The no VAT on "memberships" is a little worrying. Didn't Ken Bates try this with LUFC season tickets and get his fingers burned? Or am I wrong about this?

In any event, a little concerned that we might found ourselves with a big (unpaid) VAT bill at some point in the future

This.



All we can do is support and move forward.

Thinking about it logically one would’ve thought the no VAT on memberships will have been discussed as part of the monthly meetings with HMRC, it’s not as if it’s been done on the sly. Having said that the club still ended up with a Winding up petition despite having monthly meetings with the taxman.

Only 4 posts and ripping into the club, asking for people to be sacked, are you some one who is bitter with the club, some one who is after the guys job, or just some one with a point to prove or other..??

You don't sack someone for making a mistake, especially when it is instantly corrected.
It must be great to be perfect.

I'll go with guesswork and hearsay.

I've been away for a few days and it looks like the brown stuff has been hitting the fan ?
Having read through the many pages of this thread is is astonishing that the club can allow a winding up order to be issued from HMRC, when it seems clear that they have neccessarily been on "best behaviour" since the new regime took over.
It has been clear for all to see that since Mr Glover took over the club appears to have improved in all areas, improved attendances, improved facilities record s/t sales for this point in the calender etc.
BUT, how can they allow themselves to be issued a winding up petitiion by HMRC.
These things are not thrown around like confetti or, drop on your doormat like pizza menus.
Usually there would be a reminder/ threat prior to any action and although it is obvious relief to all that the situation has been resolved, HOW could this happen ?
Most people that post on here have bought season tickets and are members of the 1873 club and buy merchandise and generally support the club in any we can and with the difficulties of the past couple of years there really should be some clearer comment from the club and firm assurnnces from Mr Glover that we are not in any way struggling as a club.
If there are indeed monthly meetings with HMRC then, it seems impossible that something like this could happen.

As some have already said, it is quite right to question the situation, especially with the present state of other clubs and with our own recent past.
For a simple guy like me, it still seems od that this was just an admin error.

Loving the thread on the mentalist forum, with bigalf in the role of lead investigator - CSI Cas, priceless!

A perfect summary of my feelings

In spite of the great attitude I see down at BV and the undoubted improvement on our position as a club, I would have to say you are spot on from my observations. Lots of well meant effort, much of it effective, but some of it very amateurish.

Ok..I'm prepared to give them a pass and take your point on the skeleton take over staff etc...but at 18 months, the pass is running out. It's been small bloopers till now. This is a biggy. They have to learn. FAST. They have to keep the info and good PR coming on this issue and, most of all, get the right people in place to manage the club. We have to grow from off the field before we can grow on it. I would rather see no more signings and a competent business manager in place than see a fiasco like this happen again...and some of you on here can try and minimise this all you like, it is not at all good or small.

After a few days of listening to what various people have to say on the matter, one thing that does strike me is that whilst we are all fans and want the best for the club - and that it is right IMO to question these matters, especially as a member of the ST committee (even if I don't get to as many meetings as I would like) - is that I struggle to think of any other private business - and only a small to medium enterprise at that - that has to 'suffer' the level of scrutiny that a sports club like ours does!

Whilst we all mean well, bloody hell we would complain if the grass was rolled in the wrong direction!

Every business has challenges - every day. Cash flow is paramount - if a big account doesn't pay on time, then you may have to limit what you pay out - simples!

Despite my moan earlier - and general frustration that this has happened, and in doing so has damaged some of the great work undertaken by 1873 - it's difficult to see why this seems to have opened Pandora's Box to all manner of criticisms and that, suddenly, lots of people see the club as failing or 'unprofessional'.

The fact is that the club is a 'work in progress', but that what we have now is a whole lot better than what we had before and I'll take what we have and be happy with it - warts an' all!

We HAVE a bright future - and we all have a roll to play in that!