Sons' sorrow

[lorenzo71]

4 hours ago, Sons fan 1872 said:

Anyone else heading to Airdrie this weekend?

how we feeling about it? Personally I’m looking forward to it and seeing the new players and faz picking his first proper starting 11 I reckon it may be the same as the Workington game  

Might goto one of the home games but I have zero expectation.Hopefully we can finish off the bottom like last year and get a few extra quid.Otherwise im not expecting much other than pastings especially vs Airdrie and Dundee.

[lorenzo71]

3 hours ago, the snudge said:

750k it looks like.If our owners were serious about the club we would be going after this with serious interest.Could really solve potentially anyway many problems.Given other site issues it may cost more to get it installed.But are we even looking into it?

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

1 hour ago, Greenmachine said:

Holm Park is a council facility and was upgraded by them.

Dumbarton FC own the ground and are a private company,big difference.

It wasn’t a council facility prior to the upgrades I’m assuming, and if Yoker had any sense they would’ve made a decent wedge off of selling it to the council/Clydebank or whoever actually owns it (according to the Bankies website it is under the administration of the Bankies, Yoker and WDC which would suggest WDC don’t own it outright).

Either way they can’t be making any money off of it given you can’t even book the pitch via the council website like all their other facilities and I’d be surprised if Clydebank or Yoker were paying them big bucks/anything to “rent” it. 

If the council were serious about providing good facilities for local youth football they should be investing in clubs like ourselves to provide a good, bookable surface for all of the community benefit from. Unfortunately I don’t think they give a flying f**k and I’m not remotely convinced our current board have the ability to seek out funding for a new surface.

 

[Greenmachine]

27 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

It wasn’t a council facility prior to the upgrades I’m assuming, and if Yoker had any sense they would’ve made a decent wedge off of selling it to the council/Clydebank or whoever actually owns it (according to the Bankies website it is under the administration of the Bankies, Yoker and WDC which would suggest WDC don’t own it outright).

Either way they can’t be making any money off of it given you can’t even book the pitch via the council website like all their other facilities and I’d be surprised if Clydebank or Yoker were paying them big bucks/anything to “rent” it. 

If the council were serious about providing good facilities for local youth football they should be investing in clubs like ourselves to provide a good, bookable surface for all of the community benefit from. Unfortunately I don’t think they give a flying f**k and I’m not remotely convinced our current board have the ability to seek out funding for a new surface.

 

Yoker only ever leased Holm Park from WDC,it was always council owned.

Its now run by HPCFA which is made up of reps from Clydebank,Yoker and the Council.

[OKsons2020]

As far as im aware the council own holm park and rent it out to both Yoker and Clydebank. 

All use of the pitch and facilities are subject to a fee .  To whom this goes to I'm not sure   . 

Clydebank are infact in the process of trying to take over the community pitches at Mountblow for use of the Academy exclusively first and foremost and then subsequently revamp the whole facility. Another way to bring in more money for them. 

Something surely not right if we can't buy into this sort of plan ,saying that. Our problem lies with the owners and the council have their part to play in this.  

[Sweet Pete]

1 hour ago, OKsons2020 said:

As far as im aware the council own holm park and rent it out to both Yoker and Clydebank. 

All use of the pitch and facilities are subject to a fee .  To whom this goes to I'm not sure   . 

Clydebank are infact in the process of trying to take over the community pitches at Mountblow for use of the Academy exclusively first and foremost and then subsequently revamp the whole facility. Another way to bring in more money for them. 

Something surely not right if we can't buy into this sort of plan ,saying that. Our problem lies with the owners and the council have their part to play in this.  

Bankies have gone about their business the last few years impeccably, and continue to do things progressively and in the right way. Any failure to build DFC is the fault of DFC and not WDC or anyone else.

[George Parr]

If I were controlling the award of these grants at the SFA, I'd have serious reservations about handing over £350k to a club with sketchy ownership who aren't necessarily fully committed to staying at their current stadium.

As much as I loathe our players operating on a sand dune, I think resolving Cognitive Capital's role in the football club is the most pressing concern.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

52 minutes ago, George Parr said:

If I were controlling the award of these grants at the SFA, I'd have serious reservations about handing over £350k to a club with sketchy ownership who aren't necessarily fully committed to staying at their current stadium.

As much as I loathe our players operating on a sand dune, I think resolving Cognitive Capital's role in the football club is the most pressing concern.

Absolutely George, and every Sons fans should be aware of Planning Application DC22/238/FUL (accessible on the WDC website) which has been submitted by Cognitive Capital to extend the original application to build housing on two parcels of land to the North of the football ground.  The original application was granted with the caveat of satisfactory soil samples being submitted but I understand this was never done.

In addition, the original application was for a block of 32 flats and 5 houses but the application for extension has now increased this to 40 and 9 respectively.

These proposed developments have never been subject to any sort of consultation with the club's supporters.  If they had been people would have been aware of their potential to inhibit future developments to the football ground by virtually hemming it in on the North side.  A significant area of the current car park would be lost to an access road from Castle Road, and the traffic situation on match days would be hugely affected.  The fact that such a potentially problematic application is being made by the owners of DFC tells us everything we need to know about their stewardship of the club.

The application will go before the full Planning Committee at a date unknown as of now, and objections have now been lodged by the Sons Supporters Trust and Dumbarton Community Stadium Ltd

Edited July 13, 2023 by O'Kelly Isley III

[Jan Vojáček]

I suspect (and I could be well wide of the mark here, but I've sat through a higher than average number of planning committee meetings than a normal 25-year-old) that the aim will be to have planning formally granted on the site, albeit with the condition included that it is subject to a soil sample.

Cognitive/Four Architects/Whoever will then look to sell the club with a sales pitch that looks something like this.

"Extensive grounds with planning permission* for X luxury four bedroom home and YY apartments with stunning views over the River Clyde and iconic Dumbarton Castle."

The Asterix will lead to the smallest of small print, that says *subject to conditions being met. And some poor chump will have dollar signs flash up in their eyes. Buy the club, issue great promises. Then realise that those conditions have the potential to cost a frightening amount of money, vanish into the background for a bit and then try and work out how they can flog the club to the next loser.

As I said. I could be completely wrong. It's all just guesswork and speculation. But I can see that being the aim here.

[The Moonster]

I'd love to boot Andy Hosies c**t in.

[clansman]

Holm Park is now run by HPCFA as indicated previously.

To book parks you would contact them not WDC so will not appear on WDC website.

This may prove difficult as there is apparently a waiting list to play there.

The fees go to HPCFA.

Edited July 13, 2023 by clansman

[O'Kelly Isley III]

2 hours ago, The Moonster said:

I'd love to boot Andy Hosies c**t in.

Andy Hosie is merely the latest in a line of people who view DFC as a development opportunity first, and a football club a poor second. 

Until we break the link between the club's location and land speculation by establishing an ownership model dedicated primarily to the continuation of professional football in Dumbarton this grim situation will continue.

And for that to happen we need more than the handful of people who are currently involved.

[lionel wickson]

5 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

 

"Extensive grounds with planning permission* 

The Asterix will lead to the smallest of small print,

The sheer Gaul of that asterisk.

[The Moonster]

1 hour ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

Andy Hosie is merely the latest in a line of people who view DFC as a development opportunity first, and a football club a poor second. 

Until we break the link between the club's location and land speculation by establishing an ownership model dedicated primarily to the continuation of professional football in Dumbarton this grim situation will continue.

And for that to happen we need more than the handful of people who are currently involved.

How many do you reckon we need?

[the snudge]

13 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

How many do you reckon we need?

Two. One to hold him down and the other to do the scrotum kicking 

[lorenzo71]

6 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

I suspect (and I could be well wide of the mark here, but I've sat through a higher than average number of planning committee meetings than a normal 25-year-old) that the aim will be to have planning formally granted on the site, albeit with the condition included that it is subject to a soil sample.

Cognitive/Four Architects/Whoever will then look to sell the club with a sales pitch that looks something like this.

"Extensive grounds with planning permission* for X luxury four bedroom home and YY apartments with stunning views over the River Clyde and iconic Dumbarton Castle."

The Asterix will lead to the smallest of small print, that says *subject to conditions being met. And some poor chump will have dollar signs flash up in their eyes. Buy the club, issue great promises. Then realise that those conditions have the potential to cost a frightening amount of money, vanish into the background for a bit and then try and work out how they can flog the club to the next loser.

As I said. I could be completely wrong. It's all just guesswork and speculation. But I can see that being the aim here.

That seems entirely reasonable to me and I would have put it in the exact same manner.If soil samples arent taken its probably because they know the result will be harmful to their(COGCAP) plans.They will then pitch the idea to people with more cash than brains as a way out and leaving this shitefest to them.

Either way something has to give as the current situation is untenable.

[Nowhereman]

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

How many do you reckon we need?

I seem to remember hearing that Hosie was looking for 1.5m. but I cant see him ever getting that. So if he'd accept a million you would need 500 contributing £2,000 each or 200 contributing £5,000 each. Or something in between.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

1 hour ago, The Moonster said:

How many do you reckon we need?

Snudge's answer is better than anything I can give you LOL.

[super-son]

27 minutes ago, Nowhereman said:

I seem to remember hearing that Hosie was looking for 1.5m. but I cant see him ever getting that. So if he'd accept a million you would need 500 contributing £2,000 each or 200 contributing £5,000 each. Or something in between.

Something like that is maybe achievable over the course of a few seasons. I would imagine a lot of people would be more inclined to hand over some cash if the there was a clear goal and the end result of fan ownership was guaranteed.

[Frank Quitely]

7 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

I suspect (and I could be well wide of the mark here, but I've sat through a higher than average number of planning committee meetings than a normal 25-year-old) that the aim will be to have planning formally granted on the site, albeit with the condition included that it is subject to a soil sample.

Cognitive/Four Architects/Whoever will then look to sell the club with a sales pitch that looks something like this.

"Extensive grounds with planning permission* for X luxury four bedroom home and YY apartments with stunning views over the River Clyde and iconic Dumbarton Castle."

The Asterix will lead to the smallest of small print, that says *subject to conditions being met. And some poor chump will have dollar signs flash up in their eyes. Buy the club, issue great promises. Then realise that those conditions have the potential to cost a frightening amount of money, vanish into the background for a bit and then try and work out how they can flog the club to the next loser.

As I said. I could be completely wrong. It's all just guesswork and speculation. But I can see that being the aim here.

I doubt that there will be very much interest in a small development opportunity, no matter how good the location, when it comes attached to a football ground.

There will be plenty of other sites with a lot less baggage.  And remember, Cognitive Capital is basically a family carry-over from Brabco - it's  the same old shit under a different name.

Edited July 13, 2023 by Frank Quitely