Scally?s in depth thoughts on sport science
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Razorpound
Vital Squad Member
That's a bit too deep for me at this time of morning.
feewaybill
Vital Youth Team
How do you interpret the comments Nibbles? From the reported quotes that's the first real public acknowledgement from PS that a new stadium is as far away from happening as its ever been. Does the comment about having to get investors over the line suggest that he is losing energy and enthusiasm? Maybe I am reading too much into it.
Billy_Bleach
Vital Squad Member
Same old bollocks from Scally. Expect a similar statement in 6 months time.
shotshy
Vital Champions League
The bottom line is ... Gills do not have the money, do not have the land, do not have the investors.
It's like someone keep banging on about some Super Car that they aspire to own.
Without the capital, it's dead in the water.
On the positive side, it keeps GFC in the newspaper :18:
It's like someone keep banging on about some Super Car that they aspire to own.
Without the capital, it's dead in the water.
On the positive side, it keeps GFC in the newspaper :18:
GRSGimmer
Vital Squad Member
He has had 22 years to find investors. He has been harping on about a new stadium for at least 15 years. We are realistically no further forward from day 1 and I doubt either will happen. We will remain a league 1 or 2 club with flirts with relegation/promotion because there is no clear cut ambition to be anything more. I accept that without investment we will never progress further so we stay as we are - ticking over but at least we are still going and it could be worse - Orient as a prime example.
Therealwaldo
Vital Squad Member
A lot of the comments on here show very little understanding of what is involved here. The starting point for a development is NOT the funding. It's the planning permission. Getting the permission is always going to be horrendously difficult in an area that is not blessed with brownfield sites. There are endless environmental studies that need to be completed even before you get to the stage of submitting an application. The club clearly haven't had the money to fund these studies until recently. IF we do get permission then the club will look for a development partner and that's where the funding will come from.
The whole project will be extremely difficult but I don't see that as a reason not to attempt it. It often amazes me that the only person with ambition for the club seems to be Scally himself. If he had taken the attitude of some on this board we would still be shutting our eyes every time the ball lands on the Rainham End roof to stop the shower of rust getting in them.
As an aside, it also annoys me that people assume that Scally has chosen to make some sort of statement on these issues. I doubt very much that he did. The quotes probably come from when Scally extended Lovell's contract offer. The journalist probably asked if Lovell would have money to spend on players. This then probably led to his comments on investment which in turn led to comments on the stadium. Unless you want Paul Scally to say 'no comment' to everything you are always going to get this drip feed of comments from KOL.
The whole project will be extremely difficult but I don't see that as a reason not to attempt it. It often amazes me that the only person with ambition for the club seems to be Scally himself. If he had taken the attitude of some on this board we would still be shutting our eyes every time the ball lands on the Rainham End roof to stop the shower of rust getting in them.
As an aside, it also annoys me that people assume that Scally has chosen to make some sort of statement on these issues. I doubt very much that he did. The quotes probably come from when Scally extended Lovell's contract offer. The journalist probably asked if Lovell would have money to spend on players. This then probably led to his comments on investment which in turn led to comments on the stadium. Unless you want Paul Scally to say 'no comment' to everything you are always going to get this drip feed of comments from KOL.
Billy_Bleach
Vital Squad Member
Waldo, I don't mind ambition if its realistic. Building a 15-20k stadium when we are lucky to attract 5,000 home fans is madness. Especially with a Chairman who has either no clue or desire to attract new support to the club. He could have shown ambition by backing Lovell in January with some players to push on to the playoffs rather than spending it on planning permission.
Razorpound
Vital Squad Member
Well 'spoken' Waldo.
In regards to Mill Hill, PDPS needed the land to be classified such that a new GFC stadium could be built and thus not classified as housing only.
In regards to Mill Hill, PDPS needed the land to be classified such that a new GFC stadium could be built and thus not classified as housing only.
Martin1979
Vital Newbie
I think that those of us who wrote letters to the council at Scally's request last March are due an update as to what is happening.
Captainreblue
Vital 1st Team Regular
Do you really believe the funding will come even if we get the planning permission, just like the potential investors that Scally has been looking for the last 20 years.
Ambition is great, but if you dont have the funds yourself and you're relying on outside investors money to fulfil your ambitions but they're not interested its not much use is it? Surely potential investors of a stadium/developement would be willing to lend financial help to secure the planning permission if they were serious? We only have Scallys word that there are /were investors, and if its all the same to you I've seen and heard enough over the years to, ermmm shall we just say, believe it when I see it.
If its true that an investor was put off by our start to the season (effectively 3 months of poor results) I'd suggest we're probably better off without them as they clearly wernt in it for the long term.
Therealwaldo
Vital Squad Member
Captainreblue, you need to know how all major developments are put together to understand this. When a development like Fremlins Walk in Maidstone for instance, is put together, the developers do not have the money to fund it. They get the planning permission in place and when the scheme is ready to go, they put it to the market to fund it. Typically pension funds and hedge funds take on developments because they give a secure return over a long period. You'd never get funding on this basis for a stadium alone. That's why a stadium has got to come with a range of other enabling developments whether they are retail, leisure or housing. One potential future drawback is that under this arrangement, we wouldn't own the ground but would be a tenant of the development's funder. We would be one of the guranteed rental streams that might make the development attractive to an investor. This is why Scally's plans are not as 'pie in the sky' as some seem to think.
Baghdad_Rob
Vital 1st Team Regular
The hearsay I heard was that Scally does have investor(s) in the wind but they won't commit until the planning permission is granted. They don't wish to invest, have to spend further money in getting permission but then Medway Council decide to give the land to someone else.
The investors are unlikely to be lifelong Gillingham fans and will either see it as a money making venture or a vanity project. If you accept we need to have a new ground in order to grow but we don't get it then we would be a bad investment with little return. The investors won't pay into it until they are sure the infrastructure for growth is confirmed. Paying in early is an unnecessary risk when you are in a position to wait and be patient.
Captainreblue
Vital 1st Team Regular
I understand all of that, what I'm saying is the whole process depends on whether Scally/ GFC has the funds to get through the whole planning process, the investment and development is totally pie in the sky if we can't afford to get the planning consent. This whole process has taken 5 years(?) to get to where we are (or are not) today, and I'd guess it'll be that long again if its straight forward from here.
It's fairly obvious we don't have a pot to piss in and the whole process will take time and money. IMO the only way GFC will get a new stadium as part if a new development is if Scally sells up, as he's clearly lacking funds to even get past the planning hurdle, and without the funds IMO drive and time will probably beat his ambition. He's hinted numerous times since his health scare that he might be nearing the end of his tenure.
IMO we won't get a new stadium before Scally calls time and sells up.just my opinion.
It's fairly obvious we don't have a pot to piss in and the whole process will take time and money. IMO the only way GFC will get a new stadium as part if a new development is if Scally sells up, as he's clearly lacking funds to even get past the planning hurdle, and without the funds IMO drive and time will probably beat his ambition. He's hinted numerous times since his health scare that he might be nearing the end of his tenure.
IMO we won't get a new stadium before Scally calls time and sells up.just my opinion.
jogills
Vital Football Hero
Your vision and that of Waldo may not be so very far apart captain and that's what worries me. If Scally ever finds his investors then his focus changes and so do his priorities. The model Waldo presents may well provide a shiny, new stadium but it will not be ours. Check out what is going on at Cardiff, behind with the rent and looking at playing elsewhere next season, Coventry anybody. Small clubs like ours have one serious asset, the ground and you let it go at your peril. It is the only collateral for loans, which otherwise come with ruinous rates.
New grounds so often offer an opportunity to bury the bodies and leave with a pay off. Scally is no different from any other chairman; once he decides to go his own interest come first, second and last.
New grounds so often offer an opportunity to bury the bodies and leave with a pay off. Scally is no different from any other chairman; once he decides to go his own interest come first, second and last.
Planning consultants don't come cheap Trev..the amount of reports required for an application of that size on trees, ecology, transport etc, if he's doing it properly it is going to be a big sum.
You only need to look at the wealth of most of the owners in the Championship to see that it's a totally different set-up to when we were last there, it's a massive league now with most of the owners wealth in the billions rather than the millions. If you don't have the right backing you won't last long..
You only need to look at the wealth of most of the owners in the Championship to see that it's a totally different set-up to when we were last there, it's a massive league now with most of the owners wealth in the billions rather than the millions. If you don't have the right backing you won't last long..
