Quote: KingBobLindner "To the_cow.
Oldham have never cheated the tax man - ever. Yes the Bears went bankrupt in 1997, and a new club reformed, and after much debate with the RFL a completly new club was set up in the lowest possible pro division i.e. Div 2 and originally not allowed in the Challenge Cup. The club had no assets, no ground, no players and no kit. Everything was a brand new club.
Contrast that to Widnes & Harlequins that have wound the club and reformed and allowed to stay in the division they went under.
Oldham had tax difficulties over the past few years, which is not suprising as we had been playing all over the place since 1997. However, we paid the tax man back WITH interest. So no cheating there.'"
Well unless I am mistaken Oldham Bears became Oldham Roughyeds- same fans, same town, different company. According to Wikipedia, Oldham Bears went bankrupt with approx £2m debt. Chances are the tax man was owed a portion of that- unless all the proceeds from the sale of Watersheddings were used to pay off the debts in full. So unless the tax man was paid up in full, then the tax man lost out. I think the continuing in the same division is not relevant and generally whan any business goes under, then all assets are seized and lost (unless a new set of owners want to create a new form of an existing club and buy back the assets at a lower price). Furthermore, generally if you owe money and miss repayments, you pay a premium for interest on your debts.
Regardless, I have no issues with Oldham and their fans (except an old lady last season at the Woodlands who annoyed me by spouting rubbish when she clearly knew nothing of the rules- and then abused me after I challenged her views). Oldham should be well aware that the fans have no control over the owners/chairman with the fight for control that happened last year in your boardroom- so in summary don't label Blackpool fans cheats as we had nothing to do with the problems, but are suffering the consequences, as you did when Bill Quinn pulled the plug on his funding.