Sports village

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lo36789
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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:43 pm

Gramps it spot on its entrenched attitudes, on both sides.

The biggest issue with BM is actually that when you have a finite resource then that asset has finite capacity to generate returns. So there will always be a clash equally all parties will want to maximise their return for the least input.

Whilst there are two occupants then there is a need to share the returns and also there is an opportunity cost to the owner for the tenant to utilise the asset at any point in time.

What people seem to miss is that for all the time that we are there the rugby club cannot make money from their facility so they must charge us for the amount that opportunity cost them. Unfortunately our fan base seem to take instant offence at the idea that they don't just give us everything because we current pay enough to use the facility on and around our matchdays.

Not sure what is worse grown adults conducting petty actions or grown adults being perpetually upset by petty actions.

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Re: Sports village

Post by onewayup » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:56 pm

I also remember a mr upshall being the main man at the time of the proposed development saying it wouldn't cost darlington council a anything for this development as they had all funding covered, they also didn't hide the fact that they would be able to see a return on their investment. Leaving darlington with a rugby club and football club with their long term futures in Darlington, partly funded by a levy on the surrounding development.They The R U group believed it would work had it been given the go ahead. However as we now know that particular council had the SV in mind this project was rejected, now we find that the SV would have cost D C 17m to DMPRC ,where as the RU GROUP was of no cost to Darlington council. The mind boggles.

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loan_star
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Re: Sports village

Post by loan_star » Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:06 pm

onewayup wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:56 pm
I also remember a mr upshall being the main man at the time of the proposed development saying it wouldn't cost darlington council a anything for this development as they had all funding covered, they also didn't hide the fact that they would be able to see a return on their investment. Leaving darlington with a rugby club and football club with their long term futures in Darlington, partly funded by a levy on the surrounding development.They The R U group believed it would work had it been given the go ahead. However as we now know that particular council had the SV in mind this project was rejected, now we find that the SV would have cost D C 17m to DMPRC ,where as the RU GROUP was of no cost to Darlington council. The mind boggles.
Thing is were all the details and costs for the SV known at the start or has it just been sprung on DBC recently that they would have to stump up the £17m? Or were they aware and did the council at the time turn a blind eye to it?
I know people who know Richard Upshall very well and he definitely had all the funding in place to do what he wanted at Blackwell. The fact retail was involved is what went against it as DBC wanted to protect the town centre (whilst allowing more retail parks to pop up elsewhere in the town) and no doubt protect DMP as the leader of the council at the time was a big fan of the club.
Now Billy the tramp has gone, things may change but will Upshall still be interested in it?

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Re: Sports village

Post by H1987 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:09 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:23 pm
QuakerPete wrote:
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:59 pm
Our relationship with Bishop Auckland was great and felt welcoming, we had no serious issues with our tenure there. The same can't be said of those at DRFC who, after an initial welcome by the rugby club chairman at a fans' forum, couldn't wait to take the money on offer but for the least effort and connection possible.
Go on then I'll bite.

The agreement at Bishop cost more in rent, was access on matchdays only and we had no share of sales over the bar.

Explain why that was more welcoming and how Bishop went above and beyond for the money they received?
Agree with that, Blackwell is superior to HP in every aspect these days.

In terms of match experience, it will be once we fill the empty end - which I wish we would look to do. Especially now that moving is not seriously on the cards (I hope).

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Re: Sports village

Post by H1987 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:13 pm

Ghost_Of_1883 wrote:
Sat Jul 11, 2020 1:17 pm
H1987 wrote:
Sat Jul 11, 2020 12:33 pm
One day our best prospect might actually be buying Blackwell - Even just the main stadium itself / clubhouse so we could own and redevelop it to suit a football ground rather than a small rugby club.
The problem with public talk of things like this is that word gets around. People read stuff. People from the rugby club for example.

Has anyone wondered why the relationship with the rugby club isn't that great? Some people in the rugby club might view us as a cuckoo in their nest, ready to try and chuck them out of it. If many Darlo fans hold the same view as yourself then they may be right to think that.

End of the day it is their ground, and we need to get along. They would have rather existed without us, I'm sure. We were needed at the time we moved in, though perhaps not really wanted. Although they could try and show a bit of appreciation for the revenue that we have brought to them

As for BM itself, well we could get it up to National North level, but it's going to be extremely difficult getting it to EFL standard because of the pipe.

I do think that a terrace at one end and some terrace in the gap between the tin shed and the main (embarrassing fucking bodge job) stand would make a big difference to the ground.
I should clarify this - I have absolutely no desire to Chuck the rugby club out - or see any sports club robbed of their home.

It were merely thinking out loud that buying the ground down the line might be an option if we need to redevelop the clubhouse - something the rugby club might be adamantly against... however potentially they could be open to it if we bought it and they could build another clubhouse at the site of the other pitches perhaps?

I have absolutely no ill will that some do seem to have and I quite happily go in the clubhouse for a pint. I heartily wish we would all get along.

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Re: Sports village

Post by Old Git » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:55 pm

Something very simple that the Rugby Club could do as a signal of goodwill is to allow the Football Club to put a sign up at the entrance on Grange Road. I know some people think it is not worth making a fuss about but to me it is symbolic of our relationship. We are not even allowed to advertise the fact that we play there. Really what harm would that do!

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Re: Sports village

Post by wizardofos » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:46 pm

Old Git wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:55 pm
Something very simple that the Rugby Club could do as a signal of goodwill is to allow the Football Club to put a sign up at the entrance on Grange Road. I know some people think it is not worth making a fuss about but to me it is symbolic of our relationship. We are not even allowed to advertise the fact that we play there. Really what harm would that do!
This sums it up.
It would be such an easy win for the Rugby Club to allow us a sign at the road end, but they won't.
I would prefer us to be in a relationship where mutual advantage was the mantra.
If that's impossible, and we had the opportunity to gain control (most likely as a result of financial necessity on their part) I wouldn't think twice. It's by far the best option for us in Darlington.
I'm sorry if this reality upsets a handful of watching Rugby Club members.

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:54 pm

Old Git wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:55 pm
Something very simple that the Rugby Club could do as a signal of goodwill is to allow the Football Club to put a sign up at the entrance on Grange Road. I know some people think it is not worth making a fuss about but to me it is symbolic of our relationship. We are not even allowed to advertise the fact that we play there. Really what harm would that do!
Do we actually know if the Rugby Club can give us permission to erect a sign on the land that surrounds Grange Road?

I mean I don't think I could do that on the path outside my house even though I own that. Pretty sure that is a council thing.

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Re: Sports village

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:13 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:54 pm
Old Git wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:55 pm
Something very simple that the Rugby Club could do as a signal of goodwill is to allow the Football Club to put a sign up at the entrance on Grange Road. I know some people think it is not worth making a fuss about but to me it is symbolic of our relationship. We are not even allowed to advertise the fact that we play there. Really what harm would that do!
Do we actually know if the Rugby Club can give us permission to erect a sign on the land that surrounds Grange Road?

I mean I don't think I could do that on the path outside my house even though I own that. Pretty sure that is a council thing.
I’m sure there is a sign in this position which shows the Rugby club’s details.
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lo36789
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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:31 pm

Yes the Rugby Club have their sign. Oh wait it isn't that we want our own sign, we want to replace their one - is that what we are after?

Just because there is one for the Rugby Club doesn't mean they didn't need Council permission to erect it. Existence of one structure with your name on it doesn't equate permission to erect equivalent structures unlimited times.

I genuinley don't actually know the ins and outs of erecting signs next to public roads. It does however seem logical, if a sign on Grange Road is the biggest issue, this is something the Council would be in a decent place to facilitate.

So according to planning website we would need planning permission (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... _and_signs) and permission of the land owner. If this link is true the council pretty much own the land surrounding the entrance to BM up until the actual physical buildings of the ground (https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/118 ... -20-a3.pdf).

Do we know that a sign is actually down to the Rugby Club?

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Re: Sports village

Post by wizardofos » Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:35 am

lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:31 pm
Yes the Rugby Club have their sign. Oh wait it isn't that we want our own sign, we want to replace their one - is that what we are after?

Just because there is one for the Rugby Club doesn't mean they didn't need Council permission to erect it. Existence of one structure with your name on it doesn't equate permission to erect equivalent structures unlimited times.

I genuinley don't actually know the ins and outs of erecting signs next to public roads. It does however seem logical, if a sign on Grange Road is the biggest issue, this is something the Council would be in a decent place to facilitate.

So according to planning website we would need planning permission (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... _and_signs) and permission of the land owner. If this link is true the council pretty much own the land surrounding the entrance to BM up until the actual physical buildings of the ground (https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/118 ... -20-a3.pdf).

Do we know that a sign is actually down to the Rugby Club?
I don't know for certain but I'd bet that there is no sign either: to avoid antagonising the Rugby Club, or because it was part of our licence agreement.
If it was just a matter of gaining planning permission I'm sure that avenue would have been explored years ago. An application would be publicly available information for which I can find no record.

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Re: Sports village

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:30 am

lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:31 pm
Yes the Rugby Club have their sign. Oh wait it isn't that we want our own sign, we want to replace their one - is that what we are after?

Just because there is one for the Rugby Club doesn't mean they didn't need Council permission to erect it. Existence of one structure with your name on it doesn't equate permission to erect equivalent structures unlimited times.

I genuinley don't actually know the ins and outs of erecting signs next to public roads. It does however seem logical, if a sign on Grange Road is the biggest issue, this is something the Council would be in a decent place to facilitate.

So according to planning website we would need planning permission (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... _and_signs) and permission of the land owner. If this link is true the council pretty much own the land surrounding the entrance to BM up until the actual physical buildings of the ground (https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/118 ... -20-a3.pdf).

Do we know that a sign is actually down to the Rugby Club?
You’re quite right lo. The whole sign issue is obviously far too difficult an issue for D.J. to organise, oh if only we had someone in charge who is experienced in large and complicated construction jobs.
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Re: Sports village

Post by eddie-rowles » Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:32 am

I still believe in a couple of years when DJ has sold his stake in his business, as promised he will help us raise the finances to build or rent our own ground and explain the costs to fans in detail, where in Darlington that will be is anyone's guess but DBC have ample land opportunities.
In the meantime we grit our teeth and work with BM rugby club, no sign at entrance I don't care, yes the bar service is terrible before the game and changes every season to chaos, yes the young kids in the tea hut at HT could be better but to stand in the tin shed and watch Darlo is worth it.
Really looking forward to next season especially if AA can find a decent keeper/CB/striker and hope BM and MP rugby teams success

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:54 am

lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:31 pm
Do we know that a sign is actually down to the Rugby Club?
I do not know about a roadside sign, although I would have thought we would have enquired and someone would have said no - hence the removable ones we have to put up. Maybe the council have indeed said no, although I'd struggle to see why. Maybe one for the next netcafe. However, the standard league 'Welcome to Darlington FC' sign had to be removed and changed so that it wasn't football specific. I can't imagine it was at the football clubs request, so the logical conclusion, to me at least, is that the rugby club don't want permanant signage which is football club specific.

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:47 am

theoriginalfatcat wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:30 am
lo36789 wrote:
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:31 pm
Yes the Rugby Club have their sign. Oh wait it isn't that we want our own sign, we want to replace their one - is that what we are after?

Just because there is one for the Rugby Club doesn't mean they didn't need Council permission to erect it. Existence of one structure with your name on it doesn't equate permission to erect equivalent structures unlimited times.

I genuinley don't actually know the ins and outs of erecting signs next to public roads. It does however seem logical, if a sign on Grange Road is the biggest issue, this is something the Council would be in a decent place to facilitate.

So according to planning website we would need planning permission (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/2 ... _and_signs) and permission of the land owner. If this link is true the council pretty much own the land surrounding the entrance to BM up until the actual physical buildings of the ground (https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/118 ... -20-a3.pdf).

Do we know that a sign is actually down to the Rugby Club?
You’re quite right lo. The whole sign issue is obviously far too difficult an issue for D.J. to organise, oh if only we had someone in charge who is experienced in large and complicated construction jobs.
Who said anything about difficulty?

Basically in the realms of a conversation about what defines the rugby club being horrible people and "squeezing" the football club for everything it has the only concrete concern is a roadside sign.

And my question is if that is the biggest thing affecting the club I suspect it would have been resolved...in reality I think it means nothing and means we are without hope unless we can fund a £6m-£10m stadium...and all for the sake of getting where?

To be "where we belong" to be a mid table league two side who sometime flirt with the playoffs because 10 years ago we used to do that.

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:55 am

al_quaker wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:54 am
However, the standard league 'Welcome to Darlington FC' sign had to be removed and changed so that it wasn't football specific.
Ah you mean those standard signs that every team has which says welcome to "team name" FC...

Bit like this one.

https://images.app.goo.gl/2zcBRWBoeQojcQh16

Must have been that horrible Brad Groves who said the sign couldn't be football specific.

Btw I am not disputing that it was the rugby club who wanted it changed, as you say can't imagine we were upset that it said FC. My point is more that other clubs who own their grounds out right don't even put FC on their sign if you are upset by it you are choosing to get upset by it.

Also there is no league standard around how it must be written, that is clearly nonsense, the clubs are required to make a sign including the league sponsor and put it up. How they write their team name on that sign is their prerogative.

Basically antagonist meet pettiness.

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:25 am

lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:55 am
al_quaker wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:54 am
However, the standard league 'Welcome to Darlington FC' sign had to be removed and changed so that it wasn't football specific.
Ah you mean those standard signs that every team has which says welcome to "team name" FC...

Bit like this one.

https://images.app.goo.gl/2zcBRWBoeQojcQh16

Must have been that horrible Brad Groves who said the sign couldn't be football specific.

Btw I am not disputing that it was the rugby club who wanted it changed, as you say can't imagine we were upset that it said FC. My point is more that other clubs who own their grounds out right don't even put FC on their sign if you are upset by it you are choosing to get upset by it.

Also there is no league standard around how it must be written, that is clearly nonsense, the clubs are required to make a sign including the league sponsor and put it up. How they write their team name on that sign is their prerogative.
I said standard - as in every club has them - rather than standardised - as in all clubs have the same design.

What other clubs choose to put on their sign is up to them. Not quite sure why you're talking about Brad Groves

Regardless of any of that though, the point is we obvously wanted DFC, as our first sign said that, and we had to take it down. I'm not 'upset' about it, but do think it's emblematic of the wider relationship.

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:08 am

And maybe the rugby club saw it as a bit antagonist to deliberately put football club when the likes of Spennymoor Town just put the team name.

This is still "signage" debate though.

A sign being there or not does not generate commercial revenues that Walsall had not does not give us 6,000 capacity. Perhaps in the scheme of things that is where the focus and concern truly is.

They are the big question and the questions that really matter. Of course the capacity thing only really matters if we ever got promoted from NL and frankly that being in the next 10-15 years is optimistic.

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:26 am

Maybe they did, and I actually can understand if the rugby club are wary of losing their identity in the face of the much bigger football club. But the point remains we have spent a small fortune at BM and we haven't reached a stage where the rugby club will permit us to have permanent signage that is football club specific in addition to (not instead of) the rugby club signage. That's not a sign of a healthy relationship in my opinion.

I don't actually care about a sign - having an extra 'FC' on a sign wont make me suddenly enjoy BM as a football ground. But I am concerned about the relationship we have with the rugby club and the impacts that has on our potential to grow. And we should always look to grow as much as we sustainably can. Even getting to the stage where we could compete at this level without requiring 100k to be raised each year from the fanbase would be superb. But if we aren't allowed something as simple and pretty much non-impacting on the rugby club as a football club specific sign, the concern is what hope do much bigger ideas at BM aiming to boost commercial and football revenue have. And that's why losing the SV as leverage to potentially extract a better deal from the rugby club is worrying to me.

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Re: Sports village

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:58 am

lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:55 am
al_quaker wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:54 am
However, the standard league 'Welcome to Darlington FC' sign had to be removed and changed so that it wasn't football specific.
Ah you mean those standard signs that every team has which says welcome to "team name" FC...

Bit like this one.

https://images.app.goo.gl/2zcBRWBoeQojcQh16

Must have been that horrible Brad Groves who said the sign couldn't be football specific.

Btw I am not disputing that it was the rugby club who wanted it changed, as you say can't imagine we were upset that it said FC. My point is more that other clubs who own their grounds out right don't even put FC on their sign if you are upset by it you are choosing to get upset by it.

Also there is no league standard around how it must be written, that is clearly nonsense, the clubs are required to make a sign including the league sponsor and put it up. How they write their team name on that sign is their prerogative.

Basically antagonist meet pettiness.
I think you're getting a touch over excited lo, and this has nothing to do with Brad Groves and Spennymoor.

There could be a sign there - maybe even a shared sign :o :o. al-quaker sums up well in his post above.
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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:18 am

Yes because I was legitimately suggesting this was "about" Spennymoor. The point was about the standard of the signs. Had the original poster meant it but a league standard "Welcome to Darlington FC" is fictitious.

A "Welcome to Darlington" sign is per the league requirement - we decided that we wanted it to say Darlington FC.

Tbf original poster clarified and confirmed they didn't think that there was a standard to the sign anyway...

Playing devils advocate but when we were at the arena and we rented out the various units.

Where it we had the sign effectively saying welcome to Darlington Football Club at the main gates I take it you would have been up for that sign being equally shared amongst all tenants plus us as the owner. Had the club said no to that you would have called them out for simply being petty.

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:35 am

lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:18 am
Yes because I was legitimately suggesting this was "about" Spennymoor. The point was about the standard of the signs. Had the original poster meant it but a league standard "Welcome to Darlington FC" is fictitious.

A "Welcome to Darlington" sign is per the league requirement - we decided that we wanted it to say Darlington FC.

Tbf original poster clarified and confirmed they didn't think that there was a standard to the sign anyway...

Playing devils advocate but when we were at the arena and we rented out the various units.

Where it we had the sign effectively saying welcome to Darlington Football Club at the main gates I take it you would have been up for that sign being equally shared amongst all tenants plus us as the owner. Had the club said no to that you would have called them out for simply being petty.
I confirmed nothing of the sort. I meant standard as in 'usual' ie all clubs have one of these signs. The implication that it wasn't something we were forcing on the rugby club rather I guess some sort of league requirmement. You interpreted that as 'standardised' and started going on about Brad Groves. Maybe my langugae could have been clearer, but there's no need to continue to misrepresent my point now that I've clarified.

And your anology doesn't make sense, as the units at the Arena have signange on them.

And, like I've also said, I view the sign issue as emblamatic of wider concerns, rather than a particular issue itself

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:44 am

The units do...the front of the stadium does does it?

It says Welcome to...and the in a shared sign lists Mowden + all occupants?

All clubs have to have a sign that is absolute it's league rules to have Vanarama outside the ground with the team name. I said I misunderstood what you said as standardised...that was the reason I used Spennymoor as the example to show that having FC was not a requirement.

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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:02 pm

I think my position on all of this is basically what will be will be.

Could the relationship with members of the rugby club be better, yes, does it have to be - no. We get what we pay for as part of our agreement.

Would things be better if we owned our own ground, yes, do we have to - no. We will effectively operate at the level within our means.

Would the SV provide leverage for a better deal, yes, do we need it to exist - no. We have a reasonable time to go on our existing agreement so there is no risk of being without somewhere to play in the near future.

Maybe it is just ambition but it took Accrington Stanley and Barrow nearly half a century to return to the FL from falling out of it. Nothing has to happen "or else" there is no or else we will simply continue to operate at our level.

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:04 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:44 am
The units do...the front of the stadium does does it?

It says Welcome to...and the in a shared sign lists Mowden + all occupants?
I don't know as I don't live in Darlington so havent been near the Arena for ages, but I doubt it. But then we aren't allowed a football specific sign (or, to avoid misunderstanidng, a sign which explicity references the football club, as we seemingly wanted) on the 'unit' we rent at BM either.

I just feel it'd be such an easy win for the rugby club to generate a bit of goodwill. But they don't seem interested in that. It's a marriage of convenience, which is fine. But I struggle to see how we progress from where we are. That's the main frustration I have with the whole situation.

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Re: Sports village

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:27 pm

al_quaker wrote:
lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:44 am
The units do...the front of the stadium does does it?

It says Welcome to...and the in a shared sign lists Mowden + all occupants?
I don't know as I don't live in Darlington so havent been near the Arena for ages, but I doubt it. But then we aren't allowed a football specific sign (or, to avoid misunderstanidng, a sign which explicity references the football club, as we seemingly wanted) on the 'unit' we rent at BM either.

I just feel it'd be such an easy win for the rugby club to generate a bit of goodwill. But they don't seem interested in that. It's a marriage of convenience, which is fine. But I struggle to see how we progress from where we are. That's the main frustration I have with the whole situation.
Totally agree with your comments Al, really cannot understand why some reference to the football club is such an issue with DRFC, very petty and childish, but they always make sure their sign in the bar is always illuminated to get the message across.Regarding this lo guy, just agree to disagree and let's all move on.

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Re: Sports village

Post by al_quaker » Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:37 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:44 am
The units do...the front of the stadium does does it?

It says Welcome to...and the in a shared sign lists Mowden + all occupants?

And actually looking at google maps this does appear to be the case. Mowden park have a sign, and the tennants in the units also appear to have a sign. Albeit this is from July 2018 so maybe different now.

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Sports village

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:43 pm

al_quaker wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:37 pm
lo36789 wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:44 am
The units do...the front of the stadium does does it?

It says Welcome to...and the in a shared sign lists Mowden + all occupants?

And actually looking at google maps this does appear to be the case. Mowden park have a sign, and the tennants in the units also appear to have a sign. Albeit this is from July 2018 so maybe different now.
You mean like TWO SIGNS!

How would this be lo? We could have our own sign, so we don't have to "replace" their sign.

Is it just me or is this thread starting to get a bit funny?
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lo36789
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Re: Sports village

Post by lo36789 » Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:27 pm

Point












Your head

- sign doesn't matter. It just annoying that it is seen as the be all and end all. Can't have a serious debate about our future when "but they won't let us have a sign" is a primary concern.
- I actually shared links that for a sign bigger than 60cm you need council and landowner permission. For the land by the main road the rugby club are neither so asking them or blaming them is misdirected.

If we want more from the relationship we simply have to pay for it...not giving us stuff for nowt is not squeezing us it's just operating their own business commercially.

The interest and running costs of a £6million stadium would likely cost more per annum than our rent to the rugby club. Maybe a better starting point is asking the rugby club about utilisation of their building and f there are such monumental gains from having a full time facility then arrange to rent it during those other times also.

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Sports village

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:24 pm

I agree, the sign isn't a big thing, it isn't the be all and end all, but it just illustrates the type of relationship we have with the Rugby Club, as my learned friend Old Git states above. However, I'm sure we can have a serious debate about our future alongside a small scale discussion of the sign - briefly, it would be a good thing to do.

Furthermore I'm sure we can pay for it ourselves, has anyone suggested that we expect The Rugby club to pay for it?
Last edited by theoriginalfatcat on Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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