Will they survive?

By webmaster/rheolwr y wefan
November 25 2003

Welsh Premier champions Barry Town will know whether their club has a future on Wednesday, 10th December - the date that has been chosen by the club's administrators for a meeting to decide whether or not to wipe out the club's debts. On the afternoon of Wednesday, 10th December, Barry Town AFC will know whether or not they have a future.

The date has been chosen by club administrator, Keith Morgan, as the time for the meeting of the club’s creditors to decide whether or not to accept a Voluntary Agreement to wipe out the club’s debts.

If they do so, then it will be Christmas come early for the Dragons’ officials, players and supporters.

Fans had been raising funds for several months, but the campaign received a huge boost earlier this week when it was announced that a local businessman was to take over the club and provide the much needed money.

38-year old Stuart Lovering lives in Barry and was a spectator at Saturday’s unlucky 3-2 defeat against Porthmadog.

On Sunday he spoke in front of a meeting of Barry Town supporters where he outlined his plans for the club.

“I want to see Barry Town back where they belong,” he told the meeting, “challenging at the top of the Welsh Premier and in the race for Europe”.

But he sounded a note of caution.

“The club will be run as a business and we will not spend money which we do not have. This is a long-term process which we must ensure is carried out properly.”

The meeting unanimously backed his ideas and plans.

Club chairman, Dr Liz Davies, was understandably upbeat about the news. “It’s fantastic to have someone local coming forward like this and being prepared to drive the club forward.

“Stuart has been in contact with us for several weeks and he has a real vision of how we can get Barry back to the top, and develop the club in different ways.

“There is already a spring in people’s step and we have seen an upturn in bookings for the post-Christmas period for our function rooms at the club, which reflects people’s confidence in our ability to turn the situation around.

“The whole club has been buoyed by this news and after the hard work of the past few months it is great to know that we are nearly there. People can now concentrate upon running the social and football sides of Barry Town and making a success of the many positives that there are at the club.”

For more information, contact Ian Johnson on 029 2040 7687