A Message to the Members

[richardkelly]

Do you feel well enough Informed?

At the end of June you (the Members) should be asked to vote on perhaps the singular most important issue that Ossett Town AFC have ever faced.

Do you know what you will be voting for or against?

Are you fully conversant with the issue at hand, have you been furnished with the facts regarding the Tesco and Dewsbury Rams offers.

Are you aware of the implications of moving or staying?

If not then you have a responsibility to find out!

That responsibility is to the whole community of the region we service, the present and future young players of our junior setup, the Managers, parents, supporters, sponsors, volunteers and fellow members.

I hope that people are not going to turn up for the AGM and rely upon the Executive Committee to offer you a balanced view of the options to move or stay.

You need to seek out the information for yourself and not rely upon the rumors, half truths and falsities that are abounding at present.

Please don't vote for safety just because you are in the dark about what the move offers us as a club.

I have been urging the Executive Committee to hold an open evening for all associated with Ossett Townand was actively doing this while still on the Exec Committee. At this meeting the facts could be laid out for all to see and a frank discussion held. This would have been very useful to those people who have the responsibility of a vote, it is not going to happen though.

Having attended most of the meetings which have culminated in the offers we have received, I am willing to meet anyone (as a group or individuals) who wishes to discuss what is on offer from both Tesco’s and Dewsbury Rams, I am willing, if able, to answer any questions that you may have.

I am happy to share my opinion s regarding the development of Ingfield, whether it’s feasible or not, how it may be done and to the best of my knowledge what level of finance would be required and from where it might come.

I ask again!
Be honest because this is probably our last chance to shape the future of this club on such a scale, when this opportunity is gone I believe it's gone for good!
Do you feel well enough Informed?

[a member]

what a joke If you want to know one of the reasons why the old executive committee were voted off it was because if the members wanted to know what was happening at our club we had to buy the Wakefield Express or Dewsbury Reporter

[uninformed]

As a member for many years, I must say, that the only infomation I ever get is from rumour and the newspaper.
The Exec Committe should hold an Open Night as previously suggested . lay out correct information and have a Question and Answer session.
ASAP please, Graham !

[Young Tats]

absolutely nothing to do with me but if you want a host for Ossett Town's edition of "Question Time" i'd be more than happy to be David Dimbleby- one question at a time and all answers to begin with either "yes" or "no" before a brief explanation that lasted no more than 3 to 4 minutes.

one of the better ideas suggested on this forum.
(would we have to get one of those big, fluffy microphones on a stick??!!) no actually, by the end of the night i dare say it would be impaling someones backside ;D

[Justin U13s manager]

I'm not having a go, but does anyone else apart from me think that the paying fans, junior managers and junior parents, the majority of which are not full members, but by far, outnumber the full members, should get a say in where the future of the club lies. After all, are we not as managers, coaches and parents of hopefully future Ossett Town players helping to make sure that the club has a future?

[Player]

I have to say before I say my piece that I am a player but not a member and do not have an ulterior motive for presenting my thoughts other than to appeal to the better nature of anybody that has taken a stubborn type of stance against the 'offer'.

I seriously cannot believe that there really needs to be a discussion regarding this matter. A very generous offer has been placed formally on the table and it guarantees a fantastic future for the whole club. Would any doubters disregard such a wonderful financial offer made to them personally for their own personal property in such a dismissive fashion; I seriously doubt it!

Ossett will be the envy of clubs [amateur boys clubs, semi-professional clubs and even many professional clubs] all over the country and will be financially secure in a way that a select few football clubs can only dream of being. It will be able to offer the most fantastic opportunity to young people from the Ossett area to participate in football and social events; it will attract youngsters to do something positive with their time because the club will be able to offer the best facilities in the area. It will allow the club at a senior and junior level to grow uncomprehensively and I sincerely believe that the people against the process of accepting the offer are just genuinely frightened of progress and for some reason are content to remain in their own little bubble. Step out of it and think seriously! HOW ON EARTH CAN ANYBODY BE AGAINST SUCH A GREAT OFFER? Write down the positives and negatives of the offer and come to a decent, respectable decision on the issue. Maybe I am blinding myself with the postives the money can do to the club and the area as a whole, but if someone wants to corrct me then please do so as I wouldn't want to make myself look stupid in airing my views on this matter. It cannot be allowed to be passed over

Come on wake up and smell the coffee; this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to really put the club on the map, generate some genuine interest in the area and really do something progressive for the club and indeed it's members, if only those opposing it would open their minds to the options, they will benefit from this as members of the club.

Please do not pass over such a gift horse!!

[sunday night snug club]

the members are getting slaughtered on this website for not voting for this "wonderful" opportunity, but no one has actually showed us the plans. Call an AGM, show us the plans, then we'll vote.

[richardkelly]

a said:

what a joke If you want to know one of the reasons why the old executive committee were voted off it was because if the members wanted to know what was happening at our club we had to buy the Wakefield Express or Dewsbury Reporter

I know the reasons why the old Exec were voted off and then re-elected with just 3 exceptions and it was nothing to do with a lack of openness from myself or Phil Thompson!

Just to kill this particular misconception I will explain.

Phil Thompson and I were given the task of investigating the options open to the club in terms of staying, moving to our own stadium or ground sharing with someone else. At the same time we were charged with the responsibility of maximizing the offer we were in negotiation for with Tesco’s and their chosen developers.

Both of us were told to report our progress to the Exec Committee, something which was done on a regular basis both officially during monthly meetings and through face to face or telephone updates on a more daily basis. At no time was their ever any facts or activities kept from the Exec or the Members and anyone who is suggesting otherwise is being nothing more than mischievous and manipulative with the truth in order to affect the voting members.

The Members had asked to be informed what was on offer as soon as we had a firm offer to report. That offer was not in our hands until three days prior to the vote of no confidence!

Graham Firth will confirm this as he has the letter, with the delivery date on it that finally confirms Tesco's bid and further confirms that the existing clubhouse and function room can be retained in their present location without any reduction in the financial offer to the club.

I will do my best to outline the offers from both Tesco and Dewsbury in another thread so anyone who wishes to view the facts and not innuendo, half truth, lies or rumor can do so.

[richardkelly]

uninformed said:

As a member for many years, I must say, that the only infomation I ever get is from rumour and the newspaper.
The Exec Committe should hold an Open Night as previously suggested . lay out correct information and have a Question and Answer session.
ASAP please, Graham !

Can I suggest that if, as a member, you wish for this open forum to take place then please make your feelings known to the Exec Committee in particular Martin Voakes and Graham Firth.

[Full member]

As a full member I have never seen any plans. re The tesco offer.
I personally want Town to stay at Ingfield, but believe accurate information is needed on both options before an infromed vote can take place.
As someone else pointed out, the only knowedge we have is from the Newspapers or this forum.
As yet we have not been officially informed that there is a meeting at the end of June.
Does that mean there is not one ?

[thomo]

The members need to be aware of all the issues but inevitably there will be outstanding issues that require clarification. The recent letter sent to the members is about as negative as it can get, however, the members could vote in priciple to the sale and relocation. The next step would be sign an exclusivity clause with Tesco's, typically 1% of the value of the offer. I would imagine a similar clause would need signing with Dewsbury. This would demonstrate a firm committment by all parties. If Tesco's decide to play silly beggars, as often is reported, Ossett Town would have the option to walk away at the end of the exclisivity period. The money received could be used to commence refurbishment on the current clubhouse seeing as that would remain. There have been several instances where large retail organisations have made offers to purchase land subject to the relevant permissions being granted, if they are unsuccessful they lose their 1% lock-in fee.
If the latest letter to the members is correct following such informal advice, Tesco's won't be willing to sign such a deal and if that's the case. Ossett Town can walk away. Our legal advisors are the ones who would act on our behalf, specialists in their field. They have been pressing on Ossett Town's behalf for over 2 years now and to go for informal advice from another firm concerns me especially on the recommendation of 1 man who is fiercely opposed to moving regardless of the potential benefits. As I have posted before, Nelson and Co in leeds attended an exec meeting and presented professionally - Now the exec are circulating to the members based on informal legal advice at no expense to the club.
As for Grant applications, I'm curious as to what has changed since the AGM where our chairman publicly supported a move. I have to admit it's also a touch frustrating that after approx 3 years attending meetings based on a unanimous vote by the exec (which included 3 people who allegedly voted unanimously to suspend negotiations with Tesco)On several occasions I requested we call an EGM but was always told we had nothing concrete to offer, (In fact on one instance we voted to call an EGM the motion was carried but the Club Sec failed to carry out the exec's instructions) my rationale was based on bringing people up to speed but also an attempt to guage the feeling of the members in other words if the members were set against it then I wouldn't waste my time attending various meetings. I have written to the exec over 6 weeks ago questioning several inconsistencies and received no reply I have also requested this matter be placed on the agenda of any forthcoming AGM along with full details of the proposal sent out to the members a week in advance so members can arrive at the meeting in an informed position, NO reply to that letter either.

[omegababy]

Have any of the members been issued with a comprehensive list of whats on offer from Tescos and Dewsbury yet.

i mean an official list not the one posted on this site.

Should'nt the Exec be letting the Members know whats going on?
If the issue is to be discussed at the next annual general meeting don't the Members need the information in order to make an informed decision about what to do.

I think this Exec needs to pull their heads from up their arses!

[thomo]

the members are getting slaughtered on this website for not voting for this "wonderful" opportunity, but no one has actually showed us the plans. Call an AGM, show us the plans, then we'll vote.

Members getting slaughtered? The members never asked what the offer was they just sat there and accepted an exec proposal without question

[matsui]

I " just sat there" as a member but through my own devices felt fully informed enough to make a competent decision.
Thomo's last post makes the members sound like a bunch not very clever sheep !

[xed]

some of the members are sheep, they do what they are told.

others are just stubborn old mules, they don't like Thomo and if thomo had waved a brief case full of freshly minted £20 notes under their noses, they still would have said no.

some knew perfectly well what the offer was and acknowledged that it was a good offer, but they wanted to stay at Ingfield for their personal reasons.

The only saving grace about all this is that at least for the next 5 years we don't have to listen to speculation about supermarkets or anyone else buying the ground, because all this speculation has been going on for at least 15 years to my knowledge.