What with the current circumstances, I've been reading some old articles about when the then consortium consisting of James Wills, Willie Carson, Cliff Puffett and Mike Diamandis took over the club.
"As you may be aware, a consortium of prominent local businessmen has been formed which has at its disposal sufficient funds to provide stability, plus ensure the long-term future of the club." Swindon Advertiser 20/08/2001
Well guess what, so does Bill Power and Phil Emmell.
He said that the consortium had also, over the last four months, endeavoured to invest in the club, but the incumbent board had not accepted this. Swindon Advertiser 20/08/2001
Ooooh, where have we heard that one before?
According to the consortium's spokesman, former chief executive of Town, Bob Holt, there is more than £1.2 million waiting to be injected into the club.
Bill and Phil invested £1.2 million as well you know.
The Adver even got in on the action:
The Evening Advertiser has no agenda of its own in this unhappy saga except for nailing the truth. We support the team and pray for lasting stability that will help to bring back the glory days for which the fans are rightly lusting.
But the time has come for the books to be opened and a frankness that has been absent in recent months.
There has to be an AGM at which shareholders can decide the club's future. The club's accounts more than two years overdue must be made public without further delay. And the creditors, of course, will have their crucial say very shortly.
Why can't they do it again this time round?
A good one from Willie Carson now:
"We haven't seen any accounts for more than two years and we want an AGM to change the board and leadership and that's what's going to happen," he said. "It's not a maybe, it's inevitable.
Well, we want the same now Willie. Bob Holt joined the act as well:
If the club is not put back on a secure footing, the chances of survival are unlikely.
"We feel strongly about the lack of investment that is jeopardising its future."
No, really?!?!?!?!
Pivotal to the company voluntary arrangement with creditors, known as CVA, were the conditions that the debt to the Inland Revenue would be settled and sufficient working capital would be channelled into the club to keep it running efficiently, he said.
"And they have failed on both counts," added Mr Holt. "So they are in breach of the CVA." Swindon Advertiser 21/08/2001
Sounds familiar don't you think?
Consortium spokesman Bob Holt said: "As soon as we get control, the development of a new stadium will be a top priority with us.
What happended to these plans then Bob?
"The most important thing at present, though, is to reassure the people of Swindon that we have the available funds to save the club." Bob Holt - Swindon Advertiser 23/08/2001
Ahahahahahahahaha, don't make me laugh!
Sir Seton, who has a £3.5 million share stake in the club plus £2 million in loans, said that he was "filled with dread" over the way Town was being run currently. Swindon Advertiser 25/08/2001
So am I!
"But this proposal will secure the long-term future of STFC and provide the club with a new stadium for which the freehold will be owned, without any encum-brance whatsoever, by the football club and not by some property company."
Changed your tune on that one haven't you!
SWINDON Town chairman Danny Donegan was expected to meet with major shareholder Sir Seton Wills today to urge a rival consortium to back off.
Mr Donegan feels the constant sniping as he calls it, is doing the club no good and damaging efforts to see the Front Garden projection come to fruition.
He claims the consortium, led by former directors Cliff Puffett and Willy Carson, would not benefit the club.
That also sounds very familiar as well.
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Friday 4th Jan 2002.
What a fine mess our town's soccer team finds itself in.
Even in a footballing climate where the lower division clubs find themselves debt-ridden, Swindon Town's position beggars belief.
The club has put itself on the brink of extinction. The threat is real it really could happen.
We can only sit and hope that the investment promised by the new board comes to fruition.
The faith of thousands of supporters rests on Willie Carson and his consortium members. Let's hope they don't let us down.
Well they have let us down, big time. Time to step aside gracefully.
Another one from the Adver:
Perhaps in our dreams there is a multi-billionaire out there ,just waiting to come in and turn our team into a dominant world force, in the next 10 years.
Close. Bill Power's not a mutli-billionaire but he's certainly got the money and will power to take this club forwards. A damn sight more than the current board have.
That's all for now, there's probably loads more but why go on and on?
The board make all these accusations about the fans consortium when they did the exact same thing when they were trying to take over!
People in glass house shouldn't throw stones.
Sorry for the long post, that is all.
