Its all gone wrong at Hornchurch"

[Foxy2004]

The company bankrolling Hornchurch has gone bankrupt and left all the staff without a pot...

Clubs have offered terms to many contract players because Honrchurch are in breach of contract.

 

Such a shame.....I know they are not in the ESL.....but thought I'd pass on this unfortunate news.

[Arkwright]

That really is a pity, went there on Tuesday & it looked like they had things really going well.

[Guest]

This could be dreadful news for the Step 2 and 3 areas of the game as the " company" you mention, I think, has a big sponsorship connection with other aspects of the Non League Game such as the Conference League Cup and other football clubs.. we'll now see who was quick enough to get their money "up front" ?

 

There may be severe repurcussions over this issue in terms of non-league clubs and staff going " full time" in future ... what a sensational story, Foxy .. and on Fireworks Day to boot !

[Hookey]

Blimey Foxy, I didn't see that coming!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />

 

Good luck to the Urchins for attempting to live the dream.

 

Chelsea beware!!!!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/rockon.gif" alt="" />

[Foxy2004]

Such a shame....

 

Obviously some of the players were on very good contracts and have their families and mortagages to support.

Although they'll get new clubs of course, I am sure they wont be earning as much as they was.

Not just a sad day for the Urchins but also a sad day for non league football.

[Southport - TOWNER]

wasn't this Bryco behind them? does tha mean I won't get my new windows? what a pane!

[Chopper]

you will have to go to supreme o glaze ST.

[Hookey]

Straight from The Urchins website:

 

Thursday 4th November 2004

 

Late last evening, the chairman Gary Calder and manager Garry Hill were informed that there would no longer be the funds available to sustain Hornchurch FC.

 

Players and staff were issued wage cheques on Tuesday, but these were all stopped.

 

Gary Calder said, "The party is over and the rollercoaster ride has come to an end. The club will continue playing football and will compete in the FA Trophy and the FA Cup. We are absolutely devastated".

 

Manager Garry Hill said "I feel the same as each and every person connected with this football club. I am empty inside. The league table doesn't lie, we all thought that we could take the club to the next level. After all it's November and we've only lost one league game. Everyone connected with club, the staff and players have worked hard and we need the supporters to rally round."

 

Coach Kevin Hales said "It's not just the players and staff, it's their families as well. It's been a really traumatic day and we need 24 hours to clear our heads. Who knows what might happen, but there might be someone who will come forward and ask to take control of the club. We will be taking advice from everybody and we will see which way the ship steers next"

 

At the present time, Gary Hill remains the manager of Hornchurch FC

[Mr Happy]

It just goes to show that being run by a supporters trust at 6this level is the best way forward. Sure, we haven't progressed the way Hornchurch and Leyton have but all it takes is for the money men to pull out and you are up a certain creek without a shovel.

[Chopper]

agreed happy

[Foxy2004]

Totally agree with Mr H and Chopper...

 

Certainly a club built on its fan base seems the best way forward.....just like yourselves,Aldershot and of course AFC Wimbledon.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Sorry to hear that - when all is said and done Hornchurch is an Essex side and Gary Calder an old friend of ETFC. Not nice for anyone so every good wish to everyone connected with Hornchurch at this time.

 

ETFC has a good fans based business model true but it does require hard work from as many people as possible. Hare and the tortoise comes to mind, but we will get there in the end and hopefully have a sustainable busness model.

[Southport - TOWNER]

Good luck to Hornchurch, football clubs are about a lot of different things, and the one constant is the supporters, hope the club manages to survive

[MbrunoB]

Has Amber Necter seen this ?

I bet he will say `that will never happen to us`.

[Football Man]

Nobody should be surprised by this. Redbridge FC have also hit financial trouble this week but this is a bit more low key than the Hornchurch situation.

 

The same thing WILL hit every other club punching above their weight or reliant on a sugar daddy figure sooner or later but most people won't learn and won't take an awful lot of notice until it happens to Chelsea which, one day, it will.

[TB&G]

Couldn't agree more with all the previous posts.

 

It's a sad day for Hornchurch and another one for non-league football in general.

 

But we know how it feels fellas at Romford FC, albeit on a smaller level, as we had to struggle back from the abyss ourselves didn't we?

 

That's why the faithful at 'the Boro' will do their damndest to keep their beloved club run as a supporter based one and move forward very cautiously.

 

The phrase 'control your own purse and control your own destiny' comes to mind.

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

[The Invisible Man]

We've been there too, having a rich man take the club as his plaything till it all goes wrong. The differences were that we had a proud club, one of the great names in non-league football, to start with. We went from top to bottom then kaput, not the other way round!

 

Secondly we had a long drawn-out painful death - technically the patient is not yet dead, rather than a quick ending.

[Guest]

Quote:

Has Amber Necter seen this ?
I bet he will say `that will never happen to us`.

Of course i have seen it and no it wont happen at cheshunt because we have paul and vinny at the helm unlike a skint double glazing firm or a bunch of turncoat enfield pr&ts,we shall have a state of the art stadium ,A team to be proud of,and be in the conference unlike you townies who can only have wet dreams of success. And Brunob you should leave the BRU off your name as its more apropriate <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bawling.gif" alt="" />

[MbrunoB]

And how do you think Hornchurch supporters rated their owner before the troubles?

How safe are you with houses already planned for some of the land?

Very clever about the name, I aint heard that since you were posting as a lifelong enfield supporter.

[TopGun]

Its quite nice down theobalds lane with cedars park nearby. Let me know when they start building houses on there as I might be interested in buying one.