Red-Robbo

You're entitled to your opinion but the City is nice and we sit on the cusp of a national park, stunning scenery if you ever get the chance to take it in.

23k, let me know when you last had a 23k inside your stadium? There was more home fans there than our opening home fixture last season.

We haven't had the capacity to seat that number for some time. However that is being addressed.

Did anyone honestly think that our first game in a higher division, away to a big team was going to be easy?

Like many, I was disappointed with every aspect of our pre-season - but we still have time to bring people in and get this side working together.

You simply cannot judge what this season is going to be like from one game.

Early last season, I watched us get knocked out the League Cup at Ashton Gate by a side that was bottom of L2. And we put out a side that was 8/11 of our first choice XI too. The bloke who sits behind me said: "That's it! We're going to go down again!"

Do not be that man!! Do not prematurely evaluate!

As others have said, one positive to take is that Wes seemed comfortable in the role he was called on to play. I've long said that MF is maybe the way forward for him.

How quickly we realise the jump in quality between the divisions and adapt (those up to the task) will define our season

Sounds like a reality check

Afraid I've never seen enough in Pack to think he may cut it in Championship - looked 'ok' in a very good side at tail end of L1

It won't be the defeat that defines us but how we learn from them ( and quickly)

MK seem to have got to grips with it !!

MK Dons are playing arguably the weakest side in the division.

... and their library

You're crediting them with being able to read.

99.9% of the voyage was iceberg-free.

"Well apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"

Haven't seen today's arguments but from the original judgement I wouldn't read too much into the Gas claiming they'd won the majority of the argument first time around. Yes, Sainsbury's hadn't formally issued papers to annul the contract, but as the judge enquired of their QC had they been unrestrained in being able to do so by Higgs intervention that indeed is what they would have done.

It appeared the main grounds for appeal lay with the interpretation of the extent to which, in good faith, Sainsbury's sought removal of the 'onerous consent'. It was clear both sides were of the opinion that the first appeal was likely to fail (due wholly to the politics involved in Horfield ahead of the election.) The judge, however, made clear whatever the interpretation of the cut-off Sainsbury's obligation extended beyond that date. But:

• Had Sainsbury's not appealed until the election had passed then the cut off ,too, would have passed and they could have annulled, albeit with counterclaim they'd failed to act in good faith by not appealing;
• Critically, in appealing, Sainsbury's shared detail of the application with The Gas who endorsed its submission in the terms explicit;
• That being the case Sainsbury's were said to have discharged their obligation to appeal and with no clear prospect of a secondary appeal lifting the onerous condition, according to the planning advice sought, they might not be expected to further pursue;

Whilst the judge implied had Sainsbury's really, really wanted to see the deal through then seeing out the political gerrymandering would have seen the constraint lifted (which of course transpired when The Gas appealed the consent,) she pointed out it was immaterial as the cut off would have passed, hence the contract terms had not been complied with and they could break.

A second tack might be to argue that the constraining consent was never material to Sainsbury's operations, that it was always a backdoor ruse to allow them to 'wriggle out' should they cool on the deal. Sainsbury's made clear The Gas had no objections to the condition being made a material point in construction of the deal, neither did they complain when they supported the appeal against said constraint. Presumably and for consistency, The Gas wouldn't have been able to support the appeal given the 'constrained delivery times' were considered insignificant, of little merit. Now if Sainsbury's say it is material and 'we best know how we run supermarkets' I struggle to see how The Gas or judge might argue otherwise.

Indeed.

"We won the majority of the argument" is about as useful as saying 99.9% of my boat doesn't have a hole in it.

rovers turned down an offer

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Rovers-turned-1-5-million-offer-Sainsbury/story-27521827-detail/story.html

In fairness, I can see why. The offer was fairly derisory.

I can see an eventual settlement a few times more than that, but not anywhere near the original contract price.

My understanding is that their 'Wonga' loan was secured against the () 'stadium'. The Mem is owned by a totally separate company from the football club IIRC. That company is owned by Higgs and Dunford so they must have agreed to risk their equity. The loan doesn't affect the football club directly if my understanding is right, wether they will still have a home ground is debatable but the loan is secured against the Mem, not the football club.

They're screwd anyway!!

I expect you're right there on all counts. But those running weekly losses - and court costs - will make further borrowing necessary very soon.

Not too happy. If Rovers go bust, many entities (including local traders) will be left owed money by something that no longer exists.

Mainly players and staff tbh.

I can confirm it is not Christopher Biggins.

You didn't hear the sound of an electric motor and the clinking of milk bottles as your source drove away, did you Kid?

While you were right about most things kid didn't you say that rovers had a strong case and win? Is it the same person giving you info as that?

He meets him in an underground car-park. The guy's codename is Deep Throat.

I cannot reveal who it is either, but all I know is he's tubby and often carries a bottle of Chianti about with him....

I might have thought that it was a brilliant move by the EP to show the 15ers up, except they ran that story the other day saying that Higgs looks like grumpy cat.

Joke of a paper.

That was a typical Post typo.

Meant to say Higgs was a grumpy tw**

obviously left by the ghs..give it the big un then go Into hiding

Reckon you'm right.

If you look closely you'll find some cowardy custards, cream puffs, incontinence pads and stainmaster - help when things run - in that basket.

Found this written on the Evening Post site, finally someone has some sense of it all !! http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-ROVERS-DECISION/story-26891234-detail/story.html

Mr Higgs has shown a total lack of respect for the fans.

His tenure has been an unmitigated disaster. He has shown his derision on the lifeblood of the club, it's fans, by closing the official fans forum, diluted the share scheme by re-issuing shares to the point that 1 million of fans money doesn't even get a measly 2% of the grossly inflated valuation of the club. He has been very economical with the truth and perpetrated that this contract was watertight yet it has been shown, beyond any shadows of a doubt, that it was anything but.

This was supposed to be Higgs area of expertise. He was supposed to be the man who knew, who is an expert at building and the regulations yet the contract was described as a colander rather than watertight. There was a definite cut off point and Sainsbury's made the club aware of its decision not to buy as far back as 2013. Higgs reiterated this watertight comment when interviewed by Geoff Twentyman, on radio Bristol. He even banned an ex director for questioning him and being critical, now proved right by the way, of Higgs and his reading of the facts Nick Higgs has shown himself to be so cut off from reality that it beggars belief. He has lost any credibility he may have had with this failure to deliver.

The unprofessional manner of even draughtiness this contract shows him to be unable to delegate, to people who may have been able to put a contract out that was not open to interpretation and allowed Sainsbury's to wriggle out if it. Regardless of the very poor way Sainsbury's have conducted themselves, the fact remains that the law was and is with them. That is fact. That Higgs felt that if he shouted long enough and loud enough, that he would prevail just shows how very out of touch he really is. I think his refusal, even at this point, to accept defeat shows him to be incapable to run the club. Appeal would mean getting leave to appeal firstly and then the appeal itself.

We are talking years and not Months plus huge sums of money to undertake this. His money is guaranteed back as he is using our only asset to find this. If he is allowed to pursue this then the clubs very existence is in jeopardy. He has lost any credibility, has no integrity and honour and is a tyrant. I use string and emotive words and it's necessary. An unmitigated disaster, no more, no less. He cannot be allowed to borrow even more, against the ground, to put on the roulette wheel of the justice system. He is single handedly taking the club to the brink of not existing.

We have enabled him by not criticising and in not questioning with enough vigour. It's a sad day for the club and even sadder for us long suffering fans. One has to ask, is this man addicted to drama ? Seriously. The Wycombe saga made us a laughing stock and it was bad enough being relegated out if the FL. much of the goodwill that other clubs had for us is now gone. I see that any truly decent man would do his part in bringing in new investment and walking away.

I saw today's verdict as the only way he could be partly forgiven, had the verdict gone our way but now this is done, I see a dead Duck chairman who has holed the good ship Rovers below the waterline yet he still doesn't accept the verdict of an high court judge. You cannot make someone buy something they no longer want to buy and they made it abundantly clear they no longer wanted to buy, a long time ago. So much has come to light now that it shows we were not told the truth and much was misrepresented to the point that one has to wonder about his mental health.

Go now please Higgs. You have done enough damage and when you tell us that without you there would be no Rovers, you only inflame and already very hurt fan base.

Blimey! Someone finally gets it.

Are the UWE plans and artists impressions still available ?

I'd quite like one last look at them!

It's just a sheet of A5 with **** all on it!

Wave goodbye to UWE, blue scum!

I've been told, by a totally unreliable source (a gashead) that Aldi or Lidl are waiting to step in if Sainsbury's falls through. No idea if there's any truth in it, nor do I really give a s**t but said gashead (yes, there are still a few) seems confident that this is their plan 'B'.

They wouldn't pay the same big bucks as Sainsburys if they were.

And, of course, there's the Wonga loan to repay.

It's a fairly simple plan.

1. Find a billionaire

2. Sell the club.

But they do have a backup plan.

1. Find a consortium of millionaires.

2. Sell the club.

If these both fail then they are stuck with this last plan.

1. Default on loan payments.

2. Enter liquidation.

Summed it up perfectly, Ian.

Apparently Alexis Tsipras is joining as finance director.

I've lived in north Bristol my entire life, Gloucestershire play in Bristol, therefore I support Gloucestershire.

To quote the Duke of Wellington: just because you're born in a barn doesn't make you a horse.

Robbo: born in Bristol.Always Somerset.

Wahey! Cider tonight, lads.  

serious comment- I don't doubt we will have financial hardships and those are what we are used to- but we love the club and many of us are prepared to have a reasonable conversstion about Bristol football, just very difficult with you lot- pewrsonally I'd just love to have a derby game - miss those a lot...

You'll have Yeovil and Exeter :-)

Who knows, if you hang on in there during your inaugural season as a league club you may meet Swindon in 2016 - after their 30-point deduction for financial jiggery pokery.

I don't know what cloth-tits means so I googled it. No luck except for a site called big tits in tight tops or something which will have to do for now.

I believe he means what was referred to as First Base, when I were a young lad....