This guy is obviously keen, but won't put money into a club that he doesn't control. We saw the same thing for years at Wakey - people wanted to invest but wouldn't do so without gaining some control over that investment (and from some of the tales I've heard I understand why) - so we missed out. If he's genuine, which I reckon he is, then Cas should consider him as the new owner - providing the deal is acceptable to a) current owners, b) the new owners and lastly to the fans.

Who knows, Cas might end up with their own Mohammed Al Fayed - can't wait to see the dodgy statue of Wacko Jacko outside GH!

OK VOR, perhaps I am misinformed, but could you honestly put your hand on heart and say that what I heard is not the case? The ones I refer to in the past include for one Mr Caddick, who ended up going to a very grateful Leeds where he did an enormous amount of work for them on ground improvements and investment, or is that all a fabrication too?

I am not saying I am stating concrete facts in regards to Mr Naboo, but having heard this from many sources (some not the most reliable I grant you, but others who have never been far off the mark) I am inclined to believe we would not give one man that kind of power down the Lane.

Maybe I am way off the mark, but what wakeyrule said I have also heard, being a friend of a former major investor at Wakefield, who resigned for the very reason that they would not allow concerted efforts to invest as it would mean a 'power shift'.

I sincerely hope I am wrong about the situation with Mr Naboo, but in truth only he can say. I for one think he is a committed individual who would deliver on his promises, which is more than the current board has ever done. I would welcome a takeover for sure, because as it stands we are going nowhere.

You couldnt make it up. Poor little sheep.

Pearman. Just be careful. You (like us) have enough to do/to worry about at the moment.

All the best for 2012, within reason obviously.

I like threads about takeovers. For those who want to 'sack' or think someone should simply 'buy' the club, I would urge you to look at the publically available finances and the loans and capital that would take. Find this for yourself and invest some effort, don’t take your mates view over a pint as the truth - it would be refreshing.

Then, add to that the fact that your investment if you chose to buy the club would be so fragile that in 3 seasons, if the markets allow the building of a stadium in GH and the prevailing winds help could hold its own, however if something fickle happens in planning, the markets or the licensing applications in the next round, you could find yourself with an investment wetter than an otters pocket.
If I won the Euro Millions, I still wouldn't want to buy CTRLFC - I probably would, but I wouldn’t want to if that makes sense.
I am agnostic to our board on a functional level - but as for broken promises:
Top flight rugby - check
Licenses awarded in every round of issue so far - check
Strong player development ethos at the heart of the club - check
Financially stable and predictable - check
Credible business plan for a stadium - check (Obviously it is not built yet, but there is equal evidence to say it will be as won’t at the moment).

So, for a minute, think of Widnes in the last round who failed to get on based on insolvency. Not having a pop but Wakey would have been history if it wasn’t for Crusaders this time around. Is being a Cas fan so bad and has there been so much deceit from board level?

I put it to you erstwhile Cas fans, that while we would all like to gamble and see more risk, actually if you are an LUFC fan for instance, that in your heart of hearts you would rather be able to predict we will still be here next year and not in administration, as opposed to mortgage the future on getting to a final this season.

I referred solely to the building of the ground when it comes to broken promises, that was the whole point of this thread, without the ground there is none of the above. If we don't build it we have no chance or survival and that is the bottom line. How many more warnings do we want!?! This is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth but I will never support anyone other than the Cas team and just wish this frustration can be resolved so we can fully focus on the game again not off the field rubbish!

I am not saying we should buy extravagantly, but those we do buy should be of good quality and not filling gaps. Some of our signings in recent seasons have been terrible (Rangi Chase aside). I am not knocking the lads that came in and did their best but people like Fozzard (way past his best) and Parker (who couldn't get a game at Salford who were far worse than us last year) shows the ambition.

Our youth system is fantastic and I am very pleased to see so many top quality youngsters coming through our ranks but actually staying now rather than being sold needlessly. I never said I wanted a 'final this season', the youth system is taking care of the future and I don't expect us to dominate the League, but some small success would be nice.

It is somewhat churlish to presume I am informed 'by a mate over a pint' (give me a little more credit please!), I am fast remembering why I stopped posting on here so long ago...everyone here knows far better than I and won't have a word said against the club. You call it disloyal...I call it loyalty to the club, because to ignore what is happening is madness. We have been led on by the nose for years and are still, in truth, no closer to our future being secure in the top flight than we were in 2002. Just type in 'Castleford new stadium' into the Cas and Ponte archive and have a read...

Business plans are not what is needed now, we know we can do it, we have been told long enough. What we need now is shovels in the ground and the building to start, if we don't get in to Super League next time because of this, there is only one group to blame.

You know what, I do agree with a lot of what you say - only think I think is you are naive in your view that you can "invest more in players this week/month/season" and I am not having a pop at you - thats why I encouraged the reviewing of the financial positions of the companies, the directors, the club and the board - It is not like football and to try and gamble on future results and outcomes is folly - Many have tried and repented to the administrators.

Sincerely, I actually agree with your sentiment, until there is concrete in the ground in Glasshoughton, whatever the things we ticked off earlier are in jeapordy and will continue to be so. I have also said on record here before that the first staduim built will be the only one in the WF postcode, that is a fact. Then the one who doesn't build huge choice - share or potentially dissapear. Although that is a long way in the future right now - I am justlass half full to your equally heartfelt half empty.

God forbid we have actualy managed a non-slagging off constructive rugby discussion and they said it would never happen.

100% it is him I was the person that had to verify the account along with Matt as we cannot just let anyone post in his name I contacted the club and they put me in touch with him, so who is naive

Re PROBIZ sponsoring CT. I have read on Sports Pro Media site 2012 deal is worth US$500,000. Thats about 320 grand. Not a bad deal at all.

Quote: Tigerade "Re PROBIZ sponsoring CT. I have read on Sports Pro Media site 2012 deal is worth US$500,000. Thats about 320 grand. Not a bad deal at all.'" Not exactly what it says,although would be a tidy sum. But the figures seem nothing more than a guesstimate. www.sportspromedia.com/news/cast ... t_sponsor/

Quote: Tigerade "Re PROBIZ sponsoring CT. I have read on Sports Pro Media site 2012 deal is worth US$500,000. Thats about 320 grand. Not a bad deal at all.'" Not exactly what it says,although would be a tidy sum. But the figures seem nothing more than a guesstimate. www.sportspromedia.com/news/cast ... t_sponsor/

That is what I am here for and I appreciate somebody actually talking in a constructive manner, we are not going to agree on everything as you say, but it is good to know there are still people who can have a sensible debate without it descending into petty squabbling, that does no good for the club or any of us. If we can find a way to all work together to put a little bit of pressure in the right places, we may get answers to what is actually going on rather than the lack of movement on the building. We have some of the best supporters in the League and I just wish we would pull together a bit more instead of the apathy we have learned due to the situation we find ourselves in.

They waited until the close season to announce the shelving of the current deal I notice, I hope they are not stupid enough to think we have forgotten though!

Someone guessed a figure last season and that was also way off the mark.

probiz sponsoring everyone they can ................great to have an investor that seems to love the game. You would think he'd put hundereds of thousands into cas by the way people go on - its clearly nowhere near that amount.

Appreciate your sentiments - many Cas fans, me included must be hugely frustrated by the continual failing to meet self imposed timescales made by the club vis a vis the stadium. But you seem to think this is a matter of choice on the part of the board or at least a lack of hard work - I would have to disagree.

The fact is Cas' have never had a sugar daddy that can cough up the funds to build a new stadium or a generous council that can provide/assist with the funding. As such the stumbling block to building the ground has always been the releasing of funds to do so. The sole source of which has always been the sale of the existing ground and this remains the case.

5 years or more ago, our ground would have been an attractive proposition (taking aside the issues at that time relating to it's proximity to Hicksons!) for sale but in the midst of a global recession that has been going on around 3 yrs and shows no sign of letting up, investors are much tougher to find. We currently have a potential investor in place but it takes a lot of careful and sensitive 'wooing' to turn that potential into an actual sale.

If the BoD and Richard Wright are guilty of anything it is being overly optimistic in their timescales for each stage of the planning process. Pretty much everytime RW has made an announcement about "we hope to do such and such by date X and then take the next step by date Y" I've thought the dates were wildly optimistic so haven't been surprised or disappointed when things have been delayed.

I'm well aware how weeks run into months and months into years but I don't think the failure to get building started is resulting from any lack of effort on the part of the BoD.

Evidently patience is wearing thin but I can only suggest you sit tight for a time longer as quite frankly unless an investor comes along with really silly money (talking £15m or so) to pump into the club the ground ain't gonna get built any quicker.

The announcement earlier this week of £3bn being wiped off that potential investors value and an impending profit warning, can't have done much for the sense of optimism about that potential turning into an actual sale?

3 billion quid - exactly how much cheese did Anthony Worral-Thompson managed to stuff down his trousers?!