Work at Blackwell Meadows

[Robbie Painter]

Its ok, we're only paying for it. No need to keep us updated as deadlines slip by with no comment or update...

Once you take people's money you are obligated to keep them updated on progress (or lack of).

[quaker4life]

Without wishing to sound condescending, how can the club provide an update when there is nothing happening? Things are very much as they were when the last statement was released.

However, I do understand people's concern it is perfectly legitimate as it is now absolutely crucial that the ground development is completed, we had time to sit on our hands in the NPL but now we don't and I think we are all aware of the potential consequences if it doesn't happen.

As it is, I'm not convinced it will be ready by the start of the season or the apparent target of the bank holiday at the end of August.

[lo36789]

At the fans party night, 3 weeks ago, Richard Cook said work would begin on the pitch in 2 weeks time with the rest following mid June. So we are at most a week behind not a month.

No Tempest originally said work would start long before this. As reported in the Echo.

If you want to argue about it I will link you no problem if you find it hard to locate.

Ok fuck here is one link save ya a job http://bit.ly/1RottRE

John Tempest of DFC: "Preliminary work on the ground could start as early as April."

Why are you using an older article to question an updated position. Surely that is the whole point of an update?

[banktopp]

Its ok, we're only paying for it. No need to keep us updated as deadlines slip by with no comment or update...

Once you take people's money you are obligated to keep them updated on progress (or lack of).

Who has taken people's money ?
I have pledged money but as yet I have not been asked to honour my pledge.

[banktopp]

At the fans party night, 3 weeks ago, Richard Cook said work would begin on the pitch in 2 weeks time with the rest following mid June. So we are at most a week behind not a month.

No Tempest originally said work would start long before this. As reported in the Echo.

If you want to argue about it I will link you no problem if you find it hard to locate.

Ok fuck here is one link save ya a job http://bit.ly/1RottRE

John Tempest of DFC: "Preliminary work on the ground could start as early as April."

Why are you using an older article to question an updated position. Surely that is the whole point of an update?

As you point out John tempest said "Preliminary work on the ground could start as early as April".
You have interpreted this as " Would start in April "
"Would start" indicates a certainty, " Could start " indicates a possibility.
As in " If you had passed any exams you could have gone to University ".

[Robbie Painter]

Its ok, we're only paying for it. No need to keep us updated as deadlines slip by with no comment or update...

Once you take people's money you are obligated to keep them updated on progress (or lack of).

Who has taken people's money ?
I have pledged money but as yet I have not been asked to honour my pledge.

Well I've extended my 500 club membership for one. Whilst you are technically correct on the pledges its not really the point is it.

That reminds me, wasn't the plan to collect all pledges in the first week of June?

This is from the share prospectus - what stage are we at?

If we reach our target of £100,000 by May 31st 2016 and the appropriate agreements are in place to enable both the transfer of funds to Darlington Football Club 1883 Ltd and the relocation of the football club to Blackwell Meadows, DFCSG will:

l Contact everybody who has deposited funds in support of the Community Shares offer in order to clarify the terms of any agreements negotiated with Darlington Football Club 1883 Ltd

l Wait seven days before proceeding with any such agreements, providing people with an opportunity to opt out if they are not satisfied with the agreements made

l Issue share certificates and draw down the funds

Once the final target is reached no further investment in this Community Shares offer will be accepted.

[super_les_mcjannet]

Tempest is on his hols. Yes we don't need daily updates. But we were supposed to be starting work almost a month ago and nothing has been said. Take 10 minutes out, sent a quick tweet, whatever. After delay after delay money after more money it's the least they can do. Easy fucking peasy.

well....if it's that easy - why don't you offer your communication services, skills and time to your fellow fans who are running the club for us all. I'm sure they'd welcome any help they can get....

In all fairness it's not a time issue around no update, it's more to do with waiting for the right things in place before updating. We actually have a "Communications and Media manager" so if it was about knocking something up and sending it out then it would be done.

Basically we have a delay and that delay is down to some specific reasons, when the club probably have a full asnwer to these delays then no doubt we will get an update.

Whether the club can update is not the question, it's more of do they want to currently.

[Quakerz]

Well they might not want to but the fans want them to.

If there are delays, the fans surely have a right to know, rather than hearing whispers on a messageboard.

If there are problems again at Blackwell, how much more can we take?

Furthermore, as much as people have worked desperately hard to make this happen, and as much as it seems the right thing to do, we're going to have to keep on throwing money at this for a long time. To cover shortfalls caused by delays, to cover any fuck ups that might occur, and of course to get the ground graded to whichever level we're at.

Dial A For The Arena.

[Darlo_Pete]

Tempest is on his hols. Yes we don't need daily updates. But we were supposed to be starting work almost a month ago and nothing has been said. Take 10 minutes out, sent a quick tweet, whatever. After delay after delay money after more money it's the least they can do. Easy fucking peasy.

well....if it's that easy - why don't you offer your communication services, skills and time to your fellow fans who are running the club for us all. I'm sure they'd welcome any help they can get....

In all fairness it's not a time issue around no update, it's more to do with waiting for the right things in place before updating. We actually have a "Communications and Media manager" so if it was about knocking something up and sending it out then it would be done.

Basically we have a delay and that delay is down to some specific reasons, when the club probably have a full asnwer to these delays then no doubt we will get an update.

Whether the club can update is not the question, it's more of do they want to currently.

Then the club needs to be specifying what these specific reasons are. If work doesn't start on the pitch soon, then we'll be struggling to move next season. People have been buying season tickets based on us moved back to Darlo early next season, they are entitled to answers.

[loan_star]

I know of people who will buy season tickets but only if we are back in Darlo, as right or as wrong as that may be. Like it or not, people have either pledged or actually have stumped up cash for this move. The least the club could do is update us on any delays they may have run into. After all it's a fans club and it's not their money. It's not like we have a benefactor who rightly may have reason to keep stuff like this quiet.

[Yarblockos]

The official closing date for fundraising was May 31st, followed by a 7 day cooling off period. I am guessing this means our pledges should be taken from our bank accounts tomorrow?

[Darlogramps]

Basically we have a delay and that delay is down to some specific reasons, when the club probably have a full asnwer to these delays then no doubt we will get an update.

Whether the club can update is not the question, it's more of do they want to currently.

I'm usually one of the first to call for patience but this is starting to get silly.

We've already had one summer of delays, now we're getting another.

We've been told the issues with the rugby club have been resolved. The finances are in place so what are these "specific reasons" for the delay?

It's quite arrogant to ask fans to dig deep to fund the new ground, tell them work could start in April, and then two months later say nothing at all.

We know the final plans and construction budget aren't in place. The club tried to quietly slip that out midway through a release on season tickets.

And another thing Super Les - we know you mean well but this "I know something you don't know" routine is starting to grate.

We know you're close to the board, so if you can say something worthwhile, just say it. If not, then don't post anything at all.

This cryptic teasing of information doesn't do you any favours.

[Darlogramps]

Without wishing to sound condescending, how can the club provide an update when there is nothing happening? Things are very much as they were when the last statement was released.

That's the point isn't it? Thing should not be as they were. They should have moved on by now.

Fans who've invested are entitled to ask why no progess has been made.

And I quite agree with you. I think it's highly unlikely we'll be at Blackwell Meadows by August Bank Holiday.

[Darlo_Pete]

Basically we have a delay and that delay is down to some specific reasons, when the club probably have a full asnwer to these delays then no doubt we will get an update.

Whether the club can update is not the question, it's more of do they want to currently.

I'm usually one of the first to call for patience but this is starting to get silly.

We've already had one summer of delays, now we're getting another.

We've been told the issues with the rugby club have been resolved. The finances are in place so what are these "specific reasons" for the delay?

It's quite arrogant to ask fans to dig deep to fund the new ground, tell them work could start in April, and then two months later say nothing at all.

We know the final plans and construction budget aren't in place. The club tried to quietly slip that out midway through a release on season tickets.

And another thing Super Les - we know you mean well but this "I know something you don't know routine" is starting to grate.

We know you're close to the board, so if you can say something worthwhile, just say it. If not, then don't post anything at all.

This cryptic teasing of information doesn't do you any favours.

Well said, agree with that 100%. It appears to me that they are just taking our support and money for granted.

At least it's good to see the club is informing us where all our fans are around the world. Pity they can't get round to informing the home fans, what is happening to the club!

[Darlogramps]

Christ, Darlo_Pete agrees with me.

I withdraw everything I've just said in this thread!

[JE93]

Maybe it's wishful thinking but the 1 week cooling off period after the deadline of the 31st May finishes tomorrow. So hopefully we should get some movement on funds collection and we can hear something from the board regarding work starting, who has won the tender etc. Gawd if the radio silence continues for too much longer we'll see fans down there starting ourselves.

[Darlo_Pete]

The club is in danger of losing some of the positive momentum, that Gray and the team achieved at the end of the season, if it hasn't already done so.

[Undercovered]

And a negative statement would rebuild that positive momentum?

[Darlo_Pete]

Fans are entitled to know what's going on, we expect the rough with the smooth, as we are talking about Darlo after all. If there is negative news, then the longer it takes to let people know, then the worse it will seem to be.

[trevstanley]

Must admit as someone who isn't a Darlington "fan" but who has put money into the club for rebuilding because i believe it is the right thing to do , I am a little disappointed that no information from the club is forthcoming.

[dfc4me]

After what happened last year it is hardly surprising that people are getting twitchy, even more so when a director tells a room of fans work will start in 2 weeks and then it doesn't.
After the speed we raised the money it is just common courtesy to keep people in touch with what is happening. There is a delay so please tell us what is the cause and how long it will be. Delays are easier to accept if we know what is causing them.

[darlodog]

After what happened last year it is hardly surprising that people are getting twitchy, even more so when a director tells a room of fans work will start in 2 weeks and then it doesn't.
After the speed we raised the money it is just common courtesy to keep people in touch with what is happening. There is a delay so please tell us what is the cause and how long it will be. Delays are easier to accept if we know what is causing them.

Update on official site http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/bla ... ws-update/

Its taken 3/4 years to get to this point so another couple of weeks is not going to make a huge difference, Bank holiday Monday does look unlikely though.

[Robbie Painter]

An update has landed:

http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/bla ... ws-update/

[Darlo_Pete]

After what happened last year it is hardly surprising that people are getting twitchy, even more so when a director tells a room of fans work will start in 2 weeks and then it doesn't.
After the speed we raised the money it is just common courtesy to keep people in touch with what is happening. There is a delay so please tell us what is the cause and how long it will be. Delays are easier to accept if we know what is causing them.

Update on official site http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/bla ... ws-update/

Its taken 3/4 years to get to this point so another couple of weeks is not going to make a huge difference, Bank holiday Monday does look unlikely though.

2 weeks is a long time, when every day is crucial in getting the stadium up and running for the new season. The statement is pretty ambiguous, but I suspect the club is unwilling to specify what the ongoing problems are. It would have been helpful if the statement had said when they now expect us to move into BM, but I suspect they don't know the answer or they know people won't be happy with the answer.

[HarryCharltonsCat]

Not all bad news though. Another major sponsor to be announced, and the sun's shining.

[HarboroQuaker]

My guess would be the need for both funding bodies to have legal agreements in place before any work can commence. If I recall correctly the two clubs were receiving funding from two different sources, a clear recipe for delay.

[spen666]

Not all bad news though. Another major sponsor to be announced, and the sun's shining.

I can't see any bad news at all- a slight delay whilst finalities on funding bodies are sorted- nothing unusual about that. it was never envisaged Darlo would be starting season at Blackwell Meadows, so no harm done with a delay.

The promise of 2 big friendlies and a new major sponsor as well.

I would say its a good news announcement

[jjljks]

We should play Spenny in a friendly to say thanks for their help at the end of last season. Just hope the new sponsor isn't Sports Direct!

[Ingleby]

We should play Spenny in a friendly to say thanks for their help at the end of last season. Just hope the new sponsor isn't Sports Direct!

Fuck that. We've already given them a team.

[bga]

Not all bad news though. Another major sponsor to be announced, and the sun's shining.

I can't see any bad news at all- a slight delay whilst finalities on funding bodies are sorted- nothing unusual about that. it was never envisaged Darlo would be starting season at Blackwell Meadows, so no harm done with a delay.

The promise of 2 big friendlies and a new major sponsor as well.

I would say its a good news announcement

Spen the bad news is work has NOT YET started and is therefore weeks behind schedule. It will only be good news WHEN work starts at last.

As an aside does anyone notice like I do, that News on the official club site (hardly) ever seem to appear in date order so to speak? e.g. The statement today is the 5th article down on the home page or is this to do with my computer?