One thing is certain, the club's future doesn't look bright whilst ever Piggins has a say in its future.
We'll implode
By DEAN RITCHIE
February 04, 2006
http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/s ... 23,00.html
SOUTH Sydney CEO Shane Richardson emerged from the Redfern rubble yesterday to declare: "We're killing ourselves."
In a another day of drama, Souths icon George Piggins claimed Peter Holmes a Court was playing the "old three-card trick" in his bold bid to buy the NRL club.
Holmes a Court and partner Russell Crowe yesterday released details of their proposal, which includes investing $3million in the football club for a 75 per cent shareholding and appointing four of the seven board members. But the move is causing upheaval at South Sydney.
Asked could his club implode over drama, Richardson said: "Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
"We've got an opportunity here North Sydney fans, St George fans, Illawarra fans, Wests fans and Balmain fans never had - we're still alive. But we'll kill ourselves.
"We're fighting in the dressing rooms before we get on the field."
Piggins said Holmes a Court could reclaim his money if he owned the club.
"He will put in $3 million but get it all back - he will own the football club," Piggins said. "Strike me lucky, it's the old three-card trick."
Holmes a Court hit back, saying: "There have been clouds over this club since I moved to Sydney five years ago. Enough of that."
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Let our fans decide future
By DEAN RITCHIE
CHIEF executive Shane Richardson yesterday demanded the audacious Russell Crowe-Peter Holmes a Court bid be sent to South Sydney's members to vote on - but club legend George Piggins thinks the proposal is "all gloss". The high-profile pair yesterday released additional details of their $3 million bid to buy Souths, stressing the deal "was not a takeover". Souths' football club board must allow the bid to be passed on to the club's voting 4505 members, with more than 75 per cent required to pass the proposal.
Richardson said his fans should be given the right to vote on the bid and not be swayed by the comments of ex-club greats.
"All through the years of history in my time, heretics were burnt at the stake when they said something," he said.
"Burning people at the stake before we get a chance to put it to the people seems to be a strange situation.
"Fans should be able to sit there and make a qualified decision.
"I hope everyone sits there and sensibly says: 'Let's have a look at the proposal first before we start burning people at the stake'.
"That's all I ask. I don't care about the politics. I don't care about anything. I just want a successful club.
"I don't want to throw anyone aside that's able to present cold, hard facts and information on paper.
"I don't see why we have to scuttle it before it starts."
Richardson said his club cannot be lowered into factional fighting.
"We don't want to be blueing in the dressing room before we get on there," he said.
"It makes things a lot easier when we can combine together as a club. And not have headlines for all the wrong reasons.
"I want to stop all this crap, factional fighting.
"I think the fans are fed up with it too.
"I've got no agenda and unfortunately I've got no mates.
"It's probably the first time in 10 years there is hope in the club in regards to the performance of the team.
"Our pre-season has been excellent and positive but unfortunately it gets buried in this continuous war in the papers."
Piggins said he "hasn't got a problem" with the proposal going to members but said they should vote with enormous caution.
"The proposal is done up to make the members think they are getting something. It's all gloss," Piggins said.
"He (Holmes a Court) can offload it when he wants.
"Once it's dismantled how are we going to come up with the $3 or $4million to get it back? It's the end of the section.
"If there's $8million on offer to take us to Gosford, what do you think he's going to do?
"It's an absolute joke really.
"The members have to know what is at stake here.
"He will put in $3million but get it all back - he will own the football club. Strike me lucky, it's the old three-card trick."
Holmes a Court held a press conference yesterday which stated his revised proposal did not include attempting to buy Souths Leagues Club.
"There have been clouds over this club since I moved to Sydney five years ago. Enough of that," Holmes a Court said.
"It's got to survive, and the way you survive is to become a consistently winning team.
"That means a 50 per cent plus chance of winning every weekend that you're out there.
"Russell and I will never score a point for this team.
"We'd like to see this resolved by the start of the season but if that's impossible then by the first two weeks of the competition.
"We don't want this hanging over the players' heads.
"It was exciting to see the era when Souths was on top (during the 1960s and 1970s) and we want to get back to that era again and become a financially secure club."
Holmes a Court claimed his deal was "very different" to the proposal at Manly where Scott Penn and Max Demege paid more than $6million for the Sea Eagles.
"You can't compare one to the other," he said. "We have no intention of selling the club."
Richardson said the club's corporate sponsors were becoming increasingly fed up with the daily drama over the bid.
"They are getting sick of it, really sick of it," Richardson said.
"I don't want to be part of a club that doesn't want to look to the future, I don't want to be part of a club that does not plan for success."
Richardson said he respected Piggins but stressed the Souths great was not a football club director.
"George is chairman of the Leagues Club," Richardson said.
"I respect what he does for the club and he's an icon of the club.
"(But) George isn't on the football club board."
