Club Statement: New Chairman - Paul Hornby

[barrowfan]

Just referred on R cumbria to Paul Hornby as new owner.

He is if you read the statement from Casson.

[barrowfan]

Interesting line in Hornby’s statement “ the group will come up with a revised leadership structure and investment plan that will see us continue to support Ian for this season and continue to build the club beyond that.’

Support Ian for this season - does that mean he goes after that as the club ‘continues to build beyond that’.

[blue future]

Usual knee jerk reaction from many.
How many have actually read the statement by Paul Hornby properly?
In it he states “ I have assured him (IE)that the support he has been promised will continue as we continue to build”.
If there was no money there I am sure he would stated that.
Also I believe that Paul Hornby has known about the Casson planned departure at the end of the season and has been in talks with local investors. His statement says “I will be gathering investment in the club from a group of local individuals, a consortium of sorts. Along with my continued support of the football club, the group will come up with a revised leadership structure and investment plan that will see us continue to support Ian for this season and continue to build the club beyond that”. Is he not the best placed person running a successful accountants to know who can invest and who can’t. I think that this has been planned behind the scenes for a while and we will find that a group of local business men will take on the mantle.

[Jonty]

Sense, there will be some phased handover, (ongoing now for some time) behind the scenes Hornby will have gained the support needed to do this and checked and re checked the future structure and outlined a business plan. He is a well respected figure in local business and he would not have taken this on unless he was sure that his consortium can continue and make a go of it.

[Hitthebar22]

Usual knee jerk reaction from many.
How many have actually read the statement by Paul Hornby properly?
In it he states “ I have assured him (IE)that the support he has been promised will continue as we continue to build”.
If there was no money there I am sure he would stated that.
Also I believe that Paul Hornby has known about the Casson planned departure at the end of the season and has been in talks with local investors. His statement says “I will be gathering investment in the club from a group of local individuals, a consortium of sorts. Along with my continued support of the football club, the group will come up with a revised leadership structure and investment plan that will see us continue to support Ian for this season and continue to build the club beyond that”. Is he not the best placed person running a successful accountants to know who can invest and who can’t. I think that this has been planned behind the scenes for a while and we will find that a group of local business men will take on the mantle.

All speculative... “I believe”...is not a fact. So many posts in a similar vein. No harm in saying it, but it’s meaningless to simply say “I believe”.
We have lost our major benefactor, which is a fact,and a worry. I have no idea what happens next. Perhaps we should be regretful, but pointless because regret doesn’t achieve anything. All we can do is support the new establishment to the hilt.

[blue future]

Usual knee jerk reaction from many.
How many have actually read the statement by Paul Hornby properly?
In it he states “ I have assured him (IE)that the support he has been promised will continue as we continue to build”.
If there was no money there I am sure he would stated that.
Also I believe that Paul Hornby has known about the Casson planned departure at the end of the season and has been in talks with local investors. His statement says “I will be gathering investment in the club from a group of local individuals, a consortium of sorts. Along with my continued support of the football club, the group will come up with a revised leadership structure and investment plan that will see us continue to support Ian for this season and continue to build the club beyond that”. Is he not the best placed person running a successful accountants to know who can invest and who can’t. I think that this has been planned behind the scenes for a while and we will find that a group of local business men will take on the mantle.

All speculative... “I believe”...is not a fact. So many posts in a similar vein. No harm in saying it, but it’s meaningless to simply say “I believe”.
We have lost our major benefactor, which is a fact,and a worry. I have no idea what happens next. Perhaps we should be regretful, but pointless because regret doesn’t achieve anything. All we can do is support the new establishment to the hilt.

Of course it is speculative but read the statement again. I for one think it is quite positive

[Hitthebar22]

OK. Repeat, all we can do is support the new administration.
I’m sorry to see the Cassons go. They were knocked by many (Pedro has been a hilarious classic) for allegedly misusing (their own) money! They had a go, in good faith. I’ve no idea how important a substantial wedge is for (e.g.) staying in The National League, but I know that the last 4 years with promotion, National League status and a cup run is infinitely better than looking forward to a visit from (no disrespect) Mickelover Sports in the glue league.

[Soulboy]

Paul Casson came in when our club was in a poor state. He had high ambitions and for the first time since leaving the football league we had some hope of a return. The dream was alive and we should recognise that fact.
Yes he provided many promises but he did not appreciate the costs and nuances of football and got his fingers burnt by streetwise operators like cox and others.
Always was a huge mountain to climb but at least he had a decent go and put his own cash in there. Some success in promotion and cup run and maybe with more luck and finance we could actually have made the play offs... then what? Who knows but once we were in this league it became clear to many that the funding couldn’t continue and ground improvements took a backward step due to high costs on the pitch.
I agree with those that say thank you and appreciate what they tried to do and let’s face it we wouldn’t be in this league in 13 th place without his ownership.
Yes there have been many frustrations during the period too and some things could have been better managed.....perhaps the ability didn’t match the ambition at times but here we now are.
I feel we must be positive and await what Paul Hornby has to say. At least we are running and have someone prepared to take on the reins.
This with the pride for the club in the Furness locality will ensure barrow afc continues.

[Pedro]

OK. Repeat, all we can do is support the new administration.
I’m sorry to see the Cassons go. They were knocked by many (Pedro has been a hilarious classic) for allegedly misusing (their own) money! They had a go, in good faith. I’ve no idea how important a substantial wedge is for (e.g.) staying in The National League, but I know that the last 4 years with promotion, National League status and a cup run is infinitely better than looking forward to a visit from (no disrespect) Mickelover Sports in the glue league.

They chose to take control.
No one made them promise things.
Do people think after 4 years of running the club they are leaving a stable Commercial set up.
The problem is when you have a autocrat and the odd sycophant fantasy gets in the way of reality.
What will I remember Paul Cassons tenure for?
The promise of a stadium
Promise of getting us back in the Football League
The sackings by email.
Toxic revenue taken from the Hospice which damagef both parties
I know people who still refuse to give money to the Hospice because of the sponship.
The number of Managers and staff sacked in a season
He came, he promised and as I said he had a exit strategy which could eventually see us move from Holier Street
He cannot just pull the plug but he is certainly on the way to doing it .
He passed the stewardship to his son and now to Paul Hornby Accountant.
In summary we are no further forward than when the Keens left,infact I would say we are worst off.
We would have had four years of rebuilding even from a lower league.
He had no strategy,and no real plans

[mickmike wilson]

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.

If local companies are not getting paid that’s disgusting...FFS I hoped those days were long gone & it’s bemused me that Historically both the RL & Footy clubs have done this down the years & im baffled by it as your shutting in your own bed..

[mickmike wilson]

The mind boggles and I wish I could say I were surprised at the absolute ingrates that are spouting off. I'm amazed that the Casson family have continued for quite as long as they have done. It's a constant bleed on their own finances to keep the club afloat, and it was never going to be a permanent solution. I totally agree that naivety, with regards to what would be needed and what could be achieved, has played it's part but naivety doesn't warrant the slagging off that they have been subject to. When someone has done their best then their efforts should be thanked.
It's a shame that the enterprise hasn't paid off in the way that they had hoped, I would like to think that they can walk away with some good memories and the knowledge that they 'did their bit'. They did MORE than their bit in my opinion.
Good luck to the Cassons. Good luck to any Hornby led consortium or any other arrangement. Good luck to ANY efforts that will keep our club going at this level.

That’s a good post Hoss.

There’s been things done that could’ve been done much better, there’s no doubt about that, but Paul stumped up probably more than £4m to do things how he thought was the right way. I think to most it didn’t make sense but it was his money, his club and he did what he thought was right.
He tried to do his best in his own way, promised things he probably regrets doing but I still think he deserves our thanks....if for no other reason than actually trying in the first place.

2 good posts here & several others & those short sighted asssholes slagging them off are idiots of the highest order with sad little lives that they only feel fleeting good about themselves when slagging others off, Christ we get local businessmen sponsoring lots of club stuff & they get slagged off for it, Casson spending millions, gets slagged for it, You do realize that you mouthy no-marks put local investors off by your constant negativity, feel free to slag me off now....Rant over..

[Bingo]

Maybe the guy shouldn't have made such grand promises, maybe he should have invested in things in the ground to generate money and improve the match day experience. Maybe if 5 years ago we had gone to the wall and started again from scratch we would be in a better place now with more fans.. Who knows.

Promised loads delivered little

Do Barrow bluebirds Ltd still own the club? Is he selling the club and keeping the ground renting it back to the club.. All these questions need to answered

[blumooncrab]

Be grateful to the Cassons - £4m is a lot of money - we now have a good pitch for the first time ever; the best footballing team we ever had ; and a rollercoaster few years including a championship and third round glory - biggest home crowd for 27 years and some national exposure. It was not perfect but it never is and it will never be . SO thank you Paul for giving it a go. Much respect . What [SwearFilter] me off is the negativity and more than that the people who never turn up. Barrow AFC is not sustainable on the crowds we get. Apatheic Furness public - Good luck to Hornby and to the Club

[Keith C]

Be grateful to the Cassons - £4m is a lot of money - we now have a good pitch for the first time ever; the best footballing team we ever had b

Yeah and who pays for that from now on?

[Keith C]

Im sure I remember someone on here who used to warn you of all this ................