Continuing BN's look back at the summer of 2014. HUST had sought backing to boycott games. London Bulls responded.
London Bulls Make Call For Boycott
The following is a statement from London Bulls:
At a recent meeting, the
London and South-East supporters group London Bulls called on Hereford
United owner Tommy Agombar to clarify his position with regard to the
future of the football club, and to make good on promises to pay all
outstanding football creditors. We note that neither has happened,
despite further recent assurances that cheques were ‘in the post’.
Consequently, as stated on 15th June, we have no option other than to
call for a boycott of the club.
This includes attending any
match at Edgar Street, any function associated with the club, any
subscription to media or fund-raising initiatives, any sponsorship of a
match, player, mascot or similar, and any advertising on perimeter
board, or matchday programme. We feel that withdrawing all support of
the current regime will benefit the club in the longer term, and that a
season without watching football at Edgar Street is a necessary price to
pay. It is also morally, the right thing to do.
We deplore the actions of Mr
Agombar, who came into the club just a few weeks ago, vowing to embrace
the community and restore former glories, including a three-year plan to
regain football league status. Promises were made that in our opinion,
he had no intention of honouring; the shameful treatment of long-serving
club staff, almost all of whom have now left their positions at Edgar
Street speaks volumes. To hear accounts of how hard-working and loyal
Herefordians, some of them good friends of ours, have turned away from
the club they love is painful. If Mr Agombar had the best interests of
the football club at heart, he would not have stood idly by and watched
the heartbeat of his club walk away.
Just one example of the
cavalier attitude in which the current owner has treated his staff is
that of former employee Leigh Renton, who is still apparently, owed
£1200 of statutory maternity pay. Is this how a ‘community football
club’ should behave? Not according to officials at Ledbury Town,
Weobley, and Belmont Rangers who have all cancelled or declined friendly
matches against the club. Hereford United is in danger of becoming a
pariah in its own county.
Another recent development to
cause concern is the temporary de-listing of Mr Agombar as a company
director. This was only for a few days, but it was surely no coincidence
that during this period, the Southern League accepted Hereford United
as a member of its Premier Division. The FA’s Fit and Proper Person test
may have noble ideals, but if it is side-stepped this easily, it would
appear to have very little value in practice.
We also hear with interest
that a CVA has been applied for by the current owners. This is in our
opinion, an unequivocal admission that monies owed to football and
non-football creditors (including many local businesses), HMRC, and
others either cannot, or will not be paid.
Struggling football clubs are
sadly not an uncommon phenomenon in this country, but neither is
unscrupulous businessmen looking to profit from their travails. One
might note the recent experiences of our friends at Chester and Newport,
stark indications of how poor ownership can irreparably damage a
football club of our size.
We are of course, unable to
say with certainty what Mr Agombar plans for our club – he has been very
quiet of late – but given the serial failure to deliver even a fraction
of what was originally promised, we have genuine cause for concern.
That he almost immediately upon purchase requested that the City Council
transfer leases on the Edgar Street site to his own company is in
itself alarming.
In a few short weeks, Hereford
United has been relegated two divisions, and will probably start the
new season with a points deduction. It has lost almost all of the
backroom staff, and similarly with the playing squad. The Starlite Rooms
has been converted into a dormitory, as young players, desperate for a
career in the professional game, bed down on camp beds.
Mr Agombar, as far as we can
gather, bought this club for two pounds. That includes the debts.
Despite his stirring words of renewed glory, every action since that day
appears geared toward spending as little money as possible, with no
regard to the consequences. He could have kept us in the Conference
Premier – he didn’t. He could have paid and retained his staff – he
didn’t. He could have settled with football creditors, and avoided a
winding-up appearance in the High-Court – he didn’t.
Not only do we have grave
concerns with Mr Agombars ownership, but also with the team of advisors
he has brought with him. Accompanying Mr Agombar to the council meeting
was Andrew Lonsdale, President of Bedfont and Feltham FC, a man with a
less than stellar reputation in his own backyard, including a conviction
for illegal waste-disposal on a green belt site. Mr Agombar has also
appointed two new directors, resident in north-west England and both of
whose business experience appears to lie in waste management and
disposal. Once again, if Mr Agombar does genuinely have the best
interests of our club at heart, we would be interested to hear how these
appointments add value to our club.
As a group we have modest and
realistic ambitions. We want a club that values honesty and integrity
above all, a club which prizes stability and prudence over short term
gain, a club at the heart of our community, and of which the community
can be proud.
We are hugely concerned by
recent developments at Hereford United. To turn away from something so
close to our hearts is incredibly difficult, but we see no other option.
Under present circumstances we cannot support the current regime.
Unless there is a dramatic change in how the club is run, we reluctantly
see liquidation and a supporter-owned and run Phoenix club as the best
outcome.
On a final note, we would
again ask Bulls fans to express their protest respectfully, and without
resort to personal insult or vindictive language. We note that the club
has arranged a charity match next week in aid of Help for Heroes. As a
group we feel it would be both inappropriate and counterproductive to
demonstrate at this fixture. There will, without doubt, be other
opportunities to show our displeasure at future matches.
Any supporters who would like to make a donation to Help for Heroes can do so via the excellent HUST website. http://www.hufctrust.co.uk