fter a weekend of rumour and counter-rumour, QPR1st calls on those involved in the latest attempt to buy QPR to live up to what they have been saying about openness and transparency – by telling the fans about the deal that is on the table.
QPR fans have endured a year of helpless spectatorship, during which supporters of different bids have attempted to manipulate them by spreading sometines vicious, rarely attributable, rumour. As each lead bidder has refused to reveal even the smallest piece of information about themselves or their bids, so they have fallen victim to the rumours spun against them by their rivals.
Now, at last, we are being told that a bid acceptable to Chris Wright has emerged, but still the amount of information being released is tiny. QPR1st desperately wants to offer its support for a realistic bid that offers QPR a viable future. But it can only do that when its members know what the bid entails. QPR1st feels that the attitude of all of the bidders towards the fans borders on contemptuous.
Let’s just start with the reactions to the current bids. No sooner was David Davies’ statement out last week than the two failed bidders were demonstrating their anger at being rejected – admittedly in a pretty offhand way – and their supporters were working hard to spin against the new initiative. None were speaking from any position of knowledge, they were guessing at the details of the new lead bid and people were picking up on their guesses to talk it down further. Whatever the intentions of the losers were at the time, QPR1st believes that what they were doing was ultimately damaging to the interests of QPR.
This spinning has continued. On Saturday morning, a rumour spread through Shepherds Bush to the effect that Ron Noades had bought a 99-year lease on Loftus Road. A five minute phone call from QPR1st to David Davies secured a flat denial, but not all of those who heard of this went away believing it. Mud sticks when aimed properly and QPR1st has more than a fair idea which interest, which has been chipping away at all of the bids, was behind that gem.
But the supporters of the new initiative are no less guilty of holding onto information unnecessarily. So far, QPR1st has gleaned that Chris Wright is accepting payment of only half his debt, for which QPR1st thanks him, that all debt will be paid off via a new finance package and that the club will come out of administration.
According to Alex Winton, whose bid has now warmed considerably to the idea of joining in with the Davies initiative, it involves a short term loan at 8% interest. David Davies has told QPR1st that he intends for there to be fans representation in the running of the club. No financial information has been released officially.
QPR1st was not impressed to see a question about the club’s financial performance over the last year rebuffed by Mr Davies in the club’s website Q & A. But it was pretty appalled to see Monday’s Standard carrying an article quoting Mr Davies and also saying that club turnover is £6.4m and the wage bill is currently £3m and will fall to £1.8m next season. It might not have been a direct quote, but it was pretty clear where the information came from. What is it about the sub-Standard that sets it above ordinary QPR supporters Mr Davies?
And QPR1st has not been impressed with the perfomances so far of Mr Davies’ fellow board members. Ross Jones somehow considers supporting a football club to be no different from purchasing knickers in Marks and Sparks. He must make a considerable emotional investment in his smalls then. Nick Blackburn meanwhile appears to have spent at least one evening last week lobbying individual fans by phone, normally having the opposite effect by eventually attempting to tick them off for not agreeing with him.
Mr Davies please understand. QPR fans are not stupid. They are not sheep. The QPR fanbase is brim-full of talent, intelligence and passionate commitment to QPR. All we are waiting for is to know that the club’s future can be secure. All you have to do to is to answer some simple questions, perhaps not even all of them, and you could see the door swinging open. Please stop trying to spoon-feed us only what you think we ought to know, because we are more than capable of assessing the facts and making up our own minds.
The questions below are pretty well the same as were asked of Maurice Fitzgerald a couple of months back, with some additions tailored to this particular proposal.
How can the club afford loan repayments of reportedly £1m/yr year in the future when, by David Davies’ own admission the club was looking to break even this year.
What effect will the Weareqpr involvement in the proposal have on the saleability of players and what proportion of revenue will be generated for the club by any future sale of a WAQ player?
How will you consult and involve the fans,’not exclusively with, but including QPR 1st’, whenever you propose a major strategic change to the company’s direction and, if the vote/mood is against your proposal, will you adhere to that?
Who are your backers and what is their business?
How much do you intend to raise as a loan against the ground?
What operating capital do you aim to raise?
What is your understanding of the current financial status of the club? (income/expenditure/indebtedness)
How will the behind-the-scenes management of the Club be organised?
QPR 1st Supporters Trust are pleased to announce that a public meeting has been arranged for Thursday April 4th, at the assembly hall Hammersmith town hall, with a 7pm start. This is rather a symbolic date all round, with it being a year since QPR sadly went into administration, as well as it being a year since the original setting up of the supporters trust.
The Committee of QPR 1st will give an annual report on how the Trust has progressed in its first year of operation and there will also be an opportunity for members of the QPR public to address the committee. This is also an opportunity for everyone with an interest in QPR to come along and pledge their support to the club. Invitations have been sent out to various parties to come and talk on the night, and so far we have confirmation of the attendances of: Ian Holloway, the team manager; David Davies, the chief executive; Councillor Andrew Slaughter, the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham; A representative from Supporters Direct. They will all be making speeches on the night.
Unconfirmed so far: Various players – past and present; various parties who have bid for QPR during this past year; Reps from other supporters groups.
There will be a raffle and a merchandise table on the night. We also hope to have a GhostMenswear table available on the night too. A bar will be available AFTER the meeting in the hall area. If you love the Rs then come along for an evening of pure QPR.
Appeal for help
Leaflets will be distributed before the game on Easter monday against Notts County regarding the public meeting. We will need help with this. If anyone can help who hasn’t already informed us that they can help with this on Monday then please get in touch with us on our info@qpr1st.co.uk address. We would also like to thank Neil Truckle for his help regarding the printing of the leaflets. A real star.
We also appeal for help regarding the public meeting itself. We need help with stewarding on the night in question, help with setting up tables and the stage, along with other help. Again, if you can help please get in touch. All help will be greatly appreciated.
And finally. If anyone has any prizes they would be willing to donate towards the raffle on the night this would also be much appreciated. Please get in touch.
Many thanks
QPR 1st Committee