WSC 173 Jul 01

Chesterfield is now owned by a Supporters Trust, which has inherited a mess. A cash surplus has been turned into a £1.6 million debt – the creditors ranged from the tax man to a local sandwich shop – including £650,000 of football-related debt. The club is in administration. In a few weeks, we must convince the courts we have the ability to turn it around. But before then, we must fight the motion brought by a group of Third Division chairman to expel us from the League.

We are appealing to all fans to recognise that the current mess is not the fault of Chesterfield Football Supporters Society – fans at Northampton, Chester, Bournemouth, Doncaster, Brighton and Carlisle all know what it is like to be powerless as your club is taken over by an individual whose actions almost finish off the club. Nobody acquired firm evidence that the person who took over at Chesterfield had the money to back up his claims, or checked out his background in other businesses. This will go on happening until the League implements a procedure to vet the people who buy our football teams. Clubs can work together to bring this about.

There are over 2,000 members of the CFSS. We are now appealing to fans across the country to support our bid to save Chesterfield FC and make it the very first 100 per cent fans-owned club in the country.

From WSC 173 July 2001. What was happening this month

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