Sorry there’s been a lack of updates this past week but work, annual tax returns, family life, nights out and the woes of
So what’s been happening?
RIDSDALE, MONEY and MELTDOWN
We all know Peter Ridsdale PROMISED us a parade of new players and GUARANTEED (via the official website) the advance 2010/11 season ticket money would be used to do that with over 11,000 fans paying in £3M for it.
With Judgment Day approaching, our beloved Chairman issued a press statement on the official website admitting no players will be signed giving an excuse that he expected additional investment that did not materialize.
It went down like the proverbial lead balloon and strong rumours emerged that he offered to resign with some Directors accepting it, others no longer backing him.
A Press Conference was hastily called increasing the anticipation but he pulled a rabbit out of the hat as he announced he was staying on, he half-heartedly sort of apologized to any fans who thought he had mislead them, said he wasn’t a liar, squirmed when unable to answer the questions fans wanted answered and then walked out.
He also tried to block the E.G.M. fans and shareholders want and for which two of his Directors have promised we will have.
Reasons why Ridsdale have stayed range from the club cannot afford to pay him off, he showed a letter of intent for investment if he stayed, he has contacts that may help and that nobody else on the current Board wanted the job he does.
Whatever it is, it’s not healthy as he’s lost all respect and trust from fans. Nobody will ever believe anything he says again. His reputation is also once more in tatters … maybe this time, forever too.
On Friday, the club announced they had likely sold some land around the stadium to raise £1.8M. Ridsdale was joyous about that without acknowledging that thanks to his incompetence and stupidity, yet another future income stream will be gone (have we got any left as every concession has been hocked already it seems).
Saturday saw the club win a game with the last kick on a bitterly cold day which diluted post-game protests but upto 400 fans were chanting for him to go, show his face, enquire where the money had gone and more. Ridsdale apparently made his escape through a ladies toilet window into a getaway taxi.
D-Day is February 10th and that’s when City must resolve an outstanding £2.7M tax bill or face a Winding Up order. At this stage, it’s very uncertain whether the club have the funds hence the land sale.
When asked if it would be paid, Risdale told the press conference, “wait until February 10th”. What an arrogant fool showing no understanding of concerned Cardiff City supporters.
WHAT’S HAPPENED TO THE INVESTORS?
While supporters cannot even be told where their £3M has gone, potential investors who maybe haven’t given a penny have been treated royally.
The Malaysians – have they put money in or not? Is T.G. still a Director or not (and was he ever anyway as Companies House don’t know it) – are strongly believed to still be on the scene but remain as anonymous as ever. When will they act?
The Americans – were they ever serious or genuine? – may or may not have been connected to Dell Computers but don’t appear to be connected to Cardiff City.
And then there is the farce that was Ben Steele, another nail to Ridsdale’s coffin. The simplest of checks or enquiries would have found him out but Ridsdale courted him to ridiculous levels when ultimately ended with him having the most wonderful of freebies at the club’s and our expense.
Based in St David’s Hotel, the best seats and hospitality at the game, wined and dined around Cardiff before a final giveaway – they only ended up in bloody Kiwi’s, Cardiff City Centre’s Parachute Club where a now fairly inebriated Steele made a general pest of himself by all accounts seeking, shall we say, company.
Legend has it Ridsdale has been unable to contact him since.
SO WHAT NEXT?
There will be more twists and turns but I fear that can’t be an ultimate Happy Ending … I just vainly hope I’m proved wrong.
AT LEAST THERE’S FOOTBALL
And City grabbed a last gasp winner over Doncaster to leave them 4th and 5 points clear of sides chasing a Top 6 spot. We are short on numbers but definitely not on quality. Cardiff and Ridsdale’s final gamble may be reaching the play-offs and promotion.
As things stand, no promotion and no takeover (both are the likeliest outcomes) will mean a chaotic summer with next term’s season ticket money already spent meaning the club will have to try to survive rather than push on. It can only mean a fire sale of the stars … nobody will say that but what else could it be?
No comments:
Post a Comment