| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? 12:48 - Feb 9 with 2597 views | bamford_dale |
I'm sure many of you will have seen news of an attempt by some Darlington fans to look into making a fans' bid to take over their club.
Darlington Supports United - http://www.darlosupportersunited.com/ - are looking at raising £250k to take over the club and run it as a co-op. That's a long way off though and at this stage they are just investigating the possibility of fan ownership.
My question is, would Dale fans and the Dale Supporters Trust be willing to make a contribution if they go down the fan ownership route?
I know we are a small club and whilst the Supporters Trust has some money, it clearly isn't mega-bucks, but a small contribution would be symbolic and could lead to more supporters groups doing the same.
My personal view is that Darlington has been messed about by a series of megalomaniac owners who have brought a historic club to its knees. There is now a chance that the fans could take over the club if they could raise the cash and that as fellow football fans, with many of us concerned about club ownership in the game, we ought to stand with the Darlington fans and offer our support.
I for one want to see the money that has been raised by our Trust go on progressing our club. However, given that we don't look likely to be needing the majority of our cash any time soon, would it not be a fantastic gesture to show some solidarity with other loyal fans by making a small contribution to their efforts at saving their club?
The Darlo fans' efforts might not come to anything and therefore our offer of cash would not be needed, but if there is a chance that they could save their club and we can help in some small in that, I think we should.
My idea would be to offer £500 or £1000.
Discuss.
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:04 - Feb 9 with 2563 views | Brierls |
"I for one want to see the money that has been raised by our Trust go on progressing our club"
That's where it stops for me, there is no 'however'. Money raised by/for the Dale Trust is for the benefit of Dale, not other clubs or other groups of fans, regardless of their financial situation.
Those who feel strongly enough about it will donate directly to Darlo Supporters United. |  | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:09 - Feb 9 with 2543 views | judd |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:04 - Feb 9 by Brierls |
"I for one want to see the money that has been raised by our Trust go on progressing our club"
That's where it stops for me, there is no 'however'. Money raised by/for the Dale Trust is for the benefit of Dale, not other clubs or other groups of fans, regardless of their financial situation.
Those who feel strongly enough about it will donate directly to Darlo Supporters United. |
Get stuffed, Alvin.
Give it all to Darlington. At least it would stop the trust from fleecing the fans and lining their pockets. |  |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:23 - Feb 9 with 2521 views | DorsetDale |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:04 - Feb 9 by Brierls |
"I for one want to see the money that has been raised by our Trust go on progressing our club"
That's where it stops for me, there is no 'however'. Money raised by/for the Dale Trust is for the benefit of Dale, not other clubs or other groups of fans, regardless of their financial situation.
Those who feel strongly enough about it will donate directly to Darlo Supporters United. |
That club is one fookin big albatross and no way will a fans group/organisation or whatever they wish to call themselves be able to wear it round the ever tightening hold on their necks.
Time to face reality and start from scratch.
In absolutely NO circumstance should trust related cash be moving north.
Even individuals would be bloody stupid pushing money in that direction. |  |
| YOU do not have the right to give someone else permission to tell me what I can and can't do. |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:34 - Feb 9 with 2505 views | bamford_dale |
Interesting responses so far. I just remember giving Lincoln fans a couple of quid when I was about 13-14 at an away game when they were really struggling (when aren't they!) and that sort of solidarity stays with me.
I agree that Darlo has been run terribly but I don't think the fans are to blame for that.
Anyone who turns up week in week out to watch their club, particularly at Darlo's level, shares something with me - a passion and committment to their local team.
Any club going to the wall when there is an alternative that could save the club, refound it on a sustainable footing and ensure that it is run in the interest of the fans and the community would be a tragedy.
I think I'll be making a contribution as an individual but it'll be relatively small.
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:48 - Feb 9 with 2474 views | D_Alien |
I agree with the sentiments, but:
If they've got 5000 fans willing to donate £50 (cost of a concert ticket) they've got their £250k
If they haven't got that many willing to do that, why should we bother? [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:07 - Feb 9 with 2444 views | fermin |
I understand the anti-view, but personally I would be in favour of a small gesture (not sure of the amount as it would depend on the state of the Trust finances) in solidarity with the fans of a club similar to our own in many ways, apart from the financial mismanagement.
As far as I can tell their idea is to collect pledges which would be put in an escrow account and not collected until they had a viable business plan to run on a breakeven basis, so it would not be putting money into a black hole.
I am always conscious of the fact that we ourselves are to a certain extent reliant on the directors' generosity in these uncertain times, so it is not a bad idea to generate goodwill in case we ever need it in the future. For instance, I think we would struggle to get 5,000 fans to pledge £50 each if we were in extremis. Some could no doubt afford to put in more to counterbalance those who could afford very little, but even so. |  | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:30 - Feb 9 with 2420 views | DorsetDale |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:07 - Feb 9 by fermin |
I understand the anti-view, but personally I would be in favour of a small gesture (not sure of the amount as it would depend on the state of the Trust finances) in solidarity with the fans of a club similar to our own in many ways, apart from the financial mismanagement.
As far as I can tell their idea is to collect pledges which would be put in an escrow account and not collected until they had a viable business plan to run on a breakeven basis, so it would not be putting money into a black hole.
I am always conscious of the fact that we ourselves are to a certain extent reliant on the directors' generosity in these uncertain times, so it is not a bad idea to generate goodwill in case we ever need it in the future. For instance, I think we would struggle to get 5,000 fans to pledge £50 each if we were in extremis. Some could no doubt afford to put in more to counterbalance those who could afford very little, but even so. |
I haven't read the link above so don't know what the goal is. All I know is that the good ship Darlo is likely to go on sailing the high seas with failing engines untill once again it limps into port looking to borrow a few tools and buy parts on credit so that it can succesfully float towards the hole that is the equivalent of The Bermuda Triangle.
Why bother.
Shut up shop now. Reform, and start enjoying the game again!! | |
| YOU do not have the right to give someone else permission to tell me what I can and can't do. |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:31 - Feb 9 with 2416 views | DaleAwaydayBot |
If they are that deperate they get the money they need just like Plymouth Argyle if not they fold then next one will be Portsmouth then Port Vale who are also in trouble |  |
| After 3457 forum posts, 11 news comments & 1 match report....The Rochdale Information Robot were Born!!! |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 15:07 - Feb 9 with 2385 views | Brierls |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:07 - Feb 9 by fermin |
I understand the anti-view, but personally I would be in favour of a small gesture (not sure of the amount as it would depend on the state of the Trust finances) in solidarity with the fans of a club similar to our own in many ways, apart from the financial mismanagement.
As far as I can tell their idea is to collect pledges which would be put in an escrow account and not collected until they had a viable business plan to run on a breakeven basis, so it would not be putting money into a black hole.
I am always conscious of the fact that we ourselves are to a certain extent reliant on the directors' generosity in these uncertain times, so it is not a bad idea to generate goodwill in case we ever need it in the future. For instance, I think we would struggle to get 5,000 fans to pledge £50 each if we were in extremis. Some could no doubt afford to put in more to counterbalance those who could afford very little, but even so. |
But where do the small gestures stop? Give £1000 to Darlo now, £1000 to Plymouth next month, £1000 to Port Vale the month after? Etc.
It's a dangerous precedent. | | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 17:34 - Feb 9 with 2328 views | gizmo |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 15:07 - Feb 9 by Brierls |
But where do the small gestures stop? Give £1000 to Darlo now, £1000 to Plymouth next month, £1000 to Port Vale the month after? Etc.
It's a dangerous precedent. |
agree 100% with brierls here.
whilst you have to sympathise with their predicament, in these times im afraid if you do it for one, then others will follow.
no. |  |
| Don't miss the donut by looking through the hole. |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 23:04 - Feb 9 with 2225 views | SFD |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 17:34 - Feb 9 by gizmo |
agree 100% with brierls here.
whilst you have to sympathise with their predicament, in these times im afraid if you do it for one, then others will follow.
no. |
Agreed under no circumstances would I contribute, particularly to Darlington who have been in this predicament 4 times I believe.
As Dorset rightly says let them go to the wall and start again.
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 23:27 - Feb 9 with 2216 views | DorkingDale |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 14:30 - Feb 9 by DorsetDale |
I haven't read the link above so don't know what the goal is. All I know is that the good ship Darlo is likely to go on sailing the high seas with failing engines untill once again it limps into port looking to borrow a few tools and buy parts on credit so that it can succesfully float towards the hole that is the equivalent of The Bermuda Triangle.
Why bother.
Shut up shop now. Reform, and start enjoying the game again!! |
Sadly yes. They need to get that bloody stadium off their backs & start again. They are a solid club with good support just like us. Thankfully we didn't have a Reynolds. | | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 03:14 - Feb 10 with 2185 views | dribdrab |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 23:27 - Feb 9 by DorkingDale |
Sadly yes. They need to get that bloody stadium off their backs & start again. They are a solid club with good support just like us. Thankfully we didn't have a Reynolds. |
Unfortunately Darlington will never be a credible club again.
Years worth of unscrupulous arseholes and a dire future.
I fear for the current generation of Darlo fans fans who think that their 50k/250k will have saved the club.
It won't and can't.
We at Dale understand that you have to budget to lose at least £500k . Poor old Darlo fans think the odd 50k here and there can rescue them.
It can't. And they need to realise that every time they have one of these massive fundraising objectives (about once per week), they are merely scratching the surface.
The only thing that can rescue Darlo now is a rich Chair who doesn't give a shit about losing a few quid! | | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 05:50 - Feb 10 with 2177 views | ColDale |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 03:14 - Feb 10 by dribdrab |
Unfortunately Darlington will never be a credible club again.
Years worth of unscrupulous arseholes and a dire future.
I fear for the current generation of Darlo fans fans who think that their 50k/250k will have saved the club.
It won't and can't.
We at Dale understand that you have to budget to lose at least £500k . Poor old Darlo fans think the odd 50k here and there can rescue them.
It can't. And they need to realise that every time they have one of these massive fundraising objectives (about once per week), they are merely scratching the surface.
The only thing that can rescue Darlo now is a rich Chair who doesn't give a shit about losing a few quid! |
rich Chairmen has been their downfall. They need to start again from scratch and work on a budget that sees them pay out less than they take in, and if that means for now their natural level is Northern Premier League, then so be it. Long term, they will make it back to the FL, but they've not been professional off the field for many, many years. I wouldn't contribute a penny unless there was any suggestion that things would be different next time round. At the moment, there isn't. |  | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 08:18 - Feb 10 with 2153 views | G_Dale |
Instead of putting whatever money can be raised into darlington, their fans should put the money into a new formed team. This way the money will actually go towards new players/facilities/ground /what ever they need, instead of being lost instantly by paying off part of a debt. | |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 08:26 - Feb 10 with 2151 views | G_Dale |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 13:34 - Feb 9 by bamford_dale |
Interesting responses so far. I just remember giving Lincoln fans a couple of quid when I was about 13-14 at an away game when they were really struggling (when aren't they!) and that sort of solidarity stays with me.
I agree that Darlo has been run terribly but I don't think the fans are to blame for that.
Anyone who turns up week in week out to watch their club, particularly at Darlo's level, shares something with me - a passion and committment to their local team.
Any club going to the wall when there is an alternative that could save the club, refound it on a sustainable footing and ensure that it is run in the interest of the fans and the community would be a tragedy.
I think I'll be making a contribution as an individual but it'll be relatively small.
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Just read on their site that contributions should be £100-£20,000....
It appears they don't want "relatively small" contributions. Bit daft really, if people wanted to donate smaller amounts that all mount up, they aren't interested | |
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| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 10:13 - Feb 10 with 2125 views | gwnobull |
get a immigrant chairman who's in danger if he went back home and he would probaly get the money in goverment handouts................
just an idea  |  | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 12:24 - Feb 10 with 2084 views | mizfit |
its ok saying give our trust money to darlo but us fans have donated what we can over the years to help the club when we struggle ourselves financially.
maybe premiership footballers who earn a week as much as darlington are in debt are the ones who should think about making these friendly gestures | | | |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 12:26 - Feb 10 with 2076 views | D_Alien |
| Show Support for Darlington Fans' Bid? on 12:24 - Feb 10 by mizfit |
its ok saying give our trust money to darlo but us fans have donated what we can over the years to help the club when we struggle ourselves financially.
maybe premiership footballers who earn a week as much as darlington are in debt are the ones who should think about making these friendly gestures |
Or maybe 'Arry could donate from his income-tax evas... oops, valid bonus fund?
As a gesture of goodwill to Darlington-based England fans? | |
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