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From Manchester Evening News, by Mike Keegan:
Last month councillors rejected the proposals sparking fears that it could be the end of the line for the 112-year-old club.
But tonight, in front of a packed audience at Oldham's Civic Centre, revised plans were given the go-ahead by a vote of 10-1. Simon Blitz, one of the club's three owners, said he was "delighted".
He added that work to redevelop Boundary Park, the club's decaying home, would start as soon as possible. The plans include 693 new homes, a fitness centre, and a landmark hotel.
Director Barry Owen hailed the decision as a momentous day for the club. He paid tribute to fans who launched a peaceful protest march after the original decision and said: "They have been fantastic and will be celebrating tonight."
From BBC Football:
Councillors unanimously accepted plans to upgrade the Broadway Stand.
But they then voted against granting outline planning permission for the rest of the stadium by a margin of seven votes to four.
"This diabolical decision beggars belief," Latics chief executive Alan Hardy told his club's website.
"To say a cloud hangs over Boundary Park is not an understatement.
"This is the culmination of four years of hard work, with our planners working hand in hand with the council's over the last 12 months. We were led to believe we'd done things right.
"The development we'd planned would help to take both the football club and the town foward, but it's clear Oldham Council don't want that.
"They have seen the death of Watersheddings, and now they could see the death of Boundary Park."
Watersheddings was the home until 1997 of Oldham Roughyeds rugby league club, who now groundshare at Boundary Park.
The council's reasons for rejecting planning permission were doubts over figures in a traffic survey, as well as the large scale of the development and the loss of open space and amenities.
Opened in 1904, Boundary Park currently has a capacity of 13,264.
Club director Barry Owen added: "As the fans' representative on the board, I am ashamed to be a resident of the town in whcih I was born.
"The committee's decision now puts the club's future in serious doubt."
Oldham defender Reuben Hazell has signed a new contract keeping him at Boundary Park until the summer of 2009.
Hazell, 28, has made eight first-team appearances since joining on a month-to-month contract in September.
From the Oldham Advertiser:
THE new owners of Oldham Athletic are Simon Corney, Simon Blitz and Daniel Gazal, the Oldham Advertiser can exclusively reveal.
The trio - all Londoners currently based in New York - have remained unnamed for several weeks to enable them to focus their time and energies on completing a takeover deal for the cash-strapped second division club.
The new backers made their fortune in telecommunications and mobile phones with the Cellular Network Communications Group (CNCG) which is a distributor for T-Mobile, Nextel, and AT&T Wireless.
Simon Corney will re-locate to Oldham to work 'hands-on' at the club on a day-to-day basis while Blitz and Gazal will jet over regularly from the US.
The investors say they intend to stabilise the club's long-term finances and stimulate new sources of income through the redevelopment of Boundary Park and growing the club's fan base.
All the club's existing staff will be retained while a review of the club's operations takes place.
The trio, who almost bought Hull City in 2001, expect their takeover to be completed early next year. They have already secured agreement to buy Boundary Park for £4.6m from Oldham Property Partnerships and now need approval from a creditors' meeting - scheduled for January 8 - and a Football League meeting the following week to complete the deal.
================= Previously =================
Take over approved
03-Feb-2004
Oldham are set to come out of administration after the FA and Football League approved a takeover bid by 3 New York-based English businessmen.
The bid had been blocked but permission has now been given for membership and fixtures to be transferred to a new club, Oldham Athletic (2004).
One of the new owners, Simon Blitz, said: 'We are pleased today to start a new era at Boundary Park.we now expect to complete the purchase.
Blitz added 'I would like to pay tribute to those involved in the negotiations, including the FA, the Football League and of course the administrators, PKF. 'I would also like to mention Latics supporters and the Supporters' Trust, who have been very patient with us during negotiations and have demonstrated fantastic support.'
Oldham have survived on a week-to-week basis since millionaire businessman Chris Moore stopped bankrolling the club to the tune of £50,000 a week at the end of last season.
======================= Previously =======================
19-12-03
Oldham Athletic have issued the following statement on the official website.
The Administrators at PKF have convened meetings of the Club's shareholders and creditors for the purpose of proposing a Company Voluntary Arrangement ( ' CVA ' )
The creditors meeting will take place on Thursday 8 January 2004 at 11.30am and will be held at The Council Chamber , Oldham Metropolitan Borough , Civic Centre , West Street , Oldham.
Should the creditors and shareholders approve a CVA for the Club then it is anticipated that The Football League will approve a transfer of the Football League membership to the proposed purchasers of the Club at its next Board meeting on 15 January 2004. The transfer of the Football League membership is conditional on an approved CVA for Oldham Athletic Association Football Club Limited . The outcome of the CVA meetings is therefore crucial to the survival of the football club.
The CVA will propose that the Preferential Creditors (Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise ) will receive circa 32 pence in the £ on their claims . The unsecured creditors will not receive a dividend . Unsecured creditors can however use their vote in favour of the CVA to ensure that football in the Town continues . The importance of this to the community cannot be overestimated.
A comprehensive CVA Proposal document will be circulated to creditors and shareholders today and tomorrow. The document contains some 60 pages and has not been circulated to approximately 3,500 season ticket holders. At the present time season ticket holders are technically creditors for the unexpired portion of their season ticket. However the proposed purchasers of the football club have confirmed that should they take control of the football club they will honour season tickets for the remainder of the season .
The season ticket holders are however entitled to attend the meeting on the 8 January should they wish to do so.
Season ticket holders wishing to positively support the CVA proposal can do so by completing a proxy form and registering it with the Administrators at Boundary Park before the 8 January. Season ticket holders can nominate the Chairman of the creditors meeting to vote on their behalf in favour of the CVA . A proxy form can either be obtained by CLICKING HERE or from the ticket office at Boundary Park any day during the week or on match day .
=================== Previously ===================
15th Oct 2003
Two US-based businessmen have paid £200,000, allowing administrators PKF to keep Oldham running into November.
The news has been welcomed by the fans group, Trust Oldham.
The BBC report that trust director Alex Metcalfe said. 'This funding is a show of commitment and will hopefully lead to bigger and better things,' 'If they don't take over, there's always a risk that other investors will have been deterred from staying.'
The businessmen are understood to have gained a period of exclusivity through their financial contribution in which they can fully formulate a takeover package.
However, another £500,000 needs to be found in order to form a new company and show that there is enough money in place for the club to satisfy creditors until the end of the season.
Metcalfe added: 'It's cause for optimism and a very welcome step forward.'
================== Previously ==================
rom BBC:
Cash-strapped Second Division side Oldham Athletic have been placed in administration. The Latics were sold for to a management buyout team for £1 last month in a bid to escape liquidation. A statement on the club's official website said: 'Oldham Athletic Football Club have entered administration after the administration order was granted at the High Court of Justice Chancery Division in the Leeds District Registry.'
Oldham's future has been hanging in the balance since owner Chris Moore revealed he was pulling out after the end of last season. Moore has agreed to hand over control of the club to a buy-out team headed by Sean Jarvis and Neil Joy. Oxford-based businessman Moore also agreed to write off £4.5m owed to him by the club when he transferred his 95% shareholding to commercial manager Jarvis and club accountant Joy. The Latics had been losing £50,000 a week and Moore announced he was no longer willing to bankroll the club.
The Boundary Park club is expected to make a further statement on Monday afternoon.
=========== Previously ==================
New owners revealed
The new owners of Oldham Athletic have been announced. They are a management buy-out team led by marketing boss Sean Jarvis and club accountant Neil Joy.
A delighted Jarvis told MEN Sport: 'The club is off its deathbed but still in intensive care. 'There is a long journey ahead with a lot of hard work to do. 'If there are any investors out there willing to put money into a great club we would love to hear from them. 'We have been thrown a lifeline but still face a mammoth task.'
The next step is to meet Football League officials and present them with a detailed business plan that will guarantee the clubs ability to fulfil their fixtures for the coming season.
Owner Chris Moore agreed to sell his 95 per cent stake for just £1. Just days after fans burned his effigy outside his business HQ in Banbury.
As part of the deal, Moore has agreed to write off loans to the club of around £4.5m but they still have debts of more than £2m.
The new owners see their take over as survival-based and are fully behind boss Iain Dowie, who is currently left with just 12 professionals.
===================== Previously =====================
25.07.03
Oldham's survival could be confirmed within the next 24 hours after a plan to rescue the Second Division club was revived, reports the BBC.
Oldham thought they had an agreement with a group of Norwegian businessmen on Friday night, but the deal fell through when they admitted they did not have the money.
The failure moved Oldham closer to liquidation, with marketing manager Sean Jarvis admitting they had 'days, not weeks' to save the club.
Local investors are attempting to salvage the situation by re-launching an old survival plan.
The proposal, which will rely on money raised by local businessmen, the Supporters' Trust, the local council and other outside investors.
Jarvis has confirmed the plan has once again been put to owner Chris Moore, who has a 95% share holding at Boundary Park. 'We are expecting a phone call from Mr Moore as soon as possible so we can take instruction on what to do next. We've put forward a proposal to Chris Moore, which was originally superseded by the collapsed Norwegian bid. That survival plan has now been resurrected and is back on the table. We now have to see if Chris Moore wants us to proceed. Unless an investor comes forward, which is highly unlikely, the survival plan is the last option we have.'
=================== Previously ===================
18.07.03
This week saw a meeting at Boundary Park formally launching the Supporters Trust. The event took place in the Rochdale Road end, with a decent amount of Latics fans turning up to hear what had to be said. jklatics website (link below) explains in detail what was said at the meeting.
It also give an insight into what the Oldham fans have had to put up with from their current chairman.
=================== Previously ===================
4.07.03
A special celebrity match will be held at Boundary park on Saturday 12th July. (see www.jklatics.com)
The match, in aid of the newly formed Supporters Trust, whose provisional Patron is none other than Jimmy Frizzell, will feature ex Latics players who have given their time free of charge to help in Latics fight for survival. Entrance to the match will be by donation to the Trust of £10 minimum (more would be better) - £5 concessions and the money will then be held by the Trust to benefit the club in whatever way the Trust decides.
The proceeds from the match will NOT go directly to Latics at the present time for obvious reasons, in view of the current state of play. Gordon Lawton and his loyal team of helpers have pulled this all together. Amazing when you think that they are working unpaid to save this great club of ours. Don't let them, Sean and the club down - BE THERE!
As the Club point out: 'If the the fans do not support this game...then it could quite possibly become the LAST football game to ever be staged at Boundary Park.' - They ain't joking Lads and Lasses.
To add to the sense of occasion, the players will be led out by none other than Joe Royle, Latics' legendary ex-manager who led out those same players at Wembley in the Littlewoods Cup Final during that golden era.
No saviour role for Ridsdale
(From ManchesterOnline)
FORMER Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale will not be taking over crisis club Oldham Athletic. Cash-strapped Latics bosses today learned Ridsdale has ruled out a Boundary Park takeover - he believes it's simply not feasible.
A club insider says Latics now have 72 hours over the weekend to find either a business consortium or a wealthy benefactor to help rescue the club. And there's a deadline looming on Friday, July 11, when unpaid wages need to be met, or the players can walk. A number of Latics stars including Fitz Hall and Les Pogliacomi are reported to be set to leave on a free transfer should their wages not be met. Latics are losing around £25,000 a week.
The local authority have done all they can to help the club at this stage but could have a key role to play in any future developments. Latics bosses are said to have alternative options to Ridsdale who was sounded out by former chairman David Brierley. Ridsdale is also linked with buyouts at Luton Town and QPR.
================= Previously =============
27-Jun-2003 - Save our club! £150,000 needed by Friday
From www.jklatics.com:
Oldham Athletic, 108 years old, is in imminent danger of going out of business. NOW, not next week or the week after, but within the next couple of days.
Administration is not an option for Latics as in the case of a lot of clubs. Latics have already disposed of their ground a number of years ago to service previous debts and now have no assets whatsoever to convince a judge to grant an administration order.
It's so grave that if the players wages are not paid by Friday 27 June, they can give notice and walk away. The club shop has had to close it's doors, the bank account is frozen and there remain to be paid Inland Revenue monthly bills from 19th June which could result in the Revenue serving a winding up order at any minute.
At that time, Oldham Athletic Football Club will cease to exist. There looks like being no last minute reprieve such as has happened at other clubs. Talks with potential new investors broke down whand we thank them all wholeheartedly. When you're in this situation you've no idea the boost a simple message of support from a rival fan gives you.
But we need more. A bank account has been set up via the Supporters Trust website and we are asking all genuine fans if they could contribute a few quid via a credit card to help us through this crisis. Please click the Supporters Trust logo at the bottom of this story to contribute.
We'd do the same for you and you could be helping to keep a piece of footballing history alive and at the same time keeping the league intact. Once one club folds, how many more will follow?
There are 92 of our clubs, and no genuine fan wants to see any of them go the wall. We are merely the latest in a long line of crisis hit clubs and we won't be the last.
If we all stick together and support each other in our times of need, we can all survive and with a little better husbandry of the meagre resources available to the vast majority of clubs in the league, we can at least survive, if not prosper.
Please give whatever you can.
We'll do the same for you should the need ever arise. Please donate at the link below and thanks a million.
Together in Sport.
Jack Scott (kjskot@hotmail.com)
Publisher of JKLatics.com (Oldham Athletic Rivals)
====================== previously =====================
25-Jun-2003
From BBC Website:
Oldham Athletic have set themselves a target of raising £150,000 by Friday to keep the club afloat, report BBC GMR. The figure is the amount required to pay the wages of players and staff at the end of the week which will prevent the club going into liquidation. A supporters trust, set up in the last 10 days, is now aiming to raise £250,000 to help guarantee the club's long term future. Meetings between the club and local businesses are continuing as the Latics seek new investors.
From www.jklatics.com:
Latics club shop has been open this afternoon in an aid to help the club survive. 4000 copies of a book called GET THOSE SHEEP OF THE PITCH! A life in Non-League football have kindly been donated to the club. If all 4000 copies can be sold, some £40,000 will be raised for the Supporters Trust.
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16-Jun-2003
The Oldham Chronicle has reported that Oldham could have just 48 hours to find an investor or the club could go to the wall.
According to the JK Latics website the Chronical reported that Chris Moore is in talks with some investors but Moore may not prepared to stump up any more cash to bankroll our ailing club.
A source at the club is reported to have said that the situation is more than perilous and manager Iain Dowie, who has been unable to make any plans for next season due to his not being allocated a budget, admits that the club is teetering on the brink.
Speaking to the Chronicle, he is reported to have said,
'I have spoken to Chris a couple of times and I am well aware of how perilous the financial situation is.
'The whole future of the club is at stake and the situation is grim. I have heard the word liquidation mentioned and, though not a businessman, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to realise how serious the situation is.'
Dowie was reported to have informed Chris Moore of investors known to him and the coaching staff and JKLatics.com reported that some of these potential investors may possibly be Australians, perhaps introduced by John Harbin.
What the outcome of any talks will be is unclear but if the Chronical's assessment is correct, there could be just 48 hours to sort out the mess.
There are also rumours circulating that the club is allegedly unable to cover wages and if true, this could result in the loss of administrative staff. Hopefully these rumours are not correct.
What Dowie's future will be is unclear, with recent reports that there is a potential sale of players to stave off disaster.
Dowie told the Chronicle
'At the moment I cannot talk to any of the out-of-contract players because I have been given no budget.
'It looks on the brink of total collapse and unlikely I will get the chance to take the club forward. Unless there is massive investment it looks as though the team will be broken up.'
This is a devastating time in the club's history, yet surely if there is a chance of new investors in the club, the situation is at least potentially recoverable. Better a potential investor than none at all.
================== Previously ==================
4.06.01
Oldham have a new Chairman. Business tycoon Chris Moore he has told Andy Ritchie that he will personally bankroll the wages for five new players. Moore's says his immediate goal is to get The Oldham back in Division One and he has said more money will be made available if that is achieved.
As reported on TEAMtalk SAFE (Save Athletic's Future Existence) have pledged to work alongside the new chairman next season and hope to discuss further ways of taking the club forward. That includes the formation of a stadium company to oversee an £8million redevelopment of Boundary Park.
