davieG Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/story-13197596-detail/story.html? Administrators last night admitted there was still no takeover cash in place – less than 48 hours ahead of their deadline. Preferred bidder Bishop International Limited has been given until 5pm tomorrow to come up with the estimated £6million needed to buy the Pilgrims’ stadium and land. And, even if the money arrives, governing body the Football League has still not given its crucial approval to the deal, which would see the offshore firm hand the club itself to acting chairman Peter Ridsdale. Lead administrator Brendan Guilfoyle last night vowed to turn to other bids if the current deal, fronted by tight-lipped Cornwall-based developer Kevin Heaney, collapses. But his firm The P&A Partnership will ask for six-figure funding by September 1 to meet a wage bill managing partner Jeremy Priestley is unlikely to be willing to foot. Another will be due on September 14, but neither Devon entrepreneur James Brent nor a consortium led by London businessman Paul Buttivant wish to shell out any cash until they are confident of striking a deal – and that could take each party weeks. Mr Guilfoyle said: “Tomorrow, what we need to be able to say is we’ve seen the money and completion is going through – anything short of that and I think we’re going to have a concern. “The situation is unchanged. The funds are due to arrive on Friday [and] we continue to receive assurances from Mr Heaney and lawyers. “I’m working extremely hard to get the deal completed and the list of things we need to achieve is getting shorter. We’re all pushing very hard to get completion for tomorrow. We believe it can be done.” Mr Guilfoyle added: “If I need to speak to James Brent and the Contingency Group I will do, but it would be a considerable challenge to deliver their offer. “I undertook to talk with the rescue group on Saturday but some of the correspondence with it suggests they don’t understand the situation. “[Paul Buttivant] has also been in correspondence. I’ll talk to him if need be, too.” Fans last night lined up 124 candles – one for each year since Argyle’s formation in 1886 – after a noisy march from the city centre. Another, marking Argyle’s 125th anniversary in October, remains unlit. Organiser Leigh Rapson said defiant fans would stay in place until Saturday’s match at Home Park. “This is about trying to fight off the potential death of the club,” he said. “We fear the administrator will lock the doors, walk away and the club would be liquidated. “We’re not just going to sit back and let our club die.” Argyle Fans’ Trust vice-chair Lee Jameson said the group had “grave concerns” about the future of the club, and were already discussing setting up a ‘phoenix club’ should Argyle be forced out of business. “We will do everything we can to protect the future of football in Plymouth,” he said. “We’ve just got to hope and pray that everything goes through by tomorrow. “I think it is the biggest D-Day in Plymouth’s history since the war.” Economists estimate the city would lose at least £10million a year if Argyle folded – and long-suffering staff, who have worked for most of the year without pay, would have done so for nothing. “This is not fair on the players, the supporters, the club or the staff,” said Senior Greens secretary Sylvia Warren. “I think Brendan Guilfoyle has given Mr Heaney far too much rope, with deadline after deadline being missed. “They’ve kept us in suspense long enough and if they’re not going to put up they should clear off and let us try and salvage something from the mess they’ve left us in.” Plymouth Argyle Supporters Club chairman Keith Bulley added: “Supporters have kept this club afloat all year and for those staff who have stayed on without pay I’ve got nothing but admiration. “If this club folds there should be some retribution somewhere along the line – certainly as far as the previous owners of the club are concerned. “They got us into this mess but now it’s time Mr Heaney and Mr Guilfoyle got their act together and sort it out. “If it’s their intention to save the club then just tell us: is the money there? “Please, please tell us one way or another within the next 24 hours – is the club going to be here next month or is it not? “We need the support of Plymouth as a whole now. “Friday is terribly important for the city. We’ve lost the airport and to lose Argyle as well would be devastating.” Desperate pilgrimage to Home Park UNITED in despair, Plymouth Argyle fans have made a desperate pilgrimage to the beleaguered club’s Home Park stadium. Almost 50 supporters braved the rain and joined the planned march which left the city centre last night bound for the club’s ground. Armed with banners, the die-hard supporters spoke of their fears that Argyle could go into ‘liquidation’. Brian Sargent, from Estover, took his two sons on the march. He said: “We’re here because we want to save the club. It’s important for the community and Plymouth as we have only just lost our airport and we are on the brink of losing our club, too. “I know it’s getting harder and harder. I am really concerned. I feel the club is going to be liquidated.” The march had been organised by fans to ensure their ‘voices were heard’. Sarah Cabe was handing out leaflets which asked locals to help ‘save our club’. She said: “The club needs our support. There’s a big fan base out there that doesn’t want the club to go bust. We don’t want our club to die. “We are here to show the club we are behind it 100 per cent. Hopefully we can get the bid in and keep the club alive.” Cobi Budge, from Cattedown, was a programme seller at the club for three years. He said: “None of us can imagine a life without the club we support. We can’t have it taken away. I think it’s important that people at the club know we are here and that we care.” Organiser of the march Mike Trigger said the best outcome would be to see the deal go through. He added: “We want people to recognise the situation of our club and how serious it is as there’s a great sense that we could be out of business by Saturday.” After the march, fans joined a rota system to cover a ‘candle-lit vigil’ outside the Home Park stadium until Saturday. Generous supporters had also donated £450 towards refreshments for the vigil via online fan forum PASOTI. Oliver Colvile, Conservative MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport alongside Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, waited at Home Park for the chanting fans to arrive. Mr Colvile said: “There has been a great deal of hope telling us the deal is about to be done but here we are again.” Ms Seabeck added: “The loyalty of the fans has been incredible but their patience and the patience of the rest of the city is starting to wear thin.” Another march is planned for Saturday, with fans congregating at the Big Screen in Armada Way at 1pm. They will then travel through the city centre to Home Park for the Pilgrims’ bottom-of-the-table clash with Crewe Alexandra. The Deal THE proposed takeover would see Bishop International Limited pay around £6million for Argyle’s stadium and land. They would then sell the ailing club itself for £1 to Mr Ridsdale’s Plymouth Argyle Football Club (125) Limited. Mr Ridsdale would become chairman and install acting finance director David Jones as his chief executive. Mr Heaney and Bishop International would then seek to build Argyle a new south stand, as well as develop on land beside the ground through new firm Plymouth Retail Park Limited. A multiplex cinema and food outlets are among the ideas. No Deal WITHOUT a combo of Mr Heaney’s cash and Football League approval, administrators would be forced to turn to other bidders. Unless they can find six-figure funding by mid-September, bosses would be likely to opt for liquidation in the High Court in Argyle’s 125th year. Assets would be handed to key creditors, such as mortgage firm Lombard, and Argyle expelled from the Football League. Fans have already vowed to form a ‘phoenix club’ and bid to lease Home Park. But they would be lucky to join the league pyramid as high as the seventh tier, the non-league Evostik Southern League. Who are they? BRENDAN GUILFOYLE NAME: Brendan Guilfoyle ROLE: Lead administrator POSITION: “The situation is unchanged. The funds are due to arrive on Friday [and] we continue to receive assurances. “If I need to speak to James Brent and the Contingency Group I will do, but it would be a considerable challenge to deliver their offer. “We’re all pushing very hard to get completion for tomorrow.” James Brent NAME: James Brent ROLE: Leading a Contingency Plan based on an offer for the club he made in March POSITION: “I continue to hope that the preferred bidder does complete by tomorrow. “If he does not then I am very happy to hear from Brendan Guilfoyle. “However, he needs to make sure he can deliver the conditions precedent and provide enough time to execute completion.” Paul Buttivant NAME: Paul Buttivant ROLE: Fronting a consortium whose bid for Argyle was rejected in April POSITION: “We’ve got the financial wherewithal and a very strong business model – but we’re not prepared to send a blank cheque without being given financial information. “If the administrator is listening, give us a phone call and allow us seven to ten days to do our due diligence so we can rescue this club.” Greg Clarke NAME: Greg Clarke ROLE: Football League chairman POSITION: Told The Herald yesterday he “cannot comment”. But the governing body has been concerned about the figures in Mr Ridsdale’s business plan – and whether Mr Heaney’s involvement breaches its dual ownership regulations. Its last official statement on August 12 said its board – which gets the final say on the takeover – still had “several concerns”. Kevin Heaney NAME: Kevin Heaney ROLE: Cornwall-based developer behind preferred bidder Bishop International POSITION: Has declined to comment since August 16, when he told The Herald he hoped to complete the deal by yesterday – or the day before . “The funding is in place,” he said. “Everything the administrators have asked Bishop to do has been done.” Peter Ridsdale NAME: Peter Ridsdale ROLE: Acting chairman and prospective new owner POSITION: Declined to comment last night due to the “sensitivity” of the situation. But he said on Monday: “This is absolutely the biggest week in the history of the club. “This deadline is the one that was the backstop date in the sale and purchase agreement. “I think if the funding wasn’t in place then time has run out.”
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 love this! after all the abuse I suffered from argyle fans when holloway left saying argyle were a bigger and better club just because they were higher than leicester in the championship at the time, hope home park gets flattened!!
purpleronnie Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Almost 50 supporters braved the rain and joined the planned march which left the city centre last night bound for the club’s ground. oh dear
EnderbyFox Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 love this! after all the abuse I suffered from argyle fans when holloway left saying argyle were a bigger and better club just because they were higher than leicester in the championship at the time, hope home park gets flattened!! Slightly harsh, think how our fans would feel if it was us in Plymouth's situation.
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Slightly harsh, think how our fans would feel if it was us in Plymouth's situation. well I do live in a plymouth supported area and got alot of stick for being a leicester supporter, where were you a couple of years ago when leicester were relegated from the championship and argyle fans couldnt get enough of it???
Jaspa Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 How did this happen to them? They were a decent team in The Champ at one point, but their fans were wxxxers during the Ollie episode. Mixed feelings on this
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 How did this happen to them? They were a decent team in The Champ at one point, but their fans were wxxxers during the Ollie episode. Mixed feelings on this many reasons alot of over expectation really for a small club they had a string of excellent managers neil warnock, tony pulis, ian holloway left them in a confortable championship position with far less income and investors than us also the club invested heavily on plans to redevelop home park which all fell through now they are near the bottom of league 2 facing back to back to back relegation if they do survive
James. Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 So Plymouth fans gave you a bit of stick when we got relegated and now you hope YOUR local club goes out of business, damaging the local economy that YOU live in and adversley affecting YOUR community? Strange.
BlueSi13 Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Staggering decline, how has this happened exactly? Surely there weren't living beyond their means? I don't remember them being anything like big spenders?
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 So Plymouth fans gave you a bit of stick when we got relegated and now you hope YOUR local club goes out of business, damaging the local economy that YOU live in and adversley affecting YOUR community? Strange. I think you need to do some research mate because you clearly do not know what you are talking about, the property developer Kevin Heaney who is looking to buy Home Park owns Truro City Football Club which is far more local to me than Plymouth I live in Cornwall a county which does not have a local football team so local support goes to the next county Devon, if Plymouth fold the chances of Cornwall having a professional football team increases drastically which would boost the local economy and community spirit increases!
Father Ted Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Peter Ridsdale is involved, what else is expected. I can only laugh after all of the abuse they gave us when we went down.
James. Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 I think you need to do some research mate because you clearly do not know what you are talking about, the property developer heaney who is looking to buy home park owns truro city football club which is far more local to me than plymouth I live in cornwall a county which does not have a local football team so local support goes to the next county devon, if plymouth fold the chances of cornwall having a proffessional football team increases drastically which would boost the local economy and local community spirit increases! Whatever, doesn't change the fact that it's still pretty retarded to want a football club to fold, particularly when you cite Plymouth fans laughing at you for being relegated (exactlty what we would have done had the situation been reversed).
Mike the Metal Ed Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 love this! after all the abuse I suffered from argyle fans when holloway left saying argyle were a bigger and better club just because they were higher than leicester in the championship at the time, hope home park gets flattened!! Grow up.
Guest Bilo Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Anybody who wants another set of fans to lose their football club needs to have a serious word with themselves, and I would say the same if it was Forest, Derby or Coventry. There are thousands of Plymouth fans who love their club just as much as we love Leicester, they have good, honest hard-working staff who've stayed on at the club despite going months without proper pay and it now looks as though it was all to no avail. I had a wry smile to myself when they were relegated from the Championship because of the Ollie episode, but there's a world of difference between thinking karma has been served by a club suffering the same fate we had two years earlier and wanting them to go under. They had twat owners who had ideas beyond the club's station that would never come to fruition (45,000 seat stadium for World Cup 2018) and the real fans are suffering. If the worst does happen, I wish those who run the phoenix club that will replace them every success.
Jaspa Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Same situation as Luton then i would guess. I doubt very much that they are going to 'die', any club with a fan base relative to theirs is a great big pot of money waiting to get plundered. Some random tycoon will swoop at the most desperate moment and 'save' them. Then the next few years the will slowly drag back up the leagues, gaining a hardcore heart to the fan base and bring in a stable flow of money. They won't 'die'
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Sorry to all offended I am clearly a very bad man....
accessory Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Anybody who wants another set of fans to lose their football club needs to have a serious word with themselves, and I would say the same if it was Forest, Derby or Coventry. Franchise?
blueredswed Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Can we save them? No..... If we could (as i´m from Sweden) we don´t have 2:nd team perhaps in that league Please Top buy this Plymouth and we have 2 teams
Salieri Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Anybody who wants another set of fans to lose their football club needs to have a serious word with themselves, and I would say the same if it was Forest, Derby or Coventry. There are thousands of Plymouth fans who love their club just as much as we love Leicester, they have good, honest hard-working staff who've stayed on at the club despite going months without proper pay and it now looks as though it was all to no avail. I had a wry smile to myself when they were relegated from the Championship because of the Ollie episode, but there's a world of difference between thinking karma has been served by a club suffering the same fate we had two years earlier and wanting them to go under. They had twat owners who had ideas beyond the club's station that would never come to fruition (45,000 seat stadium for World Cup 2018) and the real fans are suffering. If the worst does happen, I wish those who run the phoenix club that will replace them every success. Well said. I happen to have a soft spot for Argyle anyway and have seen them play a fair few times (used to love Tommy Tynan ). But, like you say, I wouldn't wish any fan to lose their club, whoever they are.
Alexikokopops Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 I think you need to do some research mate because you clearly do not know what you are talking about, the property developer Kevin Heaney who is looking to buy Home Park owns Truro City Football Club which is far more local to me than Plymouth I live in Cornwall a county which does not have a local football team so local support goes to the next county Devon, if Plymouth fold the chances of Cornwall having a professional football team increases drastically which would boost the local economy and community spirit increases! I heard he was looking to help fund a consortium so, and make sure he's in no way involved on the board (thus avoiding the conflict), before stripping the club of any assets it has and selling it straight to Ridsdale for £1.
Guest Bilo Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Franchise? The sole exception. They aren't a club anyway, they're a cynical catchment area grabbing experiment.
Jace Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 I heard he was looking to help fund a consortium so, and make sure he's in no way involved on the board (thus avoiding the conflict), before stripping the club of any assets it has and selling it straight to Ridsdale for £1. yeah your quite right that is what the Argyle fans are hoping for Heaney would not be involved in the club itself, if Argyle were to fold he would have alot to gain because his football club Truro City would then become the biggest in the area hes in a win win situation right now by purchasing the area Home Park is on
Brainy Posted 25 August 2011 Posted 25 August 2011 Sorry to all offended I am clearly a very bad man....
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