The truth is, that at present, no one knows, but if the reported debts in today’s Daily Mail of £82-£86m are true, the future is certainly not a bright one. The fact is that for Portsmouth FC to come out of administration an agreement with the majority of it’s debtors will need to be found quickly. Who on earth would invest now in a football club in the current climate? Especially not maybe the “former” Nationwide Blue Square Premiership Chester City Football Club, or the Coca-Cola Football League’s oldest club Notts County FC, or Southend United FC, Cardiff City FC, Crystal Palace FC and AFC Bournemouth Football Club? – to name but a few!!
Take my own football club, Coca-Cola Football League One side Wycombe Wanderers FC. It has reported debts of over £8m, although its compact Adams Park stadium and other assets are apparently worth less than this at present. The situation is far far worse at Premier League Pompey, with the Fratton Park assets being only worth a fraction of the apparent debt. Sadly, for the fans of Portsmouth FC, if any other clubs are interested in any of their players, they will now be able to “purchase” them for less at the end of the season, plus entice them away more easily now it is certain Pompey will be playing in the Championship next season if they manage to avoid liquidation. Selling players is not an option to help towards reducing the debt whilst the transfer window remains shut.
It is frightening that less than two years ago in 2008 Portsmouth won the FA Cup under former Pompey Manager, and current Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, which goes to show even success on the pitch is not necessarily a remedy for poor financial management and bad senior management decisions off it. It is not so much a case of “Up Pompey”, but rather “Down Pompey” at present, until a viable financial solution can be found, but found quick!
My understanding is that when a company enters into administration, as Portsmouth Football Club have now done, it is protected from angry creditors intent on getting their money back and further legal action. Administration is designed to buy a company time (a maximum of eight weeks?) and enables an emergency strategy to be formulated.
Under administration a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner is appointed and has the job of deciding the company’s future. If the company is fundamentally sound (and from what seems to be in the public domain we know Portsmouth Football Club is not), the Insolvency Practitioner would look to implement a recovery plan aimed at streamlining the business and maximizing profits. If it is apparent Pompey has no future then it can be sold or liquidation can commence.
The three outcomes from Portsmouth Football Club’s adminstration appear to be a) a Recovery Plan b) a Company Voluntary Arrangement or c) Liquidation. Whilst it would be massively disappointing for the fans and a major embarrasement for the Premier League, liquidation would be a massive wake up call to the dozens of other football clubs chasing the dream admist growing debts.
The football industry needs to bring in rules to force clubs to live within their means or do something drastic as the entire system seems on the point of collapse, and in my view rather morally bankrupt looking. Will the players lose out? No because the PFA will ensure they don’t suffer too much hardship. The big losers are the fans and the rather foolish “investors” who have sunk money into an industry that makes “the black hole” in space seem a prudent alternative.
CATAGORY|Football, The Premiership
Gary Waddock watched Wycombe Wanderers make a bright start against old rivals Colchester United with a 1-1 draw in the Coca-Cola Football League One match at Adams Park, equalising Colchester’s first half goal thanks to a shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal from just outside the penalty area on 87 minutes by Wycombe Wanderers striker Jon-Paul Pittman.
Having left Coca-Cola League Two side Aldershot Town, Gary Waddock saw a positive and encouraging performance by the Blues in his first match in charge as Wycombe Wanderers Manager. Former Wycombe Wanderers Manager Peter Taylor left the club by “mutual consent” having failed to see his side make any progress in League One. The only way for the Blues is up as currently are 24th in the division.
Hazlemere Windows Marketing Director Mark Austin, worked with Gary Waddock during his time as Commercial Director at QPR when Gary was Queens Park Rangers Assistant Manager and Ian Holloway Manager at Loftus Road. Having achieved promotion from the Blue Square Premiership with Aldershot Town, Gary Waddock is a proven winner, so hopefully he will turn things round soon at Adams Park for High Wycombe based Wycombe Wanderers.
CATAGORY|Football
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Hazlemere Conservatories Sign at Holloways Park Beaconsfield Bucks
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Beaconsfield SYCOB Football Club’s Holloways Park Ground
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Hazlemere Windows & Doors Sign at Beaconsfield SYCOB Bucks
I am delighted to say Hazlemere Windows have increased their level of support for Bucks based Beaconsfield SYCOB at Holloways Park, opposite Beaconsfield Motorway Services on junction 2 of the M40 Motorway. Hazlemere Conservatories are proud sponsors of Beaconsfield Slough Youth Club Old Boys Football Club, taking additional advertising signage at the ground.
In addition to being Beaconsfield SYCOB “Official Website Sponsors”, Hazlemere Windows are now the sponsors of the advertising board that advertises which match is on next at Holloways Park. Beaconsfield Football Club ground share with Slough Town FC, so the fixture board gets well used! Hazlemere Windows now have seven advertising boards at Holloways Park, one of which is above the main clubhouse as Hazlemere Windows, Doors & Conservatories are also “Official Clubhouse Sponsors”. Other Hazlemere Group community sponsorships for the 2009-2010 season include Hazlemere Windows support of Burnham Football Club, High Wycombe Cricket Club and Berkshire based Windsor and Eton Football Club.
CATAGORY|Football
Despite being a Buckinghamshire based firm, Hazlemere Window Company are delighted to have agreed a three season advertising and sponsorship deal with Berkshire based Windsor & Eton Football Club, who play their home matches at Stag Meadow, Windsor.
Hazlemere Windows Doors and Conservatories Sign At Windsor & Eton Football Club
This non-league community club’s ground is in St.Leonards Road, Windsor, Berks, where Hazlemere Windows, Doors & Conservatories have secured an advertising position adjacent to Windsor & Eton FC’s main gates. As well as having a presence at Stag Meadow, High Wycombe based Hazlemere Windows are also taking a full page advert on the outside back cover of every award winning 2009-2010 Windsor matchday programme, plus have agreed to be “Official Website Sponsors” for the next three years. You can see Hazlemere Windows on the
home page of Windsor & Eton’s website
The Hazlemere Group have sponsored Coca-Cola League One Wycombe Wanderers Football Club for nearly 20 years, so are no strangers to sponsoring local clubs, as when they first started the Blues were in the GM Vauxhall Conference, and Aston Villa Manager Martin O’Neill was then Wycombe Wanderers Manager. In fact he managed Windsor & Eton FC’s current manager Keith Scott, whose goals helped the Club earn promotion to the Football League during the 1992-1993 season. Keith scored the only goal at home to local rivals Slough Town, who were Wycombe Wanderers main rivals that season. Hazlemere Windows also sponsor Bucks based Beaconsfield Football Club and Burnham Football Club who play in the same division and Windsor & Eton Football Club.
CATAGORY|Football
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Blues fans in Adams Park car park 90 minutes after the Club secured promotion from League Two
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Wycombe Wanderers supporters outside players entrance at Adams Park on Saturday 2nd May
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Fans jubliant after the Blues secured automatic promotion to Coca-Cola Football League One
My congratulations, along with everyone at Hazlemere Window Company Ltd to Wycombe Wanderers Football Club, their Manager Peter Taylor, all the players, directors and staff for securing a dramatic automatic promotion from Coca-Cola League Two which I witnessed at a very tense Adams Park in the very last minute on the last day of the season.
I am delighted for the Chairman Ivor Beeks, Managing Director Steve Hayes, the Board of Directors and all Blues fans who have had to wait 15 years since their last promotion in 1994, when the Chairboys won promotion to the equivalent of League One by beating Preston North End 4-2 in an exciting play-off final at Wembley, a game I will never forget, as Wycombe Wanderers Manager Martin O’Neill lead the Club to successive promotions.
Despite losing 1-2 to Notts County in front of 9,625 expectant fans, WycombeWanderers secured promotion with 78 points (the same as Bury) by virtue of a superior goal difference of +21 to +20. With minutes to go the Blues looked to have secured promotion, thanks to team Captain David McCracken’s 2nd half equaliser, whilst Bury were drawing 0-0 at home to Accrington Stanley, and Exeter City were drawing 0-0 away to Rotherham United.
The news then came through that Exeter City had scored to finish 2nd in the League, and soon after John Thompson scored a last minute winner for Notts County, leaving the Chairboys automatic promotion hopes resting on Bury NOT winning by a margin of two goals. Sky Sports then reported a penalty had been awarded to Bury on 92 minutes, and that Accrington Stanley had been reduced to 10 men with 5 minutes of time added on still to play. After what seemed like an age, the final whistle went at Gigg Lane, where, much to the evident relief of every Wycombe Wanderers fan, that Bury had won one-nil to finish 4thin Coca-Cola League Two, with the Blues having “secured” the 3rd automatic promotion spot by having a one better goal difference, so as it turns out, David McCracken’s 52nd minute goal at Adams Park on Saturday 2nd May 2009 earned Wycombe Wanderers promotion by the tightest possible margin in the most dramatic of circumstances.
The celebrations after the match were ones more of relief than of elation, as everyone realised how close we had come to letting automatic promotion slip, andonce again being in the play-offs. Promotion to League One comes with the bonus of playing several former Premiership clubs next season including Southampton and Charlton, plus possibly Leeds United and Norwich City! This is great for High Wycombe, and Buckinghamshire, as if Milton Keynes Dons do not make it through the play-offs, Bucks will have its own local derby as well!
As Ivor Beeks has always rightly said, a league season is over 46 matches, and over 46 matches Wycombe Wanderers have won automatic promotion in the Coca-Cola Football League for the first time in their history, which despite being by only one goal, is fantastic for the supporters, players, staff, football manager Peter Taylor and the town of High Wycombe. Come on your Blues!
CATAGORY|Football
Last week, I was a guest of Hazlemere Window Company at the Paul Merson sportsmans dinner hosted by Wycombe Wanderers Football Club in the Vere Suite at Adams Park. To be honest I had expected his after dinner speech to be poor quality and boring – a totally wrong perception as it turned out.
I was pleasantly surprised by the former Arsenal Football Club and England International footballers attitude, honesty and entertaining delivery. It was not what one would call polished, but it was refreshingly real and straight talking. I can now see what Sky Sports News see in Paul Merson, and why they have him as a football summarizer on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday.
The former midfield star, who also played for Middlesborough, Aston Villa, Walsall and Tamworth (once!) Football Clubs, was blatantly honest about his drug addiction, alcohol abuse and gambling problems. If you are a football fan, but have not yet watched him ”in action” with the shows host Jeff Stelling (a Hartlepool fan), Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matthew Le Tissier on a Saturday afternoon on Sky Sports News, you have missed out, they can be a riot, and very entertaining.
CATAGORY|Football
Reflecting on the Blues 1-0 home defeat at Adams Park last Saturday to Grimsby Town, one can only say in fairness that they thoroughly deserved to beat the Blues. Wycombe Wanderers had remained unbeaten in Coca-Cola League Two for the previous twenty matches and are currently still league leaders. Sadly we did not look like a top of the table side, and were all at sea. Grimsby Town were quicker to the ball, motivated and played the better football.
During the match two Chairboys team mates had accidental collision when challenging for the same ball, resulting in Leon Johnson having to leave the field, with what looked like a broken nose. This meant that on loan from Ipswich Town player Chris Casement had to move to a central defensive role. Although Casement did the work of a mullion in the defense for the rest of the match, supporting the defense, the Blues failed to take the window of opportunity to increase their lead in the division, missing the few clear cut chances they created.
If the Blues are going to get promotion this season Peter Taylor still has plenty of work to do, as the pack are now closing in and if Brentford win their game in hand Wycombe Wanderers will need to get back to winning ways soon.
CATAGORY|Football
Yesterday’s 1-0 away win at 3rd placed Shrewsbury Town sent Wycombe Wanderers Football Club 9 points clear in Coca-Cola League Two, bringing much need Christmas cheer to the thousands of Blues fans who have seen us top the table several times before at Christmas (notably under former England Assistant Manager John Gorman), but then fall at the last hurdle and miss out in the play-offs. Could this season be different under former England Under 21’s Manager Peter Taylor? The signs are promising as Peter Taylor has gone for a younger side, giving it longer term potential should promotion be secured. However, it is not potential energy that matters, but kinetic energy, so lets hope Wycombe Wanderers can maintain the momentum into 2009 and secure automatic promotion this season and avoid the dreaded play-offs!
CATAGORY|Football
During the very enjoyable time I worked for Wycombe Wanderers Football Club (from 1992 – 2004) as Sales & Marketing Manager, the Club won four out of four ”Wembley” Finals and lost 2-1 to Liverpool FC in the 2001 FA Cup Semi-Final at Villa Park in front of over 20,000 very proud Blues fans. Sadly, all good things do come to an end eventually, yet I still make it to most home matches at Adams Park and have been very encouraged by Peter Taylor side’s start to the Coca Cola Football League Two campaign.
Remaining unbeaten in the League till December is a great start, but will mean nothing if the lads do not now press on and secure promotion. As Wycombe Wanderers are not involved in any Cup competitions, there will hopefully be nothing to district the teams focus this season. Now ”our” unbeaten run is over, we must endeavour to keep the six point lead we have in the League and maintain the hunger and desire that has got us this excellent start. As the saying goes “Champions don’t give up, they get up!” Come on you Blues!
CATAGORY|Football
Going out away to Eastwood Town 2-0 in the 2nd round of the FA Cup is bitterly disappointing as a Wycombe Wanderers fan, yet it may be a blessing? We are already thankfully out of the JP Trophy, Carling Cup and now FA Cup, so only have Coca Cola League Two to concentrate on, so hopefully the lads, and the former England Under 21’s Manager Peter Taylor (Wycombe Wanderers Football Club’s current Manager), will now be fully focused on gaining promotion. Yes, i would rather have been in the FA Cup 3rd Round draw, but you have to look on the bright side, and hope we don’t come down with the Christmas decorations!
CATAGORY|Football
