Danger_mouse wrote:
As the person who logged the FOI request with the Council I find it right that I come on here and explain myself. I'm not hear to bait or gloat, just explain why I did it.
I placed the FOI not as a Town fan looking for an excuse to attack the rugby club, but as an attempt to hinder the purchase of a community asset by Reactiv Media (owner T. Abbott). I believe that the ground should remain owned by the council.
At the start of the 'SOS' campaign I'd never considered looking into the rugby club aspect, but Abbott (you can insert the 'Mr' if you like, I never use it for anyone else so won't now) tied the rugby club in by attaching the rent debt of one of his companies in with purchase, linking the two in my eyes.
When his bid was questioned the default answer was 'trust me', and some fans on here said we should trust him due the money he's invested in the town and how honourable he was. He also claimed that the stadium was loss making.
It turns out that he can't be trusted to pay the bills of another business he co-owns (HRLFC) on time, and he's not putting money into the town as he's now over £60k in debt to the council, plus lost interest on that money that it will never see again.
The previous FOI made it clear that an agreement had been reached by both sides to pay the debt, in full, by 31.12.2013. No mention what-so-ever was made about any of it being tied up in the now defunct purchase of the Shay. That date has been missed, and the debt has grown since. This blows the 'trust' argument totally out of the water for me, and the rugby club can no longer hide behind the argument that this will all be taken care of when the ground is sold. Calderdale MBC obviously don't see that as the current arrangement.
If he successfully buys the ground, and needs a mortgage on it (unless he can rustle up £2.5 million when he can't get £60k together), what would happen to the ground if he approached his mortgage payments in the same way? It'd be repossessed, sold to the highest bidder and both clubs would be up the swanny or the council would have to buy it back for more than they sold it for.
I'd like to repeat this isn't an attack on the club. I've said on another thread on shaymen.net that I'd hope if the football club was in difficulty the council would extend our payment terms to help us out short term. However, until any deal with Reactiv is publicly dismissed totally by CMBC then I feel it's a democratic duty to raise concerns.
I also don't think your board of directors owe me an explanation. However I do believe they owe the people of Calderdale an explanation, as they owe the tax payers this money.
I hope this post is accepted with the same decency as I've approached you, and will attempt to answer any questions you have with regards to my motives.
First of all Thank you for your post and the manner it has been done. I respect your opinion, although I dont actually agree with it myself. I have more respect for you for being honest and speaking the truth. I dont have much time for Halifax Town, its fans or even the game of Football, but I dont see the need personally to go on another forum/Newspaper to wind people up or attack them. People may not like what I put, especially football fans, but I say what I think here and thats it.
I dont think the club need to give any explanation as the matter is between the Club and The Council. The club doesnt need to bring the dirty washing into the open and from what I can see is doing things behind closed doors. I am sure when the need for a statement will come then it will be done. Its a matter of opinion on how the club is dealing with it. Some mainly football fans are not happy. A number like me, dont feel the club is in danger, as certain people are making out. I see no evidence that Tony Abbott or Fax are about to go bust or even have money problems which is what you seem to imply.
The club and Tony Abbott maybe could have handled wanting to buy the Shay in a better way. But I dont see the need for football fans to harass him and want to run him out of town. The way people have made accusations against the Heartbeat of Sport is bang out of order. And this has been allowed to grow on the Shaymen.net forum without anybody stepping in and saying enough is enough.
I just dont see what it has to do with you or anybody to look in to this. If it was your Football team that owed money, then personally I wouldnt care, as it doesnt effect Fax and is a matter between the Council and whoever. Its upto the Council to chase the debt, not anybody else to get involved. I respect you coming on here but sadly have to disagree with your opinions. I hope you enjoy watching your club and sport.
