That someone high up in the company may or may not have a partner who comes from Torquay, may or may not mean the slightest thing. But when there is little else to cling to – it may or may not mean anything or everything.
Every Wednesday, Richard Hughes, our Torquay United correspondent, offers a slant on the Gulls’ world in the Herald Express. This week, he examines the speculation around whether the Brewdog CEO is the Gulls’ mysterious buyer.
Since the administrators essentially informed us last week that they wouldn’t be providing any updates, rumours have been brewing online that someone from the massive craft beer company Brewdog is behind the “preferred bid” to purchase Torquay United. Administrators, well done. Torquay United supporters were eager for more silence from the team that endured years of lack of communication during the Clarke Osborne administration.
I understand. Yes, I do. Although no one is advocating that the prospective new owners throw a fancy dress party in Boots & Laces to announce their preferred bidder status, it might have been a good idea to give the supporters a clear “here we are, and we’ll chat when we’re ready” signal. Selling a club is never going to be easy.
That a “liked” tweet could be interpreted as “Brewdog to the rescue” only serves to highlight the potential consequences of an information void. It might not matter the slightest that a high-ranking employee of the company has a partner who is from Torquay. However, when there isn’t much else to hold onto, may or may or may not have any bearing on anything at all.
However, despite the fact that Elvis Juice sales may or may not have skyrocketed in the Bay Area last week, some fans are keeping a close eye on things and wondering if this favoured offer is being supported by any members of the current board. Some find that unimaginable, and this week, at least one fan told me that if that turns out to be the case and one of the current directors’ bid is successful, they won’t be returning to Plainmoor.
I recognise that George Edwards, the club’s CEO, and Mel Hayman, the director, have been working extremely hard to keep the club running both during its administration and now that it is back in, but many people find it unacceptable that two individuals who had such a close relationship with the previous owner would take control of the organisation. That could be the final straw. As a result, in the absence of information, all we can do is raise our hands and speculate aloud in our WhatsApp groups, online, on X, and other echo chambers.
I must admit that I’m a little let down that the Michael Westcott-Torquay United Supporters’ Trust proposal didn’t win clearance. To be clear, everyone wants to be a Brewdog millionaire these days, but Westcott gave a good overview of the club’s future, and TUST may have been able to acquire its 50% share.
However, there was a clear issue with that bid. Cash. Not enough of it exists. It’s possible that Mr Westcott and his friends were able to raise a respectable sum of money to purchase the team, particularly if TUST’s concept of a “community share issue” worked. However, having substantial financial resources is crucial when managing a professional football team in a part-time market.
Although the TUST concept has proven effective at Exeter City, I was never able to see it operating at Torquay. Simply put, there weren’t enough wealthy individuals participating. Perhaps later on, but not right now.
This gives us inspiration. Why purchase a football team when maintaining one could be quite expensive, particularly if you intend to play full-time?
Yes, some people do it out of love. Consider the wealthy businesspeople who have achieved success at teams like Reading, Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers, and Wigan Athletics. However, it should be noted that such extravagant displays of affection are truly the preserve of the very wealthy. Adventure is present.
Playing football is almost every boy’s dream—and some girls’, too. If you didn’t make the cut but still manage to save a sizable sum of money, why not purchase a club? Of course, there is Hollywood, and then there are real estate developers. Hopefully, we have seen the back of them
Then there are the romantics; these are the folks whose partners would exclaim, “Oh, look at this!” and who would be caught with Brewdollars dangling out of their back pockets. The club posted the witty tweet the day following Osborne’s major announcement in February, stating, “Torquay United is for sale.”
Whoever it is who ultimately admits, “It’s us!” Startled? Hopefully, they take action sooner rather than later. This week, a highly respected former coworker of mine stated that fans must have information before they will purchase season tickets. He is accurate. Give us something solid to hold onto. Tell us about yourself, and together, let’s anticipate the future.
Let’s all hoist a refreshing can of Brewdog Punk IPA in honour of that this summer, couldn’t we?
