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Time's Up John
Our football club has now been in administration for nearly a year and a half. Initially there was some interest from prospective buyers but when they were shown the books and confronted the harsh reality of our situation, they all shied away. Frankly, I do not blame them. Paying a substantial amount for a football club like ours is equivalent to flushing £2.5m down the toilet. Only investing in a club will guarantee 4,000 people abuse you for being a skinflint for not throwing away more on players and wages.
However, the fans were comforted by the knowledge that the majority of our massive debt is not owed to banks or other financial institutions that might treat us harshly. Our debt is owed to John Boyle - the self made millionaire who sent his common sense on holiday whilst he poured good money after bad into the Fir Park black hole. It seems absurd to contemplate Boyle killing us off. That would, seemingly at least, be
the one way he could ensure he recoups absolutely none of his investment. But if Boyle is so clearly our saviour, our only chance for redemption, why has he still not initiated proceedings to take us out of administration?
There were various rumours about Boyle and our situation last year, each of which seemed to carry a small proviso which had to be met before the first step could be taken. The players won their appeal to compensation - so that was clarified. We survived in the SPL, albeit on a technicality, so our income for the next season guaranteed. Bryan Jackson had trimmed the expenditure to a level where we were no longer making operating losses. The Supporters Trust, which Boyle was always keen to talk up, has been established and are twiddling their thumbs waiting for a direction
to take. All in all, there appears to be no reason for Boyle not to bite the bullet and start getting things moving.
In my experience, Motherwell fans are a fairly fickle bunch at the best of times so it is no surprise that we are divided over Mr Boyle. Nobody objected when our ambitious chairman arrived, promising bigger gates, better players and success. Secretly we may all have suspected that he was talking nonsense but I do not remember anyone having the strength to say so at the time. It now seems that perhaps there was a misunderstanding over the nature of the investment. For Boyle it was an investment to be noted in his portfolio. To the fans though, it seemed like a gift, and in our current situation it is absurd to think that a businessman of this standing could have made such a mess. That is where the hostility to Boyle comes from. Our club was muddling along nicely, well within our means before he was here. Now, because of his gamble, we are being damaged and are struggling to keep our heads above water due to the strict rules enforced by Bryan Jackson.
Administration was a useful trick to shed some money from the wage bill and as long as John Boyle does do the decent thing and write off the vast majority of his debt, then I think most fans will remember him kindly. He took the risk that everyone wanted but lost. Yes, he could have done some things differently but it was his money to lose. As long as the club exists at the end of this, I believe Boyle deserves credit for trying. Will we still exist though? Unless moves are made soon, my little remaining faith
in Boyle will be eroded.
Derek Wilson
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