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Archived News from February 2010

CONFERENCE UNDER FIRE FROM KETTERING
26th February 2010 17:19


http://www.ketteringtownfc.co.uk/story.php?story_id=414

As Requested by the Conference

Extracts from letters received from Football Conference (to Kettering Town):

MR IMRAAN LADAK (CHAIRMAN KETTERING TOWN FC)

I am obliged to inform you, you have been fined a sum of £5,000.00 for bringing the Competition into disrepute for remarks attributed to you:

1. "The governance of the Conference is very poor. We've seen and heard about it externally for years, but this was my first internal involvement and I've never seen such an unprofessional, incompetent operation with people that just do not have a clue how to run an organisation".

2. "I can't believe people like Bill King are in the positions they are".

3. "People throughout the Conference - chairmen, chief executives, managers - are fed up of this regime. They are desperate for change, but are scared to stick their head above the parapet for fear of implications against their club. You can see why we have no TV deal. It's nothing to do with the climate, it's to do with the people running the league".

4. "The problem is that most don't understand modern football or business. There is no transparency when it comes to the division of sponsorship money and 'gifts'. Who decides that the North and South clubs get so much less than the Premier? We don't know".

You are also ordered to issue a statement of apology for the comments in the form of a Press Statement; for publication in your Club's Match Day Programme and on the Club's Official website. A copy of this statement must be sent to the Football Conference Office within 14 days of the date of this notification. Failing this the Football Conference reserves the right to prepare a statement for your Club to issue in the above format.

Yours sincerely,

Dennis Strudwick
General Manager




Apology as requested by Conference:

25 February 2010

Dear Mr Strudwick,

I have not been Chairman of Kettering Town FC for quite some time now, but perhaps the Conference fax machine was switched off when the announcement was made? Fortunately we weren't registering players that day. Please find to follow my obedience to your request:

1. The Conference is a well run organisation. I am particularly impressed by the choice to manually configure the fixture list for the season rather than trust a computer to do it. I am considering buying my Finance Director an abacus and instructing him to use it instead of Excel, Access and Sage.

2. It is acceptable to announce a wage cap the week before the season starts and after clubs have signed contracts with their playing squads for that season and to not understand why that might be a problem. The Conservative party should consider bringing back Margaret Thatcher.

3. People should not be scared to stick their head above the parapet. Fines appear to be limited to £5,000. The Conference should contact the Premier League and offer their services to negotiate the next Sky deal on their behalf. I would be happy to give you a reference.

4. I was unaware that modern football and business dictates that people should be asked when they can attend a meeting in order to ensure a meeting is held on the specific day they are unavailable – I thank the Conference for teaching me this. We do know that Conference North and South clubs do not decide that they get so much less than the Premier clubs.

I trust you no longer need to order the club to issue an apology written by you on my behalf and am particularly impressed by the process, rules and regulations you followed in order to fine me.

Regards,

Imraan Ladak

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