DORKING FOOTBALL CLUB - THE FACTS

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

I guess its not likely to get an answer but what is Dorking Football club Limited's intention should they eventually get evicted by the council?

 

Would they seek to relocate Dorking FC elsewhere and continue Dorking FC?

 

If they get relegated (and the league position and form sadly indicates they will be) then the ground grading wouldnt be such an issue, and open a few more opportunities.

[Chris Clapham]

Originally Posted By: thespursfan

Highlighted on another thread were the seasons attendances.

Dorkings avergage is currently 71. Down about 20% on last year.

dwfc says Wandererers are getting over 80.

Sounds like the town is voting with its feet as Wanderers are outside the town and DFC is slap bang in middle.

Not sure if the Dorking Ad is being anti DFC but the pictures they have printed recently would bear out MVDCs position on the state of repair of the ground.

Good picture of Wanderers pitch looking neat and tidy after their 10-1 cup win.

Population of Dorking is listed as 11,337.

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

fair enough.

 

perhaps "sounds like the Town's football supporters are voting with their feet" would have been better!

[Big J R]

Originally Posted By: thespursfan

Highlighted on another thread were the seasons attendances.

Dorkings avergage is currently 71. Down about 20% on last year.

dwfc says Wandererers are getting over 80.

Sounds like the town is voting with its feet as Wanderers are outside the town and DFC is slap bang in middle.

Not sure if the Dorking Ad is being anti DFC but the pictures they have printed recently would bear out MVDCs position on the state of repair of the ground. .

Good picture of Wanderers pitch looking neat and tidy after their 10-1 cup win

The picture is one of the Dorking Advertisers 'stock' photos and goes back to the drought of the summer before last !

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

Not very helpful from the Ad then.

 

No doubt this will be countered in this weeks Ad or on the DFC website showing the pictures of the "substantial works undertaken by the Club, which are estimated to have a value of around £10,000."

 

The DFC statement said "The final health and safety inspection is due for Wednesday 14 November" did this go ahead and was all well?

[Big J R]

Yes it did go ahead, and Yes - All was well !!!!

 

There was just one minor point from the inspection, which was discussed and addressed on the best way to deal with it at last Saturday's match.

[winnie]

Would you agree TSF that DFC appear to be fantastic at making statements but their follow up with regards anything ever said is to put it lightly AWFUL!

 

talk is cheap, actions speak lounder than words

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

DFCL do make statements that arent always what they seem on first reading.

 

90 % of what is in the latest statements is waffle, inaccurate, or misleading. The last 10 % is probably their opinion but I dont think many people agree with it.

 

Anyway I think we can expect to see in the coming weeks the club trying to put out a more positive message than weve seen up to now, and perhaps we will see if the current board do have any support or sympathy in the town.

 

Talk is most certainly not cheap Winnie when it is coming from the lawyers the board have instructed!

 

[APM]

I am very disappointed in you all, I can't believe you are bully the owners and Share holders of Dorking FC Limited.

What have they done to deserve this?

Anyone would think that they have run down the club.

Not put money back into the club from funds generated

Not invested money on improving the club house, pitch and ground.

Not getting local people get involved as they are the only people that care about the club and everyone else know jack ShXX.

 

Come on it is not like these things have gone on is it.

 

 

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

perhaps we will all look a bit silly when the board respond to our "what have the Romans ever done for us" questions.

 

There is no reason why they should respond of course, but as their statements are posted on here I think its fair we can question them.

 

It would be a bit less boring on here for some of the other forum members if the DFC forum hadnt been locked as no questions are allowed.

 

funny way to deal with the paying public, the supporters sponsors and advertisers really,

[APM]

I think you meant to say - funny way for a Community Football Club to deal with the paying public, the supporters sponsors and advertisers really,

 

 

 

[johncrow]

Very intresting remarks APM perhaps you would like to inform the supporters and sponsors of your no doubt ambitious plans for Merrow.

[APM]

Not for me to have plans for the Club that is up to the Merrow Committee.

 

I am just the 1st Team Manager and the ambition I have at the moment is to try and get them out of the bottom 2.

 

[Big J R]

Originally Posted By: johncrow

Very intresting remarks APM perhaps you would like to inform the supporters and sponsors of your no doubt ambitious plans for Merrow.

A very interesting comment passed at Meadowbank recently.

Apparently, Arriva won't supply APM with a bus-time-table.

They reckon their buses don't run as often his move from club to club !

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

spurs fan health warning : dont bother reading this if you are not interested in my view of DFCs press release, hope that has saved you some time!

 

 

 

 

 

DFC's FULL Press release, issued 13th. November

 

ANNOUNCEMENT - 13 NOVEMBER 2007

 

 

Dorking Football Club Limited were surprised

why surprised this has been on the cards for months

and disappointed to see this morning, 13 November 2007, via the Dorking Advertiser, a copy of a press release from MVDC (“MVDC”) dated 12 November 2007 (issued after close of business)

waffle

indicating that MVDC will be taking steps to remove the Dorking Football Club

more accurately the ltd company from its Meadowbank ground.

 

The Club has been in occupation of the Meadowbank site since the 1950s

not really football has been played there by various clubs

and is operated entirely by volunteers

entirely by volunteers, I doubt it

for the benefit of the local community

matter of opinion .

It is clear MVDC now wish to try to kill off a Club that has been in existence since the 1880s, the second oldest in Surrey

not true again, if this is meant to mean the towns football club the council have said they support one

We question the motives of MVDC and feel it is now time for the local population to object in the strongest terms to the actions being taken in its name by MVDC and the mismanagement of this issue by MVDC.

fair comment lets see

 

MVDC have sprung the release on us

its a press release not sprung on anyone

with no notice and we have very little time to reply. A fuller response will be issued in the coming days.

fair enough

 

However, based on the short amount of time available we would comment as follows:-

 

· The press release issued by MVDC not only contains a series of factual errors,

which are what?

but the Club is amazed that a public body can issue a press release without prior notice to its long-term, loyal

questionable

tenant, MVDC seemingly seeking to obtain favourable press coverage in circumstances where no notice of this has been given to the Club.

waffle

At the time of writing, we have still seen no formal papers from MVDC in relation to this matter.

because no one was at the club

 

We question whether this is an appropriate way for a public body to act against a small, voluntarily run organisation.

fair comment

 

 

· Dorking Football Club Limited is a protected tenant under the Landlord & Tenant Legislation and cannot be removed from the site without due process being done.

which has now started

It is entitled to a new long-term lease, part of which would contain staged repair provisions

now before the courts

and we have repeatedly asked MVDC to constructively discuss this, but MVDC have shown no real intention or desire to discuss this with us. We can only assume that there is some pre-determined course of action which MVDC are now following.

well yes to get rid of DFCL because of the state of the property

 

 

· We strongly question how aware individual councillors are of the complete and accurate facts of this matter, something that we will be seeking to address over the coming weeks.

watch this space

The Club owes no material monies

what does this mean ?

to MVDC

who do they owe material monies to?

for rent or otherwise and is solvent

accounts courtesy of messrs Hans , Christian + Anderson .

The Club will also be seeking meetings with local councillors, our local MP and are strongly considering making a complaint to the local authority ombudsman as the Club sincerely believes that a grave injustice is being done.

good luck

 

· The Club was subjected by MVDC to a statutory health and safety inspection in the summer, to which the Club rigorously responded.

inspection failed?

 

MVDC accepted in the summer that the Club would first address the health and safety issue, before returning to the repair issue.

 

 

The Club is confident that it has now satisfied MVDC in relation to health and safety matters and believes it must have one of the safest sports grounds at this level in Surrey.

 

apart from one matter

 

It has correspondence from MVDC in September 2007 to say that MVDC is “pleased” with the substantial works undertaken by the Club, which are estimated to have a value of around £10,000.

 

value is different from cost, estimated by who? and a letter from which one word is quoted?

The final health and safety inspection is due for Wednesday 14 November, so the Club is amazed at the timing of MVDC in issuing a press release, which the Club again stresses was issued without prior notice to the Club and which would seem to go back on the pre-agreed course of action.

possibly because the board hadnt kept to their side of the agreement

 

 

· Councillor Derrick Burt shows a lack of understanding of football and the law in stating that “the Football Club (“The Chicks”) itself will not disappear”. Dorking Football Club is owned and managed by Dorking Football Club Limited. The Club and the name “The Chicks” is an asset of the football club company. It is not transferable at the whim of MVDC.

the chicks is a nickname not a business asset, perhaps it has a value in the accounts helping the company solvency

 

 

· Janette Purkiss is a new councillor and shows her lack of knowledge of the facts when she states that MVDC have made numerous approaches to the Club. This is simply incorrect - MVDC have not assisted the Club in any material way in its community work nor (in the opinion of the Club) held constructive discussions with the Club about the repair issue.

fair argument, who knows? community work?

· We will be setting out our side of the story in more detail in the coming days, but we would make the following statements:-

 

1. Dorking Football Club Limited is operated by volunteers who are giving up their time and money in order to operate the Club for the benefit of the community. In addition to its first team, it is operating a successful under 18 boys football side at a high level and operates girls’ football teams. It has a strong affiliation with Brockham Badgers Football Club, which has over 350 children playing for it. Why are MVDC taking such punitive action against a community Club?

because the tenants at Meadowbank have failed to keep the property up to scratch. Badgers will not be effected by this, will they?

 

2. In the early 2000s, MVDC approved an application by Dorking Football Club Limited for a 25 year lease. A draft lease was issued by MVDC and commented on by the Club’s lawyers. It was close to finalisation. At the request of MVDC at the last minute, these negotiations were put on hold as part of the Thomfeld negotiations for the surrounding site. The Club co-operated fully with MVDC during this period at the request of MVDC. We were only informed by MVDC that these negotiations were at an end in 2006. During the period to 2006, there was a real possibility that the Club would have been wholly or partially re-developed as part of the Thomfeld plans. No sensible organisation would have at that time invested money into a repair programme and this was acknowledged by MVDC. In 2002, when the site was in a worse state of repair than currently is the case, MVDC were prepared to grant a long lease to the Club. Why now do MVDC seek to remove the Club?

 

as above and now before the courts if repairs had been kept up there wouldnt be this mess

 

 

3. Recently appointed Council officers are giving the Club no credit nor allowance for its community status

community status?

nor for the period during which the Thomfeld negotiations took place, when the Club actively supported MVDC’s position. It is also ignoring the substantial work carried out by the Club in recent weeks. This is palpably unfair.

too little too late? unfair? ask Kevin the teenager!

 

 

4. In Spring 2007, MVDC tried various bullying tactics

 

WHAT?

to remove the Club from the site. It then changed tactics by trying to rely on health and safety legislation in the seeming hope that the Club would not meet the requirements.

(not to protect the public in line with its statutory duties, then?)

The Club has worked extensively to satisfy MVDC on the health and safety area, expending large sums of money and we believe that we have satisfied all statutory requirements.

bar one

To now find in the context of the immediate history above, MVDC are issuing press releases, and possible court action (again we have seen no papers from MVDC here)

whoops

without earlier notice to us, telling the public that they are to remove us from the site is extremely galling and unjust.

 

5. The Club strongly disputes that the site is in a serious state of dis-repair. It meets current FA ground grading repairment and there are far worse sites in the level of football at which Dorking Football Club is currently playing.

 

answers on a postcard please fellow clubs!

 

Dorking Football Club Limited will not be bullied into departing the site it has occupied for many decades.

 

I didnt think it was that long?

Dorking Football Club is a community asset run for the benefit of the community by hard working volunteers

 

opinion!

and we are extremely disappointed that our locally elected representatives are taking such draconian, unjustified steps against a voluntarily run organisation.

What is all this volunteer stuff, noone gets paid cos the company is skint.

The Club is strongly advised that it is a protected tenant under the Landlord & Tenant Act and cannot simply be removed from the site.

thats right, it will take court action

It has been actively seeking a new long lease from MVDC for a number of years in order that it can tap into extensive grant funding that is available, but MVDC seem to be disinterested in this fact.

not what the council says

 

We ask MVDC and its councillors to reconsider this ill-thought out action to avoid needless expenditure on lawyers and professional fees on both sides, something the Club would prefer to avoid so it can invest in a repair programme as part of a new lease and in its youth football work. However, if MVDC insist on taking court action, the Club will defend itself through its professional advisers and in court.

the money should have been spent on the property ages ago not on lawyers now

 

A fuller response will be made in due course.

 

I might too.

 

 

 

 

[eye1]

Give it a rest, do you argue with everyone, why do you not reveal who you are it may support some of the things you are saying, it just looks like you have an enormous chip on your shoulder about Dorking FC, I think they can do without you at the moment, nothing is going to happen until next year now, are you going to continue like this for the next few months, like a raving lunatic?

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

MOLE VALLEY ACTS TO PROTECT FOOTBALL IN DORKING

 

 

Mole Valley District Council, as landlord of the Dorking Football Club ground at Meadowbank, Dorking is taking legal action aimed at obtaining possession of the clubhouse and grounds. It is taking this action in order to protect this community asset, given the poor state of repair of the property.

 

Not to build houses on then?

 

For a number of years, the Council has tried to agree a meaningful way forward with the current tenant to ensure that the clubhouse and grounds are properly maintained. However, despite numerous approaches by the Council to the current tenant to carry out essential repairs, it has failed to respond positively. As the repairs and maintenance required by the tenancy have not been undertaken, the Council is asking the Court for an order that would enable it to remove the tenant.

 

that seems fair to me as a commercial council tenant and rate payer, I would expect that

 

Mole Valley’s Property Champion, Councillor Janette Purkiss comments “The current tenant has left us with no option. We are conscious that this action may affect the members of the club in the short-term; however, we must protect the residents’ assets and the club’s long term future. This action is necessary to seek possession of the property before it deteriorates any further.”

 

so it can be developed?

 

Vice-Chairman of the Council, Councillor Derrick Burt, a long-standing Councillor and Dorking resident adds “The Council is totally committed to a Football Club having use of the grounds and facilities at Meadowbank. This action does not mean that the football club (“The Chicks”) itself, disappears. Football will continue at Meadowbank.”

 

that seems pretty clear they want a football club down there, not housing .

 

The Council will expect any future tenant to undertake the appropriate level of repair and to agree to a suitable on-going maintenance programme to ensure that the grounds and club facilities are up to the standard that the residents of Mole Valley deserve.

 

"future tenant" more commitment from the council to a football club at Meadowbank

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

eye 1 the answers are as follows

 

no

yes

people who matter know me and you said you knew exactly who I was in a Pm to me, its not hard to work out if you are involved!

if not I did warn everyone not to read it.

yes

yes

yes

and finally oh yes.

Glad to have been of help.

[eye1]

I do know who you are, but your answers are so crass and vague how can anyone take you seriously. What is it that you realy want?

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

a stella please .