June 26 2010

Crystal Palace

The news for CPFC gets better, with the approval of the vital creditors' voluntary agreement, declares Jamesey.

The last time we were in administration a decade or so ago, I sat on my hands and hoped for the best, apart from paying in £1000 to the trust which was returned later anyway. It seemed to go on interminably until Simon Jordan appeared and was hailed as the new messiah.

No one has been more critical of Simon than I in recent years but in the context of our dire situation in 2000, Mr Jordan was a crucial element in the survival of CPFC.

In recent years, of course, matters have gone seriously awry and, when I attended the first May creditors' meeting and saw Simon sitting in front of me I felt a strong urge to throttle him from behind. But that would have complicated things even more and spending whatever is left of my life in a Wandsworth prison cell wasn't all that attractive a prospect.

At that meeting, it was far from certain that the necessary 75% vote would be forthcoming to legitimise the CPFC 2010 take-over and prevent a new season points deduction. Simon himself, a major creditor, was apparently unhappy at the penny in the £ offer.

Anyhow all that aside, at the meeting on June 25, the vote for a CVA was almost unanimous, the only No being the taxman who always votes that way as policy.

The 1.9p improved offer must have been satisfactory to Simon or maybe other factors persuaded him to vote Yes.

I even felt a glow of satisfaction that I had played an infinitesimal part in the proceedings myself.

I stumped up £245 for a concessionary season ticket for 2010-11 in October 2009 and, as such, was a creditor. Thus I was able to add my little pot by proxy to the yea-sayers at the meeting.

I have no idea of the total amount involved for all advance season ticket sales but to all of us involved, whether we voted personally or by proxy, we can pride ourselves in having played an important role in the future of CPFC.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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