ElstreeBlue
Coach
If Ron Martin can organise the debts to be paid off, that will be terrific news but only a start. What is the position on that, by the way? Is there any more news to confirm whether HMRC are going to be paid and if so then how? What are the terms of the finance underpinning the payments?
But, assuming the immediate HMRC threat is cleared, there are lots of things that the fans would presumably also like to know:
1 That the board tells us what problems have actually happened, why they have said the things they have said (eg the unjustified criticism of Spencer Prior and the Echo), and reassures us that the problems won't happen again now - ie that the club is now safe and can move forward. eg I'd hope that the players are now paid on time every month. Can't be good for morale, or ability to sign players, if this doesn't happen without fail.
2 That the transfer embargo is lifted and we can expand the squad so we can genuinely compete. I'm not talking about splashing money we don't have - we have to live within our means. But we need 18-20 fit professionals that Tilly thinks could do a job in League One. (The word "threadbare" doesn't even do the current situation justice.)
3 That there are no more debts about to crop up that could threaten liquidation/administration.
4 That we are no longer going to be making unbelievably eye-watering losses of £2.4m a year but the finances at the club will be managed properly so that the books are relatively balanced.
5 To explain properly WHY the club has had such huge losses despite the club having had revenue streams (eg Cups, League, TV, attendances) that were larger than previously. And to explain what exactly have the "costs" and "expenses" in the accounts been spent on?
6 To explain what is the debt that the club will at some point have to pay back to Ron's companies.
7 How the long-term plans for the stadium will benefit SUFC. (I'm not against the new stadium. I just want to know how the club will benefit from it - something that has never been explained at all, and quite a few people don't seem to think is important to find out.) For example, to explain how the club (as opposed to his other companies) will make money from FF if the club is a mere tenant? Would SUFC share any of the other revenues at FF (which has been implied but never properly explained what the legal basis for this would be) and if so what would be the legal safeguards to ensure that club shares those other revenues going forward, both under Ron Martin's tenure and afterwards? We don't need to know exact numbers. Just an explanation of how the club (rather than his other companies) benefits.
8 That there will be no more unhelpful statements like the one after the Leicester game, or the one critical of the performances of players still on our books and who could have been sold for more money if we played a bit harder to get (eg Revell).
Somehow, some people think that if the HMRC debt is paid off (which would be good news) then RM's proved himself. It would be a good start back on the road back again. But I'm sorry - we should never have got into this mess in the first place. And I'd still like to know that the club's short-term position is safe, and that the club's long-term position is secure at FF. Otherwise, we could be back here again (if indeed we're even out of the woods yet).
But, assuming the immediate HMRC threat is cleared, there are lots of things that the fans would presumably also like to know:
1 That the board tells us what problems have actually happened, why they have said the things they have said (eg the unjustified criticism of Spencer Prior and the Echo), and reassures us that the problems won't happen again now - ie that the club is now safe and can move forward. eg I'd hope that the players are now paid on time every month. Can't be good for morale, or ability to sign players, if this doesn't happen without fail.
2 That the transfer embargo is lifted and we can expand the squad so we can genuinely compete. I'm not talking about splashing money we don't have - we have to live within our means. But we need 18-20 fit professionals that Tilly thinks could do a job in League One. (The word "threadbare" doesn't even do the current situation justice.)
3 That there are no more debts about to crop up that could threaten liquidation/administration.
4 That we are no longer going to be making unbelievably eye-watering losses of £2.4m a year but the finances at the club will be managed properly so that the books are relatively balanced.
5 To explain properly WHY the club has had such huge losses despite the club having had revenue streams (eg Cups, League, TV, attendances) that were larger than previously. And to explain what exactly have the "costs" and "expenses" in the accounts been spent on?
6 To explain what is the debt that the club will at some point have to pay back to Ron's companies.
7 How the long-term plans for the stadium will benefit SUFC. (I'm not against the new stadium. I just want to know how the club will benefit from it - something that has never been explained at all, and quite a few people don't seem to think is important to find out.) For example, to explain how the club (as opposed to his other companies) will make money from FF if the club is a mere tenant? Would SUFC share any of the other revenues at FF (which has been implied but never properly explained what the legal basis for this would be) and if so what would be the legal safeguards to ensure that club shares those other revenues going forward, both under Ron Martin's tenure and afterwards? We don't need to know exact numbers. Just an explanation of how the club (rather than his other companies) benefits.
8 That there will be no more unhelpful statements like the one after the Leicester game, or the one critical of the performances of players still on our books and who could have been sold for more money if we played a bit harder to get (eg Revell).
Somehow, some people think that if the HMRC debt is paid off (which would be good news) then RM's proved himself. It would be a good start back on the road back again. But I'm sorry - we should never have got into this mess in the first place. And I'd still like to know that the club's short-term position is safe, and that the club's long-term position is secure at FF. Otherwise, we could be back here again (if indeed we're even out of the woods yet).
