Thetownend.com

Thanks to otanswell, I'll plonk it in here where it's more visible:


Tuesday 2 February 2021
At 11:30 AM
CMC
PT-2019-000964 Standing v Power
The hearing will be available to representatives of the media, on their request, and therefore will be a hearing conducted in public in accordance with CPR PD51Y.  It will be organised and conducted using Microsoft Teams.  Any media representative (or any other member of the public) wishing to witness the hearing will need to do so over the internet and provide an email address at which to be sent an appropriate link for access.  Please contact [email protected].
Remotely by Microsoft Teams
Before MASTER KAYE

See my earlier post - this is not the trial. A CMC is a case management conference.

Shouldn't that be "hmcts.gsi" in the email address instead of "Justice"? It doesn't seem right to me?  :hmmm:

It has been copied from the Business and Property Courts Rolls Building Cause List.

Court email addresses use @justice.gov.uk.

I thought appointments were always done under @hmcts.gsi.gov.uk but you certainly know much more than I on this anyway.

I doubt anyone will be getting a response at 10pm anyway :)

https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/chancery-division (https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/chancery-division)

Anyone signed that email address up to porn sites yet

Not disputing what you know. Had a search myself and also came up with this...  :huh:

https://www.thelawpages.com/magistrates-county-crown-court/Chancery-Division---Masters-522.html

The court case is pornographic enough isn't it? One man fucks entire football club

Ok noted, thanks. Not sure what that website is.  The link posted earlier is the 'official' website for court details.

Funnily enough, I had to email a court today.

Has anyone emailed for an access request link?

Yes

No I don't mean for porn  ;)

Me too

And I got a reply saying they don't accept documents, but I wasn't sending documents.

Maybe it was just an automated message and somebody will deal with it in person?

Was an auto reply, i had the same apart from at the bottom of the email it said

‘Fuck off Tans you cunt’

Perhaps it's just their standard out of office reply, otherwise it would be odd. What time is it supposed to be? 11ish? No doubt you'll get a reply later :)

It won't be very exciting.  A lot of what is said may not mean much to a non lawyer.  

Courts fire out auto acknowledgements when you email them

It doesn't matter if it's exciting or not for most I guess. It's more that it involves information that is relevant to Town and the future of the club. Most supporters will then be interested in what might be said.

What does Hawes make of it all then, Bamboo?

I am managing expectations. 

There's not really a lot to talk about at the moment. Haven't discussed anything of note today, probably busy with deadline day affairs and I think he was on the Monday Night Panel ẃ Vic Morgan earlier too.

For sure. I have a sneaky feeling that several more Town fans will be watching closely tomorrow, regardless of detail or understanding.

NEWSFLASH: Chancery's email inbox limit has been reached. Powerless.

That'll be tans' pornbots

That made I chuckle in what has become quite the melancholic evening.

Government gsi email addresses being phased out this month.

We've been told in the past that Power is trying to sell the club.

Let's say Power has buyers lined up, ready and waiting to go ahead. Might the outcome of today help move any sale along?

Would you honestly trust his judgement in who to sell it to?
Will be another shyster and we’ll go round in circles again.

I fucking wouldnt

Still laugh about how Andrew Black thought jedco would be appropriate to run the club

I don't think Black cared, he just wanted out asap.

I trust Power far less than Black

Nope, but that does not necessarily mean it will be sold to a shyster.



We don't know that. Even Diamandis didn't sell to a shyster.

Isn't this just a prelim to set out what the case is about, what each party wants etc? I have a nasty feeling that the ''actual'' case will be months after if nothing is settled out of court.

The list says this is a CMC. A CMC is a case management conference. Cases like these will have at least one CMC.

As it isn't a PTR (pre-trial review) this suggests the trial won't happen for a while but I don't know any detail regarding the case.

This is a hearing in the Standing litigation but it is not the trial.

It appears that there was a belief that the trial will commence today. I don't know where that came from but it appears that it was wrong.

So what typically happens in a CMC?

It's it just formalities to set certain required actions on record.

Or is the judge able to say something like 'this will go to trial, but looking at the evidence evidence before me I suggest Mr Power takes council with a view to settling out of court"

#strawClutch

Its actually a bit like that, its where the court identifies what the real issues under consideration are, whether these can be narrowed down a bit, what further information may be required and whether there is the prospect of settlement via another route etc. 

I think I have mentioned earlier that the first CMC is usually a CCMC. At a CCMC the court makes directions - or a timetable of events that have to be completed by the parties.  This includes exchanging documents and witness statements etc.  The court will also make a costs budgeting order (see the net for further details).

As this has been called a CMC rather than a CCMC this suggests that things have happened and that the court/parties will review whether any further directions etc are required to get the case ready for trial. 

The CMC will be heard by a Master who won't be the judge in the trial if/when that happens.

Is that going to work if 20 of us log on at the same time?

No idea?

Its going to be interesting to see how Power's team have acted this time, what jumped out of the other case was how shoddy they had been a preparing and lodging documents with the Court which plainly pissed the judge off.  

Thanks. Sorry I missed the earlier comment.

So, then, it could be the decider? Or encourage a decision?

*more straw clutching*

(https://i.imgur.com/Yh5OGin.jpg)

I hope JBZ is going to be here to translate what is actually going on today, given he seems to know a lot about this stuff.

Wouldn't want anything to be lost in translation!

A CMC is a court hearing. I assume that anyone with access will be automatically muted and/or won't have their camera on but I can't say for certain.  I am sure you will consider your conduct as this may have consequences.

I turned my mic off in case. I can't promise to not say fuck off a few times.

Did I read somewhere that Power’s lawyers are, essentially, family law practitioners?

Not a dickie bird about this on the Advertiser website.

FFS. Does that mean I have to get dressed? Fuck that for a game of soldiers

TBF it's largely an administrative procedure, it's not a hearing of the case per se. Don't think they usually cover pre-pre-trial administrative hearings

Does litigation and family... https://www.terrells.co.uk/team/roger-terrell/?team_cpt=IMT_PAGE_TEMPLATE

Considering the shit hitting the fan yesterday you would expect some sort of mention, although I may be being unfair comparing them with the Bolton News when all that was going on insofar as that local paper seems to give a shit about their local club (probably helped by the reporter being a fan).

I think the Adver is possibly the only institution in Swindon in a worse financial state and more neglected by it's owners than the football club. I suspect the one sports journalist left (no exaggeration) is doing his very best but there's only one of him

Power's lawyer, Roger Terrell, was just briefly online. I don't know if he was aware and was speaking to somebody else on the phone. I didn't catch much of what he said, other than 'it's a complex claim'. It's off again now.

Here’s Power

Isn't it a 12.30 kick off?

11:30?

Is it on TEFfollow?

Tansmedia.

Will be post match comment by Judge Jules, Judge Judy and Judge Rinder as well as Ipwich Town Footballer Alan Judge.

  .
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FqNKfgF4uUI

Hang on, the meeting details says 1300hrs?

You should also be mindful of the fact that you should not take an audio recording or a screen grab without permission of the court.

Someone has just asked clive if we are online

dunno, it was initially 11:30 in the listings

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-cause-rolls2

Perhaps someone should bring up what he was doing in his hotel room before the PO final.

That might unsettle him!

I have a meeting invite for the case and its 11.30 on the calendar invite

It was, my 12.30 was a typo.

Be careful folks... https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/online-court-sees-lawyer-having-sex-during-case-wjncf5nhc

Just leave the whole business to Judge Dredd.
"You have 20 seconds to comply."

This post wins the internet award for the day.

Judge Dredd's line was actually "I AM THE LAW". You have quoted Robocop.

Quote from Dredd (2012) in a nod to Robocop. Great film.

Robocop's line (one of)  was " Dead or alive, you're coming with me!"
"You have 20 seconds to comply." was ED-209

The thing that worries me is that Power seems to have been consumed by spite now and doesn't seem to care about anything. Given the slightest opportunity if he has nothing to lose I can see him trying to liquidate the club out of spite and if he's not getting anything no one else will either.

The previous injunction stopped him putting the club into admin without Standing/Clems OK, cannot see liquidation being any different.

I am not convinced its spite, more sheer desperation.

I think that will offend the current injunction

WTF is Mr. West playing at?

?

What a shambles

Fred?

Sounds like they’re only expecting to discuss costs today?

I know you are trying to listen, but any insight into wtf is going on if there is break would be gratefully received.

HUzzah.

Mr. West has shown up.

Someone has posted a picture of a dick. Idiots

OMG somebody is putting pornography on screen disrupting it.

Some twats hacked the feed and posted a picture of black dudes with their knob out.

And some Chinese founding woman keeps saying something.

They do realise this is being recorded

I think it’s fair to say any subsequent hearings are unlikely to be open to the public.

Whoever that was will have quite a hefty fine coming their way.

 :D

Dear lord

Such a Swindon thing to happen.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Surely you force mute members of the public?

What's happened?  ???

Only just logged into it, who is acting for who?

I've given up now... I have attended loads of events where they just mute the camera's and mic's of anyone observing.

Unbelievable.

Anyone got a link?

Sounds too good to miss!

No wonder it takes ages to move house!!

just google "black dicks", its quicker

Someone shared their screen with a bunch of dicks on it. Actual penises that is, not Lee Power and Steve Anderson.

Is anyone on the call who we'd know or just solicitors?

As good a case as any to get the kids back into school.

I have messed up haven't I.

Apologies for my incorrect correction.

No one I recognise, just some suits.

Has there been any indication that its going to go beyond agreeing costs today?

I think I recognised someone off PornHub

Oh dear!

(Out of interest, are we talking about the Barry meme here?)

I'm watching now. Its fucking embarrassing.

Any idea who is representing who? Who's this David Hill bloke?

Sounds like the Oxford boys have got a link on their home schooling laptops.

Who are we rooting for....

Just suggested that its going to be a 5 day trial.

OMG it’s getting worse!

I heard the 5 day trial mentioned, the costs seem excessive according to the judge.

Why can't the court mute all cameras and microphones of those not speaking?

More porn?

Noises now, bad guitar music and explosions.

The court need to work out how to mute all but X and Y

Man. I know it's not funny but it is a bit funny.

I’m only listening with no video

I dont think they're a Town fan.

your partners and colleagues are going to be wondering wtf you are doing  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Incredible. Surely the audio and visual gets closed at any online hearing?

Whoever is fucking about needs taking to court themselves. But I have no idea why the lead meeting host doesn't use controls to do the above.

Sounds like this is actually a CCMC as more talk about costs.

PTR is already agreed from what I can gather?!

But all regarding agreed costs. Request to change Counsel unjustified according to Master

Seems like the clowns have finally given up. Otherwise quite a lot of penis visual, firework and circus audio thrown in. Fucking awful.

Funny as fuck if you ask me. Suprised we have not heard a power out shout

Seriously?! How old are you? We actually need this concluded not adjourned!

Powers lawyers will need to make sure they are paid in full in advance.

I don't think its Swindon fans, more likely our yellow friends up the road.

Apparnetly this sort of behaviour can be deemed in contempt of court and could result in large fines and jailtime. Surprised warnings haven't been given. Has the judge said anything about the background noise at all?

Possibly if there's no more GHT's on the BFLA. That would be a real VVFT.

Yep.

He reminded everybody before it started that they had to behave or risk being held in contempt of court. He's also said a couple of things since and seemed close to giving up at one point.

I think a few people will be getting a letter through their door in the next few days or so.

He got quite pissed off when the dick pic was on the screen and said he will
Make it just the parties involved if it continues

cheers Flash, Tans. I wondered if possibly the judge's sound to non-court members might have been muted somehow but appears that isn't the case.

Who needs paying to get back and fore from a hotel?! These costs are outrageous....

Thank fuck I'm not a solicitor.

Sorry if i have missed it. Who is representing who here?

Yes a lot, its interupting court and he has threatened to end proceedings and carrying on at a future date a few times already.

It is still carrying on.

Human species amaze (or doesn't) me at times.
Someone attending keeps posting messages saying "suck my dick"  :doh: It really isn't clever or funny, regardless of an individual's relevance or not.

Travel cost requests of 3hrs and back to Peterborough £1.5k...a time request was £5k...Master declined costs for travelling back to Peterborough, appears that the figure is £1.1k agreed with revision (if needed).


Now onto draft order...

West - Standing, Hill is also on that side
Asquith - Power

I am not listening in.  Sounds like the court is either approving the costs budgets or dealing with amendments to budgets that were previously approved.

The costs will all be quite reasonable.

Not sure. It's just a bunch of toffs arguing about how much money they want to be paid. Nothing to do with the actual case itself.

Trial window December 2021 - March 2022, bloody hell this is going to run and run

December - March for the trial.

Something needs to happen sooner.

We are fucked.

The budgets determine what you can recover from the other side if you win rather than what your own client pays you.

If we are waiting until December we are fucked

I did warn the TEF

Someone just muted the judge ffs

Early 2022 trial date likely.

Jesus wept

A full year to burn the club to the ground then?

Terrifying.

Wonder how the club will survive in that time? Majority of fans will withhold season ticket money I assume.

I fear that may be it for the club. It’ll be League Two, but without the investment we saw last time, and another full season potentially until a sale could be made, unless they can settle before then. That assumes that there is a credible buyer. We could well be a Conference team by then. It’s difficult to be optimistic when there is so little in the way of transparency from the club. It’s a ghost club at the moment. There’s nobody there.

Me fish fingers are almost ready................ Who the fuck calls their son Pester

Someone just muted the Master (not himself). Quite incredible. Surely, regardless of the detail much of the activities happening are in contempt of court and disrupting the course of justice?

I appear to be behind in the stream by about 5mins, just mentioned trial dates 2 or 3mins ago.

As stated, will drag on.

Apparently Power's Lawyer doesn't want a PTR...Master suggests it's usually a given but both agree to not have a PTR.

Now someone trolling the Master...fucking idiots. Sounds like someone from Blackpool area...

We need an out of court settlement.

I wonder if having to wait another 10 months might encourage that?

It looks like they've all logged in with their school accounts....Their names on their profiles. Silly kids.

Just seen Kristian Crusty pop up briefly. Is on it now mucking about...what a dick...

Had to close it for a bit to take a work call, but has it finished or have the grown ups just given up!

Its all finished now but there are still kids in there fucking about. All their names are on their profiles. One of their Mums even just came in the room, asked him if he was doing any school work and offered him a pitta bread FFS

Keshi & Jerry? :eek:

I had to close it because it was pretty much unlistenable with the constant interuptions by retards(sorry if you don't like the word but no other fits) etc.

Basically as FH says...OOC is the only option of avoiding innevitable administration now.

So the main headline is that we probably have at least another 10 months of this chaos unless they settle out of court.

A depressing day just got even worse!

My suggestion that it wouldn't be particularly interesting wasn't quite right then.

What was he doing as that fella annoys the hell out of me so I hope this applies to him...... Just a reminder that just because it's on Teams it remains open court and you can be held in contempt. Massive fines and jail.

Yep can't see any potential new owners wanting to wait as long as cMarch 2022 (maybe they would). Town could be on the verge of sacrificing their football league status and exiting via the relegation trapdoor to the conference by then.

OOC seems logical but could also see Power remaining silent and just following the legal process for as long as possible.

From an STFC point of view, could it be worth risking administration now, taking a pts deduction and rebuilding next season?

I know the punishment may be more final than a points deduction.

This is shit! :(

Only if he goes

It’s not inconceivable that a deal could be made to allow for a sale, if there is a credible buyer. Standing and Power may be in dispute over who owns the club, but neither of them actually want to run it, they just want £xm from a sale. So they need a sale.

IF there is a buyer, a sale could still be made, where any all/a % of sale proceeds are held in escrow pending the outcome of the trial. This would work in all parties interests - because the likelihood of attracting a buyer diminishes by the day. So get on with it...

But they’ve been able to do this all along - and haven’t.

The points deduction would carry over to next season as we are all but down this season so it wouldn't be a real 'punishment'. Also what rebuilding? At this rate there won't be anyone interested in rebuilding at the club, neither Power or Standing care about the club anymore so if they or we are still around next season it'll probably just be a case of play the youth team until the court case is settled in 2022.

My thoughts too.

Inc. the fact that it probably is unlikely.

The Exeter home game last year would have been a high point.

Even Jed could afford us right now.  >:(

Indeed. There was some interest but also a lot of distraction. There was me thinking "oh balls my hairs a mess, hope video is muted etc" would be bad form...

Some humans clearly have zero decency in regards to public hearings. I guess they have to ask themselves if they would behave like that in a physical domain as you do in a digital one?


Absolutely can. People seem to forget that they were attending a hearing the same wa as they could've done so in real life.

Nothing much, was preening his hair then realised that he was visible so dicked about for a few seconds, said something like "rarrgggh" and then was gone. So just being a bit of a narcissist. I then logged off as it clearly had kids on with their titles like "Matthew (Year 11)". So likely several not understanding the importance of their actions (in context of them thinking that it was "just" a video call) in a legal hearing.

Why are you watching kids on Teams

Not the case at all. Admin points deductions apply this season up until March.

:D

Not sure if it matters much either way, but Roger Terrell is also a non-executive director of the club according to our own website (https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/club/whos-who/). Presumably as a legal counsel, rather than any sort of investor.

I can't see us not getting a punishment next season if we would have been relegated regardless of a points deduction this season. Anyway, its a mute point as probably wouldn't be around next season for it to matter.

They are with condition usually though Aud. Where if you get relegated before a deduction is applied then the points carry over into your respective following season. If you don't get relegated before a deduction is applied, the points deduction is added at the season completion.

You can't take a tactical admin points hit during competition, otherwise it could bring things into disrepute and every dodgy football owner would be using it as a way to benefit from it (sounds odd but people do make money from failures). For e.g if someone knew that they would accept admin points right now, they (or a "friend") could lay on Town staying up (whilst still actively in competition) and profit from it.

So, basically neither Standing or Power want the club, right?

Does anyone? Just let it die

From a fella who thought the whole "activities" during the hearing was hilarious and fun...really?!

Please grow up yourself.

Basically this is what I can make out from what I have been told/read, I am sure the legals on here will say that I am wrong etc and put me in my rightful place in the relegation zone but here goes.

I hear Standing/Barry doesn't want the club, Power is desperate to offload the club as he has exhausted his own financial clout (hence the Curran financial input situation), Clem wants to own the club and so does another interested party who are not connected to anyone who own the club currently.

Power can't sell the club due to Standings claim over the amount of shares/value that Standing says he owns and Power disputing that.

So it is at a stalemate it seems until the actual amount of the club that Power owns is made clear allowing Power to sell up and move ownership of the club to a new party/person.

Not that Companies House have him down as a director, but isn't that the Swindon way!

Maybe a new owner can come to a deal with Standing as well as Power?

So basically we need to find someone to do a deal with both Power & Standing in order to buy the club but how much they’d have to give each person is what the courts are deciding?

Did anyone notice too that Chancery's pasted in everyone's email address as a CC?

Thought that was a breach of GDPR (or whatever it is/will be called) to reveal others details...  :hmmm:

Should have been BCC'd. Poor form, especially from a law firm.

I think thats a pretty fair assessment TBH.

Is it going to take us going into admin for Power to be removed by the administrator?  Isn’t that what happened with Wigan?

That may be true.

However, I think most Town fans need a sense of the absurd to get through the sorry business of STFC fandom.  And even harsher aspects of our lives.

Tech-savvy (immature) kids making a mockery of something as serious as the Court system ticks that box.  When nothing much was at stake, as today.

The serious lesson for the grown ups is that the administration of justice needs to get its act together and be funded to do so.

One of them actually posted himself in the chat at one point, I grabbed a pic of him but can't share it due to legality of sharing it.

The "public chat" thread was rather interesting reading too...not!

:D Was the highlight of my month. Is everything in your life so serious?

No of course not but when it comes to a legal hearing most people wouldn't enter a public gallery with a poster book full of penises, so the same applies online. I can see the mild relief and humour it might bring but it really doesn't help the image of the club does it?

As for highlight of your month, well that's all relative as I don't know your personal circumstances but I have more stuff going on in the real world so to speak, so this was not a particular highlight for me personally.

I am appalled that there appears to be little respect for the courts and the judiciary.   

Perfectly normal practice, nothing odd about it.


Cannot comment on the first three para's but the fourth is as I also interpret things.

It was a load of school kids for fucksake who clearly do not understand how serious things are. I really wouldn't let it bother you so much

The whole thing was a shambles, albeit the most shocking thing is that an online hearing does not lock anyone who is not a party out of commenting or sharing video/screen.

Oh and kudos for the Master in not sacking the whole thing off!

It was a load of kids who don't know any better.

It was kids.

They probably deserve a ticking off - but they were kids.

I was more disappointed at the lack of wit on display, although one did make me laugh when he mentioned his fish fingers.

I have not seen the statements of case in the proceedings but I seemed to recall that Standing wants 'his' 50% of the shares in Seebeck or Swinton (can't recall which) so someone else can hold them on trust , rather than Power.

Are the court documents in the public domain (bar the original judgement) there was mention up thread of emails being cc'ed not sure what they relate to though.

Doesn't Power also owe Andrew Black about £2m if he ever sells the club?

Would like to have seen the Mum who offered Pitta Bread to her little darling doing his "schoolwork" summoned to the screens.  Cross examined by the Master and given an old-fashioned recital of Contempt of Court consequences.

I found that more amusing because he was genuinely talking with his Mum

They were the emails of other people watching the link. Mine was there and a few others I recognized.

It seems the reply providing the link to those who asked for it was just sent out en-masse.

Yes but it should've been BCC'd not CC'd. A law firm should know this especially. It is a GDPR breach. Human error but from one that should certainly be aware of the potential future consequences.

Yes, which he told Standing he paid with the Ritchie sell-on.

He didnt

I don't know what is more bemusing.  A bunch of kids making a mockery of court proceedings, or a bunch grown ass adults, presumably the majority at work, taking time out during their day to watch court proceedings that the majority don't understand, and then getting on their high horses about the bunch of kids making a mockery of court proceedings..

So, if Power does only own 35% of the club and that is priced at c£7.5m, his share of any sale would be the square root of fuck all.

I just found it more alarming that people paid very well in their jobs, did not appear to know how to mute the whole room but for the important parties. It's not like this was the first time doing a video call...

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19058202.swindon-town-court-case-interrupted-people-showing-pornography/?fbclid=IwAR36L7PGnjzTnB5oMduPp9u7vQ6oOU3iVzlYindVPuSthPENHziTcz3uoS8

It's going to make the print editions of the Daily Star and Sunday Sport isn't it?

The statements of case are usually publicly available. You need to give the claim number and specify what you want. I think there is a small fee.

There is likely to be:-

1. Claim form and particulars of claim
2. Defence
3. Reply to defence

It's embarrassing. Bunch of immature morons.

I noticed that too.  What a GDPR cock-up.

The whole thing was a shambles, some idiot fans ruined it but surely they should have been able to anticipate that and remove the culprits?

But a 2022 court case is the upshot and surely the club can't survive financially until then.  Would love to know if the Trust has a Plan B.

2022 trial, yes.

All these clubs get bought up by american types and they just put the debt on the  club? Can I do that with Swindon? Do I need to be posh or something?

You can buy any business using a Leveraged Buy Out - you need to convince someone to lend you the money, which usually means a plan for getting cash throughput to show you'll be able to pay down the debt.  Especially appealing in the Premier League given the assured nature of cash flow from the TV deals.

Anyone got a tenner?

Any chance the other interested party are the Able group still?

Townend?  :-[

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19059573.lord-chancellors-comments-porn-shown-swindon-town-court-case/

He should reveal himself so we can give in the shit he deserves.

I assumed he was referring to the actual Town End and the terrace culture/banter rather than this forum specifically....

Robert Fuckland can cunt off

That as well I suppose.
Not that he’d miss a chance to his name in the paper.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9215979/Court-case-deciding-future-Swindon-Town-football-club-descends-circus.html

yeah. judge down with the football people knowing stand names.

if only there was a way to mute everyone except x, y and z

What I didn't understand, and I am not a big Teams user, is how people who were not the meeting organiser were managing to mute the person who was?

If Buckland wants the court system to work better, if only he knew someone who could fund it better!

Have to say I find it astonishing that the court proceedings were so badly run and amateurish that this was able to happen. And Buckland would be better spending his time concentrating on why the court system has been so underfunded for so many years that there is now backlog of 3-4 years for some cases to come to trial.

I can’t see this lasting another year or so. Who would benefit from that? Power, or whoever else reckons they’re entitled to a slice, would see the value of the club tumble massively.

If it comes to it that Standing does, indeed, own 50% of the club, then surely he becomes 50% liable for the club’s debts as well.

The only party it would suit is any potential buyer not involved in the present shenanigans - but by the time a years up we could be hurtling towards non league.

The club is a limited company so no.

50% of a club that’s about to crash ain’t worth a bean.

I presume, though, that all he wants is his 50% share converted back into readies and then he’ll just fuck off.

Why in God’s name would you pump £5m into any business on a nod and a wink basis. Like Clem, he surely wanted some legal cover for his ‘investment’ and not just Honest Lee’s word.

So what happens if it is judged that he does own 50% of the club? He’ll have to chase Power for it? Any new owner will have to pay him off? The club is lumbered with paying him back?

Just how would he get his money back?

He (standing) will have to sell for whatever is offered or be lumbered with 50% of a club he doesn't want. I would not be surprised if such discussions are already underway.

Lets hope the time frame to resolution doesn't scupper them.

You'd assume any interested parties would try to avoid time and expense by settling with all parties out of court though.

Being dumb here.

Is Standing after acknowledgement of his 50% ownership, therefore getting half of whatever the club is eventually sold for or is he stating he hasn’t received his share of any transfer fees due?

When he was handing over money to Power was it to buy part of the club or just an ‘investment’ that got paid out when players were sold for good money?

I would assume that the parties and their legal representatives have carried out some form of costs benefit analysis on the various options and this has informed their respective positions.

My hunch is that after the trial date given yesterday, decisions will have been made and proceedings moved forward.

I doubt that the trial window will have come as a surprise to the parties.

Yeah I guess so. Their briefs must know the current court delay if it's not normal.

With cost benefit, again fair point.

Maybet if an offer was imminent (no not ITK!) that they will leave a take it or leave offer on the table. Carrying on with the process could be a way to tease out more money if said buyer really wants it.

Pah, I'm just writing drivel.

I don't see how all this plays out *if* it goes to court and *if* the club is still an ongoing concern by then.

The latter, or that was what he claimed in the first hearing back in wheneverthefuck

Maybe i am being a little naive on this but not being a legal 'person'  I am probably well out of my depth.   Reading the club has been valued at 7.5m, should a buyer be interested and all parties agree on the offer that is made would it not be possible for the go-ahead to take place with the payment put into a bond ?.  It would then allow the club to continue without the on going court case/hassles etc.
Once the ownership issues were sorted the monies bonded could then be paid to whoever is legally found to own which percentage.
I.e. If Power is found to own 50% then he receives 50% of the cash with the other 50% going to Standing/Barry.  I presume that both parties would never reach an agreement but who knows, Would certainly end this period of uncertainty and allow the club to concentrate on matters on the pitch again.
Surely this would be too easy ?.

The claimant's claim form and particulars of claim will set out his case.  I had a recollection that it was said that Standing says he paid in on a 50:50 basis and that operating costs and profits would be shared 50:50.  Further, he says power held 50% of shares in probably the holding company on trust for Standing because he couldn't hold them.  He later asked power to execute a stock transfer form so the shares could be transferred to someone else on his behalf but that didn't happen. Power's case is differs from this.

The court documents can be obtained as they are a matter of public record (although I think restrictions can be imposed in certain instances).

OK. Then from what I’ve gleaned he has received a couple of mil or so back over the past few years (maybe THAT is where the Llungo/Byrne/Gladwin etc money went - or a good part of it).

Seems to me he hasn’t a cat in hells chance of getting his money back. If he’s still, say, £2-3m out of pocket and he only gets a return when a player is sold, he’s going to be waiting a long time.

The suggestion that the club was worth 7.5m was, I suspect, based on the  assertion that the American entity offered that and there was some form of letter of intent.

I think that some doubt may have been cast on the American offer at the hearing of Power's fortification application last year.  The papers available in the public domain will confirm if this is correct.

In reality, the club is only worth whatever a buyer will pay for it.  

That was something the Judge was quite dismissive of last year, yes there was a £7.5m offer but it was on a single page letter with little known about who was offering it and not countersigned by Power, I think on that basis the judge basically applied little weight to it when considering the fortification.

Even yesterday Standings team seemed a lot more organised, I get the impression he/they are are pretty confident of winning and thus are throwing the kitchen sink at it on the basis that they won't have to pay for the costs.

Banter of the town end according to the judge. Ha ha.

Had wondered whether the Townend may have a case for libel against the Lord Chancellor but Jayohaitchen's "Robert Fuckland can cunt off" gives a plausible "fair comment" defence  ;)

Plenty of dicks on here  :)

I read that article this morning and did wonder whether he meant the Town End stand, or Town End forum.

If the latter, then hello Robert, you cunt.  :bye:

I think we should start a sweepstake on which of our resident Tories is actually Buckland lurking.

Going back to the court case, can I just check, which side are we supporting?

I am supporting justice being done

Justice is a lie.

My money's on you.

Damn you Samdy Gray!!!

(https://i.imgflip.com/4wk1do.jpg)

that's what poor people say.

I thought it was going to be Velma  :)

That's my "weekend name"

Recent events indicate that some supporters were ITK in that they had been made aware that there was a court hearing this week. I couldn't tell from previous posts how this information came to light.

The problem is that this seemed to whip everybody up into a frenzy and led to the belief that the hearing had to be the trial of the claim and that the proceedings would be sorted out this week.

It goes to show that a little bit of knowledge isn't always a good thing.

I assume it came from one of those who Clem has his little cosy telephone chats with, albeit I may be wrong?

I think you'll probably find that those ITKers who are openly ITK probably don't know (or at least don't repeat) the nitty-gritty. Otherwise, they would unlikely be ITK for much longer.

:nod: One would imagine.

I'm ITK,  but only IK that.

https://www.legalcheek.com/2021/02/high-court-video-hearing-thrown-into-chaos-after-intruders-share-pics-of-well-endowed-men/ (https://www.legalcheek.com/2021/02/high-court-video-hearing-thrown-into-chaos-after-intruders-share-pics-of-well-endowed-men/)

I like the last paragraph.....

Definitely the law of the ITK jungle,

Not sure where to put this as it covers a multitude of things. Was on Monday just, as usual hosted by Vic Morgan ft. Matt Heywood and Andrew Hawes.

As well as talk of the then pending court hearing and pre Town's match v Wigan, interestingly Hawes talks early on about the situation regarding commentaries.

Might be one for Power to the People to have a listen to...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=138498538090030&id=1536514593248388

Vídeo is viewable w/out FB account.

My old man having a “Delia Smith  - where are you” rant, trying to galvanise the players. Was interesting listening through though - do recommend

Yeah, I think it brings a fairly varied bunch of angles even when the main opinion is largely agreed.

Vic is Vic and always a great listen, the guest speaker usually offers good insight, Hawes is a good mediator and a fan or two offers a 'real' or 'emotionally connected' view. It's a decent WebChat/Panel.

Worrying times
https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19067412.swindon-town-on-brink-covid-pandemic-demolishes-finances/

You might be, but speak for yourself.

I'm not worried at all.

Speaking about the future of the club not my own thoughts

Eh?

Do you know what is meant by 'speak for yourself'?

It seems worrying times for the club nothing more nothing less

Seems Power is just trying to hurry things along with a statement of impending doom. Whatever the state of the club, I’d imagine the vast majority of other clubs are in exactly the same state.

If he really is desperate to offload the club I’m sure compromises can be made with all interested parties.

Whether I actually believe his story of the minted Yanks waiting in the wings, is another matter.

.  It has been the same since last March.  Every month is a battle to fund.  It sounded from the Talk of the Town from yesterday that the US investors were still hanging around. Perhaps Power wants out before the December/March Court hearing and is trying to force the sale.

He won't get much sympathy from many Town fans!

No, and nor should he.  He chooses to be "sole owner" and the situation (covid notwithstanding) is of his own making.

Yep totally agree he's brought all on himself and if he gets desperate maybe he could ask his mate Tim for some help

He's bought it all upon himself, except for the global pandemic which is the reason the club suddenly has next to zero income and is causing a real threat to the very existence of clubs all over the country.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending power and I'll be glad to see the back of him (depending on who replaces him), but people seem to be very eager to overlook the rather extreme circumstances that have us in this position.

Who knows with Power. Still think he's a 'sell his own granny' type, which certainly keeps the lights on, but does have a tendency to catch up with you.

if Clem or a.n.other wanted to buy the club, the length of the court case and mystery Americans is a way to drive the price up/flush people out.

hard to see anyone wanting to buy just now, though a distressed asset can be a bargain

I suspect that a div 3/div 4 club like STFC is likely to attract a certain 'type' of purchaser.  Any supporters waiting for someone of particular substance are likely to be disappointed.

Standing will be wanting 50% of the proceeds of that as well!

which is why I said "covid notwithstanding" in my post. The legal issues around ownership surfaced as soon as Power  wanted out.  They became public in the May 2020 court cases and would have been going on long before that.

I think it's easy to see how a rich investor would look at the club and see the potential in getting us to the Championship (or, perhaps more pertinently, the financial rewards that will come with it).

Whether we do get that type, or the other type, remains to be seen.

The standing and axis cases were issued in 2019 I think. The claim number will confirm. The 'dispute' will have started before the claims were issued.

I've never really understood why we have been able to attract purchasers in the past, we own nothing of any value (I know some argue the DRS but that's basically scrap metal prices), in the past we potentially had the income from on sales like Bogle, Ritchie etc, but I am not aware of any of those still knocking about, the good will has basically gone.

As noted previously Power has done well keeping plates spinning for so long and would possible have got his payday if COVID hadn't struck, instead chickens have come home to roost, he has no cash left, people want their cash back, his dealings are all over the public domain via the courts, he cannot sell anything without others say so.

He can cough and splutter as much as he likes but as it stands he potentially owns 35% of sod all and there is a queue in front of him of people who will have first dibs at the pot, if the sale is £7.5m (not a chance that I can see!) Standing wants about £5m back in lieu of loans etc, if Power only has 35% of the shares as suspected that gives him about £900k, hardly worth the ballache, much easier ways to make money. Standing/Clem should offer him 1m to sod off and shut the door.

Do we think 'the Americans' really exist? Frustrating that we potentially could have been sold after promotion but essentially ruined by Powers inability to do things properly.... if it's true...

Every supporter of a struggling lower league club will say that it has the potential to get to the second tier etc.  Plainly, there is a divergence of opinion between the supporters of STFC and those in the market for a club.

I think so.

In the Standing litigation, some doubt was cast on this.

The entity may exist but there were questions around the offer itself.

wasn't the proof of the offer flaky as hell? Some badly crafted document which looked like it had been created by some children playing around with Word?

All kicked off summer/Autumn 2019, firstly due to shenanigans over the Ritchie sell on clause and then  the sale of shares to Clem and finally all the Able stuff which seems to have been the straw which broke the camels back. The injunction was 22nd November 2019 (see Para 20 in below, the 2020 date must be a typo).

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5ec564d82c94e079ae125566

After months of very little communication from Power he comes across as treating the fans with utter contempt again if you ask me.  "people need to realise" "before saying some things about losing one player"

It wasn't one player, and if you had been better at communicating to the fans through all of this then maybe "people would realise".

Zero sympathy for the cockney wide boy from me..

Can it be a coincidence that after a long period of silence he finally emerges with a "we're covered until the end of February" message, at around the point that season tickets have been announced in years gone by?

Not helped by Power denying it existed in a text to Clem dated after the letter he was relying on in court!!

31m?

The chance to own the freehold, or at least 50% of it, for little more than £1m is probably enticing to some.

Plus there are things other than football that a club can be used for.

Really? He's shadier than a field of willow trees isn't he?

Yep.

Like an opportunity for somebody in the construction industry to get a stadium build on their portfolio, for example.

That's great but, again, I am not aware that any 'big league' owners have shown any interest in STFC. Those ITK may correct me on that.

Couple of obvious interpretations from the TOTT ep:
 - Power has last spoken to the fans via the BBC on the day of or around the last two court hearings. He's perhaps using it as an agenda to further his own case in the hearings, or at least put his spin on things.
 - Is the club preparing for a "your club needs you" style ST campaign? Renew or we die?
 - Power is basically trying to crank up the pressure on all sides of the dispute to jolly everyone along to a settlement. By overstating the severity of the financial situation and the stated interest (and character? "good people, deep pockets") of the yanks, he's creating a situation where he "can save the club" but if it goes south, he "did everything he could, wasn't his fault".
 

I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t give a flying fuck if the club folded as long he didn’t lose out - he’s left a trail of broken businesses before STFC without a second thought.

Strange he’s accentuating the club’s parlous state when actively looking for a buyer, though.

If there is, indeed, an eager buyer waiting in the wings I doubt they care much how their purchase money is divvied up between the warring parties. Just put the £7.5m, or whatever, in some sort of legalised and ringfenced account, take up the reins at the CG and let the others sort it out in their sweet time.

I suspect you’ve know that for a very long time as has everyone else, however, yes he is. What’s more is he would I’d imagine be concerned at the very least about losing the club to whoever is it’s rightful owner other than him. Not just because he stands to lose whatever money he’s put in or is owed, oh no. Without control of the clubs eventual sale so diminishes his return on that plot of land at Highworth. He’d maybe have a bit of a white elephant in sporting terms if he cannot engineer a lease to the club for its use when it is up and running. If he loses control a new owner is not obliged to use the Highworth site at all. They’ll need somewhere to train of course, just not necessarily Highworth.

Pretty much this from me too TBH. I gave him time and sort of support, but thats gone now and I want him gone, he has taken the club as far as he can and we need to start a new chapter in the ownership of STFC.

Yep, agree on this as always pretty much.

I've seen a rumour that the new owner will be the chairman of Supermarine.

Don't shoot the messenger - just passing on what I've read elsewhere.

Jez Webb - who owns this firm?

https://webbswood.co.uk/about-us

Could be handy in any construction required.

Big Town fan too, not sure he has the funds available though to be taken seriously.

But there could be a consortium backing him.

Always possible, rule nothing out.

Be handy for any Town fans struggling to get wood

I refer you to a post by me yesterday ;)

If he owns Supermarine would he be allowed to own STFC as well? Probably not but there are ways as means I suppose.

 

Could he be thinking of going down the route of what Exeter City and make the club effectively supporter owned? (I think that's what the Grecians do) I know the STFC Trust are currently doing something so maybe there is something in the pipeline around that kind of thing?

As a front and a contributor to a wider group, Jezz might be feasible. Has been rumored for a while, on and off.

WONGA shirt sponsorship incoming...

As long as it stabilzes the future of the club and makes us competitive on the pitch I am all for it.

Any mention of fan ownership will get The Nestor Lorenzo Heade going again.

An errant 3 slipped in there  :D

I don't know anything about the wood chap and will not make any ill judged remarks.  All I will say is that he doesn't appear to fit the profile of the 'type' of owner many supporters are likely to be clamouring for.  From the limited information available, he doesn't appear to be of a similar background to, say, the backer at FGR.

They both like trees and wood?

Lovely bloke. I know him through business, always says hello when I see him at the wood yard and when I drop in to Supermarine for a game.

Ask him!

Your last sentence is correct. Jazz is genuine and not up his own arse, nor a publicity seeker. Quietly gets on with it.

Leaving aside any other qualities considered to be less endearing, I suspect that most supporters are only concerned about money.

I suspect that the tendency to be up one's own arse is likely to be overlooked if/when the cash rolls in.

Justin Tomlinson will be made up, just think of the *alleged* sponsor backhanders he'd be looking at lining up!

I couldn’t fathom out the figures Power was throwing about, the Bogle sell-on was 500 to 600k which would pay for two months running costs but the 375k grant would pay one months costs. The fee for DJ would pay the wages bill for February. It came across as making it up as he went along although I may be doing him a disservice. If the salary cap for league 1 is 2.5m,wages wouldn’t be much more than 200k per month. We’ve had staff furloughed, iFollow income and season ticket sales. We must have saved on Wellens salary so are things as desperate as power suggests?

Signing new players also suggest things are not as tight as Power says they are.

That’s probably what’s left after it’s been divvied up. If anybody actually thinks that all that money stayed within the club needs their heads shaking. It’s the end game. Grab what you can!

Past accounts suggest the floor for running our club is around 4m to 5m a year.  I doubt we are much below the 4m mark even with the furlough period.  The released data suggests we might be getting a very small amount of income from iFollow.

Sad but true.

Is Standing's involvement not the indication that owners take their cut of transfer fees, indeed that that is what running a lower league club these days is all about?

Happy to be corrected but wasn't there always a rumour knocking about that Fitton had some involvement/benefit from the Austin sale?

Happy to delete if I have imagined this!

Yep, described as a "finders fee" I believe.

It appears LP on the radio won him few fans. Despite LP's insitance of loads of emaisl telling him hes doing a great job.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19068433.supporters-trust-demands-clarity-communication-swindon-town-owner-lee-power/

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19067412.swindon-town-on-brink-covid-pandemic-demolishes-finances/

Think we can safely assume that after near on 6years it would appear Mr. Power talks a lot of bollocks.

He's fit in well on here   :pint:

Not thatwell, sadly. However I know someone who does. I will put a word in for you FH.

Most of the PL would fall into that category one suspects.

Rob Angus is excellent at documenting the contradictory accounts we've been given in this. Someone isn't telling the truth, and some of them have more reasons to fib than others...

Didnt realise the Trust offered to help with finances, and were turned down.

Which suggests that what Power has said about being "on the brink of bankruptcy" as being utter shit, the lying fucker. Any club would welcome extra funding if it saved them from admin.

Of course he refused. Would dilute his shareholding or expose the true nature of his business dealings. After all you wouldn’t just hand over any cash to this bloke without any cast iron guarantee written in blood on fine animal parchment witnessed by a Hawkeyed lawyer, would you?

:D

If only Standing had thought of that!

Was funding offered for shares in the holding company or was it offered as a pure loan?

Well he tried it on with Clem and had to back-pedal and will have to do the same with Stander and likely any others (if) they have parted with money.
He is on the ropes and will be gone taking what he can in the process.

I heard he was sniffing around the Nigel eady money when it was available, and the executors of his estate told Power to fuck off

Piece of work isn't he!

You think he didn’t? 😁

At the height of being *genuinely* skint, Jimmy Quinn played up front with Alan Young (admittedly with Michael Carrick tucked in behind). We’re signing players - and we hardly signed anyone that season.

It was a genuine no strings attached, offer of financial help for nothing in return which was declined 2-3 times.

Presumably, LP had his own reasons for declining this :hmmm:

Of course, didnt want anyone else involved so they cant see what is allegedly going on i suspect

But this was a 'no strings attached' offer.

Why would you not accept it if the club is as in the shit as he says?

Reeks of hiding something

Agreed, declining such an offer will inevitably raise questions

I know people are dubious about the supposed value of the club, but it is about right if you take Clem’s £1.1m for 15%.

That was, of course, then. Presume since Covid that valuation has plummeted. I think Wigan, who are in the process of being sold, are valued at only £3m. But that’s buying out of Admin.

Buying STFC - what would you actually be getting for your money?

Spooky. I was thinking of the trust fund money yesterday (Friday) and thought I bet he’d have tried to get his mitts on some if not all of it with the same results. 🤣

And how would Standing and Barry perceive this generous offer?

Dunno but I am not sure that matters

The term rob from your own grand mother comes to mind.
He is now being exposed to what he is all about.

It will all come out eventually I am sure when he is long gone from the premises.

Was a season before Alan Young started getting off the bench. You're thinking of Quinn suring up the unstopable strikeforce of Charlie Griffin, Grazioli, and future Wimbledon superstar Wayne Gray.

Not that it really takes away from your point.

 :pint:

Can a consortium legally force a takeover bid if they had funds? For example I’m led to believe we have 4,000 ST holders give or take, instead of them renewing for next season why not pay the ST money into The Trust instead? Would quickly raise £1M-£1.5M I would have thought and could be a way to rid the club of Power and start again with Trust/fan ownership.

As the club is ultimately a Ltd company I recall that you can take it private by forcing people to sell shares but from recollection the trigger is very high (I.e. you have to own 75% of shares (I think its actually more than that but can't be arsed to look) to force others to accept your offer so no hope here.

One thing could be interesting if the Trust could get into bed with standing and Clem, I know they have links with Clem but be interested to know if they have tried to speak with Standing?


Sent from my SM-A125F

There was a meeting of the trust a couple of days ago and was said a statement would be made early next week.  Hopefully something in the offing.

If the Trust was able to acquire shares from an existing party, it could be possible to push the club in to receivership in the same manner Luton Town supporters did in the early 2000's to oust Andrew Gurney, who was destroying their club. It can be watched in a documentary on YouTube, I'm sure it's called 'Trouble at the top'. Unsurprisingly, Lee Power was rumoured to be an associate of Andrew Gurney...

What's Powers actual stake in the club?

Isn't that what the court case is all about ?.

It's gets really confusing but it always is with us!

85% or 35% depending on the court case.

Cheers Batch that's what I thought but where it gets confusing he dosen't own the whole lot yet he's the untouchable chairman running the show

There's nothing confusing about it. He's the majority shareholder so he gets to make the decisions.

Exactly, controlling interest unless the court decides otherwise

Fair enough

I think that some confusion arises from the fact that although supporters talk of 'my' or 'our' club, we are dealing with private limited companies.  The current legal owner of the majority of the shares in Swinton Reds 20 Limited is LP.

Well put JBZ

perhaps your confusion lies with the inability to separate legal and emotional ownership.

I am pretty sure no fan thinks they own the club, with the possible exception of Football Phil

But supporters tend to think that they have some form of 'right' to be involved in decision making and the general affairs of that company.

Conversely any company that caters to a niche market and a dwindling customer base that doesn't pay close attention to the views of that customer base and possibly even attempt to actually communicate with said customers may find that base dwindles further.

To some extent, maybe.

I hope and think most realise that they probably won't get it unless the government mandates fan representation on the board.

When the club owner says we are on the brink, I think it's fair enough to request more transparency in the matter. The club will be looking for season ticket money soon after all

You can register displeasure and seek to exert some influence by not buying replica shirts/STs and refraining from viewing/attending games. If the  club is already up shit creek I suppose that might be the catalyst for some form of change. 

Been very diffcult to register displeasure by not buying replica shirts this season, as it's been nigh on impossible to buy them. But smartarsery aside, boycotts are a very blunt instrument and I don't think it's going on the wilder shores of radical to suggest that any well-run business, or indeed any business that planned on staying in business, might like to engage with it's customers so that it found out where things were going well or badly *before* customers resorted to boycotts.

Yeah I tried unsuccessfully to acquire an away shirt

I got one,it's very nice

LP thanks you for your support

Spot on Batcherino. Some appear to lack on the empathetic attachment most would have towards "their" club. Like Flashheart stated the other day, we stand by "our" club even when she is riding the roughest of waves because we know it will get better eventually and when it does, hell it will be awesome.

Or they just understand how stuff works and look at things in a rational way.

People that have severe emotional detachment or shallow emotional experiences tend to have psychopathic tendencies.

The same applies to extreme attachment and deep experiences, I believe.

Just to step back a bit, didn't Power admit that the takeover was in conjunction with AN Other with Power holding shares in Trust for AN Other, isn't his argument that AN Other is Barry rather than standing, countered by Barry saying that yes he did provide funding but only as a loan to his mate Standing, and if the court found that he and not Standing had the interest in the club he would assign it to Standing for £1.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://truststfc.tv/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SwindonTownReview.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj0wZ2_kdruAhVLQkEAHaluBckQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw06vP41bUnMbMhZpkeMFz0R


that's the understanding I had too at the time

I still don’t get it. Whether Standing or Barry provided the £3.8m were there no terms set out about what that £3.8m was buying them?

A verbal agreement on nearly £4m? It beggars belief.

You’re not the only one scratching their heads at this ‘arrangement’. The problem now for power is he’s going to find it increasingly difficult to leverage any money from any individual and nigh on impossible from an accredited financial institution. No assets or collateral means you’re pretty well fucked. It’s not as if he can put his 50% of the CG freehold up is it.

He doesn’t want any money from anyone to help the club out.

He wants money from somebody to take the club off his hands without giving 50% of it to Standing.

It’s all too apparent he’s given up worrying about things on the pitch. It’s crazy. The longer it goes on the club becomes worth less and less.

It’ll get to the point where even sharing the proceeds of any sale with Standing now is worth more than 100% of it in a year or so’s time.

It’s all brinkmanship now. Who’ll blink first.

Anyone read yesterday’s article on Power/Swindon in Times

https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2021/02/problems-at-swindon-part-94.html

No but thanks for the link, will have a recce.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/messy-swindon-case-makes-you-wonder-about-motivation-of-those-running-clubs-in-lower-tiers-6pz7wzb7w

Thats the column but I am not a subscriber.

I don't normally like pasting content from behind paywalls but a) this is important b) fuck NewsUK and c) I don't pay for my access.
-----
Swindon Town took a counterintuitive approach to their battle against relegation by selling their best player, the winger Diallang Jaiyesimi, to Charlton Athletic for an “undisclosed sum”. As you might imagine, supporters were not best pleased. Swindon sit in the relegation berths having played more games than the teams above and below them. Under manager John Sheridan they have experienced the least successful run in their history.

They are owned by the former upper-level journeyman player and agent, Lee Power, who informed the fans that their club were on the brink of financial ruin and that he was “surprised we got this far”.

That Power is the owner is a matter of dispute: another journeyman and agent, Michael Standing, insists that 50 per cent of the club’s shares are in his trust. This issue is being played out in the High Court right now, amid scenes you do not always associate with such an august and sober institution. Last week, 140 Swindon fans took the opportunity to dial in to the proceedings via Zoom, or similar — and indeed to participate in a vigorous manner.

Some contented themselves with displaying pornographic images to the court, while others blew raspberries, screamed, or imitated the accent of one of the barristers, which was Scottish.

After one lengthy and erudite peroration from a lawyer a fan could be heard to shout out: “Suck my d***”. You might expect that the High Court officials would have learned how to use the mute button, or just blank the screen.


One barrister informed the judge that the whole procedure had been a “circus” and that perhaps they might reconsider the advisability of allowing half of the Swindon Town South Stand direct access to important matters of law. The judge was seen to nod, wearily.

Lewisham-born Power has kind of owned the club for the best part of eight years and I think it is fair to say that the fans neither trust nor like him terribly much, despite the fact that under his stewardship Swindon were promoted last season from League Two. They have doubts about his veracity when it comes to money, not least his statement that Swindon were on the brink of bankruptcy.

Last year, Power made an out-of-court settlement with an Australia-based businessman Clem Morfuni, who owned 15 per cent of the club. This removed an injunction preventing Power from flogging Swindon without the say-so of Morfuni, which perhaps might give you an indication of where Power’s intentions lie.

Power, who is of Irish descent, also bought ailing Waterford FC in Ireland and had been exploring buying up a football club in Montenegro. I am naive when it comes to financial matters, I admit, but I cannot see why any businessman would buy a lower division football club unless he was either a) so rich the perpetual losses didn’t even touch the sides or b) was altruistic to the point of insanity. I am not convinced that Power falls into either category. Maybe someone can elucidate. It’s not as if Power has much real estate to hawk around from his Swindon acquisition. It is a mystery to me.

Town are helped in their battle against relegation by the parlous state of the clubs around them. Frankly, it is a miracle more have not gone bust this season (and indeed a credit to the Football League). Burton Albion look marooned already and poor Wigan Athletic, denuded last summer of anyone who had even the slenderest notion of how to kick a ball, may well go with them. The rest is a battle between perhaps six clubs.

Meanwhile, the top of the division is not panning out quite as many expected. Charlton, for example, were buoyed by a new owner who promised European football within eight years, and new players were duly brought in. Given their recent results, though, it is remarkable that they are still in the play-off places (having played several more games than the teams around them). Maybe they’ll have to wait an extra year for their inevitable participation in the Champions League.

The other comatose sleeping semi-giants, Ipswich Town, are dangling helplessly in mid-table, although Paul Lambert’s almost unintelligible post-match comments are still worth tuning in for. Nor are Sunderland having it all their own way, back in seventh.

It has long been said that the third tier is the most difficult from which to escape upwards. This was especially true, of course, in the good old days when only two went up and four went down. But it is still true today, especially of the bigger clubs.

Droit de seigneur accounts for nowt when it’s a wet cold night away to Accrington Stanley (currently eighth, since you ask: a club well run on a shoestring).

Nice to see Pompey fans have a bit of sympathy for us.

http://thepompeychimes.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=78995

Our beloved red neighbours down the M4 far less so.

https://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/210808-trouble-up-the-m4/

There really are too many football fans that really do lack any sort of intelligence or decency aren't there?

I had a brief look at the City forum there, one fan just posting 'haha etc' and another saying he went to college with a load of mouthy STFC fans and that's some kind of justifiable reason for it being acceptable if we go bust.

I don't want any football club to go bust (Franchise I could probably make an exception), that's not really how it works. You win and lose on the pitch, not in a bankruptcy court.

The pompey fans show much more class (in general, I'm fully aware not ALL the City fans are degenerates and some come across well)

Absolutely BO.

TBH most Pompey fans I know are far more intelligent and empathetic about the situation anyway than fans of the 82ers.

Don't think for a second they'd be as generous if the thread was about Southampton rather than us. It's just the rather tiresome rivalry stuff that some people take waaay too seriously.

I think a lot depends on whether you have experienced it or not, Pompey have been in the serious shit in recent years so possibly understand, how many City supporters who post on internet forums remember 1982.

Similarly up here a lot of Wigan supporters were absolute bastards about what was happening at Bolton, they are much less gobby now! 

And to think I could have supported them from the 70’s.
Chris Kamara has a lot to answer for.

Memories play funny tricks but, if I'm not mistaken, I recall Pompey fans making monkey noises at Kammy shortly after he'd signed for us.  That behaviour was not so uncommon in those days.  I was still shocked.  

Looking back, it's an appalling reason for my shock but I had presumed he'd be spared anything more than a gentle ribbing on account of his having been such a great player.  Although racism hasn't exactly left our sport, we have, thank God, come a hell of a long way.

[Edit: this may be the wrong thread, apologies]

I don't remember any racist chants only Pompey fans causing havoc in the Townend in the late 70's and 80's

I remember both. As a teenager, I was shit scared of those rough naval chaps, who on a couple of occasions invaded the pitch from the station bank end to take the town end. Although many look back at these times with fondness, it was actually quite scary at times. The racist chants were frequent at all grounds and Pompey fans were particularly vitriolic towards Kammy, who was a very exciting talent and I believe the first black player to play for us.

Not convinced we have come very far, albeit the conduit for football fans to be racist has changed somewhat.

the world has got a long way to go.

The game Call Of Duty has a bug where everyone at the end of a game can hear everyone else. it's a free for all of racism and abuse, many are British.

They may have booed him but (hopefully) that was only because he had played for them

This (lengthy) article supports your point and concludes with a quite distinct "court case" that saw a racial abuser of Ian Wright escape criminal conviction.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/feb/03/ian-wright-disappointed-after-racial-abuser-escapes-criminal-conviction