Hereford United chairman Andy Lonsdale has taken the unusual step of asking for questions to be sent to him about how to 'turn the club around'.
The request was posted on the recently restarted Vital Football site, with the article asking for comments to be sent to andy@herefordunited.co.uk being posted at 2am this morning.
Bulls News has received the following, sent to Andy Lonsdale, for publication:
Dear Mr Lonsdale,
I have seen the request on the Vital Hereford site to submit ideas to you on how to turn the club around. My suggestion is very simple -
Do what has been promised.
Since you, Mr Agombar and company have arrived at the club much has been promised but very little delivered. I was one of the people that met Mr Agombar at the plant sale at the ground on the weekend of the Conference AGM where he assured us he would put the necessary money in. That turned out to be a lie.
You have gone on record many times to say that wages would be paid to last season's staff, yet they remain unpaid and without P45's that enable them to be paid properly in their new jobs. Is that fair?
Even the new staff are now leaving without payment, with the latest promise being for Monday to be a double payment month. Is that going to happen?
You have promised the Council it's money, on several occasions. Even they doubt you will now.
You have repeatedly told fans the capacity at Edgar Street will be restored to it's correct level - this has not happened.
It is clear to me that the club is hemorrhaging money, and you - as Chairman - are now the figurehead to take the blame regardless of who is actually in control. You have spoken of new investment 'more than enough to settle the winding up petition' and a 'blue-chip' sponsor without appearance of either, and you have made consistent promises of improving communication when it has actually gotten worse. The club's official website has had just two articles placed on it in the last two weeks, and the squad list still only shows a handful of players when over thirty have been used.
Indeed, the request for this email has come through a third party website - and one that has only recently restarted and probably the least viewed with the official site, Bulls News, and Bulls Banter all more popular. Hardly conducive to good communication?
How do you expect fans to 'buy-in' to the HUFC dream if they are not given even the most basic of information?
In summary, I make the following points:
- Pay the staff, current and former, in full and give them their correct payment documentation
- Clear the Council debt - or accept their offer
- Clear the winding up petition
- The club speaks to fans - on a daily basis - through the official site and other media to tell them what is happening
If you cannot manage that, then your only option is to walk away.
Sincerely,
Andy Munsley.