Tony Brown's Letter

First topic message reminder :

I've been meaning to post this for a while; it's a lousy night out there so I'm getting 'round to it now.

The Dragons posted me details of next season's season-ticket offers the other week. The booklet came with a letter written by Tony Brown, former benefactor of Newport RFC and now a member of the Dragons' Board of Directors. This is what he wrote:

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Dear Season Ticket Holder,

I hope you will not mind me writing to you but I am doing so since you are a season ticket holder and a good supporter of rugby at Rodney Parade.

I fully appreciate that we have experienced a difficult season and, for this reason, you may well be considering whether you should back us for a further season.

The purpose of my letter is to urge you to continue your support for our teams and to give you some details of the problems currently facing us.

Similar to the other Welsh regions, Newport Gwent Dragons, as well as Newport RFC are facing liquidity problems. The new stand cost us considerably more than its original budget and the region has had no proper executive direction for some years. Despite the generosity of our Directors, our debt is considerable.

That is the bad news but to counteract that we do have some good. First, three months ago we appointed a new Chief Executive, Chris Brown (no relation, I hasten to add), who is doing a first class job but it will take him some time to pull everything together. Second, we do own the freehold of our ground, which, with the building of the new stand has probably created the best club stadium in Wales for atmosphere.

If we can get through the next six months then I am confident that we can build for the future and create great rugby at Rodney Parade once again.

Please renew your season ticket and, if possible, ask your friends to join you. Your continued support is absolutely critical to our future.

Very sincerely,

Tony Brown.

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Now, I'm not stupid - I know he's after money, simple as that; but I thought it was a great letter to have written. The Dragons could have pretended that everything was hunky dory, that we'd had a great season and just asked us to renew our season tickets. But no, Tony Brown acknowledges that it's been a disappointing season. He also levels with us when it comes to our financial situation. He didn't need to do either of those things. I respect him for that.

Anyway, what do you make of it?

Griff wrote:Maybe Brown is stipulating that if he purchases the remaining 50% then the Dragons have to become soley a Newport team and not a representative regional team. Perhaps the WRU don't want this and thus are not keen to sell. I'm a Newport man born and bred, but I wouldn't want a solely Newport team as I believe in the regional concept. I think it would be a step back.

Really don't know where this Tony Brown is a stand-alone merchant comes from. He put his money where his mouth is when we merged with Ebbw Vale to form the GWENT Dragons.

Besides, the WRU let Cardiff and Llanelli get away with it. I agree I wouldn't want to support a superclub but if that's the only way then so be it, again none of the other Gwent clubs have taken up the mantle in ten years and one of them could do so tomorrow if they so wished. Why don't Pooler, instead of fighting the WRU, jump on that 50% instead to save themselves there'd be no way the WRU would downgrade a merger club?

thebluesmancometh wrote:TBH from what I see on a day to day basis the Dragons look like they're being run by someone who doesn't know that much about business, especially in the region with regards to player development.

Didn't the head of development just get a 12 month touchline ban for ref abuse?

Havn't all the development officers jumped ship?

Half of the academy staff moved on?

Things are rotten within Gwent right now, and it looks like the 6 month limit is a bit of a wish rather than a goal!!

I'd match any of Hazell, Brown, Godfrey or Matthews' fortune against anything you've got in the bank Bluesman, and they've kept the Dragons afloat in less than ideal circumstances. People talk about the Dragons as a failure but imo they've been extremely successful in their primary aim, which has had to be survival. They've got ten years nearly on the Celtic Warriors.

If our academy etc is so rotten how come we've got the lion's share of the under 18's and had national college and schools league champs in the last couple of seasons? The WRU have been running the academy almost single handed for most of the region's existence as well don't forget.

Tony admits in his letter than prior to him returning the Dragons have had no executive direction in the last five years. It will take time to get this sorted but there is as much potential within Gwent for pro rugby as anywhere else in Wales, if only the WRU let us get on with it.

Stone Motif wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:TBH from what I see on a day to day basis the Dragons look like they're being run by someone who doesn't know that much about business, especially in the region with regards to player development.

Didn't the head of development just get a 12 month touchline ban for ref abuse?

Havn't all the development officers jumped ship?

Half of the academy staff moved on?

Things are rotten within Gwent right now, and it looks like the 6 month limit is a bit of a wish rather than a goal!!

I'd match any of Hazell, Brown, Godfrey or Matthews' fortune against anything you've got in the bank Bluesman, and they've kept the Dragons afloat in less than ideal circumstances. People talk about the Dragons as a failure but imo they've been extremely successful in their primary aim, which has had to be survival. They've got ten years nearly on the Celtic Warriors.

If our academy etc is so rotten how come we've got the lion's share of the under 18's and had national college and schools league champs in the last couple of seasons? The WRU have been running the academy almost single handed for most of the region's existence as well don't forget.

Tony admits in his letter than prior to him returning the Dragons have had no executive direction in the last five years. It will take time to get this sorted but there is as much potential within Gwent for pro rugby as anywhere else in Wales, if only the WRU let us get on with it.

Where has Brown been for the last five years then?

Busy being forked off with the pants WRU I 'spect. The guy is in his 70's don't forget and has a business to run.

Stone

I think you've got the wrong idea. I'm a fan (ish).

I havn't got the resources you are right, thats why I'm not attempting to run a proffessional sports team (yet).

What part of the academy is being run by the WRU? From the training camps of the U16/17/18 teams at Bettws (run by volunteers) to the Junior and senior academy based at cross keys.

My point is I didn't realise things were this financially bad, and now knowing that the development officers who were all full time employed have jumped ship, maybe they're privvy to information we aren't? Most of the roles are being replaced with voluntary / bursary roles I believe, and the WRU have employed differing officers to promote the game.

Stone, I'm not trying to pick a fight as I think in a roundabout sort of why we want the same things. However, can you clarify what Tony Brown does at RP? You say he put his money in at inception, which I remember, but then I also remember him walking away (been missing 5 years as you say) and the announcement that he was coming back recently. To walk away and then come back suggests that he isn't putting his money in as we would have shut down for that 5 years. Also, Dragons Rugby Ltd who run the Dragons do not list Brown as being involved, at least not officially (see link below). He's not listed at Rodney Parade Ltd either. If he's an advisor then great, the more help the better, but I could do that too! Not sure that's the sort of help we need.

http://www.duedil.com/company/04959513/dragons-rugby-limited

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/dragons/8821788.Tony_Brown_is_back_at_Parade___and_Dylan_Matthews_is_joining_him/

thebluesmancometh wrote:Stone

I think you've got the wrong idea. I'm a fan (ish).

I havn't got the resources you are right, thats why I'm not attempting to run a proffessional sports team (yet).

What part of the academy is being run by the WRU? From the training camps of the U16/17/18 teams at Bettws (run by volunteers) to the Junior and senior academy based at cross keys.

My point is I didn't realise things were this financially bad, and now knowing that the development officers who were all full time employed have jumped ship, maybe they're privvy to information we aren't? Most of the roles are being replaced with voluntary / bursary roles I believe, and the WRU have employed differing officers to promote the game.

The WRU have responsibility for rugby development in the Dragons region - they employ the staff as you have said. http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/page.aspx?p=398
http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/Page.aspx?p=270

If the development officers have jumped ship that is an issue for their employers, surely?

Why do you think things are so bad financially? The net worth of the Dragons (Rodney Parade Ltd) is at least something, unlike the other three regions...

Griff wrote:Stone, I'm not trying to pick a fight as I think in a roundabout sort of why we want the same things. However, can you clarify what Tony Brown does at RP? You say he put his money in at inception, which I remember, but then I also remember him walking away (been missing 5 years as you say) and the announcement that he was coming back recently. To walk away and then come back suggests that he isn't putting his money in as we would have shut down for that 5 years. Also, Dragons Rugby Ltd who run the Dragons do not list Brown as being involved, at least not officially (see link below). He's not listed at Rodney Parade Ltd either. If he's an advisor then great, the more help the better, but I could do that too! Not sure that's the sort of help we need.

http://www.duedil.com/company/04959513/dragons-rugby-limited

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/dragons/8821788.Tony_Brown_is_back_at_Parade___and_Dylan_Matthews_is_joining_him/

The Dragons are owned 50% by Newport RFC (i.e. Martyn Hazell) and 50% by the WRU. Tony Brown sits on the board of Directors. As a pre-regional Newport fan you will know what he can do if left to run a ship - the resurgence of Newport around 2000 was not just about buying in some quality from SA but about selling a product. He was more successful at that with Newport than any of the regions have been to date.

If he could get us back to where Newport were pre-regional that would be a start, at the moment we're in limbo. The fault for that is not within our region imo.