Weston Saint

The "window" closing for existing season ticket holders on 30th June is the equivalent of "early bird prices" of the past in my opinion. I suspect the club will start its advertising campaign after 30th June to attract new season ticket holders. They will know that existing holders will make the necessary enquiries to renew. There is no point advertising for new ticket holders until that initial “window” is closed. I see no evidence that season tickets will disappear or that the club do not intend to continue the same in future years. Delaying the announcement until 1st June or removing the Instalment plan is not evidence that the club do not like season tickets. It is a convenient argument for those disliking the way Mr Cortese runs the business but not “evidence”. The delay may well have been to give the club a chance to update their business plans after discussion with the Manager as to his needs and set season ticket prices within that plan. That would have included cutting out as much administration cost as possible. The club would not have absorbed such cost, it would have been recouped from the customer. Prices have gone up above inflation for a couple of reasons. First, the increase in VAT from 15% to 17.5%. Second, the aspirations for success have increased and that has additional costs not least better players required at higher wages. The club owner made no secret that he wanted the club to be self sufficient. That is not possible when rebuilding. It will hit his pocket in the short to medium term but some of that cost has to be borne by the customer as well. We have one of the best stadiums in the league, one of the best teams, one of the best infrastructures so we have to expect to be paying one of the highest prices in the league.

To me it is simple. The club offered a FREE instalment plan. The costs of Administering the same did not justify continuing. They withdrew this season. They could have set up a third party instalment plan but the customer would have to pay a rate of interest. That rate was under the control of the finance company NOT the club. If someone wants to take out a loan to cover the immediate cost of the season ticket they can do that independently. The only real issue is the late notification to supporters who relied on the club scheme but they were getting something for nothing, ie free loan over the years.

I spoke to Nigel Cowley after the game (he was the TV umpire). We were discussing the loss of the last 5 wickets for 1 run. He said some time ago when he was playing for Hampshire at Dean Park we lost the last 5 wickets for no runs having only reqired 5 runs to win. Must be a Hampshire thing. Spoke to Tom Burrows, WK, whose contract was not renewed last year. He has not picked up a bat or put on the gloves since! He is busy qualifying as a Lawyer and working at Paris Smith Solicitors. Wants to specialise in sports law.

http://www.rosebowlplc.com/news/the-final-countdown/

No!

The original proposal always troubled me. The club will get parachute payments over 4 years yet not all of that is passed on to the creditors. The parachute payments give them an advantage over other clubs in the league who do not receive such pyments. They were set up to ease a clubs reduction in income/high expenses whilst they "downsized" Well PFC are downsizing now and are supposed to be able to live within their means in the CCC. If they are allowed to keep any of this "bonus" it makes a mockery of those clubs who are struggling to make ends meet but achieving it by not paying high wages/transfer fees.

I have not been in touch with Steve, his dad, for a few weeks now. Last he told me was he doubted Drew would be at Wolves next season but did not expect any movement until after the world cup. I could not put that up until Wolves had formerly said he could leave. I have no reason to believe he is about to sign. I am not going to ask as if he was in talks that would be confidential and I would not put a friendship under pressure by asking. I will wait and see what happens like all the rest. Speculation and rumour are usually wrong.

In the last week there have been comments in the Times newspaper that Warwickshire have given Tim Ambrose WK a 28 day window to talk to other counties. Ambrose has been dropped from all forms of Warwickshire first team cricket as his form has dipped since being dropped by England. His contract expires at the end of the season. Last week Giles White denied that we had spoken to Ambrose but yesterday an article appeared again in the Times day 3 match report written by Ivo Tennent. He was clearly against Hampshire signing Ambrose when we had a good young prospect in Michael Bates waiting to take over the gloves when Pothas decided to give up his. Yesterday morning during the morning session I spoke to Ivo for a few minutes and asked him if it was rumour of fact. He assured me that Hampshire had made an approach. Personally I would not wish Ambrose. Michael Bates is recognised as an excellent glove man (he is only eighteen) and his batting is improving. I would hope Nick Pothas will stay behind the stumps for another 2 years to give Michael a chance. We have another even younger Academy WK by the name of Rouse who also looks a great future prospect. I decided not to speak to Nick about this at this stage.

I never doubted it. He represents a major creditor and was on the committee that discussed the issue. I spoke to him face to face today. He does not hold out much hope. I asked if he thought PFC would be liquidated but his view was someone would buy it on the cheap with 17 point deduction and that with the resources at their disposal a further relegation was favourite.

I suspect that is the same source that I spoke to face to face today.

Latest News from a source - HMRC & Gaydamac unhappy about the deal on the table and likely to reject. You are now going to ask the source - all I will say is that it is someone on the committee of creditors. This is first hand, not via anyone else.

This was a seam bowler wicket with occasional introduction of Briggs spin. Pothas got that right in my opinion. Weather won and I can tell you our players are very down about it. One bit of news. England have released Pietersen to play T20 and he has confirmed to Hampshire he is available for Sunday's match at the Rose Bowl against Surrey.

Another absorbing days cricket. Let's hope the weather does not ruin what should be a tense finish tomorrow.

Great days cricket. Before the start of play today we agreed 350 would be a massive score. It was not to be. All of Hampshire bowlers were excellent today. Essex 209 came in 92 overs. Might look like slow scoring but interesting all day with the bowlers on top.

Looks unlikely he will come. Giles White is resigned to not having him. That said I think Danny Briggs will do a good job for the rest of this season. Signing overseas players who still have an international future is fraught with difficulties for all clubs but if they are not the best then why sign them when you have a good set of younger players coming through from the Academy.

Also Herthath has been called up to the SL side so leaves tomorrow. Briggs back in the squad.

Dimi has had a reaction to his injury and is out again. He does not know how long. Kabir Ali told me before the game he was off for an xray on his knee. Still looks some way from being able to play again. Duncan Fletcher back at the Rose Bowl tonight and in the dressing room. Lumb seems to have been found out. Caught the last three times in the same position backward of leg. Both sides found it difficult to get the ball off the square. Important first win.

Winners- the club who no longer have the cost of administistation/oursource or the fans who pay up front and will not see a levy on the cost of their tickets to offset the administration costs. I pointed out that I consider the club income from this decision will not be affected over the season. That is a formed opinion but I am sure the club factored all this into the decision.

I am going to apologise but I have not read this thread fully but thought I would make some comments. I agree there are a proportion of the season ticket fan base who are “disappointed” by the late withdrawal of the interest free instalment plan. I can understand that and it will put them in some difficulty. The club should have indicated this at the end of the season at the latest. However we do not know the circumstances which led to this late decision. The suggestion is that it is too expensive for the club. I am prepared to accept that reasoning. When the club was purchased Mr Cortese made it quite clear his remit was to run the club as a viable business. That entailed some cost up front but he was determined to look at all aspects of the business for cost cutting. Season tickets cost last season reflected the dire position the team were in with -10 points, a losing mentality, a division that was not aligned to our expected status and a fan base diminished by the actions of the previous regimes. May cuts and changes behind the scenes have been made during the year since they took control and now it is the time for ticket pricing strategy. The cost of this year’s tickets have increased but the majority still seem to think that is a fair reflection of what we have i.e. one the best stadiums in the division, one of the best teams in the division, one of the highest goal scoring teams in the division and a real anticipation of automatic promotion next season. Some have said that the lack of stage payment plan means they are unable to buy a season ticket. If that is a large minority then just think what that will cost the club by way of administration or outsourcing. Someone has to pay for that. Should that be on the price of the season ticket the majority pay up front and on time? Some say by paying up front that is a form of credit to the club. Do not forget that in return for that payment a substantial discount is given on the match day prices. Quite simply the club have made a painful decision, they will have been aware of that, and it may be that a thousand or so will be unable to renew. However, I anticipate they will still be able to attend some and that the club revenue over the season will not be damaged. It is a business decision and like all decisions there are winners, losers and some unaffected. That is the world we are in. If it makes for a stronger, viable and successful club long term whilst I am sorry for the “losers” by the decision the majority will give their support. The decision may not be poor but the delivery date, without a full explanation from the club on their web site, is an own goal.

Pothas can shave off his beard now. He said he would when Hants got 3 wins in matches. Notts in CC and Warwickshire & Scotland in Clydesdale. Latest is Dimi suffered a reaction to his second 11 outing last week and will not likely play in the T20 opener on Thursday. Kabir Ali having a trampolene test this afternoon and if no reaction to his knee injury he may be back against Essex in CC on Friday. Griffiths still out with hip issue. Jones progressing but not likely to be risked just yet. No sign of overseas replacement for Afridi in T20. Mendis still due after the Asian cup. Brett Lee still a possibility but still looking at his recovery and information from Cricket Australia

Yes he will be the liquidator but HMRC will be watching him very carefully

I think some may be missing the point if I understand the document properly. An Administrator has less power that a Liquidator when it comes to investigating what has been going on. So, the Administrator gets on with trying to get the business on a decent footing and has agreed to it being a new company in 9 months liquidating the old at that time. The creditors 20% is safe (relatively speaking because it is over 5 years and the new company could fail in that period) BUT, and here is the important part, the old company goes into liquidation giving powers to the liquidator to investigate what went on and if the directors etc are complicit they can be prosecuted and or made to pay money to the liquidator which he passes on to the creditors as that is outside of any CVA The CVA will be agreed. Pompey will start without a points penalty, will limp through the next few seasons and even suffer further relegation.

Boring Yorkshire refused to set a target. Reason for their declaration was that they were carrying over a -2 over rate from the first innings whch would have meant a 2 point penalty. Opened the bowling with their 2 spinners to get it back to 0 which they did. Hour delay did not help but Yorkshire never loooked up for it. Good match for David Balcolme. Bowled well and looked a genuine number 8 batting.

Spoke to Dominic Cork this morning. He agrees Hants bowled poorly first morning. Asked him about his knee injury as he went off for a while on the first day. He said he felt a problem but it is ok now. He is positive about the remainder of our season. I see and talk to enough of the players to share that optimism Yorkshire are 216 ahead and if they play right they should declare when they have a lead of 300 or so leaving Hants to bat for 70 overs. Yorkshire will want to win so they need to give us a stiff but getable target. With 70 overs and over 300 they will back themselves to bowl us out. The wicket is playing well but there is something still in it for the bowlers. Hants will start cautious but if they can avoid losing much in the way of wickets by the mid afternoon session it is game on.

Spoke to Kabir Ali today. His knee is getting better but he has not tried running yet. Hopes to be fit for next week.