The ST - DON'T believe all the hype.

Interestingly Marc Iles, the person who has been obviously so completely personally enraptured in his comments for the ST (rather than reporting impartially as I believe journalists should) held yesterday a straw poll vote on his twitter account, asking people's views about -

Trust debate continues apace. Feel a straw poll coming on - What is your reaction to their bid to run club?

Remember this was after the last three weeks of almost constant cringe worthy and sycophantic reporting in support of them from the emergence of the ST, through his live reporting of the ST's initial public meeting at the Macron, to the live blogged interview he had with the three amigo's following that meeting, the involvement of club legends Davies and McGinlay, the appointment of a respected local bigwig to become the Chair of the (nonelected) group and finally the trumpeting of their announcement yesterday that they are seeking Preferred Bidder status in order to take over the club.

Surely after that barrage of public reporting, support and shouting from the rooftops on behalf of the ST the outcome of this impromptu straw poll would be a forgone conclusion, well no it wasn't!

Ok I'm not saying that the poll proves anything but 1,181 people on twitter took the time to vote (presumably the vast majority of them would be people who follow his account (just short of 8,000).  If that really was the case then a 1 in 8 sample size would be quite a highly significant sample.

The results were as follows -


27%

It's a good thing



60%

Need more info



13%

I'm dead against it



Vote

1,181 votes

•

Final results

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Seems it is not just the forums that have the reservations about the trust and those involved with it AND that only trolls post on the Bolton News comments section and any negative views on there should automatically be discounted as simply numpties or trouble makers.

Wonder if he will be writing an article about this or even continue his vociferous championing of the ST from now on in the press?

That poll on his Twitter feed was subsequently followed up by one on the BN yesterday.

Do you want the ST to buy the club?

Yes: 39%

No: 61%

Fairly conclusive.

Earlier this morning the results were cited as proof that there is no popular mandate for the Truss to explore buying the club by a few of us in the comments on there and guess what.....?

The poll (complete with results) disappeared within about ten minutes.

Rotten.

Also.....

Iles has published two pieces on there today:

One purporting to offer an explanation about why Eddie Davies is reluctant to sell to a foreign billionaire and another with a headline which states that there are "30 local businesses looking to back the Truss and invest money".

The one about ED's reservations is purely speculation on Iles' part designed to spread fear about any foreign investor "mortgaging the club's future" and doesn't include a statement from Davies himself.

So it's bollocks designed to push the Truss' agenda.

And the other one is factually incorrect.

There aren't 30 local businesses queueing up to invest - Hurst actually said yesterday that they have got a list of 30 or so local businesses who they will approach, cap in hand, should they be confirmed as preferred bidders.

Massive difference.

Iles is shit, we know that.

But it turns out he's also bent.

I would have thought that when it was announced that a billionaire was interested many voters would have made that their preferred option so I'm not surprised the ST wasn't the number one choice yesterday.

Both polls ran for about 4 hours before Raffles' interest broke and the one on the BN was at a solid 60/40 against right from the off and never wavered.

it all just seems so rushed, i watched the stream of the first ST meeting and they all said at the time that buying the club outright wasn't on the agenda so what's changed?

They have a hidden agenda and they are all full of bullshit?

Nothing norpig, they just lied while Ed's cronies were being manoeuvred into position on the so called steering committee. It's a con job from top to bottom being aided and abetted by the likes of Iles and the rest of ED's crew.

karlypants wrote:They have a hidden agenda and they are all full of bullshit?

What's hidden and who's hiding it?

The 5000 members who joined the BWFCST can't afford to buy the club so that's a non starter

If another group of local business' have the money and want to buy the club and ED is willing to sell the club to them because he trusts them more than Holdsworth's Crew what are 'you' going to do about it?

You sound like a bunch of conspiracy nut jobs.

Biggie wrote:You sound like a bunch of conspiracy nut jobs.

Says the man who's convinced his phone's stalking him......

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anyone with a few minutes might want to take a look through this. Bath City is obviously a very different proposition, but the community bid element has a lot of commonality. Lots and lots learned from the process, which I was involved with intimately almost as an intermediary between club and Bid, still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

have they really fobbed you off Manda? Seems crazy to me, as a member of the ST i might have to contact them and let them know that they are idiots. With your background you should be involved.

Chairmanda wrote:
still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

Put away the violin Manda and write to them again clarifying the relevance of your experience and willingness to participate. They obviously didn't get it first time round. You know perfectly well that in the current climate of suspicion mentioning their apparent unwillingness to engage your expertise is inflammatory.

Did anyone notice that Dickie Hurst, Chairman BWFCST, had discussions with Phil Gartside.

Quote (From BN)

“As far as my involvement with Phil Gartside, we have had discussions because one of my current positions is as chairman of the Bolton Arena Trust, next door neighbours to the Macron Stadium, and we have had discussions about that.
“I would not classify myself as a personal friend. I have never been out socially with him, to his [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for dinner or anything like that.
“We have had business discussions in that area – which we still hope will come off – to develop sports facilities in that area for the community.”

And I thought Phil was a bit tom and dick.

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:
still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

Put away the violin Manda and write to them again clarifying the relevance of your experience and willingness to participate. They obviously didn't get it first time round. You know perfectly well that in the current climate of suspicion mentioning their apparent unwillingness to engage your expertise is inflammatory.

They did get it first time wanders, as I said, I got a reply when others didn't. I don't post to be inflammatory, I post to point out it looks like a closed shop with a definite agenda, not an open group looking for expertise and input. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then I want no part of it. To go from "we want a seat on the Board and the fans voice to be heard but have no aim to buy the club" to requesting preferred bidder status in the course of circa 3 weeks beggars belief.

CAMPO wrote:

karlypants wrote:They have a hidden agenda and they are all full of bullshit?

What's hidden and who's hiding it?

The 5000 members who joined the BWFCST can't afford to buy the club so that's a non starter

If another group of local business' have the money and want to buy the club and ED is willing to sell the club to them because he trusts them more than Holdsworth's Crew what are 'you' going to do about it?

If a consortium of local businesses and rich individuals want to buy the club then fair enough - I don't think anyone would have an issue with that but what's the reasoning of them giving their money to a third party (the ST) for them to buy it?

It doesn't make any sense.

If I was a business wanting to put my money into the club it would be ME that would want to have a say in how it is spent - not someone from the ST who I have probably never met before and know anything about.

If those behind the ST are so good at running businesses themselves why aren't they announcing that they are prepared to put up a quarter of a million pounds or so (a reported £8 million need to the end of the season divided by 30 'interested' business = £250,000 roughly) themselves instead of looking to spend someone else's money?

If they don't have that sort business acumen themselves, why then do they think they know better how to run a multi-million pound business than those they are seeking such money from?

Unless of course an anonymous backer suddenly tips up and gives them the £8 million they need!

Chairmanda wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:
still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

Put away the violin Manda and write to them again clarifying the relevance of your experience and willingness to participate. They obviously didn't get it first time round. You know perfectly well that in the current climate of suspicion mentioning their apparent unwillingness to engage your expertise is inflammatory.

They did get it first time wanders, as I said, I got a reply when others didn't. I don't post to be inflammatory, I post to point out it looks like a closed shop with a definite agenda, not an open group looking for expertise and input. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then I want no part of it. To go from "we want a seat on the Board and the fans voice to be heard but have no aim to buy the club" to requesting preferred bidder status in the course of circa 3 weeks beggars belief.

In that case they are idiots.

But I don't believe they have actually requested preferred bidder status as they are not incorporated therefore cannot make any decisions, let alone set strategy and objectives. They haven't even elected Officers or appointed a Board as far as I know so how they can decide whether or not they intend to buy the club is beyond comprehension.

Unless it's a totally unsubstantiated rumour started by the BN.

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:
still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

Put away the violin Manda and write to them again clarifying the relevance of your experience and willingness to participate. They obviously didn't get it first time round. You know perfectly well that in the current climate of suspicion mentioning their apparent unwillingness to engage your expertise is inflammatory.

They did get it first time wanders, as I said, I got a reply when others didn't. I don't post to be inflammatory, I post to point out it looks like a closed shop with a definite agenda, not an open group looking for expertise and input. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then I want no part of it. To go from "we want a seat on the Board and the fans voice to be heard but have no aim to buy the club" to requesting preferred bidder status in the course of circa 3 weeks beggars belief.

In that case they are idiots.

But I don't believe they have actually requested preferred bidder status as they are not incorporated therefore cannot make any decisions, let alone set strategy and objectives. They haven't even elected Officers or appointed a Board as far as I know so how they can decide whether or not they intend to buy the club is beyond comprehension.

Unless it's a totally unsubstantiated rumour started by the BN.

Lusty, you could not be more wrong.

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Why do you think so many people smell a rat (sorry Manda).

Sluffy wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Chairmanda wrote:
still, if the Bolton trust don't think it worth while to chat to me...

Put away the violin Manda and write to them again clarifying the relevance of your experience and willingness to participate. They obviously didn't get it first time round. You know perfectly well that in the current climate of suspicion mentioning their apparent unwillingness to engage your expertise is inflammatory.

They did get it first time wanders, as I said, I got a reply when others didn't. I don't post to be inflammatory, I post to point out it looks like a closed shop with a definite agenda, not an open group looking for expertise and input. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then I want no part of it. To go from "we want a seat on the Board and the fans voice to be heard but have no aim to buy the club" to requesting preferred bidder status in the course of circa 3 weeks beggars belief.

In that case they are idiots.

But I don't believe they have actually requested preferred bidder status as they are not incorporated therefore cannot make any decisions, let alone set strategy and objectives. They haven't even elected Officers or appointed a Board as far as I know so how they can decide whether or not they intend to buy the club is beyond comprehension.

Unless it's a totally unsubstantiated rumour started by the BN.

Lusty, you could not be more wrong.

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Why do you think so many people smell a rat (sorry Manda).

apology accepted Sluffy! And completely agree with you wanders when you say "They haven't even elected Officers or appointed a Board as far as I know so how they can decide whether or not they intend to buy the club is beyond comprehension." thats why I think there has been little appetite to engage.