Some Wittoners have been asking me my views about the uncertainty surrounding Vics future, and that of their stadium.
As some of you know, I met Jim Rushe, the Vics chairman yesterday at his request. Although the precise nature of our meeting must rightly remain confidential, I don’t want any wild conjecture to fill this forum, and I also want to be as clear as I can with Wittoners over the current position.
My sole responsibilities are to the supporters and shareholders of Witton Albion. No-one else. Consequently I’m only concerned with the best interests of your football club.
The whole issue of whether we should leave Wincham Park for anywhere - including the Victoria Stadium - is a very simple one. We own our ground and I could never recommend to shareholders or supporters any move in which we did not retain ownership of our home.
Even if we wanted to (which we don’t) the current economic climate makes it unviable to borrow any money, let alone the figure allegedly currently being asked for the Victoria Stadium. The interest payments alone would be £135,000 a year.
And right now it isn’t clear who - or what - we’d be dealing with if we tried to buy it. As anyone in the property business will tell you, now ain’t the time to dabble unless you have very big pockets. And we don’t.
Sharing Wincham Park on a regular basis isn’t an option either as Runcorn Linnets are with us this season at least. One-off help may be possible if Jim Rushe asks, and it is sufficiently in Witton Albion’s financial interest to do so.
Right now, our focus has to be on going forward - and upwards - after a difficult week. Jim has my sympathy; he’s working very hard to resolve a difficult position, but the distraction of events across the water is an unwelcome one for us right now.
I’m always willing to meet Jim or any representative of Northwich Victoria FC, and it’s important that the two clubs have dialogue. Beyond that, however, unfortunately we can’t help Vics any further.
I hope that puts things into context. There are no hidden agendas or conspiracies - just people trying to run two clubs in very difficult financial circumstances.
Right now, although our finances are tighter than ever, we are stable as a business. I would be shirking my legal responsibilities to the shareholders if it was not. As our neighbours know only too well, the dividing line between stability and chaos is wafer-thin. Let’s use this as a reminder that we must never again cross that line ourselves. After all, unless we are very careful, it could be us tomorrow.
As ever, if anyone wants to ask me anything about anything (providing there’s no confidences involved), you’ll get a straight answer. See you at Ossett.