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https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2021/may/a-statement-from-the-board/

Quoted Text

Now that the ballot for the General Meeting to be held on 5th May has been closed, the Board are able to make the following statement. For legal reasons it was not appropriate to do so whilst the ballot was open.

We deeply regret that the Club has been relegated from the EFL and unreservedly apologise for our part in that. There is no doubt that this has been a difficult year both on and off the field.

Before the season we did not know whether supporters would be allowed into the ground during the season, what arrangements could be made for matches to be shown on iFollow and what, if any, rescue package would be available from the EFL. There was uncertainty over what level of usual payments would be available from the EFL which were dependent on what television monies it received and at the time a potential clawback from Sky. There was no certainty of how long Government support would be available. Directors have a fiduciary liability to ensure that a company does not trade insolvent and with no guaranteed income but known liabilities, difficult decisions had to be made. Notwithstanding this we did ensure that the manager had the budget he required to build a squad. The decision of who to release and who to sign as players is, and always has been, the decision of the manager. Likewise, when Paul Hurst was appointed he was told that whatever funds he required to change personnel were available even if this meant paying a penalty for exceeding the then in force salary cap regulations. As it transpires our playing budget is the twelfth highest in League 2.

We have been criticised for using Covid clauses in players’ contracts. Again, to consider this it is necessary to go back to last summer. At a meeting of EFL League 2 clubs, it was agreed that such a clause was necessary, and it was drafted by the EFL. We are not the only club who utilised this and are aware of clubs in the top six of the League who also did so. The decision must be seen in the light of the circumstances pertaining at the time referred to in the previous paragraph.

Another criticism of the Board was that to dispense with the services of Anthony Limbrick two days before the start of the season. This decision was taken at the request of the manager who decided that he did not wish to continue with Anthony as his assistant or with any other assistant and was content to utilise Ben Davies as first-team coach. In the same way, the decision on the number of pre-season games to play was that of the manager. In hindsight, we should have perhaps challenged these decisions more robustly.

It became apparent early in the season that player recruitment was an issue. To that end and in anticipation of the next transfer window we agreed with a request from the then manager to appoint a new member of staff responsible for player recruitment to enable the squad to be strengthened. That person stayed in post until the current manager was appointed.

We have had to grapple with financial survival all season. We had in the previous season decided to purchase a computerised ticket system which also incorporated a customer relationship package and electronic admission at the turnstiles. Notwithstanding the financial pressures, we decided to continue with this in the hope that fans would be back sometime in the season. That almost happened in December. Prior to the season starting, we purchased a new state-of-the-art GPS fitness monitoring equipment for the players. Further works were carried out at Blundell Park and we thank the many volunteers who helped with this.

We have paid all of our VAT, PAYE and NI and are completely up to date with these payments. We have not applied for any EFL loan monies. This is in contrast to many League 2 clubs who have deferred the tax payments and others who in addition have had to take up loans. We will complete the financial year with a healthy bank balance to cover expenditure over the summer and to start rebuilding the squad. We will also have the benefit of the parachute payment to assist in this.

Having grappled with all of these issues over the past twelve months we can only again apologise for the relegation. We started the season with the highest hopes with an experienced manager whose appointment was universally approved. Sadly, our hopes and wishes for a successful season have not materialised.

We would, again, like to thank our fans for their support both financially and otherwise and help during this most difficult season. We are truly fortunate in having such a loyal and supportive fan base. In addition, we thank our sponsors Youngs and the many local businesses who have continued with their support even though they have not been able to attend games. All of this is truly appreciated.

If on the 5th May the two resolutions are approved by shareholders, then Jason and Andrew through their company 1878 Partners Limited will become controlling shareholders. We could not wish for better people to take the Club forward they both being lifelong supporters. We wish them well in all they do. As fans, we will be with them all the way on their journey.

Philip Day

Chairman for and on behalf of the Board

Very sad that our state of the art GPS trackers and 12th highest budget in the league weren't enough to avoid relegation. World class buck passing job from the outgoing board here.

Not our fault we was unlucky not our fault covids fault blah blah blah ..is this some sort of urine take this clown day needs removing ASAP

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

Not our fault we was unlucky not our fault covids fault blah blah blah ..is this some sort of urine take this clown day needs removing ASAP

This

i cant not reply

You utter male masturbators, your never ever at fault are you Phil, or John, Or any other pathetic waste of space on the board, ooo we paid our tax oo we had a 12th biggest budget, so intercourse, we went down.

for once, in your pathetic existence, hold your hands up and accept you got it so so wrong, just get out of our club the rotten lot of you

Words hand crafted by John, signed by Day

The statement that we have paid all taxes,VAT and NI without taking the various loans really makes me happy and contented when I’m watching town play conference football next season.

In reality it was expected they would push the blame away. What a dross statement. Role on the new guys

Snippet -b]'We have paid all of our VAT, PAYE and NI and are completely up to date with these payments. We have not applied for any EFL loan monies. This is in contrast to many League 2 clubs who have deferred the tax payments and others who in addition have had to take up loans.'[/b]

That may be the case but they are still EFL clubs and the fact that we are not is an abject failure

A reasonable statement under the circumstances.

With the twelfth highest playing budget, I would had been better to go to what is left of the Dolphin and get the first eleven at the bar to have played for us when Hollow Spayed was in charge! Diabolical season!

Sorry, here are all the reasons it’s not our fault.

Absolute flipping bullshit to now try and pin it on the manager. Who’s decision was it to leave the players furloughed so long? Vernam?

Their hands are caked in excrement and they should never be allowed near the ground again.

Quoted from Humbercod

A reasonable statement under the circumstances.

No, a reasonable statement would have been for them to own it and admit it was all their fault. They’ve shifted the blame to anyone and everybody else whilst taking none of the responsibility themselves.

The truth is they gambled on finishing 22nd and lost spectacularly.

And the truth about Limbrick comes out. He was sacked by Holloway. Probably for voicing his opinion on the forthcoming shambles. The way Limbrick was thrown under the bus and blamed for his departure is even more unforgivable now than it was at the time.

Surely that's 12th highest after PH came in and added players?

“Directors have a fiduciary liability to ensure that a company does not trade insolvent and with no guaranteed income but known liabilities, difficult decisions had to be made.“

You also had a duty of care to apply proper diligence in dealing with a convicted fraudster and damaging the reputation of the company / club.

Proper due diligence should also have been applied when appointing Holloway and (allegedly) involving him in whatever (allegedly) dodgy deal that was being done behind the scenes.

You also failed to act in good faith (allegedly).

Reads to me like

We kind of regret the fact that we've cut you to shreds but here's some very coarse salt to rub into your wounds :(

Quoted from Son of Cod

Surely that's 12th highest after PH came in and added players?

But weren't Town already at the top end of the salary cap before Hurst was appointed

I'm sure that's what Day said back in December

About the same time as he said we had money to spend if we had to

Who knows the truth..... they probably think we can't handle it ::)

This is a fantastic case study in how to write your own guilty verdict. Finishing twenty-fourth on the back of the twelfth highest budget in the division. FFS.

Perhaps we should have challenged the manager’s decision on only playing one pre-season friendly, against such illustrious opposition as Cleethorpes Town? You think? Any alarm bells ringing at this point to suggest that maybe the manager simply couldn’t be àrsed anymore? No? FFS.

How about using our competitive budget to build a squad around completely unproven youngsters and players from several steps down into non-league? How about complementing that with chronically injured journeymen? FFS.

Do you know how many players Ian Holloway signed this season that weren’t over the age of thirty, under the age of 22 or recruited from clubs several steps into the non-league system? One. George Williams. The chronically injured George Williams to you and I. One player out of sixteen signings could be reasonably considered to be a proven EFL player in his prime. FFS.

Oh, the fans universally approved the appointment of the manager did we? I see, so it’s all our fault is it? Oh right. I’m not having that for a second - you were the ones who knew WHY he was here in the first place, working with him at close quarters and able to spot the signs that the charlatan had completely and utterly lost interest interest in his job (which you knew full well was never his interest in the first place). FFS.

This is our record for the season:

League Two: 24th (relegated)
Carabao Cup: Round 1 (eliminated)
FA Cup: Round 1 (eliminated)
EFL Trophy: Group stage (eliminated)

We have quite literally achieved maximum failure in every competition. As it stands, we are currently neck and neck for the league’s worst goal difference, with one game to play. Good job then that that’s away at 2nd place Cambridge who need to win to guarantee promotion. FFS.

Our top scorer this season remains a 19 year old centre half who has only made two appearances since January due to injury. He has four goals in all competitions. FFS.

The gross mismanagement of this football has been absolutely criminal. Negligent. In trying to sugar coat it, you’ve only gone and made it sound even worse. You could have gone out with a modicum of contrition - “hands up, we fúcked up, this is all on us and we are eternally sorry for our mistakes and incompetence”. But no, it’s always somebody else’s fault isn’t it. Covid. The manager. The fans. FFS.

All of you, clear your desks tomorrow and never come back. You will be gone, but not forgotten. This board will be forever remembered for the litany of failure that has taken the club to its lowest point in its history. And all that, from a leadership team that already presided over Braintree 5-0 Grimsby. Who even thought that was possible?

FFS.

Quoted from Hagrid

i cant not reply

You utter male masturbators, your never ever at fault are you Phil, or John, Or any other pathetic waste of space on the board, ooo we paid our tax oo we had a 12th biggest budget, so intercourse, we went down.

for once, in your pathetic existence, hold your hands up and accept you got it so so wrong, just get out of our club the rotten lot of you

Words hand crafted by John, signed by Day

I’d expect most of our budget was spent in January on a new squad and manager after trying to get away with spending none of it in the summer

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Sorry, here are all the reasons it’s not our fault.

Absolute flipping bullshit to now try and pin it on the manager. Who’s decision was it to leave the players furloughed so long? Vernam?

Their hands are caked in excrement and they should never be allowed near the ground again.

Questions should have been asked pre season when we’d failed to assemble a squad or play any friendlies in preparation.
Questions should have been asked by October when Holloway had clearly lost the plot and was seeking to have a mental breakdown in interviews

Just another typical Fenty statement that we've seen time and time again from this board. "Not our fault", yet the board is the only constant in all the years of failure and inability to turn those around before we are deeper in the excrement. How many different managers and staff will they blame before admitting they've got things very wrong?

There was no Holloway in all those years of relegation after relegation and constant clown shows in the boardroom. Holloway didn't fail to deliver on the new stadium project, Holloway didn't constantly take the cheapest options available time and time again. There are enough behind the scenes with football teams to know these days that the manager is not the sole person in charge of transfers and how much influence the Chairman has, after all they are providing the financing for transfers and all other manager decisions. When Hurst decided he wanted more coaching staff and better facilities did the board automatically go with his decision on what he felt was needed? I think not. You chose the cheapest option as you have time and time again.

Fenty has also failed to secure investment into the club, filling the boardroom with personal friends and creating a culture of cronyism that surrounded him with yes men, allowed for kangaroo courts that roast local journalists at fan's forums and allowed the club to fester for many years. Fenty has used the club for his own personal gain in his political ambitions, using it to suck up to various big name politicians in the hope of securing support not for the club, but for his own ends. The only actual person on the board Fenty bought in to invest money was a random lottery winner and that also resulted in a falling out and public embarrassment for the club, perhaps he knew that any real business savvy person would run a mile before coming near the club.

He just can't resist can he?

One day left until he's kicked out on his bottom and he has to use the clubs media outlets to voice his opinion.

The excuses don't wash with 99% of the fan base, they never will.

For once in your life, be a man and admit you copulated up (as you have with this club for the last 18 years).

Boasting about the relatively healthy financial state we're in having had the begging bowl out to fans less than 12 months ago and now having overseen a rock bottom finish and return to non-league. Absolute disgrace. Over 40 players used during the course of the season, of course we're going to have a high salary. Hurst had to clear some of the decks to bring his own players in, I don't anticipate that his January recruitment was significant enough to move us up the spending chart. Holloway spaffed the budget up the wall and you let him.

Also absolutely no mention of the attempt to bring a convicted fraudster into the club.

That alone is shameful.

I don't know where to start with my contempt for that statement.

Noticeable omissions around the board consorting with a convicted criminal (although nobody was hurt by his crimes...) and the chairman being involved in a company with said convicted criminal....

Change cannot come soon enough.

Who is this person responsible for recruiting players,is his appointment an acknowledgement the Board did not trust Hollowheads judgment.

Also can the trust members of the board now go public and explain to us who exactly made what calls and what did they have to say about it ?

Quoted from grimps

I’d expect most of our budget was spent in January on a new squad and manager after trying to get away with spending none of it in the summer

How does Day explain then that we were about to exceed the salary cap at the back end of 2020?

Quoted from grimps

Also can the trust members of the board now go public and explain to us who exactly made what calls and what did they have to say about it ?

Don't hold your breath.

Quoted from Kris2

Just another typical Fenty statement that we've seen time and time again from this board. "Not our fault", yet the board is the only constant in all the years of failure and inability to turn those around before we are deeper in the excrement. How many different managers and staff will they blame before admitting they've got things very wrong?

In his head, Fenty doesn't think he's got anything wrong

Also in his head, those loans of his have already been written off

Hmmmm... wonder how that's going?

I can barely contain my anger at what these people (or that person) has done to our club. I would have been angry if they'd said nothing and I'm angry at this attempt to pacify me.
The reason the budget is the 12th highest in the league is because we've employed about 45 players, most of whom have been incompetent. Had we recruited 21 competent players the budget would probably have been below average and we'd have survived with comfort
We could go on for hours about the issues but the one last thing that I have to say regarding John Fenty. I don't have a problem with him walking away with his money, but the 200k of trust shares is a scandal, unless of course he comes out and makes a public statement committing to return the money to its rightful place

FFS

Quoted from Chrisblor

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2021/may/a-statement-from-the-board/

Very sad that our state of the art GPS trackers and 12th highest budget in the league weren't enough to avoid relegation. World class buck passing job from the outgoing board here.

All in all that’s a reasonable and honest statement, at a time when the supporters deserved some information to answer so many of the questions and opinions that have been voiced/written by the fan base.

It doesn’t seek to hide from the facts and the reality of the situation, and it does not seek to disown the part the board has played in this seasons demise.

It explains clearly about several matters that both the fan base and the media have discussed and reported on. Many of which the fans were deserving of explanations and clarification about these matters.

I appreciate the statement and I’m grateful for it, even though I am still highly disappointed with relegation and the part that the board has played in it. But relegation really isn’t the end of my world, and I’m grateful that at least the board did act in a responsible manner in legally fulfilling its fiduciary duty as directors, in order to maintain a financially sound and solvent business at the football club.

I look forward to the new investors now coming in, to what is already a stable financial situation, and I am excited about the prospects for the future. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the National League and returning to the EFL as soon as possible.

#UTM

Me thinks that he protesteth too much. A fish rots from the head first.

A Board are accountable for results.  More so in football, the ultimate competitive business.  Results and league tables at the end of the season are everything. The Board failed.  Everything happens from their lead, governance and decisions.  The latter terrible decision in appointing Holloway was terminal.

We were relegated.  Nothing else matters.  Words cannot justify their and the team’s failure.  Wearily words are no substitute.  Frankly, the statement is an insult to the fans.

Condescending to the end.  No change there then.

We close one dire chapter and move onto pastures new.  Thank God for that.  How we have suffered for so many years.

You're a disgrace Phil.

I hope you're told tomorrow that you're never welcome in the ground again.

If any positives can be taken from that weasley buck passing attempt it's that this is going to be the last pathetic, mealy mouthed statement we'll see issued by Team JSF.

Quoted from Fillipe Noche

All in all that’s a reasonable and honest statement, at a time when the supporters deserved some information to answer so many of the questions and opinions that have been voiced/written by the fan base.

It doesn’t seek to hide from the facts and the reality of the situation, and it does not seek to disown the part the board has played in this seasons demise.

It explains clearly about several matters that both the fan base and the media have discussed and reported on. Many of which the fans were deserving of explanations and clarification about these matters.

I appreciate the statement and I’m grateful for it, even though I am still highly disappointed with relegation and the part that the board has played in it. But relegation really isn’t the end of my world, and I’m grateful that at least the board did act in a responsible manner in legally fulfilling its fiduciary duty as directors, in order to maintain a financially sound and solvent business at the football club.

I look forward to the new investors now coming in, to what is already a stable financial situation, and I am excited about the prospects for the future. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the National League and returning to the EFL as soon as possible.

#UTM

Jane Austen bot:

“We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sort of man; but this would be nothing if you really liked him”

Just be glad that this is the last time we will have to read this self-serving tripe!

A statement that perfectly sums up the outgoing board. Rather than slinging any more mud, I’m just simply looking forward to tomorrow.

And here we are at the end of this terrible period in our history with a statement that includes everything but an apology.

Philip Day, as chairman of OUR club, you had an opportunity to distance yourself from the terrible behaviour of John Fenty but chose to justify it as well intentioned and even went on the airwaves to defend a convicted criminal. Because of this, your reputation at this club is just as bad as the man who pulls your strings.

You had an opportunity to show leadership but instead you bowed to your puppet master.

Mr day you are full of it,wasn’t it correct that you said we’d be in the championship in five years.You are full of it and must leave.You promised that Holloway was the one but instead your blaming everyone that can’t answer.It’s no one else but the Grimsby town boards fault.The lot of you are a disgrace.

Quoted from horsforthmariner

Just be glad that this is the last time we will have to read this self-serving tripe!

Don't hold your breath. Get them Fenty Bingo cards at the ready for one last game as John recounts ITV Digital, paying our dues, multiple Wembley visits, a fantastic promotion and just how much that Aston Martin cost during his time as principle funder.

Did we really expect anything different?

Quoted from brigg_mariner

Did we really expect anything different?

An apology would have been nice

Very interesting to hear them blaming Holloway for most things. Is everyone on the Board completely spineless to have said anything to him?

I wonder if we will hear back from Holloway with a retort on the Board pointing the finger in his direction.

Despite all the apologies, this is how much of a flying fück we actually give

[img]https://www.brzowski.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/zip-zilch-nada-300x242.png[/img]

Who do we point the finger at?

[img]https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/finger-pointing-down-torn-blue-paper-wall-hand-gestures-direction-finger-pointing-down-torn-blue-paper-wall-208755134.jpg[/img]
[img]https://e0.365dm.com/20/04/1600x900/skysports-ian-holloway-holloway_4964032.jpg?20200407095026[/img]

One day to go fellow Mariners. Nothing but contempt for this statement they should never set foot in BP again.

Just the fact that they are slinging all the shite at Holloway, it now makes you wonder if he left because someone in the consortium approached him, or if he had a monumental fallout with the board after everything that had gone on. Im sure there must have been many false promises from both sides but it puts a whole new angle on Holloways departure.

So basically, throw Hollowhead under the bus.

And when exactly did the new guys change from ‘tyre kickers’ to ‘the best possible people to take the club forward’.? I suspect 24 hours after JF’s new business partner was exposed !!

Usual sh1t from the board.

Do you know what’s the scariest thing for me? Over the years we have seen owners actively conspire to harm their clubs - Archer and Bellotti at Brighton, the Oystens at Blackpool, the Allam’s at Hull and Duchatelet at Charlton. Charles Koppel quite literally destroyed Wimbledon.

And yet despite all of this, we find ourselves at least two divisions below all of the above. All the while, and I genuinely believe this, Fenty and co we’re trying to do their best. Yes, this was a pathway blinkered by arrogance, egotism and stubbornness, but I believe they were doing what they considered to be in the best interests of the club.

This is the sheer magnitude of their failure.

Quoted from Fillipe Noche

All in all that’s a reasonable and honest statement, at a time when the supporters deserved some information to answer so many of the questions and opinions that have been voiced/written by the fan base.

It doesn’t seek to hide from the facts and the reality of the situation, and it does not seek to disown the part the board has played in this seasons demise.

It explains clearly about several matters that both the fan base and the media have discussed and reported on. Many of which the fans were deserving of explanations and clarification about these matters.

I appreciate the statement and I’m grateful for it, even though I am still highly disappointed with relegation and the part that the board has played in it. But relegation really isn’t the end of my world, and I’m grateful that at least the board did act in a responsible manner in legally fulfilling its fiduciary duty as directors, in order to maintain a financially sound and solvent business at the football club.

I look forward to the new investors now coming in, to what is already a stable financial situation, and I am excited about the prospects for the future. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the National League and returning to the EFL as soon as possible.

#UTM

You are on par with Day with your opening comment. They’re off tomorrow are your joining them?

Quoted from friskneymariner

Who is this person responsible for recruiting players,is his appointment an acknowledgement the Board did not trust Hollowheads judgment.

The person responsible for recruiting players was chosen by Holloway`s wife, or rather her cat running over to the neighbours 14-year old boy who is an avid player of Football Manager. Holloway thought the cat had made an excellent choice and appointed him Head of Recruitment.
So that clears that one up for you. ;)

They should never have let him sign all those players. It was obviously spreading the talent too thinly. You don't need to be an expert in football to realise that.

Notwithstanding that bollox you relegated our club to the conference not once but twice you absolute bunch of incompetents.

I hope from tomorrow we never have to read one of these shithouse statements ever again ,our grand old club as been embarrassed beyond imagination and yet their still trying to spin the wheel totally unforgivable imo

There is only one good positive bit in the statement prepared by Fenty and signed by Day which is

Tomorrow 5th May 2021 at 3 pm Grimsby Town Football Club will rise from the ashes of the current regime to be under new owners. The club can then move forward and hopefully return to the position prior to the Fenty years, of being a Championship club once again.

'Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan'

Quoted from WayneBurnettsJockstrap

Very interesting to hear them blaming Holloway for most things. Is everyone on the Board completely spineless to have said anything to him?

I wonder if we will hear back from Holloway with a retort on the Board pointing the finger in his direction.

Despite all the apologies, this is how much of a flying fück we actually give

[img]https://www.brzowski.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/zip-zilch-nada-300x242.png[/img]

Who do we point the finger at?

[img]https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/finger-pointing-down-torn-blue-paper-wall-hand-gestures-direction-finger-pointing-down-torn-blue-paper-wall-208755134.jpg[/img]
[img]https://e0.365dm.com/20/04/1600x900/skysports-ian-holloway-holloway_4964032.jpg?20200407095026[/img]

Didn’t Hollowords have a place on the Board?

That statement was not an apology.

It was an insult.

To every single fan of this great football club, ever.

I don't care if the previous manager was at fault, I don't care that we've been good boys and paid our NI and tax. No reason that you make involving COVID has not been felt by every other club.

Yet you had to make a statement! the day before you go, you just had to, your ego demanded it. You had to do it whilst you were still the board, because to do it afterwards would have meant having to apologise personally, unable to hide behind the club, and the truth is that you're not sorry.

Just Go

We have all vented our spleens on this mealy mouthed buck passing of a statement.

But I can’t help having a feeling that some posters would have been incredibly disappointed if it had been a full mea culpa from JF on bended knee sobbing “It’s all my fault “ through his tears. There would just have been a myriad posts shouting “hypocrite”.

Nothing he or his acolytes can say now will ever satisfy so we should just save our energy and leave this in the bin where it belongs and look forward to tomorrow.

You’re probably right RRFC. I think we’d vent our spleen whatever they did or didn’t say. But there could well be a difference to how we feel about it afterwards if there was an honest acceptance of responsibility. We’d have still been mad, but we’d cool down afterwards much sooner.

The other factor is it’s still all pretty mealy mouthed as Fenty is walking away with every penny he put in and £200k on top. Money the club could do with right now.

Quoted from geir

The person responsible for recruiting players was chosen by Holloway`s wife, or rather her cat running over to the neighbours 14-year old boy who is an avid player of Football Manager. Holloway thought the cat had made an excellent choice and appointed him Head of Recruitment.
So that clears that one up for you. ;)

Heard she had a bit a magical powers in her ,she had a fairy godmother and when her cat got run over she asked if her fairy godmother could bring it back to life,the fairy godmother had a look at the cat,and said sorry this is beyond all my powers it is truly dead there is no hope,is there any other wish I could grant you.,Holloheads wife said yes could you make my husband a successful football manager.
The fairy godmother replies,lets have another look at the cat.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Don't hold your breath. Get them Fenty Bingo cards at the ready for one last game as John recounts ITV Digital, paying our dues, multiple Wembley visits, a fantastic promotion and just how much that Aston Martin cost during his time as principle funder.

sorry, John who? ;) ;) ;)

So they sat back and let Holloway make all these terrible decisions? Another PR disasterclass from the whoppers in the boardroom.

I do hope there’s a non-league equivalent of iFollow because there’s no way these clowns will ever be allowed back to watch us in person.

My response to the board........

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the wee donkey!!!!

Quoted from KingstonMariner

You’re probably right RRFC. I think we’d vent our spleen whatever they did or didn’t say. But there could well be a difference to how we feel about it afterwards if there was an honest acceptance of responsibility. We’d have still been mad, but we’d cool down afterwards much sooner.

The other factor is it’s still all pretty mealy mouthed as Fenty is walking away with every penny he put in and £200k on top. Money the club could do with right now.

Sad though that is Kingston, we would have accepted that penalty months ago if we could have had this outcome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y11hwjMNs

Am I surprised? Not really...

The writing was on the wall when we were beaten in the FAC by 2 goals by a very poor NL team.  A team who had only just managed that number of goals in the league all season.

The fact that the Board decided, in their wisdom, to issue yet another statement explains why we have failed (again).  Talk about burying their collective heads in the sand.

If they were the owners of the Titanic they would have defended the ship saying it was fit for purpose and fully-seaworthy.  Saying that it met British Standards.  It still sank without trace.

One amazing thing is they still don’t get it, they think people will listen to those mealy-mouthed far fetched excuses and think, oh right, they weren’t so bad then, we have been wrong to want them out of the club! A truly pitiful final act among so many.

I'm not as agitated by that statement as others on here have been, but maybe that's because I didn't expect anything other than the usual list of reasons why nothing was the board's fault.

John Fenty walks away with £2.5m, which is £200k more than he put in.

If only we, the fans, had kept track of every penny we put into the football club over the last 17 years, and how literally none of us have ever demanded — or ever will demand — our money back.

We are the principle funders of this great, historic football club. We *are* the football club. And look where we are, and what we've been left with, because of the complete ineptitude of a small group of men calling themselves 'custodians'.

Their one role was to take good care of this football club. Like Poojah said earlier, this was them trying. Good grief.

That statement was their one last attempt to deflect the blame. I fully expected they would. Technically there were two apologies in there. Passive, as always, and with caveats. We're sorry, but it wasn't really our fault.

Except it was. Every last dirty bit of it.

They (Fenty, Day or both) appear to try to to get some kudos from the fact that all the taxes, NI contributions etc have been paid. Surely that is a basic situation that any responsible business should do? I don't care what other clubs have done during this pandemic as regards finances, I only care about GTFC's approach.

Quoted from rancido

They (Fenty, Day or both) appear to try to to get some kudos from the fact that all the taxes, NI contributions etc have been paid. Surely that is a basic situation that any responsible business should do? I don't care what other clubs have done during this pandemic as regards finances, I only care about GTFC's approach.

There's plenty of precedent in football for clubs not having done so. Possibly other clubs in our division. But there was still plenty of scope for us not to finish a lot higher than we did, even with the budget we had. The other clubs were a bit smarter in how they dealt with the same problems. We started the season in appalling shape, basic things like fitness were weeks behind where they should have been. That should have been a red flag that we had left the club in charge of an incompetent madman.

maybe we should ask Hollowhead for his take on the statement - always 2 sides to every story....... ;)

Have read all the ‘spleen venting’ for the club statement - and find most of it very justifiable.
Going forward - as fans - we hope that, if the vote goes in favour of the takeover tomorrow, the chaps in control of the private limited company will make decisions causing a rapid upturn in Towns fortunes.
UTM

Quoted from forza ivano

maybe we should ask Hollowhead for his take on the statement - always 2 sides to every story....... ;)

No, there are 3 sides - yours, theres and the truth! To use a statement once used in politics "they (the Board) couldn't run a whelk stall".

Quoted from rancido

No, there are 3 sides - yours, theres and the truth! To use a statement once used in politics "they (the Board) couldn't run a whelk stall".

To paraphrase a well known truthful Duchess - it’s their truth! ;)

Now that the ballot for the General Meeting to be held on 5th May has been closed, the Board are able to make the following statement. For legal reasons it was not appropriate to do so whilst the ballot was open.

I don't understand which part of this statement would have been illegal if published prior to the ballot closing?

Quoted from malkamalka

Now that the ballot for the General Meeting to be held on 5th May has been closed, the Board are able to make the following statement. For legal reasons it was not appropriate to do so whilst the ballot was open.

I don't understand which part of this statement would have been illegal if published prior to the ballot closing?

More waffle and nonsense...I mean the part where they blame literally everyone and everything else except themselves certainly isn’t or wouldn’t be illegal...

In all seriousness I guess the consortium probably asked them to hold off may be..

I opened up social media at work and the first thing I saw was the official account linking to the statement. I don’t know about anyone else but my immediate response was to worry that something had happened to scupper the takeover. I don’t know if that’s my naturally pessimistic view or if I’ve just been conditioned to expect the worst after following town for so long.

Once I’d got over the relief that the takeover hadn’t been hijacked by any last minute demands from the current principal funder or Stockwood and Petit haven’t come to their senses and realised owning and running a football club is a road to ruin I was shocked by the statement.

I appreciate that the board should make some sort of comment about what’s happened, a club can’t go into non-league without some sort of statement from the board. It’s a absolutely right that they have come out and said something. Especially since this is their last days in charge. But the statement should have contained some humility.

Paragraph 2 starts: “We deeply regret that the Club has been relegated from the EFL and unreservedly apologise for our part in that.”

The rest of the statement is full of excuses and finger pointing. COVID clauses, player recruitment, no pre-season, the furlough/release/sacking? Of Limbrick, they accept the blame for absolutely none of it. They’re quick to point out the bills they’ve paid but neglect to mention Alex May or effectively holding the club hostage over Christmas.

This attitude is exactly the attitude which a seen us relegated to non-league again and perfectly exposes what is wrong with the current board and primary funder. The egotistical nature and the absolute inability to accept when they’re responsible for failings is typical of the last 15 years.

I just hope that there’s no issues tomorrow and we can start to get our club back and have open dialogue with those in charge of at club.

Quoted from diehardmariner

You're a disgrace Phil.

I hope you're told tomorrow that you're never welcome in the ground again.

I’ll tell him now and if that other Town fan mate of his turns up he better not come with a flag

Absolutely over the moon that the books are once again balanced and all the tax and national insurance is up to date; it will be a great comfort when we are away to Boreham Wood. Best run club ever.

Meanwhile, in the real world, all the other clubs did what it takes to get through the covid pandemic with their EFL status intact. So they may have borrowed some money or spent money they didn't really have, but the extra income they get from their league status will cushion the blow.

We, on the other hand, jumped all over any reason or excuse to cut corners and embraced the covid clause and salary caps like the short sighted charlatans they clearly are.

How many times have we heard the same sentiments in previous statements? Lessons never learned.

I've not read every post on this thread so apologies if this has been replicated elsewhere but this is just another attempt to defend the indefensible.

So are now supposed to believe that they did what they could? Do they think we're that shallow?

They go on about not challenging Holloway, well that in my mind is an admission of guilt and dereliction of their duty as "custodians". Lets face it the appointment of Holloway wasn't their first rodeo was it, as we all know this lot don't learn from their mistakes.

I also like the way that they insinuate that paying mandatory bills to the government illustrates their due diligence, well it does to a degree but it also keeps them out of jail as directors of the company and is essential for the take over.

As patronising as ever, luckily it feels like we won't need to put up with it for much longer.

Quoted from malkamalka

Now that the ballot for the General Meeting to be held on 5th May has been closed, the Board are able to make the following statement. For legal reasons it was not appropriate to do so whilst the ballot was open.

I don't understand which part of this statement would have been illegal if published prior to the ballot closing?

I’m probably wrong, but imagine there may have been an agreement between the two parties that no statements would be made during the balloting period so as to not influence the votes.

JF - Right gents, I have called this emergency board meeting so we can get our ducks in a row when it comes to releasing a statement before the takeover happens.

PD - we are deep in the sh1t here John, there is no way we can walk away from this without some serious sh1t sticking to our blanket

SM - Shut up Phillip

JF - listen....we just need a scapegoat, it's easy this , right who was here at the start of the season but isnt here now ?

PD- well about 15 loan players for a start John

SM - shut up Phillip

PD - Ian Holloway ?

JF- yes perfect, we will shift all blame to the mad hatter, we can say he had the final say in everything and we just remained hands off and regards the other stuff we can say we just followed rules. Just for measure we can add we pay our bills and havnt taken out any loans (other than adding to my benign pile of course) and make out the other clubs arent as morally high as ourselves by breaking rules to remain in the EFL.
Actually to save time we could probably just cut and paste quite a bit from the Newell, Slade, Bignot, Slade, Jolley statements we used previously.

PD - moral high ground? You did set up a company with a convicted fraudster, invite him into our club and we were going to take his dirty money ...

SM - shut up Phillip

JF - that's sorted then ....sweet.

You’ll get done for unauthorised use of bugging devices Moosey 😆

Quoted from moosey_club

JF - Right gents, I have called this emergency board meeting so we can get our ducks in a row when it comes to releasing a statement before the takeover happens.

PD - we are deep in the sh1t here John, there is no way we can walk away from this without some serious sh1t sticking to our blanket

SM - Shut up Phillip

JF - listen....we just need a scapegoat, it's easy this , right who was here at the start of the season but isnt here now ?

PD- well about 15 loan players for a start John

SM - shut up Phillip

PD - Ian Holloway ?

JF- yes perfect, we will shift all blame to the mad hatter, we can say he had the final say in everything and we just remained hands off and regards the other stuff we can say we just followed rules. Just for measure we can add we pay our bills and havnt taken out any loans (other than adding to my benign pile of course) and make out the other clubs arent as morally high as ourselves by breaking rules to remain in the EFL.
Actually to save time we could probably just cut and paste quite a bit from the Newell, Slade, Bignot, Slade, Jolley statements we used previously.

PD - moral high ground? You did set up a company with a convicted fraudster, invite him into our club and we were going to take his dirty money ...

SM - shut up Phillip

JF - that's sorted then ....sweet.

Except ‘Shut up Steve’ left the building some time ago.

Quoted from ska face

I’m probably wrong, but imagine there may have been an agreement between the two parties that no statements would be made during the balloting period so as to not influence the votes.

There is quite a lot of corporate law governing what businesses can and can't publicly say when shares are being traded so the silence may have been enforced rather than out of choice.

Quoted from ginnywings

Absolutely over the moon that the books are once again balanced and all the tax and national insurance is up to date; it will be a great comfort when we are away to Boreham Wood. Best run club ever.

Meanwhile, in the real world, all the other clubs did what it takes to get through the covid pandemic with their EFL status intact. So they may have borrowed some money or spent money they didn't really have, but the extra income they get from their league status will cushion the blow.

We, on the other hand, jumped all over any reason or excuse to cut corners and embraced the covid clause and salary caps like the short sighted charlatans they clearly are.

How many times have we heard the same sentiments in previous statements? Lessons never learned.

Time and again lessons never learned. Always go for the cheapest option, spend as little as you believe you can possibly get away with. Fenty literally cannot run the club in any other way, he's utterly incapable of it, surely even the blind can see that now..

Oh and never,ever accept responsibility for repeated urine poor decision making

Quoted from rancido

They (Fenty, Day or both) appear to try to to get some kudos from the fact that all the taxes, NI contributions etc have been paid. Surely that is a basic situation that any responsible business should do? I don't care what other clubs have done during this pandemic as regards finances, I only care about GTFC's approach.

What day forgot to say is under takeover law that they MUST settle all taxes and national insurance before a takeover can legally happen

Quoted from Iknowyoursecret

What day forgot to say is under takeover law that they MUST settle all taxes and national insurance before a takeover can legally happen

That's what I mean. They parade this like it's some kind of feather in their cap. But the reality is that any half organised business would do this and they had to anyway.

So the books were balanced and the bills were paid. And it’s only cost the new fellas 2 and a half million quid for this to happen. They’re talking like there is no debt attached to the club.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Except ‘Shut up Steve’ left the building some time ago.

It was Marley's ghost ;)

just intercourse off out of our club you dodgy girl privates.

Morons until the very end.

Blame everyone else. Say they’ve paid tax/NI like any business should and claim it a victory, still try and take some moral high ground even though they were more than happy to bring in a convicted fraudster still awaiting deportation.

I mean the list is endless and whilst some will say fans would’ve criticised either way, if they’d apologised or produced this but we all know an apology was never coming.

They’re blind to the hatred, they numb to the issues they’ve caused and they’re ignorant about everything.

intercourse off John, take your mates with you and when you’ve copulated off, intercourse off some more...

They still think we’re a bunch of imbeciles to the very end 😂😂😂😂

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

They still think we’re a bunch of imbeciles to the very end 😂😂😂😂

But we all know there will be people who still think they’ve done alright, because they still believe that Fenty saved us...

It’s mind boggling really...

Quoted from Poojah

This is our record for the season:

League Two: 24th (relegated)
Carabao Cup: Round 1 (eliminated)
FA Cup: Round 1 (eliminated)
EFL Trophy: Group stage (eliminated)

We have quite literally achieved maximum failure in every competition. As it stands, we are currently neck and neck for the league’s worst goal difference, with one game to play. Good job then that that’s away at 2nd place Cambridge who need to win to guarantee promotion. FFS.

And just like that, the shìt show is complete. Congratulations to everyone responsible for this unmitigated disaster of a season - your incompetence really is something to behold.

Un-missions now accomplished. 😟

Our only massive achievements this season are not conceding the most goals or scoring the fewest goals. Still pathetic.

Quoted from Poojah

And just like that, the shìt show is complete. Congratulations to everyone responsible for this unmitigated disaster of a season - your incompetence really is something to behold.

As the board made clear Poojah, .....it was all Holloways fault. 🤔

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

Un-missions now accomplished. 😟

Our only massive achievements this season are not conceding the most goals or scoring the fewest goals. Still pathetic.

I wouldn’t be too despondent - we’re still the second worst in the division on both counts. Managing to starve ourselves at one end whilst still managing to regularly shìt the bed at the other. That’s quite impressive.