The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Pigman wrote:He'll still get 100% of his rent, but just from WTFC who will have to find the lot. Ultimately it will lead to their demise and then he'll do whatever his long term plan with the land is! He probably sees it as a retail park, hopefully the Environmental Agency will scupper those plans and he'll rue the day he killed the golden goose!

If WTFC can keep going it'll be a miracle, but that's their concern, good luck to them if they can. 100% of the running costs of the D&D will be theirs - the maths of it all probably hasn't filtered through yet

Plenty of things I don't understand about this whole scenario. For one, we're assuming that WTFC are going to fold without us sharing the D&D, which is definitely a possibility but is by no means certain. After all, anything is possible in football and who's to say somebody won't come along and inject some cash in to them? Surely the landlord isn't relying on us leaving causing WTFC to fold. Or maybe he is.

I''m guessing he must have received some assurances that he'll actually be able to do something with the land also which surprises me given the flooding issues. Perhaps he could get away with doing something with a percentage of the land.

BartonRaz wrote:
I''m guessing he must have received some assurances that he'll actually be able to do something with the land also which surprises me given the flooding issues. Perhaps he could get away with doing something with a percentage of the land.

The Local Authority would be foolish to give him any preliminary assurances with any possible development of the land. As Pigman points out the land is situated in a high risk category with regards to flooding which extends right up to the new green mesh security fence which was erected 18 months ago and the Dog & Duck car park is actually now some 200 mm below the level of the adjacent shopping car park. The other issue is the Land Registry document contains a covenant which which restricts use of the land to 'sport and leisure and recreational activities' as attached which would also be a hurdle for the landlord to overcome.

"will not use or permit to be used the said property or any part or
parts thereof or any building now erected or hereafter to be erected
thereon for any other purpose than that of a ground for sport or
leisure or recreational activities which are not inherently noisy with
or without ancillary Club facilities and with or without bar facilities
and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the
foregoing will not use or permit to be used the said property or any
part or parts thereof or any building now erected or hereafter to be
erected thereon"

BartonRaz wrote:

Pigman wrote:He'll still get 100% of his rent, but just from WTFC who will have to find the lot. Ultimately it will lead to their demise and then he'll do whatever his long term plan with the land is! He probably sees it as a retail park, hopefully the Environmental Agency will scupper those plans and he'll rue the day he killed the golden goose!

If WTFC can keep going it'll be a miracle, but that's their concern, good luck to them if they can. 100% of the running costs of the D&D will be theirs - the maths of it all probably hasn't filtered through yet

Plenty of things I don't understand about this whole scenario. For one, we're assuming that WTFC are going to fold without us sharing the D&D, which is definitely a possibility but is by no means certain. After all, anything is possible in football and who's to say somebody won't come along and inject some cash in to them? Surely the landlord isn't relying on us leaving causing WTFC to fold. Or maybe he is.

I''m guessing he must have received some assurances that he'll actually be able to do something with the land also which surprises me given the flooding issues. Perhaps he could get away with doing something with a percentage of the land.

Fair point Raz, they may find someone willing to stump up enough cash to pay the half of all running costs we've been covering (don't forget their share of the profits from food/drink sales they'll lose as income as well).

They celebrate their 150 years (well, 12 years really as the club was reformed in 2004 but who's counting) but then what? Well it's back to having the one stand for cover (the PDB and cover come with us) and selling 20 burgers a game - I wonder how long that will keep the wolf from the door?

I wish them well, I really do, but unless they find a sponsor to shell out a lot of dosh, I can't see the future looking too rosy for them long term.

But that is their worry - ours is more drastic, finding a long term home! Whatever options put to us on 25th probably won't be ideal sadly, testing times ahead!! Supporting Diamonds is never boring eh?

DiamondFox wrote:Have any dismissing this out of hand spoken to anyone at Wellingborough like these groundhoppers?

Hopefully if anyone has made the landlord think were arrogant they will have the decency to come clean and resign and not sweep it under the carpet like diamondgeezer and sandringhamdiamond seem to want

I'm not sweeping anything under the carpet, I simply said lets wait and see what OUR board say on the 25th, I trust them more than I do than a couple of groundhoppers who have nothing to back up their claims!!!!

Although I would like to stay at the Dog & Duck, (can't see why we can't) we need to look to the future. If we can't, I think a ground share with either AFC Kempston Rovers or Bedford Town would be the best. (If we don't get promoted)

A, because this league is tougher, b a lot closer matches.

We've only won 2 matches at home in the league, (the lowest amount in the league) lower than the bottom club, (because it's a tougher league) are home form needs to be sorted out.

While I would like us to get promoted, if we don't I'll prefer to play in the Southern Central league next season than the Northern South league. If we can't stay at Dog & Duck, a ground share with AFC Kempston Rovers or Bedford Town might guarantee U.S. Southern Central football league next season. (Ie Easier league)

If the alternative is a ground-share in Bedford, then imo all the stops need pulling out to try to stay at Wellingborough.