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Pompey Takeover Saga

Fitzhugh Fella

By Fitzhugh Fella,
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rallyboy

rallyboy

Posted
Posted

I think the historic protection made reference to open air leisure or something similar, but the councillors seem to have a policy to take it beyond the wording and to protect at all costs both the football club, and their own votes.....but not in that order.

 

Robinson has been shrewd enough to put a big protective arm around the club and to to march them through all security imposed to protect Fatpipes and seems to have nearly landlocked the stadium and freed it up for future development.

A bit like the guy who kindly takes the arm of your Gran and assists her all the way to the cashpoint.

 

Luckily Robinson is their mate and has their best interests at heart, and the Trust board is oozing with commercial experience so they would see a trap if it was forming.

So that's all good.

They'll be fine. :scared:

 

 

Robinson and the Trust are equal partners in this, similar to the way in which hostage-takers form a bond with their captives.

And we all know how that relationship tends to end.

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fanimal

fanimal

Posted
Posted

Robbo bought the land Unconditionally from the receivers, i.e. he owns it outright. He now has a STP deal with Tesco, the application should get approved as PCC want the site to be redeveloped and this is their best bet, despite the area policy asking for a development that includes/is complementary to the football ground, or a least the use of that site for sporting/leisure purposes. What has differed from before is the servicing arrangements for the store, Robbo didn't do a deal with the owners of the B&Q estate opposite, as they have retained a ransom strip off the eastern stub of the roundabout (bottom left corner of the plan). The car park to the north of the stadium is nothing more than a sop to policy. The skates will get nothing directly from this deal; it will only arrive indirectly from Robbo if he makes any/enough profit from his deal with Tesco and he wants to pour money down the fat filled drains.

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TopGun

TopGun

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Posted
It's not a covenant, it's a policy, for the benefit of PFC. I don't recall any reference to protecting retailers. I have it somewhere on my laptop. It's part of the Portsmouth Plan.

 

Here is reference to the covenant but I can't find it on the planning site at PCC.

 

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/pompey-plan-fratton-park-improvements-1-5849543

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johnnyboy

johnnyboy

Posted
Posted

A blog by the Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC

 

I am delighted to be writing the first of what I hope will be a regular monthly blog for you after the terrific win against Wimbledon at the weekend. Certainly it has lifted everyone’s spirits in and around Fratton Park.

 

It’s been nine months since the club exited administration and in that time I can assure you all that Portsmouth Football Club has become all-consuming to me; it’s not a job, it’s a passion. Only a fortnight ago it was a very different feeling to how I feel after Saturday’s result. When the equalising goal went in at Exeter I genuinely felt as though I was going to be sick. For hours after I replayed the game in my head, over and over again, but whatever way you replay it the ball still went in the back of the damn net. I couldn’t sleep and spent all day Sunday with my mind preoccupied with the previous day’s result. My feeling is not unique. Board members, players and staff, and of course you the supporters, go through exactly the same emotions. Unfortunately it’s not the first time I (we!) have suffered like this during the season.

 

 

As low as I feel after a defeat or late goal, as chief exec it’s vital that I lead the way in trying to pick everyone else up. On Monday morning if I am downbeat, grumpy, negative, then how can I expect everyone else to pick themselves up and prepare for the coming weeks fixture? I keep reading how many games we have lost in the last five years, how we have a ‘losing mentality’ running through the club as a result of successive relegations, and how the ‘unrealistic expectations ‘of fans are adding to this. I can assure you that this is not the case. Yes, I hurt like everyone else after a defeat or late goal, but that ‘pain’ should make us even more determined to succeed in the future. Board members, players, staff and supporters, need to realise that we are all in this together. United we stand, divided we fall!

 

I have been speaking with Colin Farmery (who handles the club’s PR among other things) for some time now about how we can improve communication with fans. I think it’s important to remember we already do quite a fair amount in that regard. We update the official website just with news stories at least three times a day, we have an official Twitter feed (and some of our directors and players Tweet in a personal capacity as well) and we regularly update our Facebook status. We have a regular slot on the Express FM Football Hours and club officials players and the manager attend various supporter club meetings. Johnny Moore, the club’s Supporter Liaison Officer keeps our various fan groups involved and manages day-to-day contact with supporters. Club managers speak regularly to The News and in turn this ends up online. However, we are always looking at ways to improve, so we want to try this regular monthly ‘blog’ from me which will be particularly targeting our online communities, such as message boards and forums. That’s why we are trialling using club fan websites to publish this blog on a rota basis, starting with pompeyonline.com. Trying to get the balance right between too much and too little information is a fine call – we don’t always get it right, but we do have the desire to continually improve and make it better.

 

In the near future we are going to be publishing a comprehensive fan survey. It is in the final stages of preparation and will give you a chance to voice opinions across a broad spectrum of topics associated with YOUR club. I completed a test run this week and my only advice will be to make sure that you are sitting comfortably and have a drink at the ready to keep you going as it really is an in-depth questionnaire. It is important you commit the time however, as the only way that we can improve is by having a better knowledge of what fans are thinking.

 

An event which generated some correspondence in my inbox was the shifting of the Chesterfield match on March 1 from the Saturday to the Monday night. A number of fans contacted us complaining they had been left out of pocket by this decision. Clearly the club being on live TV earns us a fee and also allows many more fans than otherwise might to see the game, however I am delighted to say I took the decision on behalf of the club to refund in full all fans who sent us validated claims. This was a gesture of goodwill and in future fans should note that matches home and away can be shifted to accommodate television as little as three weeks beforehand.

 

The planning application has finally been submitted for the new Tesco stadium development and we need supporters to get behind this. To clarify, as it is a question which comes up from time-to-time, the club does not currently own the land behind the Fratton End or behind the North Stand, and has not done so for several years now. All we own is the stadium. This deal is good for the club because the developer and club President Stuart Robinson will give us land to the north of the stadium and also a strip behind the Fratton End as well as a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council to be used only for improvements to Fratton Park. The land we acquire means we are confident it gives the club the scope to increase the capacity and commercial opportunities for us in the future. No concrete decisions have been made yet in regards what we are going to do with this money, but we feel this is a great opportunity to find other sources of finance so we can start what we hope will be a comprehensive redevelopment of areas of the stadium. Too often in the past the club has over-promised and under-delivered on its stadium intentions and we do not want to fall in that trap. If we are to achieve the stadium we want and need to progress, we will have to do some significant additional fundraising, but the conversations around how that could happen are already underway and we will be consulting further with fans once we have various options to consider.

 

The club is also working extremely hard to secure a permanent training ground. Talks are at an advanced stage and we hope to be able to announce something concrete to supporters within the next couple of weeks. I have to say that everyone at the club, and the various bodies that we are talking to, have been hugely supportive in trying to make this deal happen. For me, this is currently the club’s top priority after naturally securing our league status.

 

Lastly, I think it’s important to know just how important YOUR role is in us climbing back up the league pyramid. Whilst results on the pitch have not been as good as we would have hoped for, through your loyalty and commitment YOU have given us the financial flexibility to make a real difference, both on and off the pitch. There are not many clubs and grounds that I have not been to, and by a mile Pompey fans are the best out there. Fans are always welcome to make their feelings known and I am always willing to see fans one-to-one if they so wish. After all, it is the fans who are the football club!

 

Football is not an exact science, and for all the hard work everyone is putting in behind the scenes, ultimately we will be judged on how well we do on the pitch. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s a results based business.

We have a vital game coming up against Accrington Stanley on February 25 and I hope to see you there for that one and we will also have a fantastic ticket deal on offer for the Cheltenham game on Saturday March 8. More details will be revealed soon.

 

Play up Pompey!

 

Mark Catlin

 

Mark Catlin is Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC. The views expressed in Mark My Words are his and his alone. The blo

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Fowllyd

Fowllyd

Posted
Posted (edited)
A blog by the Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC

 

I am delighted to be writing the first of what I hope will be a regular monthly blog for you after the terrific win against Wimbledon at the weekend.

 

Does this mean he reckons that they'll win once a month then? Bit optimistic if you ask me...

 

Oh, and I see that Colin Famery has picked up another of the jobs for the boys. You really couldn't make it up.

Edited by Fowllyd
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rallyboy

rallyboy

Posted
Posted

a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council

 

So Robinson is giving some money to the planning authority....for pompey to use in the future.

 

A question for the Nutjob planning experts - is it standard practice for a developer to give money to the council to look after for a business?

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Chopper71

Chopper71

Posted
Posted
A blog by the Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC

 

I have been speaking with Colin Farmery (who handles the club’s PR among other things) for some time now about how we can improve communication with fans. I think it’s important to remember we already do quite a fair amount in that regard. We update the official website just with news stories at least three times a day, we have an official Twitter feed (and some of our directors and players Tweet in a personal capacity as well) and we regularly update our Facebook status. We have a regular slot on the Express FM Football Hours and club officials players and the manager attend various supporter club meetings. Johnny Moore, the club’s Supporter Liaison Officer keeps our various fan groups involved and manages day-to-day contact with supporters. Club managers speak regularly to The News and in turn this ends up online. However, we are always looking at ways to improve, so we want to try this regular monthly ‘blog’ from me which will be particularly targeting our online communities, such as message boards and forums. That’s why we are trialling using club fan websites to publish this blog on a rota basis, starting with pompeyonline.com. Trying to get the balance right between too much and too little information is a fine call – we don’t always get it right, but we do have the desire to continually improve and make it better.

 

Is Micah out of work again then?

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OldNick

OldNick

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Posted

the blog does not show they have any monetary worries at all. Seems that they are all systems go and their fans are still the best.....oh and by the game being live on tcv it will mean a lot more would be able to see the game, i did not realise the game was sold out and tickets were like gold dust

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

Posted
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There is a survey out soon for pompey fans:

 

To explain, a draft survey was circulated last week to the Fans Conference and Supporters' Clubs to test it. Some people didn't read the bloody instructions and circulated it wider, so there was a rogue link doing the rounds. At the moment I am putting place a mechanism to ensure as far as possible only Pompey fans can complete the survey. Once that's sorted it will be published.

 

Anyone going to look to circumvent that mechanism and cause some mischief?

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Waterside.saint

Waterside.saint

Posted
Posted
the blog does not show they have any monetary worries at all. Seems that they are all systems go and their fans are still the best.....oh and by the game being live on tcv it will mean a lot more would be able to see the game, i did not realise the game was sold out and tickets were like gold dust

 

Well, now they've got a win under their belts they'll be unstoppable, they're climbing the league and their bitter jealous South Coast rivals will be forced to watch with envy their irresistible progress as they consistently pack their park with the keenest most dedicated supporters in all the land*

 

*Trans: the fishy phew will continue to prattle emptily to anyone who will listen about what a great setup they have whilst hoping like f*ck that they don't get found out before the money runs out

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Wurzel

Wurzel

Posted
Posted
a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council

 

So Robinson is giving some money to the planning authority....for pompey to use in the future.

 

A question for the Nutjob planning experts - is it standard practice for a developer to give money to the council to look after for a business?

 

Just sounds like a curious way of saying that the developer has given an undertaking to provide funds under a section 106 agreement. Standard practice.

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CB Saint

CB Saint

Posted
Posted
A blog by the Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC

The club is also working extremely hard to secure a permanent training ground. Talks are at an advanced stage and we hope to be able to announce something concrete to supporters within the next couple of weeks. I have to say that everyone at the club, and the various bodies that we are talking to, have been hugely supportive in trying to make this deal happen. For me, this is currently the club’s top priority after naturally securing our league status.

 

 

Mark Catlin

 

Mark Catlin is Chief Executive of Portsmouth FC. The views expressed in Mark My Words are his and his alone. The blo

 

They are going to start training in the B & Q car park.

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Chez

Chez

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Posted
Just sounds like a curious way of saying that the developer has given an undertaking to provide funds under a section 106 agreement. Standard practice.

 

can you explain that for the hard of understanding?

 

"This deal is good for the club because the developer and club President Stuart Robinson will give us land to the north of the stadium and also a strip behind the Fratton End as well as a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council to be used only for improvements to Fratton Park."

 

Are PCC ring-fencing the cash or actually giving the cash injection? I thought I'd better check, because if he bothered with some actual punctuation in this sentence, that would change the meaning dramatically.

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Minty

Minty

Posted
Posted
can you explain that for the hard of understanding?

 

"This deal is good for the club because the developer and club President Stuart Robinson will give us land to the north of the stadium and also a strip behind the Fratton End as well as a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council to be used only for improvements to Fratton Park."

 

Are PCC ring-fencing the cash or actually giving the cash injection? I thought I'd better check, because if he bothered with some actual punctuation in this sentence, that would change the meaning dramatically.

 

What Catlin means is that PCC would ring-fence the cash from Robinson, to be used for improvements to Fratton Park. Whether that proves to be the case or not, only PCC could confirm.

 

Section 106 agreements are basically ways that planning can go ahead where it might not otherwise do so, through a number of mechanisms, one of which being money being paid to the local authority. What they then do with it does not need to be specified as far as I am aware so presumably PCC have told PFC that they will ringfence it, but I wonder what guarantees there are.

 

More info about s106's here: http://www.pas.gov.uk/3-community-infrastructure-levy-cil/-/journal_content/56/332612/4090701/ARTICLE

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aintforever

aintforever

Posted
Posted
can you explain that for the hard of understanding?

 

"This deal is good for the club because the developer and club President Stuart Robinson will give us land to the north of the stadium and also a strip behind the Fratton End as well as a substantial cash injection that is totally ring-fenced by Portsmouth City Council to be used only for improvements to Fratton Park."

 

Are PCC ring-fencing the cash or actually giving the cash injection? I thought I'd better check, because if he bothered with some actual punctuation in this sentence, that would change the meaning dramatically.

 

Surely it's not in PFC's interest to have the cash ring-fenced? If they have cash-flow problems next season and are facing going bust again what is the point in having a seven figure sum they cannot touch except for ground improvements?

 

And if they do go bust who gets the ring-fenced cash?

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sidthesquid

sidthesquid

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Posted
Surely it's not in PFC's interest to have the cash ring-fenced? If they have cash-flow problems next season and are facing going bust again what is the point in having a seven figure sum they cannot touch except for ground improvements?

 

And if they do go bust who gets the ring-fenced cash?

 

Presumably it reverts to their friendly property-developing 'benefactor.'

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Minty

Minty

Posted
Posted

If it is a s106 payment then it is not PFC's to spend, it goes to the local authority. I'm not 100% certain that it would be a s106 payment yet though... we only have Catlin's words to interpret and I don't think there is any recommendation from the planning process yet.

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SimonRichards

SimonRichards

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Posted

Prices slashed for March 8 fixture

 

The support we have had so far this season has been fantastic"

Mark Catlin

 

Pompey are aiming to Pack the Park again for the fixture against Cheltenham on Saturday, March 8.

 

The club have put together an attractive ticket package for the League Two fixture – including a ‘Kids for a Quid’ promotion.

 

Adults, seniors (60+) and young persons (17-22) can purchase a seat for just £10, with juniors (under 17) paying £5. A child under 10 (accompanied by an adult) can buy a ticket for only £1.

 

Read more at http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/pack-the-park-against-cheltenham-1374339.aspx#GR2i7AAKpVIcoyx5.99

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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Lets hope that Cheltenham recognise their visit to fatpipes for what it is, an opportunity to boost their goal difference against #l2strugglingportsmouth. I envisage 0-5 to the visiting cup finalists :D

 

Unfortunately no chance, they will be far too overawed playing in front of the bestest braying crowd in world history!

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Chez

Chez

Posted
Posted
What Catlin means is that PCC would ring-fence the cash from Robinson, to be used for improvements to Fratton Park. Whether that proves to be the case or not, only PCC could confirm.

 

Section 106 agreements are basically ways that planning can go ahead where it might not otherwise do so, through a number of mechanisms, one of which being money being paid to the local authority. What they then do with it does not need to be specified as far as I am aware so presumably PCC have told PFC that they will ringfence it, but I wonder what guarantees there are.

 

More info about s106's here: http://www.pas.gov.uk/3-community-infrastructure-levy-cil/-/journal_content/56/332612/4090701/ARTICLE

 

Section 106 sounds like a bribe from a property developer to a council to ensure a development goes ahead. With struggling for cash councils everywhere that sounds like an open invitation.

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Chez

Chez

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Posted
Surely it's not in PFC's interest to have the cash ring-fenced? If they have cash-flow problems next season and are facing going bust again what is the point in having a seven figure sum they cannot touch except for ground improvements?

 

And if they do go bust who gets the ring-fenced cash?

 

Seven figure?

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SuperMikey

SuperMikey

Posted
Posted
Prices slashed for March 8 fixture

 

The support we have had so far this season has been fantastic"

Mark Catlin

 

Pompey are aiming to Pack the Park again for the fixture against Cheltenham on Saturday, March 8.

 

The club have put together an attractive ticket package for the League Two fixture – including a ‘Kids for a Quid’ promotion.

 

Adults, seniors (60+) and young persons (17-22) can purchase a seat for just £10, with juniors (under 17) paying £5. A child under 10 (accompanied by an adult) can buy a ticket for only £1.

 

Read more at http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/pack-the-park-against-cheltenham-1374339.aspx#GR2i7AAKpVIcoyx5.99

 

Where are they going to put all the extra fans tempted in by this scintillating offer? I thought all the seats in the Fatpipes Arena were taken by Season Ticket holders?

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B Rabbit

B Rabbit

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Posted
Section 106 sounds like a bribe from a property developer to a council to ensure a development goes ahead. With struggling for cash councils everywhere that sounds like an open invitation.

 

Essentially it is.

 

councils usually seek off site contributions... The 106 might ask for highways improvements as a result of a development.

 

if you live near Portswood... The new Sainsburys that went up recently, there's a kiddies park and slide down the side of this giant store which looks so out of place... Quite clearly part of the 106 agreement...'provide amenity space for community'

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hutch

hutch

Posted
Posted

So just 6 months after the season started, and they've nearly sorted out a training pitch. My goodness this "fan ownership" malarkey really is going to give world football the shake-up it needs. I'm sure if we went three quarters of the season without a training pitch we'd be trumpetting it all over the media as well.They'll be lucky to hang on to Caitlin, what with the FIFA President position up for grabs next year.

 

Unless it's just an excuse to put a subliminal message out there that the Tesco application desperately needs some positive comments to balance the unexpected level of objection. I suppose the clue would be in the timing.

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Waterside.saint

Waterside.saint

Posted
Posted

Meanwhile in other news 'RICHIE BARKER warned his Pompey troops they are playing for their futures over the campaign’s finale.'

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/barker-warns-players-over-futures-1-5891911

Apparently they still have a third of their games still to go, and their "challenge is to deliver two league (*league two, that is :D) wins on the bounce for the first time"

Who'd 'a thunk it? The bestest struggling to win two games on the spin against L2 opposition, even with one of the most expensive squads in the division :mcinnes:

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rallyboy

rallyboy

Posted
Posted

Presumably Man Utd or Chelsea will come in for villain Jed and give them about £8M in development fees, that will give Richie a promotion warchest.

Add in the £10M from Robinson, increased full price season ticket sales plus the next couple of parachute payments, and they can build the new stadium during the summer, just in time to welcome England back after our dominant World Cup victory.

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