Hereford United Was Wound Up Eight Years Ago Today

Hereford United was wound up eight years ago today.

A look back to December 19th 2014:

Hereford United Wound Up

Hereford United have been wound up. Registrar issued compulsory order around 4.35pm.

The 1939 Limited Company has been wound up.

It was the club's 13th appearance.

Lonsdale had promised to put £1M in.

Club's Barrister said that Lonsdale had got funds but Registrar said that as Lonsdale hadn't got to the court with evidence, Registrar wound up it. 

Reportedly Lonsdale was 'stuck in traffic'. 

A liquidator is expected to be appointed.

There is an appeals process.

Reaction from Martin Watson for HUST.

"It hurts but it had to be.

"We didn't think it would come to this. We were promised so much but nothing.

"The thing we loved for generations has gone.

"We'll pick the pieces up and start again and we will have the people of Hereford at our heart."

Herefordshire Council have issued a statement:

As Hereford United Football Club (1939) Limited is in the process of being wound up and a liquidator will be appointed, this action triggers the council’s right as landlord to forfeit the leases.  The council will now pursue this and seek to gain formal repossession of all three sites leased to the club.
Once the ground has been secured, the council will consider the appropriate process for procuring a new tenant to ensure the continuation of football.

Council will go to Court on Monday to start getting ground back.

Later HUST chairman Chris Williams spoke to BBC H&W.

"The old club had to die before the new club could be created." 

 

Reports Of Men Trying To Strip Edgar Street

As at 5pm, there are unconfirmed reports of men trying to strip out parts of Edgar Street.

Hereford United supporters able to get to the ground are asked to go and see what is happening.

Both the HT and BBC H&W are on route to the club.

Police are at the club.

Update 5.10pm: Supporters please get to ES as soon as you can, men trying to take parts of the club away

.
Please take photographs.

Update 5.15pm: Reports are reaching BN from supporters that Neil Phelps, the 'former' assistant manager, has been very agressive towards fans.

He has now left the ground.

5.30pm: Manager Jon Taylor has also left the ground along with several players.

There are around 50 supporters outside the ground with a number of police inside.

Police At Edgar Street

 

 BBC Report On Winding Up

Below is a BBC Sport report on this afternoon's winding up of Hereford United.

Hereford United has been wound up by a High Court judge.

The winding-up petition was brought by HM Revenue and Customs, which is thought to be owed £116,000.
Owner Andy Lonsdale had promised to invest £1m in the club, which was expelled from the Football Conference in June after failing to pay creditors.
But he was late to court and the judge was not satisfied there were sufficient funds.
Mr Lonsdale's barristers said they had a statement that the money was in the bank but Mr Lonsdale said he was stuck in traffic and could not get to the court in time.
It was the tenth time he had been ordered to appear at the High Court in London
The winding-up order was issued moments after he was due, at just after 16:30 GMT.
Supporters have gathered at the club's ground at Edgar Street, where one man said "We will come back. It may take 10 years, but we will be back".
Herefordshire Council said: "As Hereford United Football Club (1939) Limited is in the process of being wound up and a liquidator will be appointed, this action triggers the council's right as landlord to forfeit the leases.
"The council will now pursue this and seek to gain formal repossession of all three sites leased to the club.
"Once the ground has been secured, the council will consider the appropriate process for procuring a new tenant to ensure the continuation of football."

 

Business Group Issue Statement

Speaking this evening, Jon Hale said:

"Today is obviously a very emotional day for all Hereford United supporters, and everyone in our group is saddened by the news that has come from the High Court.

"Out of respect for the feelings of all fans the world over, as a group we do not feel it is appropriate to make any detailed comments until we've had time to digest this afternoon's events.

"I can, however, confirm that I do have a phone call pre-arranged with Herefordshire Council Leader Tony Johnson for first thing on Monday morning, where the aim will be to organise a meeting before Christmas. 

"I can confirm that Chris Williams, the Chairman of Hereford United Supporters Trust (HUST), will be invited to any meeting we have with the council and he is aware I will be speaking to Mr Johnson on Monday.

"Clearly, how we can go about ensuring there is a long-term future for football at Edgar Street will be one of the main points for discussion at this meeting."

 

Trashed More Than Damaged

Former director of Hereford United, Dave Preedy, has been inside Edgar Street to help West Mercia Police with their enquries into possible damage and missing items.

Afterwards Preedy told BN that the inside of the club was more 'trashed than damaged'.

"Televisions are missing but they were on hire purchase.

"Spirit optics are also missing.

"The changing rooms have been trashed but not really damaged.

"It's just mess everywhere."

Preedy also asked for supporters to keep an eye on Edgar Street.

"The police have promised to patrol the area but it is their busiest weekend of the year."

 

We've Been Lied To From Day One Said Former Manager Taylor

Former Manager Jon Taylor

On his way out of Edgar Street this evening, former Hereford United manager Jon Taylor spoke to BBC H&W's Keith Hall.

"We're all very disappointed because quite frankly we've been lied to from day one," said Taylor.

"We had a lot of promises but nothing came to fruition.

"You always want to believe who employs you but the writing has been on the wall in the last couple of months.

"My job have been touted around, I've only got two games to go before I get the sack.

"In hindsight I probably should have believed what the supporters were saying.

"I'm not on the political side, not on the financial side. All I want is the football team to do well."

Taylor was then asked about former owner Tommy Agombar and Andy Lonsdale.

Former Owner Tommy Agombar

"Agombar was in the dressing rooms up to about two months ago, since then he's not been in. Lonsdale has not been in the dressing room.

Former Owner Andy Lonsdale

"All I tried to do was get the team to play football and I wanted to get the supporters back, but it didn't happen.

"The only regret I've got is that I probably should have listened to the supporters." 

Full interview at: https://audioboom.com/boos/2746448-i-should-have-listened-to-the-supporters-hereford-united-s-former-manager-jon-taylor

 

The BBC, Bobbies and Former Boycotters...

As news broke of Hereford United's latest court visit at just gone 4:30pm this afternoon, various different bodies of people started to congregated outside Edgar Street.

BBC Hereford and Worcester's Trevor Owens and Keith Hall, a TV camera from the BBC, photographers, as well as fans and the local police were in attendance minutes after the 1939 company was wound up.

It is understood the police were there to oversee the process of the stadium being vacated and secured. Cllr Jim Kenyon says it is now the job of supporters to keep an eye on the ground over the coming days.

As previously mentioned, your photos from tonight are welcome - bullsnews@btinternet.com

BBC H&W's Trevor Owens interviewing former club photographer 'Nibbo'

Police cars parking up inside the club's car park

This TV camera was sent from the BBC to grab some footage from tonight.

Report From The Guardian

Here's a report from the Guardian on today's news that Hereford United (1939) Ltd is no more.

Hereford United, the club formed in 1924 who have played continuously in the Football League lower divisions or in the senior semi-professional game for 90 years, has been put into liquidation. The club company, Hereford United 1939 Ltd, was wound up at the high court in London, which refused to accept the club lawyer’s argument that its owner, Andy Lonsdale, had proof of £1m funding to pay the club’s creditors, but was stuck in traffic.
Hereford will now cease playing in the Southern League, the results of their fixtures this season will be expunged, and a group of fans gathered at the Edgar Street ground to protect any remaining assets from being carried away by people owed money. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, seeking unpaid tax reported by the Hereford Times to be £100,000, was the lead creditor on the winding-up petition.
 

United, the first senior football club to be wound up since Scarborough went into liquidation in 2007, have been in financial difficulties since being relegated from the Football League in 2012. They were expelled from the Conference into the Southern League last summer after new owners declined to put up a £350,000 bond.
Londsale and his business associates have been met with severe mistrust by many supporters, after the group’s original owner, Tommy Agombar, was found to have a previous conviction for lorry theft and was barred under the Football Association’s owners and directors test. Lonsdale also has a spent conviction for dumping waste illegally, and was allowed to take over recently.
 

He told the Guardian he was “gutted” the club has been wound up, saying that they inherited a club in crisis, have put in £600,000 and worked hard to put a team on the pitch. Lonsdale added that he did have a bank statement showing £1m in the bank and was genuinely stuck in traffic, having left his base in Staines for London at 3:30pm. He said he will appeal against the high court decision, but acknowledged that some fans are “ecstatic” his ownership is over. “Maybe it’s fate,” he said. “I’m gutted, not just about the money, but because it is six months’ hard work gone.”
 

Herefordshire council said it will immediately seek possession of the club’s Edgar Street ground, whose freehold it owns. “Once the ground has been secured, the council will consider the appropriate process for procuring a new tenant to ensure the continuation of football,” it said in a statement.
 

Hereford United Supporters Trust has already developed plans to form a fan-owned club and work with the council to enable them to play at Edgar Street and start again at whatever level they can. Martin Watson, the trust’s vice-chair, said that many fans had not been prepared to trust Lonsdale and his partners, and had considered the club already dead last summer. At a trust meeting on Thursday, Watson said the vast majority of supporters had not wanted to be part of the current club and he is relieved the crisis has ended.
“The council has indicated they want a community football club and we believe we are at the head of people wanting to start again,” Watson said. “This is not the end; we will rebuild it.”

 

Lonsdale Says He Will Appeal Court Decision

Lonsdale Leaving the Court Last Monday

Andy Lonsdale has told the Guardian that he will appeal against the decision of the High Court this afternoon to put Hereford United into liquidation.

He said he will appeal against the high court decision, but acknowledged that some fans are “ecstatic” his ownership is over.

“Maybe it’s fate,” he said.

“I’m gutted, not just about the money, but because it is six months’ hard work gone.”