The Big Cheese has been waiting for good news:
Having sat patiently awaiting any glimmer
of good news and reassurance to come from Hereford United over the last 6
months, I feel that it is time to put across the views of a disaffected fan.
It is plain that Hereford United were in
financial difficulties at the end of last season, but the miracle of Aldershot
is now a distant memory, and the hope of a new investor who would offer us
salvation has well and truly been shattered. The new owners came in with bold
claims that we would remain in the Conference but duly had us relegated to the
Southern League, claimed they had the funds but yet seemed incapable of paying
a bond, let alone the rent as evidenced by last week’s Council actions to
reclaim the leases!
The issue of the financial predicament
seems to be one which the previous chairman must take a lot of responsibility
for but cannot be used by the current owners as a get out on their part. Andy
Lonsdale is quick to refer to the level of debt they inherited, but my simple
question to him is, where was your due diligence? The Supporters Trust was able
to guestimate the black hole in the finances even without being given access to
the books, but for some reason the new owners either failed to look at the
books as there was greater prize to be had, or were in fact complicit in their
own misfortune, by not doing due diligence? If there were indeed all these
unpaid creditors coming for their money, then his recourse should be with
either their advisors or the previous owner!
The Club are also rattling on about the
failed CVA, claiming that if it had been accepted then the financial problems
would not exist, to this I would suggest that the CVA was rebuked because the
creditors did not believe it was realistic, and have been proven right given
the falling attendances and reduced revenue, not wholly due to the boycott but
also attributable to the failed promises of Andy Lonsdale and that of the
enthusiastic supporter (former unfit owner Tommy Agombar). This regime have
offered nothing to the fans that have shown their frustration at the situation
created by the owners and boycotted the games, no matter how difficult it is to
turn your back on your club, but see it as the only way to show their
disapproval of the way the club is being mismanaged.
We now find ourselves again awaiting
another court date on 1st December, only after a last ditch promise
that investment is coming to pay off the £1.5 million debt (this is interesting
as Lonsdale claims that the owners have invested £500 - £600k into the club, so
one can presume they are creditors as well?). There is also a promise of a blue
chip sponsor. However, I would ask any perspective sponsor do you really want
your company associated with this football club at present? I for one will not
be supporting Hereford United whilst the current regime remain. Furthermore,
given Andy Lonsdale was only supposedly to be doing his mate Tommy Agombar a
favour for a few weeks, why is he still here now that Tommy is not allowed to
have any dealings with the club?
Finally, I refer to Andy Lonsdale’s recent
radio interview whereby he asked if the fans were against the new owners
because they were from London. Where you come from has no bearing on the
situation, our actions are due to your constant broken promises and treatment
of the fans that have seen their club taken away from them and humiliated by
your regime. Out of interest Andy, did you think that because we came from ‘sleepy
little Herefordshire’, that we would simply roll over and be grateful of the
next set of owners who rode in claiming to be our saviours? Unfortunately for
you this county’s people are very bright and protective of their own
communities, so you and your paymasters are in for for a long battle with your
continued actions. We will be here watching and waiting for you to fail, as we
are going nowhere, this is OUR HOME, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CLUB!
I had planned on finishing this here, but
it now appears that Hereford United have breached the FA’s Owner and Directors
Test by failing to supply details for the current owner Alan McCarthy to be assessed.
How far can we keep falling!!!