Notts County trying to run before they can crawl?

[jonny72]

The football league have left it to late too late to set a precedent on the fit and proper person test thing. Also, going after boards/people once they've already had the football club for months seems a bit pointless.

Why is it too late?

Bates lied when he said he owned 50% of the club, this has only just been admitted and they are still trying to get to the bottom of who really owns it. The same applies to Notts County, no one knows who exactly owns the club. I'm not sure what else they can do, getting to the bottom of who owns club is a nightmare with the clubs fighting them all the way and as a result it takes time.

Until they know exactly who owns the club they can't apply the fit and proper test. Though I'd imagine they will be tightening the rules to ensure this kind of lengthy delay can't happen in the future.

I'm wondering if Bates knows he's fucked. Firstly he provides a written statement admitting that he lied. That isn't the sort of thing he does without a fight and to simply come clean like that says a lot. Secondly, he hasn't been all over the media mouthing off as usual. Its not like him to go quiet with something this big hanging over him.

Maybe he is in damage limitation mode and hoping they will go easy on him?

[Fred Elliot]

County deal ratified

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/8212843.stm

[pauld]

One bottled, two to go. Already looking for wiggle room on Briatore:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/8313223.stm

Wonder what excuse they'll use to let Bates off the hook again?

[Summerof69]

From the Guardian if you haven't seen it.

Notts County's parent company may have to go to court over a
winding-up order.

Notts County's parent company will be wound up next week unless a
six-figure tax debt is paid. The League Two club are the subject
of a winding-up order scheduled to be heard at the bankruptcy
division of the high court on 18 November. Despite the notice
being served on 25 September on the club's UK parent company,
Blenheim 1862, the debt has still not been settled.

There remain only four days in which to make a settlement to
prevent the case going before the courts. Notts County have today
refused to comment.

The development is said to have come as a shock to those involved
in the transaction to hand over the club in June to the British
Virgin Islands-registered nominee company Qadbak. In that deal
the supporters' trust wrote off almost £400,000 in shares and
loans it held in Blenheim 1862. As a result Qadbak owns County
via another British Virgin Islands vehicle, Munto Finance, which
in turn holds the shares in Blenheim 1862.

It is understood that at the time of the transaction there was an
assurance that the tax debts, believed to be approaching £400,000
and which threatened the existence of the club, would quickly be
paid. It was this assurance, along with claims of enormous funds
available to the club under Qadbak, that led to the trust handing
over the shares to the BVI companies for free.

A source close to the club claims sufficient funds are being held
in an escrow account ready for release to HM Revenue and Customs
once the matter has been heard by the courts. The source added
that the debts relate to PAYE and VAT submissions dating back
over two years.

Blenheim 1862's sole directors are Glenn Rolley, who still serves
as the supporters' Trust's chairman, and the club's executive
chairman, Peter Trembling.

[tans]

im still waiting for them to implode.

[pauld]

And more in today's Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/11/notts-county-russell-king-korea

In a nutshell, bloke who FL apparently don't want anywhere near club (because he's got multi-million pound fraud charges hanging over him among other things) is conveniently disappeared around time they're assessed for "Fit and proper" but somehow still seems to be linked despite public denials via one of the many mysterious companies that surround County who he's still doing business for. The same company that were going to pay the bulk of Campbell's wages and who are paying a chunk of Eriksson's money for him to be an "ambassador" for them. Shades of Dunwoody/Diamandis here, can't help think this is all going to end in tears.

[tans]

heres hoping, that'll learn them

[pauld]

Oh dear:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/27/notts-county-ownership
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Football/documents/2009/11/27/notts_county.pdf
http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=2916

I wonder if Sven will still be taking his "It doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as it comes" attitude if it turns out there isn't any money coming from anywhere and that he's been sold a pup?

[suttonred]

Well, i'd like to see the criteria for the fit and proper person test if they got through initially, after reading that. Someone's going to have egg on their face(s)

[pauld]

Well, i'd like to see the criteria for the fit and proper person test if they got through initially, after reading that. Someone's going to have egg on their face(s)

That's a big part of the problem. The League apparently only initially passed the takeover after being reassured that Russell King wasn't involved. Now it turns out this may depend very much on how you interpret "involved". Much like in our own case where Diamandis escaped the FPP test (not to mention criminal charges) by not being formally declared a director, but was still apparently running the show. The test is a bit shit, basically.

[Power to people]

That's a big part of the problem. The League apparently only initially passed the takeover after being reassured that Russell King wasn't involved. Now it turns out this may depend very much on how you interpret "involved". Much like in our own case where Diamandis escaped the FPP test (not to mention criminal charges) by not being formally declared a director, but was still apparently running the show. The test is a bit shit, basically.

A Bit Shit ?

Blimey that is an understatement, and the leagues refusal to publish the questions they ask publically is also poor, no regard for supporters to know what is going on at their club

[Summerof69]

Don't forget that the FL still have to announce what they are going to do about a certain Ken Bates about his 'so-called' ownership of Leeds and that Briatore is still in charge of QPR., despite being banned by the FIA.

At the moment, the F&PPT is not worth the paper it is written on.

[pauld]

Don't forget that the FL still have to announce what they are going to do about a certain Ken Bates about his 'so-called' ownership of Leeds

I can tell you that .... fuck all. Absolutely fuck all. Bet ya!

[Summerof69]

I can tell you that .... fuck all. Absolutely fuck all. Bet ya!

Probably right Paul. They're probably thinking that if no-one mentions it, it might just go away!!

In fact there is more chance Ken Bates being named as Mawhinney's replacement as head of the FL ,than him being kicked out from Leeds!!

[pauld]

I wonder if Sven will still be taking his "It doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as it comes" attitude if it turns out there isn't any money coming from anywhere and that he's been sold a pup?

And as if by magic:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/27/sven-goran-eriksson-notts-county

To quote Johnny Rotten (not something I usually do), "Ever get the feeling you've been had?"