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Club Signs Stadium Contract



Hannibal smith

New member
Jul 7, 2003
2,216
Kenilworth
This news is a disgrace. Why weren’t Superfans invited to witness pen being put to paper? Why have I found this out on NSC? Why hasn’t Dick Knight phoned every single fan personally to tell them the news? Why couldn’t fans whose knowledge of construction which amounts to watching Grand Designs once a month have a say who the contractors were? Why did Adam Virgo sign the deal with his left hand when the best position for his pen is clearly in his right hand?

Once again fans are the last to know and decide on these things.
 




Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,507
The land of chocolate
Hey we are on the same side here, but why am I just not interpreting this the same as the majority on here.

Getting someone to build the stadium doesn't seem to be the problem, we had a few companies standing in queue for that, its getting the funding in place in todays financial environment that is the critical and most difficult part

There is no indication from the club that we have that funding yet, so this contract is no doubt 'subject' to getting that funding and therefore not too sure why we should feel that this has moved things forward.

Buckinghams views are accepting BHA's indication to do some work for them and they will pay them as agreed and they will build it as agreed.

The commercial decision remains that both companies hope that either of them do not go bust and contracts will be drawn up to try and minimise the effect to each company if the unthinkable happens.

But until we have secured the finance no-one is likely to do very much other than sign contracts of course with multiple clauses saying 'subject to the funding to be in place'.

Work is about to commence. This is an indication that the funding is ready to flow.

Depends what people mean by having the funding in place I suppose. The club must have identified where the money for the entire project will come from or work would not be about to kick off. It will only be actually given to us as and when it is required, presumably when certain milestones are reached which trigger a payment to Buckingham.

So any funding which is coming from loans must have been agreed with the lenders. How legally binding these agreements are I don't know, so whether or not the lenders can get cold feet half way through the project and renege I have no idea.
 


BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Well there's a shock. "BigGully in glass-half-empty revelation".
The contract is signed, the diggers are moving in, but hey - the Albion or Buckingham could still go bust. Or the financial backers could pull out. Or all the builders could mysteriously die of AIDS within a few months of the Christmas party. Or a tsunami could hit Rottingdean on Boxing Day, washing 12 miles inland and destroying the site. Or a meteor could hit.

Whats the odds that when you take your place at Falmer, you'll be moaning at the colour of your seat, or the sun being in your eyes. There'll have to be SOMETHING surely.

Dont get so upset, it wasn't a slur on the club or any individual it wasn't me really being a killjoy either.

The critical part must be the funding and until its in place then there is bound to be some concern, not because I am a pessimist just because bigger and better people than BHA are struggling at the moment.

I hope that the funding will be in place soon and we can all enjoy the new stadium, but this 'contract signing' doesnt really signal that yet.
 


Scoffers

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2004
6,868
Burgess Hill


BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Work is about to commence. This is an indication that the funding is ready to flow.

Depends what people mean by having the funding in place I suppose. The club must have identified where the money for the entire project will come from or work would not be about to kick off. It will only be actually given to us as and when it is required, presumably when certain milestones are reached which trigger a payment to Buckingham.

So any funding which is coming from loans must have been agreed with the lenders. How legally binding these agreements are I don't know, so whether or not the lenders can get cold feet half way through the project and renege I have no idea.

I think its an indication of the clubs optimism and belief, however I cant remember that ever not being there.

But the negotiations have been going on for sometime now and still there doesn't seem a committment from any banks as yet.

I am not too sure whether this contract signing means that funding must be in place as you say.

Otherwise an announcement would be made about the funding ahead of any contract signing.

I am as hopeful as you but obviously just a wee bit more sceptical too.
 






Dave the OAP

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
46,762
at home
BIG GULLY

When you are sat in your council meetings, and in front of you you have a glass of water.

If you have drunk half of it, would you see that glass as half full or half empty?
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,425
Location Location
Dont get so upset, it wasn't a slur on the club or any individual it wasn't me really being a killjoy either.

The critical part must be the funding and until its in place then there is bound to be some concern, not because I am a pessimist just because bigger and better people than BHA are struggling at the moment.

I hope that the funding will be in place soon and we can all enjoy the new stadium, but this 'contract signing' doesnt really signal that yet.

I'm not upset at all, just weary. And if thats not you being a killjoy, then you must be a bundle of laughs.

Its another piece of good news. We were told work was going to commence in December, and there is now every indication that, as we were told, it will do so. We COULD have heard that "owing to the current economic climate, the start date has been put back 6 / 12 months" or whatever. But we are still on course. Buckingham are crowing about it on their website. Things are happening, and we now seem to have a realistic timescale in place.

It just seems some folk prefer to focus on potential hitches, and cast doubt on the thing ever happening. Nothing in life is guaranteed (except death and taxes), so when a bit of positive news comes along, why not take it at face value and let it put a spring in your step, instead of pouring cold water on it every step of the way ? After 11 years, we're almost on the home straight. Theres still a lot to do obviously, but things ARE finally happening now. Try to have a bit of trust.
 




BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
I'm not upset at all, just weary. And if thats not you being a killjoy, then you must be a bundle of laughs.

Its another piece of good news. We were told work was going to commence in December, and there is now every indication that, as we were told, it will do so. We COULD have heard that "owing to the current economic climate, the start date has been put back 6 / 12 months" or whatever. But we are still on course. Buckingham are crowing about it on their website. Things are happening, and we now seem to have a realistic timescale in place.

It just seems some folk prefer to focus on potential hitches, and cast doubt on the thing ever happening. Nothing in life is guaranteed (except death and taxes), so when a bit of positive news comes along, why not take it at face value and let it put a spring in your step, instead of pouring cold water on it every step of the way ? After 11 years, we're almost on the home straight. Theres still a lot to do obviously, but things ARE finally happening now. Try to have a bit of trust.


OK, but actaully I am barrell of laughs really !!!

You do know you are asking me to trusts the banks !!!

And thats the point really.
 




Caveman

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2003
9,926
I think its an indication of the clubs optimism and belief, however I cant remember that ever not being there.

But the negotiations have been going on for sometime now and still there doesn't seem a committment from any banks as yet.

I am not too sure whether this contract signing means that funding must be in place as you say.

Otherwise an announcement would be made about the funding ahead of any contract signing.

I am as hopeful as you but obviously just a wee bit more sceptical too.

Not being funny, but it is none of your business. I don't mean that nastily, its just good business sense. You wouldn't be telling all your customers your bank details and financial background.

Yes you might buy a season ticket or buy a hat, programme etc, but that doesn't entitle you to sensitive information.

Do all other clubs show their fans the breakdown at this stage? Serious question to anyone?? I'm not too sure.
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,425
Location Location
BIG GULLY

When you are sat in your council meetings, and in front of you you have a glass of water.

If you have drunk half of it, would you see that glass as half full or half empty?

It'd be completely empty. He'd tip the rest away in case someone was trying to poison him.
 




BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Not being funny, but it is none of your business. I don't mean that nastily, its just good business sense. You wouldn't be telling all your customers your bank details and financial background.

Yes you might buy a season ticket or buy a hat, programme etc, but that doesn't entitle you to sensitive information.

Do all other clubs show their fans the breakdown at this stage? Serious question to anyone?? I'm not too sure.

Think your missing the point, the club would and should shout from the rooftops when the secure the funding and I dont man that nastily.

When they do I promise they will tell you........
 




... the negotiations have been going on for sometime now and still there doesn't seem a committment from any banks as yet.

I am not too sure whether this contract signing means that funding must be in place as you say.

Otherwise an announcement would be made about the funding ahead of any contract signing.

I am as hopeful as you but obviously just a wee bit more sceptical too.
Have you EVER known a bank make a public announcement that it is lending a customer some money?

Or do you have an expectation that the Football Club will make an announcement that gives us all the details? Why would they do that? Apart from anything else, they've said all along that they won't jeopardise anyone's position (including that of any lenders) by breaching commercial confidentiality.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,425
Location Location
OK, but actaully I am barrell of laughs really !!!

You do know you are asking me to trusts the banks !!!

And thats the point really.

Triple exclamation marks after each sentence does not a barrell of laughs make.

Anyway, neither you or I have any idea about the financial structure for this project that has been negotiated. Yes, the economic climate has changed drastically over the last 12-18 months, but MP has been at pains to reassure that a robust business plan is in place. Now either you believe him or you don't, but give or take a month or two, the start-date for this stadium has been set for this month, and its still going ahead as planned. The club have confirmed this, the construction company has confirmed this, so if anyone was getting cold feet about it at this stage, we'd surely have known about it by now.

Now we can either spend the next 2 years saying "any day now they're going to run out of money and down tools", or we can get behind the club, stay positive, and believe them when they say they're going to deliver. They've not let us down yet, have they ?
 


Caveman

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2003
9,926
Think your missing the point, the club would and should shout from the rooftops when the secure the funding and I dont man that nastily.

When they do I promise they will tell you........

There must be singificant funding in place to start work. Even if you were a small business you would have taken some reassurance that the company were sound. So for a large contract stretching into Millions the Buckingham Group would not sign such a contract without some kind of proof. However, I am sure they are still working on the full package.

Lets just enjoy the news aye!
 


BigGully

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2006
7,139
Have you EVER known a bank make a public announcement that it is lending a customer some money?

Or do you have an expectation that the Football Club will make an announcement that gives us all the details? Why would they do that? Apart from anything else, they've said all along that they won't jeopardise anyone's position (including that of any lenders) by breaching commercial confidentiality.

Well large business continually announce that 'funding is in place' irrespective of commercial confidentiality.

If the club will not make such an announcement and just sign the relevant contracts and start the works then great, I am genuinely pleased as it was this funding that I would suspect to be the critical part.

So I will celebrate tonight.
 






Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,507
The land of chocolate
I think its an indication of the clubs optimism and belief, however I cant remember that ever not being there.

But the negotiations have been going on for sometime now and still there doesn't seem a committment from any banks as yet.

I am not too sure whether this contract signing means that funding must be in place as you say.

Otherwise an announcement would be made about the funding ahead of any contract signing.

I am as hopeful as you but obviously just a wee bit more sceptical too.

We've been through a lot to come to this and it is hard to believe it is about to happen so I can perfectly understand your cautiousness after so many years of, well, crap.

Maybe this will increase your confidence. Once work has started, and it really does seem imminent, history tells us that of the 30 odd new stadia built by professional football clubs in England and Wales in recent years every one has been completed. The only caveat is Oxford United, where work was halted midway for two years. But even that ground was completed eventually. If nothing else history gives us every reason for optimism.
 


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