Ex Shelton Seagull
New member
Saw a story yesterday about how their staff hadn't been paid last months wages and that their new stadium had been delayed. This latest story seems to be more detailed and makes interesting reading. Seems we're not the only ones who have trouble trying to get a ground.
Hysteria spread amongst City fans yesterday after the cryptic message on the official website announcing yet another delay to the start of the new stadium. Are we heading for financial meltdown?
Scepticism reached an all time high yesterday with reports that the player's wages had not been paid and work on the new stadium is to be put back AGAIN. The wage situation has not been mentioned in the press today suggesting that it has been sorted, but the stadium saga remains unclear.
Sam Hammam declared that it was 'all systems go' in January after the club received the go ahead for the stadium plans. The technicalities remaining were described as 'minor' and work, Sam promised, would start in just 100 days. Sadly, once again, we have been misinformed by our most confusing club.
Today, with cynicism rising with each distorted piece of information we are fed, the club are trying to put a brave face on the situation.
Hammam and the other directors met last night to discuss the latest delay. The Western Mail claims that we need to find a further £16m to prove that the project is viable. A £16m shortfall suggests to me that we are far from 'all systems go'. Where this money is going to come from is unclear.
The massive shortfall, however, is not the reason for this latest delay. The council claim that legal agreements need to be reached between Capital and Regional and the retailers.
"These legal matters need to be addressed in accordance with the requirements of the planning authority," said a spokesperson for the council.
"These were known at the time of the planning consent being given, but have taken longer to finalise than anticipated.
"The council isn't aware of any impediments that would prevent these agreements being concluded, but is not directly involved in the process which is between Capital and Regional and their tenants."
Once these legal issues are resolved, the final green light can be given. The problem is, we have seen the 'final green light' at least three times already. Even when everything is in place to start, there must be a 90 day period during which public objections, for what they are worth, can be heard. It is this 90 day rule which has forced the club to announce that the diggers will not move in to Leckwith until July at the earliest. In reality we are now looking at a possible completion date of 2007/08.
Sam Hammam explained: "I thought 2003 would be the absolute latest construction on a new stadium would start," he said earlier this year.
"But the earliest it can happen will be May this year - two years after what I thought would be the latest date!
"It has been a very frustrating time. It has also been a very harrowing experience.
"I've poured my heart into the stadium and I took a major financial risk with it."
Once again a situation has been created by the club where we are told the bare minimum and as a result all sorts of speculation and pessimism arise. Time and time again the club tell us one thing and then do the exact opposite. The drips of information we receive are not enough to build an understanding on the situation and as a result rumours spill over the internet like a virus. The lack of honesty means that many fans are losing faith in Sam and 'honest' Temme, both of which have destroyed clubs in the past.
All we ask for, all we demand, is straightforward, easily understandable truths.
Hysteria spread amongst City fans yesterday after the cryptic message on the official website announcing yet another delay to the start of the new stadium. Are we heading for financial meltdown?
Scepticism reached an all time high yesterday with reports that the player's wages had not been paid and work on the new stadium is to be put back AGAIN. The wage situation has not been mentioned in the press today suggesting that it has been sorted, but the stadium saga remains unclear.
Sam Hammam declared that it was 'all systems go' in January after the club received the go ahead for the stadium plans. The technicalities remaining were described as 'minor' and work, Sam promised, would start in just 100 days. Sadly, once again, we have been misinformed by our most confusing club.
Today, with cynicism rising with each distorted piece of information we are fed, the club are trying to put a brave face on the situation.
Hammam and the other directors met last night to discuss the latest delay. The Western Mail claims that we need to find a further £16m to prove that the project is viable. A £16m shortfall suggests to me that we are far from 'all systems go'. Where this money is going to come from is unclear.
The massive shortfall, however, is not the reason for this latest delay. The council claim that legal agreements need to be reached between Capital and Regional and the retailers.
"These legal matters need to be addressed in accordance with the requirements of the planning authority," said a spokesperson for the council.
"These were known at the time of the planning consent being given, but have taken longer to finalise than anticipated.
"The council isn't aware of any impediments that would prevent these agreements being concluded, but is not directly involved in the process which is between Capital and Regional and their tenants."
Once these legal issues are resolved, the final green light can be given. The problem is, we have seen the 'final green light' at least three times already. Even when everything is in place to start, there must be a 90 day period during which public objections, for what they are worth, can be heard. It is this 90 day rule which has forced the club to announce that the diggers will not move in to Leckwith until July at the earliest. In reality we are now looking at a possible completion date of 2007/08.
Sam Hammam explained: "I thought 2003 would be the absolute latest construction on a new stadium would start," he said earlier this year.
"But the earliest it can happen will be May this year - two years after what I thought would be the latest date!
"It has been a very frustrating time. It has also been a very harrowing experience.
"I've poured my heart into the stadium and I took a major financial risk with it."
Once again a situation has been created by the club where we are told the bare minimum and as a result all sorts of speculation and pessimism arise. Time and time again the club tell us one thing and then do the exact opposite. The drips of information we receive are not enough to build an understanding on the situation and as a result rumours spill over the internet like a virus. The lack of honesty means that many fans are losing faith in Sam and 'honest' Temme, both of which have destroyed clubs in the past.
All we ask for, all we demand, is straightforward, easily understandable truths.
