Freds update Part 2So, we come back from having a beer and some photo’s taken and it roughly goes like this ;
Question :How would you quantify your managers influences on last seasons performance ?
BR : Trollope is a good young manager and the mix of having a Director of Football is certainly working for us.
BC : Felt sorry for Tinnion when he went but Johnson is doing a superb job and does not suffer fools glady. The first thing he did was to get rid of Stewart that broke the back of the player power that was strangling the dressing room.
CT : Difficult as no players want to come to us through lack of money
Fred : We went on an amazing unbeaten run at the start of the season under Dennis and Gus, where fitness and strong defence were priorities and the amount of times that we one the game in the final ten minutes was testament to that. Sturrock was different and likes pacey wingers who can deliver quality into the box. That was his game plan and he stuck to it. Unfortunately we had players that either could not grasp that concept or did not have the ability to hit a cows ass with a banjo. That is where we struggled. However I am 100% confident that when Sturrock gets his players then we will see that working.
Question :How much influence does the off field management of your club affect the performances on the pitch ?
BC : We are very lucky to have a structure and sponsor that allow us to go and get the players that Gary wants within reason.
BR : I hate our board, we have had about £3 mill of unexpected income into the club and yet we cant afford many new signings. Where has it all gone ?
CT : We cant get players to sign for us because we cant afford the wage demands – it really is a struggle.
Fred : OK………We are in our second period of administration and FL rules wont allow a third. We entered into a CVA in 2002 with annual payments to creditors of £98k and a final bullet payment of £900k. Historically we have always late in paying the annual £98k and the final bullet payment of £900k is due this Friday. The board have stated that they have not got the resources to pay it. A consortium was formed in September 2006 with a remit to secure funding to take over the club and make sure that all liabilities were met, including the CVA.
This was achieved and since that time the board will not enter into a NDA in order for due diligence to be carried out on the accounts.
Interviewer : Why is that ?
Fred : Draw your own conclusions. All I know that come Monday morning a creditor will be in a position to issue a winding up petition. Quite frankly its not good news.
Interviewer : Are you blaming the directors for this mess ?
Fred : Too fucking true ! As BR state we have had over £4m in unbudgeted income over the last 16 months and yet we cannot pay £900k this Friday to keep the club afloat. I mean……………..where the fuck has it all gone
Interviewer : But aren’t there rules in place over the credentials of Board Directors ?
Fred : Yes there are, they must meet criteria laid down for “fit and proper persons” to become a Director, and I am sure that all our Directors met those requirements when they were installed. However there are other internal influences within a club that may give advice to the board and the board then act on that advice. Those internal influence do not need to meet any criteria laid down by the FL and in all honesty its fucking wrong !
Interviewer : Is that what has happened at Swindon ?
Fred : Im sure that it happens at a lot of clubs
PART 3 LATER
