Bryan Jackson interviewed on Sportsound

Richard Gordon probed our man about the future of the club and about John Boyle’s involvement since the move to interim administration.

John Boyle announces that the club is in interim administration

BJ said the he was still talking to interested parties (hmmm I thought he was only talking to one party!) but that things were progressing very slowly. The major cost cutting exercise that was undertaken should have made the club more saleable. He went on to say that John Boyle had made it clear that he would facilitate a sale and that means that he will waive some or all of his debt. But the overall aim is to secure the future of the club. “We are not getting close to a sale, in part this seems to be a reflection of the state of the industry”.

There had been a board meeting before today’s match though there was little to report.

Richard Gordon returned several times to the role of John Boyle. Jackson explained that he is still chairman and the main creditor and hence there should be no surprise about his continuing involvement. This will continue until the club has new owners.

‘How can some players be sacked then replaced by others?’ asked RG. Jackson explained that the sale of Deloumeaux and Elliott released funds and that their replacements represented savings. What about the sacked players? They are just creditors ‘like the local butcher’ or anyone else owed money by the club. There is no legal impediment to the club signing new players.

The players get a share of any dividend that will be paid to creditors after the sale. One player has intimated that legal action could be taken to recover the debt.

Can JB resume control? Bryan skated round this one and seemed reluctant to give a short, clear answer. He pointed out that if the creditors were paid off, the club could be taken out of administration and that he could take control. But “I have no indication of such a plan”.

The pundits then had their say. Murdo McLeod said that he felt this was an easy way out for Motherwell and that the SPL should talk about it!

Willie Miller pointed out that he had no experience of administration but that everything had been done properly. He added, “I think it’s wrong morally to do what they have done”.


Read the report on the Dundee game here.