The new proposal to take Darlington Football Club forward involves a Community Interest Company

http://www.darlofc.co.uk/news.php?NewsID=908

Sounds interesting. Was reading about Stenhousmuir FC, who are a CIC. Sounds exactly what we want:

http://www.stenhousemuirfc.com/cic/

I'm in for the new club. It will be interesting to see how many big investors we get with 1 member 1 vote. What happens if we try and get the Trust on board too? The available grants sound good.

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This sounds like great news, very excited about this.

Agreed...apply for grants, money goes back in the pot, every fan who invests has an equal say and most importantly...no greedy chairmen!

Why not have a newly invigorated trust running the club which already is a community interest group and can apply for grants, with the added bonus of the back up of supporters direct. The model is already in place at loads of clubs, why are we always reinventing the wheel ....and it always comes out square, ah but this be Darlington`s wheel....

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Foes List. none, I love everyone me.

agree, if we are going down this route then surely the best way forward is to get people onto the trust board asap (which maybe difficult) and move forward under the trust banner. What happened with the trust previously was a poor situation, but the actual structure of the trust is a great model and if run with passion and common sense then it will work. It opens you up to so much more support externally, grants etc.

This is why its important for all trust members to attend the trust meeting on the 14th

Don't like the one member one vote. Why would I invest more money than everybody else to have the same share of the vote.

I personally liked the crowd cube idea in that you could have a maximum shareholding and voting rights of 15%.

How will we attract businesses to invest under this model?

In many ways it is easier to get businesses to invest under this model. There was an issue for some of them in owning actual shares in another limited company.

Yes, invigorate the trust by all means. Get the invigorated trust on board with us by all means. It is a community after all. Hell, maybe have a Trust board member or two on the board of the club. But why the obsession for the trust to run the club?

First thing the trust have to do is put their money into DFC1883, this is what the fans will want and the fans will vote for. We do not want two factions holding money - one for all and all for one. Then they can join with us.

On OUR terms.

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Very interesting and it seems a sensible way forward.

BTW who are these parts that keep commenting in relation to these stories? I think we need a concerted effort to defeat them as their comments could be taken to represent a consensus - which they do not!

I am all for it though I understand there were reservations about getting larger amounts to be invested just for 1 share. There are I believe various models in use in Europe, halfway houses between the two. I am sitting waiting to put my money in though so pleased about whats happening, appreciate there must be a hell of a lot of work to do behind the scene and clearly decisions are bing taken to ensure there is as much momentum as possible .

I dont know who these people are that keep trolling the Echo site. I dont have a log in for it but I am sure someone can put him right, there are certainly clubs on this model that play at a high level or aspire to, using the Scottish League as an example is pointless, the whole structure in Scotland is a mess with even the big two in financial trouble. Not remotely comparable to England, and Stenny are probably equivalent to an NPL1 side anyway in terms of turnover, with hardly any hope of increasing their attendances or getting many promotions.

I nearly pissed myself laughing when i read this. i checked through the old stories and lo and behold this is EXACTLY what Supporters United were gonna do back in January. The plan was rejected by 1883, who then went with Crowd Cube, this fails, they then go back to one member one vote, I have to wonder if back in January if people didn't want to work with the trust. I can remember reading stuff relating to that on here, if that is actually the case then 1883 should hang their heads in shame, as Supporters United may have worked as according to posts I have read on here, they would have had help from Supporters Direct, the same organisation that helped Wrexham and saved them from what has happened to us. The more I read and hear from respected fans, (not the people on here) the more I'm convinced that the egos in 1883 didn't want to work with the trust. As a member of the trust I'll be going to the AGM as I have every year, I'm sure some light on this will be shed in the end of year report.

Also the story in today's paper re peacock is disturbing 'A lack of leadership' and 'Hidden agendas' doesn't make make good reading for potential investors; whether its true or not, mud sticks. Personally, I think Craig McKenna, Tori Gill and Laura Drew should go, we have no need for Crowd Cube, also Pinnegar, whose he? I have been going for years, and I have never seen him in my life.

From the outside looking in, 1883 have let the fans down, going back to the original plan and wasting 4 months in the process proves this.

Finally the FA still need to ratify the deal, I know of at least 2 creditors who have written to the FSA/FA expressing their anger at the deal. So if I were 1883, I Wouldn't be celebrating just yet!

Laura and Pinnegar are Darlo fans (and have credentials that we need) , Craig is involved due to his dealings with investment, and Tori also has skills deemed neccessary . it does not suprise me that you know a couple of dings that would complain about possibly getting a bite of something as oposed to absoluteley nothing . and i think you'll find that apart from a few ideas supporters direct bought nothing of any immediate use to the table where as 1883 and other supporters groups ACTED to save the club there and then as was required .

Typical head in the sand view- one of these 'dings' is owed a lot of money. he lost out last time and the time before to the tune of almost 40k in total he got around 400 quid back. I think he has every right to be pissed off, the other 'ding' is owed quite a bit as well.

I still don't think we need Drew, McKenna or Gill, who elected these people? they are self appointed and have failed the club and have kept the club going by ripping the creditors off and playing out their dream by using other people's money. They need to go and elections need to be held, rather than these people clinging to their seats on the board by hook or by crook!

Apparently, the new model is "significantly different" from the trust's model.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=19484

I'm interested to see what they are, but one of the differences is that the old trust board aren't going to be in positions of power, which I know is a massive advantage for quite a few people!!

Wasn't the DSU plan rejected because we were running out of time?

Why should Craig, Laura and Tori go? Why not the rest of the 1883 board? Is it just because they are most active on here and you know nothing about the rest of the board? Personally, I think they are all doing a very good job in very difficult circumstances.

Why does your last sentence sound like you are delighted? Do you want the club to fold?

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Boycott greedy clubs!!

so the people who are to stand for "your election" threw themselves into the fray in our hour of need and where overlooked where they ? probably not...i can assume you where not a major player in 1883 for what reason?

How did CrowdCube fail exactly? It raised nearly £400k, which would've been enough to move forward had it not been for roadblock.

I'd be amazed if we would have raised that amount if the original idea was one member one vote, and I believe if we raise that amount again it will be because some of the bigger investors had already written their money off.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2

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The creditors would have got nothing from the CVA because Raj would have blocked it. In fact, aren't 1883 going to look at doing some sort of a deal with the creditors?



So wrong I don't where to begin. Firstly Laura, Craig and Tori put themselves forward. They helped out at a time when 1883 badly needed expertise.

Secondly, it is not "they" who've ripped off the creditors. Raj would have blocked any deal. To pay off the creditors we needed his backing. For his backing, we needed to agree to his conditions. We couldn't do that because the FA wouldn't let us.



They've stated all along that they want other fans to take over, and some elections will be held in the summer.

It strikes me you haven't got your facts right. Or you're just twisting them so you can have a good carp on.

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i was involved in the discussions at the stage you are talking about and I will give you the full story and reasons why the DSU route was not taken, I have no hidden agenda, i don't have an ego and I have no sides to take as I am not involved in either organisation.

I received an invite on the monday or tuesday to attend a meeting at Blackwell Grange to discuss the future of the club, the invite was sent by the Supporters Trust. Other people invited were Darlo Tykes, Supporters Club and the Rescue Group.

The meeting was to take place on the evening but on the morning Supporters Direct released a statement to say that we had all agreed to join forces under the DSU banner to try and save the club. To be honest I thought it was a bloody cheek, I knew nothing about DSU yet it had been stated I had agreed to join. I still attended the meeting, yet a 'pre-meeting' took place before the actual meeting. This pre meeting went on for about 30 minutes whilst I sat in another room with Geoff Thompson a couple from the supporters club and Shaun. The whole situation was bizarre, we were there for a united meeting yet there was a 'pre meeting' to which some were not invited too.

Anyway eventually they all arrived in the room and it became apparent that the DSU was starting from scratch. But if this was all we had then we had to all agree to join forces to try our best and save the club. Ironically after not being invited into this pre meeting it was suggested that myself and Karen Glencross would be the figureheads. I declined the offer as I felt that if this was to be launched and I was put in front of the press then I would need to know exactly what I was talking about and most of the things being discussed was just not sinking in.

Anyway by the end of the meeting we all agreed to join forces, release a press statement and get things moving. I left Blackwell and that was it. The next morning I received a telephone call to state that a further meeting had been called for the evening and this was with the Rescue Group. I am of the understanding the the trust were invited along with everybody else who were there the previous evening, but the trust did not attend the meeting.

We were told at this new meeting that Harvey was to close the club on the friday if he doesn't get an injection of cash. The DSU model was to see the Trust's money be transferred into DSU but this cash would not be available immediately. With the DUFF money, supporters club money and money invested by the Rescue Group we could pull together the £70k. It was the only option open. If we did not go down the 1883 route at that point then Darlington Football Club would have ceased trading on the friday. I found myself in Santander drawing out thousands of pounds in cash, only to turn to my right and see Pete Ashmore at the next cashier desk doing exactly the same, surreal.

I have no doubt there have been personality clashes and ego trips, but in this instance I felt the need to clarify once again that the DSU model was set up too late. In these types of situations you just do not have time to sit back and dawdle, you need to act quickly and be willing to change your views or be slightly flexible in your ideals.

Unfortunately the crowdcube route didn't work out due to the fact of our failure to secure a cva. and you cannot blame 1883 for that as the goalposts were moved just as they were about to boot the ball over the line. Going forward we now can use a different route and this is the one they have chosen. I am not keen on this route but the football club is not about me.

I'm a fan, I go to games, have raised money for the club in the past, would Craig McKenna have got onboard but for Crowd Cube and the thought of getting his percentage? probably not, Mckenna wouldn't have come any where near, but for the thought of ling his pockets with his percentage, I don't trust him and I never will, my choice

Olrad, you didn't respond to my reply re the 'Dings' not surprised though

According to Singh there was no debt (other than his) up to December. If that was true then why has your friend allowed a club in difficuties to run up a debt? I have dealt with the club for a number of years and as soon as I heard that there could be problems I made sure that all money owed was paid and that any further work was done after payment or as a goodwill gesture from me for smaller jobs.

As for who elected Drew, McKenna and Gill, do you really expect a vote to take place so that we can pick and choose who did the work? I'm sure they would rather be doing other things that actually guarantee a return without abuse from some people who insist on knowing the ins and outs of everything. If you are that keen to know everything then why didnt you put yourself forward at the time to help out with your wisdom? People like you find it so easy to sit on the sidelines picking faults and yet are nowhere to be seen when it comes to the crunch.

And are you going to respond to the point raised that the DSU would have been too late for our club? No, not surprised though.

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And as for the "unelected" crap...these people were the people that stepped forward and said "look, we're going to die. We're going to try and save the club"

Unbelievable.

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Must be a thing with some football fans, no matter what they always find fault somewhere. You could win 4-0 and they will complain because it could have been 5 or 6.

and to comment on laura and craig.

laura has provided alot of knowledge on the legal and finance side and has invested heavily financially and massively time wise. Her experience and input has been invaluable.

Craig came on board more recently to provide some direction to 1883. He is the project manager, he doesn't work for crowdcube, his business is the growth academy and I think he normally charges £600 a day consultancy giving out advice on how to build up businesses. He works as an advisor to crowdcube I think.

we will all get our chance to vote on a board, here's hoping there are people out there willing to give up their own time to help us out and take us forward. for those who have helped out so far then we must be grateful.

f50y reply regards dings? what do you want me to say...i'll get next to nothing i'd have prefered nothing = ding

The fact remains that decent creditors have lost money, avoiding the CVA was wrong - before a penny was raised a written agreement should have been got from Raj, a deadline given, then if no such agreement was got then the club should have been liquidated. That would have left 3 months to sort a new club, get in the Evostik North for next season, instead, it was allowed to drag on, leaving us where we are now,

To be fair, I'm frustrated at the prospect of play in the Northern League, this could easily happen, i have read Scott's account but have read different ones on here - I believe that Scott, etc have done a great job, but I have reservations about McKenna. Thinking about it it wouldn't be easy to have elections now, I appreciate that

I can't as I don't know the fact, but the current plan and the DSU plan look similar - I wasn't involved so can't comment on timescales

Whose fault is it that decent creditors have lost money?! Not 1883

It's terrible that creditors have lost money. Hopefully they can be sorted out. If the club had been liquidated they would have got next to nothing. At least this way there's a chance of getting something back. However, the CVA would have been agreed if somebody had stuck to their word!

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Boycott greedy clubs!!