Chairman's statement

[jonbonbaby]

I agree would be very very odd to announce this if it was just a little project to keep him busy rather than have some sort of backing

[WhetstoneBee]

It may be their official line.

It may however be completely made up.

Yep. Without a name it lacks any credibility.

This is nonsense. Firstly, the Evening Standard is not going to “make up” quotes attributed to an official spokesperson for Barnet Council. Secondly, as others have said, it is normal practice for organisations to attribute statements to an spokesperson - this is completely in keeping with that. If you’re still doubtful, call the Barnet Council press office and ask them yourself.

[John Hunt]

It may be their official line.

It may however be completely made up.

Yep. Without a name it lacks any credibility.

This is nonsense. Firstly, the Evening Standard is not going to “make up” quotes attributed to an official spokesperson for Barnet Council. Secondly, as others have said, it is normal practice for organisations to attribute statements to an spokesperson - this is completely in keeping with that. If you’re still doubtful, call the Barnet Council press office and ask them yourself.

Journalistic standards are slipping. Believe what you want. I choose to take everything with a pinch of salt what is said until it is confirmed.

Even if it was actually said by an authorised person which i concede is probably genuine, there a number of reasons why they may have chosen to word it as such. It could just be their opening gambit in negotiations or to test the reaction. What a politician says and what a politician believes and what a politician means can be different things.

I don't want to be pessimistic but i don't want to be overly optimistic. I will wait and see.

By the way I cannot be bothered to call up Barnet Council's press office and ask them myself. Have you ever tried to get through to Barnet council? It's hard enough to report anything to them.

[John Hunt]

It may be their official line.

It may however be completely made up.

Yep. Without a name it lacks any credibility.

This is nonsense. Firstly, the Evening Standard is not going to “make up” quotes attributed to an official spokesperson for Barnet Council. Secondly, as others have said, it is normal practice for organisations to attribute statements to an spokesperson - this is completely in keeping with that. If you’re still doubtful, call the Barnet Council press office and ask them yourself.

Journalistic standards are slipping. Believe what you want. I choose to take everything with a pinch of salt what is said until it is confirmed.

Even if it was actually said by an authorised person which i concede is probably genuine, there a number of reasons why they may have chosen to word it as such. It could just be their opening gambit in negotiations or to test the reaction. What a politician says and what a politician believes and what a politician means can be different things. Likewise what actually transpires.

I don't want to be pessimistic but i don't want to be overly optimistic. I will wait and see.

By the way I cannot be bothered to call up Barnet Council's press office and ask them myself. Have you ever tried to get through to Barnet council? It's hard enough to report anything to them.

[barnetjohn]

It may be their official line.

It may however be completely made up.

Yep. Without a name it lacks any credibility.

This is nonsense. Firstly, the Evening Standard is not going to “make up” quotes attributed to an official spokesperson for Barnet Council. Secondly, as others have said, it is normal practice for organisations to attribute statements to an spokesperson - this is completely in keeping with that. If you’re still doubtful, call the Barnet Council press office and ask them yourself.

Whetstonebee is 100% spot on here. If a newspaper had made up quote and falsely claimed it was from the council and which misrepresented their positon on a story in a newspaper with a daily circulation of 250-300k - that organisation would immediately issue a statement/clarification. That's what press offices at organisations do.

The statement from the council yesterday may not be what we wanted to hear. But it is what the council wanted to say.

[jamiefrbees]

In a nutshell, everyone was wrong to get excited so quickly and in real terms there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed.

Meanwhile TK looks good as she's shown how much he still cares and continues to do all he can.

[DerekRocholl]

In a nutshell, everyone was wrong to get excited so quickly and in real terms there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed.

Meanwhile TK looks good as she's shown how much he still cares and continues to do all he can.

If TK is putting together a planning application and entering into pre planning permission discussions things have changed hugely from his last statement on this subject, as has the political landscape. There is an entire process that can be pursued, even in the face of local council opposition to get this over the line. The appointment of Keith Ferry as a Vice President of the club means that TK has someone on board with significant experience on the inside of the Council process, the role of central and regional Government for schemes that are referred upwards, and the Labour Party. The consultants TK has engaged are top notch.

What we need to know before too long is how we can support the application with a co-ordinated campaign. I would hope the SA would lead on the construction and communication of this campaign plan once appropriate discussions have been had with TK.

[buzzlightyear]

Has the council clarified their position since yesterday, seeing as someone's jumped the gun and issued a statement? No, because its an official statement...

It comes across as dismissive of TK and the fans but at the moment we shouldn't try and second guess what's going on. Maybe TK's been getting the cold shoulder from Harrow so he's letting them know he's prepared to go back to his ex, or maybe Barnet council are just throwing any potential opposition off the scent by making out the plan's a non-starter?

Its a shame they didn't issue a joint statement or a more accessible one (it's just something reported in the Standard) but re-reading the Chairman's Statement doesn't suggest extensive contact betewen TK and the council.

[b4life]

One thing to bear in mind. What TKs announcement does, at the very least, is make it official and public that he has the means to move back to Barnet. If not South Underhill, then where Barnet Council? Instead of avoiding the subject, they have to confront it which will mean they have to publicly justify any decision and any other options for sites. They cannot longer judt kick the can down the road and fob TK off.

[barnetjohn]

I don't think it proves TK has "the means" to move back to Barnet. I think at best it shows he *wants* to move back.

To make moving back a reality the club needs 3 things 1) Planning permission to build a stadium 2) Ownership of the land it wants to build on 3) Money to build the stadium. Mondays statement doesn't provide or prove any of those. OK- leaving the Hive and selling/leasing it might well provide funds, but we knew that anyway and it's not covered by the statement.

What the club put out was a desire to move back and a computer mockup of the stadium. It doesn't have planning permission and doesn't seem to have ownership of the land. I might be thinking of a different definition of "means" compared to what you had in mind but I don't think the statement shows means in the sense I am using here.

[Norfolk & Chance]

In a nutshell, everyone was wrong to get excited so quickly and in real terms there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed.

Meanwhile TK looks good as she's shown how much he still cares and continues to do all he can.

If that was being wrong, I don't wanna be right !

[b4life]

In a nutshell, everyone was wrong to get excited so quickly and in real terms there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed.

Meanwhile TK looks good as she's shown how much he still cares and continues to do all he can.

I cannot agree with you about there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed. There were many Barnet supporters who thought that TK would never look at bringing Barnet FC back to Barnet and many, many more who thought it a distant objective, including me. This approach changes everything, it puts the ball firmly in Barnet Council's court to either support it or not. TK has also stated he will fund it in it's entirety. It's true that there is a long, long way to go, but he's made the first step. BFCSA1926 are already discussing how best we can support it and will report in due course. We're also expecting to meet the club soon.

[beew]

I thought TK owned the land the cricket club sits on? He obviously doesn't own the land over the fence towards the houses on Grosvenor Avenue but didn't the cricket club freehold come with the Underhill ground footprint.

On another point hasn't Labour pledged in their manifesto to do away with greenbelt planning obstructions, and its not like they won't win the next GE.

[Beesting]

Without wanting to sound like JDK, why don't we just wait and see what comes from the next update at the end of the month?

We can speculate until the cows come home or should i say the bees come home, but its not going to get us any further.

[John Hunt]

In a nutshell, everyone was wrong to get excited so quickly and in real terms there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed.

Meanwhile TK looks good as she's shown how much he still cares and continues to do all he can.

I cannot agree with you about there's no evidence that anything - in real terms - has changed. There were many Barnet supporters who thought that TK would never look at bringing Barnet FC back to Barnet and many, many more who thought it a distant objective, including me. This approach changes everything, it puts the ball firmly in Barnet Council's court to either support it or not. TK has also stated he will fund it in it's entirety. It's true that there is a long, long way to go, but he's made the first step. BFCSA1926 are already discussing how best we can support it and will report in due course. We're also expecting to meet the club soon.

Which is a good reason for anyone that hasn't to sign up and join. It is important that we have a strong voice and a sizeable association representative of our fanbase adds weight to that. Mark, What are membership numbers currently at and please can the SA repost the link so that anyone who isn't a member can sign up to be one please?