Poll: Are you happy with Accrington's finances?

[maccawozzagod]

Originally Posted by Poll Starter

I've been criticised by people who think the idea of supporting clubs to be more transparent is stupid and meaningless because it'll never happen, but would you prefer to just leave things as it is?

it's not a stupid or meaningless debate by any means Oliver. But one of the few things that our club can prove is that it can't or won't happen. Our club is the smallest in the football league, with the smallest turnover, and by far and away the smallest home crowd. IF we can't show our 1000 fans that we give a monkeys about them or their thoughts then I don't know who can.

Originally Posted by Poll Starter

Hope this clears things up for you. I have no motives or loyalties here, only to fair play. I was hugely impressed with the Save Our Stanley campaign last year, but am massively disappointed it even had to happen in the first place.

... that's the thing, we weren't impressed by the SOS campaign. The target was £300k and we had 8 weeks to do it. The club (or its supposed leader) showed absolutely no leadership, or direction. The Ultras raised around 20% of the final total by themselves in bucket collections. Burnley FC (or Owen Coyle) made the phone call and all the arrangements for a charity game that raised around 50% of the final figure. All I can see that the club did by themselves was .... well nowt. I was going to say the SOS website but that was set up and maintained by AccyRed (Mrs Kipax) and even then they couldn't be arsed to ring her with daily totals so that she could update. The final figure on that website was £119k if I remember rightly, but only £96 was declared as given (?). The shortfall was made good by a wealthy local businessman who wants to invest millions to the club. But the shortsighted, ignoramouses in the Padded Seats won't let go.

throughout the campaign the stories were rife with corruption and conspiracy and these were fuelled by the continued blissful unawareness of the situation by the Powers That Be. The only time they issued any kind of statement was when they had more lies to tell.

So you see Oliver, we weren't impressed by the SOS campaign, we will never forget the lies that we were told, and continue to be told. The only transparency i ever want to see is the trapdoor on the hangmans gantry

[Poll Starter]

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

we weren't impressed by the SOS campaign, we will never forget the lies that we were told, and continue to be told. The only transparency i ever want to see is the trapdoor on the hangmans gantry

You make a very interesting point there, thanks for insight. I'm surprised by what you've said.

As I told you, I have no allegance with Accrington so I didn't know all the ins and outs of the situation. I guess I was fooled by the media's interpretation of events.

That's why it's key for the fans to be heard, so the club isn't misrepresented and things can actually move forward.

What's your opinions on fan ownership? It seems to have cropped up on a few occassions in recent years with other clubs, and having some levels of success. Would you feel more confident if you had 'real fans' in the board room? In the key meetings?

[maccawozzagod]

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.

[Wynonie Harris]

Brilliant, Rob. Sums it all up perfectly for me. Karma sent!

[huncoatred]

[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.]

[Exile on Spencer St]

Brilliant post, Macca.
But it makes it even more staggering that 5 people think the club's finances are OK. Do we presume the Cardboard Millionaire and four of his cowering handservants visit this site?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Exile on Spencer St

Brilliant post, Macca.
But it makes it even more staggering that 5 people think the club's finances are OK. Do we presume the Cardboard Millionaire and four of his cowering handservants visit this site?

Probably 5 of his slavering turds mate, hes probably just delegated.

[Wynonie Harris]

There's a piece in the Telegraph about it, which doesn't really tell us owt new.

Accrington Stanley ownership stalemate continues (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Suppose we've just got to hope that Ilyas will win the day in the end.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Suppose we've just got to hope that Ilyas will win the day in the end.

And ?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by cashman

Probably 5 of his slavering turds mate, hes probably just delegated.

well seems to be the case Whalleys in Aus fer the ashes, hopefully he will top em up.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

And ?

...and he puts his plans into operation for a community club with, eventually, a new ground. Don't ask me about the details because I don't know, as I didn't go to the meeting. However, I have a total faith in Ilyas's sound business sense, wisdom, sense of fair play and complete dedication to Stanley. Naive?....well maybe, but that's they way I feel!

...and whatever Ilyas has in mind has GOT to be better than the present shambles!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

...and he puts his plans into operation for a community club with, eventually, a new ground. Don't ask me about the details because I don't know, as I didn't go to the meeting. However, I have a total faith in Ilyas's sound business sense, wisdom, sense of fair play and complete dedication to Stanley. Naive?....well maybe, but that's they way I feel!

...and whatever Ilyas has in mind has GOT to be better than the present shambles!

I don't disagree with that for one minute. What I was actually referring to is where is his support ?

Illyas did say work together. However it's become clear that the goalposts have been moved by the very people he was trying to take the pressure off by saying it. Ilyas may be going through the legal challenge and there's no rushing that unfortunatley. But it strikes me that more could be done from a group of fans who I would say about 95% of support the change. You can't change the legal system but you can make your feelings known as a group.

A few comments on Accyweb won't put pressure on people to shift

[cashman]

thats true dave would probably require a baseball bat.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by cashman

thats true dave would probably require a baseball bat.

Not quite what I was thinking

[maccawozzagod]

there's not much point to be honest though is there Dave? O'Neil is well aware that he has the fewest fans (of him) of any previous Chairman of the club. Nothing we could do will shift him and Ilyas seems to think that his challenge is fair and legit. My plan is to just let that process happen, and let O'Neil waste his money challenging the challenge.

If anything was to happen that would lead me to believe that publically rising against O'Neil would change anything then I would. Likewise if anything I could do to pressurise the hierarchy came about then so be it. O'Neil will feel the heat soon enough I think ...