Update from the Board of Directors

[onewayup]

I,ve no doubt that the board will get us to where we need to be back playing in Darlington,that is after all what we all want.let it be sooner rather than later.

[theoriginalfatcat]

No move this season then! I'd much rather have this scenario than being forced into an unsuitable partnership - I wonder if we'll get any detail about what the issues are, this would be interesting.

[bga]

No move this season then! I'd much rather have this scenario than being forced into an unsuitable partnership - I wonder if we'll get any detail about what the issues are, this would be interesting.

I doubt it fatcat especially as Legal Advisors were presumably involved in this carefully worded statement. At least where know where we stand (or play!) this season. I have faith the Directors will do whatever it takes to get us a fair deal.

[shawry]

No surprise there really, the ring fencing of the money raised should stop some whinging tho

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[Darlo_Pete]

Staying at HP for the remainder of this season was a no brainer. It's too late in the year to do anything much with a new pitch.

[QuakerPete]

It makes sense because you can't establish a new pitch in winter no matter what else. That window is closed

[Quakerz]

It makes sense because you can't establish a new pitch in winter no matter what else. That window is closed

Exactly.

It's become increasingly clear as the weeks tick by that there is no move this season, and really, who would want to move mid season anyway?

The two parties need to work together and get it all sorted, and it needs really to be all agreed by March at the latest.

Then it gives us hopefully enough time to build and be ready for the following season, and gives us a little bit of time to raise an extra 50 grand or so, should we be in a position where we look like we could have a chance of promotion and need the ground to be conference north standard.

Without wanting to be negative, reading between the lines I feel that there is stalemate and there has been for a while - I'm not sure where the breakthrough is going to come from.

[AndyPark]

This has been coming for a while, so it's not really a surprise.

Least this gives 5/6 months to come to an agreement with the Rugby Club, if we get promotion this season - When does the ground need to be up to standard? Is it the following March after going up?

Glad all the money has been set aside and will shut some people up.

[QuakerPete]

Also, it gives both clubs some breathing space, particularly DFC, in terms of what they want to achieve at Blackwell or in exploring other avenues if need be

[quaker4life]

Shock, horror.

Shall we got a head start on "Coming home 2016/17"? And 2017/18 just incase?

[divas]

On a positive note I'm very happy that the raised funds have been placed into escrow. I was worried they'd end up being eaten into....they still might but in order to do that we'd need some formal agreement

[D_F_C]

It would be great to get everything ready for early next season and get a money spinner for the opener (obviously if everything works out ok).

I wonder, now that we're staying, whether it's viable to sell car park season tickets?

[sasha44]

I have always thought , and think even more now that a move to blackwell meadows is bad for our club. DRFC have had internal squabbles going on for years. Some of them dont want us there. The chance of them pulling out of the agreement to share mid season is very real , if the wrong ppl get to run their club.

[spen666]

I have always thought , and think even more now that a move to blackwell meadows is bad for our club. DRFC have had internal squabbles going on for years. Some of them dont want us there. The chance of them pulling out of the agreement to share mid season is very real , if the wrong ppl get to run their club.

if the deal is done neither party will be able to pull out like that. There will be a long term lease and legal agreements on other issues to prevent exactly what you are worried about.

[Neil Johnson]

It seems DFC hoped to have DRFC play on another pitch to permit an upgrade for football, but have so far failed.

This season's move possibilities were effectively ruled out in May/June, because there was an authorities requirement to repair the intended pitch prior to starting any football games and DFC had no access with no deal in place.

As per last season a deal should be signed off 2-3 months ahead of some lucrative pre-season friendlies at BM.

[lo36789]

It seems DFC hoped to have DRFC play on another pitch to permit an upgrade for football, but have so far failed.

This season's move possibilities were effectively ruled out in May/June, because there was an authorities requirement to repair the intended pitch prior to starting any football games and DFC had no access with no deal in place.

I mean...that isn't what any of the statements have said...but ok.

[AndyPark]

Another load of spouted crap.

[al_quaker]

Without wanting to be negative, reading between the lines I feel that there is stalemate and there has been for a while - I'm not sure where the breakthrough is going to come from.

Appears that way - Jenny Chapman has said "we do need a plan B".
https://twitter.com/JennyChapman/status ... 1360854018

[TDS]

We need a plan b for one main reason and that is to say to the rugby club 'here is the cut off point, this is when plan b becomes plan a and you will struggle on in a venue ten times bigger than you need'.

They can dig their heels in if they know they are our only chance.

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[Quakerz]

Dial A for the Arena.

I think this is going to drag on for years and hold the club back, and then we'll eventually end up back at the Arena anyway.

So stop wasting time and dial A now.

[AnthonyP]

Dial A for the Arena.

I think this is going to drag on for years and hold the club back, and then we'll eventually end up back at the Arena anyway.

So stop wasting time and dial A now.

They are not interested, Quakerz

[MikeinBlack2]

Dial A for the Arena.

I think this is going to drag on for years and hold the club back, and then we'll eventually end up back at the Arena anyway.

So stop wasting time and dial A now.

I agree with Quakerz here. Lets face it Blackwell Meadows is as good as dead in the water now (being realistic) so we need to go with a decent offer to Mowden, one which wont destroy us financially and may help them out too. Who knows they may be onside.

[Quakerz]

Dial A for the Arena.

I think this is going to drag on for years and hold the club back, and then we'll eventually end up back at the Arena anyway.

So stop wasting time and dial A now.

They are not interested, Quakerz

They might come around if they aren't breaking even.

[JE93]

Sad that the deal seems to be dragging on and on, each time it's not positive news it seems as though it will never happen.

The arena would be the obvious plan B but there's no obvious signs that we're needed. Always conflicting evidence coming out as to their financial position.

Maybe it is time to ask the council about which pieces of land may be available for developing. This is a last resort. Any ground of the standard we'd need would be at least 2.5mil god knows where this money would come from but it would be ours and we would be in full control.

At this point we need to get some kind of progress whether that be BM being ruled out. Knowing we have approached Mowden, or looking at alternative pieces of land.

[AnthonyP]

They might come around if they aren't breaking even.

They won't. Timescales aren't on our side with that one unfortunately.

More likely that time will run out on Darlington Rugby Football Club and something happens at Blackwell, than time will run out on Mowden Park at the Arena.

[wizardofos]

They might come around if they aren't breaking even.

They won't. Timescales aren't on our side with that one unfortunately.

More likely that time will run out on Darlington Rugby Football Club and something happens at Blackwell, than time will run out on Mowden Park at the Arena.

That doesn't feel like a good assumption to me.
DRFC can operate at Blackwell on a shoestring if they need to, whereas the Mowden Balance sheet suggests that they are bleeding cash at an alarming rate.
Also, who says Mowden have spurned us? I've yet to see any evidence of this in statements from our Board.

[BrianGento]

Wizardofos and ( allegedly) our MP have nailed 2 important issues. There is no evidence that The Arena issue is dead in the water and, yes, the club absolutely does need a Plan B .

My thoughts re The Arena are longer term in nature. Like many, I detest the place in its present form. But let's be frank, can anyone ever see a day when its seats will be full?! Far too big for DFC; far too big for Mowden RFC.

3 sides of The Arena are simply empty shells underneath the seating and supports. What's more, all new stadia ( probably most especially one built by GR) require ongoing maintenance/inspectiuns. God knows what state The Arena structure will be in 20,30 years' time. And this maintenance carries big costs.

Equally, who knows what state Mowden RFC will be in in 20,30 years' time? So, although it would take a huge amount of brokering in order to get all relevant parties ( e.g. Mowden RFC, Council, DFC, and...??) to at least get around a table "talk" possibilities" there IS a discussion which is very well worth having. Discussions can simply be in order to throw ideas around. If you don't have the ideas, you don't even know what is and what is not possible. Here are my reasons for believing that AT LEAST it's worth exploring the broad concepts:

* the BM deal just doesn't sound promising;

* if Mowden RFC possibly do some soul-searching allied to long term forecasting, they may find that maintaining a 25,000 stadium for 15,20,25 years and more is not exactly an ideal scenario;

* the Council may see that actually a " community sports hub" is just as -if not more- achievable with the land and facilities at The Arena compared with BM;

* the 3 "shell " sides of The Arena could be dismantled ( possibly even sold on) and in their place you could have , initially, 2 small terraces behind each goal and, over time, a much smaller covered area on the other side;

* the existing main Stand/ facilities would obviously be retained and there are ample offices, rooms, etc inside for 2 clubs AND facilities which could be used by the whole town ( e.g. there is scope to house Arts Centre type performances there and, if it is truly a community (sports) hub -many other community activities );

* an all weather pitch could cope with 2 clubs using it and could also cope with other (e.g. summertime) community sporting activities;

Yes, these solutions are imperfect because The Arena was ALWAYS imperfect. However, by going down such a route, it would then not be "The Arena as we knew it and came to hate "- it would be a totally revamped Arena whereby the town made a really good stab at making the best "silk purse" it could out of what will otherwise be, in years to come, a mess and a total embarrassment to the town.

This concept might be shot down but it's simply a lateral thought. It can easily be shot down by the " what about x,y and z ?" brigade. But, hey, Captain Sensible left this town years ago. It's not SUCH a daft concept. At least it's a Plan B. At least it could be explored .

[Robbie Painter]

Given AnthonyP's dad is our previous chairman he probably is well placed to know Mowden's view re renting Arena out to DFC.

No one actually knows the current state of finances at Mowden. The last published accounts are well out of date & aren't detailed enough to take a detailed view. Unless anyone has more up to date information we are only guessing.

What is clear though is that they have created far more activity at the site than DFC ever managed to do. I'm both impressed & saddened that they are pulling in crowds around the same level as us (1k+) for Saturday games. They seem to have rented out a number of spaces under the stand's to various companies.

[Vodka_Vic]

Jenny Chapman's tweet is worrying in 2 ways, firstly, it appears that BM is not going well, and secondly, that we haven't got a Plan B.
Someone said a few weeks ago, confirmed by Wizardofos, that the situation at BM had changed because they are running as an amateur team now, so they don't want us it would appear, and neither do MP it seems. The only option it seems is to get the money left by that Bishop fan and get Heritage Park done up. We would be still out of town, but surviving at least. I just don't see what other options there are.

[TDS]

Is there scope to not play in the arena but put stands etc around a training pitch over the back? We can still pay rent and move training and offices there instead of longfield. As has been said if Mowden believe they are financially secure they dont have to be remotely interested.

Whilst i still think BM is the better option, theres nothing like a little bit of leverage to get us a better deal and if that means cosying up with mowden for a meeting or two then so be it.



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