Hoyus Ahammerower
Midfield
I'm a long standing and realistic (neither a "happy clapper" nor "knee jerking reactionary") season card holding supporter, who having read and re-read numerous posts in this forum, is unsure exactly what some of my fellow supporters and PF contributors, I think there are differences, regarding the ownership of SAFC?
We know the current owner wants to sell the Club and at the same time a number - sizeable, majority? who really knows - want him out, I suppose like BREXIT, at any cost. As far as we know, in the close season, a bid was made, considered and then refused, we don't know the real reasons why, many will speculate and give their own reasons/versions as fact.
Again we know he has refused to commit funding for additional playing staff, utilising most of any incoming transfer funds to stabilise the shortfall in income following relegation (even on top of this season's parachute payments, costs particularly wages, exceed income) and at the same time pare down our massive debt, to whoever we owe it?
Mr Short has indicated his intent to continue to cover the day to day costs associated with running the Club, which must also be increasing, due to a decrease of over 10,000 paying "customers" reducing budgets by possibly £150,000 ?? every home game - just an illustrative figure. That pledge SHOULD rule out any threat of "self requested administration" (even ignoring the fact that Short himself would be the real loser financially as a result of it)
So we all know things definitely aren't good off the pitch and behind the scenes never mind on the pitch - this with no chance of improving until January.
So what do supporters want? To drive/hound him out?
Short, to take a massive business hit and sell at the lowest/highest (perspective?) price available to him? or, Short to "gift" the Club to?
Then we are faced with the question WHO will be prepared to take on the task and burden of owning and running us with the current problems we are faced with, financially, structurally and of course on the football pitch?
What of Short's own options, knowing that he wants out, persist and try to manage costs, stabilise the Club and hope that things improve on the pitch in the hope of selling the Club in slightly more favourable circumstances??
Be bloody minded - take the hit financially, stop the drain on his finances, either Administration, the Club takes the penalties, yet another relegation then who will step in to the breech? OR, IF HE IS REALLY bloody minded! end it all, write of the Football Club, Liquidate the Club, inform the EFL that SAFC can no longer fulfill the requirements of playing in the Championship and that is THE END. Obviously a massive financial hit for him and perhaps an even greater emotional and social blow to supporters and City - but he will be rid of us as a burden and his companies will retain "the land based assets" if in fact they are of any value.
Possible outcomes? Who really knows? You choose to suit your own personal agenda.
But what a really sad state of affairs and a really difficult situation we find ourselves in.
What is worrying, is that if Short walks away or is driven out tomorrow, for any reason, who steps in and pays the bills on Monday?
