The Mail Bag
Dragon's Den
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When all other arguments in favour of Kirkby have been proven to be false ? such as world class stadium, best transportation served football stadium in the northwest, very low level of debt and extra ten million pound for transfers ? the pro-move brigade come back with the claim that it will make us a more attractive investment.
If all other arguments in favour of Kirkby are false, does that discredit all arguments in its favour? In short no, that £52 million pound subsidy is the only benefit to the club. Only that is now at risk thanks to the call-in as that subsidy was linked to the scale of the retail development; if the size of the retail development is reduced, the move becomes unviable.
Back to that investment question, will Kirkby make EFC a more attractive proposition?
The only way to find out is to try and sell the club, a la Dragons Den. So after outlining the reasons for the move the state of GP and the restrictions it is placing on the club (financially); you then switch to extolling the virtues of Destination Kirkby, you list the benefits to the club, the subsidy, the transport plan, low cost to the club, the extra ten million pound for transfers. You end by naming your price and ask them for a decision.
They then press for more information, they find out about the exclusivity contract with Tesco and KMBC, that the transport plan is non-existent, that to make money the stadium has to operate at 95% capacity, which will be difficult considering the problems the customers would have travelling to and from the ground. They are not impressed.
The conversation moves on to other potential revenue streams such as conference facilities and concerts. You then inform then that KMBC have 100 free uses of the facilities and that no concerts can be held at the stadium. Apart from gate receipts there are in effect no other revenue streams. Unsurprisingly the Dragons say No, and so will any other potential investor.
DK will not lead to a new owner, for one overwhelming reason; there is no chance of a return on any investment due to there being no business plan. It is a bad location, with transport problems that will aggravate the fans travelling to and from matches; this will eventually drive down attendances and there are no other revenue streams.
Kirkby = No (No as in No, not New) Owner. As that is the only possible decision you can reach when taking everything into consideration.
David O'Keefe, Posted 25/08/2008 at 14:35:46
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Not only that, he becomes our fourth potential right back. Just what we need to increase our profile and have billionaires knocking at our door. If we can get Thiago Motta as well (68 games in the last 4 years) we will qualify for a substantial tranche of NHS funds in order to open an orthopaedic unit of our own. God give me strength!
On Danish international right backs, I’m also all in favour of more competition for Neville as long as it stops him playing and makes Cahill captain (Jags for vice captain and to organise the central defence.).
Dream on I suppose...
But now you tell me that it will be impossible to sell the club if we do move there.
I recall Gavin Ramejkis telling me that BK’s aim was to find a naive multi-millionnaire to sell to (because there’s loads of them around....) who would not realise that they’d bought a white elephant for their £100m+
So just why is BK hell-bent on moving us to Kirkby??
I think BK will be questioned about his motives at the EGM.
I still think DK was in part BK wanting to increase the value of his stock., but DK is a white elephant.
anyway can’t stop Drahgon’s Den is on soon.
Maybe he won?t want to sell, because the people who will make millions out of Kirkby will be Tesco?s and Arcadia, and who?s to say he won?t be on a nice extra large fat brown envelope? And he will still have his train set!!!!!!!
Colin, surely you’re not suggesting that BK’s as crooked as City’s Frank Sinatra fella?? Would be nice if he had a fraction of his milllions, though...
A pretty good analogy in my opinion!!!
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1 Posted 25/08/2008 at 15:07:46
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I am now tired of all the Kirkby debates and feel that there are now 2 camps with fixed views those that are anti Kirkby and those that are pro Kirkby and I dont think any amount of common sense will get through to either camp.
Having said that I totally agree with the point you make and I have laboured on previously.
Any investor wants to see potential and the potential would be severely restricted by a move to Kirkby.