No sinister ulterior motive

[Jobi1]

Quite possibly. Never fails to astonish me how many people fail to see any context beyond what happens on that green rectangle on a Saturday afternoon. To them, the current situation is purely the fault of the players and coaching staff, and the solution is just "getting behind the lads". Those types also seem to be happy to buy into the club statements that make out that McGill is some wonderful benefactor, single-handedly keeping the club afloat – there's a complete failure (or unwillingness) to acknowledge that these supposedly generous financial contributions are in the form of company loans with a high rate of interest, and that McGill and the board (such as it is) are responsible for the decisions that have left us where we are.

[Jobi1]

The club (though not McGill himself) respond to the no confidence vote with a giant, waffling statement that amounts to not much more than an admission that communication has been poor (while acknowledging the club are spending a large amount for the level on marketing and communications staff) and a protracted history lesson that confirms once again that of course Jason McGill saved the club and essentially saying that the multi-million-pound debt accumulated since 2006 is really down to the Supporters' Trust's running of the club for a couple of years pre-2006 (when they were, yknow, fighting fires and actually saving the club).

It's all just so, so depressing. Honestly can't see what viable future the club has at the moment.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Sorry I'd missed this last month. Good to see a decentish turnout and very clear vote in the no confidence thing, at least.

[Jobi1]

If you want an object lesson in how not to reassure people and get fans back onside, this radio phone-in with two of the club directors that took place last night is well worth a listen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09x5l3x

Headline points include that if the club fails to break even this year, it's the fans' fault for not turning up in adequate numbers; it's the (extremely hard-working) media department's fault that nothing is communicated properly; it's the stadium management company's fault that there have been so many issues with ticketing and stewarding etc. at the new stadium, despite the fact the SMC is owned by... *checks notes*... the football club (although Dave "my qualifications are 35 years' experience in football" Penney kept insisting the club and SMC are two entirely separate entities); the GDPR breach earlier this year in which a load of fans' bank details were shared was an isolated incident, so not really worth an apology, not sure whose fault that is.

They also claimed the football club can veto the Supporters' Trust's nominated persons for the legally agreed director roles on the football club board (they can't - they must ratify unless they have very strong reasons not to); and that our stadium co-tenants York Knights are forced to offer free tickets to U16s by league rules (they're not - which has prompted the Knights to put out a 'fact check' tweet, so once again they look brilliant and the football club look horrendous).

I think we're perhaps not far off seeing scenes like have been seen recently at Southend.

[Jobi1]

Nice to hear that the Marketing and Communications Director, who was supposed to be taking part in the phone-in on Friday night but sadly couldn't make it due to illness, had made a sufficient recovery to be seen getting fired into a hearty meal in the hospitality suite at the game yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, in the South Stand...

https://twitter.com/YorkCityPM/status/1452016587733671937?t=9yKUFQVoK1xtAg0vpxInAQ&s=19

[DCI Harry Batt]

I think we're perhaps not far off seeing scenes like have been seen recently at Southend.

That would seem a reasonable response.

[Jobi1]

That would seem a reasonable response.

Think while some (generally younger) folk are agitating for that, the older heads in the protest group that has now come together are not so keen, not wanting to give the board any ammunition whatsoever to be able to write protesters off as a bunch of mouthy thugs, which they undoubtedly would do if there were any disruption of that kind, and also want to tread very carefully with the more moderate elements of our support to get/keep them onside ("hearts and minds", etc.). Here's the leaflet that was handed out on Saturday...

[Jobi1]

First actual disruption of a game happened today against Chorley, the match being stopped for a few minutes with tennis balls and toilet rolls on the pitch.

https://twitter.com/theyorkmix/status/1469687332630630413?t=uoaX5RdW32aaoZx-d9XeDg&s=19

[Jobi1]

"We're sorry if you're upset that we've been running the club into the ground over the last 8 years. p.s. look at all my amazing achievements, and please don't go through with the planned protest on Saturday"

A note from the chairman: https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co..../note-chairman

[Jobi1]

At the game today, a couple of young lads were hauled out of the crowd, handed letters from the SMC telling them they were banned for three games due to their recent behaviour, and thrown out of the ground. They allegedly took part in the tennis ball protest a couple of months ago. The letters had no personal details on, were just addressed to just to "Dear Sir", and a squiggled signature at the bottom with no actual printed name, and noting that the police had been monitoring them too (would be fascinated to know if this is true). Also telling them they will have to sign a good behaviour contract if they want to come back after their three-match ban is up.

So it seems dissent will not be tolerated, which all feels rather sinister. Can't be anything other than the club hiding behind the the veneer of the SMC.

[DCI Harry Batt]

That's dreadful.

What's an SMC?

[ursus arctos]

"Stadium Management Company"

[Jobi1]

SMC = Stadium Management Company. There will be one for most (if not all) grounds that are not owned by the resident football clubs. However, in York's case (again as is common with others), the football club actually is the 100% shareholder of the SMC, so it's effectively the same thing, despite the club board's protestations to the contrary and unwillingness to confirm who runs it and how. They still haven't sorted out multiple issues with how things run around the stadium (despite it being open for business for over a year now), but they're prepared to spend time arranging to ban youngsters who've done nothing violent or otherwise dangerous.

Here's a tweet from the other lad who got the ridiculous letter today as the first lad seems to have deleted his:

https://twitter.com/George_ycfc/status/1492500806217654274?s=20&t=zIVC-euiHRu1fOQtOQzZ9w

[Jobi1]

Sad, but at the same time welcome (to draw a line under it), news today that the sale of Bootham Crescent has finally gone through. Statement confirms that a fair chunk of the debt to JMP and the interest on it has been paid and/or written off (though there seems to be some abiguity as to how much (if any) debt is still left. Jason has agreed more "generous funding" (i.e. interest-bearing loans) to cover the rest of this season, though no mention of what's happening beyond this summer. Reading between the lines though, it does appear the club is up for sale.

The Supporters' Trust's statement is also disturbingly positive, acknowledging that the last few weeks have been refreshingly positive in terms of the relationship with Jason/the club (and also mentioning a "smooth transition to new ownership").

All in all, there seems to be cause for cautious optimism that this period of abject misery and disasterous management could finally be coming to an end. It's still difficult to believe a single word that comes out of Jason's mouth (all though I have to acknowledge that he did previously intimate he'd write off some of the debt/interest and has indeed done so – fair play for that), so no chickens will be counted just yet, but it's nice to think that after basically more than two full decades of strife we might soon be able to just worry about the football again. Genuinely haven't been able to do that since I was a teenager.

[Jobi1]

Sticking a chunky (and to be honest not unexpected) pin in our happy promotion balloon, Jason McGill has told local media this morning that he's intending to stay for at least another season. Interesting that the Supporters' Trust's immediate response on Twitter was: "Except he knows full well that it's not his decision to make." It'll be such a pity if this turns into yet another saga that dominates what should be a positive and exciting summer in preparation for the step back up next season, but I suspect none of this is going to go smoothly...

[Jobi1]

Deep breaths...

https://twitter.com/Guymowbray/status/1544073624155574272?t=U69j-uS-ccGmo8HrjEipbg&s=19

[Jobi1]

It is with some level of emotion (the emotion in question being absolutely ecstatic joy) that I can finally declare this thread obsolete. Full ownership of YCFC has passed back to the Supporters' Trust, and the entire club board are gone, including the utterly despised Dave Penney, the beyond incompetent Richard Adams and the quite frankly baffling Steve Kilmartin (the finance expert who apparently a couple of years ago included the subtotal in the total projected profits from the stadium move). The strong rumour is the Trust have a wealthy individual lined up to take a controlling interest shortly, but for this moment, we are once again 100% fan-owned, and Jason McGill shall never darken our doors (or more importantly for you, these pages) ever again. I think I need a bit of a lie down...

https://twitter.com/YorkCityFC/status/1544300385002991616?s=20&t=izKrR6j7OPgEJEEleID4TA

[ad hoc]

Brilliant news. Congratulations!

[Uros Predic]

Great news! Very happy for you Jobi1

Out of interest, and forgive me for bringing up a wound you may want closed, but why is Dave Penney so unliked? He always seemed pretty amiable and down to earth as a manager at Rovers.

[Jobi1]

Out of interest, and forgive me for bringing up a wound you may want closed, but why is Dave Penney so unliked? He always seemed pretty amiable and down to earth as a manager at Rovers.

I think as much as anything he was just symptomatic of the sharp downward spiral post-2015. He was brought in as 'Sporting Director' (on a fairly handsome salary it was thought) and at no stage were either he or Jason ever able to clarify what it was he actually did at the club beyond some vague notion of 'overseeing the day-to-day running of the business', and then when pressed on what qualifications he had for this business management role, his stock response was '35 years in football'. During this period of overseeing, the day-to-day running of the business appears to have fallen to its most shambolic level ever (which is really saying something given our history). He's never presented as all that approachable here, and indeed in one legendary fan interaction when a fan asked him how parking would work at the new stadium he laughed and said 'All the best', and wandered off. More worryingly, there are accusations of bullying (specifically towards a young female member of hospitality staff). So all in all, he won't be missed terribly.

[Jobi1]

The Trust's "investment partner" is revealed as Glen Henderson, a former semi-pro footballer from the North East who seems to have made his money in a children’s multi-sport franchise programme in the States. He has some family connection with the club already as his son was previously in our youth system. According to the statement: "The club will now be jointly operated by Glen [51% owner] and the Supporters’ Trust [49%] in a collaborative spirit built around mutual trust and a strong emphasis on customer service."

So not full Trust ownership (was never likely to be that), but a huge step forward and significantly more influence for the Trust than they had under the previous regime, when McGill effectively (illegally) sidelined them entirely.

So, seemingly an exciting future ahead, and I promise I'll stop posting about it now!

[DCI Harry Batt]

Ah., I'd forgotten this thread, and didn't recognise it from the title, so went and posted on the Conference 22-23. Thanks for the update. Sounds like you're in a much better place now.

[Sean of the Shed]

This is excellent news. I'm made up for you Jobi1

[Jobi1]

Thanks all! Yes, definitely seems to be a better place. I don't think we quite qualify for the elite DCI Harry Batt mentioned on the other thread, but the 49/51 ownership split is on paper a very sensible way forward for now. Unfortunately, the experience of the 2003–6 period when we were 100% fan owned has left a lot of City fans with the feeling that it's not a good idea, so I think pretty much everyone on all sides will be happy with the arrangement.

The early indications are Henderson seems a decent sort who has a passion for community sports projects but is also a serious and driven business operator who won't let things spiral. First order of business yesterday on completing the takeover was to appoint one of the Supporters' Trust board members as Chief Exec of the football club, so it's clear the Trust is going to have a very strong influence on how the club is run again going forward.

[Jobi1]

Raising this thread like a zombie from the dead...

Current York chairman Glen Henderson did a Q&A on local radio last night, on which he seemed to suggest that the previous owner high-tailed it with this season's season ticket money and the not insubstantial revenue from pre-orders of the enormously popular centenary shirts. Also noted that the 'generous' paying of 10 years' rent on the stadium that McGill was supposed to have done may not have happened ("We can't find any money on the books changing hands"), and indeed it turns out there is still a six-figure sum payable to the Council every year related to the increase in seating capacity the club requested (the original Council plan was for a 6,500-seat stadium, and the club wanted at least 8,000, which the Council agreed to on the basis the club would pay this fee). The new ownership have discovered there was obviously very little credit control under the last regime, and invoices are turning up needing payment from things a year or more ago. Oh and this season's budget, which the new owner agreed to honour, is apparently completely unrealistic.

So, far from him leaving the club in a supposedly very healthy position, as he would have you believe, McGill has left behind the trail of chaos most of us probably suspected. Just when we thought we'd never have to think about McGill again, it turns out his nonsense is still badly affecting the club.