What gets me is this

Quakerz · Post by **Quakerz** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:12 am

How come all of the little semi pro rugby and cricket teams in Darlo all own land worth substantial money, and Darlington FC, the biggest sporting institution in town by miles has, and always has had (apart from the Arena until GH stole it), nowt?

It's just ridiculous really.

Imagine if we did go back to the Arena to groundshare with Mowden Park? We'd be the minor partner and nothing more than tenant to a tiny organisation (no disrespect to them, but compared to us they are)?

It'll be interesting to see what help the council give Mowden Park too, I see there's been a lot of discussions.

divas · Post by **divas** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:20 am

All stems back to the early 20th centuary when we didn't have the cash to buy the Feethams ground and the cricket club did.

The thing is, even if we did own Feethams it would have been stolen from us anyway. It probably would have made us more attractive to speculators and the Pedan/Brearly etc would have ended up flogging it for housing, building an out of town stadium that they'd have kept ownership of for themselves and pocketed any leftover profit. The only difference would be that they may have built a smaller ground which we could have rented.

The best option would have been if Feethams had been council owned.

Bogratsteve · Post by **Bogratsteve** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:23 am

I suspose this is the legacy of constant Chairman massaging their ego's at our expense and not thinking of the actual club, nice thing is now this will not happen again and when we eventually get a ground it will be ours or a share of anyhow.

Dave_from_London · Post by **Dave_from_London** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:12 am

Its all complete bollox im afraid! The greedy chairman wanna make even more money! Thank God our club is now owned by the fans. Onwards and upwards....................

princes town · Post by **princes town** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:03 am

divas wrote:All stems back to the early 20th centuary when we didn't have the cash to buy the Feethams ground and the cricket club did.

The thing is, even if we did own Feethams it would have been stolen from us anyway. It probably would have made us more attractive to speculators and the Pedan/Brearly etc would have ended up flogging it for housing, building an out of town stadium that they'd have kept ownership of for themselves and pocketed any leftover profit. The only difference would be that they may have built a smaller ground which we could have rented.

The best option would have been if Feethams had been council owned.

Probably the case that a lot of clubs survive because they can secure their debts against the land they own. Somebody mentioned that even MP were running a loss. It woudl be intersting to know whether the football club ever contemplated owning or buying a ground.

carver30 · Post by **carver30** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:13 am

Th big problem is that we dont own land or a stadium. The only way the club can move forward is more people joining the CIC which gives us more weight both politically and financially in driving the club forward.

divas · Post by **divas** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:14 am

Yeah I mentioned it on another thread. A lot of clubs have had the cushion of prime town centre grounds which can be sold at a premium and the money be used to build a new out of town stadium and then pay off debts. The next step is that clubs will have to sell off stadiums and lease back. After that theyre in our position.

Spyman · Post by **Spyman** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:46 am

I think that because, as you put it, we are the towns biggest sporting institution, we've clearly been a visible target for people who want to make a quick buck.

Your Pedan's, Singh's, Houghton's etc probably wouldn't be bothered about ripping off the cricket club or mowden park because they wouldn't see it being worthwhile.

liddle_4_ever · Post by **liddle_4_ever** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:07 pm

This is why we must fight the cricket club and the “decision” that Feethams can be sold netting us nothing.

divas · Post by **divas** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:41 pm

It's legally theirs so we're entitled to nothing from the sale.

Whether or not they're allowed to sell for housing is another matter.

onewayup · Post by **onewayup** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:06 pm

I don't believe that the cricket club have the total right to the feethams site. it has been stated on many ocassions that the whole of feethams was left to and for sporting activites in the town, that should be the beginning and end of it.how ever certain people in advantaged postions took it upon themselfs to render the original trust null and void,
thus allowing them to make a trust document to suit their needs only, names of who most of the people know that need to know.disgraceful and downright underhand.

Post by **dfc1883** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:56 am

Are the cricket club still struggling financially?
I wonder how much it would cost to buy the cricket club, thus inheriting their land?

divas · Post by **divas** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:26 pm

They won't be once Esh start building. Word is entrance will past the cricket pitch - guess they're desperate

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