Administration tomorrow apparently

[Snake]

If you honestly think that the &quotGang of Four&quot were a credible alternative then you are completely deluded.

Ah, the invention of opinion.

Maybe that posting by Mally would have been better phrased by substituting the word “deluded

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

unite on a common strategy regarding a way forward.

Which would be?

[Frank]

we should have had the financial clout to have walked away with this league.

We should, but then again we should not have been it, and most of the blame for that must rest with the person who was in charge when we fell towards it.

it is to the current owners I now look, not an ex-owner.

PHOAS (Pigs Head on a Stick), The Egg Chaser and to some extent Smith, rushed in to buy OUFC to &quotensure league survival&quot. HAHAHAHAHAHA - What a joke - The three of them took us down! Simple.

[Snake]

unite on a common strategy regarding a way forward.

Which would be?

A good question.

[Baboo]

unite on a common strategy regarding a way forward.

Which would be?

A good question.

We all know the objective is to get back to the league .... er no wait a minute perhaps the objective should now be survival in the conference ffs, .... right now how do we achieve that, pay big and buy in experience, that works every time - not, play the youngsters ... just get a manager who knows his way around at this level and give him a budget... but the budget has been spent .... right then its got to be an FA cup run to get the dosh in, let's concentrate on that. What a minute let's just get by this season and focus on the marketing dept to do a proper job for a change .. then we'll have some money to move forward.
B******s I give up.

[GodalmingYellow]

There is far too much arguing amongst ourselves on this thread, given the potentially disastrous consequences of administration. There really is absolutely nothing to be gained by raking over different opinions on the history of where we are.

I'm not yet convinced the story is true about administration mind, but then again I wouldn't be remotely surprised by it either.

I suspect Lenagan has had enough and has risked enough of his money. We're not going to be promoted this season given the disastrous start on the pitch, so why would he wait until the end of the season to lose another £500k||?

Yes it would mean he stands to lose his money once and for all, but in all realism, that is the case anyway so why lose £5m when you can lose £4.5m instead?

He has the benefit now of the maximum cash he will be able to get from the club to minimise his losses.

I'm almost talking myself into believing that the story is true, as I don't see much benefit to Lenagan of the flip side.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

I'm not yet convinced the story is true about administration mind, but then again I wouldn't be remotely surprised by it either.

I'd be pretty surprised if it happens tonight. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it happens fairly soon.

I suspect Lenagan has had enough and has risked enough of his money.

I concur.

[Ascension Ox]

I'm not yet convinced the story is true about administration mind, but then again I wouldn't be remotely surprised by it either.

I'd be pretty surprised if it happens tonight. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it happens fairly soon.

I suspect Lenagan has had enough and has risked enough of his money.

I concur.

I agree with Terry.

I am not wholly sure about administration though. If Lenagan was wanting more bang for his buck he would quietly attempt to sell his stake without the 'protection' of an insolvency procedure. Bringing in the undertakers is hardly a selling point is it?

If I were an investor, howver, it's a different story. I would not be interested in the slightest in unpaid PAYE/VAT/rent that is effectively all to with the past. And administration is therefore a useful tool in these circumstances.

The lack of control by the club over these rumours added to the failure to communicate properly with supporters is simply woeful however. Day by day the remaining goodwill seeps out of the club. I am appalled by the continuing bunker mentality.

[Mally]

Whilst Lenagan must have got to the stage where he doesn't want to risk any more of his money I think putting the club into administration is still very unlikely.

Before taking such a drastic step it's far more likely that he would introduce some major cost cutting measures to at least try and break even. Over and above that I would also expect him to be looking to sell out and recoup at least some of the £4 million. Better to walk away with, say, £1.5 million from a new owner than nothing. It's also better to negotiate with a potential new owner directly rather than leave it to an administrator.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

I agree with Terry.

I am not wholly sure about administration though. If Lenagan was wanting more bang for his buck he would quietly attempt to sell his stake without the 'protection' of an insolvency procedure. Bringing in the undertakers is hardly a selling point is it?

If I were an investor, howver, it's a different story. I would not be interested in the slightest in unpaid PAYE/VAT/rent that is effectively all to with the past. And administration is therefore a useful tool in these circumstances.

The lack of control by the club over these rumours added to the failure to communicate properly with supporters is simply woeful however. Day by day the remaining goodwill seeps out of the club. I am appalled by the continuing bunker mentality.

It's entirely possible that, onthe quiet, he's been trying to offload the club already - either partially (by bringing in a partner) or entirely. But potential investors look at the deal on offer, with the debts and the stadium situation, and say there's no way. And if tbis were the situation it might go some way to explaining the bunker mentality - they're in a hole and they can't get out of it.

[YF Dan]

Here's the avenue I'd explore.

Oxford has two rich cash cows, as far as I can tell. BMW and the University.

Let's write off BMW as the likelihood of them investing now is non-existent.

The University by contrast isn't. I know they've never really done anything for us in the past (Dr Ceri excepted), but what we can offer them now is considerable.

We have a ground to use for their varsity matches. We can offer a conference centre with nearby hotels. The mythical fourth stand could easily be designed to accomodate a sport/science/centre of excellence type building. There's room in the four corners to build additional accommodation for students - I doubt they'd be able to build halls anywhere else in Oxford for less. We could also provide a scheme where the pick of the University players get to train with/possibly play for us, and hell - let students into matches for a fiver too.

It would also forge closer links between town and gown.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

They are, however, not stupid about money.

[YF Dan]

Is 13m stupid for a stadium they could call their own, with room to build four halls of residence, an empty space in which to build a sport science/centre of excellence, and excellent PR with the good people of Oxford?

[Swissbloke]

Don't forget the Council, can't we get them to buy it in exchange for some other land for Fizza?

Silly idea it may seem but.........They've promised to build a new ice rink somewhere in Oxford..planning allowing....Looking at the size, under the 4th stand would fit. They need a site as part of the westgate area development.

Would we fill the Town hall to convice them these days though.....

[x586]

My University bought an entire site from British Gas a few years ago, leaving them with access rights for the remaining people employed there, along with a restrictive coventant on student access to the site (undergrads are not allowed on-site, neither is teaching - yet). If I were the University, I think I'd probably be reluctant to purchase a stadium without rights to the land which surrounds it - therefore, I'd guess that any interest from the University would have to be in acquiring the whole site..... obviously, with some indication of how likely they would be to get planning permission for further building.