Rumour

Do not know if this has any substance, I know we finished bottom and deserve to be relegated.

However

The checkout lady at Tesco's, knows someone in Southend, who knows someone on the Southend broad, the whipsers coming from the broadroom is that two EFL clubs could be thrown of the EFL for financial irregular activities, with Southend and Grimsby not being relegated she mention Swindon Town being one of the clubs.

Swindon have been loaned £600,000 by the EFL to help pay it wage bill.

Also found this dated 15th May

SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power said he wanted to either sell the club or “fund it himself again”, a court heard.

The second claim, made by his barrister at the High Court on Monday afternoon, appeared to go against his position last month – when it was claimed the club was insolvent and the only option was to sell to US investors Able.

Fans had hoped that Monday's hearing before deputy High Court judge Nicholas Thompsell would result in more certainty over the ownership of the club. Rival offers have been made by US firm AC Sports Wiltshire LLC and Australian construction mogul Clem Morfuni’s company Axis.

Those hopes were dashed when the judge adjourned the case until June 15, easing a 2019 injunction to allow the sale of the club’s parent company Swinton Reds under “pre-emption rights” or to allow the sale of the club to Axis by “private treaty”. Orders banning Mr Power from placing the club into administration remain in force.

Colin West QC, for football agent Michael Standing – who claims to have invested millions in the club since a verbal agreement with Mr Power in 2013 to take a 50 per cent stake in the club – and Axis, said the Town chairman’s assertion he could fund it himself was directly contrary to what he said last month.

But Power’s counsel, Hannah Thornley, hit back. She said it had not been the case that Mr Power did not have the funds and quoted an earlier witness statement from the Town boss, in which he said he cared deeply about the club – but added: “As far as I am concerned I’m no longer prepared to commit further funds.”

Ms Thornley said: “His current position is that either he would wish to sell the club or alternatively aim to fund it himself again.”

The court heard that the club’s debts had gone up since the last hearing, as a result of paying last month’s wage bill, with around £3m needed to pay off all the current creditors according to Ms Thornley. Any future owner would need to settle debts of £3.2m in the director’s loan account and £2.95m-worth of debentures.
  
Mr Power had not drawn down any of the £300,000 offered by Axis or Mr Standing earlier this year when injunctions preventing the sale of the club or it being placed into administration. The club had been loaned £600,000 by the English Football League to help pay its wage bills.

In his judgement on Monday afternoon, Judge Nicholas Thompsell said there would be three likely outcomes if he did nothing else but relax the 2019 injunction.

First, the current position would continue until the trial at which Michael Standing’s claim to a 50 per cent stake will be ruled on. Second, Mr Power sold his shares in line with the pre-emption rights. Third, the club was placed into administration by an external creditor.

The judge said he hoped that the third option would be “so unacceptable that common sense would prevail”.

He added: “But it is possible that it would not, given the lack of trust that there seems to be between the defendant [Mr Power] and the claimants [Axis and Mr Standing].”

Taking the club out of Mr Power’s hands was not a decision the court would take lightly, Judge Thompsell said.

He set out the matters to be covered during the next hearing in June, including whether the only way to preserve the club’s value was to order Mr Power to sell his shares.

Separately, the Football Association applied to see the documents in the court fight between Mr Standing and Mr Power.

The Association last month charged both men with breaching rules on running and owning football clubs.

The organisation has hired top sport lawyer Christopher Coltart QC to represent them. The silk has previously acted for the FA when England striker Daniel Sturridge was charged with breaching gambling rules.

Also this article

Swindon Town face potential points deduction

Swindon Town face having a potential points deduction handed to them according to reports, with the club and owner already punished by the FA.

The Robins and Lee Power have been charged with breaching Football Association regulations regarding the ownership and/or funding of the League One club.

In February, Power said the Wiltshire side were “on the brink of bankruptcy” due to the impact of no fans being allowed to watch matches, hitting their finances badly.

Sports agency First Touch Pro Management and its company director Michael Standing face similar charges with both parties having until the 22nd of April to provide their responses.

Swindon said the club was made aware of the charges on Wednesday morning and are seeking legal advice.

Standing, who is a former Aston Villa trainee who had spells at Bradford and Walsall, has previously stated he acquired 50% of Swindon’s holding company when Power bought the Robins in 2013.

Gareth Barry could still be hit with an FA charge over a secret £800,000 deal to buy a stake in Swindon Town with Standing being his agent.

Under FA regulations, agents are not allowed to own clubs because of potential conflicts of interest.

Power warned Swindon could go into administration back in May 2020 after he failed to overturn an injunction to prevent him selling the club to an American company named ‘Able‘.

Swindon current sit 20th in the League One table, above the relegation zone on goals scored.

A statement released on Wednesday evening by an FA spokesperson reads: “It is alleged that Swindon Town FC, Lee Power, First Touch Pro Management and Michael Standing breached Intermediary Regulations in relation to the ownership and/or funding of Swindon Town FC.

“Swindon Town FC, Lee Power, First Touch Pro Management and Michael Standing have until April 22, 2021 to provide responses to their respective charges.”

In a very brief statement on Swindon Town’s official website, they said it was made aware of the charges on the morning of Wednesday the 7th of April 2021 and would be seeking legal advice before going onto state it would be making no further comment at this time

Anybody else heard any whispers about this?

The Football League haven’t got the bôllocks to boot ANY team out, let alone one as big as Swindon. Bury and Macc actually ceased to exist before the FL took any kind of action, and countless teams are run in ways which are bent beyond belief (Derby, Sheff Wed); and the worst they’ll ever face is a points deduction.

No reprieve for us I’m afraid.

Quoted from ska face

The Football League haven’t got the bôllocks to boot ANY team out, let alone one as big as Swindon. Bury and Macc actually ceased to exist before the FL took any kind of action, and countless teams are run in ways which are bent beyond belief (Derby, Sheff Wed); and the worst they’ll ever face is a points deduction.

No reprieve for us I’m afraid.

I would normally be with you.......but.........this did come from a woman on the till at Tesco....pretty high on the Bentley scale of accuracy.

I’m down near Swindon at the weekend. I’ll ask the locals 🙄

The thing quoted by the OP mentioned Swinton Reds. Aren’t they a Rugby League team?

Quoted from gtfc_akpa_akpro

I’m down near Swindon at the weekend. I’ll ask the locals 🙄

I always found the Tesco rather unreliable as far as information is concerned, Aldi checkout staff tend to be nailed on.

So who's the 2nd club then.  Can't see it personally.

A real kick in the teeth would be if only 1 of the alleged teams were kicked out so we would still end up being relegated.

Quoted from Azimuth

I always found the Tesco rather unreliable as far as information is concerned, Aldi checkout staff tend to be nailed on.

But Pen Penfras says Aldi’s a lier.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

But Pen Penfras says Aldi’s a lier.

This is true...never offers an alternative though or counter argument...

If this had been someone from a more reputable supermarket like Sainsbury’s then I’d perhaps believe this story a minuscule amount...

Quoted from Azimuth

I always found the Tesco rather unreliable as far as information is concerned, Aldi checkout staff tend to be nailed on.

Isn’t it Tesco’s ???

Quoted from KingstonMariner

But Pen Penfras says Aldi’s a lier.

...and I'm not sure about you.

Bentley 5

Clutching at straws again we are down end of

I know we’re all bored with no football until August but please! Next week someone will have seen Ronaldo and Omar having the all day breakfast in Morrison’s cafe

If Waitrose then I’d say true

Quoted from moosey_club

I would normally be with you.......but.........this did come from a woman on the till at Tesco....pretty high on the Bentley scale of accuracy.

That's the funniest thing you've written in years moosey...just spat my bloody coffee over my laptop!!.

Quoted from Bristol Mariner

If Waitrose then I’d say true

That’s why it won’t happen. No Waitrose in Grimsby.

However, I’ve just seen a bloke who looks like Trent Alexander-Arnold in New Malden Waitrose so maybe he’s signing for Raynes Park Vale .

Quoted from KingstonMariner

That’s why it won’t happen. No Waitrose in Grimsby.

However, I’ve just seen a bloke who looks like Trent Alexander-Arnold in New Malden Waitrose so maybe he’s signing for Raynes Park Vale .

True, we don't have a Waitrose. But I have seen a Waitrose van doing deliveries, anythings possible so they might deliver a quality player to BP

Quoted from KingstonMariner

That’s why it won’t happen. No Waitrose in Grimsby.

However, I’ve just seen a bloke who looks like Trent Alexander-Arnold in New Malden Waitrose so maybe he’s signing for Raynes Park Vale .

Anyone else only go to Waitrose to buy decent beer?

Whatever happened to the shoe shine guys from the 70's?  They were always well clued up on stuff happeningin the 'hood.  We could ask one of them.

Funnily enough I was talking about Swindon's plight with some friends in the pub last night - we're not that far away.

One of the lads knows a few people in the game and at the club itself so I asked him if there's any chance they could be booted out the league. Now he's obviously not the oracle on all things Swindon, but his response was: "With Swindon, nothing would surprise me..."

Knowing our luck Swindon will be the only club chucked out so Sarfend get a reprieve yet we go straight to footballing hell. What will be will be.

Quoted from buckstown

I know we’re all bored with no football until August but please! Next week someone will have seen Ronaldo and Omar having the all day breakfast in Morrison’s cafe

I once saw Darren Mansaram’s cóck in the bogs at the Baton Rouge. Not sure if that’s helpful to this discussion or not but I wanted to share my anecdote all the same.

Quoted from moosey_club

I would normally be with you.......but.........this did come from a woman on the till at Tesco....pretty high on the Bentley scale of accuracy.

Easily post of the week, so funny this. 👌