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[Darren]

Doesn't look good for Vics

Vics' home locked up by landlord
4:05pm Tuesday 13th January 2009

 
Exclusive By Andrew Simpson »

NORTHWICH Victoria’s landlord has locked the gates at their Marston’s Arena home today, Tuesday.

Beaconet Limited, the company run by the club’s former chairman Mike Connett, may be wound up at London’s High Court in less than 24 hours.

It is due to be liquidated tomorrow morning, Wednesday.

The Guardian visited the ground earlier today, but the perimeter gates were padlocked and chained up.

A removals van was parked outside the stadium’s main entrance.

Vics are due to host FA Cup heroes Histon there at the weekend, but it is not known what state their home patch will be in should Connett depart.

Finance specialists Deloitte Touche are trying to sell the nine-acre site after seizing the asset from Beaconet last year.

Their job is to recover cash – to the sum of £1.2m – owed by Connett’s firm to Scottish lender Clydesdale Bank.

“At the moment Beaconet continues to trade as normal,” said Jo Ouvry, co-head of PR at Deloitte.

She refused to comment on tomorrow’s court case.

Should Connett’s company be struck off then there could be a power vacuum at the Marston’s Arena until Deloitte completes its sale.

Vics’ former owner has been allowed to run his business from there since the end of October.

He has continued to collect rent from the club – to the tune of £1,000 a week – to cover match day expenses.

Vics can’t use the ground at any other time.

Mr Registrar Simmonds is due to hear the winding-up petition, brought by Bank of Scotland over a separate five-figure debt owed by Beaconet, at 10.30am tomorrow, Wednesday.

Deloitte has not made clear who will take over the day-to-day management of the site should a winding-up order be made, nor do Vics know if they will have access to the site before Saturday’s match.

A stand-alone generator continues to provide electricity to the facility, which was shut down on December 12 after a test on emergency lighting.

Volunteers, led by Vics fan Mark Holman, fixed the problem later the same day.

A similar effort could be required ahead of Histon’s visit.

[matnvfcmad]

Not a joke this is a very sad day for the club could be our last game tonight i wouldnt wish this on any club so keep your smart remarks to yourself in future

[Darren]

Not a joke this is a very sad day for the club could be our last game tonight i wouldnt wish this on any club so keep your smart remarks to yourself in future

The title of the thread was just to get peples attention to your plight but look on the bright side you still you can sign players from miles away.

[penfold]

He has ruined their club, our local darby might be Wrexham now

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

He has ruined their club

Agreed. However, the people who are running the show now aren't doing much better. They should never have gone full time when they did and nor should they have employed a manager whose knowledge of non league football outside Sussex seems more than a little sketchy. We've already lost an old adversary in Runcorn and sadly it appears as though Vics are heading down the same route.

Terrible.

[penfold]

Boxing Day will not be the same with out a local game against Northwich (Weymouth) Victoria. Its becoming a regualar occurance now clubs living out of their means and going full time, then ending up in the Northen Premier. Surely the football heirarchy should bring in a law, where you have to show you can afford to take your club full time?

[cheeky trucker]

Not a joke this is a very sad day for the club could be our last game tonight i wouldnt wish this on any club so keep your smart remarks to yourself in future

The title of the thread was just to get peples attention to your plight but look on the bright side you still you can sign players from miles away.

Nah, there's an embargo, thought you'd heard

Well if the gates remain locked, bang goes the launch of my Walrus-free burgers

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

Is a ground share with Witton an option? I suppose with Runcorn already playing there it probably isn't?

[crossie]

A ground share with a club on the South Coast is a good shout. The manager and players would feel right at home.

[Narcissist]

I seem to remember that some clause in the lease meant that vics could carry on playing there no matter who the owners were. Is the ground not in the hands of the receivers now and its in their interest to let vics continue to pay rent and keep money coming in?

They'll limp through this season, I guarantee it.

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

A ground share with a club on the South Coast is a good shout. The manager and players would feel right at home.

It just defeats me how anyone on their board thought this arrangement was going to work. I mean that in the nicest possible way, all rivalry aside, it's just one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard of.

[Jenga]

Mr Registrar Simmonds is due to hear the winding-up petition, brought by Bank of Scotland over a separate five-figure debt owed by Beaconet, at 10.30am tomorrow, Wednesday.

THE SAME REGISTRAR THAT HEARD MY OLD EMPLOYERS LIQUIDATION HEARING - TAKEN ME 7 YEARS SO FAR TO GET MONEY FROM THE LIQUIDATION.

[cheeky trucker]

Is a ground share with Witton an option? I suppose with Runcorn already playing there it probably isn't?

No a groundshare with Witton is a non-starter even on temporary basis as Runcorn play there. I believe Wincham Park doesn't meet Conference grading any longer either, but that's academic in the circumstances.

I seem to remember that some clause in the lease meant that vics could carry on playing there no matter who the owners were. Is the ground not in the hands of the receivers now and its in their interest to let vics continue to pay rent and keep money coming in?

They'll limp through this season, I guarantee it.

Vics actually have a twenty five year lease at the VS. Of course if they were to go bust or the lease was contravened - non-payment of rent springs to mind - then the agreement would most likely be null and void. While Vics are able to keep the lease in place, any new owner is stuck with us. A "Marston's Arena" with no sitting tenant would however increase the value of the property.

[Dynamo Joe]

He has ruined their club

Agreed. However, the people who are running the show now aren't doing much better. They should never have gone full time when they did and nor should they have employed a manager whose knowledge of non league football outside Sussex seems more than a little sketchy. We've already lost an old adversary in Runcorn and sadly it appears as though Vics are heading down the same route.

Terrible.

I agree. It's a shame what's happening to Vics, even despite the rivalry between the two of us. I really do hope they'll get through this as it's not nice to see a club go down the pan.

[Jezza]

A removals van was parked outside the stadium’s main entrance.

There is some debate on vics forum about what fixtures and fittings the walrus could take....and some speculation this could include the goalposts.....in which case Vics could offer their next opponents jumpers for goalposts.... ..well it wouldn't be the strangest thing ever seen at Vics would it?