[Archived] Phoenix From The Flames

[Ricky]

In light of recent events I thought it might be of interest to some on here to share my events of an unusual season for me. Over the previous 6-7 years my trips to Ewood have reduced, I have a 7 year old and a 7 month old daughter and I have a 7 hour round trip to Ewood. That couple with a wife who isn't overly keen on football and prefers IKEA has meant that I've been limited to the odd game and a few Midlands away games over the years.

I'm based in Hereford, I've always watched a few Hereford games here and there but never avidly.

A couple of years ago Hereford United got into real financial problems. The fans raised a lot of money to save the club and pay a HMRC bill to avoid being wound up, the club also managed to stay in the conference on the last day of the season by winning at Aldershot. In came some dodgy cockney owners (Google Tommy Agombar and Andy Lonsdale) who failed to give the conference the financial reassurances they need resulting in the club being relegated to the Southern League. Attendances dwindled and club staff weren't paid, finally within a matter of months the club was no more. On 19th December the club was wound up in the High Court and Hereford United FC ceased to be.

At that stage there was a lot of talk about it being the end. The council had just built a shopping precinct next to the club, the council owned Edgar Street so everything pointed to the ground being ripped down and made into shops or houses. It was very much seen as the end.

However in the summer of 2015 some local business men got together and each put £50,000 in to fund a Phoenix club. After numerous discussions with the council an agreement was met to lease the Edgar Street ground and Hereford FC was born with the club motto 'forever united'. A kit based on the old white United kit was produced with the fans designing and voting on the badge.

A decision had to be made by the FA and Hereford FC ended up being placed in tier 9 of English football, the Midland Football League. Peter Beadle (the manager who was in charge when Hereford had got the win to stay in the conference) was put in charge and he started to build a team to challenge for the league. After a slow start a 27 match winning streak set the tone for the season, with the league title finally being wrapped up on Monday at Coventry Sphinx. Over 1000 Hereford fans made their way to Coventry who's attendance on the previous week has been 37. As well as a successful season in the league there are also 3 cup finals to look for including the FA Vase final at Wembley. After initially being allocated 3500 tickets for the final the FA have increased the allowance and over 17000 tickets have been sold to Hereford fans. The debt is no more and the club is being run in a professional way. All sponsor boards are sold, there is interaction with the fans and openness from top to bottom.

I guess I just wanted to share my thoughts on an unusual season for me. Venkys have ruined the club and at present I can't see any other outcome apart from administration. The debts are too high for anyone to take on. I guess I just wanted to share some positive experiences of what can happen if it does all go pear shaped. I'll have a season ticket next year, but it won't be at Ewood.

[Paul]

Thanks Ricky. I'd read of this before as I've always had a soft spot for Hereford going back to the early 70s and also seeing them occasionally play the now defunct Guildford City in the Southern League. Coincidental to the story we used to watch Aldershot quite regularly but that was prior to them going bust, as well, and reforming.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Yes, nice story Ricky. Just shows what can be achieved with the right people in charge, the fans united and everyone pulling in the same direction.

[VinjayV4]

Ridiculous comparison.

[A cup of beans]

Great story, Ricky.

Pleased at the resurgence.

Hope it never comes to that at Rovers.

[Parsonblue]

Good to hear this story. AFC Wimbledon and, of course, Accrington Stanley are two clubs with similar tales and fingers crossed that Stanley get over the line in the final two games and win that much deserved promotion. My main memory of Hereford is that 6-3 defeat at Edgar Street during the Third Division Championship winning season under Gordon Lee. It was totally out of the blue and inexplicable at the time.

[AggyBlue]

Hope it never comes to that at Rovers.

Yeah, I don't fancy the ninth tier, isn't that almost Sunday League football. Pub teams etc

[VinjayV4]

Please don't compare Blackburn Rovers to Hereford United. What next Great Harwood?

[Ricky]

Vinjay, where did I compare Hereford to Rovers, all I'm trying to highlight is that there is life after administration. You're a bit of a clown really.

Meant to say that gates of over 4K have been a regular thing this season (capacity is about 4400). In league 1 Hereford were getting lower attendances.

[VinjayV4]

Yes well we know the club could be reformed if put out of business. Hardly highlighting anything we don't know already.

[chaddyrovers]

Please don't compare Blackburn Rovers to Hereford United. What next Great Harwood?

Ricky didnt compare Tho did he?

He just told the story of Hereford Utd

[Stuart]

Excellent post, Ricky. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

If Hereford can do it with their fanbase, Rovers should be able to do it with our 4-5000 hardcore.

I wonder if Seneca would support a club in the 9th tier?

I can't imagine our fans being united over anything, sadly. Even things such as the iconic badge. I love the Rovers badge but would be prepared to go back to the pre-86 rose as the club badge. I'm sure others would not. We would have to keep our blue and white halves.

I doubt that we could lease Ewood Park though and at best it would be a ground share.

[chaddyrovers]

Please don't compare Blackburn Rovers to Hereford United. What next Great Harwood?

Ricky didnt compare Tho did he?

He just told the story of Hereford Utd

Just chill out

Excellent post, Ricky. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

If Hereford can do it with their fanbase, Rovers should be able to do it with our 4-5000 hardcore.

I wonder if Seneca would support a club in the 9th tier?

I can't imagine our fans being united over anything, sadly. Even things such as the iconic badge. I love the Rovers badge but would be prepared to go back to the pre-86 rose as the club badge. I'm sure others would not. We would have to keep our blue and white halves.

I doubt that we could lease Ewood Park though and at best it would be a ground share.

I think if Rovers ever went into admin I think the 2 Ian's would buy Rovers tbh.

[perthblue02]

Please don't compare Blackburn Rovers to Hereford United. What next Great Harwood?

Tell you what that Etihad stadium must be built on a really big hill considering the moral high ground fleeting supporters of Sheikh ur money FC take

[philipl]

There will always a Blackburn Rovers.

We will have our wonderful memories and great times in future while at the moment we suffer.

At least in our 26 years outside the top flight we had meaningful promotion challenges in 13 of them but that was a long grim exile...

[Paul]

Please don't compare Blackburn Rovers to Hereford United. What next Great Harwood?

Why don't you just shut up for a while. Or even better get back to the Etihad.

[AllRoverAsia]

Great post Ricky.

[Stuart]

I think if Rovers ever went into admin I think the 2 Ian's would buy Rovers tbh.

I'm not talking about administration. That would still be the same club. This thread is talking about liquidation. In this case, Blackburn Rovers would cease to be and a NewCo (e.g. Blackburn Rovers 2016 FC or AFC Blackburn Rovers) would start. New strip, new badge, likely new ground (or ground share). I wonder if this would be supported by them?

[oldjamfan1]

Yes well we know the club could be reformed if put out of business. Hardly highlighting anything we don't know already.

I would ban you for posting this. Out of a batch of poor posts, this just took you to a new low. And please don't blame it on your mental health issues. This is quite simply rudeness and uncalled for and I think you owe Ricky a huge apology. Absolutely no need to make a comment on the thread if it doesn't interest you.

I'm not talking about administration. That would still be the same club. This thread is talking about liquidation. In this case, Blackburn Rovers would cease to be and a NewCo (e.g. Blackburn Rovers 2016 FC or AFC Blackburn Rovers) would start. New strip, new badge, likely new ground (or ground share). I wonder if this would be supported by them?

FC Rovers of Blackburn sounds absolutely fine to me Stuart. I would come down from Glasgow to watch them, for sure.

[VinjayV4]

I would ban you for posting this. Out of a batch of poor posts, this just took you to a new low. And please don't blame it on your mental health issues. This is quite simply rudeness and uncalled for and I think you owe Ricky a huge apology. Absolutely no need to make a comment on the thread if it doesn't interest you.

FC Rovers of Blackburn sounds absolutely fine to me Stuart. I would come down from Glasgow to watch them, for sure.

Fine. Sorry.

Nice of you to comment on all the abusive posts I get just for mentioning Alan Nixon's name. Then again you coldly dismissed me on twitter (just for saying Nixon downplayed the Celtic link and mentioned it there to avoid the abuse on here) after you mentioned your source over Celtic/Lambert.

[oldjamfan1]

Nice of you to comment on all the abusive posts I get just for mentioning Alan Nixon's name.

That is the response of an 11 year old. I don't read every thread or every post as I don't have the time to, but when I see a decent poster like Ricky - and more to the point a rare positive post - treated like that I feel compelled to speak out.

[gumboots]

Fine. Sorry.

Nice of you to comment on all the abusive posts I get just for mentioning Alan Nixon's name. Then again you coldly dismissed me on twitter (for saying Nixon downplayed the Celtic link) after you mentioned your source over Celtic/Lambert.

if I were you, I'd just stop posting for a while. Limit yourself to constructive posts just for a few days. You are currently on every thread and often have nothing really new to say on any of them. A break might give us all breathing space.

[VinjayV4]

if I were you, I'd just stop posting for a while. Limit yourself to constructive posts just for a few days. You are currently on every thread and often have nothing really new to say on any of them. A break might give us all breathing space.

Don't think that's true at all. I started a protest thread (which as we know turned into a tremendous biscuit debate) in an attempt to stop others going round in circles as one example. Not my fault it didn't work.

Anyway on the topic of a phoenix club. Do you think there would be the slightest chance of Ewood being maintained for a few years (or at least being kept intact perhaps with the assistance of volunteers?) while the phoenix club plays elsewhere?

[oldjamfan1]

Fine. Sorry.

Nice of you to comment on all the abusive posts I get just for mentioning Alan Nixon's name. Then again you coldly dismissed me on twitter (just for saying Nixon downplayed the Celtic link and mentioned it there to avoid the abuse on here) after you mentioned your source over Celtic/Lambert.

If 'coldly dismissing you' is telling you that I only use Twitter for work purposes then yes I did. I would take gumboots' advice if I were you. You are starting to become very tiresome. This is somehow all about you when our club is dying on its arse.

[47er]

He isn't "starting" to become tiresome at all! He has been ever since he returned. Its all about him.

Ban him for a month and give us all a break.

Re Ricky's post, I have never doubted for a minute that a new Blackburn Rovers would rise from the bonfire if we were forced to go that way but its good to hear as many practical examples as we can find. Gives us all some assurance I think.

Remember that's the WORST case scenario. It could be much better than that. The best scenario, imo, is if Venkys give up, pay the debt and hand it over to a community-based group.

Somewhere between these two extremes is the outcome. It is not the end of Blackburn Rovers.