Club Finances

[El Presidente]

The idea that a bunch of investors/glory seekers will appear over the horizon if Falmer is approved is nonsense.

If you look at many clubs with new stadiums in the last ten years (Millwall, Leicester, Derby) they all have had significant financial problems or have relied on the benevolence of a sugar daddy (Reading) or both (Darlington) to finance the stadium.

Falmer will cost about £40 million and will never make a profit so will not be an attractive investment for anyone out to make a quick buck. Even if the club can use lottery funding or government grants for half of the cost it still would require a £20 million loan, and the interest cost of that would be about £1.5 million a year.

By the time you add on the cost of players wages, the fact that Falmer is likely to only be half full unless we are top of the league or in the Prem, then again only the committed fan with a few million burning a hole in his back pocket is going to finance it, as they are highly unlikely to see any return on their investment.

 

[Brovion]

The idea that a bunch of investors/glory seekers will appear over the horizon if Falmer is approved is nonsense.

If you look at many clubs with new stadiums in the last ten years (Millwall, Leicester, Derby) they all have had significant financial problems or have relied on the benevolence of a sugar daddy (Reading) or both (Darlington) to finance the stadium.

Falmer will cost about £40 million and will never make a profit so will not be an attractive investment for anyone out to make a quick buck. Even if the club can use lottery funding or government grants for half of the cost it still would require a £20 million loan, and the interest cost of that would be about £1.5 million a year.

By the time you add on the cost of players wages, the fact that Falmer is likely to only be half full unless we are top of the league or in the Prem, then again only the committed fan with a few million burning a hole in his back pocket is going to finance it, as they are highly unlikely to see any return on their investment.

Quite. I don't think Charlie's Shinpad is in the same league as the excerable BensGrandad but he's another who seems to think that people invest in clubs like Brighton in order to see a massive return. He DOES have a point inasmuch as there are still people who aren't quite up with the times looking for a quick football buck, which is even more reason to steer clear of people like that Health Club bloke who only want to put a few million in return for control.

 

[Icy Gull]

El Pres, I think Reading Stadium and hotel are now paying their way. We will never get the hotel but why shouldn't a well run Falmer Stadium do the same? Run properly it does not need to be a black hole for money, as long as someone is willing to fund the building so there are not massive interest payments.

It may mean one man running the show. Are we as fans being sensible in dismissing that option? Yes we had the three barstewards but is there a scenario that you can imagine where one man owns the club?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

With regards to these phantom investors, it is obvious that people are not currently going to chuck huge amounts into the club as we basically have no assets.

I assume DK and the board will approach people once the go ahead is given and look for people to finance any holes they have as per Icy's argument above.

As far as I can remember, Archer was never a majeski or abramovitch, in that he never offered to chuck millions into the ub, only take millions out of the land...the bastard! Whether Brighton fans would baulk at a Argentinian Oil magnate wanting to buy the club and put in millions I dont really know. Certainly it would be attractive following the years of being paupers

 

[bhafc99]

Bens Grandad always seems to have some kind of maverick agenda for reasons known only to himself. His spoutings during the dark years at those fans forums are etched in the memory of all those who were there.

Oh god. (Lightbulb goes on). Is Ben's Grandad Brian Lisher?

 

[Brovion]

Oh god. (Lightbulb goes on). Is Ben's Grandad Brian Lisher?

Yes!

 

[El Presidente]

El Pres, I think Reading Stadium and hotel are now paying their way. We will never get the hotel but why shouldn't a well run Falmer Stadium do the same? Run properly it does not need to be a black hole for money, as long as someone is willing to fund the building so there are not massive interest payments.

It may mean one man running the show. Are we as fans being sensible in dismissing that option? Yes we had the three barstewards but is there a scenario that you can imagine where one man owns the club?

Reading currently break even on the playing side, but it ignores the money put into the stadium by Majedski

 

[bhafc99]

Oh god. (Lightbulb goes on). Is Ben's Grandad Brian Lisher?

Yes!

Oh well! Then this truly is a load of cack. That man last had something 'positive' to say in 1974 (when he was forced to say "I do" at his wedding), and was last seen to smile at a football game (including our recent championship wins, Cardiff win etc) in 1966, when – against all his better instincts – he managed a glimmer of minor transitory pleasure when someone pointed out that we'd beaten the Jerries.

It quickly faded though, to be replaced by the air of permanent anti-everything grumpy shit-stirring contrary-for-the-sake-of-it sour miserable negative moaning that's followed him ever since. His agenda seems to be simple, mind: take the opposite view to everyone else.

I remember being phoned by Paul Scally just before the Goodbye Goldstone taping, where Scally sang the praises of three people: Archer, Bellotti and Lisher. Says it all really.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

He also seems to loath Attila for some reason.

Because he's a pikey?

Because he's an "anarchist poet"?

Because he plays one-dimensional music at Stadia Withdean?

Because of his cringing musical performance at Archers house (circa 1996/7)?

Just a thought...........

 

[The Large One]

Because he's a pikey?

Because he's an "anarchist poet"?

Because he plays one-dimensional music at Stadia Withdean?

Because of his cringing musical performance at Archers house (circa 1996/7)?

Just a thought...........

Bit uncalled for. I have NEVER seen him wear Burberry. He plays MUCH better music at Withdean that you hear at other grounds. He plays MUCH better music than Paul Samrah does. He was superb at Mellor. You ungrateful sod. If it wasn't for Attila (and others), there would not be a club to talk about.

Trace your Albion history back, and you'll find that Atilla started up the Brighton Independent Supporters' Association. There is a direct line between that and North Stand Chat.

BTW, who is Brian Lisher, apart from someone who posts shite on NSC?

 

[Marc]

Brian Lisher - Found This on google, link -> http://www.thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk/brighton__hove/archive/2001/01/03/SPORT50ZM.html



First published on Wednesday 03 January 2001:
Hart of the Matter with Ian Hart
Having simmered for the last couple of months, the Falmer stadium issue has exploded into life.

Like Coronation Street, this one will surely run and run.

Lifelong Albion fan and Falmer resident Tim Cuttress was prepared to go on record on BBC SCR last Saturday and state that the Falmer stadium plan is a dead duck, the university are not interested in working with the Albion and the planned arena will never be built.

Adrian Newnham, a prime mover and shaker in the supporters ranks, thinks the complete opposite and bravely predicts the Albion will be playing at Falmer by August 2003.

Withdean season ticker holder Brian Lisher, 57, readily accepts that he will purchase his first senior citizen Albion season ticket in 2008 with the Albion still playing at their current home!

Three level headed Albion supporters with very differing visions of the future. But who is the footballing Nostradamus and who is talking out of their bobble hat?

I have come in for some criticism about my reporting of the Falmer saga. An anti-Falmer lobbyist said I was Sooty to Martin Perry's Matthew Corbett. It is no secret that my first choice for a stadium site was Beeding cement works. It's probably one of the few things that Barry Lloyd and I ever agreed on. We were obviously not alone because Horsham district council have put it in their local plan as a designated sports stadium.

But apparently for various reasons, the Albion cannot go down that route, so therefore I am prepared to trust Martin Perry and support him in his quest for a new stadium at Falmer.

The problem for Martin is the whole saga has dragged on for so long and there has been so much rumour and misinformation that a number of the rank and file level-headed Albion support, and not just the people who live in Falmer, are beginning to believe that it will never happen.

During their brief but eventful tenure at the club, Knight and Perry have been lucky enough to have individuals pop up at the right time - Reinelt, Adams and Zamora - to carry the club forward. That all-important signature from the university authorities cannot come soon enough.

What price a planning application and promotion all in the same month?

Knocking Manchester United has become a national sport but are they really as bad as everyone says? They have been constantly lambasted for the changing of kits, but closer inspection unfortunately reveals the Albion are not that far behind them.

Including the Admiral kit they wore at Hereford in May 1997, the Albion have now had five home kits within the last four years. When I buy my son the new centenary kit for his sixth birthday in April it will be his fifth different Albion shirt.

Luckily he hasn't cottoned on to away kits yet, counting them since May 1997 would take it up to nine.

I appreciate that a lot of the time circumstances have dictated some of the changes and I certainly don't begrudge putting money in the club's coffers. But five home shirts in four years is almost a theme for an Attila the Stockbroker rant, sorry poem.

As much as it grieves me, it is clearly wrong to slag Manchester United over their kit changing policy when it is apparent that it is part and parcel of football today and in their own way the Albion are every bit as guilty as the fatcats from Old Trafford.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

Bit uncalled for. I have NEVER seen him wear Burberry. He plays MUCH better music at Withdean that you hear at other grounds. He plays MUCH better music than Paul Samrah does. He was superb at Mellor. You ungrateful sod. If it wasn't for Attila (and others), there would not be a club to talk about.

Trace your Albion history back, and you'll find that Atilla started up the Brighton Independent Supporters' Association. There is a direct line between that and North Stand Chat.

I am aware that Atilla was a leading force in the "bad old days" of the 90s in bringing pressure to bear against the club owners, I attended enough meetings at the old Concorde club to know that, I'm not a post Goldstone/Priestfield fan

However I stand my view that the man was an embarassment (sp) in Lancashire that day, playing his stupid whistle like Pied Piper and dresses like a refugee and plays music that is not inclusive, just his own favourites

 

[The Large One]

However I stand my view that the man was an embarassment (sp) in Lancashire that day, playing his stupid whistle like Pied Piper and dresses like a refugee and plays music that is not inclusive, just his own favourites

Oh dear. Upset your delicate sensibilities has he? Diddums. And what does a refugee dress like then?

 

[Man of Harveys]

I reckon until anyone has given up one tenth of the amount of time that the likes of Atillla and Paul Samrah have for the good of this club, you have just about no right to criticise them.

If you don't like the way that they spend their own time volunteering to help the club, then get involved yourself and try to do things differently to them. But just to snipe at them without having done anything yourself is, frankly, pathetic.

 

[glosterseagul]

Absolutely - I seem to remember less than 1000, the lowest ever home league gate in our history v Lincoln on a wet cold November night at the Preistfield, whilst Engalnd were on the tele and we got stuffed. I remember the 606 phone-in on the way home with Richard Littlejohn was all about the England game and then he said something like "there was another game tonight, where the fans have to do a 150mile roundtrip to see their side after one of football's greatest scandels and it was the lowest ever crowd. If you were one of Brighton's fans present, give us a call and tell me why you were there".....Why? Because we had to give DK our support in HOPE of better times to come. And come they did. He stuck with us, we stuck with him so that the Albion would have a future. I saw my season ticket then as a loan and still do to some extent paying well over the odds. In a democracy everone's entitled to their opinion but the tiny minority who continue to whinge just become tiresome and eventually we all stop listening to them. And that's what we should do now.

I'll never take the side of some cheap-shot like BG against the current board. So, as we're keen on telling the lino's at the Withdean re:their flags, you can take yer unfounded accusations
and stick 'em up yer arse. Sideways!

Seagulls!

Great thread started by insider!

 

[BensGrandad]

I would suggest that Insider does his investigations a lot better. The person that I spoke to was not RAY TNKLER. he is nowhere near old enough.

I have always maintained that it is a rumour that I heard and was asking for clarification or indeed if anybody elsre had heard it.

Do you honestly think that the Football League would have answered my query.

AT NO TIME HAVE I EVER SUGGESTED THAT ANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE MISAPPROPRIATED MONEY FROM THE CLUB.

What I have suggested is that the financial situation in the club is a lot worse than we are lead to believe.

 

[Gwylan]

I would suggest that Insider does his investigations a lot better. The person that I spoke to was not RAY TNKLER. he is nowhere near old enough.

I have always maintained that it is a rumour that I heard and was asking for clarification or indeed if anybody elsre had heard it.

Do you honestly think that the Football League would have answered my query.

AT NO TIME HAVE I EVER SUGGESTED THAT ANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE MISAPPROPRIATED MONEY FROM THE CLUB.

What I have suggested is that the financial situation in the club is a lot worse than we are lead to believe.

Why would the FL have remained quiet if they were conducting an investigation into the club finances? I can remember similar investigations into finances at Chesterfield, Swindon, Port Vale, Aldershot and many others - none of them were exactly top secret.

And I don't think many of us on NSC are under any illusions as to the true nature of the club's financial situation.

Exactly why do you feel the need to snipe at Dick Knight and the board? As many peope have pointed out, we owe our present position almost entirely to him - a true Albion hero.

(BTW, I don't know how Ray Tinkler got brought up but comparing him to Prosser is a gross libel. If that goal was "the most blatent(sic) offside goal in the history of football" then Virgo's on Monday was a close contender for the second. Astle was not offside, his team mate was, Tinkler ruled he was not interfering with play. He stopped a cynical Leeds side winning the championship - the man's a hero.)

 

[BensGrandad]

I am a semi retired publican not a journalist so I do nopt think that the FL would have given me an answer as it being a case of need to know but I am sure that there are many journalists who post on here who would have the credentials to get an answer from the FL if one was due.

I am prepared to accept what the club say that this rumour is rubbish with no foundation whatsoever. At least the air has been cleared should anybody else hear a similar rumour.

 

[The Large One]

What I have suggested is that the financial situation in the club is a lot worse than we are lead to believe.

What is the nature of the financial situation that we are led to believe, and what is the situation that you are suggesting the truth may be? And where is the evidence to back this up?

 

[FG aka FOOTBALL GENIUS]

home game this early in season below 6000 attendance hardly the mass interest dick proclaims so why hasnt samrah explained where all th emoney has gone