Darlo Uncovered

grimsbyquaker wrote:Thinking this over I can't help but think that this consortium and any deal would involve the MG academy and a move back to the Arena. It would be cheaper to purchase it back from a struggling DMPRFC and then develop the surrounding land into the once fabled sports village. Maybe this explains MG's enthusiasm for this investment rather than just him being excited about being able to manage a NL or FL club (which he could do ordinarily and wouldn't be a secure existence). The Arena must be an option or these characters wouldn't be interested surely - what's the incentive to invest in BM?

Darlofan97 wrote:

44 years wrote:Given that we have made a loss each season (pulled out of trouble several times by generous short term loans from individuals and the transfer clause cash). It may be as a fan owned and run club our sustainable level is possibly Evostick Division 1?

Sorry but I disagree entirely.

I think in the midst of all this, a number of people are forgetting that we have a significant proportion of revenue tied up in the 5-year Season Ticket deal introduced with effect from the 2015 / 2016 season.

We sold 287 packages in March 2015, and didn't a limited number become available in March 2016?

287 x £210 = £60,270.

However, this won't be realised until the summer of 2020.

Crowds, I accept, have been fairly disappointing at Blackwell Meadows. However I think that it can be attributed down to the poor facilities and match-day experience at BM. A number of issues have been rectified since the Halifax game, and I think further improvements will be made with the improvement of the pitch (dreadful to watch in Feb / March) and the installation of another c210 seats. I also believe that another food kiosk is due to be installed.

Then I think we have to look at installing step terracing behind the open-end.

I do believe that there is scope to grow attendances and the commercial side of the club at BM.

Realistically, I do think that as a fan-owned club we can sustain ourselves as a mid-table Conference National side over the next 5 years.

The issue that we are facing now is, is that we have a fantastic manager who's ambition is in danger of being greater that what this football club can achieve as a fan-owned entity. What Gray has done for this football club since 2012 has been remarkable, and you can only imagine what he could achieve if he was heavily backed financially.

lo36789 wrote:Our budget is 3 to 4 times the size of the average of the division we have been in since we started.

I am sure the amount the budget has been asked tombs cut (£85k) is equivalent to Curzon Ashton's entire playing budget.

Quakerz wrote:

Robbie Painter wrote:I've been reminding myself of his actions just before & after he put the club into admin.

Remember when Singh paid some, but not all (Kris Taylow & Marc BW I think), of the players in Oct/Nov 2011. The ones he didn't think were value for money.

Then Singh wanted to renegotiate player contracts otherwise he'd walk away. The same players he'd promised face to face in the summer that the club was financially secure.

Singh got the players to take an anonymous poll on whether to keep Mark Cooper as manager or not.

After sacking Cooper & Dryden refused to pay them for their remaining contracts (55k).

Singh put us into admin owing employees (non football staff) 37k.

We owed over 9k to St. Johns Ambulance + ten's of other local businesses - the full report is available at companies house.

Singh said he'd walk away without a penny if it would save DFC.

He demanded in Nov 2011 that the council remove the sporting use convent on the Arena. Bizarre statement because at that time neither Raj Singh or DFC owned the Arena.

This is what he said in Feb 2011 about DFC:

Raj Singh wrote:"Without the stadium and the land, there isn't really a business there at all," Singh told the Northern Echo.
"We can't move forward without ownership of the ground."

Would you trust an individual with a record like this to own or run another football club?

Jees I'd forgotten about all of that.

Quakerz wrote:

Quakerz wrote:

Robbie Painter wrote:I've been reminding myself of his actions just before & after he put the club into admin.

Remember when Singh paid some, but not all (Kris Taylow & Marc BW I think), of the players in Oct/Nov 2011. The ones he didn't think were value for money.

Then Singh wanted to renegotiate player contracts otherwise he'd walk away. The same players he'd promised face to face in the summer that the club was financially secure.

Singh got the players to take an anonymous poll on whether to keep Mark Cooper as manager or not.

After sacking Cooper & Dryden refused to pay them for their remaining contracts (55k).

Singh put us into admin owing employees (non football staff) 37k.

We owed over 9k to St. Johns Ambulance + ten's of other local businesses - the full report is available at companies house.

Singh said he'd walk away without a penny if it would save DFC.

He demanded in Nov 2011 that the council remove the sporting use convent on the Arena. Bizarre statement because at that time neither Raj Singh or DFC owned the Arena.

This is what he said in Feb 2011 about DFC:

Raj Singh wrote:"Without the stadium and the land, there isn't really a business there at all," Singh told the Northern Echo.
"We can't move forward without ownership of the ground."

Would you trust an individual with a record like this to own or run another football club?

Jees I'd forgotten about all of that.

Read this and weep Poolies.

Quakerz wrote:Maybe he really DOES want to prove people wrong and prove that he can run a football club.

However that will not change his personality.

What I mean by that is that when the going gets tough - and it will at some point - how is he going to react to it? Will he decide not to pay players again? That will be fun.

theoriginalfatcat wrote:

Quakerz wrote:

Quakerz wrote:

Robbie Painter wrote:I've been reminding myself of his actions just before & after he put the club into admin.

Remember when Singh paid some, but not all (Kris Taylow & Marc BW I think), of the players in Oct/Nov 2011. The ones he didn't think were value for money.

Then Singh wanted to renegotiate player contracts otherwise he'd walk away. The same players he'd promised face to face in the summer that the club was financially secure.

Singh got the players to take an anonymous poll on whether to keep Mark Cooper as manager or not.

After sacking Cooper & Dryden refused to pay them for their remaining contracts (55k).

Singh put us into admin owing employees (non football staff) 37k.

We owed over 9k to St. Johns Ambulance + ten's of other local businesses - the full report is available at companies house.

Singh said he'd walk away without a penny if it would save DFC.

He demanded in Nov 2011 that the council remove the sporting use convent on the Arena. Bizarre statement because at that time neither Raj Singh or DFC owned the Arena.

This is what he said in Feb 2011 about DFC:

Raj Singh wrote:"Without the stadium and the land, there isn't really a business there at all," Singh told the Northern Echo.
"We can't move forward without ownership of the ground."

Would you trust an individual with a record like this to own or run another football club?

Jees I'd forgotten about all of that.

Read this and weep Poolies.

Furthermore - he never came out afterwards to justify or to try and explain the reasons for all the terrible things that he did while he was in charge at Darlo.

If there were misunderstandings or mitigating circumstances - then he always had a chance to tell his side of the story, if indeed there ever was one.

I know for a fact that at least one local journalist kept on at him for an interview, his silence to me says everything.

Read this and weep Poolies.

Quakerz wrote:

Quakerz wrote:

Robbie Painter wrote:I've been reminding myself of his actions just before & after he put the club into admin.

Remember when Singh paid some, but not all (Kris Taylow & Marc BW I think), of the players in Oct/Nov 2011. The ones he didn't think were value for money.

Then Singh wanted to renegotiate player contracts otherwise he'd walk away. The same players he'd promised face to face in the summer that the club was financially secure.

Singh got the players to take an anonymous poll on whether to keep Mark Cooper as manager or not.

After sacking Cooper & Dryden refused to pay them for their remaining contracts (55k).

Singh put us into admin owing employees (non football staff) 37k.

We owed over 9k to St. Johns Ambulance + ten's of other local businesses - the full report is available at companies house.

Singh said he'd walk away without a penny if it would save DFC.

He demanded in Nov 2011 that the council remove the sporting use convent on the Arena. Bizarre statement because at that time neither Raj Singh or DFC owned the Arena.

This is what he said in Feb 2011 about DFC:

Raj Singh wrote:"Without the stadium and the land, there isn't really a business there at all," Singh told the Northern Echo.
"We can't move forward without ownership of the ground."

Would you trust an individual with a record like this to own or run another football club?

Jees I'd forgotten about all of that.

Read this and weep Poolies.

shildonlad wrote: his business been owed huge sums of money by a firm that went bust.

LoidLucan wrote:Singh says he is getting involved for football reasons, to get it right after things went wrong at Darlington. He doesn't mention anything about business reasons which clearly do form part of his involvement. Presumably those business interests will start to emerge as his tenure moves along.

He says: "The reason is purely I’m a football fan and it went wrong at Darlington, it’s something I wanted to rectify. I wanted to get involved in football and it went wrong. Unfinished business if you like. If there’s a reason, that’s it."


I don't think anyone would believe that's the whole story.

al_quaker wrote:We're well rid of characters like Singh involved in our football club.

Allan Quatermain wrote:Latest Trust statement:

Trust Statement - April 8th 2018

The Trust Board are pleased to note that a consortium led by Raj Singh has exchanged contracts with John Blackledge for a takeover of Hartlepool United Football Club which, subject to National League and FA approval...