The result on Saturday was thoroughly deserved and long overdue, particularly after the result two weeks earlier at Wigan, and gave us a far better opportunity of retaining our Championship status.
Generally speaking, the other results of the teams around us were also a bonus. As I keep saying, where there’s life, there’s hope.
There are still seven games to go and a great deal can change in that time, and I still believe it could go right to the last game as it did last season.
There has been a great deal of speculation over the last few weeks about the identity of the purchasers of my shares, a great deal of which is pure unfounded speculation, likewise on the price of my shares.
For the record, I have accepted an offer of less than what I paid, so I am not holding out for a big profit as is continuously and incorrectly bandied around in the media and on social media.
Unfortunately, there are several local individuals who are making themselves very busy talking to the media and anyone else who will listen, purporting to be buying the club.
I can categorically state that most of the names being mentioned on social media are people who might have expressed an interest, but have never been able to provide documentary evidence that they have the liquid cash funds.
Maybe, they are just waiting to say: “l offered to buy it”. I really don’t know, but l do wish they wouldn’t waste our time.
Indeed, one of the so called eligible buyers has been telling us he has the funds for over two years now without once showing acceptable proof of the funds.
For the record, talks are ongoing with buyers and whilst completion is taking longer than anticipated, for legal reasons, I am still unable to identify the buyers or the price they are paying.
The parties involved have assured me and their advisors that they are in a position that will enable completion to take place shortly.
Obviously, the players’ decision to go on strike is very disappointing and once again, I would reiterate that in my three years at the club, the staff have only been paid late once and yesterday was only the second time.
Likewise, the players have also only been paid late three times. The reality is that they have always been paid.
We are not the only club to have paid players late and there are many precedents of this happening.
Indeed, I was told yesterday that at least at one club, the players were buying their own food and doing their own laundry for many weeks, but to the best of my knowledge, none of the players at those clubs went on strike and let’s remember, yesterday was only April 1st, so it is not as if it is weeks late, is it?
However, I accept that two wrongs don’t make a right and everyone should be paid on time.
I have read that the players and management staff have said that being paid late does not actually motivate them to go out and perform on the pitch.
That is fully understandable, but perhaps they could also explain why the results up to Christmas were not exactly impressive either?
That all said, l have to apologise to all the non-playing staff for the delay in paying their salaries and whilst there are sufficient funds in the club bank accounts to pay them, it is not currently possible until after April 3 for legal reasons and l sincerely apologise to everyone unreservedly for this and would again request their continued patience during these difficult times.
Fortunately, they did not choose to go on strike and their loyalty to the club cannot be questioned, unlike the players’ decision, which unfortunately has a negative rather than a positive logic behind it.
I am not quite sure what the players think striking will achieve.
In the meantime, I will continue to do my upmost to try and find a solvent solution, as l have done over the last few months when l have funded the staff and players’ salary payments to the tune of over £1.5 million, even if it appears that a number of people would prefer the club to go into administration with the consequent points deduction and some staff and suppliers not getting paid in full.
Finally, I hope that the players will reconsider their actions and return to training, not for me, but for the sake of the loyal supporters and other staff who have got behind them through thick and thin, irrespective of the results on the pitch.
Regards,
Ken