As I was present this morning it’s taken me a while to get home and onto the site. Mark Harris, in his role as Acting Chairman, has asked me to be the official spokesperson and as such I will be posting as soon as possible other parts of this morning’s meeting.
For now the official notice from Mike:-
"As I celebrate my tenth anniversary as a custodian of Witton Albion Football Club, I believe this is the right time for me to resign my position as Director and Chairman.
When I first arrived 10 years ago, the club was in the control of a court appointed administrator and the future was extremely bleak.
Although I had no previous experience or involvement in the management of a Football Club, I decided to give what support I could over a 1 year period with a view to recovery strategy.
During that year I came into contact with so many people who clearly considered the football club to be an important part of their lives and I was so overwhelmed with their commitment, desire, loyalty and passion that I decided to continue my involvement.
I set myself the following Targets/Objectives:
- To return control of the club to its shareholders.
- To restore the credibility and pride of Witton Albion in the football community.
- To manage the club to its highest standards possible and to provide an environment which was safe, friendly and very hospitable.
- To ensure the club could sustain the highest level possible in the football pyramid without impacting on its long term future.
I believe we have achieved all these objectives through considerable commitment on my behalf and the support, commitment and loyalty of the directors, shareholders and supporters of Witton Albion Football Club.
I will be retaining my shareholding in the club and I will continue to provide advice and support as required to ensure continuity.
Finally, I leave the club with no regrets and the satisfaction that I did my best and I hope the friendships I have enjoyed over the last 10 years will not be lost."
Thanks Chad I’m glad your very much on the scene and it means we will get to know things much more quickly and people’s minds will be at rest rather than rumour and counter rumour. This is all a shock and far too early to speculate. My immediate feelings are that this is sad for Witton albion. Mike has done brilliantly for the club even if sometimes I have not agreed with the way he’s done some things. I hope he will be continuing his interest in the club and providing advice and expertise when its needed. I know Mark Harris to be very much a people person and I hope Mark will be the guy to take us into a new era.What we need now is some continuity especially on the pitch so here hoping Jim will reconsider and get back to what he’s good at managing the football team. I appreciate that off the field is probably more important as its the life blood of the club but just at the moment while we get this sorted we need the playing side to be stable. That means Jim!!
Whatever its important everyone pulls together and ensures Witton albion FC continues to flourish!!
Taking me longer than expected as I’ve had several lengthy phone calls. However this posting relates several answers to questions that the local media raised with Mike after the above statement had been read to them.
In answer to some of the questions raised this morning Mike replied:-
"I reckon that over the 10 years I have been involved then on average roughly like 20-25 hours per week have been spent tending to Witton Albion matters. There hasn’t been a day in the 7 day week when I haven’t had to do something connected with the Club. Something like 4 hours every Sunday for instance just keeping the club’s administration straight.
The strain on my personal life has been tremendous and the time has come to re-address that. In particular with my partner Julie having to tend to her mother has meant so much time has been spent apart and we both need to get our lives back on track.
The recent issue with Jim Vince was just another part of managers’ comings and goings. If I was planning to go it would have been with promotion because I would have seen that as the greatest accolade I could have given the fans here. Don’t forget it’s taken us 10 years to get where we were this season. For football players, fans etc it may have been another season but for me it was 10 years work.
I’ve always felt that 10 years would have been the limit for my custody and it would have been nice to go out on a high but it’s not to be. The fighter inside me did though say I need to battle through the events of the past 7 days. You need to take your personal life though into consideration and that weighed more heavily.
I just hope that the supporters do realise that in my 10 years I did achieve something for Witton Albion. Let them judge what that was.
I wouldn’t like to say my relationship with football has come to an end. I feel that with 10 years experience I do have something to offer to any football club that feels the experience and knowledge I have would be of value. Consultant capacity or maybe even after-dinner speaking.
Really need to let the summer pass and I will still be standing by Mark Harris in his capacity of Acting Chairman and if needs any advice or support then I’ll be giving him that."
I’m now posting some relevant extracts of what our Acting Chairman Mark Harris responded in answer to questions from the media:
"I stress that Witton Albion FC afford Mike a huge debt and the club would welcome him here. He gave the football club back to the club from the administrator. I hope that Mike continues to play some role within the club because of the legacy he’s left.
I have been here 6 years and will not stand by in their hour of need. The Board have still to meet and I will sit in the chair until another person is appointed, be it 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months etc. I can assure every Wittoner I will give it my best possible shot but I stress do not want the position permanently.
The events of the past week have been hugely disappointing and we all now need to go forward as one. The Board, because we are a democracy and not a dictatorship, will discuss the position of Team Manager asap. Realistically the next 48 hours will give time to continue the work that is already in progress on reviewing, bearing in mind we did not win promotion, the available budget etc for next season.
After two incredible seasons we do not want revolution but evolution and we need to build on what has been achieved initially off the field and now on the field. A whole lot of football clubs will envy Witton Albion’s stability. We now need continuity and if we can all go forward together then we’ve got a chance.
The players themselves will be coming in at the week-end and we do hope that their positions, together with the Managements, can be quickly resolved as any delay would not be beneficial to Witton Albion Football Club.
We have had a number of enquiries regarding the position of Football Manager and some of these have been formalised with CV’s attached and at this stage we will add these to other things the Board needs to talk about.
I fully understand that our supporters want to know what’s going on and they deserve to know at the earliest possible opportunity, especially because of their own involvement and commitment to their club. Without our supporters goodwill we have nothing!