become suddenly less interested in them. Maybe we can sneak something through when no one is watching  but I doubt it. |
|
|
|
Post by barrygrossmith on Sept 5, 2018 16:03:52 GMT
If we shared with Hamworthy, we would solve our ground problem, and Hamworthy would end up with a better ground as we could bring two stands and terracing for two sides.
|
|
|
|
Post by expat on Sept 5, 2018 18:00:10 GMT
good on Shaftesbury Town council for backing their football team, I hope we are sending copies to all concerned
Benito has it right
We are (eventually) going home to the STADIUM and if we devoted all our efforts to that end instead of countless
failed(thank goodness) schemes from one side of the Borough to the other we would be taken a lot more seriously
KEEP THE TOWN IN POOLE and no thank you we do not need to amalgamate with Hamworthy; wrong club and wrong location.
Get those dogs out of the Stadium(any word on that Mr Director) announce THE RETURN and i for one will be putting some money up. ITS A VISION. A Non League team playing in a Stadium fit for football in a town of nearly 200,000!!
BTW given our recent abysmal Cup record I am not seeing Shaftesbury as a pushover on Saturdasy
|
|
|
|
Post by scorpio on Sept 5, 2018 21:38:29 GMT
Nobody expects the council to wave a magic wand. We know that their financial situation is dire. Would be good though if councillors who support solving the clubs ground problem could make their efforts known to a wider audience. This might not solve anything but it would at least make more people aware of the clubs long term predicament.
|
|
|
|
Post by John Anderson on Sept 6, 2018 11:12:58 GMT
Over the past few seasons I have attended all the planning meetings and I can tell you that there has been nothing but help and goodwill from the councillors on the planning committee and the wider council. Both parties are fully behind us. Even the supposed dark lord, Philip Eaves, has been keen to push through any planning application that did not include Branksome Rec.
Of course the issues go farther than PBC or the unitary authority when it comes into being (a disaster for Poole in my opinion but that is another matter). When the School became an Academy, they became our landlords, not the Council.
I am not privvy to any discussions or negotiations currently taking place but I know how hard all the directors, and Chris in particular, is working to get asecure home for the Dolphins. One thing is for sure, WE will not stand for a situation where the club is homeless again.
As for the Stadium, it has been ruled in and out so many times but at the moment it looks a remote hope. Stadia UK have a long lease and if they don't want us there is nothing we can do. We have 6 years until the lease at Tatnam Farm runs out, too early maybe to renegotiate? If we were to find a site and have to build a new stadium we would need about 2 years from planning permission to opening as long as we do not get another Branksome Rec type catastrophe. So no need to worry fo a few years except that the restrictions on Tatnam are holding us back.
|
|
|
|
Post by dave2 on Sept 6, 2018 12:10:22 GMT
Thank you John for your last post which I fully agree is the current situation. However the new Unitary Authority with a reduced amount of Councillors from Poole, wilh and new planning head will need to be addressed to give their support. I hope that we can continue at the Tatnam with a new lease. However the time frame is still very short to get agreement for a new ground somewhere! Starting from today (this year) we would require - Even if a location has been identified there is a need for: Negotiations with the land owner. agreement, detailed plans drawn up, presentation of the plans (with public meetings etc. ) this would be about 3 to 4 years. Then if Planning agreement is granted Finding a developer and building the stadium as you say, a further 2 years (or more) which take us past the remaining lease on the Tatnam!
All of this is valid if project is started NOW any later it will not happen in time.
|
|
|
|
Post by Choirboy Dave on Sept 6, 2018 19:03:42 GMT
I see the wheels seem to have come off the wagon in Essex. Apparently Billericay Town are now up for sale. We will no doubt find out if the current owner is really interested in the club or the land its ground is on.
This is why I will always trust Chris Reeves to always do his best & what is right for Poole Town. If you disagree with him come to a home game, he is a very approachable person, you can then let him know your concerns.
Having heard him on coach journeys to various away matches, speaking with both passion & fact about the difficulties the club has faced since it left the St****m (Think it might by a naughty word, hence the *) is most impressive. Really one day Chris you should right a full account, it would be an instant best seller.
I fully believe the ground issue will be settled at some point. Also we will get back to National League South sooner rather than later. I know TK will leave his current position at the club at some point. But like the guy at Folkestone Invicta (into is 22nd season) & the one at Sholing (1000 games etc) hope it won't be to soon, unless that is the right thing to do. The longest serving manager in the Premier League? Answer Eddie Howe, only 3 days longer than Sean Dyche at Burnley, who took Eddie's place at Turf Moor, when he came back to Dean Court.
So onto Saturday & the FA Cup. With our record in the competition won't be taking anything for granted. But will be supporting the lads hopeful of progress. COYD.
|
|
|
|
Post by bearwoodbob on Sept 7, 2018 14:19:45 GMT
Expat you really need to change the record called "Return to our home The Stadium ". Take it of your long play and snap it !!, The Stadium is dead and buried as far as PTFC is concerned. Now you have the NFL and Ice Hockey please find something else to write about on this forum.
|
|
|
|
Post by benito on Dec 7, 2018 10:45:11 GMT
By my reckoning we now have UNDER 6 years left at the Tatum. Under 72 x months, just saying.
|
|
|
|
Post by expat on Dec 7, 2018 11:49:20 GMT
Expat you really need to change the record called "Return to our home The Stadium ". Take it of your long play and snap it !!, The Stadium is dead and buried as far as PTFC is concerned. Now you have the NFL and Ice Hockey please find something else to write about on this forum. To paraphrase General Douglas MacArthur "We Shall Return" ..and as noted above not to all those waste plots of land and highly unsuitable venues that have been foisted about for years!! |
|
|
|
Post by Bay Dolphin on Dec 7, 2018 15:35:42 GMT
Quite so! If not The S******, then where?
|
|
|
|
Post by scorpio on Dec 7, 2018 22:06:02 GMT
Benito mentioned that we had under 72 months left at the Tatnam. If we think that our days are numbered we could do an advent calendar.
|
|
but I doubt it. 