[Doug]

Originally Posted by shakermaker

Doug, you speak of the ASSF needing a "a clear framework, long term action plan and a strong constitution" in order to be involved with the club. As far as we know, David O'Neill has none of these things; neither has he the finances that the ASSF had, which is what the club are in desperate need of at the moment. Long term plans won't satisfy HMRC.

The club have been saying that the ASSF offer would've just been a quick fix offering no long term solution, which is absolutely ridiculous. It was the only long term solution.

Some expect us to survive by the skin of our teeth come judgment day, whereas I'm pretty much resigned to defeat. I think either O'Neill & Co will come up with some silly offer which will be laughed off by HMRC, or a large amount of debt will be created in the form of directors' loans in order to pay the tax. Davo07 is completely correct in my opinion when he says that David O'Neill has a track record of spin over substance as far as ASFC is concerned.

Both Mr Khan and Mr O'Neill stated that they won't let the club fold. Only one of them backed up their statement with a large cash offer, and he was turned away.

I almost wholly agree and that’s pretty much my point at this time…

The Tax issue is out of our hands now; there isn’t the time remaining for us to do anything all we can hope for is that Mr. O’Neil isn’t being a Pratt and pays the tax bill on or before court; if he makes an offer for less than the total amount then I agree we’d be ****ed.

But what I am trying to say is now’s the time for all the ASFC supporter groups to come together with the club and get into bed with them, work with them so that we can at least be ready next with a portfolio of funding streams and experience of managing both the ASSF and working partnerships, we would be much stronger and not dependent of anyone man; either in the ASSF or outside of it.

There where many ways in which Mr. Khan could have displayed is contempt of those elements on the board, Mr. O’Neil & Ms. Larsarse included, but he chose withdrawal we as a supporter organisation can’t be left exposed in that way again. Please Note that I have the utmost respect for Mr. Khan, this isn’t a dig.

The Stanley Ultras in a highly relevant committed group whose support behind the goal line is astronomical but it is a almost wholly localised supporter organisation based on physical support of the team in action, it is locally manned with limitations on mass recruitment and management on its own, that said it as provide itself a fantastic fund raising machine as well.

It’s strength and power has a group would be quadrupled working in partnership with other organisations,

It the same argument for the OSC, although we have to keep open a supporters organisation for those who just want to support the club at a basic level but again it’s strength and power has a supporters club would be quadrupled.

The ASSF could be seen as a hub of the supporter groups with international affiliations, i.e. North America, Norway, Asia, and Ireland amongst others. It could well be the basis of a future takeover if and when this crises repeats itself, but unless we as organisations come together and work with the club the outcome will be the same as now……in there hands and there hands alone.