Dear Liam
Re: LTFC2020 Ltd to be next custodians of Luton Town
Antony, Stephen and I are proud to announce that today LTFC2020 exchanged contracts with the administrator in order to become the new custodians of Luton Town Football Club. Together with Trust in Luton, we are now in a position to be able to take the club forward after the uncertain times of recent months and to make the financial and management troubles a thing of the past. Our club is now safe.
It’s now time to look forward to an exciting future. We have a long-term plan that focuses on ensuring financial security and bringing the good times back for all supporters. We are totally committed to rebuilding the youth structure for which the club is famous and we will work within the community. We will bring the soul back to our club.
Just as a reminder for your members, we will not formally be in control of the club until the Football League reissue us with the club’s golden share. This is not expected to be until between Easter and near the end of the season, as creditors and the Football League have a large say in timescales. At this point we exit administration and we will once again be able to trade on the transfer market and be in control of our own destiny. Whatever sanctions the authorities take against us for past wrongdoings, and whatever league we are playing in next season, all at LTFC2020 are totally committed to our long-term plan.
The whole team at LTFC2020 would like to place on public record our tremendous thanks for your support over the past few months. We know this was based on our Prospectus and subsequent Bid Document we issued, but nevertheless your board and your members have been supportive in so many ways. We owe you a debt of gratitude and we are now eager to ‘get our sleeves rolled up’ and start turning our club around.
We have said on many occasions that this will take time. The club has been left in a terrible state and that is why it is so important we stick to our 2020 Mission. To a large degree, the fight for survival has just begun. However, the huge battle we have just won is that we are now in control of our own destiny. This was achieved because of unity across the whole supporter base.
Over the coming months, we aim to find a suitable location to be a new home for Luton Town. As you know, we will commission an Independent Feasibility Study that will engage the community, fans, businesses, Council departments, MP’s and yourself, amongst others. We strongly believe that contrary to recent publicity, an option for a home for the club can be found within the Borough and we do not necessarily need to invade rural greenbelt to achieve our aims. However, whatever the outcome of the Study, we will use it as the determining factor in selecting our new home. Obviously we hope we can rely on your support during this process.
We have written to Luton supporters on the club’s database and taken the opportunity to thank all fans, corporate supporters, staff, players, management, and MP’s for the overwhelming encouragement and backing we have received. During the bidding process we have had literally thousands of messages of support and offers of help from fans both in Luton, the UK and across the globe, and this unity amongst all sections of the fan base bodes very well for the future. Luton Town is nothing without the support of the fans. You are the lifeblood of the club and we need your support both vocally and financially as we have a lot of work ahead of us. We know it’s going to be tough to start with, but by working together and supporting each other, Luton Town can again become the club it so recently was.
We believe the future is very bright. It’s taken a crisis to unite the fan base, but united it is. Many legends have graced our halls, stands and pitch. With your help and support, we can put the heart back into our famous Club.
I will sign off by asking you to bear with us as we put together our full management team and to ask you to ask your members support Mick, the team and the staff.
Yours Sincerely,
Gary Sweet
Managing Director
LTFC2020 Ltd
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OFFICIAL LTFC2020 PRESS STATEMENT
LTFC2020 are proud to announce that today we exchanged contracts with Brendan Guilfoyle, the clubs administrator, in order to become the new custodians of Luton Town Football Club. We are now in a position to be able to take the club forward after the uncertain times of recent months and to make the financial and management troubles a thing of the past. Our club is now safe.
Gary Sweet, director of LTFC2020 said “It’s now time to look forward to an exciting future. We have a long-term plan that focuses on ensuring financial security and bringing the good times back for all supporters. We are totally committed to rebuilding the youth structure for which the club is famous and we will work within the community. We will bring the soul back to our club.”
Brendan Guilfoyle said “This is a big day for the Club and all fans. The future of the Club has been settled. However, the administration process is quite long and still has a way to go. I am delighted that I can now work with Gary and his team and focus on bringing this to a conclusion.
I will formally hand over the Club to LTFC2020 once the Football League reissues the Club with the ‘Golden Share’. We expect this to happen sometime between Easter and the end of the season, as both the Football League and the previous managements’ creditors have a large say in the timescales. However, once we exit this final period of administration, Luton Town will in be control of its own destiny.”
Director of LTFC2020, Stephen Browne, added “We are all lifelong fans who have witnessed many ups and downs. This is why our first priority is to bring stability to the finances so that we can start to rebuild. Once we have achieved that, we will undertake an Independent Feasibility Study to identify the best location for the desperately needed new stadium. We will work with everyone to achieve this goal. To be absolutely clear, no site is ruled in or out – the Independent Feasibility Study will show us the best way forward.”
Gary finished by saying “Whatever sanctions the authorities take against us for past wrongdoings, and whatever league we are playing in next season, all at LTFC2020 are totally committed to our long-term plan.”
LTFC2020 is a consortium of lifelong Luton Town fans who have already invested monies to stabilise the business. Consisting of successful businessmen and ex-footballers, the consortium has exciting plans that include a focus on developing youth talent and engaging the communities of Luton and Bedfordshire. The consortium is fully supportive of Mick Harford and his team as he looks to rebuild the team after the sales of so many players over the past 24 months.
With regards to the support the bid has gained from the fanbase, Nick Owen, Chairman of LTFC2020, said “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the overwhelming kindness and backing we have received for our plans. Over the coming months we will keep everyone informed of our progress as we aim to repay in some small way the faith that has been shown in us. We know the next few seasons are going to be tough, but by working together and supporting each other, Luton Town can again become the Club it so recently was. Many legends have graced our halls, stands and pitch. With your help and support, we can bring the heart back to our famous Club.”
Brendan Guilfoyle and LTFC2020 will now concentrate on liaising with the Football League and Football Association to resolve the threats of sanctions so that the club can move forward again.