03/05/2000 Rant

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 04/08/2000

Has Billo sold his sole?

What is happening to the INDEPENDANT fans that the fishcake is suppose to be representing ? First we have Billo having dinner with Dudley, then we have Peasgood & Billo representing the fans at the Stadium Joint Consultative Committee. For Gods sake !, Peasgood & Billo don't even go to Blundell Park to watch the Mariners. BEWARE Billo, Peasgood and all you other Ramsdan puppets, this Board cannot be trusted. Just ask the only Board member with Grimsby Town at heart, Fred Clyburn. Oh, you cann't he has seen what they are upto and decided to leave ! Believe me Billo, you are been used. I don't suppose this letter will be used incase it upsets Dudley and Billo wont get anymore freebees off GTFC

[Rob - we don't censor anything which is relevant, not our style Rachel].

Rachel Carr

I Soled my Boots Too!!

Thank you for contributing to the rant Rachel. That is what this feature is about. Getting it off your chest. GTISC is and will always be an independent group of supporters.

Mr. Peasgood is the GTISC rep on the Stadium Joint Consultative Committee and in that capacity represents the views of all fans not just GTISC (if they take the trouble to let their views be known.) That also applies to every other person sitting on that committee whoever they represent.

You are obviously unaware of the purpose of that committee. It has been formed to give supporters groups such as GTISC the opportunity to be informed of the plans for the new stadium and also an opportunity to have some input into those plans. The board of directors, quite rightly in my view, have taken the stance that the fans are not only paying customers but an essential part of GTFC as a whole and deserve to be consulted and considered in the plans for the future of the club.

I attended the first meeting simply because I was in Grimsby and Dudley R invited me. Rob Sedgwick attended as a "reporter" for The Fishy.

You are entitled to hold the view that this board cannot be trusted. That is your opinion with which I totally disagree. But you have the right to hold it.

During my visit to Grimsby, I did enjoy the hospitality of Dudley Ramsden and the board who also extended the same hospitality to Swin because he took the trouble to travel from Ipswich and stay overnight to support the Mariners. In the same way that Dudley went to the Lower Stones with his son Nick and myself and bought the Grim Exiles and London Mariners a drink and to say hello to them because these lads travel 200 miles to support the Mariners each week.

Doug Everett, Jim Arnell, Brian Huxford and Pete Furneaux were also talking to fans and supporters and have made it very easy for the fans to approach them and talk to them. I was most impressed by the overall attitude of the board to just about anyone who wanted to talk to them.

I point that out to you as an example of how this board of directors are not setting up a "them and us" culture but a more open and friendlier relationship with supporters. This is a very important and essential part of a planned change for the future of GTFC. I personally, have never seen so much openness, frankness or honesty from the directors as I saw on this visit. Not just to me but to anyone who asked a question.

Brian Huxford's opening statement to the JCC committee was frank, hard hitting and honest. He answered all questions and gave the information that was asked for and you cannot get better service than that.

As for freebies, I enjoyed them all but let me assure you they were not really free. Nisa-Todays paid a few grand to be match day sponsors and I was happy to be invited with Swin to be their guest. GTISC also sponsored the match ball for the Tranmere game so I suppose that it all broke even in the end.

My hope is that all fans will get behind this new board who will of course make a few mistakes. They are not perfect, but from what I witnessed, they are determined to bring success and financial stability to Grimsby Town and for a simple supporter like myself, that can only be good news.

The new stadium, I have said elsewhere, heralds a more ambitious future for Grimsby Town and I assure you that these are the people who can do it. We have to put aside past differences and faction fighting and get behind the new team who now control the future of our club. They will not and cannot do it on their own. They will need the support of all the fans too and, to me, that is exactly the part we should be playing. Giving support in any way we can. This is our club. We have both a say and a role to play in its future. Do not let us lose the opportunity that has been given to us. It is the first time in many years that we have been given the chance to be involved. Let us not give it away easily.

Billo

Rachel's Doubts

So Rachel has doubts about the new board, she is of course entitled to her opinion but might that opinion be coloured in some way by family ties or is her surname totally co-incidental ? Either way her main point seems to be that DP and BillO attended the inaugral meeting about the new ground and that in so doing they had in some way sold out and / or that they should not represent GTISC as they dont go to games. Far from selling out Rachel they were there and DP hopefully will continue to be there to ensure that GTISC thoughts and ideas are put to the new stadium committee and to inform GTISC members about what is going on. Under the old regime an invitation to sit on the committee would not have been extended to us and we would have found out what was happening through GET (maybe eventually) or through leaks and off the mark rumour. Attendance at matches is not a prerequisite for sitting on such a group, DP is there to ensure GTISC members thoughts are passed on and to make sure progress is accurately reported back, surely that is the most important thing. Hopefully DP and everyone on the committee is actually there to represent those who do not currently attend as much as those who do after all isn't the new stadium about the 14000 extra bums on seats we are hoping to get into the new 21000 capacity ground ? As far as the new board is concerned only time will tell but inviting participation isn't a bad start. As far as Mr Clyburn is concerned I am sorry he has voted with his feet, anyone who cares as much about the club as he claims to do, is badly needed.

Oh and by the way when I went with BillO as guests of Dudley Ramsden (not as guests of GTFC) BillO didnt even have the sole - we both had haddock !

Roger Swindells (Swin)

Interesting Reading

Thank you Rachel,makes interesting reading,NOT.As billo will no doubt put you right,he and dudley have known each other for many years. THIS BOARD NOT TO BE TRUSTED,are you trying to say that the previous board was then?For a start,the old board did things their way or not at all,without asking the real fans for their ideas or opinions.Which leads to your point of billo and Peasgood representing the fans over the new stadium,dont you think its a good idea to get a representative view of some of your customers be they regular or not so regular? As for Fred Clyburn seeing the so called light,may i remind you that he left the board because he wants or needs to spend some time abroad,as reported in the local paper.Unless you know some thing different why should we believe otherwise.

May i take this opportunity to advise you to stop eating bad fruit,it seems you may have eaten too many sour grapes.

Nick Osborne (the real one,not a puppet)

Moral Support

Just wanted to add to the Billo sold his Sole debate. I disagree often with the comments made by Billo and his gang and it is amazing how no matter what any of them do they stick together. However I am more than happy that Dave Peasgood is representing our interests on the committee. I have not ever had the pleasure of his aquaintance but he is one of the few people with a balanced attitude and set of opinions on the list. As I understand it he is local to Grimsby and as often as his hectic life permits he attends the games. Given his proven ability to listen to all sides and see many points of view I do not think he should be lumped in with the "partisan at all costs" crowd. I am sure he does not need anyone to stick up for him either but for what its worth I have.

James Booth (Ontario, Canada)

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