Club Statement: New Chairman - Paul Hornby

[tictactoe]

I agree with Kieran as to casson - surprised its took this long and although grateful he took over not sorry to see him go.
Club is reportedly losing money like my taps lose water so Paul Hornby is taking a huge risk - I don’t believe he has the finances to own the club or run it on his own so we are going to be reliant on investors - they’ve never been there before so why would there be any now
It’s going to be a tough time imo but hopefully we will survive
Can’t make Friday as I’m away but will be interesting to hear what is said

[bigmac95]

This whole episode is indicative of the Cassons' reign. It seems all smoke and mirrors and once again we are left with more questions than answers after a public statement. I am not celebrating this evening, but I certainly am not sad he has gone (I think - who is owning the club?). I thank him for his efforts, but not for the outcome. He mismanaged OUR club, and I think that this will be his ultimate legacy. All promise, no delivery.

Having said that, I can't help feel that this will always be looked at as a missed opportunity, imagine if we had £4million to invest now. I am sure we would all prioritise the ground and infrastructure over the playing staff. It seems that Casson didn't do proper due diligence and was more interested in the optics of being an owner rather than the nitty gritty. I fear that a period of uncertainty, instability and miscommunication is to follow.

But for the future. This is not our level, sustainability is a must. I think we will drop down a league or two and we will all need to be ready and accepting of this. I would bring the team back to Barrow, train in barrow and be in barrow. I would beg our local talent: Waterston, Newby's, Sam Joel to stay/come back to the club in order to provide a Barrovian base for the team - people say the talent isn't there but I have named 4 who could all comfortably play (and currently do) at either Northern Premier, Conf North or Conference level. There will be more.

By focusing on the local players, bringing the team back to barrow we can reconnect with fans, businesses and the wider town itself. I know many will disagree, but I think we must re-evaluate and re-adjust our expectations going forward.

[Jonty]

Have to be grateful for Casson family stepping in and having a go, it has cost him a lot of time and money. At the end of the day, this was the tale of a Barrow boy done good, returning to take his boyhood club and trying to return it to the football league, although probably underestimating the enormity of the task. Operating at this level now you need a lot of resource and many clubs in non league now are effectively all set up with the infrastructure. We needed that to happen first, but the vision never materialised.

Let’s hope Hornby can pick this up up and bring fresh ideas and a strategy / plan to take the club forward. Engagement with fan groups is crucial. Hoping the Trust can be involved more in decision making and re establish volunteer groups (maintenance).

I for one would welcome a fresh debate on future ground share. Not everyone on board with it, but the fact is we have two clubs playing in two decrepit grounds and four years on its no change. Let’s have a whole new look at this. Personal view- If groundshare presents a realistic opportunity to develop and secure the future of both clubs then it has to be an option not to be continually overlooked.

Importantly- let’s hope the resources are still there to give Ian Evatt every chance to continue to develop the playing side. Let’s hope for some initial reassurances in that side of things.

Bloody typically Barrow that this happens.

[mall]

I think local businesses are a non starter. If anyone had money to invest in a sporting fraternity it would have gone into the Rugby by now. Because of the money situation in the town I think we wont survive in Conf North either, Northern Premier League would be the natural level for us I think. Whichever way you cut , move in with the rugby, or go it alone-were bolloxed.

[Pedro]

This whole episode is indicative of the Cassons' reign. It seems all smoke and mirrors and once again we are left with more questions than answers after a public statement. I am not celebrating this evening, but I certainly am not sad he has gone (I think - who is owning the club?). I thank him for his efforts, but not for the outcome. He mismanaged OUR club, and I think that this will be his ultimate legacy. All promise, no delivery.

Having said that, I can't help feel that this will always be looked at as a missed opportunity, imagine if we had £4million to invest now. I am sure we would all prioritise the ground and infrastructure over the playing staff. It seems that Casson didn't do proper due diligence and was more interested in the optics of being an owner rather than the nitty gritty. I fear that a period of uncertainty, instability and miscommunication is to follow.

But for the future. This is not our level, sustainability is a must. I think we will drop down a league or two and we will all need to be ready and accepting of this. I would bring the team back to Barrow, train in barrow and be in barrow. I would beg our local talent: Waterston, Newby's, Sam Joel to stay/come back to the club in order to provide a Barrovian base for the team - people say the talent isn't there but I have named 4 who could all comfortably play (and currently do) at either Northern Premier, Conf North or Conference level. There will be more.

By focusing on the local players, bringing the team back to barrow we can reconnect with fans, businesses and the wider town itself. I know many will disagree, but I think we must re-evaluate and re-adjust our expectations going forward.

Spot on,would be nice to to think he is giving the resources till the end of the season or till investors come in during the season..
Having a plan with be the first step forward,somehing that has been sadly lacking

[Mark Johnson]

I think local businesses are a non starter. If anyone had money to invest in a sporting fraternity it would have gone into the Rugby by now. Because of the money situation in the town I think we wont survive in Conf North either, Northern Premier League would be the natural level for us I think. Whichever way you cut , move in with the rugby, or go it alone-were bolloxed.

UniBond reunion party

[Hitthebar22]

All I’m bothered about really is will there be enough money to secure the players and manager, to roughly maintain the current standard in future?
Ground, pitch, staff etc not much different whatever league we are in.

[behind the goals]

How will the wage bill be payed this week, going to be very interesting who is in the squad on Saturday, would not be surprised if all the loan players go back, will we still train in Rochdale, and stop over for away games after Harrogate we go to Ebbsfleet,Aldershot and Braintree going to be interesting times indeed.

[mall]

All I’m bothered about really is will there be enough money to secure the players and manager, to roughly maintain the current standard in future?
Ground, pitch, staff etc not much different whatever league we are in.

Exactly. Wheres the money going to come from in the future. Its the start of a downward spiral.

[McMark]

All I’m bothered about really is will there be enough money to secure the players and manager, to roughly maintain the current standard in future?
Ground, pitch, staff etc not much different whatever league we are in.

Exactly. Wheres the money going to come from in the future. Its the start of a downward spiral.

Wages are more than covered this week.
Let's just let the dust settle give Paul Hornby and Co chance to air their views, inform us of the path they are taking or at least hoping to go down, then take stock and go from there. No point in bed wetting!

[Lightflood]

How do you know the wages are covered

[geobarrovian]

How will the wage bill be payed this week, going to be very interesting who is in the squad on Saturday, would not be surprised if all the loan players go back, will we still train in Rochdale, and stop over for away games after Harrogate we go to Ebbsfleet,Aldershot and Braintree going to be interesting times indeed.

That's a bit melodramatic, probably not paying anything/an awful lot at all for the loan players they are getting valuable playing experience here so I highly doubt they will be going anywhere immediately, there could be some very uncertain times ahead but the club is not going to fall apart instantaneously.

[Hitthebar22]

Exactly. Wheres the money going to come from in the future. Its the start of a downward spiral.

Wages are more than covered this week.
Let's just let the dust settle give Paul Hornby and Co chance to air their views, inform us of the path they are taking or at least hoping to go down, then take stock and go from there. No point in bed wetting!

Agreed.
It just [SwearFilter] me off when people have knocked the Cassons during their tenure (and yes they have made mistakes) they just don’t realise that it’s Casson money that’s kept us going at this level. Can’t be any argument with that.
Now their money will no longer be available I just hope there is a contingency. As we all know, hope is not a strategy.

[barrowaberdeen]

Aside from the fact M might know, no way a local accountant (and the club's) like Paul Hornby is going to walk blind into a full blown crisis like that- there's got to be at least a bit of contingency. And a few helping out financially.

That's what is giving me some hope at the moment- we need to listen on Friday and see what he has got to say.

[blue nige]

Aside from the fact M might know, no way a local accountant (and the club's) like Paul Hornby is going to walk blind into a full blown crisis like that- there's got to be at least a bit of contingency. And a few helping out financially.

That's what is giving me some hope at the moment- we need to listen on Friday and see what he has got to say.

Exactly too many people panicking for all his faults it's obvious Paul Casson has been discussing this with various parties over the last few months theres no way he'd just leave the club without some sort of financial package to cover the interim period before the group taking over.