It does seem the person who put it in put it in as quite an innocent request to dig more in to the potential dealings around the Shay which brought this to light. I think there are some idiots on that message board but I think it is better that we know something like this and I think it will be interesting to hear the spin our board put on everything at the meeting on Thursday. Its really hard for them to lie about the rent as they are going to get called out on it and I think they would get a better response if they admitted they were struggling and then hopefully everyone can pull together to try and find a solution.

I reckon we will see some big changes at board and office level in the near future in an attempt to cut costs and maybe see a few familiar faces back involved to try and steady the ship. Maybe that is some of what will be discussed on Thursday.

Looking beyond the rugby and football clubs there’s the vast majority of other tax payers in Calderdale who either have other sporting interests and have had no swimming pool or sports centre for a number of years now and also others who have no interest in sport whatsoever who are aware that the council has been using some of their money to pay for the short fall to maintain the Shay and if the club wants to be part of the community and have their support they should at least pay their way or if not explain why not.
The question is sure to be asked on Thursday and there needs to be a clear answer.

I'm not sure why the FOI request was made, but if you cant understand why it may be of interest/importance given both clubs share the same home...

And 'sneaky FOI'? Wow

It was twenty years ago this season that Howard Posner became chairman and got the club out of a mess that is exactly the same as it is in now.
- BOD refusing to engage with fans
- Shay starting to get dilapidated
- behind in rent
- significant Debts due to cash flow
- low investment in team and poor performance on the pitch.

Only his time and cash kept the club going, subsequently the cash pumped in by Michael Steele and Laurence Turner overcame the poor management under Abbott.

Frankly unless we see someone with similar willingness to spend (and it’s not me!!!) given the preset position and failure to invest from this Board I fear the worse…..and Bubba is right, the clubs MUST work in harmony.

Good bloke Howard Posner and unfortunately wasnt involved long enough. Same to be said about Stephen Pearson who sadly died way too young.

The rugby club has tried to engage at board level with Town but unless there’s been a complete change of heart / head their not interested.
At fan base level most Fax fans I know either have little interest in the soccer team and the others hope they do well.
This is not reciprocated by many of the football counterparts who view anyone and anything to do with the rugby club with a unmovable deep seated hatred.
However even with two clubs at the Shay even if both never missed a payment of any sort CMBC would still be losing thousands every year which is clearly unsustainable and neither club can afford to pay the amounts needed to change that.
Whilst it would be a dream come true for many Town fans to see the rugby not there anymore the days of the Shay just being the home of a none league soccer club are over with never to return and if the rugby goes the soccer clubs future down there must be at double the risk, we’re both sat on the same branch and the chain saws already turned on and running.
On investment from the traditional wealthy benefactor we always mention, for the rugby club what business incentives are there for them to come onboard?
As far as I can see with the IMG grading criteria if we became the richest club in world rugby we still wouldn’t tick enough boxes to get into the top 12 as finances are just one part of it.

what a strange world I live in ( like the slumdog millionaire version of rugby league) Just got chatting to my neighbour who works I HR for the Calderdale council ( we live in Huddersfield) In fairness doesn’t know anything about the rent arrears and no specific breaking news but did say no agreement had been reached between either club but if it wasn’t it would have to be passed on to a third party , didn’t have much time but will continue to pry .

Answer at the event this evening was along the same lines as the courier article today. The current BOD took over they inherited arrears from the previous regime. These debts predated the dates specified in the FOI request.

The club has made several payments this year, that are for current rent and historical debt, however this has been attributed to invoices dated before the FOI request dates. Therefore don't show up. The remaining debt will be paid as per the agreement with the council and all will be squared off.

Quote: Nat (Rugby_Aholic) "Answer at the event this evening was along the same lines as the courier article today. The current BOD took over they inherited arrears from the previous regime. These debts predated the dates specified in the FOI request. The club has made several payments this year, that are for current rent and historical debt, however this has been attributed to invoices dated before the FOI request dates. Therefore don't show up. The remaining debt will be paid as per the agreement with the council and all will be squared off.'" Courier article. https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/ ... ay-4630539

Quote: Nat (Rugby_Aholic) "Answer at the event this evening was along the same lines as the courier article today. The current BOD took over they inherited arrears from the previous regime. These debts predated the dates specified in the FOI request. The club has made several payments this year, that are for current rent and historical debt, however this has been attributed to invoices dated before the FOI request dates. Therefore don't show up. The remaining debt will be paid as per the agreement with the council and all will be squared off.'" Courier article. https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/ ... ay-4630539

So no indication that the club is in any financial difficulty then? Whoever did the FOI request should be asking for a correct version as its obvious they made a mess of the one they sent out and if our BOD are telling the truth then it's very easily backed up from this and could reduce some of the heat on them.

There's one way to see what the payment arrangements with CMBC are and if they are being paid on time and that's ask for another FOI next month or even several at say a couple of monthly intervals.

A pretty balanced report https://t.co/UxPznmBS8s

A pretty balanced report https://t.co/UxPznmBS8s

Town are dead against a 4G pitch as they have aspirations to reach the football league, who don't allow them.

You can't blame them for that stance. In my view the Football League should allow them, certainly in League 1 and 2. But I don't think it'll change

Yep. That’s fair enough.