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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Owners And Directors Test Isn't Working Says MP Norman


Not for the first time, Jesse Norman, MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire has said that the FA Owners and Directors Test isn't working.

Speaking on BBC Hereford and Worcester earlier this morning, Norman said that Hereford United was a perfect example of it.

"It is supposed to be adminstrated before someone buys the shares, but that didn't happen.

"It's supposed to give answers within fourteen days and we've been waiting for Mr Lonsdale's results one way or the other since the beginning of September.

"It's not being enforced because it looks like Mr Agombar is spending a lot of time at the club in a way that doesn't look like a man who has actually sold his shares.

"I've got serious concerns and I will be meeting again with the FA this week in order to press the case.

"The idea that someone can fail the 'test' as Mr Agombar and one of two others of his colleagues did in August and not know about it while there are pending court proceedings is appalling and disasterous for Hereford United."

Interviewer Andrew Easton then mentioned what had happened at Lonsdale's previous club Feltham. What signal does his history send to Hereford United?

"It doesn't inspire any confidence at all and I think you've done well to stand up the story but this is one that has been circulating for months and so there has been a great deal of concern at grass-roots level about Mr Lonsdale.

"And frankly with the passage of time we will probably get more revelations of this kind.

"Any one who cares about football in Hereford isn't going to want anything like this to be replicated and is going to want to have a wide berth from Mr Lonsdale and Mr Agombar."

The interview with Jesse Norman took place after H&W's political reporter Matt Bone had explained to listeners about Lonsdale and Feltham FC.

"Feltham was given permission in 2007 to rebuild its ground after it had fallen badly into disrepair.

"Andy Lonsdale was the club chairman. He was also a director of a company called All Transport Services Limited.

"As part of the deal it was agreed that the soil from nearby building sites could be dumped on the ground as part of its redevelopment.

"This proved lucrative business with developers paying large sums of money for someone to take unwanted soil off their hands.

"And Mr Lonsdale's company was paid for taking this soil and then the money could help fund the ground's redevelopment.

"The company had been given permission to dump around 15,000 cubic metres of soil on the site but at the end of the project surveyors estimated that around 73,000 cubic metres had been dumped, nearly five times as much.

"The rebuilding project was later abandoned as the football club merged with another team.

"The council later estimated it would cost £300,000 to sort out the damage."