Sheffield Wednesday - HMRC Winding Up Order

[Dick Knights Mumm]

There must be some serious money amongst the Wednesday faithful. The advertised sums do not seem that great for a Club with a great (old but still great) ground and massive support.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

There will be someone waiting in the wings to get the club on the cheap WHEN the debt is at a smaller level.

They will be within 'minutes' of going out of business before someone 'saves' them.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Just curious about peoples attitudes, there was a time, no so long ago, that whenever a club was in trouble, the reaction on would be "poor things" and "feel sorry for the fans" etc., but hese days most of the posts are about "cheating b*st*rds" and "let them go under" .... I have no great feelings either way, just wondering why the change ?

 

[Flavor Flav]

From what I've been reading this week there are strong rumours that Plymouth may also be looking at the prospect of administration this in the near future.

Lots of concerned voices about it on their messageboard.

I thought they were suppose to be getting a new stadium in time for the world cup?

 

[Gwylan]

Just curious about peoples attitudes, there was a time, no so long ago, that whenever a club was in trouble, the reaction on would be "poor things" and "feel sorry for the fans" etc., but hese days most of the posts are about "cheating b*st*rds" and "let them go under" .... I have no great feelings either way, just wondering why the change ?

I think it depends on the circumstances. When it's a club like Brighton or Wrexham or Doncaster that has fallen into the hands of someone dodgy, there's still an amount of sympathy. When it's a club that has tried to buy success by spending money it doesn't have, there's little sympathy and I think that fans are getting more and more tired of the tactic.

I think part of it is because the punishment is so weak. Personally, I think the penalty for falling into admin should be even greater: 20 or 30 points (or even relegation) - that might redress the balance a bit.

 

[fleet]

I think it depends on the circumstances. When it's a club like Brighton or Wrexham or Doncaster that has fallen into the hands of someone dodgy, there's still an amount of sympathy. When it's a club that has tried to buy success by spending money it doesn't have, there's little sympathy and I think that fans are getting more and more tired of the tactic.

I think part of it is because the punishment is so weak. Personally, I think the penalty for falling into admin should be even greater: 20 or 30 points (or even relegation) - that might redress the balance a bit.

Isn't it reasonable to say that we are living way beyond our means too - buying players and a ground that we can't pay for and that our Chairman is funding? Why is that different to what the others were trying to do? I am sure we are taking a punt on spending now to get the better income that comes from Championship football at Falmer.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Isn't it reasonable to say that we are living way beyond our means too - buying players and a ground that we can't pay for and that our Chairman is funding? Why is that different to what the others were trying to do? I am sure we are taking a punt on spending now to get the better income that comes from Championship football at Falmer.

Because we pay our creditors like the taxman. TB can use as much of his own money as he likes. The money for the stadium doesn't even need to be paid back technically - it will get converted to shares if the club can't pay.

 

[fleet]

Because we pay our creditors like the taxman. TB can use as much of his own money as he likes. The money for the stadium doesn't even need to be paid back technically - it will get converted to shares if the club can't pay.

All I am saying is that I doubt the other teams went into it thinking they would not be able to pay the tax man.

Having said this, if Roman pulled out of Chelsea they would be in very big problems I guess.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Because we pay our creditors like the taxman. TB can use as much of his own money as he likes. The money for the stadium doesn't even need to be paid back technically - it will get converted to shares if the club can't pay.

we didnt always!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

we didnt always!

Oh agreed ! And I made the statement trusting that the board really are paying our creditors

 

[Westdene Seagull]

All I am saying is that I doubt the other teams went into it thinking they would not be able to pay the tax man.

Having said this, if Roman pulled out of Chelsea they would be in very big problems I guess.

Difference is that we have directors that seem able and willing to pay out of their own pockets when necessary. The directors of SW clearly can't or won't leaving the bank to fund the club although I would imagine even the Co-op will have a breaking point before refusing to provide anymore cash.

 

[CHAPPERS]

oops

 

[Gwylan]

We can afford it because our Chairman is funding it... as have the directors for god knows how long. We are not living beyond our means.

Well yes. And Wednesday have Wilko as Chairman - he's a nice chap but not, I imagine, loaded with sponds

 

[portlock seagull]

Hey twat.....im not a peddler of doom and gloom....just go and listen to Radio 5 live right now.....they are in serious trouble
And do you know,,,it is going to happen.
And it will wake football league clubs up to the fact that things are going to change.
Ok...tell us all how many league clubs will still be here in 5 years time...
AND if it wasnt for Tony Bloom....do you honestly think we would stiil be where we are now "
Its reality pal....not peddlers of doom...

Hey twat, they're in serious trouble.....BUT WILL get out of it. FFS there have been thousands of league club winding up petitions from HMRC in past 30 years and only 3 liquidates; all clubs with fan bases of less than 3k, and none remotely near Wednesdays size. Plus it's been 20+ years since a club went under nearly. Christ, SW haven't even been forced to sell the the family silver yet. And they have a board who want them to survive. They're no where near on the brink as some other clubs have been yet (and none of them went bust either). That's why you're a nob for believing this spells the end for Wednesday. And the rest of us are frankly bored with the lack of real drama this story actually presents. Coleen and Wayne are frankly more interesting than this

 

[bhaexpress]

NO, Wilkinson and Tawse definitely played together - but Wilko stayed longer at the club. Wikipedia has him playing at the Albion from 1971 to 77 but he left in 72.

Armstrong was the fastest bloke I've ever seen at the club but couldn't cross a ball to save his life.(this is definitely more interesting than discussing a non-existent financial crisis at Wednesday)

True, I actually never saw Tawse play as he'd left by 1969 but I certainly remember Wilkinson and yes Armstrong would charge about but he did a great headless chicken impersonation. Remember Bobby Smith (the half back not the ex Spurs guy), I remember him coming off at full time and having a furious row with a couple of 'fans' who'd been abusing him all game long.

 

[bhaexpress]

I think it depends on the circumstances. When it's a club like Brighton or Wrexham or Doncaster that has fallen into the hands of someone dodgy, there's still an amount of sympathy. When it's a club that has tried to buy success by spending money it doesn't have, there's little sympathy and I think that fans are getting more and more tired of the tactic.

I think part of it is because the punishment is so weak. Personally, I think the penalty for falling into admin should be even greater: 20 or 30 points (or even relegation) - that might redress the balance a bit.

That is precisely the point. Clubs like Chester have gone thanks to being badly run by an idiot, Carlisle for example nearly went the same way thanks to that clown Knighton not so long ago. However, Portsmouth, Leeds, Wednesday and Palace as well as others have been playing and paying for a higher level of football than they could afford thus depriving somebody who could a place in a higher league, that's the difference.

 

[severnside gull]

Anyway - back to the serious stuff..............

I really liked Brian Tawse. A quite old-fashioned/very direct winger. Came from Arsenal I think in about 65/66 and went on to Brentford (?) at the end of 69/70 season when he was replaced by Peter O'Sullivan. Wilkinson would have arrived just after Brian and from my recollection they were a regular wing pairing with Armstrong also in the mix. Brian and Howard probably played about the same number of games. When Howard left (went non league?) Tony Towner came through I think

 

[Acker79]

Just curious about peoples attitudes, there was a time, no so long ago, that whenever a club was in trouble, the reaction on would be "poor things" and "feel sorry for the fans" etc., but hese days most of the posts are about "cheating b*st*rds" and "let them go under" .... I have no great feelings either way, just wondering why the change ?

That'll still happen. This thread isn't a day old yet, give it another day, maybe two and then some more people will be coming in with the usual "don't want to see a club go under", "It's the fans I feel sorry for" platitudes.

I think there's in generally less sympathy because of experience. We've seen Leeds go to the brink, and survive via administration, southampton, palace, bournemouth, pompey went to administration, gave the hmrc an insulting offer and the courts upheld it.

No one expects clubs to actually disappear any more. Instead we see someone who can buy the club wait until it is in administration, get the debts wiped out and buy it for a song, starting from a much stronger point.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I thought they were suppose to be getting a new stadium in time for the world cup?

They are, but that would involve all kinds of funding sources, grants and outside investments so maybe it's not such an immediate issue.

I don't know the exact circumstances, but I've been reading PASOTI (their NSC if you like) a lot in the last few weeks and there are plenty of nervous people on there.

Could be Chinese whispers I suppose, but the administration theory seems to be gathering steam.

 

[On the Left Wing]

Anyway - back to the serious stuff..............

I really liked Brian Tawse. A quite old-fashioned/very direct winger. Came from Arsenal I think in about 65/66 and went on to Brentford (?) at the end of 69/70 season when he was replaced by Peter O'Sullivan. Wilkinson would have arrived just after Brian and from my recollection they were a regular wing pairing with Armstrong also in the mix. Brian and Howard probably played about the same number of games. When Howard left (went non league?) Tony Towner came through I think

I always seem to remember our wingers in 1967-68 being Tiger Tawse and Wally Gould, with Armstrong and Wilkinson coming a little later .. long before Peter O'Sullivan