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£350,000...and if he's lucky, ex-Town boss will get £8,500 back
FORMER Halifax Town chairman Geoff Ralph has lost a fortune with the collapse of the club.
Mr Ralph, who quit last year after nearly three years in charge, pump-ed at least 350,000 into keeping the troubled club afloat, documents reveal.
He may get around 8,500 back.
He is among a host of businesses and individuals owed more than 2 million in a list released by adminstrators yesterday. Cred-itors will get just 2.5p in the pound if a company voluntary arr-angement is accepted.
But despite his huge personal loss he wished the club well – especially in today's big Shay clash with Stevenage.
He is the largest personal creditor as a result of struggling to run the club on its limited income without other major financial backing.
"My major concern was trying to keep the club going," he said.
"It is disappointing and upsetting what has happened. I made decisions and have to stand by them.
"I do not have regrets but there is a lot of disappointment in that I could not generate other people's interest.
It all fell my way and it is difficult to run the club on that basis."
Mr Ralph warned he could no longer keep funding the club following the Conference play-off against Hereford in 2006 and was seeking additional investment.
His guest at that game was David Bosomworth, the leader of a consortium that has been funding the club since January 2007 and which hopes to strike a deal with administrators to take over. Because Mr Ralph was unable to secure a takeover of the club he felt the need to resign last year.
"I want the club to go forward on the right basis," he said.
Mr Ralph said his view was based on an unsuccesful takeover, low commercial activity and a pricing policy that had priced fans out of the ground and resulted in gates below 1,000 this season.
But Mr Ralph, who stood down as chairman in March 2007, urged everyone connected with the club to rally round for today's crucial game.
A draw will safeguard the club's Blue Square Premier League status for next season – providing the company voluntary arrangement proposed by administrators is accepted.
The game against Stevenage Borough – the last of the season – kicks off at 5.15pm.
A businessman involved in the protracted takeover has also pleaded for all-round support. Stuart Peacock said the consortium had pledged their backing to the club and it was now awaiting two important results – today's game and the creditors' meeting on May 7.
"We are trying to put the club on a professional footing and that is no disrespect to what has gone before," said Mr Peacock, a Bradford businessman who is working alongside David Bosomworth and Bobby Ham.
Mr Peacock said bigger attendances and business support would be needed and the new owners would be putting in place commercial activities.
The businessmen are prepared to take over the club which is losing up to 30,000 a month and fund a continuing shortfall until the club breaks even.
Calderdale Council will press ahead with completing the Shay regardless of whether the Stadium Trust has the money for fully fitting it out.
With a contractor about to be appointed, the council has confirmed it will put 2.7 million into finishing the East Stand.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
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