From the Archives - A New Board at Edgar Street

With the recent changes at board level at Edgar Street, it's timely to look back to June 1998 when Peter Hill announced he was stepping down as chairman of Hereford United and then failed to attend the AGM.

At the AGM of Hereford United FC on the evening of 29th June, all current directors stood down and were replaced by Graham Turner and 3 new directors reports HUISA. The shares transfer from Peter Hill to Turner was made by a legally binding document to be timed at the close of the AGM.

A very well attended AGM comprising of over 50 shareholders was conducted at times in a 'heated' atmosphere, concentrating on the terms of the Joint Venture Agreement made with the BS Group. The accounts covered the period to the end of May 1997, during which time the JVA was made. The meeting was chaired by David Vaughan in the absence of Peter Hill who was on 'holiday' again. Hill's failure to attend the meeting was met with derision and a series of complaints from the floor of the meeting. This left shareholders in no doubt that Hill was hiding away from his critics and was leaving the rump of his board behind to answer for his actions. Vaughan was therefore subjected to a catalogue of questions relating to the operation of the Football Club and the manner in which former managing director Robin Fry had appeared to have been paid off following the receipt of the original BS Group loan. A fierce debate ensued surrounding the conduct of the directors over the handling of the 'gift' of the Edgar Street lease to the BS Group. During this questioning David Vaughan and Jane Simmons confirmed that they were 'retiring' from the board. Confirmation was also received that Keith Benjamin had resigned from his 'role' as Associate Director the previous November.

Analysis of the accounts revealed that Robin Fry's company was paid £34,412 for consultancy fees' for the year ended 31st May 1997. and that an Edinburgh based consultants (Intervec) were also paid £30,000 for consultancy fees' connected to the proposed relocation of HUFC. The accounts also confirmed HUISA's fears that the leases on Edgar Street expire on 10 August 2015 and 12 August 2057 but that the original BS Group loan of £500,000 plus accrued interest remains repayable on 31 May 1999. The second loan of £500,000 is interest free, repayable on 19th May 2003. Despite all of the objections before the meeting closed Vaughan even had the temerity to state that he was 'satisfied' with his own personal record as a director of Hereford United FC and that of the rest of the Board!

GT stated on the night that his new directors are, Sam Lodh (Solicitor, and HUISA confidante), Tristram Richmond-Sterry (Solicitor, and HUISA member) and Joan Fennessy (Club Secretary). George Hyde was invited to join the board by GT after the AGM and Ron Jukes (Club Scout) joined a fortnight later.

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