Where to now for Bray Wanderers

[Albatross]

Transparency that would be good. That Mercer Investment Company holding all those shares in the club, a quick look at the Companies Registration Office shows that it dosn't exist, hasn't files accounts in ages!

Type	Company
Number	75379
Name	MERCER INVESTMENT COMPANY
Address	2-4, MERVILLE ROAD, STILLORGAN, CO. DUBLIN.
Registered	13/05/1980
Status	Dissolved Effective date: 06/11/1990
Last AR Date	23/10/1981
Next AR Date	23/10/2002
Last Accounts to Date	Not Available

The consequences of strike-off/dissolution for a company are as follows:

• It ceases to exist as a legal person,
• If it continues to trade, its shareholders and officers are trading without the protection of limited liability,
• The assets of the company are vested in the Minister for Finance and are therefore the property of the state by virtue of Section 28 of the State Property Act, 1954.
• Companies that wish to continue trading and deal with their assets will therefore require restoration to the register. There is no provision to restore a company that has been dissolved in excess of 20 years.

A couple of questions come to mind here

Is the Minister for Finance now part owner of Bray Wanderers.

How did a company dissolved in 1990 buy shares in Bray Wanderers in 2005.

[Albatross]

I tried a few of these things before during my time at the club... Looked into the possibility of holding concerts in the Carlisle, Insurance was mental ! Also had the idea of an open air cinema during the summer months but again was held back by insurance and before the council tried it we mulled over an ice rink in november/ december / january but the price was way out of the club's league at the time. Think it was about 250k at the time if not more !

Car boot sale has been tried within the last year and didn't work out as far as i know and we looked into a farmers market at once stage too

Cinema and Skating Rink are two great ideas, amazed how much it costs for insurance. I would have thought that the club already has Public Liability Insurance to protect themselves. I've no doubt the there were insurance claims as a result of the wall collapses and the club must have been covered. Would that insurance not cover them for running these events?

[Roo69]

A major problem the club have is getting people to help with these projects. It's always the same small bunch of people that do everything for the club. Not enough new faces willing to help with fundraising projects like this. We have about 20 people that try do everything, it's just not enough. I would suggest that if people do want to see the club progress and try improve on what we have then put your ideas together and some sort of plan in place, what they involve, how much it could possibly raise etc... and approach the club saying that we have a group together willing to run a specific project to raise money for a specific project and that when the funds are raised the group will pay for it.

For example, how much would it be to build a decent clubhouse with bar, function room ????? Your probably talking the guts of 100k i would imagine. That's a whole lot of fundraising to be done, but if a group of people came together and put a plan in place and recruited people to help with different fundraising ideas then im sure it could be achieved within a year or so... Once the money is in place go get quotes, pick the best value and pay directly for it instead of giving it to the club to pay...

[peadar1987]

A major problem the club have is getting people to help with these projects. It's always the same small bunch of people that do everything for the club. Not enough new faces willing to help with fundraising projects like this. We have about 20 people that try do everything, it's just not enough. I would suggest that if people do want to see the club progress and try improve on what we have then put your ideas together and some sort of plan in place, what they involve, how much it could possibly raise etc... and approach the club saying that we have a group together willing to run a specific project to raise money for a specific project and that when the funds are raised the group will pay for it.

For example, how much would it be to build a decent clubhouse with bar, function room ????? Your probably talking the guts of 100k i would imagine. That's a whole lot of fundraising to be done, but if a group of people came together and put a plan in place and recruited people to help with different fundraising ideas then im sure it could be achieved within a year or so... Once the money is in place go get quotes, pick the best value and pay directly for it instead of giving it to the club to pay...

Is this the sort of thing the Trust were going to be getting involved with?

Perhaps a way of doing it might be to link up with a University, get a group of marketing, business and management students together, get them to try and organise it as a project. As far as I know, Unis are crying out for link-ups that give "real-world" experience to their students, and having something like that to your name would look great on a CV once you graduated.

I think it would really benefit the club to be more at the heart of the community, even in non footballing related matters, just to get people through the gates and thinking and talking about the club, which is why the ice rink, open-air cinema and farmers' market are such great ideas.

[Roo69]

Is this the sort of thing the Trust were going to be getting involved with?

Perhaps a way of doing it might be to link up with a University, get a group of marketing, business and management students together, get them to try and organise it as a project. As far as I know, Unis are crying out for link-ups that give "real-world" experience to their students, and having something like that to your name would look great on a CV once you graduated.

I think it would really benefit the club to be more at the heart of the community, even in non footballing related matters, just to get people through the gates and thinking and talking about the club, which is why the ice rink, open-air cinema and farmers' market are such great ideas.

The very thing we were going to do, got a group together but 1 by 1 people stopped being involved, launched it and only about 10/15 people signed up...

Great idea about linking in with a college, defo something worth looking into there i feel...

[Dove]

This is a GREAT suggestion.
I am sure there is ample third level talent that would love the challenge of a Case Study to come up with a proper Business and Marketing Plan for Bray Wanderers, that could become the Blueprint for the future direction.

Perhaps UCD, DIT, College of Marketing etc. would take this in board.
Perhaps the current board could look at this suggestion!!!!!!!

Bray needs a 3-5 year Business Marketing plan, to show the direction for both on and off the field development, and this would encourage fresh new blood into the club and onto the board.

Once again-GREAT idea.

[peadar1987]

The very thing we were going to do, got a group together but 1 by 1 people stopped being involved, launched it and only about 10/15 people signed up...

Great idea about linking in with a college, defo something worth looking into there i feel...

Sorry to hear that, must be very disheartening.

I'd love to be more involved, but haven't really lived in Ireland for the past three years.

[Albatross]

Great idea about linking in with a college, defo something worth looking into there i feel...

I agree, anything that will further the BW cause is worth looking at. These are the sort of ideas the club needs to take on board.

[Albatross]

how much would it be to build a decent clubhouse with bar, function room ????? Your probably talking the guts of 100k i would imagine. That's a whole lot of fundraising to be done, but if a group of people came together and put a plan in place and recruited people to help with different fundraising ideas then im sure it could be achieved within a year or so... Once the money is in place go get quotes, pick the best value and pay directly for it instead of giving it to the club to pay...

I have spoken to builders in the past and 100K would certainly do the job and in the current economic climate the cost of building is dramatically reduced. The is also the possibility of asking local people e.g. to give of their time to help a community project. This could reduce the costs.

Nobody knows how much the club got from the Reading transfer but 100K is a pittance to a Premier Division club, could the money not be used for building a clubhouse or will it disappear down the big black hole it normally does. Maybe the club got nothing? It would be interesting to know what the deal was but I don't expect we will ever find out.

[Dove]

Peadar1987 , who is abroad would like to be more involved. There should be a forum for Wanderers Abroad so that they can help and support the club, even from afar. This could form part of the Business Marketing Plan, ideas to get people living away more involved.

[starryknight]

Correct me if I am wrong but did the current Chairman not have a big run in with the FAI and is generally considered non grata in the HQ or is that just an urban myth without foundation and how can the club move forward if so?

[Roo69]

I have spoken to builders in the past and 100K would certainly do the job and in the current economic climate the cost of building is dramatically reduced. The is also the possibility of asking local people e.g. to give of their time to help a community project. This could reduce the costs.

Nobody knows how much the club got from the Reading transfer but 100K is a pittance to a Premier Division club, could the money not be used for building a clubhouse or will it disappear down the big black hole it normally does. Maybe the club got nothing? It would be interesting to know what the deal was but I don't expect we will ever find out.

LoI clubs like Bray live week to week so i would have thought that money has gone towards keeping the club afloat for the season and during the close season.

[Albatross]

LoI clubs like Bray live week to week so i would have thought that money has gone towards keeping the club afloat for the season and during the close season.

Maybe the new board will use the “windfall” to clear the bank debt. Its probably costing the club 20K per annum. In relation to your comment, the club has never needed a “windfall” to get from season to season so why should it now unless the club is in deeper trouble than we think

[Albatross]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...o-say-bye.html

Now Devo is leaving Bray Wanderers too? The wheels are coming off the wagon, what's happening at the club? Is there anyone in charge?

He also mentions financial difficulties so all the questions being asked on this blog seem to be accurate.

[Seagull]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...o-say-bye.html

Now Devo is leaving Bray Wanderers too? The wheels are coming off the wagon, what's happening at the club? Is there anyone in charge?

He also mentions financial difficulties so all the questions being asked on this blog seem to be accurate.

No, he doesn't mention financial difficulties, the report stuck that in there. What he did say is 'The club has been fantastic, there are great people in it'. Devo's not getting any younger so surely it wouldn't be any great surprise for him to step down as manager. 'The wheels are coming off the wagon' seems like a way over-the-top assessment of the situation.

[Dove]

The Seagulls nearly went out of existence over the winter because of financial problems


Well Seagull, the above was from that article.

There are serious problems at BWFC that are being ignored.
Perhaps Devo has seen the writing on the wall!!!!!!!!

[peadar1987]

No, he doesn't mention financial difficulties, the report stuck that in there. What he did say is 'The club has been fantastic, there are great people in it'. Devo's not getting any younger so surely it wouldn't be any great surprise for him to step down as manager. 'The wheels are coming off the wagon' seems like a way over-the-top assessment of the situation.

Indeed, he already retired once, only to come back when things went pear-shaped under Gormley. I thought the idea was always for Keith Long to take over from him after a season or two, so Devo leaving is hardly a huge surprise.

[Seagull]

The Seagulls nearly went out of existence over the winter because of financial problems


Well Seagull, the above was from that article.

There are serious problems at BWFC that are being ignored.
Perhaps Devo has seen the writing on the wall!!!!!!!!

That line was not a quote from Devo, it was inserted by a Sun reporter. The Sun, oh yes it must be true so, they wouldn't lie, would they!

[Captain2007]

Indeed, he already retired once, only to come back when things went pear-shaped under Gormley. I thought the idea was always for Keith Long to take over from him after a season or two, so Devo leaving is hardly a huge surprise.

Well things must be absolutely dire, Gormley back on the coaching staff, BWFC not doing themselves any favours bringing him back, I can't see myself re-newing season ticket if this is the road they are taking, sad to say I am supporting since 1985 but enough is enough.

[Dove]

Is the Minister for Finance now part owner of Bray Wanderers?



How did a company dissolved in 1990 buy shares in Bray Wanderers in 2005.

Is that material for ‘Gift Grub’ sketch....... John Delaney, Michael Noonan and Devo!!!!!!!!


You could laugh, if the situation was not so serious..................


These are very serious questions, and they need to be resolved by the club, as this would concern any potential new investor.

Let us address the main subject: Where to now for Bray Wanderers?