Key things from the meeting.

Mark showed those in the room the drawings/plans for the development which do look very impressive. A developer has signed an agreement to carry out the works and Mark has provided proof that he has secured funding for all the works to the developers and the clubs accountants. Meetings with the council have already taken place and are positive with further meetings this week.

The club is investing some money straight away to renovate the Wings Bar and the Eric Brackstone lounge upstairs. This will enable the club to serve food upstairs as well as providing better facilities downstairs. Mark is meeting with a well known lager brand tomorrow to try and agree a deal going forward. The plan is to get these works done in time for the Charlton game which will be on Saturday 9th July.

The players will be training 2 evenings a week.

A shirt sponsorship deal has been signed for next season.

Discussions with players are well underway with some agreed in principal.

Adult admission price to be reduced to £12 for the coming season.

Mark is happy to have meetings every 3 months with the fans to provide updates and we will be looking to arrange an open meeting with him shortly so that all fans can hear about his plans for the future.

Some very positive stuff!

 

 

 

-- Edited by Polo on Monday 16th of May 2016 11:29:58 PM

Whoops....sorry missed reading down the thread

Many thanks for the info, all looking positive then.

Any indication of programme / phasing?

Just wondering if we will be playing elsewhere in 2017/2018 while they do some of the work?

The belief was that we would not need to move away from PVR when/if the works start taking place. The ground would be developed one side at a time which would still allow us to play there.

 

Timeline on work all depends on the council agreeing in full and planning permission being granted. There was a hope that if everything goes smoothly then planning permission could be granted in 9 months time with work starting at the end of the season but that's the ideal situation, and depending on the situation it could even be years before work starts. It all depends on a lot of factors.

-- Edited by Polo on Tuesday 17th of May 2016 10:49:27 AM

Baz at the Bar wrote:

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Polo wrote:

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The Lager brand was to supply the bar.

Playing side he said he had a lot of the players in mind or in place already but he was waiting for the final budget to be signed off. No mention of figures.

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I just hope they remember to get at least one real ale in as well as that nasty lager stuff!!!!

 

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Also, a plea for real ale in the exec lounge. If a real ale pump is technically not feasible, please could there be a small cask of ale on the bar as there are quite a number of  ale drinkers in the Eric Brackstone suite?

 

Danson Mark wrote:

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Thanks for the update Dean. 

Is there a plan for a minor relocation of the pitch to allow a structure to be built in front of the ground at the road end? There is very little room for encroaching into the park without Swampy and his mates nesting in the trees.

Did you also see plans of the area surrounding the ground such as his intentions for the cricket club on one side and the shops on the other? Presumably, a reasonable car park is to be included in the new development. 

What is he planning to do about Erith and Belvedere? Will he be looking at them to make a contribution or will they sit on their hands and watch a modernised stadium be built for them?

Was there any mention of how the transition will work with regards to ownership? I assume he does not yet majority shareholder.

If the bars are being renovated, that suggests the end of the relationship with Pure. is that correct?

Without going into numbers, did he suggest how the playing budget would compare to last season? I know he expects the team to be competing for a high placing.

Any mention of pre-season friendlies (such as the annual curtain raiser versus the Addicks)?

Were minutes taken for distribution?

Thanks again.

 

 

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 Polo above mentions that game is on the 9th July

Yes, the pitch would move up into the park to allow the building of flats which would help to fund the development.

Yes the plans included the cricket club which will have a new pavilion built as part of the works. It also included additional flats on the cricket ground side and additional hockey/football pitches and tennis courts to be built also. A car park is planned as part of the development.

Regarding E&B, he didn't go into specifics of the deal but said he would be looking to sit down with them and try to take things forward.

Yes I believe the deal with Pure will be coming to an end with the bar now coming back under control of the club.

Regarding playing budget, he said that with the current revenue streams there is a budget in place for the season but he is looking at additional ways of getting money into the club, i.e new schemes around the bar, sponsorship etc and this could help increase the budget if they were to come off. But he believes that between him and Damien Matthews that they have enough contacts and experience at this level to put a competitive team together. He did stress that it was a long term project so he wouldn't be "Doing an Ebbsfleet" and throwing money at a budget that the club doesn't have.

They mentioned the pre-season friendly versus Charlton on the 9th and I believe someone posted yesterday about games against VCD and Thamesmead

Minutes were not taken (That i'm aware of!) as it was a meeting for shareholders and lenders and not generally an open meeting. But as supporters had questions about the development and plans going forward, I asked if I could post some updates on the forum which was agreed.

-- Edited by Polo on Tuesday 17th of May 2016 02:32:35 PM

Polo wrote:

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Yes, the pitch would move up into the park to allow the building of flats which would help to fund the development.

Yes the plans included the cricket club which will have a new pavilion built as part of the works. It also included additional flats on the cricket ground side and additional hockey/football pitches and tennis courts to be built also. A car park is planned as part of the development.

Regarding E&B, he didn't go into specifics of the deal but said he would be looking to sit down with them and try to take things forward.

Yes I believe the deal with Pure will be coming to an end with the bar now coming back under control of the club.

Regarding playing budget, he said that with the current revenue streams there is a budget in place for the season but he is looking at additional ways of getting money into the club, i.e new schemes around the bar, sponsorship etc and this could help increase the budget if they were to come off. But he believes that between him and Damien Matthews that they have enough contacts and experience at this level to put a competitive team together. He did stress that it was a long term project so he wouldn't be "Doing an Ebbsfleet" and throwing money at a budget that the club doesn't have.

They mentioned the pre-season friendly versus Charlton on the 9th and I believe someone posted yesterday about games against VCD and Thamesmead

Minutes were not taken (That i'm aware of!) as it was a meeting for shareholders and lenders and not generally an open meeting. But as supporters had questions about the development and plans going forward, I asked if I could post some updates on the forum which was agreed.

-- Edited by Polo on Tuesday 17th of May 2016 02:32:35 PM

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 Thank you. Apologies for asking about Charlton when you'd already stated it. The reason I asked about minutes was for a lender who was invited but unable to attend (I should have made that clear).

If the Planning permission could take 9 months the detailed design, contract tendering and mobilisation could take another 9, which certainly means a very long term project. But that is the way to approach these developments. I'm just concerned about the trees at the Park end, plenty of time for Tree Preservation Orders to be applied, or for someone to discover some protected wildlife there. Lopping off big branches may be a solution, but they need to be cut back enough to ensure plenty of light onto the grass pitch - unless it's going to be plastic of course!

Wow that was some meeting so thank you for all the information. It sounds like a hell of a lot of thought n planning has gone into this which is great as obviously the ground needs serious redevelopment. Regarding E&B then yes they should be making a significant contribution to whatever redevelopment there is. They make a good few quid on our matchdays from thier bar,probably more than they do on thier own matches so why should they just sit back and reap all the benefits. It's also good to here that MG is open for more meetings to let the fans know what's happening so all in all some very positive things that will thopefully begin to take shape.

GaryH wrote:

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Wingman1963 wrote:

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Am I the only one who thinks it's outragious that MG came in making these outlandish promises. Last season was the best, and the only one with a manager who didn't pick the team at his order. All other seasons have been as shambles. Damian Mathews is mentioned above, how many coaches ago was he?

Just re-read the post and some of the stuff from MG are the stuff of .....dare I say it: a double glazing salesperson.

This season he has to achieve, not hide behind excuses.

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 This post was originally from 2016. A lot changes in that time including managers, players, coaches etc. (that's football) but there were never any hard promises from MG - just plans, maybe even wishful thinking as I bet he never realised how hard Bexley Council are to deal with. Even at the time it was all down to the council and I remember at that very meeting he said it could take several years to get planning even approved, and that doesn't include the usual hold ups and re-submissions. The more recent meeting included updated plans but again is in the council's hands.

I for one don't think MG is outrageous at all. He has pumped a lot of his own money in and will have to again this year unless we get some decent cup runs and TV coverage. Your post sounds like someone who has a personal issue with MG?

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Yes, i was looking for information about the ground development and this post came up. Sure, the council have their timeframes, but there are lots of regulations around planning, response times and permissible plans. So the promises, or "wishful thinking" were half-baked?

And as for it just "being football" that (rough estimate) 200 players and 25 backroom changes in three seasons is "just football" - compare to the local clubs and it's nothing like it. So to answer your point: no it's not "just football" - it's very unusual.

Nothing against Goldberg, comes across as a  nice guy. But where is the club going, if there are no additional revenue streams, the ground can't be developed, he has put his own dwindling (?) money in, best manager in years leaves..... just saying: this season will be an acid test. It's not a new project. 

You said: "He has pumped a lot of his own money in and will have to again this year unless we get some decent cup runs "

So how does that square with the what he said: "He did stress that it was a long term project so he wouldn't be "Doing an Ebbsfleet" and throwing money at a budget that the club doesn't have." .....but he has done so, every single season, leading to budget cuts, staff layoffs (Hugo!) and near relegation in the first year.

 Personally looking forward to the new season. If we get 9 points from 15 that would be amazing.

 

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Thursday 18th of July 2019 01:35:45 AM

Sounds like it will look awful and not look right for Welling as a location. Just look at the state of Lewisham these days - I don't want that for Welling even if it means we get a shiny new ground

-- Edited by J on Friday 19th of July 2019 05:21:42 AM

There is no new ground, there never was going to be one, there won't be one.

A) Welling have no money and play in Step 6
B) No official paperwork was ever submitted to the council ....it's just as said about "wishful thinking" (stuff of double glazing salesman)
C) Where would this new ground go in the borough? Where is the land, and who is buying it

So.....

"With the budget, if MG is happy to top it up but not get the club in debt"
- The club is constantly in debt and often scrabbles to pay bills.

" hopefully a decent cup run could help"
- that would be ace, but might be better sticking £5000 on a horse at the bookies? [seriously, that's not a joke]

"Long term PVR is unfit for modern times as other clubs can generate income daily and increase budgets"
- It's pretty much on the high street! granted it's old, but it meets all the league requirements and the one above (almost).

"but Bexley Council have never backed the club"
- Perhaps they don't want to invest into a Ltd company owned by one/two men? They do provide the ground....not bad.

"We are still waiting feedback from the council on a feasibility report on new plans."
- The council has not been contacted [again no joke, call the planning dept yourself, and you'll hear for yourself!!!]

MG promised not to overspend <---- that's what happened
MG mooted getting a new ground/development <--- that's what won't happen

 

Wake up!

 

Ps: FWIW - The current league position, the ground, the type of players.....I like it all, but don't like being sold a promise like a drunk guy promising to take you fishing in the morning. Just saying, smell the coffee before there is another whip round needed from the fans.

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Friday 19th of July 2019 12:36:21 PM

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Friday 19th of July 2019 12:37:50 PM

Wingman1963 wrote:

---

There is no new ground, there never was going to be one, there won't be one.

A) Welling have no money and play in Step 6
B) No official paperwork was ever submitted to the council ....it's just as said about "wishful thinking" (stuff of double glazing salesman)
C) Where would this new ground go in the borough? Where is the land, and who is buying it

So.....

"With the budget, if MG is happy to top it up but not get the club in debt"
- The club is constantly in debt and often scrabbles to pay bills.

" hopefully a decent cup run could help"
- that would be ace, but might be better sticking £5000 on a horse at the bookies? [seriously, that's not a joke]

"Long term PVR is unfit for modern times as other clubs can generate income daily and increase budgets"
- It's pretty much on the high street! granted it's old, but it meets all the league requirements and the one above (almost).

"but Bexley Council have never backed the club"
- Perhaps they don't want to invest into a Ltd company owned by one/two men? They do provide the ground....not bad.

"We are still waiting feedback from the council on a feasibility report on new plans."
- The council has not been contacted [again no joke, call the planning dept yourself, and you'll hear for yourself!!!]

MG promised not to overspend <---- that's what happened
MG mooted getting a new ground/development <--- that's what won't happen

 

Wake up!

 

Ps: FWIW - The current league position, the ground, the type of players.....I like it all, but don't like being sold a promise like a drunk guy promising to take you fishing in the morning. Just saying, smell the coffee before there is another whip round needed from the fans.

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Friday 19th of July 2019 12:36:21 PM

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Friday 19th of July 2019 12:37:50 PM

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 Bexley Council are involved. This is not a single storey side extension on a 3 bedroom semi. You don't just fill out a form on the Planning Portal and wait 8 weeks. You would be surprised if you knew much has gone on behind the scenes over the last year.

Squarevanman wrote:

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Of course the Bexley Council planning department know nothing. Plans and discussions that Mark would be involved in would be at Director and Chief Executive Level not with junior clerks. 

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I have no axe to grind at all in this but is that ironic? I would be surprised if plans for a football club would be at Chief Exec level. The average London Borough Chief Exec has rather bigger issues to deal with, at least in my experience. But others may know better.

 

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  You would be surprised if you knew much has gone on behind the scenes over the last year.

---

 

Nothing has gone on. And nothing is going to go on.....as someone said above it's "wishful thinking".

MG is spinning a yarn, some have swallowed the sinker right up to the spool. As for the 200 players, 25+ coaches along the way.... "that's football" apparently.

So last we heard, the Cricket people had pulled out and wouldn't support any redevelopment and the council had flately rejected the idea for apartments along the road. 

Tell you what: I'll put in a Freedom of Information request with the Council, and make a call to the CEO's office (to keep Squarevanman happy).

 

Let's not live on hearsay and false promises..........it's now three / four years in. The proverbial drunk man has promised to take us fishing, and has certainly got a few folk on the hook alright!

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Friday 19th of July 2019 09:40:15 PM

TheGhostOfJodyBrown wrote:

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Why would MG even mention the development if it was all bollocks? A few of us have seen plans and there have been meetings etc people have attended at the cricket club etc.

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True,  Chairman, Owner, Manager.......property developer? The idea is real, yes, few basic drawings exist, let's say sketches.....beyond that....... "wishful thinking" said one poster above. 

Freedom of Information request might reveal what's what.............see what's on the hook of that fishing rod that's been dangled about.

 

 

 

 

-- Edited by Wingman1963 on Saturday 20th of July 2019 01:43:33 AM

That's a really odd comment...I know quite a few CEO's who are actually brilliant businessmen

Whether or not you believe that Mr Goldberg is actively seeking to, in his eyes, take the Club forward by locating a new premises for the Club, you cannot accuse him of complete inactivity. I can say with a degree of confidence that negotiations have taken place with the principals of some of the options which were on the table. Maybe they have not bourn fruit but his is not totally the Clubs fault. Others more in the know than me may be able to explain, why, in three or so years since the project was mooted, limited progress has been made. The Chairman of WUSA has urged supporters to engage with local councillors when any project reaches their level. He sits on the Board, and I have no doubt he believes that plans are going forward. Whether any of this will succeed is anyones guess, there is a school of thought that says modernisation within the current confines would be better than relocation, but this would cost money which clearly dont have. While matters such as this seem always to be clouded in secrecy, I would urge that regular updates would dispel some of the doubts and if the opportunity for fans to get involved with the Council comes along, the opportunity should be taken.