It's been over a week since Hereford United
Football Club Ltd (1939) faced its eighth (yes, 8th in true vidiprinter
style!!) winding up order in the High Court and here are the thoughts of one of
the three fans present.
I arrived a good thirty minutes early at New Fetter Lane and bumped into fellow lost fans looking for the Court Building. There was much tension in the air. Questions of what was to come and where it had all gone wrong since that season in League One. And the local media looking for fans reaction to the last six months of chaos.
The hearing started promptly at 10:30 with nerves a plently and for yours truly, my first time ever in court and all for the football club I support! My shakes were probably helped by a strong coffee from the machine within the Court of Justice kindly got for me by another fan – thank you to that man!!
Hereford were called by the judge, and 7 barristers stood up with 6 against HUFC and 1 respresenting the club causing a chuckle from the judge. The HMRC Barrister than made a long case for the winding up of the Ltd company stating the length of the order, the numerous promises broken and to be fair the general frustration of Her Majesty not getting her money. Step forward the Barrister representing HUFC and his announcement that a Newell Properties Developments were willing to loan the club £750,000 to clear the majority of the debt. The Judge, clearly weary, queried the person behind NPD and requested proof of the funds. He then adjourned the case against HUFC until later in the morning to allow time for the Barrister to find proof. I think it is only fair to mention that the Judge's remit is to get debt paid – nothing more, nothing less and some HUFC fans need to appreciate this.
With that adjournment we headed back outside to wait to for HUFC to be called again. It is fair to say the proceeding next couple of hours were one of the most entertaining and dramatic I have ever been close too. The first 45 minutes or so talking about what all this meant and social media informing us whom NPD were. Another company from Essex and an owner with an interesting backruptcy history – cue lack of shock and more hilarity amidst our merry band!
Then came the Charge of the Light Brigade – I would love to say it was like a scene from Reservior Dogs, but they really don't have that style or class... Tommy, Andy and two other men rock in with faces of thunder, which became clear as the next crumb of information from social media said that NPD had pulled out.
After a stand off of ten yards between the two groups outside the Court Room, which felt like the Cold War reborn, we headed back in. Tommy holding the door open to his gang, but promptly pulling the door to on yours truly – what a gent! Back inside we spent ten minutes awaiting for the case to be called again – in the silence I observed the clear tension amongst the "owners" of HUFC. Lots of twitches and strained faces which were about to get a lot more strained as the Judge called the case. The Judge upon hearing the £750,000 had been withdrawn, condemning the reason why, and then seemed to be walking into winding up the club until the Barrister announced that Andrew Lonsdale was willing to give an undertaking to the Court to pay up the one million pounds owed to unsecured creditors.
The Judge proceeded to ask the Barrister if Mr Lonsdale knew what the consequences were if this was broken and asked for the letter to the court to be passed around to all the barristers. It was clear that the HRMC Barrister was not impressed and she then pushed strongly for the winding up to be rubber stamped, which was backed up by the Barrister representing the landlords and the other five. The Judge agreed the company was clearly insolvent in its current guise, but he felt it was his duty that if there was a chance of payment he should allow the company more time. There was then a little debate over the dates, as the date stated on the letter was for payment one day after the last hearing of the year. However the Judge allowed this with the stipulation that the club/Lonsdale must provide evidence at that hearing the monies are ready to be paid.
Upon this everyone walked out again – the media off to their contacts, fans to social media and the club/owners on to their phones. Cue some of the most disgraceful scenes I have ever seen from people who claim to want HUFC to survive. As we were walking out Tommy decides to engage the fans with "Did you enjoy that?", "You won't see me again!", "We'll see what happens now, yeah!?!?!?!" and finally in his true character a very aggressive "F**k off!"
I thought that would be it, but no. As Andrew Lonsdale was explaining to the BBC where this money came from outside the court, it all starts again. Tommy again engaged the fans with another heated exchange which has already been covered on BN and the BBC! I don't think I have ever heard a Hereford fan called a "plastic" fan before, must have us confused with another United from the East End of London.
I personally stayed out of all of this – really not worth it, but the FA need to wake up and realise the situation at HUFC is clearly challenging their authority to the highest order. A man banned from owning a football club showing up at High Court hearings is someone who clearly has a vested interest in that case/club.
UPDATE: SaveEdgarStreet will have more from the court case later this evening including a recording of the 'discussions' between supporters and Agombar.
audioboom.com/boos/2724788-lonsdale-and-agombar-abuse-supporters-outside-the-high-court-01-12-14