Blue Square Conference football team, Ebbsfleet United have agreed a deal to be taken over by the website MyFootballClub. Yesterday the website had an official offer of £700,000 to buy a 51% controlling stake of Ebbsfleet United accepted.
Ebbsfleet United changed their name before the start of this season from Gravesend & Northfleet, something that really annoyed me - see Who the **** are Ebbsfleet! I wonder if this new style of fan-base management would have allowed that to happen!
The deal is unique and has had many people wondering how it will work in reality. There are already over 20,000 paid-up website members that among other responsiblities will decide on team selection, who to buy and sell in the transfer market, staff and players wages, and ultimately if the manager gets the sack or not. Manager Liam Daish is a fan of the scheme, even though his new title will be head coach as a weekly poll on the website.
Furthermore, Ebbsfleet United’s chairman, Jason Botley told the BBC he was delighted.
“We are united in believing this is a great opportunity. This extra finance and support will enable our club to progress.”
Ebbsfleet are currently ninth in the Blue Square Premier, just six points off the play-offs, and a chance to play in the Football League for the first time in thier history.
MyFootballClub creator Will Brooks stated: “We hope that MyFootballClub members and Ebbsfleet supporters will join forces and make the football club more sustainable and successful.”
We have been following the MyFootballClub story for some time now, become members, and only too pleased members have decided to buy an English club, one I grew up supporting.
7 comments so far
1 weenie // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:25 pm
So many pessimists want this to fail.
Are they really football fans if they want a club to fail so badly. just so they can say ‘I told you so?’
Scarborough FC would have loved to have been saved in this way - I can only see this being a good thing for football.
Come one the Fleet!
2 weenie // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Oops. I meant Come On!
3 Adam Bird // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Also being from Gravesend. I read your views with interest. It seems as if you have been writing in a parallel universe to my own ramblings.
4 www.soccersecrets.info » My Football Club buys 51% of Ebbsfleet United // Nov 15, 2007 at 4:43 am
[...] terry@buzzinfly.co.uk placed an observative post today on My Football Club buys 51% of Ebbsfleet United.Here’s a quick excerpt:Blue Square Conference football team, Ebbsfleet United have agreed a deal to be taken over by the website MyFootballClub. Yesterday the website had an official offer of £700000 to buy a 51% controlling stake of Ebbsfleet United accepted … [...]
5 Co-opNet :: View topic - Fans running football clubs! // Nov 15, 2007 at 12:50 pm
[...] to happen! The deal is unique and has had many people wondering how it will work in reality." http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/my-football-club-buys-51-of-ebbsfleet-united/80/ I’m with the ‘fly on this one (well, I am one of their writers…). Yet another wait and see. I [...]
6 MyFootballClub buy goals for Ebbsfleet United | Buzzin' Football Blog // Dec 6, 2007 at 3:05 pm
[...] internet website MyFootballClub.com who now own 51% of Ebbsfleet United has generously provided the Blue Square Premier League club with 2 new portable goals and 20 new [...]
7 David Dean // Apr 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
I’m happy for Ebbsfleet and I’m glad that they are going to Wembley. Only hope that the success keeps going.