If GFC became like Bury or Bolton …………. | Vital Football

If GFC became like Bury or Bolton ………….

GRSGimmer

GRSGimmer

Vital Squad Member
I wonder what the EFL would do. Would we get the same leniency shown to us by the toothless EFL or would a harsher approach be taken? I think there could be a number of League 1 and 2 clubs in imminent financial trouble - especially Macclesfield who are a much smaller club than Bury. Will the EFL up its game to deal with the next club to hit the rocks?
 
I would support the Gills whatever division they were in. I'd much rather support a Kent League team than a premier league team.

I suspect both Bolton and Bury would begin again. The question is what happens to their grounds. In Bolton's case they have a fairly new purpose built stadium. But would the land need to be sold off to pay debts upon liquidation?
 
Why would they be more lenient with Bury than us? The clubs must be of a fairly similar size and attract similar support.

There may be a suspicion that the EFL may make more of an effort to help Bolton as they are bigger and more famous, but I don't see why Bury should get any preferential treatment.
 
mick745 said:
I would support the Gills whatever division they were in. I'd much rather support a Kent League team than a premier league team.

I suspect both Bolton and Bury would begin again. The question is what happens to their grounds. In Bolton's case they have a fairly new purpose built stadium. But would the land need to be sold off to pay debts upon liquidation?
Click to expand...

Bolton`s ground also incorporates a hotel and a fair amount of offices - which are, i believe, leased/rented out to various commercial enterprises - i know of one large company with offices there. The ground is situated on a biggish, busy retail park and has an "on-site" railway station - where (as opposed to Coventry`s Ricoh arena) trains actually stop regularly. The road infrastructure is also very good around Bolton`s ground. That`s quite a lot of ticks in boxes for a new buyer and a lot more ticks in boxes than in Bury`s case. I hope they both survive, not least because, says in a mercenary whisper, both are easy for me to get to !

Can`t see the Gills being in a similar situation all the time PS is in charge. Say what you like about him, he`s no fool and he appears to have kept the lid on superfluous expenditure. If disaster did befall the Gills, i`m not sure i could be as loyal as you, mick745, but i love your sentiment.
 
Things are looking grim for Southend. I wouldn't be surprised if they were next on the list. I think they'll make this season, but maybe next season they will be doomed, especially if they get relegated :-(
 
mick745 said:
I would support the Gills whatever division they were in. I'd much rather support a Kent League team than a premier league team.

I suspect both Bolton and Bury would begin again. The question is what happens to their grounds. In Bolton's case they have a fairly new purpose built stadium. But would the land need to be sold off to pay debts upon liquidation?
Click to expand...
Definitely agree with your first paragraph. I watch a fair bit of non league football so would not have as much of a problem as some.
 
It is a difficult journey but teams can make it back to the league following liquidation, Aldershot, Accrington and Newport are ecamples. Of course keeping the ground is an advantage, bigger crowds mean bigger income better players and a shorter revival.

It is usually a principle that step 4 of non league is the highest level a new team can join the pyramid, so three division below conference. Bury could not restart until 2020/21 season and couldnt be a league team again until at least 2024/25. Harder if they lose Gigg Lane.

I wouldnt anticipate a reformed Gills would be in kent league long, but think of all those local derbies as they made their way through the pyramid, Sittingbourne, Chatham, Maidstone, Dover, Dartford, Bromley, Folkestone Invicta, Tonbridge Angels, etc.
 
If you look at the profit and loss accts for the 92 league teams you will see that (financially) there are an awful lot of clubs worse off than Gillingham.
I like many on here, have been there once, thinking my club was gone forever. Then along came this chap and bought everything for a quid. Saved my club. I loved that chap. I don't join in when people boo him or call him names. I even watched Championship football for a few years too.
 
I'm not convinced we would get back into the league for quite some time if we had to reform and start 4 steps below.

There's loads of apathy around the club at the moment as it is- would anyone stick around?

If we vanished I wouldn't watch the premier league (though I get the odd ticket to Spurs as my mate as a box)- I find Kent football interesting so would probably keep an eye on that.
 
Watched Saturday's Match Of The Day out of morbid curiosity.

my thoughts:

A Liverpool player wearing the number 66
VAR- ruins the flow. Most be really annoying if you're at the fixture.
Danny Murphy isn't the oracle.
I have to google most of the players.
The digital advertising hoardings are distracting.
West Ham have paid 45m quid for a player- mind boggling.
 
LancsGordoRoad said:
Bolton`s ground also incorporates a hotel and a fair amount of offices - which are, i believe, leased/rented out to various commercial enterprises - i know of one large company with offices there. The ground is situated on a biggish, busy retail park and has an "on-site" railway station - where (as opposed to Coventry`s Ricoh arena) trains actually stop regularly. The road infrastructure is also very good around Bolton`s ground. That`s quite a lot of ticks in boxes for a new buyer and a lot more ticks in boxes than in Bury`s case. I hope they both survive, not least because, says in a mercenary whisper, both are easy for me to get to !

Can`t see the Gills being in a similar situation all the time PS is in charge. Say what you like about him, he`s no fool and he appears to have kept the lid on superfluous expenditure. If disaster did befall the Gills, i`m not sure i could be as loyal as you, mick745, but i love your sentiment.
Click to expand...
I'd actually love watching the Gills in, say, Conference South. Loads of convenient away trips and a form of masochostic satisfaction
Don't want us down there but it has its compensations
 
I constantly look at the GFC accounts and notices and point out anomalies such as a massive loans that somehow disappears without explanation and get ridiculed or criticised for doing so. Had Scally not been able to discharge that debt we too could be in the same boat as Bury or Bolton. I'm still not convinced that the GFC loan was simply forgiven and taken off the Club's books without some condition attached. I will continue to have suspicions until full disclosure is made.
 
Wayne.Kerr said:
I constantly look at the GFC accounts and notices and point out anomalies such as a massive loans that somehow disappears without explanation and get ridiculed or criticised for doing so. Had Scally not been able to discharge that debt we too could be in the same boat as Bury or Bolton. I'm still not convinced that the GFC loan was simply forgiven and taken off the Club's books without some condition attached. I will continue to have suspicions until full disclosure is made.
Click to expand...
Could this be why Scally talks of separation investment of the football and the ground investment. Perhaps the club is now unable to take out a major loan because of being a bad risk.This would mean any new ground would have to be owned by a third party. Which could leave us in a very similar circumstances to the position Coventry now find themselves in.
 
chris who said:
Could this be why Scally talks of separation investment of the football and the ground investment. Perhaps the club is now unable to take out a major loan because of being a bad risk.This would mean any new ground would have to be owned by a third party. Which could leave us in a very similar circumstances to the position Coventry now find themselves in.
Click to expand...
This is why I have concerns about the lack of openness and regular use of smoke and mirrors
 
Gills 58 said:
I'd actually love watching the Gills in, say, Conference South. Loads of convenient away trips and a form of masochostic satisfaction
Don't want us down there but it has its compensations
Click to expand...

But, 58, would you fancy the trip to Barrow when the Gills moved up one rung ?
 
mick745 said:
I wouldnt anticipate a reformed Gills would be in kent league long, but think of all those local derbies as they made their way through the pyramid, Sittingbourne, Chatham, Maidstone, Dover, Dartford, Bromley, Folkestone Invicta, Tonbridge Angels, etc.
Click to expand...

It can still go all Pete Tong though. Remember Sittingbourne in the early 90`s. They had loads of cash from a land sale and built a superb stadium at Central Park. They even signed Jimmy Case from Liverpool, were getting crowds of around 3K and were headed toward the Football League. But, they overspent and had to sell their sparkly new ground and the club fell back into the lower tiers of non-league. I suppose the lesson is that, it is possible to mount a mission, or comeback, into the FL, but you need a plan, a sound business plan !
 
LancsGordoRoad said:
It can still go all Pete Tong though. Remember Sittingbourne in the early 90`s. They had loads of cash from a land sale and built a superb stadium at Central Park. They even signed Jimmy Case from Liverpool, were getting crowds of around 3K and were headed toward the Football League. But, they overspent and had to sell their sparkly new ground and the club fell back into the lower tiers of non-league. I suppose the lesson is that, it is possible to mount a mission, or comeback, into the FL, but you need a plan, a sound business plan !
Click to expand...

One difference is that Sittingbourne were never an established league side with a bit of history and were overspending to reach what would be the promised land for them.

A better comparison would be AFC Wimbledon who did restart from scratch and have reestablished themselves as a league team and look comfortably so.
 
Baghdad_Rob said:
One difference is that Sittingbourne were never an established league side with a bit of history and were overspending to reach what would be the promised land for them.

A better comparison would be AFC Wimbledon who did restart from scratch and have reestablished themselves as a league team and look comfortably so.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I was on a nostalgia trip thinking about the Bourne, which would have been a mission, not a come-back. If we`re talking strictly comparisons then Wombles, or Newport, as already mentioned, would be better examples. Stockport is on a similar comeback mission but they may not have the cash to complete the trip. One club likely to be come-back team in the FL within the next two or three years is York City. Nice new ground, good support and apparently financially sound.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.