Ben Pickering's position within the tangled web of Kettering town Football Club has always been a difficult one to assess. True, he purchased the ground and agreed to rent it back to us, which saved us once upon a time. But then, this was only because our board of directors at the time were so criminally short-sighted. Ben saw the main chance and for a figure as low £70,000.00 made what was almost certainly the best investment he has ever made in his life.
He has continued to rent our ground back to us ever since, which, puts him firmly in the "plus" column. Is it his fault that the various renegotiation's have favoured him so much? Better surely to blame the various Poppies directors and chairman for allowing him to set some pretty outlandish terms (percentage of FA Cup AWAY games earnings FFS!).
In very real terms, he is the one man in the world with the power of life and death over the Poppies. Not Imraan. Not the Council. Certainly not us fans. Just him. Him and his ownership of the one thing we simply cannot replace - Rockingham Road.
From his point of view he is on to a winner all ways round. We stay - we pay what he says. We leave - he applies for planning permission and the makes another killing. Worse case scenario, we're gone, and he can't sell for houses straight away. But even then, what does he lose? Nothing. The ground has earned back his investment many times over. And land never decreases in value. One day it will sell, and his family will benefit.
So, what do WE suggest he does? Pie in the sky admittedly, but would it affect the quality of life him in the slightest if he signed the ground over to the Supporters Trust, but had a caveat that any sale would benefit his estate? This means he would have saved the Poppies twice and be a hero to generations of supporters to come. Like 99.9% of Poppies fans, I've never met the guy, but would have no problem with attending the "Ben Pickering" stadium for for the rest of my life! All thoughts on Non Park kicked into touch forever!
Come on Ben, we know you're a regular reader! You know it makes sense!
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