Trouble brewing down the road

[eastender]

Barnsley  owners in row over the purchase of Oakwell with Council.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8732425/Barnsley-hold-talks-EFL-clubs-shock-away-Oakwell.html

[Chris the Rover]

What a farce. Almost Richardson-esque. Another poor example of foreign ownership.

[drfchound]

This isn’t going to end well.
I seem to recall a post a few weeks ago suggesting that Barnsley Council owning 50% of the ground was a good thing.
It seems a bit messy now, especially with the Crynes apparently refusing to sell their half too.

[MachoMadness]

Seems like it's a bit of theatre to try and force a sale to me. Has a club ever swapped grounds during a season? Surely it'd play hell with the fixtures and I can see the EFL just blocking it. I wouldn't get too excited just yet.

[tyke1962]

There's many many things that you have to accept in the modern game that go against the grain .

One thing I do know is you don't mess around with Oakwell in this manner .

Making a real rod for their own back here threat or not , even under the present conditions and an empty stadium .

They really don't get the town or the club do they ? .

[DINGLE]

An Away game every week, I’m up for that, when we get back in stadiums. Old Brentford ground would be ideal.

[roversdude]

It sounds like they are used to franchises
Hope it works out we’ve been there

[DINGLE]

It sounds like they are used to franchises
Hope it works out we’ve been there

Sounds like feet stamping to me.
They need to be careful when they’re trying to bully people from this area.

[Branton Rover]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8732425/Barnsley-hold-talks-EFL-clubs-shock-away-Oakwell.html

[Branton Rover]

Trying to move their games nearer to Ben Whiteman house - somehow I don’t think this tactic will work - again showing the unfortunate folly of foreign ownership

[elmsallrover]

Some say they will get home quicker ever tryed getting out of oakwell car park on match day

[selby]

  A proud club, a proud town, and proud people, obviously the owners don't appreciate what they have got and how lucky they are.

[Keenstonian]

Getting the EFL involved .... nice

[Donnywolf]

Double bubble - Thread already open " Trouble brewing down the road" - maybe Mods can amalgamate ?

[drfchound]

Getting the EFL involved .... nice

If that is the case we probably won’t get any decisions this side of Easter.

[Wiltshire Exile]

Getting the EFL involved .... nice

If that is the case we probably won’t get any decisions this side of Easter.

Is that next Easter?...or the one after?!   

[CottyRover]

Getting the EFL involved .... nice

If that is the case we probably won’t get any decisions this side of Easter.

Is that next Easter?...or the one after?!   

😅

[tyke1962]

According to Radio Sheffield last night who did a section on the situation prior to our game at Boro the consortium haven't a cat in hells chance of removing the club from Oakwell .

Some extremely stringent rules in place these days to prevent this because of the number of clubs who have fallen victim to unscrupulous owners over the years .

I take the point it's the EFL we are talking about but none the less it's extremely unlikely with what's going on at the club currently would lawfully lead to the club having to vacate Oakwell .

[dknward2]

The worry for Barnsley could be they let the stadium fall to bits i.e not repairing this and leaving that not repainted getting the building into decay slowly at which point they start closing stands saying they aren't safe and need a new stadium. The council get pushed into either selling their half or help with a new stadium

[DearneValleyRover]

The worry for Barnsley could be they let the stadium fall to bits i.e not repairing this and leaving that not repainted getting the building into decay slowly at which point they start closing stands saying they aren't safe and need a new stadium. The council get pushed into either selling their half or help with a new stadium

The council would get more for new housing so I doubt they are troubled by this posturing

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The new owners will have known exactly what they were getting into when they bought in.

I would imagine they will need to settle what they owe before they start throwing their weight around.

[tyke1962]

We have an insider within the club who has communicated the following to our supporters trust who in turn have released this statement .

It's complex to say the least , the Barnsley Investment Group referred to in the article is the  consortium who purchased 80% of the club from the late Mr Cryne and formed that company as a consequence .

Oakwell Community Assets  is the 50% of Oakwell and surrounding land still owned by the Cryne family with the other 50% owned by Barnsley Council .


https://bfcst.co.uk/bfc-courtcase-move-update/

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Doesn't look like this will end well. Sounds like Cryne's have already compromised by reducing the additional payment but the new owners have even whinged on that!

Sounds like the need the ground to be able to take bigger financial risks but can't do that due to the covenant.

The covenant is doing it's job and preventing it being used for other financial gain!

Am I seeing this right Tyke? On face value I can't see how they could win the court case unless there's a loophole or technicality the Cryne's and the council have overlooked.

[tyke1962]

Doesn't look like this will end well. Sounds like Cryne's have already compromised by reducing the additional payment but the new owners have even whinged on that!

Sounds like the need the ground to be able to take bigger financial risks but can't do that due to the covenant.

The covenant is doing it's job and preventing it being used for other financial gain!

Am I seeing this right Tyke? On face value I can't see how they could win the court case unless there's a loophole or technicality the Cryne's and the council have overlooked.

That's pretty much spot on Baz .

The covenant dates back to 1907 when the club purchased the land from the Senior family who owned Barnsley Brewery .

The covenant states the land can only be used for leisure puropses , it's actually set to run out in 9 years time .

The Cryne's told the consortium at the time of the sale of the club the covenant was unenforceable given it's age and set end in anycase in 2029 .

The consortium believe differently and are using it as a lever to not pay for the club in full and therefore threatening to take the club away from the town .

What's interesting is the consortium haven't even contacted the council at all who own the other 50% and covenant in place or not can't do anything with the land until they totally own the site in full .

The covenant doesn't apply to the stadium either , just the surrounding land .

It's a bizarre situation .

[Metalmicky]

Never seems to be easy with club/takeovers sales nowadays......... they always seem to end up lining the pockets of the solicitors, whilst the fans have to watch the side show....

[tyke1962]

Remarkably for a purchase of £3 the consortium could have accessed the land registry website and it would have told them exactly what the situation was with regard to the land .

If the consequences weren't so great because I fear a backlash coming from this lot I'd be inclined to laugh at their incompetence .