Club Statement: New Chairman - Paul Hornby

[Bombadel]

A heartfelt thanks to Paul and his family for all they have done whilst at Barrow AFC. Without them there would be no club

Let's not start with that nonsense. In all likelihood, there would still have been a club. We almost certainly would not have been at this level, but there would still have been a club.

I don't thank Paul Casson, he's been a massive let down and failed at what he apparently set out to do. He's broken 90% of the promises he's made and apart from a cheap set of floodlights he's left us with absolutely nothing as his legacy. Off the pitch we're as hapless as we were when he took over, aside from said floodlights the ground is in the same state it was, despite the success of the U21s so far this season we still have no real youth set up and will now go back to signing average to poor journeymen as opposed to slightly above average ones which will likely see us drop back to Conference North in the near future. We're a million miles away from the legacy Casson promised.

Thank him? Well I suppose the hope (albeit false) of something better was good whilst it briefly lasted for 18 months or so. But no, in reality there's not a lot else to thank him for.

Well said, as the saying goes, promise little and deliver often, theyve promised much and delivered very little.

[barrowaberdeen]

Personal view: I don't mind at all thanking the Casson's for Lowestoft and paying for a ultimately unprofessional revolving door of shysters who nevertheless got us near the play offs to the Football League. I think the family had good intentions and put money and time in when no-one would- it's all been cock-up rather than conspiracy in the main- with off the field management an embarrassment much of the time and lessons repeatedly not learned. I wish them well in the future but we are only at the beginning of this saga.

The alternative at the time would have been football lower down- although it wouldn't have been the end of the club, that's nonsense IMO.I don't think they knew what they were getting into and a combination of hubris and ridiculous statements unsurprisingly came back to bite them with an increasingly fed up support.

It's instructive that Paul Hornby is interim Chairman- there's no way he is the new owner like the thread suggests yet- what that means in terms of the ongoing relationship with the Cassons and on the side, council, rugby club et all need careful consideration- it doesn't need blowing smoke from the usual suspects but equally not childish cynicism and blame. There needs to be much more info on what his plans are- I don't know him, from speaking to him a little seems a decent bloke, decent businessman etc but we'll see.

Look back on Barrow ownership over the years. We had local businessmen who didn't have the cash, then a gangster, then shared ownership with local businessmen putting more in in the way of loans, then a benefactor. Through all of this, we have mostly maintained an at best indifferent reputation among the business community in the town as being poor payers and we have never, never been able to sustain improvement. Everyone had highs and ultimately lows. I think we should keep that in mind as we move on to the next chapter.

[Paul]

Personal view: I don't mind at all thanking the Casson's for Lowestoft and paying for a ultimately unprofessional revolving door of shysters who nevertheless got us near the play offs to the Football League. I think the family had good intentions and put money and time in when no-one would- it's all been cock-up rather than conspiracy in the main- with off the field management an embarrassment much of the time and lessons repeatedly not learned. I wish them well in the future but we are only at the beginning of this saga.

The alternative at the time would have been football lower down- although it wouldn't have been the end of the club, that's nonsense IMO.I don't think they knew what they were getting into and a combination of hubris and ridiculous statements unsurprisingly came back to bite them with an increasingly fed up support.

It's instructive that Paul Hornby is interim Chairman- there's no way he is the new owner like the thread suggests yet- what that means in terms of the ongoing relationship with the Cassons and on the side, council, rugby club et all need careful consideration- it doesn't need blowing smoke from the usual suspects but equally not childish cynicism and blame. There needs to be much more info on what his plans are- I don't know him, from speaking to him a little seems a decent bloke, decent businessman etc but we'll see.

Look back on Barrow ownership over the years. We had local businessmen who didn't have the cash, then a gangster, then shared ownership with local businessmen putting more in in the way of loans, then a benefactor. Through all of this, we have mostly maintained an at best indifferent reputation among the business community in the town as being poor payers and we have never, never been able to sustain improvement. Everyone had highs and ultimately lows. I think we should keep that in mind as we move on to the next chapter.

Agreed totally, couldn't have expressed my thoughts any better.

[barrowfan]

Genuine question:

Are the Keens still owed any money?

[DaveP]

more importantly who will bankroll the club going forward ie paying wages etc because there is now way income can cover costs

[barrowfan]

more importantly who will bankroll the club going forward ie paying wages etc because there is now way income can cover costs

Presumably by Paul H himself or the ‘local consortium’, which by the tone of Paul H’s statement has yet to be pulled together.

[Pedro]

more importantly who will bankroll the club going forward ie paying wages etc because there is now way income can cover costs

Presumably by Paul H himself or the ‘local consortium’, which by the tone of Paul H’s statement has yet to be pulled together.

Let's spare a thought for the none playing staff and the uncertainty concerning future employment

[barrowaberdeen]

Genuine question:

Are the Keens still owed any money?

Depends who you ask, like everything at Barrow, ever.

Agree with Pedro regarding non playing staff in particular.

[barrowfan_chris]

Mixture of Kierans and BarrowAberdeen posts for me.

I'll look back on the days at Lowestoft, Being stood on the pitch as Casson explained his vission for the ground, Lincoln away, Bristol Rovers ect... as good times with so much hope and enjoyment.

As for the rest its not much of a legacy.

Who ever takes over next can we please pay local businesses for services provided ffs.

The rollercoaster ride of being a Barrow supporter continues its never dull.

[McMark]

It's all speculation as to what the future has in store and only time will tell what the club's ultimate fate will be!
Just adding to the speculation now, but Paul Casson promised us a lasting legacy something his father would of been very proud of.
What if that legacy is to give the stadium to the supporters then that would be some parting statement and some legacy.

[Colin Appleton]

Does this mean we won't be a full time outfit next season ?

[Shaun]

That night at the Forum, I asked him the first questions, and in response to one he replied that he wouldn't walk away with us lower than (at the time) mid-table in Conf North. So, despite all the pipedream guff about a roof, new stands, Football League, etc, etc, at least he kept to his word, for me anyway.
So no hard feelings from me, just disappointment and a sense of 'this was coming for a while.'

On we go.

[boyliegladbach]

Does this mean we won't be a full time outfit next season ?

Why would it?

[ewh1953]

Thanks Paul and Steph all the best for the future.
Bluebirds forever.

[Bingo]

Thanks for the new boiler Paul x

Just heard he's taking the boiler with him