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Thank You 19:44 - Nov 27 with 12425 views

Following on from Robbie Stockdale's interview after the Exeter City match (where he references the fact we have defeated multiple takeover attempts, and next weekend's FA Cup tie is an opportunity to reflect & celebrate where we are as a club), it feels like the right time to draw a line under the ongoing saga, thank a few people and reset ahead of 2022 and beyond.

To Andrew Kelly - thank you for making the right (but difficult) decision not to sell out to Morton House. We know that decision has come at great expense (financial, health and physical) but without your decision on that fateful Sunday, who knows where we would be now? Thank you.

To Col - we know you won't enjoy being singled out for a name check, but without your 'Open letter to AK' thread and the countless hours you have spent spearheading the campaign to save Dale (including having to have actual conversations with the likes of Andy Curran and Matt Southall), as well as your fantastic leadership of the Trust, we firmly believe we may still not have the club in safe hands today. Thank you.

To Cloughie (& the executors of the will), your legacy will live long in the folklore of the football club. The estate you left enabled the Trust to become the single biggest shareholder in the club, and on behalf of the fan base they will continue to work in the best interests of Dale. Thank you.

To Simon Gauge, and the new Board of Directors, thank you for stepping up to take over the reigns of a sinking ship, steadying it and setting it back on the right course. We wouldn't want to have to deal with the stuff you have (including threats and intimidation from certain parties, the rotting remains of a previous dictatorship, and a club that was being run into the ground) since taking over - rest assured you have the backing of the fanbase and we look forward to seeing the club flourish under your leadership. Special mention too to Graham Morris, Trevor Butterworth & John Smallwood who set the wheels in motion for you to take over the club. It would be amiss at this point to not mention the late, great David Kilpatrick. Alongside Mr Morris, one of the original ‘Overcoat Men’ — a role model of what custodianship of Dale looks like, and a true example for Simon Gauge et al to follow. Thank you.

To RochdaleAFC.com thank you for providing a platform for the brilliant work referenced elsewhere in this post. Despite repeated legal threats from various parties, you moderated the discussion diligently to ensure that all relevant information was, and still is, able to be viewed by any member of the public who is interested to know what has gone on, and just how close we came. Thank you.

To our shareholders — thank you to our original shareholders for fighting the proposals of the previous board to allow them carte blanche to sell the club to the highest bidder without (by their own admission) due diligence, and for supporting our new board in their determination to hold a new share issue, safeguarding the future of the club. & to our new shareholders — welcome to the club… your support (both financial and moral) means that our club is now owned by more than 500 individual fans, and means it will be substantially more difficult for any future people to try and gain a majority shareholding in Dale. Thank you.

To RAFCBLUE (plus Judd and all the others on here and across the internet) who spent hours and hours digging up information on anybody who was showing an interest in getting their hands on Dale - the information you provided has helped prevent a disaster - just as importantly, you've demonstrated to any future wannabes just what lengths Dale fans will go to in order to protect this club. Thank you.

To Fitzochris, a real fan of the club and fantastic journalist — thank you for continuing to report on matters of importance to Dale fans, for holding individuals within the club to account, and for your honesty and integrity with matters related to the previous board. Thank you.

To The Trust (board, members and supporters), under Col's leadership you have role modelled what a supporters' trust can do... we bought our 'This Is My Club' scarves today and wore them with pride. Thank you.

To Alexander Jarvis - thank you for essentially not being a great broker of football club sales. Without your intervention, it would've been a lot easier for Morton House / Matt Southall to take over this club. For the absolute comedy of errors - thank you.

To Tony Lloyd MP, Nancy Frostick and Matt Slater of the Athletic, Ian King of Football 365, the Price of Football podcast, and various other publications thank you for continuing to spread the word of our plight over the Summer. Thank you for giving a balanced view to the wider football family, and for helping to keep the spotlight on the aggressors of the hostile takeover who, before this Summer, were suspiciously absent from any online footprint. Thank you.

It would be wrong at this point to not highlight the challenges we faced from biased and inaccurate reporting, disappointingly in the main from the BBC, which could’ve done real damage to our attempts to protect the club, as well as reputational and financial damage to the club on a longer term basis. As much as we will forever remember the amazing work done by countless people, we will also not forget the lack of support from publications and politicians who sadly did not match their public values and commitments with actions and support. We won’t call them out here, but they know who they are and they can expect to be challenged in future when they claim to care about sports, and the lower leagues, in the North West.

To supporters up and down the land, but particularly Southend United, Charlton Athletic, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town trusts who gave immeasurable amounts of support to our campaign, alongside information and contacts, without which we would’ve struggled to gain the traction that we did on social media and in the press. We are aware of the ongoing situation at Oldham, too, and will continue to support them however we can. If this Summer taught us one thing, it would be that when the chips are down the wider football family will come together to support one of our own.

& to the countless fans who supported in whatever way they could - be it expertise to the new board, expertise to the Up The Dale Not For Sale campaign, sharing social media content, contributing to share issues, driving around the NW finding existing shareholders, spreading the word at Dale games, chanting 'Up The Dale Not For Sale' at matches - anything at all over the past 7 or 8 months... Thank You

The problem with a post like this is that we always run the risk of missing key people out... obviously that is not our intention and we'll say again, to anybody who helped keep the wolves from the door - thank you.

Clearly Morton House are not going away forever - with a rumoured £1.2 million investment they will want to get that back. A c.23% share in Rochdale AFC is never going to be worth that, so there could always be an undercurrent of wondering what they will do to get that money back. The positive is that, following the brilliant recent share issue, their influence in Dale is severely diluted, and any attempt to get to 50+1% would be nigh on impossible. As a fanbase, we will continue to remain vigilant to safeguard our football club as a fan owned, sustainable community asset both now and in the future.

Now we have an opportunity to move forward with OUR club - a new, professional and committed board, young exciting manager, youthful and talented squad, and a fan base more united than at any other time in recent memory. Stockdale said next Sunday should be a celebration, and we agree.

Up The Dale - Not For Sale

[Post edited 29 Nov 2021 7:59]

Twitter : @DaleNotForSale Facebook : facebook.com/upthedalenotforsale

Thank You on 20:39 - Nov 27 with 8001 views

EllDale

Absolutely brilliant post.

Thank You on 21:24 - Nov 27 with 7897 views

TheDaleWayx

Great post ðŸ™‚ðŸ‘ðŸ¼

Thank You on 21:49 - Nov 27 with 7822 views

frequency

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Hate city

Thank You on 21:55 - Nov 27 with 7797 views

mikehunt

Amen

The worm of time turns not for the cuckoo of circumstance.

Thank You on 22:19 - Nov 27 with 7718 views

pioneer

And to the shareholders whose votes allowed all this to happen. Without them none of this would have happened.

Thank You on 22:33 - Nov 27 with 7672 views

Marjorie_Plane

oh my.... I'm getting all emotional

Thank You on 23:20 - Nov 27 with 7565 views

RAFCBLUE

Great post.

By rough count, the OP covers well over 150 different people. It goes to show what can be done if you all put your mind to it.

DFK is missing - he helped and had shares which did not fall. Sadly now gone, but never forgotten and immortalised with his name (rightly) on one of the stands.

Trevor Butterworth will get an sizeable honorable mention for the AGM night if a book is ever written.

I don't think any of us should rest on our laurels or, more importantly, ever will.

We have all seen Rochdale in our lifetimes finish 8th in League 1. We know what is possible on the field.

Off it, we are in much better hands thanks to an awful lot of good people.

	George Bernard Shaw had it right: "He who can does; he who cannot, teaches." https://www.visittheusa.co.uk/
Poll:	EGM - which way are you voting?

Thank You on 23:30 - Nov 27 with 7544 views

fitzochris

So many people played a part - big and small. They did it not for vanity or self publicity, but for a club they love. That’s the bottom line and that’s why we’re the best fans in the land.

Blog:

Rochdale 2018/19 part three: Getting points on the board

Thank You on 08:16 - Nov 28 with 7330 views

1907

I think a relevant group to include are the shareholders who sat through the now fateful, 5 hour AGM where the poisonous proposals were voted down & Bottom & Rawlinson were unceremoniously thrown out of the club.

What a turning point and awakening that evening turned out to be.

Thank You on 13:36 - Nov 28 with 6982 views

nordenblue

I also think Fitz should be on that list too, there's been many times he's put his head on the block to raise awareness around various things going on at the club and got himself into confrontations he didn't need to,not for any personal gain, but purely for the love of the club.

Well done that man and every single one of you/us that's helped along the way, we've kept it as OUR CLUB.

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 13:37]

Thank You on 14:31 - Nov 28 with 6883 views

1mark1

Also some Journos and publications as well as the local MP, Tony Lloyd who I know got involved with the Trust and Club. Absolutely brilliant opening post.

Poll:

How much is your support for the Royals?

Thank You on 17:20 - Nov 28 with 6626 views

UpTheDaleNotForSale

Brilliant points raised in the replies here. We have added these people in to the thread, and updated a couple of other bits. Its been brought to our attention that a couple of publications have read the original post with interest, and it wouldn't feel right if they were to share it without those people being included too.

Twitter : @DaleNotForSale Facebook : facebook.com/upthedalenotforsale

Thank You on 18:21 - Nov 28 with 6466 views

49thseason

Thank You on 17:20 - Nov 28 by UpTheDaleNotForSale
Brilliant points raised in the replies here. We have added these people in to the thread, and updated a couple of other bits. Its been brought to our attention that a couple of publications have read the original post with interest, and it wouldn't feel right if they were to share it without those people being included too.

Thank You on 18:44 - Nov 28 with 6418 views

kel

Thank You on 18:21 - Nov 28 by 49thseason

Superb post, especially the second part of the first paragraph.

Thank god we are rid of the main two who acted in that exact way.

Thank You on 18:50 - Nov 28 with 6396 views

RAFCBLUE

Thank You on 18:21 - Nov 28 by 49thseason

You make an interesting point around the collective and Exeter were an interesting visitor yesterday given their collective approach to how they are run.

Fan owned (53%) and with I think 5 players in their matchday squad that were classed as Exeter Academy graduates. Great club and a great set of fans who stepped into that club (helped by an FA Cup run)

Players sold in the Summer included Joel Landell to Peterborough and Lewis Ward to Swindon show they are not frightened to sell on their terms and at the same time given good managers a chance.

Since the turn of the millenium they have only had 5 different managers. We have had 12 different ones I think and we considered ourselves a pretty stable club.

There are a lot of similarities; I'm just grateful we have a club to support and however it is here in 2050 it has to be here for future generations to get the same chance we all have.

When we saw what happened down the road at Lower Gigg we scoffed but that did very nearly happen to us.

	George Bernard Shaw had it right: "He who can does; he who cannot, teaches." https://www.visittheusa.co.uk/
Poll:	EGM - which way are you voting?

Thank You on 19:13 - Nov 28 with 6326 views

HullDale

You wonder to what extent the sclerosis in the Boardroom was responsible for the decline of the club over recent years. Its not easy to ask staff to go the extra mile when you are only around on matchdays or when you think the club is some sort of private club to be used and abused for personal gain.

Exactly this. Bad managers can make good employees either leave or turn bad. The malaise experienced by many from staff could (& arguably should) be put down to the contempt with which fans were talked about and treated by those in the upper echelons of the club. My experience at the club recently (ticket office, shop etc) has been really good and, even when things have gone wrong, there has been a real 'how do we make it right?' attitude - a refreshing change.

Kids for a quid at the FA Cup game is a prime example of doing the right thing... we fought to keep the club safe for the benefit of those who may attend for the first time, for a quid, on Sunday. Under the previous regime it would'be been milked for every penny (short term ism, which makes sense seeing as a lot of the previous lot clearly had longer than admitted aspirations to sell it on to anyone for a quick personal profit) and there probably would've been mugs flying around... make your own pun.

The staff still backing the previous regime, still speaking to them, or not disowning them (either publicly or within their employment), need to assess if this is the right place for them to keep drawing a salary. I'm not into witch-hunts or calling for heads, but if they don't want to be on board with the new direction of the club its probably a good time to get off the bus - for everyone's sake.

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 19:27]

Thank You on 19:21 - Nov 28 with 6300 views

kel

Thank You on 19:13 - Nov 28 by HullDale

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 19:27]

Thank you for saying what I and others think in your last paragraph. I was tempted to say something similar but didn’t want it to seem as though I was bringing a positive thread down. You worded it far better than I could have though and it’s in keeping with the thread I think. We already know Steve Eyre has his own little singing bird at the club so some people need to be kept an eye on closely.

Thank You on 19:38 - Nov 28 with 6258 views

HullDale

Thank You on 19:21 - Nov 28 by kel

I'm coming from a neutral standpoint of not underestimating the impact manipulation, psych games (& in some cases threatening behaviour) can have on employees when carried out by a senior at work.

I hope the invite from the club to the .com podcast lads for hospitality on Saturday is a watershed moment - we know the disdain felt towards this site by the previous board, and they used some of the grudges / nastiness / abuse shared by some posters to validate their 'them against us' attitude that has been so prevalent.... I firmly believe nobody that posts on here wants harm for the club, and if the new board are willing to accept the legitimate feedback (ignoring personal vendettas) that arises on here that can only be a good thing.

In a similar vein, I don't believe a single employee at the club heads in to work wanting to do a bad job... there is a responsibility on the new board to support and educate them as to what went on, a collective responsibility to make sure people are on board, and an individual responsibility to take stock of what happened, what is happening, and where their loyalty and trust lies moving forward.

Like I said in my first post here - no witch-hunts etc... working for a company / board you don't like, breaching the confidence of your team / role, and not being bought into your employer's direction of travel isn't nice for the employee, their team, the hierarchy or the business.

Thank You on 19:48 - Nov 28 with 6227 views

TalkingSutty

Correct Kel, the members of staff who still sing the praises of the previous regime and feel some sort of loyalty towards the likes of Bottomley etc should be breathing a sigh of relief and showing some humility. If it wasn’t for the intervention of supporters then they would very soon be looking at losing their jobs because we would no longer have a club.

The very people who they still try to put on a pedestal sold their soul to the devil and jeopardised the jobs of everybody who worked at the club, that’s the reality. I have no doubt he was great with the staff and looked after them, he was using the clubs money and didn’t want anybody within the club rocking the boat. A lot of people fell for his charms, fortunately not everybody did though.

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 19:55]

Thank You on 20:09 - Nov 28 with 6153 views

R17ALE

Thank You on 19:48 - Nov 28 by TalkingSutty

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 19:55]

Quite so TS. Bottomley surrounded himself with loyal disciples, often having either appointed them, given them a pay rise, or promised them something bigger down the line. The master manipulator created a shield of club personnel from where inside this human shield, he had carte blanche to do as he wished.

Why else would BBM suddenly resign (after disgracefully asking to be paid off) so soon after the June 1st EGM? The 2 things are connected and aren't a co-incidence.

Sadly, there are a handful of people connected to the club one way or another who would have blindly followed Bottomley on their hands and knees through broken glass.

Why? For money and reward in my estimation as that's what motivated this crook in everything he did.

These people - or should I say sheeple need to publicly distance themselves from his murky web of deceit. They must come out and apologise for being fooled to the point, they were prepared to put him and themselves above the interests of the club. This is the nub of what was so rotten at the core for so long.

The wrong'uns thought that their shares = ownership of the club and on paper, to a point, they were right.

Bottomley's biggest mistake was that he didn't, nor never will consider, this: A share certificate is just a legal piece of paper. The fans emotionally own the club through their caring and passion.

The excellent OP should edit further by stating:

THE FANS - for caring enough.

Poll:

Who do you think bury should appoint as their next manager?

Thank You on 20:16 - Nov 28 with 6130 views

D_Alien

Thank You on 19:48 - Nov 28 by TalkingSutty

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 19:55]

That's precisely how conmen manipulate people

Is it possible to tell genuine interest/concern from manipulation? I believe so, but it all very much depends on the circumstances of the individual (e.g. how much self-confidence they have, among other things) but experienced shysters can also spot those lacking such things a mile off and use it for their own purposes. [Without going down a whole new rabbit-hole, that's how grooming gangs succeed]

I have to congratulate HullDale on his measured tone in these matters. I personally wouldn't be able to adopt what he's described as a neutral stance. In terms of the individuals who remain within the club that he refers to, it's almost beyond belief they should retain any loyalty to the old regime

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 20:28]

Poll:

What are you planning to do v Newport

Thank You on 20:43 - Nov 28 with 6036 views

TalkingSutty

Thank You on 20:16 - Nov 28 by D_Alien

[Post edited 28 Nov 2021 20:28]

We sometimes forget that not everybody who is employed by the club is invested in it to the extent we are. How many of them are life long Dale fans and how many of them would go home and away and pay for the privilege of watching the team? It’s a job to most of them so i think they struggle to comprehend the feelings and emotions that the supporters do when it comes to their Club. I don’t really have a problem with that but don’t declare your undying love for the Club and insult supporters because they didn’t jump into bed with a bunch of con artists and had the audacity to stand up to them.

Thank You on 20:15 - Nov 29 with 5482 views

RAFCBLUE

A nice mention from Kieran Maguire:

https://mobile.twitter.com/KieranMaguire/status/1465218239219343361

	George Bernard Shaw had it right: "He who can does; he who cannot, teaches." https://www.visittheusa.co.uk/
Poll:	EGM - which way are you voting?

Thank You on 22:13 - Nov 29 with 5379 views

R17ALE

Very interesting to read a thread at the start of all this in April!

Trust calls for EGM by standale 14 Apr 2021 7:31
https://www.daletrust.co.uk/2021/04/trust-calls-for-egm/?fbclid=IwAR1RRup0M0evjmMuHJO8til98T8gR85vUJddUb3XTye-Ochw7rFGVBuGWtQ

Now where's SI-Blue now?

And where is Newbury Dale?

Open questions to David Bottomley or any Director of RAFC. (1) by A_Newby 11 May 2021 13:26
I understand that you may read messages on this forum so perhaps you could answer these questions below.

A basic business rule is that annual income needs to be greater than annual expenditure. If you spend more money than you bring in, then eventually you will go bust Bury style.

In “your” business plan for RAFC you talk about investment from an outside source by selling for £6 a share the remaining unissued and possibly new shares in RAFC.

How did you arrive at the price of £6 a share? This seems overly optimistic for shares in a company that virtually guarantees you zero return on investment. The only people who would be interested in such an investment are ardent RAFC fans with spare cash, and then probably not at that price.

There are currently around 400,000 unissued RAFC shares and the proposal from EGM 2020 is to increase these to 700,000. Using share prices of £2 and £6 a share, this will raise either £800,000 to £1.4m or £2.4m to £4.2m.

This capital raised is then planned to be used to acquire (our own) training facilities, employ a director of football and to improve the playing squad (increase playing budget?).

All these are extra annual expenditures. Where is any increased annual income to offset these going to come from?

Without an increased income, once this capital injection has been spent you will then be left in the situation that you have increased outgoings with no increased income to pay for them.

The only way of then raising the funds needed is looking for another capital investment or by mortgaging the assets, the ground and training facilities (The Bury model).

I understand that the team needs good training facilities, but do we need to actually own these?

By owning the club’s training facilities, are they not another annual expenditure (maintenance, staffing, business rates) or is there something in the plan to raise extra off field income from the club owned training facilities? If so what and how feasible are these?

[Post edited 29 Nov 2021 22:21]

Poll:

Who do you think bury should appoint as their next manager?

Thank You on 10:50 - Dec 2 with 4836 views

HullDale

Thank You on 20:15 - Nov 29 by RAFCBLUE
A nice mention from Kieran Maguire: https://mobile.twitter.com/KieranMaguire/status/1465218239219343361

Nice mention on their pod today too, from around 15:30.

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