Eric Timmins has been on the trust just about from its very start so he is probably the longest serving member. The trust is like any organisation in that people come and go. All the members of the trust as it recently stood were all deemed capable honest and trustworthy and that includes Eric.

What I don't like is that since Walker was found out and kicked off, suddenly the people left on the trust were deemed to be unacceptable to Box and his gang. Nothing has changed, they are just the same people.

Eric has obviously decided to leave and accept the invitation to join the 'other' trust. Perhaps he thinks by doing so he could have more influence in ensuring we get a stadium.

However I have no problem with Eric leaving its his decision. My problem is the concept of setting up a new trust. The present trust is registered at companies house and open to full scrutiny. This new lot have obviously been under the assembly process for some time, well over 6 months to my knowledge, but still not registered. They prefer to skulk in the shadows and remain anonymous that alone rings massive alarm bells!!! They very day Walker was kicked off the present trust he stated he would go away and form his own trust. I therefore can't think of any other reason why this new trust is being kept so secret.

Further to that I think its an open secret that the council say they find CB and MC difficult to deal with. Well there is only one answer to that, If the council made Yorkcourt deliver what they promised I am sure that the council would find CB and MC the most affable and accommodating persons possible.

Instead the council are quite happy to allow Yorkcourt to get planning permission to build housing on what should be the stadium site and completely ignore any financial obligations they should have for the rest of the development. They are also planning to give 88G lucrative development deals in Thornes Park.
In return the club are being offered some form of stadium development at Belle Vue on worse terms that were originally outlined at Newmarket. The talk of 3G pitchs and other facilities seems to be long forgotten.

Yet the club owners and the remaining trust members are deemed as awkward , unreasonable and untrustworthy for not allowing the council and Yorkcourt to blatantly short change them and the wider Wakefield public.

Now that is spot on

I completely agree with your post but where does that information highlighted come from PB? Yorkcourts most recent planning application still has the stadium etc on, for what it's worth. Is it that's what you think they'll do with the land if Belle Vue gets redeveloped or that's what's gonna happen either way?

Jeez, I can't keep up with all the comings & goings, let alone more smoke & mirrors!

What's happened to TRB has he gone rogue?

He's probably sat in a corner rocking! Can't comprehend how the Trust keep their cool with all the twists and turns in this saga.

You are correct its not quoted on the application. However I can assure you that within weeks of the secretary of state granting consent at Newmarket, Walker came up with the plan to ditch the scheme and re develop Belle Vue instead. He made the trust aware of this plan long before MC and CB were ever involved, its always been an open secret.

Once he sold the Belle Vue idea to the supporters you are left with 35 acres of cheap greenbelt land at Newmarket that can be turned into very lucrative housing development.

Now this bit is speculation , If the stadium is never built at Newmarket then its almost a certain bet that the stadium site can be redeveloped in a far more profitable way. So in order to guarantee that happening what better way than to keep Newcold out of the trigger area.

Anyhow I can assure you the plan is to give Yorkcourt planning on the stadium site for some money to 'develop' Belle Vue.

CB and MC can see right through their intentions and are not prepared to be short changed. The remaining trust members also see that. However they are now labelled as awkward, untrustworthy, etc etc for not falling for this.

Some people may say, so what at least we are getting a stadium, it really doesn't matter if Yorkcourt get some more benefit from the site we are getting what we want. Well we are not ! Initially we were getting 12,000 seats with all the surrounding facilities and pitches. Now Yorkcourt are getting a larger financial lift from that site and in return we are supposedly getting a bodge job 10,000 seater at best, and quite frankly I don't think we will even get that.

Last but not least, its a real pity that the wider Wakefield public seem to be nose blind because the stench from the town hall in all this is overwhelming.

That goes without saying. To have them described as stumbling blocks must be galling for them, for all that they've done. I just try to take the emotion out of things, and rights and wrongs and who's the villain and it comes down to one thing: what is the best mechanism to getting a stadium that is fit for purpose? If it means doing it Box's way, so be it, provided of course his way produces a stadium with terms that are acceptable to the club. We know one thing: doing it in a way that doesn't suit him isn't going to happen.

The one issue that is unclear is whether the withdrawal of the threat of legal action was down to a realisation that it would be unlikely to succeed, or whether it was the trade-off for the new stadium commitment, along with a public acknowledgement that the council are all great after all. Whether this will affect this if it was the latter remains to be seen. If it's because of the former, it might be Hobson's Choice.

What does seem apparent is that people seem to think Eric is a decent stand-up guy and a genuine fan. Hopefully that will result in the right outcome.

But yes, Prince Buster's assessment will be more likely than mine, he's closer to it than me, that we'll end up with a dumbed down version of a new stadium and no community stadium at Newmarket. Maybe fight one battle a time though.

Totally agree and anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't really know Eric. I am sure his actions are done in good faith and its his call and I respect that.

I also know that Eric and myself have totally different views how all this will turn out, neither of us can be sure of the final outcome.

As they say lets see what happens next as this long running saga continues.

schmozzal!!

Completely agree with you and I've said it myself many times, even IF Belle Vue gets redeveloped to a good standard that's not what all this was about and the ratepayers have been royally mugged off, the majoirty of who have no idea they have. I just thought you might have some insider knowledge on Yorkcourt and housing up there PB.

Let's see what happens and keep the pressure on and get the community stadium finally built.

Up the Trin

What does it matter if there is a new trust set up, surely this all ties in with the current trust, box surely can't just decide to scrap the old trust and bring a new one in just like that. I for one am in the fight them all the way camp wether we get the stadium or not, I want to see box in front of a judge, and want Walkers grotty details for all to see not that it will happen being a mason no doubt.

Sub human scum the lot of em.

Could it be all to do with the rent to be paid?
The current trust is, quite rightly, sticking to the original deal struck. Yorkcourt builds the stadium and other facilities and gives it to the Trust on a 99-year lease. The trust then sublets to the club as anchor tenants on a peppercorn rent, but they take responsibility for maintenance and insurance.
I'm guessing 'other parties' still want the club to pay a market rent and so building in some profit for the (new) trust.

I'll be honest, I don't know Eric, I just tarred him with the same brush as the others and he was financial director at a particularly bad time in the clubs history, so if I was offside there I apologise to Eric. But all that aside if Eric wants to be a player in this, then the least he could do to calm some nerves would be to make a statement explaining his rationale behind his resignation from the original trust which had one stated intention and him joining this new incarnation.

I'm hoping as plenty have stated that's he a stand up guy and just sees this as an opportunity to do what's right and not an attempt to miss getting left out of the feeding frenzy at the trough?

Think it was more me than PB defending Eric.

Your post is fair enough. For me Eric's got it massively wrong and will live to regret it which is a shame. However it is possible to remain friends with those you don't agree with so long as they remain honourable.

Even within SWAG and the Trust there is not total agreement. I'm totally pro BV and have been for a long time- I believe NM has the potential to a white elephant. If I recall I only think Jinjer shared my opinion though I may be wrong on that.

Despite that I support the majority opinion even though it's not mine because I feel those involved are honourable. I just don't want this to get any nastier than it is and I don't want to isolate people like Eric.

Eric is honourable but he's in a minority of one where that lot are concerned for now.