lmfmadridOAFC Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I am becoming disillusioned with football!!! Nothing but money money!! I am not saying Simon Corney hasnt done a good job, he has. Keeping this club afloat must be a daunting task every year. However, I cant remember when the last time fans had some 'real' input into this club. No one wanted to go to Failsworth, and luckly we didnt, but how much real input did we have. Did we want to change kit for celebrating a 100 years. Or the badge for that matter!!! These are tirival things but it shows how much lack of interest club has in the fans, sometimes. Then there is the financial issue. There is no guarantee that being a fans owned club would support us for the long run ( AFC Wimbledon and even FC Barcelona have found it difficult) however a one off membership fee each year could go a way in helping the club. Also with it being fans owned it would give a level transparence to the financial situation, and gives us the opportunity to find out where the fans want the money spent. This brings us to the case of the youth system, as we were asked for our input, but is that a long term decision the club has made in keeping it? I doubt it, next season there will be another review. I would personal, rather see a fantastic youth coach get paid £40k to make a real impact on the players of the future, than see it go to 2 average football players as sigining on bonuses for a 3 month loan. I like Corney, I really do. Could Corney not run the club with the a fans owned scheme???? On this forum we are constantly complaining about the team, support, atmosphere..... being a fans owned club could help change that. Its not the (french) blue sky solution, but I for one want to make decisions and help the club I have loved all my life!!!! Rant over...... One fan, one vote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 No-one wanted to go to Failsworth? Ask people now. Think it would've been the best thing in hindsight. No land and a decrepit ground. Can't help thinking our future would've been brighter there. I was on the fence but a lot of people thought it was for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmfmadridOAFC Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 How could you have a club in Manchester called Oldham?most people I spoke with never wanted to go. But everyone has there opinion, that's why it's a forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamjonesyyoafc Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Personally think Corney, Joy and co. are doing a decent job. They want to start getting the right crowds back I reckon and not the idiots who populate certain sections of the RRE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
real Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 How could you have a club in Manchester called Oldham?most people I spoke with never wanted to go. But everyone has there opinion, that's why it's a forum Do we have to do this again? Failsworth is not in Manchester, has never been in Manchester and has been part of Oldham since 1974. Similarly Shaw has only been part of Oldham since 1974, and many Gawbies (sp?) didn't want to be part of Oldham at the time. Many used "Shaw, nr Oldham" as their postal address and Shaw uses "Rochdale" phone codes. Anyway, the fans have nowhere near enough money to make any sort of bid for a fan owned club. You'd need to buy back the ground and cover revenue losses which might occur if the right results/outcomes in games don't happen, or if gates are no as high as forecast. £500,000 potential shortfall between 3500 fans? Would you pay a membership fee of £140 a year on top of season ticket money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshOWTB Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 How much does Corney lose each year for owning latics? Lots I'm sure. He's a fan who owns the club. And I don't think it's all about money for him, just about stability and making the club as good as it can be. It could be a lot worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy_Fent Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 It's an ideal situation but sadly the reality is that a fan owned club wouldn't be able to compete. But who knows I might become very rich one day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 How could you have a club in Manchester called Oldham? For the sanity of those who went through this the last time, let's not do this again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 For the sanity of those who went through this the last time, let's not do this again... What do the people of Failsworth regard themselves as? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 How much does Corney lose each year for owning latics? Lots I'm sure. He's a fan who owns the club. And I don't think it's all about money for him, just about stability and making the club as good as it can be. It could be a lot worse! Made a profit in 2011. Dale Stephens sale. Probably made a profit in 2012 with the Liverpool money. Will probably make a profit in 2013 with the FA Cup run. So how much does he lose personally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcmetty Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 You'd need to buy back the ground and cover revenue losses which might occur if the right results/outcomes in games don't happen, or if gates are no as high as forecast. Or get the council to build us a new one and pay peppercorn rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) I am not sure there is a good example of a fan owned club in England. Quite a few bad ones though. most of which reverted. eg Port Vale. We could get money in, but could not sustain it. Edited February 6, 2013 by singe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Or get the council to build us a new one and pay peppercorn rent. I don't think politically that would be possible in this current climate? How much does Oldham have to save this year? It would be a private business subsidised by the council, and not popular with the voters or those having their services cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 The fans put roughly £250k into Oldham Athletic 2004 plc. What have the fans got from that money: 1.) One fan has a seat on the board so nominally gets a say and gets the associated perks, some criticism and occasionally helps sign players or liaise with the coppers. 2.) I think that might be it (but if said fan wants to argue his corner or if members of his cadre want to as well, free to do so) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmfmadridOAFC Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) The fans put roughly £250k into Oldham Athletic 2004 plc. What have the fans got from that money: 1.) One fan has a seat on the board so nominally gets a say and gets the associated perks, some criticism and occasionally helps sign players or liaise with the coppers. 2.) I think that might be it (but if said fan wants to argue his corner or if members of his cadre want to as well, free to do so) I don't think our trust oldham do enough on the board or have a huge say if I am being honest Edited February 6, 2013 by lmfmadridOAFC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpTheLatics Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I completely support fan-owned football clubs. I also see it being the future; not yet, some years off, but the growing resentment with ownership - and the awful capitalistic nature of the sport -will reach a breaking point. I'd fully support any move for this club to be run by its supporters. Long way off yet, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losesome Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I am becoming disillusioned with football!!! Nothing but money money!! I am not saying Simon Corney hasnt done a good job, he has. Keeping this club afloat must be a daunting task every year. However, I cant remember when the last time fans had some 'real' input into this club. No one wanted to go to Failsworth, and luckly we didnt, but how much real input did we have. Did we want to change kit for celebrating a 100 years. Or the badge for that matter!!! These are tirival things but it shows how much lack of interest club has in the fans, sometimes. Then there is the financial issue. There is no guarantee that being a fans owned club would support us for the long run ( AFC Wimbledon and even FC Barcelona have found it difficult) however a one off membership fee each year could go a way in helping the club. Also with it being fans owned it would give a level transparence to the financial situation, and gives us the opportunity to find out where the fans want the money spent. This brings us to the case of the youth system, as we were asked for our input, but is that a long term decision the club has made in keeping it? I doubt it, next season there will be another review. I would personal, rather see a fantastic youth coach get paid £40k to make a real impact on the players of the future, than see it go to 2 average football players as sigining on bonuses for a 3 month loan. I like Corney, I really do. Could Corney not run the club with the a fans owned scheme???? On this forum we are constantly complaining about the team, support, atmosphere..... being a fans owned club could help change that. Its not the (french) blue sky solution, but I for one want to make decisions and help the club I have loved all my life!!!! Rant over...... One fan, one vote Weren't Stockport owned by the fans a few years back !!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwaymick Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I completely support fan-owned football clubs. I also see it being the future; not yet, some years off, but the growing resentment with ownership - and the awful capitalistic nature of the sport -will reach a breaking point. I'd fully support any move for this club to be run by its supporters. Long way off yet, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I would be impossible without a great big pot of money in the background to cover eventualities. The Trust money if left in an investment pot could maybe have been that money but it's not there now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snookmeister Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I completely support fan-owned football clubs. I also see it being the future; not yet, some years off, but the growing resentment with ownership - and the awful capitalistic nature of the sport -will reach a breaking point. I'd fully support any move for this club to be run by its supporters. Long way off yet, though. Really? Just look at all the bitching that goes on on here - can you imagine what the board meetings would be like??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyGermanLatic Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Completely agree with it. Don't think it'll be long before we start seeing clubs disappear or sink - if things carry on the way they do. Think a lot of people tend to forget Oldham Athletic is a business investment for 1 man as much as it is a football club for the population of Oldham and beyond. If things go balls up, they really do go balls up. Makes you wonder if "Keep the Faith" is a sale rather than a passion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Weren't Stockport owned by the fans a few years back !!!!!!!!!!!!! It's absolutely the model any newly fan-owned club should look to understand. And then do things a completely different way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 No one wanted to go to Failsworth Rubbish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsleftfoot Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I think we get a lot more input than you think. Your also wrong on the Failsworth issue as many fans thought that it would be better than what we have now, this is not to say other fans were against it. Fan owned football clubs can work, but they still need investment which takes us back to where we are now I.e. it's all about the money. The truth is a fan owned football club would probably mean operating at a lower level and I'm not sure whether I'm ready to throw in that towel just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Fan ownership would bring problems of its own but would still be a great ideal. However I cannot see it working practically. You need people to pay money in initially to buy the club and pay off or service the debts. You then need people to keep paying in to make up running costs and handle larger or unexpected costs (fines, stadium repairs or development, transfer fees, etc), since you can't rely on gate income alone. In the current financial environment I think it is very unlikely you could attract and retain paying fan investors with enough cash to operate at League One level. Maybe in non league it could work. So, a lovely idea, but I don't see how we get from here to there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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