Board face battle for Clyde FC
Rivals want to bring club to Ru’glen
The board at Clyde FC have said they will not work with a rival group who want to bring the club back to Rutherglen.
The move came after the group said they would not share details of their proposal unless John Alexander was removed from the board.
Club members were told of the decision in a briefing that was sent last month.
The Reformer has obtained a copy of the document, which details a meeting of the board and the group, represented by former player Stephen Tennent, fan Tommy Smith and former director, Gary Ballantyne.
According to the briefing, the group are unwilling to provide any detail of their proposal to the club unless John Alexander was removed from his role as a director.
We revealed in August that the board and another group had approached Clyde Gateway about the possibility of a purpose-built stadium for Clyde on Cuningar Loop.
Since then the board secured a deal to play at Broadwood in Cumbernauld for the next five years. They also intimated this could lead to a permanent arrangement.
In the briefing, the board indicate their unwillingness to work with the rebel group, who first suggested removing the current board at the club’s AGM in December of last year.
The board describe the group’s activities since as being “unhelpful to the club.”
The briefing states that Mr Tennent outlined a £ 6million proposal, funded by local contacts and sources in London and Dubai.
They also said they had obtained £60,000 to carry out a feasibility study but could not access it as they did not represent Clyde. However, they indicated the funding was dependant on Mr Alexander leaving the board. The group also want three seats on the board.
Mr Tennent also told the group that former player and director Bobby Gracey, who split from the board acrimoniously last year, was involved in the project.
But the club dismissed the group, saying: “We will engage with credible individuals who display integrity and professionalism and we will not hand control to anyone who has been unable to grasp the basic requirement to conduct due diligence.”
Supporters were told: “The Clyde FC board is unwilling to take the matter further on these terms.”
The briefing also states: “We remain committed to securing our club in the right location for the long term and whilst we have real interest in the Cuningar Loop site, we consider it inappropriate to be dictated to by a group who refuse to share basic information and have presented an overtly personalised agenda seeking the removal of the former chair.”
The club had previously seen plans to groundshare with Glencairn, East Kilbride Thistle and Shettleston fall through.
Mr Tennent told the Reformer: “Making comment on a private meeting would not be the responsible thing to do.”
Mr Alexander said: “Our position is quite clear and the club has nothing further to add at this time.”