I have not been on the board for quite awhile and it does not seem to have changed much.
Plenty of petty remarks and name calling with the site seemingly split into two opposing views.
It got to the stage where you could not have a sensible discussion without being insulted and that is why I decided to play the Devil's Advocate under a different nom de plume.
People who know assume I got a bit mixed up but it was done on purpose to show the stupidity of it all and how we must look to other clubs with all this griping.
The situation is simple the teams both first team and reserves have had a fantastic season and the players and coaches deserve all the plaudits they get. The achievemebnt by the first team is a fantastic record to have been set by the club and the reserves in the play offs for the first time and lets hope that it cultimates into promotion to the Championship for the season 2011.
The other side of the coin is the club off the field and the problems that exist.
What will happen on the 8th September is at the moment an unknown factor and if it goes against us it will be a sorrry day once again for the club.
I have never believed since I was on the committee that a Limited company Public or Private is/was the right way to go for a club that had existed as a members club for over 100 years.
From day one when the club embarked on a Limited Company status we have had problems.
First the Bears but that has been and gone to the present club.
When it was first started in 1997 people who supported the club where hoping for a bright future but in the climate that ugby League as existed over the years since and the economic status it as been difficult for quite a lot of sports and clubs and some have gone by the wayside.
In regard to our club and my situation I have given my time, energy and money in supporting the club in any way I can.
I collected the lottery from the agents, I was the time keeper at away matches and helped on match days. and I was the clubs Welfare Officer.
At the end of the season 2009 I stopped everything with the exeption of being the clubs Welfare Officer due to an health problem and the fact I was waiting for an operation.
When the 2010 season started I continued to watch the matches and was still the clubs Welfare Officer up to the Workington Game at Sedgely Park. At that match I was goign through the gates were the stewards were as I normally did when becasue I was asked for my pass I had brought my 2009 time keeping pass to the game which was then out of date by mistake and not my Welfare Officer Pass which is not dated I was refused admission without my pass, by a person who is still working for the club, even though they knew I was part of the clubs staff, a fact that was stated on the clubs web site. I was therefore told I would not be admitted unless I paid to go in, which I did. To say I was annoyed was an understatement.
I was disgusted at the treatment I got so therefore I resigned that position, and informed the RFL of the situation and so once again became a supporter like others.
It meant for the first time in years I could choose which matches to go to without letting anyone down.
I have always supported the club and will always do so and I will always hold the belief that Oldham Rugby League Club is bigger than any one person.
Running a rugby club is two big for one person to do and that is something that I have said to ch on more than one occassion. It creates problems, the job is two big, it can lead to a lack of transparency.
I have not always agreed with the way the club is run and I have not always agreed with ch himself.
I once asked how much money did one need to become a director but the figure I was quoted was behond my means.
For 13 years as ch as said the club as struggled from one problem to another with finance and ground problems both of which have been well documented.
The present club as had five directors during that time. CH. SW. ML. SH. and BQ.all of whom have owned shares in varying quantities.
All have put money into the club and one as we know put a substantial amount of money into the club.
THe club as we know is owned and run by one person.
However, and this is where I disagree with the recent statement made by ch .
During the 13 years, and I apologise if I am wrong, all the shareholders havel left the day to day running of the club to one man who as been the chairman , apart from when BQ was on the board/cheif executive during this time.
THerfore for him to say when he took over the club again should have read when I aquired the majority/all off the shares again.
All clubs have debts and most pay them on time.
Those that dont for whatever reason are those that ultimately end up in these situations.
VAT is a tax collected for the government by organisations who have a turnover over a certain figure.The money is not belonging to an organisation, it is the governments , and therefore should not be spent. It is very much the same with PAYE which is taken from employees wages,it belongs to the government.
So who do you blame when situations like this arise, the company itself is ultimately responsible for the debt,not the shareholders as they are limited to the value of the shares.
THe management run the company on behalf of the shareholders and are answereable to them. At the moment we have one shareholder and one director who has been the management for the 13 years he has been in charge.
Having said that the HMRC are, in my opinion as an accountant,their own worst enemies. Why they allow organisations to run up such debts on one or anumber of occassions is asking for trouble. What they should do is put organisations on the annual accounting scheme were they have to pay an amount determined by HMRC on a monthly basis. The accounts is balanced each year and if overpaid you get it back if not you get a bill.
This stops debts piling up and eliminates the situation where HMRC do not have to wait on returns going in before they know what a firms debts are.
Before anyone says why dont I tell the HMRC, I have.
What the future of the club is we will have to wait,hope and see.
In my opinion what is needed is as follows.
For CH to take on board more investors and directors, to have more people involved in running the club with him, to be more transparent and open( as according to others that as always been a problem) and for the club to open up and embrace the Rugby Community in the town.
If that cant be done, for the good of the club would not it be better for CH to stand down after his 13 years and let some others, if they are there to take over.
When BQ came in we all thought it was the beginning of a new dawn. What went wrong?
Providing we get over the present problems the club cant go on as it is from one crisi to another.
As I said it is TOO BIG and TOO Much for ONE MAN to do.
I KNOW THIS IS A LONG POST BUT ITS WHAT WATCHING OLDHAM RUGBY FOR 62 YEARS DOES FOR YOU.
LONG LIVE THE ROUGHYEDS
To many cooks spoil the broth,CH and SW are doing a splendid job.
I wouldnt like to go back to the Shedddings days where ''
allegedly'' the gate receipts where divided into three pots:- players,club and directors.
