A Man Without A Team: Week Five/Tramadrama

I don't think that anyone's remotely surprised at the news that the EGM has been postponed.

The reason given is that 'shareholders requested it'. Now I know some of the shareholders, and I'm not sure they actually did request a delay. What is certain is that the EGM would have needed an agenda and the latest accounts to be sent out to the shareholders in advance, in order to be legal.

I'm not sure any of that info was sent out, and I'm not sure that the EGM was announced with the legal amount of notice either. Fourteen days is the minimum, unless a majority of shareholders agree to quorum quicker than that. Given that there's a huge question mark over exactly who the majority shareholders are, I doubt that happened either.

So here we are again. On the pitch, they won 1-0 at the weekend. The amount of people that care is dwindling even further. Yes, stray/lone voices do still say 'Support the lads on the pitch', and I completely understand why they call for this. I mean, nobody wants to fucking know about what shenanigans happen off the pitch. I didn't sign up for Bangor City Financial News Weekly did I. I haven't spent thousands of hours of my life cheering as the income and outgoings are balanced by an accountant. I haven't got excited when the secretary has bought a new pen. I've not bought a beanie hat with a picture of an agreed overdraft against future European earnings on it.

I mean. We all want to support the lads on the pitch. The biggest tragedy of it all is that the link - traditionally stronger than most - between the players and the fans has been broken. That isn't easy to do, but it has happened here. Ask the supporters of FC United. Of Liverpool AFC. Of St. Pauli. Even, at one stage, of Swansea City (not anymore though, sadly). Brighton. Blackpool. Darlington. Hyde United. Newcastle. The once-mighty Altrincham, Ask them why they have built their own edifices if they could. Ask them why and when and how their hearts were broken by Manchester United, Liverpool, whoever.

They just wanted to support lads on the pitch too. But the off-pitch financial nonsense killed it for them. From the Glazers and their debts to the UAE Human Rights Champions, from the Russian mobsters to the money-launderers, the shit sportswear wankers and the downright gangsters, there have been some pretty unsavoury characters involved with the cash business of football. Ask them why they got involved. Before you do, make sure you say goodbye to your loved ones, and get them the antidote for Novichock on ice.

The other day, on my way to Morrisons to look for marked-down bread rolls, I passed the back of a slightly gnarly pub. It's good too: they have regular Elvis appearances, and memorably once me and my mate half-crashed a party at which first Specials then Sham 69 then the Oppressed blasted out over the jukebox. In the alleyway near it, you do sometimes see a couple of characters who seem to be lending each other money in return for... well. You never see what's passed between them. You can guess.

This time, though, the 7.30pm bite of the crashing night had kicked in; it had been a gorgeous autumn day of sun and sharp breezes. Out the corner of my eye I spotted something on the floor, something shiny and plasticky and flat. I picked it up. It was clearly medication of some kind. I looked closer and saw the legend: TRAMADOL.

The pack was empty.

I threw it in the recycling and went on my way, wondering what might have become of me had it had any pills left in the blister pack.

UPDATE: A few hours after this was first posted, someone connected to the club claimed on Facebook that the postponement of the EGM was requested by the BCFCSA's (former) chairman. The veracity of this is unclear. But the fact remains that the EGM wasn't announced in the correct time period anyway, and the status of the 2017 accounts remains unclear too. Back to square one, then. The usual half-truths, misdirections and ineptitude mixed with bubbling latent aggression seems to rule these days.

A Man Without A Team: Week Four

I mean, it's nearly October and I feel entirely empty. I can't even be arsed watching Match of the Day.

The former club turned around a half-time 3-1 deficit to win 5-3 in the entirely useless League Cup of the league they find themselves in due to financial shitness.

Yawn.

Anyone who asks questions about where the money is coming from, why they failed the license, who is in charge, etc etc etc gets the stock response:

"Come down to the club any time. We don't reply over social media."

Now let's just check why some people think that doing this might not be such a great idea. It would - to some - seem a little foolish for anyone to countenance going to meet people 'for a chat' whose history includes this.

Course, as a wooly left-wing bleeding-heart Remoaner snowflake, I am firmly of the opinion that people who transgress and serve their punishment deserve a fresh slate.

Is it really so difficult to address the issues in a press release once and for all?

Like, explaining this?

Ah well. It's only a game isn't it.

UPDATE 4.30PM: There have been quite a few exchanges on social media, including my own, with the owners/their reps. No answers have been forthcoming, but an EGM has been called on Sept 27. Now the statutory notice period is 14 days, unless agreed otherwise by a majority of members. The BCFCSA was majority shareholder until the current owners converted their loans to shares (and whether procedure was followed there is debatable still). We are, of course, 10 days away from the EGM date. Hopefully this means answers will be forthcoming sooner rather than later; there are a series of questions that have been batted back by the owners as per the above post. We can only wait and see what the EGM is about.

I'm not an expert - far from it - but a cursory Google search brings up some interesting legal requirements about meeting contents and matters to be discussed that are at the time of writing this not anywhere near the EGM announcement online by the club.

Anyway, back to Mrs. Doyle...

A Man Without A Team: Another nail in the coffin

Nobody expects angels on the pitch. Sort of the opposite really.

But up to a reasonable point. Go in hard, commit, wind players up, do everything to win.

But not everything that is possible to do.

Some things - racism from a midfielder of my former club who is somehow also the captain - are absolutely unacceptable.

I am glad that they are not my team anymore. Awful off the pitch - and on it.

This is the twitter of the opposition's striker. It's legit. Bangor's manager has apologised.

A Man Without A Team: Of Moobs And Men

Bangor lost at Airbus 3-2. This used to be a Welsh Premier fixture.

I once got a row off my missus because I got into some verbals with their subs bench at their ridiculous, cold, shitty ground in Broughton. I think we lost that one too. We always fucking lose there, it's a shit place to go and I've always hated it. Well, anyway.

I didn’t go to the game, although it briefly crossed my mind to do so. One reason was that there’s another bit of nonsense going on; this time it’s Companies House who are looking to strike the company off the books. The club say it’s ‘an admin delay’ based on a confirmation statement – info on exactly who is a director, and who are the shareholders – that hasn’t yet been filed. Well, the petition is active as of 11 September, which is a date with resonances far beyond the madcap antics of the clowns in charge.

Course, the club says it’s an oversight. They still haven’t provided the books for the supporters’ association to look at yet. And, in fact, the long-standing BCFCSA who have raised probably £100,000 or more over the last decade for the club have themselves gone dormant after the chairman stepped down. Nobody blamed him, nor any of the other officers who have similarly not been motivated to give up their hours, expertise and souls to keep a club running that has been snatched away from us all.

So my former team lost 3-2, after coming back from a 2-0 half time deficit. Cue calls for a new boss, but half-hearted ones: really, people are hoping that the company is stricken from the record so something – someone – can start again. Comrades are watching carefully.

The club also hosted a Wales Under-21 International last week. Not that anyone knew about it, or could buy tickets: another massive oversight. These games are bloody prestigious for a club at City’s level and not to push them is ridiculous. Comrades who watched the game on telly noted that the once-full advertising hoardings around the pitch looked patchy and absent. Anecdotally, local businesses are not renewing because they don’t want to be associated with the regime. Also as we’re not on telly every week anymore it’s not a good investment either. Res ipsa loquitor, and all that.

One of the message board discussions, with typical gallows humour, has been an admiration of Bangor City’s current (at the time of writing) manager Craig Harrison. The hapless boss is blessed with what you may well call ‘a fine pair of jugs’, his full figure attracting comments along the lines of ‘I’m only going to watch them bounce up and down when we score’, and other heartfelt sentiments. God only knows what Harrison is thinking at the moment. Maybe something along the lines of, ‘Er what the fuck have I got myself into.’ Or maybe, ‘Damn it I said let’s get better in the gymnasium, not get gynaecomastia.’[i]

What is true, and not funny at all, is that Connah’s Quay went to Falkirk and won their Irn Bru Cup game, played at roughly the time the Citizens were trying and failing to turn around the deficit at Hairbrush. The Falkirk game is exactly the match City should have been playing in, having earned it on the pitch by finishing second in the league last season. Irony? No. Just pure fuckheadery. How far we have fallen.

Here’s the team that earned it, and where they have ended up – squad numbers not noted. I’ve gone old school. This line-up played the final league game of 2017-18, away at Bala. Both goals were absolutely wonderful: the first, by Steve Hewitt, should have won Goal of the Season on Sgorio but one of his other goals did; a cracker at Aberystwyth. It also shows the potential and class of the side that was being built. George Harry’s winner was a touch of quality, too.

1.       Matthew Hall – nominated as WPL Young Player of the Year. Now at Cardiff U-23s

2.       Guto Williams – young local talent, perhaps the best since Owain Tudur Jones. Now studying at, and playing for, Cardiff Met ‘on loan’. Doubtful we’ll see him again.

3.       Tom Kennedy – ex-Leicester, Rochdale, Bury defender. Retired.

4.       Luke Wall – hugely talented midfielder/winger coveted by many clubs. Offers came in throughout the season, big rumours the franchise put in a 5-figure fee. WPL Young Player of the Season. Now at Stalybridge Celtic, in the NPL where City used to play. It’s below his level.

5.       Anthony Miley – captain and long-serving defender, who nearly won a contract with Swindon Town in one of those weird TV shows that were briefly popular. Signed for Bala, played in Europe, and scored an own goal in that game too.

6.       Danny Gossett – also at Bala, the ex-Oldham pro was one of the best players of last season, debuting for Wales C. Had trials for various professional clubs in the summer.

7.       Joel Bembo-Leta – a January signing to City, bolstering the defence and the physical presence. Current whereabouts unknown but based in Manchester he no doubt has plenty of choice.

8.       Alex Darlington – talented ex-Wrexham pro who then went on to be a central part of the franchise’s success for many years. Injuries have slowed him, but the No. 10 is struggling in the Cymru Alliance with Bangor City.

9.       Steven Hewitt – the man who has played in the Championship with Burnley and League Two with Accrington Stanley. A brilliant midfielder, he surprisingly came back to Nantporth to sign for the season after initially leaving in the exodus at the end of 2017-18.

10.   Dean Rittenberg – one-time Blackburn Rovers youth prospect and the third Bangor City player to be nominated for the WPL Young Player of the Year. The scouse lad shocked many when he signed for Cefn Druids. Given he has four England Under-18 caps, it’s quite the fall.

11.   Laurence Wilson – experienced defender with 250+ games in the English Professional System under his belt. Represented England at all youth levels up to and including Under-19. Now at Connah’s Quay.

SUBS

12.   Connor Roberts – ex-Everton and Chester keeper; one of the best Bangor had had for a decade. Instrumental in helping stave off relegation, twice, on the pitch. Off the pitch not even he could help. Absolutely brilliant between the sticks, he was unlucky that Matt Hall broke through. Now at the franchise, which is near his Shropshire-area home. Once called up to the senior Wales squad.

13.   Gethin Thomas – local lad who came through the Under-19s and signed a contract for the first team. Still at club.

14.   George Harry – ex-Wrexham prospect and clearly a talent. Scored a fabulous goal in the last few minutes of the final game of last season to ensure City finished second and earned the right to play in Europe. Which they didn’t. Now at Llandudno.

15.   Sam Jones – consistent goalscorer for all youth sides, another Under-19s player who was beginning to break through. Still at club.

These lads should have been in Scotland yesterday. That they weren’t is a disgrace.

The current players are blameless, of course. But that they are there at all is a horrible truth that lies atop a pyramid of lies, cheating, criminal rumours and legal weirdness.

This should have been the team that I supported. The team that grew together and challenged for the league. They are scattered as the team is shattered.

I am a man without a team.

---

[i] This is a brilliant joke.

Tilling

If I could just reach into the past

I would make a present

Of my future:

We live, we think

Not then, or tomorrow,

But in a constantly-moving, eternal now-

Moment broken when noticed-

Chased-

Named.

‘Be melting snow’ says Rumi,

‘Wash yourself of yourself’.

Pomegranate seeds, our essence,

Sweeten the arid ground

Readying the rough dirt;

Hope.

Fancy A Bowl?

Words Become Delinquent

I dropped a rhyming couplet somewhere near.

So if you find it, could you bring it here?

I had it in my pocket, but – oh dear! –

I didn’t even feel it disappear.

The metre of the words was just iambic;

It wasn’t all that fanciful or classic.

Loosely themed round something faux-romantic,

You’d recognise it if you ever passed it.

Alas! Fie! Woe is me! - and all that nonsense

That men in tights should say on stage with glee -

But for myself, well, I’d rather drink essence

Of Skol and Frosty Jack mixed with cat pee.

So if you find my couplet, please do stop it

From joining in a deviant, foul sonnet.