Ha ha the reality that we've spent hundreds of thousands more than probably all clubs in our division, how is that reality biting in regards to the club being in trouble? At least Michel states he's not anti AH just concerned about the club which is fair enough, you a sound like someone who throws darts at a picture of AH wearing a McParland mask. Has your son found a new club yet?
Great post Old pie BTW.
Good post indeed. One issue I take up is around the loans and investment options available to Paragon you point out. Whilst you are right in saying all of those costs, taxes etc would paybale if AH was paid a wage or dividend and so that is why he loans if frome Paragon to Notts, doesn't really stack up, as he could simply write a sponsorship contract from Paragon to Notts for 3 years at
£x Amount per season. This would also reduce Paragons profit tax liability just the same way. But it would mean Notts debts are not mounted up. I know which I would prefer as a Notts Fan.
Paragon has a few Charges listed against it too which is important when considering your point about whether Mr Hardy is the controlling shareholder or not. That point becomes moot as the charges are pretty comprehensive, they are listed on companies house.
Your final point is very well and succinctly made. I have no issue with a benefactor like AH OWNING our club. HIs investment is incredibly important, generous and needed. The real problem we have as people who care for our club and future is that he is also RUNNING our club. Massive difference.
The richest men in the world can all afford to own a formula 1 race team. It's the ones who fund them, but allow experienced and qualified team directors and drivers to perform and run the teams week in week out that are succesful. Alan has admitted to numerous mistakes in 18 months and little suggests he is capable ( or wants) to learn or change. That's not being critical it is just how it is. I would prefer our club to be RUN by someone with runs on the board, proven ability and experience in football. If Alan was a manager we would be howling for his sacking based on performances. But because he is the money man we tolerate his errors and shortcomings. it is an interesting observation and situation indeed and I'm not sure anyone has the answer to how we solve the conundrum. I certainly don't.
I'm around the place. My point all along has been that the club is only in a Dire situaton if AH either chooses to stop propping it up month on month financially, or Paragon PLC stop propping it up financially with loans, or if AH has no choice and HAS to stop propping it up ( all rivers of gold have their limits), or we are relegated from the league.
all of those scenarios are possible, and based on where we were when AH took over, one could argue more possible than they were 18 months ago. Of course the more optimistic could say they are less probable than when he took over, that is all a matter of opinion.
Regardless, the stability of our club depends on a few relatively variable factors that we have little control over whilst the debt is high and rising. That is is the basis of my concern.
Hi Guys, Feeb here again, some interesting views and comments there, thanks for the replys.
But I dont know about you lot, but all i have been saying for years as a long time pies fan.
is one word on this subject of manager swapping , and that word is... Stability
Do we Never learn? when are we going to Lean!
first Scardino then Munto then Trew come in with their promises of successive promotions and success,
All we want is one thing. To be able to have a team, to support that we can take our kids to and eventually our grandchildren.
after the turmoil we have been through,( see aforementioned chairmen above), promise me promotion and it goes in one ear and then out of the other.
I am not taken in any more by a Businessman plans and hopes. or success.
it made me groan When i heard Alan Hardy Setting a timetable for promotion, I thought we had got rid of Ray Trew and his Schedules.
Not him as well ! i exclaimed.
When we had Mad Dog as Manager , i was sitting there in the Kop stand, enjoying it, we were 7th in Div one and i commented to a friend, i would be happy with this, and this style of Football, and he also agreed.
Not much to Ask,
But no later Trew sacked him as he wasn't meeting his aspirations of promotion.
So heres your Brief from just one fan AH
your doing a smashing Job, i would rather have you than Trew or those mentioned however look where we are now, by hiring and firing mangers who didn't conform to your business plan, timetable!
when all most of us wanted , was the security to watch our team play league football in 3-4-5 years time, without fear of bankruptcy at a reasonable level. in other words STABILITY.
please put that on the bottom line of your cost analysis sheet.
and Come on You Pies!
I think the problem Feeb at the moment none of us are really happy in League 2, one it's the worse league (try telling yer kids that lol) and secondly it's a bit to close to none league football for comfort as we are feeling at the moment . I think as you say if we were comfortable in L1 playing ok football then most of us would be happy with that with the hope we might have a good season sooner or later with a sniff of the championship, which now a days is a bit of a dream cos there's some big clubs and the thought of the away days bigger home crowds would be enough to keep us happy plugging away in L1, L2 just feels like we are miles off.
Hardy like any other owner by his own admission I think has been sucked into this aswell instead of trying to balance the books, the issue in football, an obvious one, is that not everyone can be successful, just 4 teams out of 24 in our case and there's so many variables of how things can go well and not so well and I think he's learning that at the hard end.
Last edited by matt_magpie; 11-09-2018 at 02:25 PM.
Call me old fashioned Old Pie but being rooted to the bottom of league 2, conceding goals at will, £750k over spent on a load of crap that will be difficult to change and an owner who talks utter bull seems pretty dire to me! I'll keep throwing darts for sure, hit the bulls eye with the Paul Hart appointment long before it came out in the open though. The reality that we are in serious trouble is starting to bite hence our saviour has gone into hiding on social media, something he should have done months ago.