CRISIS?? WHAT CRISIS????
The saga of the latest worry news at Cardiff City has turned from a thriller to a horror and now a whodunnit in the space of a few hours.
Today's News of the World made several claims including the following;
1. The club failed to deliver on its promise to pay HMRC a sum of £1.2M by Decmeber 22.
2. As a result, the club must now pay an outstanding tax debt for a staggering £2.7M in full by the end of this week or face a winding up order.
3. The debt is equivalent to 5 months PAYE arrears and, on top of this, City also had a £400,000 penalty from 2008/2009.
4. City's problems have been attributed to an unexpected £7M of extra costs to finalise the new stadium.
5. The club have a verbal agreement with Manchester United to sell them rookie prospect Adam Matthews for £4,.
The story also included Peter Ridsdale quotes saying the tax monies will be paid this week and that Cardiff City are still going to invest in new players this month.
The news is horrifying, confusing and deeply worrying.
However, not for the first time, Peter Ridsdale has found himself unable to prevent these bad news stories being published but he comes out fighting with press statements not really delaing with the central point but blaming others. This time, it's more sinister as he's apparently called in the police claiming someone within the club stiole confidential documents. Get Columbo onto the case but WTF is going on????
The club statement released this afternoon reads; "Cardiff City football club are concerned at an article in one of Sunday's national newspapers.
"Some of the information contained within this article can only have come from documents which have been stolen from officials at the club and are currently the subject of a police investigation.
"We are also taking legal advice with regard to the damaging contents of this article.
"This information has been used out of context, is not the latest position, nor does it contain all the current facts and is therefore inaccurate.
"We are happy that Cardiff's relationships with its creditors, including HMRC, are such that we will not have any financial issues that will affect the ability of the club to continue to trade as normal in all aspects of its business."
Although Ridsdale is again saying all will be fine, his credibility is on the line. To be perfectly honest, some will defend and admirte him but the tide is turning fast against him. Many, myself included, are tending to think it is time he left our club alone as soon as these matters are resolved.
It's not good is confidential documents have been "stolen" but if own employees are doing this, what does it say about the state of the club. Surely, it can only be senior employees or directors who would have acess to this detail.
Publicity Pete has chosen not to confirm or deny any of News of the World's claims other than claim some are out of date or incorrect but which one or ones??
Did they default on a promise to HMRC? Have HMRC threatened to wind up if not paid this week? Have we verbally traded Matthews to Manchester United?
The biggest question is that the club have gone into overdrive in the past few weeks for a season ticket launch for 2010/11 under the pretence it is to reward our loyalty and to give Dave Jones the funds to get new players in January for a concerted promotion push?
How can that be going on against this background? Have we been misled and will find our investment of £3M will go to clear debts rather than push Dave Jones' men onto promotion?
Peter Ridsdale has continually promised transparency and continually delievered nothing of the sort. At a crisis time like this, he owes a proper full and frank explanation to us, not spin and a hint that an intenral crime of sorts may have taken place.
These are worrying and damaging times for Cardiff City no matter how Peter Ridsdale tries to suggest otherwise. Serious questions have to be asked, categoric answers must be given.
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