Netcafé with Raj is this Friday

[Vodka_Vic]

Well done to the board for getting it organised so quickly. Hopefully we can look back to 2012 a bit and also forward a lot as well with our questions. Will sure be interesting.

[Spyman]

Have we got details yet on how to submit questions for this? I have a few simple questions I'd like to send in.

[comeondarlo]

Well done to the board for getting it organised so quickly. Hopefully we can look back to 2012 a bit and also forward a lot as well with our questions. Will sure be interesting.

Sorry I was busy most yesterday and playing catch up on all the 'news'.
What is this?

[JE93]

Have we got details yet on how to submit questions for this? I have a few simple questions I'd like to send in.

'Raj Singh will be answering questions at our latest netcafe this Friday night (12th May) from 6.30 pm onwards.

This will be your opportunity to ask Raj a question, all you need to do is mail it with your name to media@darlingtonfc.org. either before Friday, or during the netcafe itself. Please note that we will only accept questions by e mail, and e mails only to this address, and no other means. Answers will not be given before the start of the netcafe.

The club has held netcafes in the past, and they have proved very popular, so if you have a question, then please send it to us on media@darlingtonfc.org'

[al_quaker]

What would be good is if we could live stream it (I believe it's quite straightforward on facebook). At the very least film it and upload it at a later date.

I personally would want to see the reaction to the difficult questions which will (hopefully) be coming his way

[Spyman]

I've sent through three questions.

1) Why is his £40k being ring-fenced for the playing budget at a time when we need to build infrastructure to allow us to achieve promotion. Does he accept that any money spent on the playing budget may ultimately be wasted if the ground is not ready or if the players underperform?

2) Did he approach MG or vice-versa - and if the former, why didn't he approach the board of directors about investment first and foremost?

3) Does he envisage the club remaining at Blackwell Meadows if his investment proposal is successful?

[JE93]

My questions were:

1.In simple terms, explain to us from your point of view what happened in 2011/2012. Can you honestly apologies for the events that took place?

2.What is your 3-5 year vision for DFC? (League, Professional Status, Budget Level)

3.What got you interested in investing in DFC? Why now? What potential do you believe the club has as a business?

4.Would you be happy to invest further in DFC with safeguards in place offering DFCSG; options to buy back the club at an independent valuation? DFCSG a voting position upon the board? etc.

[BUSHEAD]

My question would be , why dont you do one you horrible twat of a man?

[BUSHEAD]

Raj's words mean nothing anyway.
I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

Sure some poster on here has a signature with an infamous RS quote.

[JE93]

My question would be , why dont you do one you horrible twat of a man?

And that is why, unfortunately, we can't have this forum in person like reasonable human beings.

[lo36789]

My questions have been sent;

1. In an interview in 2012 you advised that you would transfer the golden share - the clubs only opportunity not to have to restart in the Northern League - with no strings attached. Why was this action not fulfilled?

2. What were your intentions when you transferred the golden share into your own name - why was it detached from the club?

3. What is in this venture for you? I expect there the be personal gain otherwise it does not make sense. We as fans put money in and the return is that our club lives. It is entirely expected that there would be a return on investment for you - but where will that come from?

[Vodka_Vic]

I'm going to rehash your No.1 point Lo, and also the quote from the Tamworth programme, and mention trust in my question.

[al_quaker]

I'm still formulating mine, but one of them is going to be along the lines of whether he regrets any of his actions towards the end of the 2011/12 season

[spen666]

My questions have been sent;

1. In an interview in 2012 you advised that you would transfer the golden share - the clubs only opportunity not to have to restart in the Northern League - with no strings attached. Why was this action not fulfilled?

2. What were your intentions when you transferred the golden share into your own name - why was it detached from the club?

3. What is in this venture for you? I expect there the be personal gain otherwise it does not make sense. We as fans put money in and the return is that our club lives. It is entirely expected that there would be a return on investment for you - but where will that come from?

Three brilliant questions and the ones I would like to hear answers to - so probably these wont be selected as they are to difficult of answer without losing any chance of getting the fans approval

[BUSHEAD]

Taken from the Tamworth programme 26 Nov 11.

" I'm not expecting to get back any of the money I've already put in, I'm prepared to write it off for the future of the club. I'm not hanging in to make any kind of financial gain in the short or long-term - if someone was prepared to come in and take the club off my hands, I'd be more than willing to discuss it "

[LoidLucan]

1 Do you accept that big mistakes were made by you in 2012 when the club collapsed and do you have any message for the fans who were left to pick up the pieces at that time.

2 What assurances can you give the fans who fear that a similar scenario could be repeated in the future and you might walk away leaving the club in a financial black hole.

3 Why have you chosen to invest at this time and what do you hope to get out of it.

4 Will this be a football investment or an investment in other areas or both.

5 What would be your long term vision for the football club into the future.

6 Would you intend that this club remains committed to Blackwell Meadows or move elsewhere.

7 Do you have development plans for Blackwell Meadows and/or The Arena.

8 How do you see the fan owned model for Darlington FC fitting in with the future direction of the club in terms of ownership and how the club will be run.

9 I have invested time, money and loyalty into this club over many years, what can you say to convince me that I should go along with what you are proposing and that the future will be secure.

[Geordie Quaker]

I'm trying to articulate mine, but every time I write them I appear to contract a temporary form of Tourettes.

Ultimately, the questions have to address four core themes:

1, His inexcusable actions in 2012;

2, His motivations for investing in DFC now;

3, How this potential investment came about (in particular the interactions between him, MG and 'others');

3, His long-term vision / ambition (be that football or non-football related).

I will readily admit that this half-arsed attempt at fan communication is futile to me - I simply cannot trust a word the man says and I can't work out whether those who want to hear him out are either level-headed, reasonable people or forgetful, success hungry short-termists.

[Spyman]

I can't work out whether those who want to hear him out are either level-headed, reasonable people or forgetful, success hungry short-termists.

Definitely the former - hearing him out doesn't mean anyone is going to say 'yes' to him just because he says he'll get us back to the football league.

In fact, I'd probably be more likely to say 'no' if all he does is promise a return to the football league. I want to hear guarantees of infrastructure and sustainable growth - not boom or bust.

[Vodka_Vic]

OK, here's my question which I've sent:

Raj, there is an issue of trust with a number of fans over mainly 2 issues in 2011/2, which need addressing if we are to move forward together.

Firstly, regarding a quote from yourself from the Tamworth programme on 26 Nov 11.

" I'm not expecting to get back any of the money I've already put in, I'm prepared to write it off for the future of the club. I'm not hanging in to make any kind of financial gain in the short or long-term - if someone was prepared to come in and take the club off my hands, I'd be more than willing to discuss it ". Later on this turned out not to be the case.

Secondly, you appeared on radio in 2012 during an interview with the Rescue Group very upset that they claimed you would not hand over the football share. You claimed that it would be done the next day, and they apologised. They subsequently claimed that the share was not handed over.

We would appreciate hearing these events from your point of view, because as you appreciate in business, mutual trust is an essential prerequisite for a partnership, which you are obviously keen to develop with the DFCSG.

[Geordie Quaker]

I can't work out whether those who want to hear him out are either level-headed, reasonable people or forgetful, success hungry short-termists.

Definitely the former - hearing him out doesn't mean anyone is going to say 'yes' to him just because he says he'll get us back to the football league.

In fact, I'd probably be more likely to say 'no' if all he does is promise a return to the football league. I want to hear guarantees of infrastructure and sustainable growth - not boom or bust.

I think most people are in the former, although the Tin Shed FB group clearly has plenty of the latter who have been all too easily convinced by MG that we're fooked with RS.

If he gave you guarantees of sustainability etc. would you believe them?

[Spyman]

I can't work out whether those who want to hear him out are either level-headed, reasonable people or forgetful, success hungry short-termists.

Definitely the former - hearing him out doesn't mean anyone is going to say 'yes' to him just because he says he'll get us back to the football league.

In fact, I'd probably be more likely to say 'no' if all he does is promise a return to the football league. I want to hear guarantees of infrastructure and sustainable growth - not boom or bust.

I think most people are in the former, although the Tin Shed FB group clearly has plenty of the latter who have been all too easily convinced by MG that we're fooked with RS.

If he gave you guarantees of sustainability etc. would you believe them?

There are no guarantees in football - I'd want to know who was to be involved, I'd want to know their roles and responsibilities and I'd want to see transparency. I'm not against outside investment to take us to the next level but we're at the point where the focus really has to be on infrastructure over on-pitch success - otherwise long-term there will never be on-pitch success.

I stay well clear of following Darlo discussion on social media - it would stress me out way too much reading all the knee-jerking and entitlement that is common on there.

[Mr_Tibbs]

My burning question (one of them, anyway) is something like: In his initial statement the DFCSG Chair indicated that your investment was conditional on having Martin Gray "at the helm". Is it and, if so, will you provide a written guarantee that you have not already discussed and will not be involved in any business venture with the manager or any other employee of the club, or with any other parties who may have business relations with the manager or any other employee of the club with a penalty clause to the effect that you will donate your entire shareholding to the club if it is found to be the case.

[lo36789]

I don't really care if he has other business interests with Martin Gray. Is it that critical that is ruled out?

[Allan Quatermain]

Do you have any investment or financial arrangements with DMPRFC and if so, do you have any plans to move DFC back to the Arena?

[murtonquaker]

1. Would he be happy with DFCSG maintaining a majority shareholding of 51% with himself or a group of businessmen making up the other 49%, leave the football side to the Supporters Group with the others dealing with the business side of the club

Anyway would Raj Singh even pass the FA's Fit and Proper Person test if he was able to get hold of a significant enough shareholding

Personally I dont want him back, but I am interested in what he has to say, he has to put forward a very special case to win over a majority of fans

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Spyman]

1. Would he be happy with DFCSG maintaining a majority shareholding of 51% with himself or a group of businessmen making up the other 49%, leave the football side to the Supporters Group with the others dealing with the business side of the club

Anyway would Raj Singh even pass the FA's Fit and Proper Person test if he was able to get hold of a significant enough shareholding

Personally I dont want him back, but I am interested in what he has to say, he has to put forward a very special case to win over a majority of fans

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Based on his previous, I'd prefer he was responsible for the football side and we looked after the business!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Spyman]

I don't really care if he has other business interests with Martin Gray. Is it that critical that is ruled out?

What if Gray underperforms to the point he needs removing? Or spoke out against his empoyers in a way that might be misconduct?

Would Singh get rid if he had other business interests that might be detrimentally affected?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[lo36789]

hummm maybe. I'll be honest at this stage I am more concerned with what his motivations are from owning the club.

I fully expect that the moment an offer of FL management higher up the pyramid comes along Martin Gray will be off anyway.

[theoriginalfatcat]

Raj's words mean nothing anyway.
I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

Sure some poster on here has a signature with an infamous RS quote.

That would be me!!

I've left it there all this time because I have never forgiven him for his previous actions - although now it seems that some people have forgiven him or simply do not care.

Some people seem to think only of a few transient moments, seem to think only of Singh's 40 K boost - which unlike the monies we all chip in has implications.

Serious implications.

If we do need outside help/investment, why does it have to be Singh?

He is the most unsuitable person I can imagine. He has no understanding of football, made a total hash of negotiating with everybody and anybody before, broke contracts with players, and ultimately broke our hearts when he tried (unsuccessfully) to close us down before the end of that dreaded season.

I urge everyone on here who has half a brain and a memory, to cast your mind back to the away game at Barrow - to Thommo taping over Singh's logo on the Darlo players shirts and all the other s*** that went down during that time.

When Singh trots out his pre rehearsed, all ready written answers on Friday - I for one will simply not believe him.

[Spyman]

hummm maybe. I'll be honest at this stage I am more concerned with what his motivations are from owning the club.

I fully expect that the moment an offer of FL management higher up the pyramid comes along Martin Gray will be off anyway.

I'm always skeptical about message board rumours - however Roadrunners post about the motivation being some kind of development of a partnership between Hodgson/DFC/MGFA with Singh providing the capital and the lodgings seems as logical as anything I can think of.

Buy the Blackwell Grange, convert it into flats - charge the football club a rent to accommodate players in the flats - Hodgson brings foreign players over, Gray gives them exposure - players sold on for profit split between DFC/Hodgson/Singh.

At a time when there's an increase in exposure in the media for non-league players with the Jamie Vardy story, and Vardy himself setting up an academy to help non-league footballers get into full-time football.