Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Mitchell vows to open up to supporters' trust
Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell has offered to lay bare the club's financial situation after coming under fire from the AFC Bournemouth Supporters' Trust.[LNB] The club's leading fans' group yesterday raised its concerns about Cherries' handling of various off-field issues.[LNB] After HM Revenue and Customs served the club with a winding-up petition, the trust has criticised Mitchell and his fellow directors and called for a clear and unequivocal statement from the board. The group also requested talks with Cherries' hierarchy.[LNB] In response, Mitchell revealed he was prepared to meet the trust to discuss matters.[LNB] He told the Echo: On behalf of the board, if anyone wants to meet myself and Neill Blake (chief executive) on Thursday, they can see where every penny has gone and we can explain things to them.[LNB] We are quite happy to sit down with them.[LNB] When asked whether he was disappointed by the trust's comments, he added: I don't really take notice of it. I've been criticised since the day I started in business, but people don't get their facts right.[LNB] Mitchell, who claims to have reduced the club's overall debt by about £800,000 since taking charge at Dean Court in the summer, held a fans' forum last week.[LNB] But despite that meeting, the supporters' trust yesterday called for more answers.[LNB] The supporters' trust is concerned with many of the recent statements and decisions that have been made and taken by the AFC Bournemouth board, a statement said.[LNB] The trust also questioned the decision to allocate some of the money raised from early season ticket sales to pay debts that may not help Cherries' bid to beat the transfer embargo.[LNB] The statement added: In the autumn, the club successfully cleared a winding-up petition from HMRC and we were told that our tax liabilities had been resolved. It therefore comes as a shock to find that a further £314,000 is now owed. Is this part of the legacy debt or has it arisen through non-payment of recent dues[LNB] Speaking on Thursday, Mitchell said: We're either up to date with our tax and the old tax is going to drag us down, or we proportion our money to the old debt and fall behind with the new debt until we've eaten it all up. And that's what we're trying to do.[LNB] ¢ Former Liverpool youngster Gary Mackay-Stevens and ex-Dorchester Town star Ivan Forbes are set to feature for Cherries' reserves tonight.[LNB] The trialists join a squad of youth team players for the totesport.com Combination clash against Swindon Town at Hungerford (7pm).[LNB] Cherries reserves: (from) Thomas, Hester, Strugnell, Oldring, Green, Forbes, Magookin, Hill, Mackay-Stevens, Stockley, Kemble, Parsons, Vokes, Bell, Murphy.[LNB]
