12 questions the new owners of Swindon Town must answer
Andrew Black and Matt Ritchie, have gone, Jed McCrory’s consortium are nearly here, but Paolo Di Canio is on the brink and we are no nearer the truth, believes Alex Cooke.
Swindon Town Football Club have been taken over by a consortium fronted by Jed McCrory, subject to Football League approval. Matt Ritchie has been sold and Paolo Di Canio is on the brink of quitting. Aside from these scant facts, details are as thin on the ground as grass on the Orient pitch. However, there are some questions that we would all like to know about the future of the club, the players and the manager:-
- Who is actually in charge of Swindon Town at this point?
- Who is involved in the consortium?
- After this week’s debacle how are you – the Board – going to get Paolo Di Canio back on side?
- What is the consortium’s short and long term aims for owning Swindon Town?
- The club are currently losing about £2 million per season. Do you have the financial support to continue this level of debt?
- Who sanctioned the sale of Matt Ritchie?
- Is the sale of Matt Ritchie an indicator of an on-going cash flow issue, and can the squad be kept together?
- Is promotion this year still the aim for the club?
- Is the aim for the club to be sustainable, or will the current model of deficit financing continue?
- Communication from the consortium so far has been almost non-existent, when can we expect some information?
- Does Swindon Town’s future still lie at the County Ground and a redevelopment, or do you envisage a move to another location?
- What is the consortium’s position on closer ties with the Swindon Town Supporters’ Trust, fan ownership and delivering a voice for supporters on the Board?
With a non-disclosure agreement in place some of these questions may not be answered until the takeover is complete. In the meantime this hiatus won’t prevent supporters wanting detail and knowing the future of our Club is secured.
What questions would you put to the incoming board? Add them as a comment below.
Andrew Black answered one question last night, via Twitter. Then deleted it.
The Washbag 
Some great questions Alex. I would add a general question… ‘What is your vision both on the pitch and how the club should be run?’
Also, what is your favourite cheese?
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That was a bad miss by me.
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13. What’s your favourite cheese? (Who started the cheese question?)
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I think it was thetownend.com
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you forgot the cheese question.
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I think Paolo will be off to another club after this show of dis-respect to him. It beggars belief. Let’s hope the new Board aren’t another bunch of money grabbing pikeys. What a pity as the club was being run well, the team was verging on the fantastic just like the Hoddle days and the naivety of the new owner has left Paolo high and dry. Tosser!!
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The old board sold the fans a 3 year plan to get the club into the championship thats why so many paid out for season tickets. My question is are your plans the same and this time are the board going to stick to it and back PDC because you wont get a better manager
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Dear Jed. Welcome to you and your fellow investors/directors. You’ve got a real job on here winning hearts & minds. As far as me and my fellow supporters are concerned, the last 18 months have been, well, fine & dandy. We are in the ascendant – not a team ‘on the ropes’ staring down the barrel at non-league oblivion. Regardless of the disappointing events of the last few days, we have much to thank the previous regime for – and I for one applaud their openness, drive, decency and generosity. Please engage with the fans and share your ambitions with us. I’d just like to be reassured. Oh, and who is your favourite Spice Girl?
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Superb question, right up until the end. Jed/Ged strikes me more as a Take That man.
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1.Who is actually in charge of Swindon Town cheese procurement at this point?
2.Who is involved in the consortium cheese procurement?
3.After this week’s debacle how are you – the Cheese Board – going to get focus redirected onto essential cheese matters ?
4.What is the consortium’s short and long term aims for cheese?
5.The club are currently losing about £100 per season on cheese. Do you have the financial support to continue this level of debt?
6.Who sanctioned the sale of Matt Ritchie’s cheese board?
7.Is the sale of Matt Ritchie cheese board an indicator of an on-going cash flow issue, and can the squad’s cheese be guaranteed for the rest of this season?
8.Is promotion of cheese this year still the aim for the club?
9.Is the aim for the club’s cheese to be sustainable, or will the current model of deficit financing continue?
10.Communication from the consortium regarding cheese so far has been almost non-existent, when can we expect some information?
11.Does Swindon Town’s future regarding cheese still lie at the County Ground and a redevelopment, or do you envisage a move to another location?
12.What is the consortium’s position on closer ties with the Swindon Town Cheese Supporters’ Trust, fan ownership and delivering a voice for supporters on the Cheese Board?
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PS. What’s your favourite cheese?
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