Ru$h£en or Rushden?

[AFCRD_Dan]

The issue with Crawley for me is:

1. The people putting the money in are un-named, we have no idea who they are or where the money is coming from - it could be laundered drug money for all we know??
2. They have, in the past, owed many people money (small businesses etc) when they have gone into administration twice in the recent past - now they're rolling in it they have done nothing to compensate those people, its morally wrong to celebrate when you have picked people's pockets to the tune of 50p in the £1
3. Evans is a convicted cheat and fraudster - you start to add 2 and 2 together and wonder, I certainly do
4. The previous owners (the Majeeds) were threatening bullies who, I understand, are now serving time for a variety of offences......Crawley have a history of attracting the wrong kind of people

Now, if you could tell me that a millionaire with Max's integrity were to step forward, I'd be delighted to be hated for having money again. Crawley are a different case. People don't hate them because of the money, they hate them because there is so much suspicion about where the money has come from and who is spending it. Evans has cheated his way to the title before, the suspicion is he could be doing so again.

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there was something dodgy going on at Crawley, especially where a criminal like Steve Evans is involved.

It's not Crawley I have a problem with, if any other manager was in charge rather than Steve Evans, then I wouldn't be bothered.
The fact is Steve Evans should have been kicked out of football for life a long time ago.

[Three of Diamonds]

I'd argue that Max did do this - but some of it has been allowed to wane over the years. Max's investment in the Youth scheme is still paying dividends, but his local work took a knock with the downgrading of the DM's business.
We used to have a lot of people that focussed on the local community, as far away as Bedford and Milton Keynes - Greg Broughton is one name I remember (now at Luton), but others were around as well. The new owners made it clear in the fans forum how local initiatives had been neglected in recent seasons.
Max did a lot to attract local businesses too - perhaps he was too generous in what he offered them - but like a lot of glory hunters they disappeared as soon as the team started struggling and they were charged the going rate for hospitality.

Let me clarify my point. All of those things you mention are pretty much related to the football side of things, I was thinking of other businesses that wouldn't be affected by how the club was run. If things were different I'd have a whacking great KFC, MacDonalds, Buddies or a pub sitting in the car park, something that could generate income from outside. The hotel was a nice idea, but never seemed likely.

[Mad Dog]

I've always wondered if a cinema would be ideal down at Nene Park. It would be far enough away from K*ttering and Northampton to justify and would draw people from Wellingborough and Rushden.

[davealbon]

I've always wondered if a cinema would be ideal down at Nene Park. It would be far enough away from K*ttering and Northampton to justify and would draw people from Wellingborough and Rushden.

There was talk of one being built on the site back when Griggs was at the helm, along with a McDonalds, but it obviously never materialised.

[Trek]

There was talk of one being built on the site back when Griggs was at the helm, along with a McDonalds, but it obviously never materialised.

Outline Planning permission for cinema, night club, health club, golf course et al obtained on land north of Diamonds Way (now occupied by NHS Outpatients building) was obtained by the Griggs Group 8-10 years ago.

[coltrane]

Do we really want someone to do what Max did get us promoted and then pull out? Answer yes!

[davealbon]

Do we really want someone to do what Max did get us promoted and then pull out? Answer yes!

It depends what the situation would be when they pull out though. We were on the verge of administration before KC arrived, and who knows what would have happened to the club had he not arrived when he did.

I wouldn't "sell" the club's long term future for a couple of successful years.

[coltrane]

Come on people vote for option one, the stay as you are mob are catching up show some ambition.