The Football News Thread 2017/18 - everything not Wolves
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YoungWolf
World Cup 2014 PTG Champion - Not actually that Yo
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oh wow I had no idea.
On a similar note, I was reading about Barry Town the other day. I knew they had some issues in last decades (or even longer) but I didn't know the extent of it all! Some of my family were from Barry!
On a similar note, I was reading about Barry Town the other day. I knew they had some issues in last decades (or even longer) but I didn't know the extent of it all! Some of my family were from Barry!
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Deutsch Wolf
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To be fair, if I were writing a low-end football drama and scripted the matches thus:
- Play away at ground where your team hasn't won for nearly 70 years, go down to 9 men and win
- Losing the next game, a 20 year old kid who we signed for free from total obscurity comes on for his league debut and scores inside five minutes
- Playing away at title rivals, 1-0 up, they miss two penalties in injury time
- Star player scores an inch perfect 35 yard volley into the top corner
- Promotion celebrated vs local rivals at home who have a man sent off
You'd have wondered if Steve Bruce had been in some way involved in the creative process (minus any Yugoslavian war criminals or descriptions of the local Lancastrian water system)
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The stuff at Bangor makes a bit more sense now.
Remember the dodgy owner of Chester, Stephen Vaughan? Well he is part of the ownership of the club (kind of). He is banned from running a club but the company he set up, after being released from Prison, sponsors the club and his son, Stephan Vaughan Jr is Director of Football and a coach.
Remember the dodgy owner of Chester, Stephen Vaughan? Well he is part of the ownership of the club (kind of). He is banned from running a club but the company he set up, after being released from Prison, sponsors the club and his son, Stephan Vaughan Jr is Director of Football and a coach.
Deutsch Wolf
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Oh man, that family.
You know how I said earlier that our results were a bit far fetched for a soap opera lately? Well they'd be a bit too far fetched as soap opera villains.
You know how I said earlier that our results were a bit far fetched for a soap opera lately? Well they'd be a bit too far fetched as soap opera villains.
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and all that is after John Fashanu had been made Chairman and inside 2 years put them about £300k in debt, which led to the takeover.
Thankfully Barry Town United, born out of the ashes of the clusterfuck that followed are now in the WPL and doing pretty well
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December 2003
Stuart Lovering arrives from nowhere and in a matter of weeks is the new owner of Barry Town AFC Ltd. Prior to buying the club he states that "killing a town's football club is one of the most devastating events that can happen to any community, especially one such as Barry which has lost out on the Docks and tourism in recent years".
Early 2004
Longtime employee Craig Griffiths is sacked from his job behind the bar and banned from matches - "cobwebs" being given as a reason for this. Griffiths wins against Lovering in court and disappears from the club.
March 2004
Lovering outlines plans to build a "new 40,000-capacity stadium which generates money… to build Barry into a European club" akin to Real Sociedad. This is accompanied by plans for a new newspaper to usurp the existing Barry and District News and a new website in various languages including Portuguese and Japanese.
April 2004
Barry Town are relegated from the Welsh Premier. Lovering tells the BBC that he will be appealing, arguing "we have to set standards for stadia in the league or we'd be playing on park pitches and it would be a Mickey Mouse tournament". When his appeal is rejected, he calls league bosses "worse than Dad's Army", declaring that the WPL rulebook is "a guideline not rules" and arguing "what is the point of having rules if they don't stick to them?"
May 2004
Lovering discusses fielding himself in the club's final Welsh Premier match against Port Talbot Town. Off the pitch, Lovering tells a meeting that "there is money to invest in the team but I want the footballing side to pay for itself". In the next breath, he asserts "I don't see any reason why we can't attract £20,000 to £30,000 worth of sponsorship next year".
June 2004
Lo vering increases adult admission fees to £7, despite relegation, and duly enrages supporters. The admission fee would be the highest in Welsh domestic football.
June 2004
Despite receiving a £4,000 cash injection from the Supporters Club, Lo vering bans them from fundraising at the ground and stops them using the clubhouse for meetings. Lovering declares that he no longer recognises the Supporters Club as "official", and will be starting his own "Supporters Association" instead – headed by himself. He states that the group will be split into "branches" across the town, and will host "Latvian evenings" amongst other delights.
July 2004
Lovering spends thousands of pounds rebranding the club, discarding its familiar emblem in favour of an unpopular new "Arthurian" crest. He states "we have a very big job on our hands, as we have had to start from scratch really. Despite the success in previous seasons, the club had never been run along proper business lines, inevitably leading to the problems last season which almost saw the club cease to exist, which would have been a real disaster for the town".
Summer 2004
Lovering reiterates plans to build a new stadium at the Waterfront in Barry, incorporating an art gallery! Abersytwyth-based Luke Sherbon arrives at Jenner Park to sign a contract with the club. Lovering emerges after some time to announce that the paperwork cannot be found.
August 2004
Lovering sacks respected manager Colin Addison on the eve of the new season, citing demands which Addison denied and labelling him a "prima donna". He holds a hastily-arranged meeting to try and justify the sacking, only to end the meeting abruptly to take a mobile phone call - and then leave! The season begins and new merchandise is promoted, the bulk of which never materialises. The list, advertised in each programme, bizarrely includes Barry Town thongs.
September 2004
Six prominent members of the Supporters Club are banned from a meeting they had no intention of attending, as well as the club and ground for criticising Lovering's policies. These names are put in the press, jeopardising employment. Meanwhile, a crowd of barely 100 watches a league match at Jenner Park – down around 250 from mere months earlier.
October 2004
Supporters Club members offer an olive branch by inviting Lovering to a meeting at the Castle Hotel to offer fundraising help. Lovering’s response is merely to reiterate why these members were banned. Supporter Steve Bates tells the press that Lovering banned him also, for objecting to the hike in entry prices. The same month, Lovering sends a three-page banning letter to supporter Tim Johnson, on 'Barry Town AFC' headed paper, blasting the supporter and stating "the only bad thing happening at this club is you and the supporters club committee's behaviour which has been selfish and naive".
November 2004
Lovering announces sudden and savage cuts to the playing budget, scuppering the title challenge of David Hughes’ Barry Town side. Hughes resigns, and director Liz Davies is left to explain Lovering’s actions to the fans in his absence. She then resigns. A replacement management team is brought in – and instantly given an increased playing budget!
December 2004
Supporters discover the extent of Lovering’s debts to the Vale of Glamorgan Council and contribute £3,000 to the cause. Lovering opts to move the club’s playing activities to Port Talbot (45 miles away!) and then Treforest rather than settle his debts with the council. For the first time in its history, Barry Town football is essentially evicted from Jenner Park.
January 2005
The playing budget is reduced to zero. Crowds at Treforest (20 miles from Barry) reach a nadir of 20. One is publically told by Lovering to "go and support Dinas". Lovering declares the club's youth set-up is a "legally and financially a separate entity".
Spring 2005
30 Barry fans attend a full meeting of the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Lovering does not attend, preferring to flee abroad. At the meeting, it is outlined that the council reached out to Lovering about finding a solution on 11 December. Six weeks later, Lovering finally responded. The next day, the council sent another letter - which Lovering was yet to respond to by the time of the meeting.
April 2005
It comes to light that despite representing himself as a barrister when being allowed to take over the club, Lovering had in fact been disbarred in September 2002 - over a year before coming to Jenner Park. Supporters express dismay that administrators PKF did not pick up on this when selling the club to Lovering.
May 2005
Lovering speaks to the press: "If I really wanted to I could shut the football side of things down but I am happy to continue.... My aim is for the club to be self-sufficient, and all the money from the club house put back in to the football side of things."
May 2005
With Barry Town in exile, the Supporters Club outlines plans to start a new team, known as 'Barri Linnets' and later as ‘Barry FC'. This was seen as a last resort after a previous meeting of supporters had "appointed a steering committee to examine ways forward and to try and open a dialogue between the supporters and the club" (Lovering dismissed these approaches out of hand). At the first Barry FC match, a notice is pinned to the wall by Lovering, who threatens legal action against the new team and its players for "passing (themselves) off" as Barry Town. This never comes to pass.
June 2005
Lovering rages at the breakaway supporters, declaring "these people are treacherous to the cause. They are turning their backs on the club they nearly killed." He states that "there are thousands of people in Barry who follow Barry Town in Division One, and have not the slightest interest in a Dog and Duck Second Eleven playing at the bottom of the Vale League." He later remarks "I still think Barry FC will close in a few months." It doesn't, and the former Supporters Club members never return in any official capacity.
June 2005
Lovering launches a joint bid with Barry Comprehensive school to play back at Jenner Park, stating the club's youth 'academy' "will be expanded over the coming months to about 30 teams - boys and girls - involving hundreds of children receiving the best coaching they can get". This never comes to pass.
July 2005
An attempt by Lovering to return to Jenner Park proves fruitless. He subsequently blasts the Vale Council’s decision, ranting that even "monkeys" and “Coco the Clown” would be given the right to play on the pitch if they offered enough money.
November 2005
Less than two years after buying the club for £125,000, Lovering puts it up for sale for £400,000, with several prospective buyers linked in the media."It is now in Barry's interests that any sale should take place quickly to minimise instability", Lovering states. He refuses to disclose the actual worth of the club.
March 2006
Lovering issues a public letter to Vale Council leader Jeff James, in which he writes "you and your Cabinet colleagues have the power to ensure the future of Barry Town FC by now resolving the situation; you can resolve it tomorrow if you wish." The irony of this statement is not lost on supporters in later years.
April 2006
Lovering pleads with the council to return to Jenner Park, stating that the club would die otherwise as playing at Treforest was no longer viable. The council eventually relent, and Barry Town return as a secondary user of the facility.
May 2006
When asked by the press if Barry Town FC was still up for sale, Lovering answers "every football club is up for sale". Despite this, bids from a number of businessmen fail to result in a change of ownership. Ex-Cardiff director Michael Isaac is reported to be interested but decides he cannot go ahead with any buyout.
June 2006
Lovering asks for seven local businesses to put up thousands of pounds to pay off his debt to the council. He tells the Barry and District News of his hope that "businesses like accountants, solicitors, estate agents, builders, car dealers etc will sign up and become one of the 'Magnificent Seven' who ride into town". Understandably, the plea falls on deaf ears.
July 2006
Lovering lambasts the council's stance over Jenner Park arrears, arguing "It's the council being bloody minded and blackmailing". In the same interview, he threatens to sue Barry FC over its use of the nickname "The Linnets".
January 2007
While the Barry Town team endures a miserable season, Lovering publically recommends one of the players for a Wales call-up! He tells the Echo that "John Toshack seriously needs to think about promoting Zak (Misbah) to full international level for Wales to capture this precocious talent before Morocco select him".
May 2007
After a miserable season on and off the field, Barry Town are relegated to Welsh League Division Two – the club’s lowest ever league status. Only 12 Barry players are present at the final fixture, a 6-1 defeat at Afan Lido.
June 2007
Phil Clay becomes the only man ever to be appointed manager and resign days later, without actually having taken charge of a game of any sort. The second choice, Gavin Chesterfield, takes the reigns.
July 2007
Lovering states on the club website that "no one person has a monopoly on good ideas". Despite this, interaction with the supporters is limited to his own selected channels.
Summer 2007
Lovering boasts of having eight youth teams - though these were believed to have been funded soley by kit grants, sponsorship and parent/player subscriptions.
August 2007
Lovering’s clubhouse is "refurbished" at a cost of £50-60k - suggestions being that the capital was from a loan. There is no place for ANY of the Barry Town football pictures and memorabilia stripped from the walls some time before.
October 2007
"In response to a number of parties expressing interest in purchasing the club, I've decided to put Barry Town on the open market for sale at £495K", Lovering remarks. A further price increase. He then tells prospective buyers to "put up or shut up" (!), saying "if someone wealthier than me with greater resources wants to fast-track the club into Europe on a sustainable basis they should come forward now - or leave the club alone!". "I'm in communication with an offshore company who have clients interested in purchasing the club", he concludes.
November 2007
Despite the club being up for sale, Lovering announces that he expects to have about 40 to 50 boys and girls teams" by "this time next year". It doesn't happen.
November 2007
Club secretary David Cole resigns, stating "the trust has gone". "The owner has pulled the playing budget again. That's the fifth time and he didn't tell me he was going to do that. I found out from the manager. We had all been assured the budget would not be reviewed until after Christmas".
December 2007
Lovering offers blocks of shares (10% per block) to local businesses - at £40k per block. He boasts "I haven't squandered money on the playing budget so the club has no debt and I believe we will make £50k in 2008". Lovering suggests that supporters could "take out between £10,000 and £40,000 in equity from their house" to be part of this. At this point, Lovering owns 90% of the shares – a figure that would mysteriously increase in later seasons.
December 2007
The latest bizarre press release details the club's festive party - "a new experience for a few of the 18-year olds who were reluctant to be led into the 'Boudoir' at a big Cardiff nightclub".
February 2008
Lovering appoints his mother Barbara as company secretary.
April 2008
Lovering wades in on the reorganisation of the Welsh Premier, stating that "a Cardiff United team based at Leckwith, a Newport City or United based at Spytty Park and a Swansea United team playing in a quality stadium are crucial to the Premier’s future". Attempting to use Jenner Park's facilities as justification for a Barry promotion, Lovering states that clubs in the league "should receive a minimum of £20-£30,000 each year" and be "safeguarded from relegation", and outlines his hope that his club would be invited "from the beginning". He concludes by saying that "the small mid-Wales teams like Newtown, Caersws and Welshpool could consider merging to form 'The Powys Panthers'".
April 2008
In spite of the chaos reigning all around him, Gavin Chesterfield guides the Barry Town team to promotion from Welsh League Division Two. Lovering outlines his aim to sell 1,000 season tickets for the coming season. At this point, the club had gone four years without a shirt sponsor.
May 2008
Lovering audaciously runs for a spot on the Vale Council - although notably in the Stanwell ward (Penarth) rather than Barry. He garners a mere 180 votes, finishing in last place. Ironically, Lovering had earlier told supporters that he kept fit by playing sports such as "darts".
July 2008
The price of the club is reduced to £250,000 - still twice the price Lovering paid for it. Lovering continues to market the business as a runner-up in the '2007 UK Club of the Year Awards' (in the category of 'Internal Refurbishment'). Despite months of scouring, and Lovering's claim that "we were only beaten by a tennis club in Surrey", no evidence of these awards ever taking place can be found by supporters.
August 2008
Lovering threatens to withdraw the club from the Welsh League if it is not sold within five weeks, setting an October deadline. "I saved the club five years ago and have since rebuilt the football and bar sides of the business. I expect turnover to reach £300k this year. I have done my bit to save and develop the club - now it's time for someone else to takeover… it will be very sad if the first team has to be closed when it is doing so well. I hope for the manager, players, supporters and people of Barry that a sale can be agreed".
September 2008
Barry Town fined £250 and deducted 3 points for not playing vs Pontardawe Town. This deduction proves crucially detrimental towards the end of the season, as Gavin Chesterfield’s side mounts an unlikely title push. Behind the scenes, Lovering remarks that "the problem for the football club is that we are not generating enough money to run the football side of things and I don't have the money to fund it".
November 2008
Having survived the October 'deadline', Lovering reduces the sale price to £195,000 (still far more than he paid for the club). He threatens to close the team down on 1 January 2009 if a buyer is not forthcoming. “It’s time for me to move on", he tells the Echo. "I’ve been there for five years. I saved the club and there’s a solid business there now", he insists. Lovering then tells the Barry and District News "I want the club to survive, but I can't continue to run it". The contradictions continue, as he states that "J anuary 1 could be a tragic day because I'm just not sure it will last beyond that", while declaring that the club "couldn't be handed over in a better condition." Either way, various press articles and agents Turner Butler fail to attract a buyer at Lovering's asking price.
December 2008
70 people attend a crisis meeting at the club on 22 December. It is agreed that, with no buyer found, the football team will henceforth be self-financing and totally independent of the social club, effective 1 January 2009. Lovering declares "I will not interfere with football matters in any way. I stress the football side of things is independent. I will not interfere". He later tells the press "over the past five years, I have been able to create and divert £150,000 to £200,000 from clubhouse profits mainly to the first team, with the rest to the youth"(!), while publicly patronising the club's supporters.
January 2009
A new independent company called the 'Barry Town Supporters Committee' is incorporated by the supporters to run the football, on a non-profit basis. Results on the field improve remarkably, with Barry embarking on a 21-match unbeaten streak that would see them finish in third.
April 2009
Lovering requests to be informed about the BTSC's income levels - asking for assurances that if the first team ends, any monies raised would revert to him. The BTSC refuses this, stating any monies raised by them would rightfully remain with the supporters in this instance.
May 2009
Despite Lovering's threat that he may make the (uncontracted!) Barry staff and players attend his own event (there was none), the BTSC holds its first successful end of season dinner at the Angel Hotel in Cardiff.
June 2009
David Cole returns as secretary to support Gavin Chesterfield and the BTSC's efforts.
August 2009
The BTSC launches its own lottery to support the football. The first inklings of a supporter resurgencence begin to be felt. For mer Aberaman backer Dai Morgan makes an instalment-based bid for the club, thought to be at asking price. Stuart Lovering turns it down.
September 2009
Lovering states "I now feel the time is right to pass the club onto the next generation so the club can grow further and faster". However, no sale is negotiated.
November 2009
After rejecting at least one bid for the club, Lovering states that the club is now off the market and the clubhouse will be turned into his own self-styled 'Buddha Bar'. " This next investment is expected to double turnover and help finance the club’s continuing sustainable development in Welsh football", Lovering tells the Echo. The plan fails to come to fruition, and the social club continues as an essentially standalone bar.
March 2010
Shamrock Coaches owner Clayton Jones resurfaces as a potential buyer of the club, with John Hartson set to join him as the club's new director of football. A deposit is paid and terms are agreed for a May sale. This does not materialise and Jones abandons any plans to buy the club in September.
July 2010
A Chinese man in his underpants is found on the clubhouse site at Jenner Park, asleep on a dirty mattress, as documented by press job applicant Ben Dudley. Dudley is given the job, unpaid, and then removed from it days later. Meanwhile, Lovering uses free labour from the long-term unemployed to spruce up his clubhouse, with the apparent pretence of there being a job at the end of it.
September 2010
Unbeknownst to those running the team, supposed "lifelong Cardiff fan" Lovering issues 1,500 leaflets to Cardiff City supporters, offering season tickets at £50. A number of Barry fans had already paid £72 for theirs.
November 2010
Lovering reveals that the club is now for sale for £250k – and invites applications from managers. He states that "the club will only consider applicants who are able to bring financial backing to the first team to a minimum of £15k" – again making the club a laughing stock in the Welsh football community. Ironically, Lovering’s 2009 accounts show a £15k profit.
December 2010
The 'Stand Up For Barry' campaign launches, beginning the fightback of the Barry Town fans against the drawn-out destruction of their club. BTSC presences on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and more as established, keeping fans informed and keeping the club’s history alive.
May 2011
Lovering reveals his intention to turn the social club into a cocktail bar - and appeals for investment of £20k from supporters in the programme! Meanwhile, the entire club is listed as up for sale at £125k, plus £2,000 per month for a further 3 years! Lovering declares again that he will close the team if no buyer is found. A fan-run #SaveBarryTown Twitter campaign begins and draws support from numerous celebrities, earning coverage in the Non-League Paper.
June 2011
The Barry Town Supporters Committee agrees to take on full responsibility for the football going forward to ensure its future. A £500 bond is paid to Lovering, who doubts the BTSC’s ability to see through the season. Lovering demands to see £10,000 in the BTSC bank account before the season starts!
June 2011
Lovering states that "all parties interested in purchasing Barry Town must send the chairman a letter from a lawyer confirming their identity, confirming that they have the £125k funds available... and confirming suitable security is offered for the remaining instalments (eg a charge on a house)". He declares "the deadline for the existing offer is Friday 1st July" and that "the initial payment will increase to £130k after this date". He concludes by suggesting interested parties could secure exclusivity of negotiation by "paying a £3k bond on or before 1st July". Negotiations go on with a consortium, yet appear to be anything but exclusive. They soon fall apart.
Summer 2011
The Barry Town Supporters Committee secure the use of Jenner Park for Barry Town football - reaching an agreement with the Vale Council, completely independently of Lovering. In the meantime, Lovering's BarryTownFC.com website closes, shortly followed by the disconnection of the telephone landline at the social club. The club remains up for sale.... presumably.
August 2011
The BTSC starts the Barry Town Hall of Fame to honour the players and managers whose achievements at the club have wrongly been left to gather dust in an office. Meanwhile, the BTSC restore the match programme from a pitiful 4-page sheet to a 28-44 page behemoth! Lovering later protests that this is not an official publication and tries to dictate which logo the supporters should use.
September 2011
Australian PM Julia Gillard sends a letter of support to the BTSC, one of many received from across the world. Gillard writes that "football is not just about sport. It is about history and tradition. It is about supporting one another. It is about backing a cause that unites us across different backgrounds. In short, it is about community". These words help inspire the season, on and off the field, as the BTSC hold fundraising events to support the team’s continuation.
October 2011
The fan-run Barry Town team enjoy their best Welsh Cup in years, beating Merthyr at Penydarren Park and Haverfordwest in extra-time, narrowly losing 3-2 to Newport County at Spytty Park.
May 2012
The BTSC end of year presentation evening is a roaring success, with a full-house celebrating a season of triumph. Along the way, the league champions and the eventual winners are both beaten on their home grounds. The use of council-owned Jenner Park for the following season's matches is again secured by the BTSC, and not Lovering.
July 2012
The BTSC holds its first of several Community Action Days, with fans turning up to clean up Jenner Park’s sporting facilities on Sunday mornings. Lovering appears briefly to tells volunteers that the gates shouldn't be green but yellow and black for promotion to the Welsh Premier. At this point, promotion to the English Premier is as likely.
August 2012
The BTSC hosts a friendly match against Cardiff City, attracting a crowd of 2,000 to Jenner Park for the first time in a decade. BTSC volunteers sell tickets, man the gates and organise every aspect of the match. Lovering makes a killing on the bar.
September 2012
Gavin Chesterfield's completely unpaid side reach the top of the Welsh League. Meanwhile, rumours persist as to the origins of the beer being sold at Lovering's social club.
October 2012
Lovering AGAIN threatens to pull the team out of the Welsh League, despite having given up all ties to it and its existence not costing him a penny. Lovering is informed that only the club secretary can make this request, and so he requests the removal of David Cole as club secretary.
November 2012
The BTSC offers to buy the 'football' part of the business, but their bid is rejected before it even reaches the newspaper presses. Meanwhile, the BTSC hosts a successful event celebrating '100 Years of Barry Town', while Lovering fails to mark the milestone. Lovering puts the entire club up for sale on property website Zoopla for around £160,000.
December 2012
Lovering tells manager Gavin Chesterfield he is "sacked", hours after the team reaches the Welsh Cup fourth round for the first ever time as an amateur set-up. The BTSC refuses to accept this and outlines their desire for both Chesterfield and Cole to continue as both manager and secretary respectively. Chesterfield continues on as manager.
Christmas 2012
At the end of the year, Lovering prevents council work on the club's showers, failing to resolve the problem by the time of Barry's home match with AFC Porth. As a result, the game is unable to go ahead.
January 2013
Lovering's stint as an anti-secretary of sorts begins in earnest with a do-nothing approach, badly hampering the U19 team. A succession of fines is run up, paid by the BTSC. Lovering completely ignores requests to attend Welsh League SGM - resulting in another fine.
February 2013
The BTSC opens negotiations for a second bid to buy club. SRL bides his time, stating he needed to talk to (seemingly non-existent) "other parties". Lovering writes to the Welsh League that David Cole will be reinstated as secretary within weeks. This does not occur.
March 2013
An absurd, one-sided contract is drawn up by Lovering - and duly rejected by the BTSC's solicitor, who refuses to have anything to do with a document that would permit SRL interference in BTSC business for years ahead. The contract is allegedly rewritten by Lovering - but the BTSC is not given a copy! Meanwhile, more fines against the BTSC as Lovering cancels a youth game with Croesyceiliog. Lovering states that the only secretary work he will undertake is to "de-register players, cancel games and pull Barry Town from the leagues and cups".
April 2013
Welsh League secretary Ken Tucker requests that Lovering attend a meeting to discuss his secretarial activities, or lack thereof. He fails to attend... again. Lovering does however find the time to threaten to have Cole arrested, stating that "it is illegal to purport to be a legal officer of a limited company".
Lovering threatens to withdraw the U19s on April 18th, in what can surely only be understood as a ploy to get the contract signed. A copy of the "revised" contract, with precious little difference, is sent to the BTSC solicitor - and again rejected. A BTSC member stated "It is not a mutually agreed contract but a ludicrous piece of dictat".
At this stage, the BTSC's requested (accurate) financial information to support any sale is not forthcoming. The BTSC subsequently learns that the club is hopelessly overvalued, worth MINUS £100k and Mr. Lovering has a credit rating of 2 out of 100.
Lovering's latest self-appointed deadline to sign the contract passes and the toys fly out of the pram. A key figure in the BTSC is threatened with legal action twice and labelled a liar. Rather than engage in any kind of negotiation, Lovering writes to the BTSC ranting about the match programme (dismissing it as a fanzine) and other non-relevant issues.
Attempts to claim the BTSC's £12,500 Welsh Cup prize money results in the cancellation of the players' end of season tour. The BTSC had paid the entry fee for the competition, with their name, and not Lovering's, on the cheque. Moreover, match, equipment, accommodation and travel costs throughout the run, as well as home ground hire and floodlights were all paid by the BTSC. With the players unpaid, Lovering is seen as attempting to snare £12,500 from an endeavour he had nothing to do with. The players and committee alike are rightly furious.
May 2013
Lovering makes a further threat of legal action to the aformentioned key figure, threatening his employment also. He then pulls the U19s from their league with two games to go, (wrongfully) citing a lack of players. This is viewed as direct sabotage of the BTSC's efforts. The U19s' records are expunged, leaving 13 teams and around 200 youth players affected.
Lovering contacts Barry's opponents Ton Pentre to cancel the Welsh League match against them, against the BTSC's wishes. He also contacts match officials, the Vale Council and the Welsh League to stop the match going ahead. This is despite both football teams wanting to play and everything being in place for the match to happen. Supporters hold an impromptu sit-in protest at Jenner Park stadium, all the while wondering when on Earth will they get help.
Stuart Lovering arrives from nowhere and in a matter of weeks is the new owner of Barry Town AFC Ltd. Prior to buying the club he states that "killing a town's football club is one of the most devastating events that can happen to any community, especially one such as Barry which has lost out on the Docks and tourism in recent years".
Early 2004
Longtime employee Craig Griffiths is sacked from his job behind the bar and banned from matches - "cobwebs" being given as a reason for this. Griffiths wins against Lovering in court and disappears from the club.
March 2004
Lovering outlines plans to build a "new 40,000-capacity stadium which generates money… to build Barry into a European club" akin to Real Sociedad. This is accompanied by plans for a new newspaper to usurp the existing Barry and District News and a new website in various languages including Portuguese and Japanese.
April 2004
Barry Town are relegated from the Welsh Premier. Lovering tells the BBC that he will be appealing, arguing "we have to set standards for stadia in the league or we'd be playing on park pitches and it would be a Mickey Mouse tournament". When his appeal is rejected, he calls league bosses "worse than Dad's Army", declaring that the WPL rulebook is "a guideline not rules" and arguing "what is the point of having rules if they don't stick to them?"
May 2004
Lovering discusses fielding himself in the club's final Welsh Premier match against Port Talbot Town. Off the pitch, Lovering tells a meeting that "there is money to invest in the team but I want the footballing side to pay for itself". In the next breath, he asserts "I don't see any reason why we can't attract £20,000 to £30,000 worth of sponsorship next year".
June 2004
Lo vering increases adult admission fees to £7, despite relegation, and duly enrages supporters. The admission fee would be the highest in Welsh domestic football.
June 2004
Despite receiving a £4,000 cash injection from the Supporters Club, Lo vering bans them from fundraising at the ground and stops them using the clubhouse for meetings. Lovering declares that he no longer recognises the Supporters Club as "official", and will be starting his own "Supporters Association" instead – headed by himself. He states that the group will be split into "branches" across the town, and will host "Latvian evenings" amongst other delights.
July 2004
Lovering spends thousands of pounds rebranding the club, discarding its familiar emblem in favour of an unpopular new "Arthurian" crest. He states "we have a very big job on our hands, as we have had to start from scratch really. Despite the success in previous seasons, the club had never been run along proper business lines, inevitably leading to the problems last season which almost saw the club cease to exist, which would have been a real disaster for the town".
Summer 2004
Lovering reiterates plans to build a new stadium at the Waterfront in Barry, incorporating an art gallery! Abersytwyth-based Luke Sherbon arrives at Jenner Park to sign a contract with the club. Lovering emerges after some time to announce that the paperwork cannot be found.
August 2004
Lovering sacks respected manager Colin Addison on the eve of the new season, citing demands which Addison denied and labelling him a "prima donna". He holds a hastily-arranged meeting to try and justify the sacking, only to end the meeting abruptly to take a mobile phone call - and then leave! The season begins and new merchandise is promoted, the bulk of which never materialises. The list, advertised in each programme, bizarrely includes Barry Town thongs.
September 2004
Six prominent members of the Supporters Club are banned from a meeting they had no intention of attending, as well as the club and ground for criticising Lovering's policies. These names are put in the press, jeopardising employment. Meanwhile, a crowd of barely 100 watches a league match at Jenner Park – down around 250 from mere months earlier.
October 2004
Supporters Club members offer an olive branch by inviting Lovering to a meeting at the Castle Hotel to offer fundraising help. Lovering’s response is merely to reiterate why these members were banned. Supporter Steve Bates tells the press that Lovering banned him also, for objecting to the hike in entry prices. The same month, Lovering sends a three-page banning letter to supporter Tim Johnson, on 'Barry Town AFC' headed paper, blasting the supporter and stating "the only bad thing happening at this club is you and the supporters club committee's behaviour which has been selfish and naive".
November 2004
Lovering announces sudden and savage cuts to the playing budget, scuppering the title challenge of David Hughes’ Barry Town side. Hughes resigns, and director Liz Davies is left to explain Lovering’s actions to the fans in his absence. She then resigns. A replacement management team is brought in – and instantly given an increased playing budget!
December 2004
Supporters discover the extent of Lovering’s debts to the Vale of Glamorgan Council and contribute £3,000 to the cause. Lovering opts to move the club’s playing activities to Port Talbot (45 miles away!) and then Treforest rather than settle his debts with the council. For the first time in its history, Barry Town football is essentially evicted from Jenner Park.
January 2005
The playing budget is reduced to zero. Crowds at Treforest (20 miles from Barry) reach a nadir of 20. One is publically told by Lovering to "go and support Dinas". Lovering declares the club's youth set-up is a "legally and financially a separate entity".
Spring 2005
30 Barry fans attend a full meeting of the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Lovering does not attend, preferring to flee abroad. At the meeting, it is outlined that the council reached out to Lovering about finding a solution on 11 December. Six weeks later, Lovering finally responded. The next day, the council sent another letter - which Lovering was yet to respond to by the time of the meeting.
April 2005
It comes to light that despite representing himself as a barrister when being allowed to take over the club, Lovering had in fact been disbarred in September 2002 - over a year before coming to Jenner Park. Supporters express dismay that administrators PKF did not pick up on this when selling the club to Lovering.
May 2005
Lovering speaks to the press: "If I really wanted to I could shut the football side of things down but I am happy to continue.... My aim is for the club to be self-sufficient, and all the money from the club house put back in to the football side of things."
May 2005
With Barry Town in exile, the Supporters Club outlines plans to start a new team, known as 'Barri Linnets' and later as ‘Barry FC'. This was seen as a last resort after a previous meeting of supporters had "appointed a steering committee to examine ways forward and to try and open a dialogue between the supporters and the club" (Lovering dismissed these approaches out of hand). At the first Barry FC match, a notice is pinned to the wall by Lovering, who threatens legal action against the new team and its players for "passing (themselves) off" as Barry Town. This never comes to pass.
June 2005
Lovering rages at the breakaway supporters, declaring "these people are treacherous to the cause. They are turning their backs on the club they nearly killed." He states that "there are thousands of people in Barry who follow Barry Town in Division One, and have not the slightest interest in a Dog and Duck Second Eleven playing at the bottom of the Vale League." He later remarks "I still think Barry FC will close in a few months." It doesn't, and the former Supporters Club members never return in any official capacity.
June 2005
Lovering launches a joint bid with Barry Comprehensive school to play back at Jenner Park, stating the club's youth 'academy' "will be expanded over the coming months to about 30 teams - boys and girls - involving hundreds of children receiving the best coaching they can get". This never comes to pass.
July 2005
An attempt by Lovering to return to Jenner Park proves fruitless. He subsequently blasts the Vale Council’s decision, ranting that even "monkeys" and “Coco the Clown” would be given the right to play on the pitch if they offered enough money.
November 2005
Less than two years after buying the club for £125,000, Lovering puts it up for sale for £400,000, with several prospective buyers linked in the media."It is now in Barry's interests that any sale should take place quickly to minimise instability", Lovering states. He refuses to disclose the actual worth of the club.
March 2006
Lovering issues a public letter to Vale Council leader Jeff James, in which he writes "you and your Cabinet colleagues have the power to ensure the future of Barry Town FC by now resolving the situation; you can resolve it tomorrow if you wish." The irony of this statement is not lost on supporters in later years.
April 2006
Lovering pleads with the council to return to Jenner Park, stating that the club would die otherwise as playing at Treforest was no longer viable. The council eventually relent, and Barry Town return as a secondary user of the facility.
May 2006
When asked by the press if Barry Town FC was still up for sale, Lovering answers "every football club is up for sale". Despite this, bids from a number of businessmen fail to result in a change of ownership. Ex-Cardiff director Michael Isaac is reported to be interested but decides he cannot go ahead with any buyout.
June 2006
Lovering asks for seven local businesses to put up thousands of pounds to pay off his debt to the council. He tells the Barry and District News of his hope that "businesses like accountants, solicitors, estate agents, builders, car dealers etc will sign up and become one of the 'Magnificent Seven' who ride into town". Understandably, the plea falls on deaf ears.
July 2006
Lovering lambasts the council's stance over Jenner Park arrears, arguing "It's the council being bloody minded and blackmailing". In the same interview, he threatens to sue Barry FC over its use of the nickname "The Linnets".
January 2007
While the Barry Town team endures a miserable season, Lovering publically recommends one of the players for a Wales call-up! He tells the Echo that "John Toshack seriously needs to think about promoting Zak (Misbah) to full international level for Wales to capture this precocious talent before Morocco select him".
May 2007
After a miserable season on and off the field, Barry Town are relegated to Welsh League Division Two – the club’s lowest ever league status. Only 12 Barry players are present at the final fixture, a 6-1 defeat at Afan Lido.
June 2007
Phil Clay becomes the only man ever to be appointed manager and resign days later, without actually having taken charge of a game of any sort. The second choice, Gavin Chesterfield, takes the reigns.
July 2007
Lovering states on the club website that "no one person has a monopoly on good ideas". Despite this, interaction with the supporters is limited to his own selected channels.
Summer 2007
Lovering boasts of having eight youth teams - though these were believed to have been funded soley by kit grants, sponsorship and parent/player subscriptions.
August 2007
Lovering’s clubhouse is "refurbished" at a cost of £50-60k - suggestions being that the capital was from a loan. There is no place for ANY of the Barry Town football pictures and memorabilia stripped from the walls some time before.
October 2007
"In response to a number of parties expressing interest in purchasing the club, I've decided to put Barry Town on the open market for sale at £495K", Lovering remarks. A further price increase. He then tells prospective buyers to "put up or shut up" (!), saying "if someone wealthier than me with greater resources wants to fast-track the club into Europe on a sustainable basis they should come forward now - or leave the club alone!". "I'm in communication with an offshore company who have clients interested in purchasing the club", he concludes.
November 2007
Despite the club being up for sale, Lovering announces that he expects to have about 40 to 50 boys and girls teams" by "this time next year". It doesn't happen.
November 2007
Club secretary David Cole resigns, stating "the trust has gone". "The owner has pulled the playing budget again. That's the fifth time and he didn't tell me he was going to do that. I found out from the manager. We had all been assured the budget would not be reviewed until after Christmas".
December 2007
Lovering offers blocks of shares (10% per block) to local businesses - at £40k per block. He boasts "I haven't squandered money on the playing budget so the club has no debt and I believe we will make £50k in 2008". Lovering suggests that supporters could "take out between £10,000 and £40,000 in equity from their house" to be part of this. At this point, Lovering owns 90% of the shares – a figure that would mysteriously increase in later seasons.
December 2007
The latest bizarre press release details the club's festive party - "a new experience for a few of the 18-year olds who were reluctant to be led into the 'Boudoir' at a big Cardiff nightclub".
February 2008
Lovering appoints his mother Barbara as company secretary.
April 2008
Lovering wades in on the reorganisation of the Welsh Premier, stating that "a Cardiff United team based at Leckwith, a Newport City or United based at Spytty Park and a Swansea United team playing in a quality stadium are crucial to the Premier’s future". Attempting to use Jenner Park's facilities as justification for a Barry promotion, Lovering states that clubs in the league "should receive a minimum of £20-£30,000 each year" and be "safeguarded from relegation", and outlines his hope that his club would be invited "from the beginning". He concludes by saying that "the small mid-Wales teams like Newtown, Caersws and Welshpool could consider merging to form 'The Powys Panthers'".
April 2008
In spite of the chaos reigning all around him, Gavin Chesterfield guides the Barry Town team to promotion from Welsh League Division Two. Lovering outlines his aim to sell 1,000 season tickets for the coming season. At this point, the club had gone four years without a shirt sponsor.
May 2008
Lovering audaciously runs for a spot on the Vale Council - although notably in the Stanwell ward (Penarth) rather than Barry. He garners a mere 180 votes, finishing in last place. Ironically, Lovering had earlier told supporters that he kept fit by playing sports such as "darts".
July 2008
The price of the club is reduced to £250,000 - still twice the price Lovering paid for it. Lovering continues to market the business as a runner-up in the '2007 UK Club of the Year Awards' (in the category of 'Internal Refurbishment'). Despite months of scouring, and Lovering's claim that "we were only beaten by a tennis club in Surrey", no evidence of these awards ever taking place can be found by supporters.
August 2008
Lovering threatens to withdraw the club from the Welsh League if it is not sold within five weeks, setting an October deadline. "I saved the club five years ago and have since rebuilt the football and bar sides of the business. I expect turnover to reach £300k this year. I have done my bit to save and develop the club - now it's time for someone else to takeover… it will be very sad if the first team has to be closed when it is doing so well. I hope for the manager, players, supporters and people of Barry that a sale can be agreed".
September 2008
Barry Town fined £250 and deducted 3 points for not playing vs Pontardawe Town. This deduction proves crucially detrimental towards the end of the season, as Gavin Chesterfield’s side mounts an unlikely title push. Behind the scenes, Lovering remarks that "the problem for the football club is that we are not generating enough money to run the football side of things and I don't have the money to fund it".
November 2008
Having survived the October 'deadline', Lovering reduces the sale price to £195,000 (still far more than he paid for the club). He threatens to close the team down on 1 January 2009 if a buyer is not forthcoming. “It’s time for me to move on", he tells the Echo. "I’ve been there for five years. I saved the club and there’s a solid business there now", he insists. Lovering then tells the Barry and District News "I want the club to survive, but I can't continue to run it". The contradictions continue, as he states that "J anuary 1 could be a tragic day because I'm just not sure it will last beyond that", while declaring that the club "couldn't be handed over in a better condition." Either way, various press articles and agents Turner Butler fail to attract a buyer at Lovering's asking price.
December 2008
70 people attend a crisis meeting at the club on 22 December. It is agreed that, with no buyer found, the football team will henceforth be self-financing and totally independent of the social club, effective 1 January 2009. Lovering declares "I will not interfere with football matters in any way. I stress the football side of things is independent. I will not interfere". He later tells the press "over the past five years, I have been able to create and divert £150,000 to £200,000 from clubhouse profits mainly to the first team, with the rest to the youth"(!), while publicly patronising the club's supporters.
January 2009
A new independent company called the 'Barry Town Supporters Committee' is incorporated by the supporters to run the football, on a non-profit basis. Results on the field improve remarkably, with Barry embarking on a 21-match unbeaten streak that would see them finish in third.
April 2009
Lovering requests to be informed about the BTSC's income levels - asking for assurances that if the first team ends, any monies raised would revert to him. The BTSC refuses this, stating any monies raised by them would rightfully remain with the supporters in this instance.
May 2009
Despite Lovering's threat that he may make the (uncontracted!) Barry staff and players attend his own event (there was none), the BTSC holds its first successful end of season dinner at the Angel Hotel in Cardiff.
June 2009
David Cole returns as secretary to support Gavin Chesterfield and the BTSC's efforts.
August 2009
The BTSC launches its own lottery to support the football. The first inklings of a supporter resurgencence begin to be felt. For mer Aberaman backer Dai Morgan makes an instalment-based bid for the club, thought to be at asking price. Stuart Lovering turns it down.
September 2009
Lovering states "I now feel the time is right to pass the club onto the next generation so the club can grow further and faster". However, no sale is negotiated.
November 2009
After rejecting at least one bid for the club, Lovering states that the club is now off the market and the clubhouse will be turned into his own self-styled 'Buddha Bar'. " This next investment is expected to double turnover and help finance the club’s continuing sustainable development in Welsh football", Lovering tells the Echo. The plan fails to come to fruition, and the social club continues as an essentially standalone bar.
March 2010
Shamrock Coaches owner Clayton Jones resurfaces as a potential buyer of the club, with John Hartson set to join him as the club's new director of football. A deposit is paid and terms are agreed for a May sale. This does not materialise and Jones abandons any plans to buy the club in September.
July 2010
A Chinese man in his underpants is found on the clubhouse site at Jenner Park, asleep on a dirty mattress, as documented by press job applicant Ben Dudley. Dudley is given the job, unpaid, and then removed from it days later. Meanwhile, Lovering uses free labour from the long-term unemployed to spruce up his clubhouse, with the apparent pretence of there being a job at the end of it.
September 2010
Unbeknownst to those running the team, supposed "lifelong Cardiff fan" Lovering issues 1,500 leaflets to Cardiff City supporters, offering season tickets at £50. A number of Barry fans had already paid £72 for theirs.
November 2010
Lovering reveals that the club is now for sale for £250k – and invites applications from managers. He states that "the club will only consider applicants who are able to bring financial backing to the first team to a minimum of £15k" – again making the club a laughing stock in the Welsh football community. Ironically, Lovering’s 2009 accounts show a £15k profit.
December 2010
The 'Stand Up For Barry' campaign launches, beginning the fightback of the Barry Town fans against the drawn-out destruction of their club. BTSC presences on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and more as established, keeping fans informed and keeping the club’s history alive.
May 2011
Lovering reveals his intention to turn the social club into a cocktail bar - and appeals for investment of £20k from supporters in the programme! Meanwhile, the entire club is listed as up for sale at £125k, plus £2,000 per month for a further 3 years! Lovering declares again that he will close the team if no buyer is found. A fan-run #SaveBarryTown Twitter campaign begins and draws support from numerous celebrities, earning coverage in the Non-League Paper.
June 2011
The Barry Town Supporters Committee agrees to take on full responsibility for the football going forward to ensure its future. A £500 bond is paid to Lovering, who doubts the BTSC’s ability to see through the season. Lovering demands to see £10,000 in the BTSC bank account before the season starts!
June 2011
Lovering states that "all parties interested in purchasing Barry Town must send the chairman a letter from a lawyer confirming their identity, confirming that they have the £125k funds available... and confirming suitable security is offered for the remaining instalments (eg a charge on a house)". He declares "the deadline for the existing offer is Friday 1st July" and that "the initial payment will increase to £130k after this date". He concludes by suggesting interested parties could secure exclusivity of negotiation by "paying a £3k bond on or before 1st July". Negotiations go on with a consortium, yet appear to be anything but exclusive. They soon fall apart.
Summer 2011
The Barry Town Supporters Committee secure the use of Jenner Park for Barry Town football - reaching an agreement with the Vale Council, completely independently of Lovering. In the meantime, Lovering's BarryTownFC.com website closes, shortly followed by the disconnection of the telephone landline at the social club. The club remains up for sale.... presumably.
August 2011
The BTSC starts the Barry Town Hall of Fame to honour the players and managers whose achievements at the club have wrongly been left to gather dust in an office. Meanwhile, the BTSC restore the match programme from a pitiful 4-page sheet to a 28-44 page behemoth! Lovering later protests that this is not an official publication and tries to dictate which logo the supporters should use.
September 2011
Australian PM Julia Gillard sends a letter of support to the BTSC, one of many received from across the world. Gillard writes that "football is not just about sport. It is about history and tradition. It is about supporting one another. It is about backing a cause that unites us across different backgrounds. In short, it is about community". These words help inspire the season, on and off the field, as the BTSC hold fundraising events to support the team’s continuation.
October 2011
The fan-run Barry Town team enjoy their best Welsh Cup in years, beating Merthyr at Penydarren Park and Haverfordwest in extra-time, narrowly losing 3-2 to Newport County at Spytty Park.
May 2012
The BTSC end of year presentation evening is a roaring success, with a full-house celebrating a season of triumph. Along the way, the league champions and the eventual winners are both beaten on their home grounds. The use of council-owned Jenner Park for the following season's matches is again secured by the BTSC, and not Lovering.
July 2012
The BTSC holds its first of several Community Action Days, with fans turning up to clean up Jenner Park’s sporting facilities on Sunday mornings. Lovering appears briefly to tells volunteers that the gates shouldn't be green but yellow and black for promotion to the Welsh Premier. At this point, promotion to the English Premier is as likely.
August 2012
The BTSC hosts a friendly match against Cardiff City, attracting a crowd of 2,000 to Jenner Park for the first time in a decade. BTSC volunteers sell tickets, man the gates and organise every aspect of the match. Lovering makes a killing on the bar.
September 2012
Gavin Chesterfield's completely unpaid side reach the top of the Welsh League. Meanwhile, rumours persist as to the origins of the beer being sold at Lovering's social club.
October 2012
Lovering AGAIN threatens to pull the team out of the Welsh League, despite having given up all ties to it and its existence not costing him a penny. Lovering is informed that only the club secretary can make this request, and so he requests the removal of David Cole as club secretary.
November 2012
The BTSC offers to buy the 'football' part of the business, but their bid is rejected before it even reaches the newspaper presses. Meanwhile, the BTSC hosts a successful event celebrating '100 Years of Barry Town', while Lovering fails to mark the milestone. Lovering puts the entire club up for sale on property website Zoopla for around £160,000.
December 2012
Lovering tells manager Gavin Chesterfield he is "sacked", hours after the team reaches the Welsh Cup fourth round for the first ever time as an amateur set-up. The BTSC refuses to accept this and outlines their desire for both Chesterfield and Cole to continue as both manager and secretary respectively. Chesterfield continues on as manager.
Christmas 2012
At the end of the year, Lovering prevents council work on the club's showers, failing to resolve the problem by the time of Barry's home match with AFC Porth. As a result, the game is unable to go ahead.
January 2013
Lovering's stint as an anti-secretary of sorts begins in earnest with a do-nothing approach, badly hampering the U19 team. A succession of fines is run up, paid by the BTSC. Lovering completely ignores requests to attend Welsh League SGM - resulting in another fine.
February 2013
The BTSC opens negotiations for a second bid to buy club. SRL bides his time, stating he needed to talk to (seemingly non-existent) "other parties". Lovering writes to the Welsh League that David Cole will be reinstated as secretary within weeks. This does not occur.
March 2013
An absurd, one-sided contract is drawn up by Lovering - and duly rejected by the BTSC's solicitor, who refuses to have anything to do with a document that would permit SRL interference in BTSC business for years ahead. The contract is allegedly rewritten by Lovering - but the BTSC is not given a copy! Meanwhile, more fines against the BTSC as Lovering cancels a youth game with Croesyceiliog. Lovering states that the only secretary work he will undertake is to "de-register players, cancel games and pull Barry Town from the leagues and cups".
April 2013
Welsh League secretary Ken Tucker requests that Lovering attend a meeting to discuss his secretarial activities, or lack thereof. He fails to attend... again. Lovering does however find the time to threaten to have Cole arrested, stating that "it is illegal to purport to be a legal officer of a limited company".
Lovering threatens to withdraw the U19s on April 18th, in what can surely only be understood as a ploy to get the contract signed. A copy of the "revised" contract, with precious little difference, is sent to the BTSC solicitor - and again rejected. A BTSC member stated "It is not a mutually agreed contract but a ludicrous piece of dictat".
At this stage, the BTSC's requested (accurate) financial information to support any sale is not forthcoming. The BTSC subsequently learns that the club is hopelessly overvalued, worth MINUS £100k and Mr. Lovering has a credit rating of 2 out of 100.
Lovering's latest self-appointed deadline to sign the contract passes and the toys fly out of the pram. A key figure in the BTSC is threatened with legal action twice and labelled a liar. Rather than engage in any kind of negotiation, Lovering writes to the BTSC ranting about the match programme (dismissing it as a fanzine) and other non-relevant issues.
Attempts to claim the BTSC's £12,500 Welsh Cup prize money results in the cancellation of the players' end of season tour. The BTSC had paid the entry fee for the competition, with their name, and not Lovering's, on the cheque. Moreover, match, equipment, accommodation and travel costs throughout the run, as well as home ground hire and floodlights were all paid by the BTSC. With the players unpaid, Lovering is seen as attempting to snare £12,500 from an endeavour he had nothing to do with. The players and committee alike are rightly furious.
May 2013
Lovering makes a further threat of legal action to the aformentioned key figure, threatening his employment also. He then pulls the U19s from their league with two games to go, (wrongfully) citing a lack of players. This is viewed as direct sabotage of the BTSC's efforts. The U19s' records are expunged, leaving 13 teams and around 200 youth players affected.
Lovering contacts Barry's opponents Ton Pentre to cancel the Welsh League match against them, against the BTSC's wishes. He also contacts match officials, the Vale Council and the Welsh League to stop the match going ahead. This is despite both football teams wanting to play and everything being in place for the match to happen. Supporters hold an impromptu sit-in protest at Jenner Park stadium, all the while wondering when on Earth will they get help.
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- Joined
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Demoted rather than relegated (not that it is much of a difference)
Good news for Bala town who are again on the verge of another European adventure (Adventure = playing 2 games before being knocked out but earning around £500k, which is a fuckload of cash for a team in the WPL)
Deutsch Wolf
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Peak BFS:
The sad thing is I think he actually believes this crap.
The sad thing is I think he actually believes this crap.
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