Chairman Andy Lonsdale has released a statement regarding Hereford United.
After reading the blog placed on Bulls News from Mr Jess
Norman MP I feel the time has come to set the record straight. I have
repeatedly tried to contact Mr Norman, but to date have had no response.
Tommy Agombar purchased the club on May 2ih2014 with a petition in place to be heard on behalf of Mr Foyle and Mr Porter on June 2"d. Yes its true Tommy did pay £2 for the club and believed the total indebtedness to be circa £300,000.00.
The petition was adjourned as we were unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion regarding the compensation that was contractual under the LMA Contract, which was give to them under the previous regime, the compensation they sought was in excess of £lOOk.
The debts at the club continued to accrue as we learnt about other problems and loans that the previous regime had taken out and omitted when the due diligence was carried out by myself and Andrew Green, Tommy’s accountant.
We were not even told about company vehicles until after the deal had been signed.
With all this increase in debt we had to decide whether to continue or walk away, but we decided that we would try and use our ability and knowledge to try and turn Hereford United into the great club it had once been.
Yes we did go to the Conference meeting at Celtic Manor and were requested to put a £350,000 bond (cash) into their solicitors account. We made a commercial decision and decided against as the money could be better placed elsewhere to sustain the club and build for the future.
We were relegated to the Southern Premier and had to put a cash bond in place, smaller amount, which we have done. The Southern League realised that we were trying to turn the club around and maintain football at Edgar Street under the current club not a phoenix club, would this have been easier, in hindsight probably, but we believed that the hard work would be worth it as we had now seen how passionate the fans were.
Yes we were wrong in making false statements, but we have all worked tirelessly and as volunteers behind the scenes to maintain a level of football at Edgar Street under Hereford United FC (1939) Ltd.
Some people have said we deliberately sought relegation from the Conference Premier. My answer has always stayed the same had no investor walked in when we did there would be no football as all the players had left due to having received no wages for three months, the resolve these players showed and their dedication to the club showed should be applauded.
The football creditors have I believe all been paid. The reason for the delay we were told was the level was £148,000 with the actual figure being closer to £200,000.
We have suffered a number of unexpected circumstances. I won't to go into much detail, but list them:
(a) Safety Certificate - Cancelled
(b) Help The Heroes Match & Cardiff- Cancelled due to the above
(c) Pre-season friendlies we had arranged with local sided- Cancelled at the last minutes
(d) License being cancelled due to no DPS.
Now to the leases, which seem to be the main bone of contention. I won't go into detail just list as bullet points:
1) Edgar Street as the home of Hereford United FC will not be relocated to anywhere else
2) The leases state athletic, football or sporting activities has to be played at Edgar Street
3) 85% of any profit from any redevelopment has to be left in the Football Club.
Jesse Norman goes on about staying in the Conference, would you rather a club being sustainable for the future or in the same financial mess as last season.
A lot of talk has gone on regarding the fit and proper test (ODT). Yes Tommy did fail the test, but continued to plough monies into the club knowing he could not be either a director or owner, surely this speaks in volumes, so when he comes to the ground to support the club he has managed to rebuild but can't own, do you not think he should be allowed onto the pitch.
A phoenix club would play no football at Edgar Street this season, there is no definitive reason why the council should hand over the leases and most importantly no one would be paid, no local companies who Jesse Norman says are the lifeline of the community, no football creditors would be paid, these are ordinary working people and to not get paid could throw their life into disarray.
As you are aware we have paid a lot of these people as we want to maintain the heritage of Hereford United for years to come. I ask this question would a phoenix club have done the same. I would hope so, but think not.
Andy Lonsdale
Chairman
Tommy Agombar purchased the club on May 2ih2014 with a petition in place to be heard on behalf of Mr Foyle and Mr Porter on June 2"d. Yes its true Tommy did pay £2 for the club and believed the total indebtedness to be circa £300,000.00.
The petition was adjourned as we were unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion regarding the compensation that was contractual under the LMA Contract, which was give to them under the previous regime, the compensation they sought was in excess of £lOOk.
The debts at the club continued to accrue as we learnt about other problems and loans that the previous regime had taken out and omitted when the due diligence was carried out by myself and Andrew Green, Tommy’s accountant.
We were not even told about company vehicles until after the deal had been signed.
With all this increase in debt we had to decide whether to continue or walk away, but we decided that we would try and use our ability and knowledge to try and turn Hereford United into the great club it had once been.
Yes we did go to the Conference meeting at Celtic Manor and were requested to put a £350,000 bond (cash) into their solicitors account. We made a commercial decision and decided against as the money could be better placed elsewhere to sustain the club and build for the future.
We were relegated to the Southern Premier and had to put a cash bond in place, smaller amount, which we have done. The Southern League realised that we were trying to turn the club around and maintain football at Edgar Street under the current club not a phoenix club, would this have been easier, in hindsight probably, but we believed that the hard work would be worth it as we had now seen how passionate the fans were.
Yes we were wrong in making false statements, but we have all worked tirelessly and as volunteers behind the scenes to maintain a level of football at Edgar Street under Hereford United FC (1939) Ltd.
Some people have said we deliberately sought relegation from the Conference Premier. My answer has always stayed the same had no investor walked in when we did there would be no football as all the players had left due to having received no wages for three months, the resolve these players showed and their dedication to the club showed should be applauded.
The football creditors have I believe all been paid. The reason for the delay we were told was the level was £148,000 with the actual figure being closer to £200,000.
We have suffered a number of unexpected circumstances. I won't to go into much detail, but list them:
(a) Safety Certificate - Cancelled
(b) Help The Heroes Match & Cardiff- Cancelled due to the above
(c) Pre-season friendlies we had arranged with local sided- Cancelled at the last minutes
(d) License being cancelled due to no DPS.
Now to the leases, which seem to be the main bone of contention. I won't go into detail just list as bullet points:
1) Edgar Street as the home of Hereford United FC will not be relocated to anywhere else
2) The leases state athletic, football or sporting activities has to be played at Edgar Street
3) 85% of any profit from any redevelopment has to be left in the Football Club.
Jesse Norman goes on about staying in the Conference, would you rather a club being sustainable for the future or in the same financial mess as last season.
A lot of talk has gone on regarding the fit and proper test (ODT). Yes Tommy did fail the test, but continued to plough monies into the club knowing he could not be either a director or owner, surely this speaks in volumes, so when he comes to the ground to support the club he has managed to rebuild but can't own, do you not think he should be allowed onto the pitch.
A phoenix club would play no football at Edgar Street this season, there is no definitive reason why the council should hand over the leases and most importantly no one would be paid, no local companies who Jesse Norman says are the lifeline of the community, no football creditors would be paid, these are ordinary working people and to not get paid could throw their life into disarray.
As you are aware we have paid a lot of these people as we want to maintain the heritage of Hereford United for years to come. I ask this question would a phoenix club have done the same. I would hope so, but think not.
Andy Lonsdale
Chairman