The Poolie Bunker

Well, contrary to many people's expectations, in the end Raj didn't 'do a Darlington' on Pools and close the club down.

In future the HUFC history will show that he took Pools over in its darkest hour and passed it on 8 years later as a going concern - albeit going nowhere in the National League.

Way too soon to show much forgiveness for his appalling lack of nous in public relations, shocking treatment of the fans and criminally poor recruitment of managers. Maybe on the last bit one day we'll say that he was poorly advised - surely it's farewell to your arse too to Lenny Lawrence, Lee Rust and co?

The fans were right behind him, but managed to shake them off at the A19.

Took us as far as he could or was prepared to, hopefully the new fellow has got a passion to take us forward and deeper pockets. Shame we've quite a wait for a home game now.

Statements of intent need to be made before the next home game.
Then progress needs to be monitored.
Assume nothing, believe no-one, check everything...................................ABC!!!!

the big thing that we might never know is did he have the finance to take the club further or had it but refused to use it. more openeness with fans and much better communications would have helped a great deal. nearly from the start he was always asking for financial help from others in running the club so it makes me wonder about his full financial position. he might be rich compared to us lot but not amongst others who own clubs.

On paper he is cash rich in assets with his care homes but not cash in the bank, from what we know he used Clarence 18 to debt the club up, it’s showing on companies house as still trading albeit it’s the holiday period and the records night not have been updated.
The new owners have registered as posted in another topic a new company called HUFC NSD Ltd.

He told me that he had a million cash that he could invest. He did that but then in his view it was down to the club, the team and the fans to fund growth and stability..

In the end he just made it harder for himself by failing to keep the fans, the lifeblood of the club, onside.
Pretty sure we were all grateful when he stepped in to save the club, but in the end he just ran out of goodwill.he

Any budding accountant should be able to view the accounts of Clarence18/Prestige Group on Companies House website in the coming months which will show an influx of cash from the sale of Pools I imagine.

That wouldn't give the full picture if the accounts are published, there could be clauses for further payments linked to future player sales, cup success, promotion, etc.
I don't think we'll see any more accounts, the Company will likely be wound up and the veil of secrecy maintained.
Raj is in the history books now, we'll never know how much he put in over the years, how much he may have taken out, or how much he sold the club for. Just the same as any of the previous owners really.

Effectively, it’s none of our business to know, it ain’t our cash, we’re customers not shareholders, so as far as the accountants are concerned.
So at the end of the day everything is just speculation on our part.

Did he put some in, took some out, transactions with his other companies/associates?
Overall was it a profit or loss or b/e.
We will never know.
He kept the club going in a dark hour.

To be fair on the most important stuff we're better off than when he arrived, league status pretty much the same but no money worries.
But, the growing disconnect between the club, fans, and media has had a huge negative impact not only on the club but on Raj's own reputation. The shame of that is it didn't need to be this way, a bit more openness and honesty would have cost him nothing but enhanced his legacy considerably.

Raj deserves a lot of credit (along with Jeff) for bailing us out of the shite, when nobody else came forward, after we were asset stripped by Coxberg.

Raj worked wonders picking through that train wreck of a situation and putting the club on a sound financial footing. Allied with the promotion season under DC- I will always be grateful to him for that.

Where it unravelled, started with the DC contract situation after promotion and the likes of Oates leaving for the sake of a few quid- we should never be financially out-muscled by the likes of Mansfield FFS.

Where the wheels completely fell off, was the appointment of Hartley- with all the useless Sweaties he signed on two year deals having a massive impact on us staying in the League, including the rebuild under Askey after relegation. Also can't be many teams (if any) that get relegated, having posted a financial profit!

After that it was managerial mayhem, as he panicked to find the silver bullet to rectify the massive bollock he dropped by bringing in Hartley and the Sweaty nation. This was further exasperated by his growing bunker mentality and the wall of silence that enveloped the club with any dissenters including the local media being sent to coventry over the prospective takeover that dragged on for over TWO and a half YEARS!
In Raj's defence /mitigation he was also badly advised by the likes of Rusty Lee and the yes men

There is a lot of work to do- by the NEW Chief- in building a rapport back with the fanbase and the town.
Get it right or even, mostly right and he/.we have the opportunity to live the dream once more.

Returning to the EFL obviously has to be the immediate goal closely followed by staying there.
After that hurdle is cleared once more, we'll have lift off and this non league nightmare can finally be put to bed, once and for all.

This is turning into a VERY Happy New Year!

Come on Pools-
We've got this-
NSD!

but all the average fan can do is turn up and pay there gate money. possibly buy a programme, use the club shop and food;drink outlets on top. that however is it, and employing the sweaties more or less finished the club as far as incresing gates did plus the pre season fiasco.