Pompey Takeover Saga

If the current entity folds, so does the credibility of their cup win.

That lacked credibility right from the day they won it with a team they couldn't afford, at the expense of all the other teams in the competition that year.

I just wonder what the social economic benefit would be to the Southampton economy if Pompey popped their toaster. If 200 ex-Pompey Takeover Saga fans put in an extra 45 min per day productive work, 200 days per year @ £15 per hour is worth £450,000 per year

I just wonder what the social economic benefit would be to the Southampton economy if Pompey popped their toaster. If 200 ex-Pompey Takeover Saga fans put in an extra 45 min per day productive work, 200 days per year @ £15 per hour is worth £450,000 per year

£15 per hour? Hoping that is the CVA version.

That lacked credibility right from the day they won it with a team they couldn't afford, at the expense of all the other teams in the competition that year.

Oh, I agree with the sentiment, but in the larger perception, if they eventually die..... it would bring even further questions against the financial black hole that is Portsmouth Football Club.

As long as the club lives, the cup win will be worth it for them.

Rangers FC are the precident, so many titles, so many plaudits gained unfairly.

Nice one PES.

Trouble is, do you think a fans owned club will play fairly and live within its means

No f-ing chance

Wrexham in the conference are now fan owned with nearly 2500 members so those of you who think that that's their level should maybe reconsider!,

http://www.wst.org.uk/www2/

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

Have you actually paid the £1000 or agreed to pay

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

I fundamentally don't disagree with you - football would be a better place if club's were fan-owned and local. And not many on here mock the efforts or the concept PST are involved with.

BUT we can all see the big black hole in their finances, & that and the fact that you all seem to ignore it in your enthusiasm for being 'competitive' are what we mock.

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

I put it to you Sir that you haven't been following this thread very closely...

There have been plenty of 'nutjobs' on here who have declared their pending respect for a fan run club, but there are two routes that lead to that eventuality.

There's the "cling onto the current rotting carcass to preserve our league status at all costs" route and there's the "start afresh with a clean slate in a lower league" route.

If you really want people to applaud the noble ambition of fan ownership them do it the honourable way rather than clinging onto damaged goods.

Like every football fan the world over, Portsmouth fans' ultimate priority over the last few years has been to preserve an artificial position in the league structure rather than striving to rid the club of the stranglehold that dubious owners have placed on the club.

All the Trust are doing at the moment is putting off the inevitable. If you'd listened to those on here a couple of years ago advocating that you should do exactly what you're now asking us to admire then you'd be looking up by now rather than staring down into the abyss.

I know this view gets labelled as hindsight by many a Pompey fan but the hindsight card is typically played by people too lazy or stupid to have worked out what was foreseeable and/or inevitable in the first place.

Start again from scratch and you'll get all the respect you crave...

I fundamentally don't disagree with you - football would be a better place if club's were fan-owned and local. And not many on here mock the efforts or the concept PST are involved with.

BUT we can all see the big black hole in their finances, & that and the fact that you all seem to ignore it in your enthusiasm for being 'competitive' are what we mock.

Indeed. And watch when, yet again, our observations today get labelled as hindsight the next time they go into Administration...

@pn_neil_allen: Fascinating insight into Portpin's #Pompey strategy by @SjMaskell and well worth a read. http://t.co/vnNHvqI1

@deluded:Fascinating insight into neil allen trying to deflect attention from the glaring deficiencies in the trust's bid that the News don't report.

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

I hope the Trust take you over; I truly do. Its laudable that people have come together to make it happen, and you cannot fault the effort of the organisers, I'm sure they've put their hearts and souls into it.

That said, what I have found laughable and at times cringeworthy is the ability by the fan base and media to whip up a witch hunt and to ride roughshod over facts and basic common sense in an effort to railroad the Trust into ownership come what may. To ignore financial obligations and claim that the Trust is the best option for the creditors (offering the players a max of £2M instead of the £8M negotiated by an officer off the court). To continue to offer the bare minimum to existing creditors while extolling the virtues of maximising the playing budget in order to continue with the notion of a competitive (i.e. winning) team. Quite frankly, some of the mathematics of the initial Trust bid were completely unworkable and such a work of fiction that they derserved the comments they received.

But for me the worst part is the bare-faced ashamedness of the manager, the club and more pertinently the fans to continually whine on and forget all past misdemeanors and claim that the club are being victimised by the FL, and that they have a divine right to be "competitive". Of using up the player budget with another effort at quantity over quality, and then getting out the begging bowl to supplement the wage bill to sign players who other clubs in the division simply cannot afford; never mind that those funds could be better served by actually providing the creditors with a better return for their financial hardships, some of them which date back to 2010 and beyond and for which some will never recover.

Its the sense of sheer entitlement and the notion that, no matter what occurs, lessons just do not seem to have been learnt that attracts criticism and derision. If the Trust can take over and get the club to live within its means then it will be welcome change. But I'm not sure if the fanbase is truly ready to support a team in the numbers required by the bid mathematics that, by it's very nature, wouldn't "be competitive". Particularly with an £8M player defrral bill hanging around its neck. Which is why I feel that, ultimately, a Trust bid in this guise would be ultimately doomed to failure.

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

I understand the trepidation of not having FP, but after a couple of years you settle in elsewhere and you find that as home. If you really have faith in your cities support and togetherness there is nothing to worry about, but deepdown you know as soon as the club is playing in the conference or lower, the band of merry bellringers (the modern day Morris-dancers) will disappear and follow anther team. It is the league status that holds you together and you will grab hold and even push mothers and children out of the lifeboat to get in.

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

Much the same as others have said on here PES, I do genuinely have respect for the efforts that the Trust members have been putting in. And yes, I do applaud the concept of a fan-owned club. It is the lack of realism in what some of their supporters say that causes derision ...and as MLG points out the, yet again, deluded "we're special" arguments, such as claiming to be the biggest or first such club, that causes anger.

It is good to have sensible debate with PFC fans on this thread, nonetheless, rather than the sort of nonsense that Banker/Corp Ho used to spout. And I'm pleased that this forum allows it, in contrast to the paranoia on POL.

I woud be genuinely interested for example to hear a pompey fan's view on where the trust plans to find the extra £6 million it needs to fund the £8.4 million compromise agreements with the ex-players. (Though I realise that if any PFC fan dares to ask that on POL they will be shouted down and banned as a scummer!)

Would be funny though, eh Kraken?

Would be funny though, eh Kraken?

Oh I think I'd find time to continue to laugh my socks off, completely!

Interesting story from the West Country:

Football chairman steps down after losing property fortune

 

Friday 7th September 2012

Bankruptcy has resulted in a football chairman, who brought significant success to his team during his tenure, stepping down from his role at the club he has led to five promotions in six seasons.The chairman of Truro City Football Club (TCFC), Kevin Heaney, was declared bankrupt at Truro County Court last Friday, according to a report by This is Cornwall.Mr Heaney, a property developer, has featured on the Sunday Times Rich List in previous years. Back in June, he reportedly fought a £645,000 High Court claim against TCFC from lawyers Follett Stock. The legal firm was the petitioner in the bankruptcy hearing, the title further reported.According to reports, the June claims arose from a 2009 agreement with Tiger Commercial (Truro) Ltd which licensed it to use the Truro City name as well as 3,500 capacity ground. A managing partner for the legal company which petitioned for the bankruptcy, Chris Lingard, is also a director of Tiger Commercial.TCFC’s lawyers have appeared in London’s High Court on more than one occasion over outstanding HMRC tax claims.The West Briton previously revealed that the Club and ground was sold for £2.28 million last month to Jojo Investco Ltd.Follett Stock’s Mr Lingard said: "Speaking both personally and for Follett Stock, I would happily agree to write off sums due from the club itself if that could be brought about."I also believe a group of businesspeople might be prepared to pledge an amount of money each year to help meet the running costs with the balance being met by sponsorship and the gate receipts."In that way stability could be achieved and the continuous lurch from one crisis to another avoided."Mr Heaney is now faced with the task of explaining the causes of his bankruptcy to the Official Receiver in Plymouth and listing any creditors he is aware of.

@pn_neil_allen: Fascinating insight into Portpin's #Pompey strategy by @SjMaskell and well worth a read. http://t.co/vnNHvqI1

Anything we say, is labelled as being the opinions of badly informed and naive rivals, whereas Sue Maskell is apparently somebody whose views command his respect.

To this end the Trust are still taking pledges towards the Community share scheme: Details here. This is not only Trust or bust, but also the chance of the club finally having a future worth fighting for.

But Maskell only anticipates a future for the Skates based on the Trust taking over the reins in conjunction with people suddenly interested in the club because they are property developers. So who is naive? Most of us are of the opinion that the only way that they can have a future, is by liquidating and reforming at the lowest level and rebuilding unemcumbered by the likes of Chainrai and other leeches. But to carry on by avoiding liquidation with the help of property developers? Wouldn't they want a significant say in the way that the club would be run by the Trust? As would these high net worth individuals. Unfortunately this would dilute the influence of the so-called ordinary fans.

And another interesting snippet from Maskell:-

Spending within the limits of turnover is encouraged by the League 1 Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) but this means for a club with any ambition those limits have to be extended.

Do I understand you correctly, Sue? Are you indeed suggesting that an exception to the new rules be made in the case of the Skates? Why? Because you would be ambitious, as you have been the past decade? Unable to work within the constraints that other clubs will be forced to?

Supporters Trusts are frequently the owners of last resort, mopping up the disasters created by unethical, dishonourable or ill-advised owners. The tide is turning against such business ownership and the Pompey Trust is riding the crest of the leading wave.

They also rode the crest of the wave by being the first club in the history of the Premier League to go into administration. They must be so proud. But they are not the first to be taken over by a supporters' Trust, although she would no doubt argue that the Skates are the biggest.

And as for the mention she made of Portpin's proposal to charge the Trust £1 million a year to rent Krap Nottarf, how does she propose they get around that?

The takeover of the club out of administration by the Trust isn't going to work. If they manage to cobble something together, they are just going to hit the buffers again further down the line. Already, had they proceeded along the liquidation route and reformation as a new club from the lowest level, they would have made some progress on their journey towards the second division, where they belong.

@pn_neil_allen: Skipper Howard dismisses Southampton link. http://t.co/8jyRKqxT #Pompey

@pn_neil_allen: Skipper Howard dismisses Southampton link. http://t.co/8jyRKqxT #Pompey

People know him on here and didn't he want to come home a few years back????

I'm really proud of the fans efforts to save Portsmouth. If we can pull it off (and I say 'we' loosely as apart from chucking in 1k, I have done very little) it will be amazing. Our budget will be tiny and we may not challenge you for top spot in a long, long time, but there will be so much to look forward to and enjoy.

A club the size of Portsmouth in the majority ownership of the fans will be unprecedented in the UK, but in time i hope the first of many. As you're two leagues away and we truely are no threat to you now, I'm surprised at the reaction to a PST buyout on here?

After all the anger over the crooks etc at PFC I'd of thought there would be more appreciation of just what the fans of the club are trying to do? Irrespective of our rivalry. Pompey Fans who, whichever way you might want to view it, are not all that different from any other clubs fans? More power to the fans I say, maybe one day you fellas may claim what is yours from the corporates and foreigners (not meant in a xenophobic way, but let's be honest, if you live outside the country you are far less accountable). A fan owned SFC, wouldn't that appeal? Maybe it's a way to put back into football what's missing? I dunno....

I haven't got anything to add to the responses already given - I just wanted to reiterate the notion that most in here would support a fan-owned club, but likewise most don't appreciate the glossing over of the atrocities done by persons connected to PFC and the "all is good, sky's the limit" approach from Appleton. And most can see the huge problems with the budget of the trust. Honouring the player compromises will tie up a lot of future funds - with your track record, do you really think the fans will be patient and accept economical restraints? I somehow doubt it...

So in short: I fully applaud the idea of a fan-owned club, but do it right! Metaphorically that cup win is the deadweight pulling you under. If you have the courage to cut the ties, you can resurface and get some air.

It amazes me that the skates who do read this thread can't actually see, as has been nicely highlighted in the responses to PES, that we're not unreasonable, unintelligent scummahs with an axe to grind, but that we've actually been highlighting things which, if they took notice of, would HELP their club (in whatever guise it continues).

Yes we take the ******, and yes we'll get some comedy mileage out of it, but all we're actually doing is providing a critique of the plans put forward and pointing out the problems they might face. We're like a quality control council. We're doing them a massive favour, if only they could see past their prejudices to notice.

Hell, we could probably charge for our services if there was a cat in hells chance of being paid...

I note selective reporting of how Portpin's bid was deemed unacceptable....but no reference to the Trust's bid being told likewise - the usual spin.

Some good stuff for PES about how many people do regard the Trust effort as a good thing - just really badly-done, and poorly-hyped.

And when their first budget showed them looking to borrow money against the future, and outbid other clubs for players, it wasn't a good start.

Time for a clean break, put down the diseased beast, and adopt a fresh approach.

The Football League may have accidentally created the Trust's biggest headache.

Looking at the football creditors' deal, Chinny might take £2M a year for four years, but they can't carry that much forward, so he needs cash.

The FL is trying to make him walk for a pittance, he won't.

They are playing poker on the Trust's behalf - badly.

I can see how the long term budget might work.....

if they stuck to £2M wages and maintained League One status with 15K gates, but they must be about £6M short now, and an additional £1.5M a year short for heroic players' payoffs - and in trouble when the last PP is spent.

As for leaving the future of your ground in the hands of property developers...

The only way forward is with a strict budget, no overspending, guaranteed 15K gates, no outbidding clubs, no borrowing against the future, no being held hostage by a land owner.

The Trust's bid fails on all of these counts - and that's why I'm out.

People know him on here and didn't he want to come home a few years back????

It's just PR Jamie, he's a Saints fan.

@pn_neil_allen: Skipper Howard dismisses Southampton link. http://t.co/8jyRKqxT #Pompey

The Property agents advising the receivers of Miland 2004 are expecting ( have been told maybe?) PKF to put PFC into liquidation next week as neither bid has any real chance of progressing.

One week to go guys, 7 days and counting, tick tock....

The Property agents advising the receivers of Miland 2004 are expecting ( have been told maybe?) PKF to put PFC into liquidation next week as neither bid has any real chance of progressing.

 

One week to go guys, 7 days and counting, tick tock....

Thought I'd followed assiduously, but miland2004?

Thought I'd followed assiduously, but miland2004?

Gun Runner JR's company that has the land around FP that is in administration.

Thought I'd followed assiduously, but miland2004?

Sacha G's property unit which owns the land around Fortress Fatpipies, and which is itself in administration - spot the common theme ?

my god what a sycophant, let him stay n Pompey

Let's be honest, he's hardly going to say he is a Saints fan is he. He hadn't really said great things about Pompey, just that he once shared a car, with someone I have never heard of, who told a few funny stories - probably about the lengths he had to go to for his wages.

I might be wrong but I thought Swansea were a fan owned club? It was certainly a group of fans that did the massive amount of work involved in saving them from their previous nightmare of an owner.

If so, surely they're the biggest (or did they say in England rather then the FL?).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong

The Property agents advising the receivers of Miland 2004 are expecting ( have been told maybe?) PKF to put PFC into liquidation next week as neither bid has any real chance of progressing.

 

One week to go guys, 7 days and counting, tick tock....

Can someone provide a little more info on this post? Sounds very interesting. The next exciting instalment?!

Gun Runner JR's company that has the land around FP that is in administration.

Yes, yes ok course. Knew they were in admin. didn't know who the administrators were.

I might be wrong but I thought Swansea were a fan owned club? It was certainly a group of fans that did the massive amount of work involved in saving them from their previous nightmare of an owner.

 

If so, surely they're the biggest (or did they say in England rather then the FL?).

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong

You were quite correct. The phrase used was 'unprecedented in the UK'.

So what the Trust mean is 'we are the biggest of all the Trusts that aren't bigger', Yes?

If the Trust takes over, in terms of average attendance, they will be the biggest club to do this. I worry that the 1700 bandied about on here as Trust Contributors might have grown a bit over the last few weeks as Allen and his Cronies have influenced local opinion. Hope I'm wrong. If the Trust take over and succeed in resurrecting this disgrace of a club from it's near death experience I will be mightily ****ed off. Liquidation, Chinny or a fresh start like Newport County. Any of those.

Yes, yes ok course. Knew they were in admin. didn't know who the administrators were.

The administrator of Miland Development 2004 Limited is David Rubin & Partners LLP. The initial creditors meeting was held this week (4th Sept)....

As thoughts turn towards Xmas it will be interesting to see how many cough up the £900.

So what the Trust mean is 'we are the biggest of all the Trusts that aren't bigger', Yes?

Indeed.

In the same way as they are also the best - off all the clubs that aren't better - and the loudest - of all the clubs that aren't louder - and the most financially secure - of all the clubs that aren't more financially secure - the list goes on....

@pn_neil_allen: RT @officialpompey: #Pompey sign Hungarian defender Gabor Gyepes on a one-month deal: http://t.co/dMbGc9Wf

What did happen to the forensic examination of pompeys finances?

What did happen to the forensic examination of pompeys finances?

But Maskell only anticipates a future for the Skates based on the Trust taking over the reins in conjunction with people suddenly interested in the club because they are property developers.

But on the basis that, according to Maskell:

This makes a watertight deal with a property developer as partner an attractive one, as long as it retains the club’s ownership of Fratton Park in the long term.

I don't see a long queue of property developers looking for a chance to be involved in a scheme which doesn't have any, er, property development.

If the Trust takes over, in terms of average attendance, they will be the biggest club to do this. I worry that the 1700 bandied about on here as Trust Contributors might have grown a bit over the last few weeks as Allen and his Cronies have influenced local opinion. Hope I'm wrong. If the Trust take over and succeed in resurrecting this disgrace of a club from it's near death experience I will be mightily ****ed off. Liquidation, Chinny or a fresh start like Newport County. Any of those.

Not that it really mattters, but I think swansea's attendances were abut the same as PFC's in the champinship, and presumably are higher now they are in the PL, so no even that claim is not correct.

The trust definitely had 1670 pledges when they submitted their formal bid. The figure may well have risen since then, but their p.r. has always over-hyped the numbers. They were saying 'just under 2000' weeks before the 1670 became public for example. So their claims that many more have signed up recently probably mean they are still around 2000 maximum IMO, or they'd be saying "well over £2 million pledged" instead of claiming merely the £2 million.

In any event, fair play to those c 2000, but as a figure for such a "big club", it is not very impressive.

@pn_neil_allen: RT @officialpompey: #Pompey sign Hungarian defender Gabor Gyepes on a one-month deal: http://t.co/dMbGc9Wf

Unbelievable...

Are they just signing anyone available on a freebie now ? Surely there isnt enough hours in a day for Voldermort to conduct all theses trials and focus on getting the team playing on match-day

@pn_neil_allen: RT @officialpompey: #Pompey sign Hungarian defender Gabor Gyepes on a one-month deal: http://t.co/dMbGc9Wf

This raises the question of whether Birch would be allowing such signings, even for a month , if he were really about to liquidate.

It was only a matter of time before they started signing gypsies

Surely there isnt enough hours in a day for Voldermort to conduct all theses trials and focus on getting the team playing on match-day

Come on get up to speed on this...Didn't you read he trained with them at the end of last season and made such an impression...that they snapped him up on a free, 5 months later.

Our old deluded skate friend speaks out on POL

I used to post on there quite a bit and it was actually a really good site. There were quite a few Pompey on there and the banter was pretty good. There's a few guys I know from those days who have kept in touch and are pretty good friends. I have other scummer mates too through work who, again, enjoy a bit of banter and we enjoy the rivalry. Speaking as I find, although I've never met Steve Grant we did exchange a few PM's and he always came across as a decent bloke (everyone has their own opinion). But the mood on the board really changed when they were relegated and the impression I got was that it just f.cked their heads up that they weren't a top flight club and we were. The cup win seemed to be a big turning point for them along with the media's constant talk about our fans. That really riles them (witness their constantly describing us as the "bestest fans"). I may be wrong but I've only ever seen about two mentions of their fans in the media and one of those was about how jester hat wearing friendly they were when they lost the cup final to Arsenal. After we won the cup most of them kept on about how we were "lucky" and only won because we only played lower league clubs (hello Man U). I thought that was called the luck of the draw but apparently not. That changed over time to the "cheats" thing. I had a look at their famous OCD conspiracy thread this morning and noticed about 6 posts from this morning referring to us being liquidated which should wipe off the cup win (any amateur psychologists out there care to comment on that?). They've constantly bigged themselves up about their knowledge of our situation and they have got some things right - but what they forget is that they propose about 500 wrong or blatantly idiotic theories for every right one. Let's face it, over the course of 1500 pages you'd have to be a monkey with a typewriter NOT to get a few things right. But they told me repeatedly that Lampitt was a FL plant to make sure that "the truth" (maybe that should read "THE TRUTH!!!!!!!!") didn't come out. That the "conspiracy" to keep us going reached to the highest levels of the world game because people in power at UEFA and FIFA were involved in backhanders to allow us to "get away" with it and on and on ad nauseum.

 

I kept posting on there to try and provide at least some balance (posting pieces from David Conn and others to show to disprove some of their "facts") but it was just a waste of time. Eventually someone posted my name on there (which wasn't a big deal, quite a few of them know who I am anyway) but then my Linkedin profile was posted and the final straw came when some **** obviously Googled my name and came up with a birthday message from The News and posted what he thought were my wife and kids names on there. Luckily it wasn't me, just someone with the same name but it persuaded me that enough was enough and I bowed out.

 

There's an awful lot of dicks on there. One of their more sensible fans posted on there that many of them had more posts on the thread about us than they do on their main board (what's THAT all about?) but, don't forget they have a lot of decent fans too and the obsessed scum gimps who are posting/ lurking on here are a pretty small percentage.

 

But the ones on THAT thread? LMFAO. What a bunch of obsessed ******* losers. And I know you're reading this already Girls and will be reporting back avidly.