Training Ground update?

F

ForzaBlackpool

Well-known member
Does anyone have any idea for when the training ground is going to be approved or a starting date, for all us Expats living overseas.
 
We should stay at squires gate for the foreseeable unless Poolfoot becomes available .

Squires gate has done ok fa cup championship premier league

I’d rather we get the other stuff right first and settled .

We ve lost our way and need to get back on it. There’s lots that needs sorting .
 
20togo said:
....or the possibility that with Pilley having to find millions to pay back Sadler might try and get a good deal to buy Poolfoot. Just a thought.
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Said when they were looking at Lawsons Rd they should go for Poolfoot. Obviously Pilley had an idea what was, or may come back then so you'd think more open to selling and moving the funds somewhere.
BISONS said:
Pretty certain it has been shelved due to spiralling costs.
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Thought scaled back rather than shelved?
 
The training ground is still going ahead as far as I was aware, but due to how much building and material costs have risen since the plans were drawn up, cost needs to be reduced
 
All this about “poolfoot”…if we can’t presently afford to build a new training ground how the fuck can we afford to buy one all done? Pilley present circumstances ain’t gonna effect market value is it? ….
 
I think there's a good chance Pilley will be bankrupt within a year or two and we could pick up poolfoot a lot cheaper than building a new training ground.
 
Blackpool could buy Poolfoot if it were available. There's a training ground in Euxton, Chorley that Bolton owned. Then sold to Wigan. Then they sold it to Preston. Its just land and buildings. Change the sign, re decorate, that's all you need to do.
 
groundsman said:
Blackpool could buy Poolfoot if it were available. There's a training ground in Euxton, Chorley that Bolton owned. Then sold to Wigan. Then they sold it to Preston. Its just land and buildings. Change the sign, re decorate, that's all you need to do.
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Whether this will happen or is even on the cards IDK, but it would massively strengthen the presence of the club in that area too. In conjunction with the possible decline of the cods, not that they're taking loads of fans, but it's still reducing the limited pool of fans in the area, even if by small amounts.

Someone did say though one school was evenly split in that area with pool and cods and that shouldn't be happening regardless of TG if we have any intention of growing.
 
Bennys_was_a_mob said:
A bit like the Wyndyke Stadium pipedream - we've all been here before feed the gullible bull💩 same results will happen.
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Why would you presume SS is in any way similar to those of the past?

Things can have genuine delays or issues, we've had covid and cost of living, they do have an impact.

I couldn't imagine the previous owners investing heavily during a covid period and going for it.

Until such times where it proven nothing is happening SS doesn't deserve to be lumped in with those who we didn't trust.

People can see from things like the pitch and the stadium improvements, investment is happening and improvements obvious. So there's no reason yet to believe the longer term and bigger plans aren't happening.
 
Was talking to a BFC player recently about Squires Gate and he said he thought it was decent these days, good facilities and if it weren't for the wind in the winter it's not a bad place to be. Having gone down the East is no longer a priority either and if any announcement about investment were to be made I'd much sooner it be on the squad.
 
thecatintheroof said:
Was talking to a BFC player recently about Squires Gate and he said he thought it was decent these days, good facilities and if it weren't for the wind in the winter it's not a bad place to be. Having gone down the East is no longer a priority either and if any announcement about investment were to be made I'd much sooner it be on the squad.
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Yep, it's always the team for me as the priority. That said, it's been publicly stated by the club, that the money for the training ground and East stand has already been set aside for those developments and doesn't impact on the playing budget. How true that is now, well I'm not so sure.
 
thecatintheroof said:
Was talking to a BFC player recently about Squires Gate and he said he thought it was decent these days, good facilities and if it weren't for the wind in the winter it's not a bad place to be. Having gone down the East is no longer a priority either and if any announcement about investment were to be made I'd much sooner it be on the squad.
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I suppose that opinion can only be judged by knowing who the player is. A player from lower down who is just grateful to be here would see it as good. A seasoned pro like maybe Keogh might not be so glowing in his assessment.
 
JJpool said:
Why would you presume SS is in any way similar to those of the past?

Things can have genuine delays or issues, we've had covid and cost of living, they do have an impact.

I couldn't imagine the previous owners investing heavily during a covid period and going for it.

Until such times where it proven nothing is happening SS doesn't deserve to be lumped in with those who we didn't trust.

People can see from things like the pitch and the stadium improvements, investment is happening and improvements obvious. So there's no reason yet to believe the longer term and bigger plans aren't happening.
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There's no doubt in my mind that had SS been in charge in 2006 and brought VB in, then the PL etc, that the TG would be up and running probably requiring a lick of paint by now.

The driver for me is football created income making it possible. I won't go there......

However, he wasn't the owner and we are where we are, but I do wonder if the plans were overambitious and not necessary and perhaps SS should/have taken more time to assess the requirements.
 
fcblackpool said:
There's no doubt in my mind that had SS been in charge in 2006 and brought VB in, then the PL etc, that the TG would be up and running probably requiring a lick of paint by now.

The driver for me is football created income making it possible. I won't go there......

However, he wasn't the owner and we are where we are, but I do wonder if the plans were overambitious and not necessary and perhaps SS should/have taken more time to assess the requirements.
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I'm sure a lot of thought has been put in.

But I guess we'll see, I don't see why it can't be built in stages.
 
Those that say we should concentrate on team spending at this time rather than a TG or the East is an odd one for me. Is there ever going to be a time when the playing side is sorted and we crack on with future plans ? No, because whatever League your in your always going to want more. Its short term thinking in my eyes. The whole club needs to move forward and that's not just on the pitch. The fact that a club down the road who used to get a couple of hundred each week have a multi purpose training facility and we don't is ridiculous.
 
PNENIL said:
Those that say we should concentrate on team spending at this time rather than a TG or the East is an odd one for me. Is there ever going to be a time when the playing side is sorted and we crack on with future plans ? No, because whatever League your in your always going to want more. Its short term thinking in my eyes. The whole club needs to move forward and that's not just on the pitch. The fact that a club down the road who used to get a couple of hundred each week have a multi purpose training facility and we don't is ridiculous.
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Exactly, when do those who say to put it back suggest it can be done?

It'll always be a case of wanting to prioritise the team. Nows not the time? If we go back up surely that's not the time as if we get it wrong we'll be back down.

We've gone up and stayed up. Could be soon could be ages away. Is then the time? What if we undo the good work we've done.

No we need a long term plan, of course we want as much spent on the team as possible and hopefully money is set aside anyway.

You also have to speculate to accumulate.

Building the east for eg will give a proper club stadium feeling and finish it off, looking far better and giving us a better chance to grow and attract more.

It also annoys me people who say we'll we don't fill it now so why do we need more... we're far from maximising the club and fanbase. We've got tons of room to move on price, success builds fanbases so being promoted with fans there would be huge. It also aboit thr biggest occasions when they do come and planning decades in the future.

That's the stadium. The TG is obviously part of the plan for long term success, it needs to come down in price, but will still benefit the club with space for the dev squad etc to train there with the 1st team, all under 1 philosophy.

SG is better than it ever was so is OK for now but we obviously want better.
 
JJpool said:
Exactly, when do those who say to put it back suggest it can be done?

It'll always be a case of wanting to prioritise the team. Nows not the time? If we go back up surely that's not the time as if we get it wrong we'll be back down.

We've gone up and stayed up. Could be soon could be ages away. Is then the time? What if we undo the good work we've done.

No we need a long term plan, of course we want as much spent on the team as possible and hopefully money is set aside anyway.

You also have to speculate to accumulate.

Building the east for eg will give a proper club stadium feeling and finish it off, looking far better and giving us a better chance to grow and attract more.

It also annoys me people who say we'll we don't fill it now so why do we need more... we're far from maximising the club and fanbase. We've got tons of room to move on price, success builds fanbases so being promoted with fans there would be huge. It also aboit thr biggest occasions when they do come and planning decades in the future.

That's the stadium. The TG is obviously part of the plan for long term success, it needs to come down in price, but will still benefit the club with space for the dev squad etc to train there with the 1st team, all under 1 philosophy.

SG is better than it ever was so is OK for now but we obviously want better.
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There's no right or wrong answer. However, what we do know is that it will be a loan to BFC which pays for it in the end. Given that you do wonder about necessity v cost which is one debate and ongoing income from it. The other is the best way to pay for it. I would suggest through football income with a % creamed off to fund the cost. And the way you get more income from football is obvious.

How are we going to pay for the TG in L1? My real worry is this debt will sit on BFC's books in 10 years time when SS is no longer involved. That wouldn't be good.

The chicken comes first laying the golden payment eggs in my view.
 
fcblackpool said:
There's no right or wrong answer. However, what we do know is that it will be a loan to BFC which pays for it in the end. Given that you do wonder about necessity v cost which is one debate and ongoing income from it. The other is the best way to pay for it. I would suggest through football income with a % creamed off to fund the cost. And the way you get more income from football is obvious.

How are we going to pay for the TG in L1? My real worry is this debt will sit on BFC's books in 10 years time when SS is no longer involved. That wouldn't be good.

The chicken comes first laying the golden payment eggs in my view.
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No one ever seems to ask the question at the structured dialogue meeting.

Although I'm sure SS will do the best for the club.

It would also be worth asking why they don't seem to want to go with a lower priced strategy either.
 
I remember someone who used to say we didn’t need a new training ground, or needed a four sided ground as we never filled it……
 
JJpool said:
No one ever seems to ask the question at the structured dialogue meeting.

Although I'm sure SS will do the best for the club.

It would also be worth asking why they don't seem to want to go with a lower priced strategy either.
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The question shouldn't need to be asked.
 
Victorsponge said:
Yup I understood its been kicked Into the long grass for the foreseeable future
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Well, given that in press-conferences, when addressing the playing side of things, Critch will make frequent reference to "on the grass", maybe there has been a sudden, last-minute, change of heart, and, once again, everything is back on track, and it's now a case of full steam ahead!
 
One E in Evatt said:
I think there's a good chance Pilley will be bankrupt within a year or two and we could pick up poolfoot a lot cheaper than building a new training ground.
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Literally beggars can't be choosers.

As has been said, first Wigan then Preston picked up Boltons Euxton set up for pennies.
 
JJpool said:
No one ever seems to ask the question at the structured dialogue meeting.

Although I'm sure SS will do the best for the club.

It would also be worth asking why they don't seem to want to go with a lower priced strategy either.
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It gets asked at every SD meeting.

The pricing structure also gets asked and is answered with it's at a price point that gets maximum revenue in. That appears correct in that our revenue on tickets was greater than PNEs give away price.

Apparently they do analysis of prices and come to a decision...
 
Wizaard said:
It gets asked at every SD meeting.

The pricing structure also gets asked and is answered with it's at a price point that gets maximum revenue in. That appears correct in that our revenue on tickets was greater than PNEs give away price.

Apparently they do analysis of prices and come to a decision...
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Where? I don't recall seeing how the debt side of these big projects will sit as fcblackpool says.

As for price we might get slightly more revenue but for me the priority is wrong, especially given our past, many would rather see a fuller stadium and a club that does all it can for fans to help them attend.
 
JJpool said:
Where? I don't recall seeing how the debt side of these big projects will sit as fcblackpool says.

As for price we might get slightly more revenue but for me the priority is wrong, especially given our past, many would rather see a fuller stadium and a club that does all it can for fans to help them attend.
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Revenue pays for the team. That's all that matters. Having a nice day out for the fans is secondary to that.

Everyone wants to see a winning team, and that means funding. That's why there are no amateur sides in the League. They can't compete with the best. There is a clear correlation between investment in the squad and on field success. Occasionally there are exceptions, but not many.
 
Wizaard said:
It gets asked at every SD meeting.

The pricing structure also gets asked and is answered with it's at a price point that gets maximum revenue in. That appears correct in that our revenue on tickets was greater than PNEs give away price.

Apparently they do analysis of prices and come to a decision...
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Its never once been asked properly

What I think will happen is this and it's only imo

SS loans the club say 30 million for a new TG the dept then sits with the club, the value of the club them goes up and when SS decides to sell the club he cashes in
 
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I havent really got a clue as to what is happening but the club appears to be tied in to the Revoe development and it seems likely the East will happen within the specified time frame. Which i think means finished in 2025. Slippage always possible.

Using my voyeuristic sixth sense i can imagine that SS is a bit more fluid in his thinking on the TG. Because the original plan is pretty ambitious. Squires Gate is doing the job. There's no hurry. A cheaper academy solution may well be possible, interim or longer term. Poolfoot may become available. The East is probably more pressing.

I cant remember where the academy is based now. Maybe there is pressure to establish a permanent category 2 standard base.
 
fcblackpool said:
There's no right or wrong answer. However, what we do know is that it will be a loan to BFC which pays for it in the end. Given that you do wonder about necessity v cost which is one debate and ongoing income from it. The other is the best way to pay for it. I would suggest through football income with a % creamed off to fund the cost. And the way you get more income from football is obvious.

How are we going to pay for the TG in L1? My real worry is this debt will sit on BFC's books in 10 years time when SS is no longer involved. That wouldn't be good.

The chicken comes first laying the golden payment eggs in my view.
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There is an investment plan for SS's first ten years, which envisages varying levels of support being injected by him, depending on league status. He plans on putting more in for years when we are outside the Championship. The cash forecast is based on a mix of both and comes to about £25m. Then there is a separate capital pot of a bit over £40m for the two big infrastructure projects. Spending some time in L1 is therefore "priced in" to the current forecast.

I suppose he prefers loans to any other form of support because it at least gives him a notional chance of getting some of his money back if the club's trading position improves markedly (presumably through either revenue distribution or promotion to the EPL). If a time comes when he wants to move on, he will have a decision to make about how to treat that debt in order to make the club a more attractive proposition.

There was a whole section on this at structured dialogue last time.
 
Wizaard said:
Revenue pays for the team. That's all that matters. Having a nice day out for the fans is secondary to that.

Everyone wants to see a winning team, and that means funding. That's why there are no amateur sides in the League. They can't compete with the best. There is a clear correlation between investment in the squad and on field success. Occasionally there are exceptions, but not many.
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It's been shown many times you can generate a similar amount of revenue going the lower priced strategy of you generate the exciment needed.

Probably so close it's not worth worrying about.

I'd argue the extra fans in the stadium help make a difference in games. More of a difference than let's just say a few hundred k might make.

Anyway it doesn't matter now. I still think we can have more in League 1 than we've had before, well we should be able to, if not it's a bit of a failure considering we've been in the championship and had more people attending regularly. We really shouldn't be getting less than last time pre covid.
 
basilrobbie3 said:
There is an investment plan for SS's first ten years, which envisages varying levels of support being injected by him, depending on league status. He plans on putting more in for years when we are outside the Championship. The cash forecast is based on a mix of both and comes to about £25m. Then there is a separate capital pot of a bit over £40m for the two big infrastructure projects. Spending some time in L1 is therefore "priced in" to the current forecast.

I suppose he prefers loans to any other form of support because it at least gives him a notional chance of getting some of his money back if the club's trading position improves markedly (presumably through either revenue distribution or promotion to the EPL). If a time comes when he wants to move on, he will have a decision to make about how to treat that debt in order to make the club a more attractive proposition.

There was a whole section on this at structured dialogue last time.
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Thanks for that Robbie, much appreciated. My prime concern is what happens to that debt. At the moment we are all happy to think it will never be repayable, but the reality is circumstances can change and atm I don't see anything to protect BFC, should, for example SS go boobies up in his business and needs to be repaid, or assets seized. I'd much rather limited repayable debt and in that respect perhaps a more modest TG would have sufficed with it generating income, or debt repayments.
 
Funny isn't it how we've all been fretting over a training ground for years but to be honest I couldn't give a shiny shite these days and would sooner see the money ploughed in to the squad until we get back to the Championship (same with the East Stand).
 
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