You Lanacashire Reds/ Moving from Oakwell

What have the new owners done so far that had been neglected?

 

Both at here and at nice. And in Scotland when they made their attempt to buy.

 

Easy (I work in construction so have a natural interest in works):

Gutters and soffit boards to full West Stand. Possibly both gable ends (depending on contracts). Full revamp of Scouts/media suite below west stand, new press conference building, painted full East Stand metal work, repaired East Stand rood, 60% of metal work to West Stand (was being done in March still), new gantry steps to Cameras, decorations to internal concourses throughout, decorations and flooring to North Stand changing rooms, full new 4G pitch to indoor academy (it had been condemned prior and 1st team weren’t allowed on it), full led lighting to academy indoor, new offices and classrooms to academy indoor, new external led floodlights to stands, Ponte End car park lighting fixed, Famous West Stand wall fully painted, new security gates and barriers to North Stand car park, offices in Ponte End decorated I believe, bollards painted, helped fund some works with the new outdoor fanzone I believe (including outdoor electrics etc), new hand dryers in various locations (lol), additional floodlighting for goal line technology, fair amount of electrical work to West stand, new media seating, WiFi and desks in West Stand.

£350k a year in rent, and not far off £350k a year in repairs I suspect. And they still don’t own the ground - so it’s lost money......

 

Are you sure these things were done after the owners took over? West stand work was for example done in the summer of 2017, Ur owners took over in December. The wall was painted before they took over too.
The east stand project was started long before they came here. It was simply finished while they were here which is like me taking credit for painting the Sistine chapel just because I put the lid back on the tin of paint.

 

both Chronicle and Yorkshire Post have corroborated the elements which refer to the club touting us round other clubs for ground share. Alan Biggs has also pretty much said this. They aren’t going to say X said this or they wouldn’t be in a job for long.

 

And new speakers in ponty end.

First thing they did I think. Instead of us being made to jump when they exploded into action, making some of us think someone was being shot

 

So all they’ve actually done is parroted the Mail article? Not added anything new?

 

Nope, like most things the contract for repair was arranged before they took over. It was simple physically fitted within days of their arrival.

 

Not sure you understand how journalism works if that’s your take.

 

didn’t they have volunteers doing the painting I can’t remember maybe my mind playing tricks.

 

Well I wouldnt know about that. Wasnt party to any contracts.

What I do know, very little happened prior to them coming in.

As you know, they wouldnt even put the TVs on would they before

 

Not party to contractual dates.

However the club still pays for them regardless of when it was done - the costs just pass over.

The new owners have spent plenty. One of their first jobs was the indoor pitch renewal.

 

So what have they added new then?
I’ve read both articles and both reference the DM for the basis of their article.
The poster said local journalists had confirmed story is correct, but neither of the articles offer any extra validity to the story?

 

I think they've spent very little. The majority of the things you listed first time we're done before they even came here. In fact I've just searched the BBS and you yourself was posting about the grove Street wall, media facilities, gable ends, soffits and guttering, signage throughout the stadium etc before any of us had ever heard the dreaded words Paul conway.
The indoor pitch was indeed replaced within weeks of then arriving. I have no idea if that was a hastily arranged contact that they arranged and had fitted in a few weeks or whether it was something arranged before their arrival though.

 

So why on the many occasions the 80% mob have had since the 6 month period expired did they not announce that their attempts to buy the ground were being blocked. Why wait until the Crynes took them to court, they would have had much more support from fans if they'd said look we want to buy the Crynes 50% share of the ground but they won't or can't sell it. There have been a few fans forums etc were this could have been announced but it wasn't. Hence all the suspicion and conspiracy theories.

 

The council haven't been asked to sell their 50% according to the Chronicle and according to the Crynes the 80% mob can have their 50% for the agreed price so whats holding it up

 

Did they pay with their own money or did the club pay there is a difference. Also if your in the building trade you'll know that with a lease on a commercial property which is what Oakwell is, it is standard practice that the lease holder funds the repairs and if they didn't like the terms of the lease they could have re negotiated and asked for a landlords contribution to repairs clause to be added or simply not signed the lease.

 

We have to understand the culture of our owners I guess. Maybe a strong desire for respect and saving face coupled with a strong litigation and defensive posture is at play. Or maybe not. Just something to consider but people’s behaviours can often shape what we would see as logical decisions. The old saying of ‘culture wins over strategy hands down’ cannot be overlooked.

 

It sounds like the sort of deal Boris Johnson would sign!

 

Stand in East End Car Park hardly any paint left on structure