All very well, Matt, but the club has more than £400 of my money for a two-year season ticket. Don't get me wrong, I love this club and I would be devastated if it disappeared having supported it for more than 30 years. I love the Hobbins as if they were my own family.
But, before I commit further money to this club, there needs to be more transparency. We need to see the books before any money can be given on whatever basis. And it does not particularly inspire confidence that it seems they were served with an HMRC winding up petition in early July and we find out about it in the middle of August.
On a further note, I see that fans of Dover and other clubs are having a go at us ( and in particular |JGFC) re our debt. The difference is dear friends that we still have a great measure of pride and I guess we would rather go under than beg for assistance on other message boards as some of you have done in the past
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Oh, a mighty god is the god of gold, His empire never decays; In every age, in every clime, The hearts of men he sways.
Bertie let people crow, I crowed them as did others, i also donated to keep them in business.
We need to be together, like the old days.
Dont be distracted by it, it goes on all over the place. The only thing that matters is the next 2 weeks . the rest can be addressed when we win that battle.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
You need to find 200 to bring in 20k in £100s . You need to get a league team in with a strong team to bring in the same. Lets bring a team in and then lets raise some more.
Some of these Premier Teams have squads of 40 people ok 25 now but they still have a huge roster.
If people want to donate money superb.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
But, before I commit further money to this club, there needs to be more transparency. We need to see the books before any money can be given on whatever basis.
I know where you're coming from ELB, but I hope other people don't take this position. Unless you're making an offer to buy the club, no owner would make the books available for inspection. An open meeting between the owners and fans would be helpful but time is very short before the hearing date.
They have my season ticket money too but I will still pledge to donate at least £100.
What you need to consider is that if the club folds in the next few weeks, your £400 will be down the drain.
A good and fair point Greendale. It was a knee-jerk reaction to seeing my Wings unexpectedly in such a parlous financial state. My heart says I will pledge £100 but, frankly, I think it needs to be something similar to a share issue with shareholders voting for a supporters' representative on the Board. As for a meeting with the owners and interested parties, there is no time like the present. How about after the match on Saturday - and wack on a barrel of decent ale to help dry throats during a lot of straight talking?
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Oh, a mighty god is the god of gold, His empire never decays; In every age, in every clime, The hearts of men he sways.
I think a meeting on Saturday, just for Barrie, Barry and Daisy to be able to give their views and then take a few questions is the way. I do also think it will instantly get everyone on the same side and working together and everything in the open. Then a further supporters meeting could be arranged for a few days later to get more people there and possibly investors when everything is known.
Bertie i agree at some stage more people need to be on the board and if that includes members of a supporters trust voted on after a share issue then i do not think Barrie or Barry will be against that. But we have to win this battle of the 55k before any of that could be set in motion.
I feel for them both and they both love the club, it must have been so hard for the last 3 or 4 years with just those two doing the heavy work. They need help and they could get it. I trust Daisy, Ashby and Frosty to have those players fighting for the club and to keep them focused, we need them now to do their part.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
Exactly what I was thinking Bertie. After the game tomorrow say 6pm because we need to know asap what we are dealing with as this is the only home game between now and the winding up date (ok Chelmo is the night before but its too late then!).
I've just got back from a night shift so I'm off to bed, but I'll check on here later because somebody really needs to contact Barrie and organise this meeting.
-- Edited by Chris on Friday 13th of August 2010 08:23:36 AM
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If people are willing to come up with £100 for the club, then they might as well come up with another £70 or more and get a season ticket.
-- Edited by Dogme on Thursday 12th of August 2010 10:44:31 PM
If you are looking at it in pure debt clearance terms a £170 donation is better than buying a season ticket as there is no VAT liable on a donation so it all goes to clearing the current debt.
If you want something to show for your money so to speak then, yes, buy a season ticket.
Be happy to put £100 in to the club, & yes if its one share per £100, then i'l put more in, as i don't use the bar & never been a footie shirt wearing fan, so i hope i can help save Welling United FC....
Yes, it's a sound idea, but let's not follow the Ebbsfleet model - that doesn't seem to have worked particularly well! But then those with a share in Ebbsfleet aren't necessarily Ebbsfleet fans.
Would the Hobbins go for a share issue,Its sad to say after following the wings home and away for over twenty five years I have never really spoke to them or felt welcome by them would they be more open now.
I' ve just spoken to young Barry (piggy) and suggested a meeting after the game tomorrow. He said that its still a possibility but they have yet to decide whether to postpone until possibly monday night -when the outcome of meetings with potential investors will be known.
I also suggested the possibilty of a big game friendly which he had n't thought of.
Also apparently James will not be able to update the website next week as he is going on holiday so could somebody computer literate (not me unfortunatley) contact James to perhaps update the website in his absence at this important time.
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Russ is the best man if hes available i think. If Russ isnt around then i will email James and sort if i can help while hes away.
Monday could be a fair shout, Well done for Barry and Barrie for remaining calm and not looking like they are running around like headless chickens, it will filter through to the players and the fans.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
No need to worry, I can update the website, just need the info for whatever needs to be put on the Official Site via e-mail. Though I won't be able to update it immediately, could be a few days at times.
-- Edited by JamesU on Friday 13th of August 2010 07:24:21 PM
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"This Squad should go on Dragons' Den - because this team are a good investment" - Spills, 2010.
I'm potless at the moment so my contribution can only really stretch to my ticket at the gate and maybe a replica shirt (will the club shop be open?). But i did the lottery tonight and I PROMISE that if I hit the big one then I will buy out the club! Even if I get just 5 numbers I'd give a substantial chunk of it to the club!
I'd be happy to donate to save the Wings and if no one else has bagged it, I'll do the match report tomorrow. I was going do to some games anyway before all this happened.
-- Edited by by name and nature on Friday 13th of August 2010 10:05:44 PM
My brother and myself are both very interested in a share issue, maybe two or three each..
Also, and I admit that I no nothing about this, a bond scheme?
West Ham had a disasterous go at this in the 90s(?); Arsenal may have had better luck / been better organised(?)
Anyway, no idea if it is practical, no idea if it would wor,k in fact, no idea what it was all about; just remembered the name of the scheme and something about reserving season tickets for a long time?
Just an idea, that the club might want to offer it up (if they could make it work) as a way forward to the humourless trolls of HMRC.
Thanks for the apology. The problem with HMRC is not that they are chasing football clubs now. The problem is that they let football clubs get away with stuff for far too long. If they had chased debts straightaway then the debts and interest payments would not have accumulated. HMRC was too soft and football clubs used this as excuse to siphon the tax money into other areas (eg players wages). If HMRC had always taken a hardline I think less clubs would be in the position that faces them now.
PS this is not a dig at Welling but at Football in general and a dig at the senior management of HMRC (who are running scared of Dave & Nick).
Thanks for the apology. The problem with HMRC is not that they are chasing football clubs now. The problem is that they let football clubs get away with stuff for far too long. If they had chased debts straightaway then the debts and interest payments would not have accumulated. HMRC was too soft and football clubs used this as excuse to siphon the tax money into other areas (eg players wages). If HMRC had always taken a hardline I think less clubs would be in the position that faces them now.
PS this is not a dig at Welling but at Football in general and a dig at the senior management of HMRC (who are running scared of Dave & Nick).
Really good point
and of course the treasury / tax side of the department is under intense pressure to claw money back, which of course will make them unpopular, which of course is very unjustified, although as a bona fida hypocrite it doesnt stop me making cheap jokes at their expense.
We have all read about the terrible financial situation the country is in, and I assume that several members of this forum have experienced the economic downturn in the most personal and destructive ways; and of course, we are seeing one of the knock on effects impacting on our club.
