So as the 2015 Group make light work of putting a bid together and sorting out the future of OUR club, let’s wave goodbye to those time-wasters from the Melrose gang.
For a group of people that never controlled the club or the running of it, some of the stuff that has gone on here in the past 18 months beggars belief.
First of all, Melrose appointed a manager and back-room staff. A pretty important part of a football club, on the pitch anyway. This is akin to me or you picking any random person off the street and leaving him in control of the on-pitch matters. Like picking a team to go up against the likes of Leeds United and Norwich City.
As it turned out, Gary Ablett has been fed as much of the lies as we have. He was basically bribed into the job, being promised a new stadium and funds for players that weren’t there.
Secondly, Melrose brought back three players who Jim Gannon had seen fit to let go in Luca Havern, Adam Griffin and David Poole. These are bog-standard footballers, let’s be honest. Havern is a youngster and has potential, but the other two are players who were let go by the bottom club in the Football League pyramid. Again, similar to me or you picking two or three random people off the street and giving them a County shirt and saying ‘go on, go and keep us up.’
He donned a training top with his initials JM printed on it. Doing interviews with County’s official website and again, promising a new stadium in three years and success on the pitch.
Of course, once again, this is basically no different to me or you getting ourselves a training top with printed initials, and going asking fans of the club to go out and buy a season ticket because of the big fancy new stadium we’ll be building for them.
This is a man who never once had any control of the club. Yet he was allowed to appoint managers, sign players and turn up to the training ground walking around in club-gear.
Think Manchester United/Michael Knighton. Knighton going doing kick-ups on the pitch in a United kit while promising the buy the club, and then sailing off into the sunset empty-handed and never to be heard of again.
Think of that. But without the publicity and media furore. Without all the frenzy from fans demanding to know what gave him the right.
Because we’re only Stockport County. Little Stockport.
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Again, got to agree. Part of me feels Melrose has been used as a front-man and it’s his backers who’ve let him down, but still…
GO GO COUNTY!!
And you have to ask why were the Melrose Consortium so keen to continue with their bid after so many knock backs by the FL? A non refundable of £250K springs to mind not to mention the prospect of a new ground! assets! club sale in 3 years!. The only time I can recall Jim Melrose giving an interview was on GMR some 3 or 4 months ago and that was an hour of Celtic and Arab Blue. Good riddance Mr Melrose, thanks for the “non memories” and come on you 2015 group.
Well said Editor and Rylester, although Mr Melrose must be feeling cheesed off himself as he has had the rug pulled from beneath him by his ‘backers’. I do have a small amount of sympathy but turning up in a JM top when nowt to do with things a year ago does tend to grate!
Agree with everything that has been said BUT as yet there has been no official confirmation that the 2015 bid has gone in (either from administrators or the bidders). Also Dave Schofield conspicious by his absense on Yellowboard and 606. I would be alot happier if we had some official news because at present no Melrose or anyone else = no County
Dave Schofield HAS been on YB. He’s said he doesn’t want to give us false promises, but they’re very busy preparing their paperwork to go to the FL on the 13th of May, and Brian Kennedy is extremely happy with the group. Which involves a certain ex-manager of ours.
Cheers sam missed that. Am almost excited now but would feel sorry for Ablett if he is eased out by that ex-manager (even though he is a county legend). Fingers cossed it all goes through
In fairness to Ablett he’s stuck at it, and I will feel sorry for him but having played at the highest level off football surely he’ll know that it’s all pat and parcel?
Please ,please, please dont all get your hopes up just yet with all this talk of Ablett going and Gannon coming back – pure conjecture at this point and according to GMR this evening the Melrose consortium are putting in another yes another bid!!! I also understand (although this is from a good source but not confirmed) that the preferred location for a new ground is not within Stockport but a whisker over the border into Cheshire. Apparantly outline planning permission has already been granted dependent on investment. Could this be Handforth Dean? Could this be Bruntwood? Could Cheshire East Council be sniffing around on this one and could a possible arrangement with Macc Town be on the cards – Ermmmm!!
On the contrary Rylester, I believe Gannon has taken the money he was owed by the club (few hundred bob) and put it into the club as his stake, with the 2015 Group. Even if Melrose does put another bid in, he won’t get anywhere. We’ve seen that from the past 11 months. It would be churlish to deny reports of JG and a possible return after what I and probably many others have heard – BK and Cheshire Sports are extremely happy with the 2015 gang.