James Brent is stepping down from being Chairman on the 31st October. David Felwick rejoining board and will become the new Chairman on 31st October. Simon Hallett buying shares from Brent and will own 64% of PAFC and he will be putting in a further £3.25 million into the club. The club will be buying some of the land at HHP and will be moving the Ice Rink development nearer to the Life Centre planning permission will be required for that.
I was neither a lover or hater of James Brent.....pleased that someone stepped forward at administration and stopped us from going under. Have been concerned that all of Brent's development projects have produced diddly-doo and pleased that Simon Hallett stepped in to get this grandstand updating on the road although we have only seen preliminary work around the stadium at present....but now the contract has been signed hopefully things will start soon. Good that Simon Hallett has put another £3.25 million in the kitty to help the developments cost etc. Interesting that Hallett now owns 64% of PAFC but David Felwick has re-joined the board and will become the new Chairman when Brent stands down on 31st October....with Hallett based in the USA I expect it would have been difficult for him to become the new Chairman full time.
Always thought there was something going on but we have to thank him for getting us out of those doom days as Plym said! Will it be the start of something great will have to be seen but least a step in the positive direction hopefully starting on the pitch!
I have made my views on Brent known many times before so it will be no surprise for anyone to hear that I'm not exactly crying into my hankie over this news. I don't hate the man in any way but I also don't put him down as the "Saviour" either. He lent his name to the Club at the right time and that was the main contribution for me. Without that we may well have gone to the wall but we will never really know for sure that nobody else wouldn't have appeared. I never ever thought that he was the right man to stay in charge for ever and a day and I don't think he would ever have risked a penny of his money on the project. We are in business and have recovered greatly since he arrived so thank you for that. Onwards and upwards with Hallett at the helm and I do feel that they are more likely to put a pound in from their own pocket and risk it. Not risk the club overall but at least allow a small punt if required. A good day at the office for me.
It seems the extra cash injected into the club is in part to be used by the club to buy land behind the grandstand. The ice rink, which would have stood on it, is to move further west towards the Life Centre, subject to a planning variation. What's that for then? Additional football related retail or entertaining space? A bigger grandstand if and when 18-20k isn't enough? A car park? Pretty happy with this development. Hallett seems committed to the club. Both he and Felwick are corporate guys (Felwick with an association with John Lewis and its high moral standards), so hopefully they won't do anything stupid like the last corporate guy at the helm, good old Sir Roy Gardner. It looks like a strong board with the two ladies with local connections and a public service background. God bless James Brent.
Partly stirring Sensible's pot but also partly genuine gratitude. With no buyer in sight after all the too-ings and fro-ings, we wouldn't have withstood another winding up petition, the courts would have lost patience. We'd have gone under in weeks if not days. So I believe he saved the club and whatever his intentions at the time, I think he's become a fan in his own way. We are now solvent, have come up a division, have a good manager and the proof that the grandstand project is happening is there for all to see. If Brent's made a few quid out of the property dealings, good luck to him. As I said, he's put good business people on the board and although that didn't do us much good under Gardner, better that than some fly-by-night with a dodgy past.
Saw Brent's daughter posting on Twitter after the announcement. Like most in his position, he doesn't do social media himself. She thanked PAFC fans for their kind comments and stressed how much of a fan he's become from zero interest before the rescue. Sent from my mobile phone - E&OE
I think that the biggest benefit of buying back HHP car park (or part of it) is to assist with generating income through the conferencing side of the business. Much more likely to attract high profile/high value events to Home Park on the 330 non match days if there is adequate on site parking. For obvious reasons I wont comment too much on the changes at the top, but in my book, JB did exactly what he said he would, and has now stood aside for the reasons he said he would. He might have been reluctant in the beginning, but he (and certain members of his family) are now absolutely ardent Argyle fans. One thing that I am sure of is that we wouldn't be in this relatively good position if he hadn't been persuaded to step in in the first place.
As usual, sounds like a sensible plan. Also provides secure car parking for teams, VIP visitors etc on match days. Another way in which the club begins to look upwardly mobile in the football community.
