Accrington Web - View Single Post - Poll: Are you happy with Accrington's finances?

huncoatred · 30-11-2010, 11:51

[quote=maccawozzagod;865689]the wealthy chap who wants to invest in Stanley is trying to do so via the issue of fan ownership.

It has its pros and cons but the control of a club by the fans goes a long way to ensuring that the club is never brought down by the actions or inactions of one person. Our previous owner was dictatorial and had the last word on every cheque that was written (or not written). He spent years telling us that we were a club that only spent money that we physically had in the bank. As a fan base we were rightly proud of this fact and were able to knock those clubs that spent money they didn't have to chase an extra point here or there. After a long and protracted attempt at selling the club he finally went. At this point he was a figure who would forever be in our hearts as the man who spent his own money and delivered the Football League back to Accrington, and all of it done on a meagre budget. He was a man who was easily loved by the fans because he had the knack of not giving a damn about the individual and there are a thousand tales of people who have suffered from his tongue. Or the hundreds of local companies who failed to get paid for work or products supplied. But he was respected.

No sooner had he disappeared than the taxman knocked on the door with the news that we hadn't paid our bills 3 years earlier. We were no longer a club that spent with in its means. We had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds that we didnt have. We had kept it quiet for years, we were a club in debt to at least a third of our annual turnover. As the weeks progressed more and more came out as to how much money we actually owed. The final figure after the annual accounts came out two years late was over a million pounds.

Yet despite all this Ilyas Khan still sits in the wings waiting for a phone call asking for money to bail the club out. He has a firm idea of how he thinks the club could and should progress and is willing to bankroll the transition to this way of doing things.

Fan ownership could and should be just that, Ownership. I wouldn't like to see ordinary fans like myself in a board room. But having said that its because I have no real knowledge or understanding of how to run a football club. But if its a decision based on interviews and applications the I feel I would be perfectly qualified to vote (as part of a committee) on the people who will run my football club.

The whole point is that the Glazers dont own Man Utd, O'Neil or Whalley or Khan doesn't own Accrington Stanley - they are merely custodians for the keys to the gates. I own Accrington Stanley, my sons and daughter and wife and mother, father, sister, neighbours own Accrington Stanley. It belongs to the fans and the town. We are the people who put our money in on a weekly basis. We are the people who spend wednesday, thursday and friday Waiting For Saturday To Come. We are the people who spend sunday, monday and tuesday talking over whether it was a throw in or not. We are the people who get itchy feet and sweaty palms waiting for the cup draw to be made. We are the people who remember totally nonsensical trivia relating to Guiseley away in `1993.

That is the point of Fan Ownership. We will always be here, the suits won't.

I might fall out with the club and not go for a month, or a season, or a decade - but I'll always be a Red and you can't take that away from me. Not ever.

Ken Bates was Chelsea through and through. He give ever damn possible and cared infinitely about the finances and balancing the books. Then he left, went to Leeds and cared again. But if or when it all goes titsy he can walk away and care at another club. I don't have that option.[/quote

excellent post Rob, sums everything up perfectly.]

30-11-2010, 11:51	#35
huncoatred Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 66 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 0	Re: Poll: Are you happy with Accrington's finances? [quote=maccawozzagod;865689]the wealthy chap who wants to invest in Stanley is trying to do so via the issue of fan ownership. It has its pros and cons but the control of a club by the fans goes a long way to ensuring that the club is never brought down by the actions or inactions of one person. Our previous owner was dictatorial and had the last word on every cheque that was written (or not written). He spent years telling us that we were a club that only spent money that we physically had in the bank. As a fan base we were rightly proud of this fact and were able to knock those clubs that spent money they didn't have to chase an extra point here or there. After a long and protracted attempt at selling the club he finally went. At this point he was a figure who would forever be in our hearts as the man who spent his own money and delivered the Football League back to Accrington, and all of it done on a meagre budget. He was a man who was easily loved by the fans because he had the knack of not giving a damn about the individual and there are a thousand tales of people who have suffered from his tongue. Or the hundreds of local companies who failed to get paid for work or products supplied. But he was respected. No sooner had he disappeared than the taxman knocked on the door with the news that we hadn't paid our bills 3 years earlier. We were no longer a club that spent with in its means. We had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds that we didnt have. We had kept it quiet for years, we were a club in debt to at least a third of our annual turnover. As the weeks progressed more and more came out as to how much money we actually owed. The final figure after the annual accounts came out two years late was over a million pounds. Yet despite all this Ilyas Khan still sits in the wings waiting for a phone call asking for money to bail the club out. He has a firm idea of how he thinks the club could and should progress and is willing to bankroll the transition to this way of doing things. Fan ownership could and should be just that, Ownership. I wouldn't like to see ordinary fans like myself in a board room. But having said that its because I have no real knowledge or understanding of how to run a football club. But if its a decision based on interviews and applications the I feel I would be perfectly qualified to vote (as part of a committee) on the people who will run my football club. The whole point is that the Glazers dont own Man Utd, O'Neil or Whalley or Khan doesn't own Accrington Stanley - they are merely custodians for the keys to the gates. I own Accrington Stanley, my sons and daughter and wife and mother, father, sister, neighbours own Accrington Stanley. It belongs to the fans and the town. We are the people who put our money in on a weekly basis. We are the people who spend wednesday, thursday and friday Waiting For Saturday To Come. We are the people who spend sunday, monday and tuesday talking over whether it was a throw in or not. We are the people who get itchy feet and sweaty palms waiting for the cup draw to be made. We are the people who remember totally nonsensical trivia relating to Guiseley away in `1993. That is the point of Fan Ownership. We will always be here, the suits won't. I might fall out with the club and not go for a month, or a season, or a decade - but I'll always be a Red and you can't take that away from me. Not ever. Ken Bates was Chelsea through and through. He give ever damn possible and cared infinitely about the finances and balancing the books. Then he left, went to Leeds and cared again. But if or when it all goes titsy he can walk away and care at another club. I don't have that option.[/quote excellent post Rob, sums everything up perfectly.]