Statement from Mel?

[IslandExile]

I think it's fair to say that we are all getting impatient for news.... What will be the nature of the EFL punishment? Will we find new owners? Will we be selling anyone? Will we be able to sign anyone?

In the meantime, there have been calls for Mel to make a statement. People are dissatisfied with what the club put out last week and, irrespective of any delicate negotiations, they demand an update from the owner.

The only way people would be satisfied, if he were to do so, would be if he laid it all bare and on the line, something like this:

"Thanks to chasing the dream and Covid, the club is in a poor financial state. I've gone as far as I can and need to hand it over to someone else. We've tried with three different parties to accomplish a takeover but, either because they couldn't fund it or because they were put off by the size of the task, none of those deals have been achieved.

"Consequently, I will try to fund the club in order to keep it out of administration. But we will have to cut costs. We will be forced to sell the best of our promising youngsters, at cut prices, just to be able to pay the day to day running costs.

"Of course, it means we do not have the money to buy the goal scoring striker(s) that we desperately need. We may not even be able to afford loan fees.

"That, along with a likely points deduction for next season - and a rookie manager - all means we are very likely to struggle - even more than last season."

And here's the crunch...

"We need support now from our great fans. Even though the football will be dire, shocking performances and awful results, we need everyone to renew their season tickets, buy merchandise and support the club in every monetary way possible."

Really, people are saying that they want honesty and openness, what do they really expect him to be able to say?

Would you renew season tickets etc if you knew we were heading for League 1 with barely a whimper?

Edit: I just wanted to add that I, too, would like more honest communication from the club - it's just that I don't think they can, not in a way that wouldn't cause more damage if the situation is as bad as we all suspect.

Edited May 15, 2021 by IslandExile

[B4ev6is]

28 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

I think it's fair to say that we are all getting impatient for news.... What will be the nature of the EFL punishment? Will we find new owners? Will we be selling anyone? Will we be able to sign anyone?

In the meantime, there have been calls for Mel to make a statement. People are dissatisfied with what the club put out last week and, irrespective of any delicate negotiations, they demand an update from the owner.

The only way people would be satisfied, if he were to do so, would be if he laid it all bare and on the line, something like this:

"Thanks to chasing the dream and Covid, the club is in a poor financial state. I've gone as far as I can and need to hand it over to someone else. We've tried with three different parties to accomplish a takeover but, either because they couldn't fund it or because they were put off by the size of the task, none of those deals have been achieved.

"Consequently, I will try to fund the club in order to keep it out of administration. But we will have to cut costs. We will be forced to sell the best of our promising youngsters, at cut prices, just to be able to pay the day to day running costs.

"Of course, it means we do not have the money to buy the goal scoring striker(s) that we desperately need. We may not even be able to afford loan fees.

"That, along with a likely points deduction for next season - and a rookie manager - all means we are very likely to struggle - even more than last season."

And here's the crunch...

"We need support now from our great fans. Even though the football will be dire, shocking performances and awful results, we need everyone to renew their season tickets, buy merchandise and support the club in every monetary way possible."

Really, people are saying that they want honesty and openness, what do they really expect him to be able to say?

Would you renew season tickets etc if you knew we were heading for League 1 with barely a whimper?

Edit: I just wanted to add that I, too, would like more honest communication from the club - it's just that I don't think they can, not in a way that wouldn't cause more damage if the situation is as bad as we all suspect.

What I expect mel to say I am going to fight efl and gibson every duncking corner I can. And I trying my best to keep club going but I need help to do so.

[IslandExile]

4 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

What I expect mel to say I am going to fight efl and gibson every duncking corner I can. And I trying my best to keep club going but I need help to do so.

Good call B4.

I hope Mel still has the energy for the fight.

[B4ev6is]

6 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

Good call B4.

I hope Mel still has the energy for the fight.

Well even it is just get his own back I ask efl look into boro accounts saying they have spent more than we have.

[May Contain Nuts]

20 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

Good call B4.

I hope Mel still has the energy for the fight.

Sadly I don't look at him in recent appearances and think 'energy'. I wouldn't wish to speculate any further though.

I know that the above looks like a vague 'you OK hun" social media post, it isn't meant to. I know duck all and wouldn't pretend or hint otherwise.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Coconut

[IslandExile]

2 minutes ago, Coconut said:

Sadly I don't look at him in recent appearances and think 'energy'. I wouldn't wish to speculate any further though.

I know that the above looks like a vague 'you OK hun" social media post, it isn't meant to. I know duck all and wouldn't pretend or hint otherwise.

I think it's common knowledge that he's been ill. I think he's said it publicly himself. I'm sure that has a lot to do with his reasons for wanting to sell up. I hope people can show a bit more respect.

We've all made mistakes. Mel is getting slammed for financially backing his managers. For me, his mistakes were his appointments. But none of it was intended to damage the club, only to chase the dream.

[B4ev6is]

I wish I could talk to find out what is actually going off.

[IslandExile]

Just now, B4ev6is said:

I wish I could talk to find out what is actually going off.

Yeah. I think we all do, mate.

[B4ev6is]

And not knowing what is going off and seeing how much money we owe and see posts that Derby could go bust it really would break my heart.

[Gritstone Ram]

If I was Mel I’d say the first person to stump up some money can have the club. 
 

[IslandExile]

1 minute ago, B4ev6is said:

And not knowing what is going off and seeing how much money we owe and see posts that Derby could go bust it really would break my heart.

Hang in there buddy. Things are bad at the moment but, believe me, they have been worse before.

We'll get through it. Derby County will get through it. There will always be a club. And the great thing about football, or sport in general, is that there's always next season.

COYR ?

[IslandExile]

3 minutes ago, Gritstone Ram said:

If I was Mel I’d say the first person to stump up some money can have the club. 

Judging by the recent failed takeovers, that's what he has been saying. It's just that, when the crunch came, they didn't have the money.

[B4ev6is]

1 minute ago, IslandExile said:

Hang in there buddy. Things are bad at the moment but, believe me, they have been worse before.

We'll get through it. Derby County will get through it. There will always be a club. And the great thing about football, or sport in general, is that there's always next season.

COYR ?

I bet poor bury fans said the same before there club went bust.

[IslandExile]

2 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

I bet poor bury fans said the same before there club went bust.

Didn't they have owners hell bent on destroying the club so they could build houses on the ground?

Even Mel's biggest critics won't say he's intentionally trying to destroy the club.

One point we'll all agree on, the EFL did not help Bury or other clubs in their situation.

[BramcoteRam84]

I just want some assurance that as custodian of the club Mel isn’t going to walk away from his obligations until a credible buyer is found, and as a result I will still have my club to support. 
 

I can take league 1, I can take another 10-20 years of the championship, i can even accept never being in the premier league again. I just want my team I’ve grown up supporting and along with my family the only link I have left with my home city, to still exist. 
 

This horrific Covid season has made me appreciate this club a lot more and made me realise it isn’t all about promotion to the premier league, it’s about belonging.

[Eddie]

19 minutes ago, Gritstone Ram said:

If I was Mel I’d say the first person to stump up some money can have the club. 
 

<phone rings>

"Hello, Effendi. I can do you special terms on refrigeration products."

To tell the truth, I'd snatch old Fridgy's hand off compared to some of the real shysters who we've been linked with.

[Ambitious]

I do think after the latest takeover was called off in the press that he has a service to the fans to give an insight to what is going on.

If you take everything black and white, the last we heard from him was that we were getting taken over by No Limit Sports... Limited. Although, we're told by every man and his dog that isn't happening. The club haven't confirmed either way. I would say that deserves a direct correspondence, otherwise all we have to go on is the story that we could be the biggest liquidation in English football history. If that's true then, well, I guess it's better they say nothing at all! 

[Tyler Durden]

A Trappist Monk seems positively verbose compared to Mel Morris.

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, Tyler Durden said:

A Trappist Monk seems positively verbose compared to Mel Morris.

Good point. There's a way for Mel's stock to rise by taking a leaf out of the Trappists' books - he could brew some decent beers.

[B4ev6is]

42 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

I just want some assurance that as custodian of the club Mel isn’t going to walk away from his obligations until a credible buyer is found, and as a result I will still have my club to support. 
 

I can take league 1, I can take another 10-20 years of the championship, i can even accept never being in the premier league again. I just want my team I’ve grown up supporting and along with my family the only link I have left with my home city, to still exist. 
 

This horrific Covid season has made me appreciate this club a lot more and made me realise it isn’t all about promotion to the premier league, it’s about belonging.

Well mate I also grew up supporting Derby county I badly want to see us when a league and a cup one day but because of freaking virus.