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Last Updated: Tuesday, 15 July, 2003, 11:55 GMT 12:55 UK
Luton's summer of madness
By Paul Fletcher

Luton Town Football Club
An extraordinary story has unfolded at Luton Town over the last few months.

The club was thrown into turmoil following a chaotic takeover in May.

Then on Monday the man who led that consortium, John Gurney, left as managing director with Barry Ward appointed as Luton's administrative receiver.

Luton have not been placed into administration, but rather administrative receivership which is a non-court procedure.

Entering administration is still an option, however, so what lies in store for the club?

Luton Town secretary Cherry Newbery takes us through the events at the club over the summer months......


When did it all start?

Last season I was a director at the club and in charge on a day-to-day basis.

Mr Watson-Challis owned the club but he sold it at the end of the season to a consortium.

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We had a Peter Miller in as chief executive designate and following his demise Mr Gurney appeared on the scene, representing the consortium.

The chain of events started with the takeover on 23 May and the following week Joe Kinnear was sacked.


What was it like when John Gurney was in charge?

It has been a living hell for the staff, not so much for the players because they did not come back from their summer break until 30 June.

But it has been like that for the supporters, the staff and also the families of the staff, who have suffered as well.

Everyone has been a brick and worked not knowing whether they will get paid.

Luton boss Mike Newell
Newell was appointed as manager after a phone vote

The consortium took over in that their representative Mr Gurney was here on a day-to-day basis but they never actually declared who they were.

That is why I resigned as a director after three weeks.

I always thought it was a privilege to be a director but when Mr Gurney would not tell me who the other directors were and where the funding was coming from for Luton Town I said at that point in time that I could no longer hold that responsible position.

I would not make comment on Mr Gurney's modus operandi but I am very relieved that he has gone.

I did not go on holiday so I could be here all the time and I know a lot of people think he has taken money from the club but he has not had a single penny.


Who is in charge now?

The consortium are no longer here and the administrative receiver, Barry Ward, is in charge at Luton now.

The club's major creditor, Hatters Holdings, has stepped in and put the club in administrative receivership as a protective measure.

Former Luton boss Joe Kinnear
Joe Kinnear was sacked as Luton manager at the start of the summer
Hatters Holdings was our holding company when we were owned by Mr Watson-Challis.

The administrative receiver will look after the day-to-day running of the club, sort out our financial position and look for someone to come in to buy the club.

The people buying the club would buy the club from the administrative receiver.


Do you know Mr Ward?

I do know him.

Obviously I have been in football for a long time and he was the administrator at Northampton Town and was the chairman there for over four years.

He is an experienced man who can come in with an objective view and he is someone who understands football.

Mike Newell has a two-year contract as manager at the club.

I will worry about the day-to-day running of the club and try to stop us being a laughing stock.


What would you say to the club's supporters?

Get behind us.

I know some people are concerned about the manager, but let's get behind the team.

We need your income now to support us and help us get in one of those play-off places that we so narrowly missed out on last season.


And what about you?

We will take one day at a time and smile.

It is a pleasure to be at work.

I'm happy to be busy, the atmosphere changed within an hour of Mr Gurney's departure.

Everyone is now walking around with a smile and a purpose in life.






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