Brahma Bull wrote:OxVox will be growing it's membership in the coming 12 months. It is a key objective moving forward.
FWIW, it's worth repeating that OxVox's relationship with Lenagan had probably been the best relationship the Trust has ever had with any owner. Vitally, it questioned the club on a bi-daily basis about ideas, issues and concerns of fans. Some got stick for our perceived closeness but we regularly helped with decision making and even decisions made, were changed after speaking to the Trust. Homophobia, Ticket Prices where we were consulted regularly and some of the proposals taken on - others weren't and we made our feelings known etc.
We now have a different relationship. We have new people who need to understand the committee and its personalities and vice-versa. We are getting to know Daryl, Mark and their team. It's a work in progress. They work differently to Lenagan and that may be a good thing.
The club will not die if we are relegated. I get frustrated with the very suggestion. It's the easy answer, the easy and lazy way out to rid us of our baggage. OxVox will push on the stadium front this year, there is real conversations to be had, once the club board have evaluated the position for themselves, and for solutions to be found. I believe that the stadium can be resolved if people are willing to put the time and energy into it.
GY's point about the financial situation is very relevant. No one will take on a £10m debt - even though the Fans Forum addressed those questions. I think everyone knows that.
As to the league situation, signing 21+ players (most on loans, others who were signed on longer deals and been bombed off) - playing nearly 40 of them, it is no wonder we are where we are. Daryl Eales has funded that in the main and in my view he has been let down badly. The club now need to be strong and make their decisions and stick by them. I hope we see some strong leadership from the owner as we all need it.
As usual, I like most of what you say BB. However, your confidence in the survival of the club in a second spell in the Conference is well over-egged.
We all know from experience of ourselves and other clubs, that getting up from the Conference is incredibly difficult, costly and time consuming.
How long would any owner, let alone someone with no real connection to the club, be prepared to gift, and yes I mean gift, £2-3m per season to OUFC, for however long it takes to get out of the Conference, with £10m debt already in play? I don't think even a generous Mr Eales would be prepared to do that. He might have a lot of money, but it isn't a bottomless pit, and at the end of the day, he is ultimately a businessman. What makes it worse is that I have very little faith in Appleton to keep OUFC from the clutches of the Conference harpies. If we survive, it will be despite Appleton, not because of him.
