Trust in Luton Press Release Club in crisis? Fans to decide Trust in Luton will be leafleting Luton Town supporters this weekend as they make their way to the League One home game against Nottingham Forest, in order to give fans the true story behind recent statements from the Club.
“There have been a lot of comments from the Club in the press and, whilst the Club insist they want to be open and honest with the fans, the fact is that throughout this year their story has continually changed. We represent the fans so we want the fans to be provided with the correct information and then decide for themselves if they are happy with the off-the-pitch activities. Our leaflet details statements the board have made and show how the story has been getting gradually worse, so that now things are unacceptable and we genuinely worry for the future of the Club. This mismanagement and misinformation can’t carry on. How on earth Mr Blackwell, his staff and the players can operate in such a climate is beyond me” said Liam Day, Chairman of Trust in Luton.
He went on “It is exactly because of the constant changes in their story that we are demanding that we are provided with the full and complete facts to us as a shareholder of the Club. Since we distanced ourselves from the board, the Club’s losses have escalated, we are subject to an FA investigation, we have huge claims against the Club from previous employees, attendances are massively down, irregular payments have been admitted in a national newspaper and apparently ‘secret’ agreements have been signed with a landowner. It is just not good enough and this is exactly why a fans’ representative sits on the board – to protect the long-term interests of the Football Club and ensure the probity of directors.”
Trust in Luton, staffed only by volunteers who are mainly lifelong Luton Town supporters, has been working tirelessly since the Spring of this year to clear up the mess that the Club is now in. The Trust was promised full financial accounts from the Club, and, after five months of waiting, they are still missing important information which the Club refuses to provide. They are not in a position to reassure supporters that things are improving.
“There is a lot of talk from the Club about ‘hidden agendas’. Ours is freely available on our website and has been all year. We will be reinforcing our aims at our AGM on 15th November in the Eric Morecambe Suite at the Club. Ironically, in terms of so called ‘hidden agendas’, there is nothing public from the Club or indeed from these shadowy third parties that also seem to be profiting from the Club. We have asked to meet Mr Pinkney to explain our position numerous times, but he refuses. What have they got to hide?” said Day.
On the subject of the seat on the board, Mr Day confirmed that this was a right of the Trust, given by the holding company of Luton Town, Jayten Stadium Ltd.
“We have it in writing, we carried out our duties faultlessly for over three years, and Mr Mitchell himself has been chasing me through the summer to come back to the board. We distanced ourselves because of issues with directors’ probity that have since been proved correct. I was the last TiL representative and I did not formally resign anyway.
If Mr Pinkney has addressed these problems and wants to be ‘open and honest’, why has he now decided to block our return when we are in a position to announce it? Again, what has he got to hide?” Day added. Liam also paid tribute to Bob Bates who sadly passed away on Monday 22 October. “We’re all devastated by the news. What Bob did for Luton Town was enormous and just can’t be put into words. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts go out to his family. We understand that it will be family flowers only at the funeral, although donations will be taken for Pasque Hospice, where Bob spent his last few weeks”. |