Where is our beloved leader?

[archie]

Anyone heard from Mr Hampson lately? It's strange that with things crumbling around the club's ears he seems to have nothing to say, and leaves it all up to Jim Pantsdown. Perhaps he's working feverishly behind the scenes to get things sorted?

Young Boddy is equally silent these days. Has he had word from Hallmark to "keep his gob shut"?

[prestonwcfc]

Both were certainly at the Harriers friendly

[Deleted]

As Archie says "Anyone heard from Mr Hampson lately"
It does appear that Hallmark only uses one of the puppets at a time. Ironically I didnt have Panter down as a lapdog, I thought from discussions I had with him that he was an independent thinker who cold argue strongly against some of the events, I even voted for him at the pig-circus AGM. However, my thoughts were changed when he made interesting telephone calls to friends of mine regarding an action. It was obvious he was making the calls on behalf of A N Other! Very disappointing.
I had to laugh at the statement where he says "The detail of the recommendations indicates that the principle of developing housing on the site is acceptable;"
Errr yes Mr Panter, we already know this, we've known this for the last 10 years at least, in fact ever since the first Local Plan was adopted.
What is most disappointing is the comments in the conclusion of the highways report

tiny.cc/tuNUw

Just read through section 8 of this document and ask yourself whether this project is being managed by people who understand the process or not??

[archie]

It states in section 8:

"My understanding is that the Applicants/Agents are unwilling to go through "fine detail" discussions. This reveals the mind-set of a bully. They don't expect to deal with details - just "do what I say".

Panter also says in his statement: "this latest recommendation from Worcester City Council only refers to the plans as submitted." Are they supposed to react to plans NOT submitted? Why, with all the time and suggestions from the council, were doomed plans submitted in the first place?

[wakefield]

Having read the report, and with substantial experience of such technical matters, it is without any question ,what so ever ,of demonstrable immense incompetence.

I consider this 'application' should be required undergraduate reading of how NOT to submit a planning application.

[archie]

Of course, the idea of consulting a supporter with such in-depth knowledge of the subject when drawing the thing up wouldn't have crossed their minds. Mind you having heard how other supporter experts in various fields (like BDS) have been treated when they've approached the club to offer help, it's probably better that they never contacted you Wakefield.

[wakefield]

well to be fair, with all the 300 or so remaining fan base I wouldn't expect the call to help to be made.

[Deleted]

I guess its what is bound to happen if you let people without the requisite expertise loose on this kind of project. The whole "Project" has bumbled along with very little business experience involved, I mean, the Project Leader is only a Solicitor, not a businessman. He might be very good in adversarial circles, but as far as negotiation is concerned? I don't think so.
This was borne out by the silly comment made by Boddy to me at the shareholder meeting at SGL when he said "Do you know what its like to be involved in multi-million pound negotiations?" Well actually yes, I do, I have to hit those kind of quotas every year!! and there are many other supporters who both juggle multi-million budgets and need to make sales of multi-millions, its life!!
I guess its summed up by the fact that it is Careys who are the purchasers of SGL. They're still virginal in the house building business, getting into it on the bandwagon of the late nineties. I think they've only done 10 other developments so far, with none of them further North than Bedfordshire. Careys core business is demolition and civil engineering!!

But, Wakey is spot on, despite having access to a hell of a lot of in-depth knowledge in the supporter base, they've chosen the arrogant route and ignored us all. Are those other jokers Alan Williams and Alan Stevenson still part of the "team" ? Stevenson the Burnley goalkeeper amused shareholders by saying nothing all meeting, and Williams amused us every time he opened his mouth "There won't be money in the bank, but there will be no debt " and "The two planning applications are joined, they cannot be held separately" Oh how we laughed.

[wh]

its clear from reading this document that the highways aspects of these plans are at best very optimistic. They have undercut almost all of the recognised minimum standard dimensions in an effort to shoehorn more punters in (98 dwellings).

Wasn't the original target for something like 113 dwellings!

Who drew these plans up? and on who's orders.
It scares me to think that wcfc's whole brave new world has been built on advise and guidance from what appears to be part timers and enthusiastic amateurs. Every piece of cad software I have ever worked on has a basic dimensioning facility so there is no excuse for not knowing that such things as road widths and parking spaces are not up to industry minimum sizes. Unless they draw the plans up on etcha-scetch?

Perhaps that is why the puppeteer can only operate one person at a time, the other hand is twiddling his etcha-scetch knobs It must be a right bugger to then photo copy the screen to produce paper copy? unless of course he has a EAD (sic) software package with print functionality.

Lets forget the supposed kick backs for certain people upon completion, there are a hell of a lot of people who have been paid very handsomely for their input to date. Remember that £250k project fund the bank put in place.. well I bet that's all gone now

Wasn't the cost £20k for the set of wembley esq sketches which were produced years ago, how many more of these pointless sideshows have been commissioned in the name of "the project".

[harley]

Aug 9, 2009 8:46:23 GMT wh said:

Every piece of cad software I have ever worked on has a basic dimensioning facility so there is no excuse for not knowing that such things as road widths and parking spaces are not up to industry minimum sizes.

That's true, and the specialist packages for civil engineering and highway design will have the legal minimum requirements built in for auto generating road widths, parking spaces and visibility splays

[wh]

This type of stunt wont have made any friends in the local authorities. These revelations along with Panter(mimes) "its all a sideshow" comments will not have gone unnoticed with the professionals with whom these clowns are hoping to deal with.

I know I would be deeply offended had anyone tried to pull such an obvious stunt as this and expected it to go unnoticed or without comment.

The whole thing stinks and is extremely arrogant on the part of wcfc. They must surely now be being played for all they are worth by the developers.

I bet if the best brains in the country tried to come up with a sure fire way to sabotage a plan then it wouldnt have been far different to what has taken place.

its almost as if it was never intended to succeed, it was meant to wasn't it?

[si1268]

I may be missing something but it seemed obvious to me that this would happen as soon and land values started dropping. Why would Careys want to pay 7 million for a piece of land probably worth about 4 million now. The contract was subject to planning permission. What would you do?

[greenman]

Aug 9, 2009 13:19:49 GMT si1268 said:

I may be missing something but it seemed obvious to me that this would happen as soon and land values started dropping. Why would Careys want to pay 7 million for a piece of land probably worth about 4 million now. The contract was subject to planning permission. What would you do?

£4m, thats optimistic. Remember Careys hold all the aces having submitted the planning application prior to the Council adopting the Social Housing agenda. Any new planning application by another developer would have to include Social Housing therefore reducing the value substantially.

The eventual sale price will be as little as a developer can get away with and probably just sufficient to satisfy creditors.

Remember these are skilled business men pursuing the purchase of SGL and have no interest in WCFC whatsoever.

[DazaB]

The whole thing is a complete joke, and I haven't got worked up about it once in the last year. It's comical and should be laughed at.
I've given up worrying about football results in the last 2 years, and I've given up with worrying about it off the pitch too. In my life, Worcester City is becoming an amusing sideshow.

[archie]

I'm afraid I agree Daza. The whole fiasco has now taken on the feel of our own personal soap opera. A few villains; a few idiots and a plot line that is both predictable and totally unreal.

[harley]

^^^
So which director wants to step out of the shower and find this has all been a bad dream?

[Deleted]

Careys have always held the aces, given them a deal subject to them getting their own planning permission was like giving them their very own get out of jail free card! If they feel the price is too rich, as it is now, then all they've got to do is NOT get planning permission.
Maybe the deal should have been sale subject to Nunnery Way planning permission, if the two applications are so joined, then Careys would have had to have made sure they got planning permission regardless - and if they didnt, then they'd still have to buy at £7.6 million.
I agree its comical, but the idea of people taking the piss out of the football club I've supported for many many years hurts, and the fact that there are people benefiting financially from this makes me angry.

Nice to see Carley picking up on the fact that another Director has resigned!!

[niels]

Answer to the original question of 'where is our beloved leader?' is Malvern tip, earlier this afternoon.

[Deleted]

I hope he wasnt filling the waste paper skip with lots of shredded documents

[Tony is not to despondent now.]

Perhaps he is hiding his head in shame!!

He is only leader in name.

The real leader is in Samsome Place, his box at sixways, or the Middle East.

[wh]

To be fair to hampo I have always found him to be very pleasant, helpful and willing to muck in and have a go. He has also put his hand deep into in his pocket to bail the club out in recent month I understand.

Im not saying he is a saint or that he is the right man for the job but I do like to speak as I find.

Dont get me started on the rest of them though ( Lord Layland of Diglis excluded he's a sound fellow ).

[si1268]

He should be off soon anyway as he was only in position to oversee the move from SGL to Nunnery Way, or was that all of them? Can't quite remember.

[greenman]

Aug 11, 2009 22:45:28 GMT wh said:

To be fair to hampo I have always found him to be very pleasant, helpful and willing to muck in and have a go. He has also put his hand deep into in his pocket to bail the club out in recent month I understand.

Im not saying he is a saint or that he is the right man for the job but I do like to speak as I find.

Dont get me started on the rest of them though ( Lord Layland of Diglis excluded he's a sound fellow ).

Depends if the deep pocket expected to be refilled once the 'project' completes. Every reason then to be generous.

Unlike if you have a commitment to the success of wcfc then the deep pocket provides a no strings gift.

But as has been said before what happened to the monthly progress meetings, the era of openness, the board to deliver the plan, just more eyewash for the naive believers.

As Mr Hallmark stated at a public meeting 'we are only here until NW completes'. So let no one believe that we were not warned.

[jimbo]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear........... was it you who coined the phrase "same old same old"
Please do not accuse me of Naivety, but surely it's time for some of you to get behind the club to try to get us out of this mess or walk away & forget about it.
If there is any real proof that there are fraudulent dealings going on why doesn't someone refer the matter to the relevant authorities ?
Oh & by the way, I know as well as you do greenman that some if not all of the SAG group would be welcomed back with open arms to the boardroom.
It is always easier to make a difference from the inside & perhaps an opportunity to make amends for the past

[Tony is not to despondent now.]

Had a letter from him today asking me to buy more shares.

[archie]

".... some if not all of the SAG group would be welcomed back with open arms to the boardroom."

Why on earth would any of the SAG group, or anyone else for that matter, want to get involved with this board of directors?

One day those "still of the mindset to support the club by going to as many matches as they can" might realise that they're delaying the death of the old lady - not preventing it. The longer she's allowed to linger the greater the debts and the bigger the financial mess left for any future generations to clear up. This is indeed the end of a great club. I hope there may come a time when Boddy and Hallmark apologise to the City for destroying its football club.

But I doubt it.

When the final rites are read I hope some of you think back to the warnings that the likes of Jem, BDS, TJ, Wayne and co. have made and question why you've supported these incompetent/corrupt people.

"Please do not accuse me of Naivety, but surely it's time for some of you to get behind the club to try to get us out of this mess or walk away & forget about it."

J'accuse. So Goodbye.

Archie Lord Ealing

[Wesley2scoopsBerry]

those people who say they will continue supporting the club by going to matches don't understand. Why have we got such a poor side, its becuase the money they are paying isnt going towards the playing budget. Its going to consultants working on the ground move. Break even is less than 500 people so wheres the money going?
If the directors really want people to go to football games they would increase the playing budget to get a good team but they need the money to pay for these consultants.

[rushwickdon]

Deja vu for me, all this....... we were being fed the "support your club" bit by the owners when Wimbledon FC was being right royally shafted. I remember when Hammam (ex-WFC chairman) got involved with Cardiff City, we told anyone that would listen that it was bound to end in tears. We were roundly ridiculed....and guess what? Your club is being led into oblivion by men who only care about the bottom line- what is in it for them. Unfortunately, the side is doing poorly on the field right now, which mean that less and less people care passionately about the team/politics....the supporters club seems redundant, the supporters trust cares deeply but seems to be forever shouted down/branded as 'troublemakers'. Somehow the two supporters groups have to find some common ground, start speaking as one voice and get into a position whereby they can really put this shameful board (minus one individual) under pressure.

Rant over