Board Directors Press Release 11am 4th Apr 2008
Last updated : 04 April 2008 By Bigrich.....
There has been a lot of intense activity over the last few weeks regarding the club by all the former Board members. To this end we are assisting Jeremy Bleazard as much as we can and are as keen to bring a satisfactory ending to all this just like everyone else.
Dennis Coleman has recently received some unjustified criticism regarding the club etc which is a sad state of affairs considering the tireless efforts and sacrifices he has made and is still making. The sacrificial lambs have been his family and his business and that is a big price to pay. If it was not for Denis's efforts 2 years ago there would never have been a club thereafter.
If only these critics responded to our earlier requests for assistance as quickly as they condemn someone, things may be different. All of the Directors are united in their efforts, Dennis is not alone and as a group we are most steadfast.
For some two years the directors have worked tirelessly not only for no financial gains but also at a cost by paying for certain things themselves on behalf of the club to assist it.
Right from the start Dennis was open and told everyone that his role was that of Custodian, the search for investors has gone on for some time. The frustrating thing about all this is the number of proposed investors who publicly say they are keen to progress and then do not send for an investors pack or enter into any meaningful discussions or make promises that are not kept. This does untold damage as they make other possible investors think it is all sown up so they can sit back and relax. They also give the fans false hopes creating a euphoria that will burst like a bubble.
The reaction from the players in some cases to the problems has been very disappointing. They have been asked to take a deferment of a portion of their income. "Deferment" being the operative word, they should get any salary shortfall from the league funds at the end of the season. The staff are working very hard and long hours to keep the ship afloat for only 50 per cent of their salaries. The players owe the club and their fans and should deliver to them a fighting performance.
The fans need to seriously rally round and give support to the Club over the next few weeks. Many Administrators would not have taken the Rotherham job on at all and support for Jeremy throughout is essential. The cashflow throughout administration is very tight. Mark Thomas and his fellow Trust members are doing a fantastic job in assisting with this and trying to rally the cause but can't do it alone and need support from everywhere. If the fans do walk and the Administration Cash Flow looks threatened, the Administration could well be brought to an abrupt end.
Giles Brearley and Paul Douglas (R.U.F.C Chief Executive) met up with Dino Maccio and Alan Cartlidge and John Green at the Brearley and Co offices situated on Bridge Street, Swinton,on the 20th February 2008. The only reason the meeting did not go anywhere was because they refused to recognise a confidentiality agreement or show proof of funding and also reveal in confidence who the alleged backers are so we could all start a proper constructive private dialogue. Proper minutes were kept of the meeting. At no point was it ever discussed that Dennis or any of the other Board members had tried to prevent any meeting to which they seem to infer?
Any first enquiry is an initial discussion and would not have involved meeting all the Board. We can not understand why they would make statements to the press that the Board had in some way re-buffed them. They surely would not expect confidential information to be released except by the normal legal and business practice. We are now some weeks on and this intrigue continues. Why can't these mystery people be revealed? If they are genuinely serious they should, by now, be in very advanced talks .There are many major issues and considerations in devising a workable future which will need time and professional assistance. One has to ask the question why all the secrecy?
In last week's press Maccio claimed to have the sympathies of the Booth family over a user friendly Lease. He also proclaimed this after he became a Director at the outset and took it upon himself to negotiate with them but failed to achieve anything.
We all hope they can come up with something meaningful for the Club's benefit and are not wasting the Club's time. Maccio and Cartledge state they are loyal to Rotherham, even though their final actions as Directors were somewhat detrimental to the Club they claim to love. The statements made by Dennis previously regarding these matters can all be backed up with documentation.
It is also unfortunate that the Supporters Club have made a statement that they would prefer a "parochial owner" rather than an outsider. We knocked on a lot of Rotherham Businessmen's doors over a year ago and no one showed any real interest. We even hired hotel meeting rooms and did presentations. They all said we were doing a grand job but they did not want to commit themselves. When we were negotiating with some American investors, they could not believe that local people did not want to buy the club.
In the end it may well have to be an outsider who is to be the Club's saviour. Unfortunately this statement by the Supporters Club regarding preference for local investors has damaged prospects with a couple of interested parties. They think that if the Supporters Club are not behind them, then what's the point.
The strange part of all this is that even the Supporters Club do not know at this point, who it is they are actually backing?
Any interested parties in acquiring the Club need to make contact with Jeremy Bleazard or Paul Douglas at Millmoor. The former directors have not retreated into the background and are all here, united, to assist in any way we can.
From Gary Hall, Giles Brierley and Davi Costin.
