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Thursday, November 06, 2014

Investors Should Meet HUST Says Watson


Martin Watson, vice-chairman of HUST, has called on the 'investors' set to put £1.5M into Hereford United to meet the Trust as opposed to a Trust meeting with chairman Andy Lonsdale.

Speaking on BBC Hereford and Worcester earlier this evening, Watson was asked to explain why the Trust had turned down a meeting with Lonsdale.

"Basically the offer as it stood we couldn't accept," said Watson.

"Simply because they wanted a confidentiality agreement on it.

"The boycott (of Hereford United) has now been in force for four months and was voted for by our members.

"So any talks we have to end that would have to go back to the members for them to decide whether the boycott would cease.

"We couldn't send two people into a meeting when hundreds and hundreds of people make the decision.

"Nearly three weeks ago we called for a clear public statement on the future of the club and what we've got back is the offer of a confidential meeting.

"We need a public statement, we need people to say this is the future of the club, this is how it is going to go on.

"We still not entirely clear on who is running the club.

"We've got two directors who haven't been seen for three months. We have what is termed to be a former owner in Tommy Agombar who still tells fans that he's involved. We have a current owner who has never made a public statement on the club. We've got these potential investors.

"There needs to be a clear statement of who is in charge day to day running.

"Although Andy Lonsdale is chairman, he's not on the board, he's not listed at Company House.

"When Lonsdale rang me and asked me about coming to the meeting, I immediately flagged up that the confidentiality agreement would be a issue and I suggested that rather than speak through a middleman that the investors come directly to HUST.

"I think the best path for progress right now is for that to happen because people are very wary after five months of being promised x, y and z and for it not to be delivered. They want to know some absolute definite facts.

"May be the only way for that is for the investors to come forward and speak directly with HUST."

Watson was asked what he felt might happen at Hereford's next appearance at the High Court on December 1st.

"There are all sorts of possibilities.

"The judge from what I was told was quite definite that if the investment didn't arrive by December 1st that was it.

"The judge on December 1st may be a different person and may have a different view.

"It's all still up in the air and we've been in Court that many times this year we need some definites.

"We don't get definites by confidential meetings. We get definites by clear public statements."

Presenter Andrew Easton then told listeners that the station had talked to Lonsdale this afternoon.

"He told us he was disappointed that the Trust had taken to social media rather than speaking to him and he had posted a statement in reponse on the Hereford United website.

"That was all he was going to say on the matter so was not willing to come and take part in a live discussion on the radio show."