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So depressing but worth revisiting - August 5th 1997



Juan Albion

Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class
You may have seen the link Bozza provided to NSC's oldest cached page on the "How old is NSC?" thread.

If you clicked on the "See club news" link, you get a snapshot into what those days around 1997 were like. Worth reading just before fulfilling our destiny on Saturday.

This is just a part of it:


5th August 1997

Albion's future was thrown into chaos again today. Bill Archer has imposed a new condition on the change of ownership - and gone on a two-week holiday. Archer's decision to move the goalposts yet again has further delayed the takeover by Dick Knight's consortium. The original deal was hammered out four months ago but the latest change of mind means the ownership deal cannot be completed before Albion kick off the new season at Swansea on Saturday. And Archer will still be chairman and David Bellotti still chief executive when the Seagulls play their first league "home" match at Gillingham against Leyton Orient on Wednesday week. The Albion power struggle seemed to have reached an end when mediators employed by the Football Association announced the deal on April 22nd. Under the terms of the agreement, the Knight consortium and Archer would have the same 49.5 per cent shareholding. The other one per cent would be in the hands of Martin Perry, a member of the consortium and an executive of Alfred McAlpine, the company hoping to build a new stadium for the Seagulls at Waterhall.
But Archer has been stalling and now his latest tactic casts fresh doubt as to whether the deal will ever be completed.

Perry refused to go into details about the new condition, but he said: "It's something we are not happy with and it's absolutely brand new, completely out of the blue. There have been a number of drafts of the document and we could not agree the final wording on Friday. Archer is away and there is nothing we can do in terms of finalising it until he is back."

Twelve days ago Albion survived expulsion from the Football League. Archer claimed: "By the start of the season we will have a new board and funds in place from me and Dick Knight and his consortium to take the club forward."
Knight and FA spokesman david Davies were both available for comment.

Bill Archer is apparently on holiday and it is understood that he will not be returning until 16th August. So what about the already delayed share transfer? This is becoming a farce as it seems that Archer delays the proceedings at every opportunity. Apart from this meaning that he is still in control, it also means that David Bellotti will still be in place and the consequences of that are obvious. In view of his refusal to accede to requests to stay away from away matches I would expect him to turn up at Swansea, and again the effect this will have on all concerned, including the team, is worrying in the extreme.
Surely the FA should now be taking action, as it was July 22nd by which, according to the terms of the agreement reached at Mediation, the share transfer should have taken place, and Archer's absence on holiday is delaying the process for another two weeks at least. If anyone wishes to contact the FA to enquire what action they intend to take in this matter they can be contacted at 0171-262-4542. The best person to speak to is David Davies. The fax number for the Press Office is 0171-402-2721

Supporters have issued a stark warning to the club's directors after snubbing the first "home" match at Gillingham. The Seagulls played arch-rivals Crystal Palace at the Priestfield Stadium on Saturday, in a fixture that would have been certain to attract thousands if it had been played locally. Fewer than 200 Albion supporters made the 140-mile round trip to Gillingham to watch the game. And afterwards they warned that many people may stay away for the entire season - a move that could cost the cash strapped Seagulls a fortune. Albion are groundsharing with Gillingham following the sale of the now demolished Goldstone Ground. Many fans have vowed to boycott the Priestfield Stadium and want to see matches played at Millwall or Crawley. The total attendance on Saturday was 652, with the majority of fans coming from Crystal Palace. Supporters paid £8 to get in, meaning Albion would have netted just £5,216 in gate receipts. The last time the two clubs played in a pre-season friendly at the Goldstone, in July 1995, the crowd was almost 4,000. This season, entry prices will be £8 for terracing, with seats priced between £10 and £12. If attendances remained at a similar level for the 23 home league games, Albion would collect an estimated £120,000 - not even enough to cover the cost of the groundshare and that is before wages and other costs are taken into account. There was an eerie atmosphere at the ground during the 1-1 draw, with the 200 Albion fans scattered around the main stand. They were vastly outnumbered by Palace supporters, and had to endure chants of "You're supposed to be at home" and "Where's the Goldstone gone?". The supporters who had made the trip for the friendly fixture tried hard to generate some noise - particularly after spotting hated chief executive, David Bellotti - but the atmosphere failed to lift. Fan Chris Robinson,37, of Grinstead Lane, Lancing, who drove to Gillingham with his son, Steve,13, said poor attendances could hit Albion hard. He said "people forget that last season one of the reasons we stayed up was because the team had 8,000 people behind them. That won't happen at Gillingham, and I am expecting a place in the bottom six." Mr Robinson was unimpressed with the club's new home. He said it is a bit of a dump. I suppose we have at least got a ground, but it's similar to places like Sudbury." Andrew Sowton, 21, drove for two hours from his home in Steyning to the match, and said: "The ground looks like a cowshed!" He added: "I can't see many people doing that journey for long." Rob Ellison,18, also from Steyning, said Albion's early form would decide how many fans turn up. "If we start badly then I think attendances will be really low."



Archer OUT!
 


Jam The Man

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
8,110
South East North Lancing
Thank God that just 4 weeks later the club were able to start afresh again...
 



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