Darlogramps wrote:If I was voting right now, I'd be voting no. There are just too many issues and unanswered questions.
1. His history with the club. Not just that he put the club into administration, but the lies that went with it. It means I could never trust Singh or his motives
2. Why does the money have to go towards the playing budget? A competitive squad means absolutely nothing if our ground isn't up to standard. All our focus should be on building the infrastructure, not the squad.
3. From a PR point of view, it looks dreadful. We've spent the last five years rebuilding our club, while at the same time taking the moral high ground about how we're doing it (i.e. with the community in mind). Now, we'd be willing to accept the money of a man who nearly ruined us in 2012.
This really would make us a laughing stock, an embarrassment in the eyes of everyone else.
4. Our average attendances have settled at around 1700 - the same as our National League days at the Arena. We are more than capable of surviving on that, combined with sponsorship, fundraising (and dare I say it, a cup run).
5. I want to see us back in the Football League, but it is hugely expensive to get there. Spending beyond our means to fast-track our way to success led to our implosion before.
6. What are his plans for the ground? We have no serious plans to get BM up to Football League standard. If he backs Martin Gray to the level suggested, we will have to have an up to standard ground to progress, otherwise it really is pouring money down the drain.
7. What are the longer term investment and/or takeover plans? Based on what Gray said at the FF, this £40k is far too small to be it, so what's the long term plan? What's the end-game of Singh and the other potential investors?
More than anything, it comes down to an issue of trust. I would always be suspicious of Singh and his motives. And with that doubt, I couldn't vote in favour of his investment.
I agree with you on every point mate, feels to me like it will end up being the past 5 years will be flushed down the swanny.
But I am willing to hear him out, he will have to present a hell of a case of he is to win anybody over, the man in my opinion is a cretin, but I want to hear what the man himself has to say and see if he is willing to give an answer.
Me personally, I dont want him back, I thought of withdrawing my support for the club if he comes back, but decided it is the players I support, not the board.
Darlogramps wrote:shawry wrote:Darlogramps wrote:I'm not speculating on anything. I've stated that Raj Singh shouldn't be anywhere near the club he ruined just 5 years ago.
You're the one living in a Fantasy Land, speculating on fantasy scenarios which you have no idea will happen. You might as well speculate on if E.T. will become our new director of football.
Looking at the here and now, a yes vote, even one just to hear his proposal, says you're willing to entertain the idea of him being involved.
If you can stomach that, this is your prerogative. I however, won't accept any idea of Singh owning any section of our football club.
While I accept that a yes vote means we listen to his proposal, I'd rather look at that a yes vote is just accepting 40k. There is no risk.
Let's face it if there are enough no votes for this then there would be enough no votes for the proposal itself, so why not take the 40k and vote down the proposal.
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I understand your argument, but I disagree entirely with it.
It's the idea of saying we're happy to accept money from the man who ruined the club, that I won't stomach. It's a point of principle.
Taking the 40k would look to the outside world like we were crawling back to Singh, which would be humiliating and damaging. That's where the risk would be - to our reputation.
And the 40k would be going on one year's playing budget. It would be a frivolous investment as it wouldn't benefit the club, because we can't get promoted anyway without a ground that's up to standard.
I'd be more inclined to agree with you if the money was going towards the stand.
But it's not, which proves Singh is backing Martin Gray, not the club.
So if he's not interested in the club, and the money won't benefit us in the long run, what's the point in giving him any share at all, regardless of how small? Just seems a waste of time and effort for a meaningless "reward."
Let's be honest, I don't think there's a single Darlo fan who wants Singh back for his personal qualities. It's only his money that anyone would be after. So if we don't want him, taking his money is desperate, hypocritical and makes us no better than him. That's how I see it anyway.
Is he involved with MG away from Darlington, does he have some kind of interest in MG's Academy, because it seems that Martin Gray has known all along that Singh is wanting to come back in.
Without trying to speculate, I think it has been mentioned on this thread, that it may be something to do with Neasham Road, redeveloping Blackwell to Cat A, never mind EFL, is probably going to cost a fair wedge and Neasham Road is in place with all facilities in place.
How does this 40 grand work, is it a loan or a deposit of some kind, if his proposal fails could he demand it back.
There is some serious questions need to be answered and he will have to put one hell of a good proposal together if he is to have any chance of getting back in
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