FINALLY. Something I and many others have been crying out for for ages. A professional statement from the club on the new boardroom structure after the resignation of Mary and Tony Gibbons last week.
Look out for Animo Et Fide making a reappearance as well.
On Wednesday 18th May there was a meeting of the shareholders and the directors of the club at which a wide range of topics were discussed. The club would now like to update the fans with the following statement.
Mary & Tony Gibbons
Mary and Tony Gibbons tendered their resignations from the board to the other directors and shareholders at the start of the meeting. A detailed statement has already been issued by Mary & Tony and this has been posted on the website. The statement clearly and eloquently expresses the feelings and the disappointments that they, and all fans, have experienced over the last few months and there is certainly little that the board and shareholders could add to it.
However the board and shareholders did express their thanks privately to Mary & Tony and would also like to do this publicly through this statement. Both Mary & Tony have worked tirelessly for the club in the period immediately prior to, and after the takeover. They have given freely of their time, energy and money to see that the club survived a near disastrous period of administration. Without their tireless effort it is clear that the club would not have survived and the board, all the shareholders and we believe all supporters would like to express their gratitude and appreciation. We are sure Mary & Tony will, as usual, be at every match in the coming seasons and have already graciously committed to support the club in every way they can. We are pleased that they will continue to be shareholders.
Board Changes
As planned the directors of the holding company, Stockport Community Leisure Company Limited, and Stockport County 2010 Limited offered their resignations and nominations for board members were made. As a result the following structure was put into position for the next 12 months:
Stockport Community Leisure Company Limited: Ken Graham, Chairman.
Mike Clark, Stewart Vann, Richard Park, Kevan Taylor, Directors.
The board of the holding company will now concentrate on the strategic development of the company and planning of the football club.
Stockport County 2010 Limited: Ken Graham, Chairman.
Lord Peter Snape, Mike Clarke, Kevan Taylor, Directors.
The football club board has specific responsibility for all aspects of the running of the club on a day to day basis together with the development of football and commercial activities. Graham Shaw and Tony Whiteside will also be attending board meetings in their respective roles of Chief Executive and Club Secretary.
It is anticipated that as the club moves forward additional directors with specific areas of expertise will be added to both boards, along with specialist input from shareholders as required.
Football Manager Update
Initial interviews for the vital position of Football Manager have been held over the last two weeks and the feedback from these interviews was discussed during the meeting on 18th May. There has been much speculation as to who the next manager will be, however we are sure supporters will appreciate that as this is a personnel issue the club cannot issue details until interview process is concluded. There will be further interviews in the coming days and details of the appointment will appear on this website before being announced elsewhere. The appointment of any manager is an important decision and especially so for Stockport County at this time, however the board feel that whilst speed is crucial we need to ensure that the best possible candidate is selected.
Takeover
The club has issued previous statements advising supporters about approaches that the club has received. Discussions continue to take place with a number of potential investors regarding a range of opportunities. These discussions are complex, wide ranging and involve other parties which the football club and potential parties are working with.
It is not possible to report any conclusions at this stage other than to state these discussions are serious and meaningful but will not be resolved in a very short time scale.
Communications:
With the new board structure, planning for a new manager and a new season ahead of us, there is much work to do. Not least amongst this work needs be an improved dialogue with all the parties who support the club so superbly. The board recognises that this dialogue has suffered greatly during the past year with the limited management resources that were available. However it is crucial that if the club is to prosper and grow, forging new and improved links with fans’ groups, sponsors and all parties interested in the future of the club is essential. Graham Shaw has been charged with focussing on this critical role to ensure that all those who are in a position to help the club have the opportunity to do so, and that proper communication flows back to all supporters.
Animo et Fide
The Board
A well-written and thought-out statement. Finally. Informative, positive and honest.
ANIMO ET FIDE.
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Well, wel,l well, looks like somebody has been paying attention! lets hope this is the just the start and information keeps coming.
About time,,, lets hope that this statement will be the first of many from now on. At least we now know who is running the club and what the latest situation is with our club on a professional basis.
I am not sure why we need to pay out for having 2 seperate limited companies running the club. I do hope that they talk to each other for the best result.
At least ANIMO ET FIDE is back in the running. Lets hope that a decent manager is appointed this week and that the recruitment can start for rebuilding this club. I won’t build my hopes up just yet because we have been let down so many times in the past but at least it is a start.
I think the way the companies structured is there is one company which covers the football club and another company above it that is all about the new ground / redevelopment.
No expert but it allows County to go pop without upsetting the real prize – a new ground. Now the Gibbons have gone, whatever their faults, do we havw anyone on the board who actually has County’s best interests at heart?
I have the same concern as you cropped. At least with the Gibbons you know that they are County fans and right or wrong they acted in what they believed to be Counties best intrests.
Well wadya know, somebody is looking and listening, have to agree with you guys, after the Gibbons is there anybody that cares?. Words are great deeds are better. Let’s get a manager installed asap so we can start looking and securing players. Last season only two weeks pre-season training let’s not go there again, let’s get up and running. many thanks to the board for the news and hope it’s not a one-off
Thought so !!!!! now the Gibbons have gone everybody can now see that they were/are County Through and Through and we are missing them already they did the best they could in almost impossible circumstances and I personally wanted them to stay, hope the rest of the board aren’t of the Elwood mentality.
What a joke they can’t even get this right. What hope is there for this club?????
Thers been a change on countys website Ken Graham is only the chairman for the community leisure company and Lord Peter Snape is the chairman for 2010 ltd
Whoopey-do ! Lord Snape at the helm. Nowt to worry about then.
On another matter I heard from the mouth of someone who has had strong connections with the club in the past that SMBC ARE gifting land to SCFC. The location of the land is near Gorsey Bank Road (off Brinksway) and apparently the small estate next door which is due for demolition (Gorsey Bank Road was cleared a few years ago. This land is for a training ground AND a new stadium. Not sure what to make of this. IF true access would have to be over the river along the motorway? Still doesnt help SCFC now and next season though. Rumours… rumours. When will the fans be told the vision instead of just oblique references to “exciting times ahead”, “big announcement to be made” etc? Like many I have not bought my season ticket but it is going to take some bloody good announcement to make me do so this summer.
Theres been talks of gorsey bank for a while now and i think it would be a good move everyone will be able to see it from the motorway and theres good access from the riverway and stockport road but like you say kc there all just rumours we need something concrete ratherthan just hearsay!!!