Stephen Vaughan

[McMark]

Like him or loathe him. Our Main Stand is still the best feature of the ground. Built whilst he was in charge.

If you aren’t going to pay for it, build a proper stand!

The only thing he probably ever passed legitimately or as near as is probable is “The fit and proper stand test”.

[chipmunx]

Like him or loathe him. Our Main Stand is still the best feature of the ground. Built whilst he was in charge.

He had to be threatened with court action because he didn't pay for the work !

Almost correct - court action was started but an agreement was eventually made (ie he agreed to pay up) just minutes before the case court started.

* it was agreed on the steps outside the court

[Rob]

I can’t help thinking that if Vaughan was considered a fit and proper person to own a football club then my dog would probably have passed it too.

Actually I believe that Vaughan was (eventually) the first person to ever fail the fit and proper person test, during his time at Chester.

Which if you think about the people who have passed is really saying something about him.

[Suffolk Blue]

When you take away the anger and for many the hatred accumulated for people like Vaughan or like Whittingham at Morecambe you are left with a few simple characteristics that ultimately define what and who they are. And why they should never be considered fit or proper.

Chief amongst these is that whilst they purport to be businessmen, they choose to see their clubs as possessions or as personal fiefdoms and therefore make hostages of them.. They find that the theoretical asset value of their clubs as possessions (another subject for debate) plus the associated kudos that comes with ownership, somehow outweighs the immense enduring financial responsibilities that follow. Obligations for which they have no strategy or plan to deal with.

I’m not naive enough to think that this type of model is not the one that is embedded across all levels of football including the highest. But the thing about people like the Glazers at Man Utd for example, who have made massive gains through the use of copious amounts of other people’s money, is that love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are so very good at what they do.

The thing about people like Vaughan (or Whittingham) is ultimately they are crap businessmen who will always behave in a way designed purely for self preservation when things get tough. In fact even when they don’t.

So in relation to things that Vaughan did or didn’t do, everything would have had a price tag that involved a return in his mind. For which the club would have had to pay. It’s what so obviously driving events at Morecambe as we speak where the very fact of losing personal wealth is creating the most bizarre and irrational of responses from its owner that actually have begun to defy common business sense.

We have never come closer to extinction than under Vaughan and for that he will forever be condemned to my personal view of hell. But actually he was just a small time boxing promoter that used his profits to fund (for whatever reasons) his obsession for owning football clubs that he could afford to buy but not sustain. He never had the abilities, the finances or the right connections to make it work. With horrible consequences.

But don’t take my word for it. Read his obituary. It is simply a list of his colourful failures.

[Pedro]

Initially he seemed a saviour.
He actually bought the club for none altruistic reasons.
Once Customs and Exercise started to look into the club finances he dropped us like a hot potato.
The present Board have genuine intentions but it must be stressful for them ,so thanks for what you do.
Vaughan nearly cost is our club.

[JayBee]

You mean a stand that was quite likely paid for with the proceeds of a 'business' almost certainly responsible for the deaths of many young people. A 'business' model still being operated by his son not only in this country and Malta but possibly in Wales with a small club Flint Mountain who he has apparently just invested in.

How much of it was actually “paid for” certainly during the time he was in charge will probably be forever a moot point.

The cost of the Stand was £250,000. £100.000, was paid for by Asda the remaining £150.00. was due to be paid to Mike McKenzie Builders but after long delays the actual amount received by the company after long negotiations the company received less than the £150.000. that was agreed to hence certain elements of the build was not completed.

[chipmunx]

How much of it was actually “paid for” certainly during the time he was in charge will probably be forever a moot point.

The cost of the Stand was £250,000. £100.000, was paid for by Asda the remaining £150.00. was due to be paid to Mike McKenzie Builders but after long delays the actual amount received by the company after long negotiations the company received less than the £150.000. that was agreed to hence certain elements of the build was not completed.

Everything that Mackenzie were contracted to do was completed. There were no works under the stand in the contract.

[Methuselah]

Don’t agree with the celebration , wouldn’t have the club we have today or the stand without him.

Rest in Peace, hopefully he will get the stand re named after him

That Stand was never paid for by Stephen Vaughan.The firm that did the steelwork for it went out of business because of him.He nearly succeeded in very nearly sending Barrow AFC into oblivion.If it wasn,t for Brian Keen stepping in and forming a consortium to save the club we would be no more.
One thing I,ll never forgive him for was that I had booked a football party for my sons birthday and had paid for it only to be told when I rang up to confirm iit was that the club was in administration and my sons's party wouldn,t be going ahead and I wouldn,t be getting a refund.He loaded our club with massive debts from his own company.
He was then allowed to go and do a similar thing to Chester.There was only one place that man should have been.PRISON.People who were asking for minutes silence want their heads looking at.They obviously didn,t know the real Steven Vaughan a criminal who.should have been put behind bars.

[Suffolk Blue]

Vaughan was put behind bars in 2011. He did 15 months for assaulting a police officer. He was also disqualified from being a company director for 11years for VAT fraud.

His entry in Wiki describes him as a “ business man and convicted criminal”.

As I noted above his past is an open book that has now finally closed.

[mickmike wilson]

Lets be honest here, Something that SV didn't know the meaning of, He was a crook & being a Boxing promoter & Footy club owner were only means to further his criminality.

[JayBee]

The cost of the Stand was £250,000. £100.000, was paid for by Asda the remaining £150.00. was due to be paid to Mike McKenzie Builders but after long delays the actual amount received by the company after long negotiations the company received less than the £150.000. that was agreed to hence certain elements of the build was not completed.

Everything that Mackenzie were contracted to do was completed. There were no works under the stand in the contract.

[JayBee]

Everything that Mackenzie were contracted to do was completed. There were no works under the stand in the contract.

I never said there was any work to be done under the stand.

[McMark]

I never said there was any work to be done under the stand.

Others have made references to the state under the stand under previous topics I think Chipmunx was offering a bit of clarity to the whole stand development at the time nothing more.. Wonders have been worked under there the last three years or so. Reference the GMV thread for more information.

[chipmunx]

Others have made references to the state under the stand under previous topics I think Chipmunx was offering a bit of clarity to the whole stand development at the time nothing more.. Wonders have been worked under there the last three years or so. Reference the GMV thread for more information.

correct