The Flying Scotsman
Gaffer
This is a letter that my father-in-law has sent to the club, the echo and has asked me to put it on here to see what your thoughts are - In a nutshell, he is suggesting that instead of getting everyone buying shares which are effectively worthless with such a large controlling stake, the club could raise money by selling a seat for life in the new stadium. Anyway, here you have it:
For more than 35 years I have been a regular supporter of SUFC as is my son, son-in-law and our wider family and circle of friends. I would say we a group of fanatics.
In hope and anticipation that the government will soon approve the Chairman's development proposals, I wonder how football at a skill level that would attract anywhere near the 22,000 capacity is planned to be achieved at the stadium ?
A larger arena with a vast amount of empty seats would clearly not create for a good atmosphere, or be conducive to the club being capable of operating profitably, to enable payment of whatever sum in rent is to become payable under any lease to the club, by the owners of the freehold.
My questions, which I have also previously raised on the clubs official website, without response at this moment in time, is whether Mr Martin may have considered selling debenture seats at the stadium, purchased by founding investors [supporters], which would be transferable to one's next of kin in perpetuity.
The Royal Albert Hall was I believe partially funded by such a scheme and debenture seat owners still have to this day the opportunity to attend any performance free of any further payment.
To a limited extent [10 years] seats at the new Wembley Stadium were offered to investors.
Whilst some [myself and maybe many others] would prefer perpetual season tickets and sole ownership of seat others might prefer at lower price that would suit their budget, seats for 10 or more years in a leased fashion.
The club have issued information on share ownership/investment recently, which would represent a much riskier proposition. Indeed it is well known that save say Man Utd or Arsenal and a few other select football clubs, share buying would not represent a particularly sound investment.
Founding Debenture holder seat ownership revenue could create a massive injection of cash [a windfall nestegg] to the soccer club [as opposed to Mr Martins property development company - which should in leasing the ground to the club and in its other proposed buildings of hotel and shops & the re-developement of the Roots Hall site make a sufficient return on their investment - aside from SUFC itself].
I am also interested in seeing the securing [guaranteeing] SUFC's tenure at the ground [we do not want to see a Wimbledon/Milton Keynes scenario arise here if the present chairman/directors or their succesors in title may at any time in the future, fall out for non-payment of rent or otherwise].
A condition that planning permission do enure to SUFC only at the stadium has been called for by the planning inspectorate and it remains to be seen what if any conditions they can grant to secure SUFC rights at the stadium.
With all due respect to Mr Martin, he will know as a business man that we as SUPPORTERS wish to see SUFC secured at the new site also in perpetuity, long after we have all expired, or when he may at some point in the longer future, consider to sell or pass on his investment in the club to new owners.
A former chairman threatended to move the club to a distant town [Milton Keynes or Basilon or both I think] and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that say Chelmsford Town could be installed as a tenant, UNLESSS SUFC ARE GRANTED SOLE SOCCER USE AND OCCUPATION RIGHTS AT THE STADIUM.
Also in the immediate future, the soccer management team would generate sufficient INDEPENDENT FUNDING FROM SUPPORTERS as a result, to elevate SUFC to a higher level of performance on the pitch by being able to fund quality playing personnel and the necessary uplift of the wage structure, that would be also needed to implemented, in the medium/longer term.
These questions have significant long term implications for us all and I and others would like to know, if the club may have considered or formulated any proposals at all along these lines.
The share offer, is high risk in anyones language.
In a nutshell I would rather have a guranteed seat and invest in the soccer clubs future in that manner, in return for having a guarantee of being able to watch our beloved team stride boldly & confidently into the future.
I look forward to learning Mr Martins views and the finer details of what may be in his mind upon these subjects.
I hope that you consider this letter to be newsworthy enough to consider publication.
Up the Blues !!!
For more than 35 years I have been a regular supporter of SUFC as is my son, son-in-law and our wider family and circle of friends. I would say we a group of fanatics.
In hope and anticipation that the government will soon approve the Chairman's development proposals, I wonder how football at a skill level that would attract anywhere near the 22,000 capacity is planned to be achieved at the stadium ?
A larger arena with a vast amount of empty seats would clearly not create for a good atmosphere, or be conducive to the club being capable of operating profitably, to enable payment of whatever sum in rent is to become payable under any lease to the club, by the owners of the freehold.
My questions, which I have also previously raised on the clubs official website, without response at this moment in time, is whether Mr Martin may have considered selling debenture seats at the stadium, purchased by founding investors [supporters], which would be transferable to one's next of kin in perpetuity.
The Royal Albert Hall was I believe partially funded by such a scheme and debenture seat owners still have to this day the opportunity to attend any performance free of any further payment.
To a limited extent [10 years] seats at the new Wembley Stadium were offered to investors.
Whilst some [myself and maybe many others] would prefer perpetual season tickets and sole ownership of seat
The club have issued information on share ownership/investment recently, which would represent a much riskier proposition. Indeed it is well known that save say Man Utd or Arsenal and a few other select football clubs, share buying would not represent a particularly sound investment.
Founding Debenture holder seat ownership revenue could create a massive injection of cash [a windfall nestegg] to the soccer club [as opposed to Mr Martins property development company - which should in leasing the ground to the club and in its other proposed buildings of hotel and shops & the re-developement of the Roots Hall site make a sufficient return on their investment - aside from SUFC itself].
I am also interested in seeing the securing [guaranteeing] SUFC's tenure at the ground [we do not want to see a Wimbledon/Milton Keynes scenario arise here if the present chairman/directors or their succesors in title may at any time in the future, fall out for non-payment of rent or otherwise].
A condition that planning permission do enure to SUFC only at the stadium has been called for by the planning inspectorate and it remains to be seen what if any conditions they can grant to secure SUFC rights at the stadium.
With all due respect to Mr Martin, he will know as a business man that we as SUPPORTERS wish to see SUFC secured at the new site also in perpetuity, long after we have all expired, or when he may at some point in the longer future, consider to sell or pass on his investment in the club to new owners.
A former chairman threatended to move the club to a distant town [Milton Keynes or Basilon or both I think] and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that say Chelmsford Town could be installed as a tenant, UNLESSS SUFC ARE GRANTED SOLE SOCCER USE AND OCCUPATION RIGHTS AT THE STADIUM.
Also in the immediate future, the soccer management team would generate sufficient INDEPENDENT FUNDING FROM SUPPORTERS as a result, to elevate SUFC to a higher level of performance on the pitch by being able to fund quality playing personnel and the necessary uplift of the wage structure, that would be also needed to implemented, in the medium/longer term.
These questions have significant long term implications for us all and I and others would like to know, if the club may have considered or formulated any proposals at all along these lines.
The share offer, is high risk in anyones language.
In a nutshell I would rather have a guranteed seat and invest in the soccer clubs future in that manner, in return for having a guarantee of being able to watch our beloved team stride boldly & confidently into the future.
I look forward to learning Mr Martins views and the finer details of what may be in his mind upon these subjects.
I hope that you consider this letter to be newsworthy enough to consider publication.
Up the Blues !!!
