Tighter ‘fit and proper’ test too late for region’s former crisis clubs, but questions remain for Fleetwood

Sometimes things have to get worse, before they can get better.

Four of the five North West clubs competing in EFL League One in the new season, which kicks off on Saturday, have known chaos and turbulence in recent years.

The decline from Premier League riches of Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Blackpool, and the on/off takeover saga of Carlisle United will have had their supporters craving a wealthy local business leader to take control.

An owner, in fact, like Fleetwood Town’s Andy Pilley, who has used the wealth and prosperity generated by his successful utilities business to propel his local club from part-time non-league obscurity to the heights of EFL League One, to which they were promoted in 2014.

The only problem is that Pilley is now in jail.

As reported on TheBusinessDesk.com at the time, when Judge Knowles handed down a 7 year sentence at Preston Crown Court on 3 July 2023, he also threw the future of the Lancashire fishing town’s football club into doubt.

The club is owned by Jaymel Ltd who all official documents still refer to the beneficial owner as being Andrew Pilley. Though he resigned as a director in May 2023, its directors now are Pilley’s children Jamie and Melissa.

Andy Pilley

Immediately after his conviction in May the club said: “Fleetwood Town Football Club acknowledges the verdict in the court case involving club Chairman, Andy Pilley.

“The Chairman would like to reassure supporters the club will continue to operate as normal. Today’s verdicts will not affect the running or future of Fleetwood Town Football Club.

“The club is already in talks with the EFL regarding the next steps and will be making no further comment at this time.”

The club haven’t responded to requests for comment, especially as to what the EFL requires the club to do now that its owner is in prison.

At its meeting in June, the 72 member clubs of the EFL voted on “a significant tightening of the rules” over the owner and director’s so-called “fit and proper” test that any prospective owner must pass if they want to own an EFL club.

An enforcement comes too late to change the history of another Fylde coast club with experience of having a convicted criminal in charge,  neighbouring Blackpool.

The ownership of rapist Owen Oyston ended in 2019 when the courts ruled against his plundering of the club to the detriment of fellow shareholder Valerie Belekon. Following further legal action by Belokon to obtain payment from Oyston, on 13 February 2019 High Court appointed receiver Paul Cooper, of David Rubin & Partners, who then removed Oyston from the board of Blackpool Football Club, along with his daughter Natalie.

Though the club suffered a disappointing season with relegation from the EFL Championship in 2023, new owner Simon Sadler has not only provided injections of funding, but returned the club to profitability from losses of £5m the previous year.

By way of explanation, the club said: “To achieve this position, Blackpool Football Club Holdings was supplied with interest free, unsecured loans of £3.3m (down from £5.5m the previous year).

“These funds are supplied by Seaside Holdings Ltd and its director Simon Sadler.

“As of June 30, 2022, Seaside Holdings have provided £4.8m to the BFC group. Its director Simon Sadler has provided £16.16m, including the initial purchase of the group and its assets of £8.4m and a gift of £0.17m, with total tax reimbursements of £0.61m.

Bolton Wanderers, another regional club that plunged to the fourth tier and endured a period in administration following the disastrous chairmanship of Ken Anderson, is enjoying increased community engagement and with season ticket sales of 14,000, way ahead of its regional rivals in the Championship, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers.

The club reported increased revenues and increased shareholder investment in the financial year ending June 2022 as the club consolidated its status in League One.

Through parent company Football Ventures (Whites) Limited) revenue increased from £6.2m to £13.8m as fans were able to return to matches following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, with the club also able to increase its commercial activity, though the stadium naming rights are up for grabs once the deal with the University of Bolton concludes.

Sharon Brittan, Chairman of Bolton Wanderers said: “The team consolidated our position in League One during the 2021/22 season and, with continued activity in the transfer market and a stabilised financial position, we have satisfied our objective to compete at the top end of League One.”

Michael Danson

Down the road at Wigan, TheBusinessDesk.com has reported the roller coaster ownership of Chinese investors who seemingly disappeared completely, amid rumours that it was all for a bet, and the unstable recent stewardship of Abdulrahman Al Jasmi and Talal Al Hammad. 

In a gracious statement confirming Mike Danson’s acquisition of 100% of Wigan Athletic, which covered all outstanding debt, wages and other creditors, the club thanked the previous owners for “their commitment to the sale process and for saving the Club from administration back in 2021”. 

Notably, the Danson deal appears to have reached out to fans and other local stakeholder, such as Wigan Council, Lisa Nandy – Labour MP for Wigan – and the Official Wigan Athletic Supporters Club. Danson also owns Wigan Warriors Rugby League, the more popular sporting club in the town.

Danson said: “I am delighted to become involved in Wigan Athletic Football Club. I was born in Wigan, I grew up locally and the community of the town is close to my heart.

“I want to recognise that the Club has a hugely important part to play in the local community, not just for players, but for fans, employees and all its suppliers, business partners and numerous community groups. We have worked hard to provide the EFL with a realistic financial plan to stabilise operations.”

At the northernmost tip of the North West Carlisle United were promoted to League One last season, following their play off victory over ambitious Stockport County.

Carlisle were owned for a decade by the maverick ball-juggling property developer Michael Knighton, once unveiled in 1989 as a potential Manchester United purchaser. 

Local housebuilder Fred Story owned it for a while, and the club is now controlled by local businessmen John Nixon, Andrew Jenkins and Steven Pattison. They have been subjected to the now almost obligatory long running ownership saga where Edinburgh Woollen Mills nearly bought the club before themselves collapsing into administration after the pandemic.