Stig asks the question why would anyone genuine invest in Hereford United.
I’m sure I read somewhere that ‘fans are football’ – do you think
someone should tell the people running Hereford United Football Club?!!
The Hereford United Supporters Trust (HUST) recently turned down the chance to enter dialogue with club representatives about potential ‘investors’ because the terms of a boycott that is currently in place – that was voted for by over 90% of the 750+ members that took part - have not been met.
The boycott was put in place for no other reason than the club’s current owners (whoever they are) had failed to make good on almost all the promises they made publicly on taking over back in June.
As they have still failed to make good on most of those promises, HUST were quite right to turn down the invitation from the current owners but, as a compromise, HUST did make the offer to speak to any new potential ‘investors’ direct.
This offer has been spurned by Club Chairman Andrew Lonsdale on behalf of the club, and he has now stated he will no longer deal with HUST in any way because all they want to do is kill the club.
This is utter nonsense and he can have no comprehension how hard it is for people like me to boycott the club they love. However, all the evidence we have seen suggests that the people now running the club are not to be trusted and only care about trying to make money at the club’s expense by exploiting the one asset it has – the plot of land it plays on.
This is only a personal point of view, but for me the club has not been alive since the day Mr Lonsdale and those he represents failed to keep their initial batch of promises and began treating fans and creditors (a huge number of whom remain unpaid despite being promised money) with complete disdain and contempt.
So much has happened that I cannot bear to think about most of it, but right now the club is being supported by less than 300 people when even in the darkest days in the past you could always pretty much rely on at least 1500 turning up.
Aside from a lifelong Hereford United fan winning £50million in a Euromillions draw, please can someone explain to me how the club currently represents a good investment opportunity to a ‘genuine’ investor?
In addition to the ongoing boycott, the club’s name is toxic locally (and is becoming that to a wider audience too), it is massively in debt and it is under threat of legal action and eviction from its one asset (the ground) from the landlords, Herefordshire Council.
There is also talk of ongoing investigations from HMRC and the FA, and in political circles as local MP Jesse Norman continues to highlight the club’s plight.
So come on, what is there to invest in right now at Edgar Street?
I feel it’s safe to say that a huge percentage of those fans who are staying away will not return while Mr Lonsdale and his regime remain at the club so why would a ‘genuine’ investor not take the opportunity to speak to the organisation that represents a huge amount of fans?
After all that’s gone on, the fact the investor won’t, means it’s difficult not to think there must be something to hide and that maybe any investment isn’t quite as ‘genuine’ as Mr Lonsdale would like people to believe.
There’s every chance this nonsense is going to go on for months, if not years, but Mr Lonsdale needs to be aware that most supporters are not going to give up on their club’s long-term security and will be watching every move he makes to make it uncomfortable for him and his ‘team’ at every turn.
We now know the one thing he is good at is dissolving companies and leaving huge debts behind, (27 of 30 companies launched since 1991 owing at least £7million at the last count), so it’s becoming even clearer what we’re dealing with here. And many of us will not stand for it.
Finally, for clarity, once again I will state categorically I do not WANT the club I’ve supported for more than 30 years to die.
However, it is dead to most people while the current regime remains in control because the way they operate goes against the standards of common decency that most normal, law abiding human beings operate within.
The people of Hereford have ‘drawn their own conclusions’ about why Mr Lonsdale (and those he represents) are here, and rest assured I’m confident most of us will not be standing for it.
We will not back down until we have our club - or the spirit of Hereford United through a new club - back.
The Hereford United Supporters Trust (HUST) recently turned down the chance to enter dialogue with club representatives about potential ‘investors’ because the terms of a boycott that is currently in place – that was voted for by over 90% of the 750+ members that took part - have not been met.
The boycott was put in place for no other reason than the club’s current owners (whoever they are) had failed to make good on almost all the promises they made publicly on taking over back in June.
As they have still failed to make good on most of those promises, HUST were quite right to turn down the invitation from the current owners but, as a compromise, HUST did make the offer to speak to any new potential ‘investors’ direct.
This offer has been spurned by Club Chairman Andrew Lonsdale on behalf of the club, and he has now stated he will no longer deal with HUST in any way because all they want to do is kill the club.
This is utter nonsense and he can have no comprehension how hard it is for people like me to boycott the club they love. However, all the evidence we have seen suggests that the people now running the club are not to be trusted and only care about trying to make money at the club’s expense by exploiting the one asset it has – the plot of land it plays on.
This is only a personal point of view, but for me the club has not been alive since the day Mr Lonsdale and those he represents failed to keep their initial batch of promises and began treating fans and creditors (a huge number of whom remain unpaid despite being promised money) with complete disdain and contempt.
So much has happened that I cannot bear to think about most of it, but right now the club is being supported by less than 300 people when even in the darkest days in the past you could always pretty much rely on at least 1500 turning up.
Aside from a lifelong Hereford United fan winning £50million in a Euromillions draw, please can someone explain to me how the club currently represents a good investment opportunity to a ‘genuine’ investor?
In addition to the ongoing boycott, the club’s name is toxic locally (and is becoming that to a wider audience too), it is massively in debt and it is under threat of legal action and eviction from its one asset (the ground) from the landlords, Herefordshire Council.
There is also talk of ongoing investigations from HMRC and the FA, and in political circles as local MP Jesse Norman continues to highlight the club’s plight.
So come on, what is there to invest in right now at Edgar Street?
I feel it’s safe to say that a huge percentage of those fans who are staying away will not return while Mr Lonsdale and his regime remain at the club so why would a ‘genuine’ investor not take the opportunity to speak to the organisation that represents a huge amount of fans?
After all that’s gone on, the fact the investor won’t, means it’s difficult not to think there must be something to hide and that maybe any investment isn’t quite as ‘genuine’ as Mr Lonsdale would like people to believe.
There’s every chance this nonsense is going to go on for months, if not years, but Mr Lonsdale needs to be aware that most supporters are not going to give up on their club’s long-term security and will be watching every move he makes to make it uncomfortable for him and his ‘team’ at every turn.
We now know the one thing he is good at is dissolving companies and leaving huge debts behind, (27 of 30 companies launched since 1991 owing at least £7million at the last count), so it’s becoming even clearer what we’re dealing with here. And many of us will not stand for it.
Finally, for clarity, once again I will state categorically I do not WANT the club I’ve supported for more than 30 years to die.
However, it is dead to most people while the current regime remains in control because the way they operate goes against the standards of common decency that most normal, law abiding human beings operate within.
The people of Hereford have ‘drawn their own conclusions’ about why Mr Lonsdale (and those he represents) are here, and rest assured I’m confident most of us will not be standing for it.
We will not back down until we have our club - or the spirit of Hereford United through a new club - back.