National League Meeting | 13/07/2023

[Shrimper]

I suspect the NL will say we have until Jul 28th. If not sold then we'll be chucked out and I can't see a sale happening in 15 days

 

[Tommy2holes]

I suspect the NL will say we have until Jul 28th. If not sold then we'll be chucked out and I can't see a sale happening in 15 days

A sale could happen with in that time with Kimura. I just don't think Ron is playing ball.

 

[Linda Loan Shark]

It doesn't matter to Ron. He doesn't care what league we are in or if we have points deducted or play under restrictions. He happily self relegated us many times. He's too delusional to understand that it will effect the interest of buyers and value. His lost the basic grasp that a football club is there to play football. He just sees this as a business transaction.

We wont be in a league if we get chucked out on tge 31st. Its too close to the start of the season. This happened to Macclesfield a few years back. They got chucked out of the national league and we played with 23 teams that year.

Its not fair to mess other clubs down the pyramid who have budgeted and made signings based on what league they have been told they are in.

 

[Che's Left Foot]

A sale could happen with in that time with Kimura. I just don't think Ron is playing ball.

Precisely, and you'd hope the Shrimpers Trust would have made that abundantly clear in their meeting with the NL on Monday. Come on NL, put the pressure on ronnie.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

I seem to recall someone spoke to Ron before or after court yesterday and he said the sale could be done in 21 days (was it you @CRATE ?) - I reckon he will use that as a deadline for National League - maybe close of play on Thursday 3rd August. That would be the day before Oldham are due to travel down for the first game of the season.

I would suggest they'll give him a list of actions required by then, which will include payment of all footballing debts, ground safety certificate, maybe payment of a bond to ensure fulfilment of footballing debts for the season. There could be more too, and there could be multiple deadlines within there - i.e. some things within 7 days (pre-season training), some within 14 (payment of footballing debts) and some within 21.

They can't force the sale of the club but they can put some strict measures in place which will protect the integrity of the competition this season before it kicks off.

 

[Exiled in Norfolk]

I seem to recall someone spoke to Ron before or after court yesterday and he said the sale could be done in 21 days (was it you @CRATE ?) - I reckon he will use that as a deadline for National League - maybe close of play on Thursday 3rd August. That would be the day before Oldham are due to travel down for the first game of the season.

I would suggest they'll give him a list of actions required by then, which will include payment of all footballing debts, ground safety certificate, maybe payment of a bond to ensure fulfilment of footballing debts for the season. There could be more too, and there could be multiple deadlines within there - i.e. some things within 7 days (pre-season training), some within 14 (payment of footballing debts) and some within 21.

They can't force the sale of the club but they can put some strict measures in place which will protect the integrity of the competition this season before it kicks off.

I think this is a great idea.

Instead of hanging on for 14/21 days, whatever, in the hope that he'll somehow fulfil his obligations, the NL set a whole series of stages/ gateways to starting the season. That way, there's transparency at every step - using the eg above if we don't hit the 7 day targets we're out, then on to the 14 day targets etc. No ifs or buts.

Hateful that we're saying this about our own club but feels the only way to nail him down (not literally, although thinking about it.....)

 

[Redbridge Blue]

Unless, 7 days before the start of the season, we can’t prove the capabilities to be able to finish the season, then we will simply start the season under a transfer embargo and players no one else wanted on non contractual employment.

I can’t see the league wanting to throw us out. They have a direct relationship with RM, who seems to be able to wrap court judges around his little finger so I do hope he can do the same there too.

Ron’s phrase of “we may not be sold, but we will of gained investment” yesterday tells us everything we need to know.

This point about investment goes right back to Ron's original press conference where he states that the process will either be a sale or new investment. I don't think his preference has been to sell. I think his priority has been to find new backers so that he can stay in control until FF is built.

 

[Morty01]

What time are we expecting the ultimatum from the NL?

 

[Jai]

The core issue here is that we currently have a conditional licence to compete in the NL. There are 3 conditions that I know of attached to the licence in order for us to be able to keep it:

1. Accounts up to a certain date published.
2. Football creditor debts accumulated in the previous season paid off - including but not limited to employee wages.
3. Any HMRC carrying over from the previous season must be paid off - HMRC debt cannot be carried across two licences.

There could be more, and I'm not sure whether these conditions are standard or somewhat unique to us. Either way, number 1 is sorted. It's numbers 2 and 3 that are the problem.

The NL are giving us as long as possible but as things stand, we are in violation of the regulations around licencing. They do not want us to be in violation of those regulations once the season kicks off because it brings into doubt our ability to complete fixtures and finish the season. As @BoyWonder2 astutely says, if the league have to pull our licence after we've completed a handful of fixtures and they have to expunge those results, it opens up a whole can of worms with regards to sporting integrity. They want to avoid that.

In short, ignore the 42 days. I'm not sure it's going to matter. I think the NL should (and hopefully will) give us 14-21 days to complete a sale, pay the HMRC debt and pay all football creditors - and therefore demonstrate that we can start and finish next season. I can't see them letting us kick off in our current state.

In addition, I'd like to see the NL go public with their deadline. It will leave everybody, including RM, in no uncertain terms about the expectations and will really put the squeeze on.

This is massive and it would also generate significant publicity which will squeeze further.

One of the reasons the media haven't been interested is that we get these WUPs all the time and we always pay them. It's been going on for 15 years and it is nothing new, so it is not news. The intricacies of why we're more worried about some than others are of very little interest to the majority of media.

A deadline from a league to pay everything or you're out? That is very different and also pretty rare.

 

[Holy Joe]

What time are we expecting the ultimatum from the NL?

Not sure I'm expecting anything publicly. I hope they do make a statement, with some details, but they seem to like to do things in private.

 

[Avl1983]

The same way I knew yesterday before the meeting we will get a 42 adjournment. People don’t go into these things blindly, conversations are had in advance.

We will get some time to sort it out.

What none of us know is will this be enough.

So how do you know then? Another cryptic post, is it Ron? Is it Jack?

 

[Dave T]

The league must be aware that an offer to buy the club (kimura) has been on the table for some weeks so it has been / is entirely within RM’s remit to have accepted that offer and avoid all of these issues. How long should he be given to keep searching for the deal that suits him best, I would like the National league to set a 7 day deadline to accept any of the offers that are available to him.

I would argue that the league is already compromised because any team we can muster together for the first few fixtures will be at best cobbled together and certainly will not have gone through the normal planned pre season training. This surely gives our early opponents an advantage over others who may play us later in the season when we may also have been able to recruit better players.

The longer this drags on the the less competitive we will be when the season starts.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

NL needs to give RM a definite ultimatum get your house in order or if not we have the power to expel , deduct points etc.
RM needs to pressured to respond knowingly what is at stake if he has any latitude to delay he will.

 

[NZamba Legend]

NL needs to give RM a definite ultimatum get your house in order or if not we have the power to expel , deduct points etc.
RM needs to pressured to respond knowingly what is at stake if he has any latitude to delay he will.

The league have no choice but to set a deadline, that's the position we (Ron) has put them in. Whereas Ron can BS the money people and judges, the league are interested in more practical, mundane matters like can we actually play football matches and pay staff. Ron's not so clever when it comes to specifics.

 

[Stan33]

The core issue here is that we currently have a conditional licence to compete in the NL. There are 3 conditions that I know of attached to the licence in order for us to be able to keep it:

1. Accounts up to a certain date published.
2. Football creditor debts accumulated in the previous season paid off - including but not limited to employee wages.
3. Any HMRC carrying over from the previous season must be paid off - HMRC debt cannot be carried across two licences.

There could be more, and I'm not sure whether these conditions are standard or somewhat unique to us. Either way, number 1 is sorted. It's numbers 2 and 3 that are the problem.

The NL are giving us as long as possible but as things stand, we are in violation of the regulations around licencing. They do not want us to be in violation of those regulations once the season kicks off because it brings into doubt our ability to complete fixtures and finish the season. As @BoyWonder2 astutely says, if the league have to pull our licence after we've completed a handful of fixtures and they have to expunge those results, it opens up a whole can of worms with regards to sporting integrity. They want to avoid that.

In short, ignore the 42 days. I'm not sure it's going to matter. I think the NL should (and hopefully will) give us 14-21 days to complete a sale, pay the HMRC debt and pay all football creditors - and therefore demonstrate that we can start and finish next season. I can't see them letting us kick off in our current state.

In addition, I'd like to see the NL go public with their deadline. It will leave everybody, including RM, in no uncertain terms about the expectations and will really put the squeeze on.

Y will they allow it to go beyond the 3rd August ?

 

[Realist]

Someone will save us. What ever happens I will be turning up to roots hall for every home game regardless what happens. If there’s a game or not I will be sitting in my season ticket seat from 2.30 till 5 one way or another

 

[Blue Yonder]

The same way I knew yesterday before the meeting we will get a 42 adjournment. People don’t go into these things blindly, conversations are had in advance.

We will get some time to sort it out.

What none of us know is will this be enough.

The way you see into the future is amazing.. it’s almost like you’re….. well….. Clairvoyant !

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

The way you see into the future is amazing.. it’s almost like you’re….. well….. Clairvoyant !

He's not, but he's part of the same group. All connected to this mystery bidder that's going to save us........or fleece us.

 

[5ufc]

What time is the meeting

 

[Shrimper]

He's not, but he's part of the same group. All connected to this mystery bidder that's going to save us........or fleece us.

Sadly I'm thinking it's more likely the latter