Concerns Regarding GSE & the ownership of Derby County
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In 2008, General Sports & Entertainment lead a takeover of Derby County Football Club.
The takeover had been accepted on the condition that the businessmen General Sports were representing would progress the club through their significant financial muscle and help Derby County achieve promotion back to the Premier League and ensure the club remained a competetive force in the division once that particular objective had been achieved.
Quotes upon takeover:
GSE chairman Andy Appleby said: "If we can build on its strong foundations, there's no reason why Derby cannot be a perennial Premier League club."
Adam Pearson: "The long-term aim is to establish the Derby brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, Far East and other continents.
"The immediate aim is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and develop a squad which, over the coming seasons, is renowned as a Premier League force.
"The turnaround in the fortunes of Aston Villa, with their American
investment in squad and club infrastructure, is a key model we would
like to emulate."
However, since Paul Jewell departed the club in January 2009, the supporters have seen an austerity plan placed upon the club that has almost seen us relegated to League 1 on two occassions and could see us embroiled in a relegation battle under their ownership for a third time.
One way to achieve this is to arrange fixed date Q&A meetings through-out the year between the owners (Andy Appleby, Bill Luby, Tom Ricketts, Tom Vertin and W. Brett Wilson) and the supporters so that they can clarify their position and intentions for the club and the supporters can air their long held grievances.
Another way, is to give the supporters a stake in club, which was first advocated by former Chairman, Peter Gadsby. This would allow the Supporters to be able to have a greater say in Derby County. It would also have the potential to elimante the dis-trust and suspicion that the owners viewed with, make them accountable for their actions and hopefully open the way to facilitate positive change.
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