We heard today from a spokesperson on behalf of the Haleem Kherallah bid. Though the details we were given were a little sketchy, here are the latest developments as we understand them.
– Mr Kherallah has tabled a bid to buy 26% of the shares in loftus road plc (or QPR holdings as it should now be known) for £1m.
– There will be a further £1m made available as a loan, at 0% interest rate, and for an unlimited length of time. This would be for the sole purpose of buying players of good enough quality to take the club into the first division for the start of the 2004/2005 season.
– As a way of protecting the future of the club, a further £1m will be held in a bank account as a way of paying any possible shortfalls in the next two years (i.e. early cup exits).
We understand that the only condition of this deal going ahead would be that Ross Jones would leave the club immediately.
Mr Khellarah has also stated that Ian Holloway has his full and entire backing and also wishes to make it clear that Ian will have full control of any players that are brought into QPR.
We will be seeking a meeting with Haleem to clarify a number of issues, including the provenance of the money he is pledging, the degree to which he intends to become involved in the day-to-day running of the club and the team, what backing he has from where, and for an explanation of his stance on Ross Jones and the rest of the QPR management team.
Correspondence with Gordon Macey
We have received a number of questions relating to the Trust’s stance regarding our friendly at Aylesbury Town and this morning we received a letter from Gordon Macey, the club’s historian, who expressed concern and confusion over this matter.
Gordon’s letter is below, followed by our response.
Dear QPR 1st
I am completely confused on the aims / objectives of QPR 1st when you are actively campaigning to have fans boycott QPR matches and thereby deprived the club revenue, via their share of the gate money. The friendly at Aylesbury is a great way for fans to thank them for being a major part of Chris Day’s rehabilitation (culminating in his display at the Millennium) and for giving one of our up and coming young players, Marian Ifura, first team experience. Don’t know if any of the QPR 1st committee went to see him play fro Aylesbury, I did for their game at Aldershot and spoke to Mel Johnson afterwards who said that the experience of playing the champion side was completely different to the Avon Insurance League and Marian had certainly benefited from it.
What has Wimbledon FC decision to move to Milton Keynes have to do with QPR? All R’s fans should be channelling all their effort single-mindedly in getting the club back on to a secure financial footing. It is history where the money came from what is present and future is the repayments required. The fact that another club is moving out of London is irrelevant to the state of our finances.
Gordon Macey
QPR Club Historian
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Dear Gordon,
Thank you for your letter today and for your comments on our recommendation that members stay away from the Aylesbury game. You make good points about how the fans should be supporting the club at all times. This is indeed what our organisation tries to do at all times.
However, the Aylesbury case is a special one because as you know, Aylesbury’s decision to play a friendly against Wimbledon MK, a club which QPR very nearly became a part of, were it not for the strident protests of fan groups which included qpr1st in May 2001. As a result, we simply do not want to be a part of supporting the Wimbledon MK venture in any way. As far as we can tell, Aylesbury is the only club in London and its surrounds to be entertaining Wimbledon MK during the run-up to season 2003/4.
Wimbledon MK’s abrupt transplantation from South London to a city which is two hours’ journey from the club’s home base was totally against all of the principles of the supporters trust movement. It involved the cynical disenfranchisement of the vast majority of the club’s fan-base. We are opposed to any such move, but particularly appalled when we consider how close QPR came to being involved in what went on. Given our club’s continuing financial problems, and its constant search for further financial backing, I am afraid that events at Wimbledon are painfully relevant to QPR.
I appreciate what you say about the historical friendship between QPR and Aylesbury. As you will have seen, our statement about this case makes it clear that we regret having to recommend something which might seem at odds with that friendship. We greatly appreciate the help that the club has received from Aylesbury over the years. Nevertheless, on some issues we as a trust cannot be seen to lack resolve.
This is one of those issues. At the simplest level we are saying to Aylesbury, “which is going to cost you the most, losing Wimbledon MK’s supporters or QPR’s?” I believe that the answer is QPR’s, but it is up to Aylesbury to make that decision. All they have to do is pull out of the Wimbledon MK fixture and we will wholeheartedly recommend that QPR1st members, and indeed all non-members, do their best to fill the place. We are writing to Aylesbury town football club to explain our position and we hope they may reconsider the Wimbledon Milton Keynes friendly.
I do not believe that the costs to QPR, of losing some supporters will be much, relative to the impact upon Aylesbury, although I appreciate that there will be a small loss of revenue.
I hope that I have stated the trust’s position clearly,
Best Regards
David Price
On behalf of the QPR 1st Committee