the season ahead
 

Good evening all.

First of all, many many heartfelt thanks to the incredible outpouring of support at the charity fight night, and in the immediate aftermath. I know that Stanley means so much to you all - just as it is so valuable and a part of my own life - but even so I was touched by your warm words. Thank you also for those of you who went out of your way to say hello to my wife Mara, and who extended the hand of friendship to my family. My wife was born and raised in Hong Kong, and spent a huge part of her life in the United States, but she now knows just why Accy and Lancashire deserves to be known as gods own country !

I have kept off the boards for a while, and wanted to get the close season out of the way. I also thought it only fair to allow the MD and CEO the space to get their own gig started.

Just a couple of points of observation and clarification. Firstly, whilst i have not yet actually stepped off the board, that is really a technicality, and there is going to be a board meeting later in August when i expect that will happen. I have therefore absolutely NOT been involved in the day to day affairs of the club since mid-may.

I continue to visit this BB often, and with the friendly games now in motion, I want to let you all know that i remain absolutely available for direct communication if you have any questions or queries. As i think i made clear last year, supposition and speculation are not healthy, so if you are in doubt, just ask me directly. If i can help or clarify, I will !!

I close by making a request. Coley and the boys are struggling in difficult circumstances, but at least the future of the club is not in doubt right now as it was a year ago. Please help them, and the team, get off to a great start by supporting them. For those of you who have the means to do so, please go along to the games, and if you can, please encourage others to do so. The club is bigger than any one individual. No one, not David, not Rob Heys, and certainly not myself are the "owners". You, the supporters and the community own this club. Its future is in your hands, not ours. I was a custodian of your interests for a short while, and nothing more.

with my very best wishes to you all, and hope to see you at the macclesfield game when i am back in the UK.

Ilyas

Re: the season ahead
 

Hi Ilyas, thank you for your post. I for one think it will be a sad day when you do step down from the board as it goes without saying that we cannot thank you & Peter enough for all you have done for Stanley.
I know some on here have said they will not be attending games till things are sorted but while I can understand where they are coming from, I could personally not do that as I agree that Coley, Jimmy & the lads deserve & need as much support as possible.
However, the constant conflicting stories from David O'Neil & Rob, particularly with regard to the accounts & the embargo are a real concern to a lot of us, myself included & I'm sure you can understand that concern.
I am hoping that when I go to collect my & my sons season tickets tomorrow we might get an honest answer to some of the questions that have been posed on this board from the two who are 'in charge'.

Re: the season ahead
 

agree with accymad, think all most folk require is honesty, which seems to be a stranger to those 2.. i will not even ask em a question tomorrow night, its just not worth it to me. you yerself are an upfront guy, that i can deal with, even if we disagree. cos i know its from the heart.

Re: the season ahead
 

I echo Accymad's sentiments Ilyas.....wasn't it a close thing !!....but OUR Great club and Team didn't suffer a second 'death' and for this alone yourself and Peter Marsden will be forever remembered !!.
Look forward to seeing you later in the Season !.
Every Good Wish to you and your Better(?) Half !!.

Re: the season ahead
 

Accymad and Cashman

I have had my disagreements with the current MD and CEO. and there is no question that we operate very very differently. I cant imagine ever being friends with David, or getting to the stage where I might communicate easily with him. However, I have taken the view from the very start of the last "episode" when we went to the tax hearing in London that I would agree a modus operandi, and then stick to it. That episode is now over, and with the start of the new season, I just want to see our team succeed on the pitch.

As far as the off the pitch issues are concerned, I hope, pray and desire that David has learned from his experiences. I believe we must judge on the basis of facts and on the basis of actions, not words. I dont think it really helps anyone if we start off so negative, and therefore I want to give the management team every chance to succeed. As I think is obvious to us all, accy stanley is the glue that holds us together, and we dont have to be best mates or bosom buddies to be able to agree that whatever works for the club is what is best for us all.

see you soon at the game, Cashy, and please lets have a drink this season.

Ilyas

Re: the season ahead
 

only if i'm buying.;)

Re: the season ahead
 

Many thanks for what you have written, Ilyas.

I especially like the phrase "custodian of your interests". That explains so much about your own modus operandi. If and when those currently in charge of ASFC are able to see themselves in a similar light, that will indeed be progress and we can all look ahead with the optimism that we long to express.

Re: the season ahead
 

...and there lies the rub! Has he learned? Well, there have been plenty of words so far, but actions will have to follow very rapidly indeed now, so we shall see...

Thanks for your thoughts, Ilyas. I'm hoping to be in on the round when Cashy is buying you that drink! ;)

Re: the season ahead
 

Will do. I can't wait for the new season :D

But I'll never forget that I'm only able to support Coley, Jimmy and the team because of the actions of Peter Marsden and yourself. I'll never forget that and I'll be forever in your gratitude.

All the best to you and your family!

Re: the season ahead
 

I can do no more than echo all the sentiments above.

Allthough I dont trust or believe a word DON says, and I dont think I ever will, I must admit to being rather optimistic for the coming season............IF the embargo is lifted (god forbid its not) then from what Ive seen/heard and read about the new signings, we (ASFC), appear to be in for an exciting season...............note to the press.........write us off at your own peril :)

This must rank as one of the most upbeat posts from me ever lol..

See you all soon!!

Re: the season ahead
 

Re: the season ahead
 

well i aint, i suspect U.K. is ill.:D;)

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Beautifully put as ever Yonmon...............or was it Alfred E? :D:D:D


Dont worry Cahy, I'll soon be back to normal..............lol

Re: the season ahead
 

Ilyas, do you know when the accounts are going to be lodged at Companies House and do you know when the transfer embargo will be lifted ?

Re: the season ahead
 

Won't be long now!:):):)

Re: the season ahead
 

hello Jeff. You ask a very good question.

I will send a message to the auditors, but as far as I am aware the 2008-2009 accounts have been adopted and signed by the board. There are a number of open issues which I believe will be considered and then finalised when the 2009-2010 accounts are completed but that in itself does not prevent the 2008/09 accounts being sent across to the Football League. I will come back to this board with confirmation once I have found out. I am sorry I cant be more specific, and in fact I am also unsure if the embargo is due solely to the accounts not yet being filed, or if there is something else outstanding. Again I promise to find out.

Ilyas

Re: the season ahead
 

Ilyas

As always THANK YOU:)


( I am Accringtonian)

Re: the season ahead
 

Iylas,
thanks for the update.
You point out JC nd JB need our support more than ever, and while we may not like the way Dave and Rob operate, their lies and failings, they are not the custodians of the club - it is the fans.
After reading your comments last night I have thought long and hard about my standpoint about not going to games, and while it will pain me to hand my entrance money over to a regime who are acting out of self interest, i will not follow through my plan to boycott home games but turn up and get behind he team.

Once again thank you for your generosity, you will always be known as the man who saved Accrington.

Re: the season ahead
 

One queston Iylas

can you provide a copy of the 09/10 accounts or the 08/09 acounts?
Also, when do you expect O'neill and Whalley to agree on what figure Eric's unwritten loans totalled?
Is this the only outstanding issue preventing the club from submitting the accounts? What other issues are there?

Re: the season ahead
 

Good on yer Davo, only reason i go is fer J.C. n the team.;) those 2 no longer exist to me.

Re: the season ahead
 

Good lad!

Re: the season ahead
 

so which one of the four is your one question Davo? :)

Re: the season ahead
 

Maybe it would be a good idea for the club to put the 08/09 accounts on the 'fishy site. I suspect we've a while to go yet before we see 09/10.

Re: the season ahead
 

Accounts once lodged at Companies house can be accessed by going onto the Companies House website-Available to anyone who wants to view there, hope this helps.

Re: the season ahead
 

Very true...but at a cost, albeit only a few quid. I would have thought that in the interests of good corporate governance, transparency and simple Google Page Ranking on the part of the club they would make this information - which is in the public domain - readily and easily available. Whether O'Neil has the simple common sense to do that or not is another matter.

Re: the season ahead
 

Tealeaf, Dave and others,

Firstly i have been told that the accounts have now been formally submitted. I have not checked on line with company's house (I am currently in Bali, and back on Aug 20th), but i will get someone to do so in the coming days.

Secondly, the accounts are a matter of public record. there is absolutely no reason for them not to be accessed and scrutinised. However, you must remember they are 18months or so out of date, and its only when the 2009-10 accounts are filed that an accurate and more upto date picture will emerge.

with respect to the other questions that Dave has asked - as of right now I am not able to tell you (because i actually do not know what the truth is) if David O Neil and Eric Whalley have agreed on what amount is owed by whom and to whom. I think this is a question best addressed to them. On the question of the amounts owed to Mr Whalley, i can confirm that there is no agreement as yet, but I can confirm that some amount will be owed. I am of the view that the finalisation of the scrutiny that Pierce (our accountants) will have undertaken will allow all parties to agree on a figure. that is not the case right now.

Finally, you ask about other issues. Again, the 2008/09 accounts are, frankly, in my view, not relevant. the 2009/2010 accounts will be the place to be able to answer the question about open issues. As of the finalisation of the 2008-09 accounts there were a number of questions that the accounts have raised, and which have to be addressed in the coming few weeks or months. I do not, however, believe that any of these issues will affect the current situation since they are dated. One thing you can be sure of though is that the capitalisation of the club will change very dramatically due to the debts that Mr Whalley piled into the club during his tenure. those debts had to be repaid, and the consequences (including the unpaid tax) meant that the club had to raise fresh capital. that all happened in 2009-10 which is why I would suggest that you should not take too much time on the 2008-09 accounts. I have certainly not taken much time and i view the exercise as the platform from which pierce can construct a true and accurate picture as of march 2010.

In many respects the delay in the 2008/09 accounts was a positive thing, and whilst it might have affected the embargo, it also provides us all with an ability to ask the right questions. You will agree, i hope, that getting the question right is as important as anything else.

Finally for now I do not know if the delay in the accounts is the only reason for the current embargo, but I will ask David O Neil and Rob. again, there is absolutely no reason for any obfuscation on this point - it is after all a matter of public record.

As always, i will be happy to answer any questions that i am able to address with 100% certainty. I wont mislead or use avoiding tactics, however please note i am out in Bali and the access i have had in the past few days is really not the norm !

Re: the season ahead
 

oh yes, i forgot. someone asked about getting accounts on line. I dont know that the current management team will put the accounts on the official website, but when i am back, i will promise to make accounts available to anyone who wishes to see them. As i say, they are a matter of public record. Also, at that time, if anyone has any questions that arise from the accounts, I would be delighted to give you my take (if i can !)

Re: the season ahead
 

All Hail Ilyas :) :) :)

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Here Here couldnt agree more !!!:D:D:alright:

Re: the season ahead
 

Companies house charge 6.95 for an individual directors report & 7.50 for accounts report plus VAT. As Illyas says above the acounts just submitted will not provide much in the way of answers, probably more questions at this stage. The club can also make accounts available for viewing too as they are of public interest. Having run a business for many years there can sometimes be intersting reading in accounts but you do need a degree of judgment in reading between the lines. What really matters now is that the club progresses on the field which will bring its own rewards, what happens beneath the surface we will have to wait & see.

Re: the season ahead
 

What happens beneath the surface Al, dictates wether we can actually play "On The Field"

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Fortunately our lads and our great management duo work wonders despite all the off field stuff that is trying to cripple them, our on field surpasses the off field by miles atm:D

Re: the season ahead
 

Given the seperation between board & plalyers John & Jimmy managed last season, plus what I,ve seen & heard so far in the close season as John often says keep the :alright:faith! w

Re: the season ahead
 

Aye i do have a lot of faith in our players & team management not much elsewhere tho:rolleyes::D

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From what I saw of Dave on the pitch during the Ultras vs staff I'm sticking with jOHN n the boys on the field! LOL

Re: the season ahead
 

:rofl38: ermmmmmmm hehehee i deffo agree:D