City chief admits move is Way off (From Worcester News)
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City chief admits move is Way off
6:00am Monday 28th September 2009 in Sport
City chief admits move is Way off
WORCESTER City have struck a deal with Careys New Homes to stay at St George’s Lane for three years while they look at alternatives for a new ground.
Chairman Anthony Hampson has admitted the move to Nunnery Way is not viable, particularly now the club are set to receive less than £4million for their home.
He is looking at two new sites to build a much-scaled down stadium and has also set a Friday deadline for two interested developers to make an offer for the Lane.
However, Careys are still expected to buy the Blue Square South club’s ground in order for City to pay off around £2m of debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland.
But the situation has been muddied by the relevation that director David Hallmark is meeting Worcester City Council planners on Wednesday in an effort to speed up the planning application for Nunnery Way.
City chief Hampson, who addressed a packed fans’ forum following Saturday’s 3-0 FA Cup victory over Bourne, said: “I don’t think Nunnery Way is viable.
“I find it quite frustrating that this deal hasn’t been capped off. I’m not quite clear why it wasn’t done at £7m. All I can see is our asset has halved since 2007 and that’s not a very good thing.”
Anthony Hampson
“Careys are renegotiating their purchase price and the offer seems to be on the table for a figure to satisfy the bank straight away and leave the club with probably £500,000 over that figure.
“I have also negotiated for them to allow us to stay at St George’s Lane for three years at a peppercorn nominal rent which will allow us, should the Nunnery Way project fall by the wayside, to look for alternative options.
“This will be done in conjunction with discussions with the shareholders, supporters and sponsors.”
He added: “There are two potential alternative house-builders looking at making an offer for this site.
“The situation, however, would be that any new builder coming in would have to do all the preliminary research again and I don’t think the club has got that luxury of time.”
Should City proceed with Careys, it is likely areas of the Lane, such as the Canal End, would have to be closed to avoid falling foul of health and safety regulations.
Angry fans repeated their calls for the resignation of Hallmark and former chairman Dave Boddy, saying supporters would continue to boycott games if the pair remained on the board.
Hampson agreed to put a list of questions to Hallmark and will demand the director meet fans at this weekend’s match with Dover Athletic.
The chairman added: “It’s got to the stage now where we’ve got to finish the deal and I honestly don’t think either individual leaving is particularly going to make a huge difference at this immediate moment in time.
“I find it quite frustrating that this deal hasn’t been capped off. I’m not quite clear why it wasn’t done at £7m. All I can see is our asset has halved since 2007 and that’s not a very good thing.”
Comments(7)
brooksider
says...
9:35am Mon 28 Sep 09
They have done untold damage to Worcester City and in Dave Boddys case, lied to the clubs fans and the Worcester News stating that he had sold the ground to Careys " with a massive boost to the clubs finances" when he clearly had not.
Avante
says...
10:16am Mon 28 Sep 09
So can the Worcester News make sure this is published loud and clear, Nunnery Way isnt going to happen!
The question then is Why is Anthony Hampson, Chairman of WCFC Ltd. allowing one of his directors to operate in a maverick manner by arranging meetings with Worcester County Council in order to speed up the planning application for Nunnery Way. Why would David Hallmark wish to speed up a planning application which is against the interests of the company that he is representing as a Director? Mr Hampson MUST exercise his powers as Chairman and stop this meeting taking place.
Archie Claines
says...
10:24am Mon 28 Sep 09
How can Hampson be looking at other buyers for SGL when a deal has been done with Careys? How can we be in a postion where the buyer can lower the price at will while the seller has no option but to accept? What sort of deal did Boddy sign? The man's responsible for the demise of our club.
The fraud squad should be looking at how the club has been run. It's a disgrace.
RichardW
says...
11:31am Mon 28 Sep 09
Archie Claines wrote:Your first sentence sums it all up.
Do WCFC now have 2 boards? Hallmark has to be reigned in, or is he running the show and Hampson is just his puppet (as Boddy was). How can Hampson be looking at other buyers for SGL when a deal has been done with Careys? How can we be in a postion where the buyer can lower the price at will while the seller has no option but to accept? What sort of deal did Boddy sign? The man's responsible for the demise of our club. The fraud squad should be looking at how the club has been run. It's a disgrace.
I can't be too far out on these figues - Sale of SGL currently at £4m - debt of £2m - loans from St Modwen and "sponsorship" from Careys, another £500,000+, we won't bother with the further overdraft from Bank and other costs and anything else - We will have about £1.5m if we're really lucky.
But don't worry, both Carey's and St Modwen are going to "look after" the interests of WCFC as stated many times by the likes of Dave Boddy & make sure we are OK.
Dandey
says...
4:58pm Mon 28 Sep 09
Doogie 46
says...
8:30pm Mon 28 Sep 09
What are his motives?
The board seem to be less than united on the best way forward - too many conflicts of interests perhaps.
Worcester News need to pin down Mr Hallmark and find out what he`s up to and why.
And more urgently Mr Hampson needs to get some directors on board who know how to run a football club and to generate some income - and who knows - a few hundred missing fans might return!!!
Avante
says...
10:41pm Mon 28 Sep 09
1. Nunnery Way is not viable. Many of us know it never has been, but at least now the elected Chairman Anthony Hampson has told the public, including the Worcester News that Nunnery Way is not viable.
2. There is a plan B, and this is the plan Chairman Hampson is adopting. He will look to complete with Careys and negotiate a period of stay for 3 years plus.
If that is the word of the Chairman then that is the word of the Board, they speak and act collectively, they take collective responsibility under the direction of the Chairman. That is crystal clear!
If a maverick Director should look to do his own thing, which according to the Chairman is not in the interest of the company, then surely that Director is not acting according to the mandate given to him by the Board and by the Shareholders.
If Mr Hallmarks meeting with the City Council goes ahead, then surely that gives grounds for shareholders to demand of the Chairman that he is acting inappropriately, and not in thre interests of the company or the shareholders, and outside of any mandate given to the Board of Directors. Shareholders should demand his immediate resignation.
I would urge shareholders to write to the Chairman personally to take action should this renegade meeting take place. I would also urge shareholders to write to the Planning Officer Alan Coleman, and advise him of what is taking place, and that such meetings are not the wishes of either shareholders of the company or the Chief Officer of the Company Mr Anthony Hampson.
If that meeting should go ahead on Wednesday with Mr Hallmark purportedly representing Worcester City Football Club Ltd. then that would sound the death knell for the club, any last few supporters who believed in Mr Hampson as a gentleman and a man of principle would desert the club. It would signal that Mr Hampson is not a man of his word, and that shareholders and supporters are once again being duped by puppets.
The ball is very firmly in Mr Hampsons court now, its simple, make sure that meeting is cancelled. You are the Chairman, you have the authority, not Mr Hallmark.
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