Please don't kick me

Ok jabba I'm completely wrong and you're completely right. I wish I knew as much about Exeter, but please don't go to the trouble of educating me on your wonderful city I've spent many a Saturday afternoon clearing out debenhams and sitting on the grass outside the cathedral wishing I could stay there forever.

Is it not Tony Bloom then? A poker player who bankrolls Brighton.

Greenjock wrote:

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Is it not Tony Bloom then? A poker player who bankrolls Brighton.

I'm not sure I understand your point. I know exactly who Tony Bloom is.

I was simply pointing out that as far as private owners go, he is the nearest you could probably get to perfect. He's a genuine Brighton fanatic from a family of Brighton fans going generations back (I believe his father and grandfather were Chairmen or directors) and he has serious cash. Moreover he doesn't seem to have the appalling stench hanging around some of the other scumbags infecting English football, even if you have some kind of moral problem with gambling. Unlike the vast majority of private owners, a Brighton fan could be as sure as anyone could be that Bloom's interests are the same as his/her own and that he doesn't have some ulterior motive. Most clubs will never be so lucky.

For a number of reasons I wouldn't even want an Exeter version of Bloom instead of the Trust - for one thing Brighton are a hostage to his fortunes and whims. Jack Walker was another owner who seemed to be in it purely for the love of his football club, but look what has happened not all that long after he died. He even went to the lengths of setting up a Trust to safeguard their future after he was gone (not a Trust in the fan's sense) but when the carrot of serious money was dangled in front of the club, that went up in a puff of smoke.

The Blackburn fans seem to have learnt their lesson. The Blackburn Trust have announced their intention to do what you lot should be doing - plan towards and raise funds for the time when they get an opportunity to take over the club. That's even though they are apparently being frozen out by the Venkys as much as the AST are being frozen out by the Reluctant Bidder. They're a bigger club than you are - what's good enough for them should be good enough for you.

Anyway, this debate is going around in circles. I think I'll take a break.