If Andy wants to tweak I would rather £3 million went into the club than £1 million into AN academy which actually seems to have no link to the club except the potential owner owns it and would not yield any results for years. But that may just be me.
I would love the club to get a youth set up back and if anything have it as a focal point in a community club.
All I have heard from Andrew Harman though is that he is going to use the clubs name and reputation to set something up with little benefit for the club itself. That, for me, is wrong but maybe that part of any bid will change.
@Wendoverman said:
If Andy wants to tweak I would rather £3 million went into the club than £1 million into AN academy which actually seems to have no link to the club except the potential owner owns it and would not yield any results for years. But that may just be me.
Odd posting from Nice Carrots at the start of the day.
Have I understood the process correctly.
_A. Harman is being given time to fully prepare his last minute bid. He has until 21 February to do so and submit his bid if he so wishes.
If there are two bids to consider, the board we elected will review both bids against each other and recommend one or other.
Practically I suspect the board will need to give some detail of the rationale for the choice, possibly with some vote to approve their selection of which bid to move forward to the full approval process.
The full approval process is then followed._
If I have understood it properly, that feels a fairly sensible and robust process.
Re the academy, I don't see any objection in principle with Harman using his money to fund an academy using the WWFC name if he owns the club, as long as the costs do not end up being incurred by the club AND that there is no danger of any future closure costs or reputational damage falling on the club if it didn't work.
I do struggle to see how it could work in practise. It has always struck me as far easier to maintain and fund an academy already in situ than it would be to set up a new one with no reputation to help attract new kids and an extremely long and expensive period before any chance of earning revenues. If it is entirely Harman's money however, that is surely a matter for him. The detail would however be interesting to see.
@Twizz If we had as much information from the Americans as we’ve had from Andrew Harman would you please be kind enough to tell me roughly how much they are planning to invest over what time period?
@A_Worboys, I could ask you the same question about A. Harman.
Exactly how much money has he put in his tables bid? Nothing, because he hasn't yet tables abid at all ...
Stop making out that A Harman has tabled a bid and we know all the details, because we don't.
@Twizz Andrew Harman may not have made a formal bid yet but the outline of his plan is to put £2m into the football club over a 5-year timescale & £1m into an academy.
Can you enlighten me with a brief outline of the American bid as I have done with Andrew Harman’s outline plan above?
As a Legacy Member and also a Life Member of the Trust I’m eager to know. The American deal for all we know might be fantastic, in which case I’ll back it. However, we as Members know nothing. Unless of course you know all the details? If so, please share.
@A_Worboys I know only what they outlined at the first meeting like I said. I also know that A. Harman has not yet tabled a bid and maybe he never will.
You can quote whatever he said at a meeting but until he tables a bid there isn't a bid is there? Maybe you can ask him when he'll actually table a bid?
And did I say anything otherwise?
My point is that other posters are presenting conversational information as it if we're a formal bid that has been made and as yet it hasn't.
Only time will tell what the actual bid is ...
The Trust have emailed members this morning with an updated timeline for the investment process.
Andy Harman was initially asked to present his formal offer w/c 18 February, he has asked for a two week extension to complete his due diligence and submit his offer. That has been granted and he will submit his detailed offer to the Trust Board w/c 4 March.
The Trust Board will then consider the two bids and call a Legacy Members meeting "to update them on the situation as it stands". That meeting will be called as soon as possible after the meeting with Andy Harman.
Can you explain why you are apparently happy to support the unseen bid by the Americans ? Or maybe you have seen it ? Are you happy that the Americans will eventually sell on to any Tom, Dick or Harry ? We've been there before you know.
all seems very clear. got to be in everyone's interests to have this resolved by end of season and beginning of "holiday season" so likely things will heat up at beginning of March.
@Steve_Peart said:
The cut-off date for Legacy Membership applications has been extended to Saturday 23 February.
“It has been agreed that the cut-off date for
Trust membership that would allow such applicants to become Legacy Members, has now been set at Saturday 23 February.”
Slightly strange construction and punctuation but that is the verbatim quote from this morning’s email.
I got the blurb from the WWST yesterday about last Monday's meeting.
I asked the question at the meeting, " were all the bidders allowed to take a majority stake and a charge against the stadium?"
Didn't get a satisfactory answer at the time - it is 21 minutes 15 seconds into the presentation and this was strangely omitted from the Q&A review as well.
On a previous occasion, when we were invited to send in questions which were to be asked on our behalf, I asked how long has our Chairmen worked for Beechdean and that wasn't asked either.
As we heard repeatedly, "what we are looking for is a level playing field" well, let's see it!
Placing stooges in the audience doesn't fool everybody.
Nice Carrots, you should know from your previous working career that it is entirely up to the bidder what they include in their bid. They can include a requirement for your nemesis Mr Stroud to do a lap of honour of the pitch clad solely in a pair of Asses ears if they wish. It is then up to the seller to accept or reject that bid.
This constant refrain of half truths and negativity is getting very wearing and I suspect counter-productive to the Harman cause. He will (perhaps) submit his bid in the next four weeks or so. Time then surely to let his and Luby's bids stand and be judged on their merits.
@NiceCarrots
One bid on the table so yes all bidders were given the opportunity for a majority stake.
Stooges in the audience? Did I miss a magic show? Is it at all possible they just had a different opinion?
Why didn't you ask the Beechdean question live on the night rather than the pointless one bid question? I would be interested in the answer but you chose not to raise it face to face. Why?
@Its_Cold_Up_North said:
Can you explain why you are apparently happy to support the unseen bid by the Americans ? Or maybe you have seen it ? Are you happy that the Americans will eventually sell on to any Tom, Dick or Harry ? We've been there before you know.
Hi @Its_Cold_Up_North, I must say that I'm slightly baffled by your post as I was replying to @Wendoverman at the time and I made no mention of the American bid. I am not confident that the figures AH used in his proposal are sufficient to make an ongoing difference for the club. I also have significant reservations about the funding of an academy and it's value for money (see also, the earlier posts on this Forum from individual(s) involved professionally in this).
I don't have a crystal ball and my thought regarding the American bid are based upon their presentation to us and the Derby experience. I cannot think that they would sully their clearly reasonable reputations (having indicated their stewardship intentions) by treating us as a fire sale. In the AH proposal (thus far) it has not been stated if it is debt or equity. The US bid is equity (AFAIK) but if either proposal is debt then as you say, "we've been there before".
At the end of the day, we football fans have to try to think clearly with our heads over this and not with (blue tinted) hearts, as is so often the norm for fans. I hope that this clarifies and calms your perspective of my position which is essentially neutral.
@ValleyWanderer said:
I should also add that I did reply in a little more depth to this earlier yesterday, but for some reason after pressing 'Post Comment' it disappeared!
Your shovel work is clearly superior to your IT skills then?
@DevC - Mr Harman has asked to be given longer to carry out due diligence (which he said at the Holiday Inn meeting he expected to take only a few days) and, if my recollection is accurate, indicated that he expected to be in a position to present detailed proposals by the end of February.
He is now expected to present his proposals to the Trust Board during week commencing 4 March.
The cut-off date for supporters to apply for Trust membership and, provided they meet the criteria, become Legacy Members, has been extended to 23 February.
Thanks @micra . That was broadly my understanding of timescales.
I do think it is very important that this is all resolved (including legals if either bid is accepted) ideally before the last game of the season, so GA can plan player releases/new contracts etc with certainty.
Timescale will be tight but just about doable I suspect.
Harman bid presented w/c 4 march.
Trust review and any questions to bidders up to w/c 18 mar.
Meeting to present to members w/c 25 mar and vote to end c. 16th April.
If approved, two weeks to do legals
Deal complete 2 May.
Comments
If Andy wants to tweak I would rather £3 million went into the club than £1 million into AN academy which actually seems to have no link to the club except the potential owner owns it and would not yield any results for years. But that may just be me.
In a nutshell @Wendoverman and it's not just you.
I would love the club to get a youth set up back and if anything have it as a focal point in a community club.
All I have heard from Andrew Harman though is that he is going to use the clubs name and reputation to set something up with little benefit for the club itself. That, for me, is wrong but maybe that part of any bid will change.
As long as he doesn't start twerking!
The tanned pearly toothed yanks would probably win that competition @mooneyman and then where would we be?
'With the delay The Trust gave Jim and Bill more time to practice their moves...Trevor MUST go!!'
Trevor must go a twerking!!???
Odd posting from Nice Carrots at the start of the day.
Have I understood the process correctly.
_A. Harman is being given time to fully prepare his last minute bid. He has until 21 February to do so and submit his bid if he so wishes.
If there are two bids to consider, the board we elected will review both bids against each other and recommend one or other.
Practically I suspect the board will need to give some detail of the rationale for the choice, possibly with some vote to approve their selection of which bid to move forward to the full approval process.
The full approval process is then followed._
If I have understood it properly, that feels a fairly sensible and robust process.
Re the academy, I don't see any objection in principle with Harman using his money to fund an academy using the WWFC name if he owns the club, as long as the costs do not end up being incurred by the club AND that there is no danger of any future closure costs or reputational damage falling on the club if it didn't work.
I do struggle to see how it could work in practise. It has always struck me as far easier to maintain and fund an academy already in situ than it would be to set up a new one with no reputation to help attract new kids and an extremely long and expensive period before any chance of earning revenues. If it is entirely Harman's money however, that is surely a matter for him. The detail would however be interesting to see.
@Twizz If we had as much information from the Americans as we’ve had from Andrew Harman would you please be kind enough to tell me roughly how much they are planning to invest over what time period?
@A_Worboys, I could ask you the same question about A. Harman.
Exactly how much money has he put in his tables bid? Nothing, because he hasn't yet tables abid at all ...
Stop making out that A Harman has tabled a bid and we know all the details, because we don't.
@Twizz Andrew Harman may not have made a formal bid yet but the outline of his plan is to put £2m into the football club over a 5-year timescale & £1m into an academy.
Can you enlighten me with a brief outline of the American bid as I have done with Andrew Harman’s outline plan above?
As a Legacy Member and also a Life Member of the Trust I’m eager to know. The American deal for all we know might be fantastic, in which case I’ll back it. However, we as Members know nothing. Unless of course you know all the details? If so, please share.
@A_Worboys I know only what they outlined at the first meeting like I said. I also know that A. Harman has not yet tabled a bid and maybe he never will.
You can quote whatever he said at a meeting but until he tables a bid there isn't a bid is there? Maybe you can ask him when he'll actually table a bid?
@Twizz - It took the American's almost two years to prepare and submit a bid! Isn't it fair to at least give AH two of three weeks to do the same?
And did I say anything otherwise?
My point is that other posters are presenting conversational information as it if we're a formal bid that has been made and as yet it hasn't.
Only time will tell what the actual bid is ...
The Trust have emailed members this morning with an updated timeline for the investment process.
Andy Harman was initially asked to present his formal offer w/c 18 February, he has asked for a two week extension to complete his due diligence and submit his offer. That has been granted and he will submit his detailed offer to the Trust Board w/c 4 March.
The Trust Board will then consider the two bids and call a Legacy Members meeting "to update them on the situation as it stands". That meeting will be called as soon as possible after the meeting with Andy Harman.
Can you explain why you are apparently happy to support the unseen bid by the Americans ? Or maybe you have seen it ? Are you happy that the Americans will eventually sell on to any Tom, Dick or Harry ? We've been there before you know.
The cut-off date for Legacy Membership applications has been extended to Saturday 23 February.
Apologies...my posting above relates to @ValleyWanderer
Also link on website
http://www.wycombewandererstrust.com/2019/02/updated-timeline-for-investment-process
all seems very clear. got to be in everyone's interests to have this resolved by end of season and beginning of "holiday season" so likely things will heat up at beginning of March.
“It has been agreed that the cut-off date for
Trust membership that would allow such applicants to become Legacy Members, has now been set at Saturday 23 February.”
Slightly strange construction and punctuation but that is the verbatim quote from this morning’s email.
No, that is not verbatim! It actually reads “The cut-off date for applications for Trust membership......”
Sloppy copying.
@Its_Cold_Up_North I'm enraged and insulted! Not sure what by though.
I got the blurb from the WWST yesterday about last Monday's meeting.
I asked the question at the meeting, " were all the bidders allowed to take a majority stake and a charge against the stadium?"
Didn't get a satisfactory answer at the time - it is 21 minutes 15 seconds into the presentation and this was strangely omitted from the Q&A review as well.
On a previous occasion, when we were invited to send in questions which were to be asked on our behalf, I asked how long has our Chairmen worked for Beechdean and that wasn't asked either.
As we heard repeatedly, "what we are looking for is a level playing field" well, let's see it!
Placing stooges in the audience doesn't fool everybody.
Nice Carrots, you should know from your previous working career that it is entirely up to the bidder what they include in their bid. They can include a requirement for your nemesis Mr Stroud to do a lap of honour of the pitch clad solely in a pair of Asses ears if they wish. It is then up to the seller to accept or reject that bid.
This constant refrain of half truths and negativity is getting very wearing and I suspect counter-productive to the Harman cause. He will (perhaps) submit his bid in the next four weeks or so. Time then surely to let his and Luby's bids stand and be judged on their merits.
@NiceCarrots
One bid on the table so yes all bidders were given the opportunity for a majority stake.
Stooges in the audience? Did I miss a magic show? Is it at all possible they just had a different opinion?
Why didn't you ask the Beechdean question live on the night rather than the pointless one bid question? I would be interested in the answer but you chose not to raise it face to face. Why?
Hi @Its_Cold_Up_North, I must say that I'm slightly baffled by your post as I was replying to @Wendoverman at the time and I made no mention of the American bid. I am not confident that the figures AH used in his proposal are sufficient to make an ongoing difference for the club. I also have significant reservations about the funding of an academy and it's value for money (see also, the earlier posts on this Forum from individual(s) involved professionally in this).
I don't have a crystal ball and my thought regarding the American bid are based upon their presentation to us and the Derby experience. I cannot think that they would sully their clearly reasonable reputations (having indicated their stewardship intentions) by treating us as a fire sale. In the AH proposal (thus far) it has not been stated if it is debt or equity. The US bid is equity (AFAIK) but if either proposal is debt then as you say, "we've been there before".
At the end of the day, we football fans have to try to think clearly with our heads over this and not with (blue tinted) hearts, as is so often the norm for fans. I hope that this clarifies and calms your perspective of my position which is essentially neutral.
I should also add that I did reply in a little more depth to this earlier yesterday, but for some reason after pressing 'Post Comment' it disappeared!
Your shovel work is clearly superior to your IT skills then?
@DevC - Mr Harman has asked to be given longer to carry out due diligence (which he said at the Holiday Inn meeting he expected to take only a few days) and, if my recollection is accurate, indicated that he expected to be in a position to present detailed proposals by the end of February.
He is now expected to present his proposals to the Trust Board during week commencing 4 March.
The cut-off date for supporters to apply for Trust membership and, provided they meet the criteria, become Legacy Members, has been extended to 23 February.
Thanks @micra . That was broadly my understanding of timescales.
I do think it is very important that this is all resolved (including legals if either bid is accepted) ideally before the last game of the season, so GA can plan player releases/new contracts etc with certainty.
Timescale will be tight but just about doable I suspect.
Harman bid presented w/c 4 march.
Trust review and any questions to bidders up to w/c 18 mar.
Meeting to present to members w/c 25 mar and vote to end c. 16th April.
If approved, two weeks to do legals
Deal complete 2 May.