Thursday, June 11, 2009

Ridsdale's a Yanker ... (I think that's what they said anyway)

Although local press seem to have been caught up in the sideshow that Cardiff City Chairman Peter Ridsdale is to visit New York Mets baseball club to see how they market a new stadium, the real reason - as Ridders himself acknowledges - is that he is visiting US banks to seek to restructure club finances.


Ridsdale explains that he wishes to sever all ties with the uber-myseterious Swiss-based Sam Hammam represented Langston Corporation, the club's biggest creditor. He believes it is more feasible with the new stadium ready to go.


The question is - are club finances, always a concern, now a real worry??


With the recession meaning the club have been unable to secure stadium sponsors, the budgeted incomes such as Premier Club seating falling way short of expectations, the latest published accounts showing that despite a 25% uplift in revenue, the club are still making losses and Peter Ridsdale's consultancy, set up as a vehicle for his Cardiff City payments and bonuses, going into liquidation which, whether planned or not, has embarrassingly left hundreds of thousands of pounds owed by Ridsdale himself to creditors, essentially tax authorities, there is reason for questions.


Restructuring is difficult if not impossible in the hardened times in the financial markets and even if successful, is likely to result in the club itself increasing its burden although they would rid themselves of L;angston ties.


It's a passing story at present but, personally, there's a nagging doubt in my mind that it could easily become a bigger one in the near future. Time will will.

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