Radford Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Daily Record Fan's court action threatens Livingston with financial nightmare Oct 24 2008 By Gary Ralston LIVINGSTON are facing financial turmoil after a fan threatened to freeze their bank account in a row over unpaid bills. Livi supporter Alex Todd claims he has been left with no other option but to apply for an arrestment order after a row stretching back almost 18 months. Todd is owed around £1600 by the Almondvale outfit for work he undertook as official club photographer and website administrator. But the First Division outfit are blanking his appeals for payment, even after the courts ordered the club to stump up in July. Livi's new Italian owners argue the bills were run up under Pearse Flynn's regime and should be settled by him. Flynn declined to comment but it's understood all liabilities were disclosed by him - which is why the Italian consortium, led by Angelo Massone, picked up the club at the end of last season for £1. It's believed there may be up to 100 creditors,most of them small, local businesses, in a similar position to Todd. He argues his deal was with Livingston, not Flynn, and the new owners should honour the debts they inherited. Todd said: "Livingston started to fall behind with payments in June last year and by Christmas I stopped working for them as the bill hadn't been settled. "I raised an action against the club in May for nonpayment and the case was called at Linlithgow Sheriff Court in July. "I informed the new owners but no one turned up in court and I was awarded a decree. I've sent in sheriff officers to the club twice in recent weeks in an attempt to enforce the court order but still nothing has been done. "I'm examining my options and it looks as if I will have to apply for an arrestment order and freeze the club's bank accounts. "I'm a Livingston fan and it hurts to do this but the new owners have told me to chase Pearse. The money is owed by Livingston and I'm surprised lawyers appear not to have performed due diligence on outstanding debts before they took over the club." If the club's bank accounts are frozen it will cause chaos as player and staff wages are unlikely to be processed and it could even raise concerns about their long-term survival. Consortium boss Massone and partner Tommaso Angelini failed to return calls to Record Sport. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozam76 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Simple answer, I didn't go to the press. Ok, they came to you then, same difference. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCL Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Ok, they came to you then, same difference. No, there's a big difference. It means that the financial state of the club is getting to be common knowledge. I was told yesterday of the quote by Pearse but it wasn't actually used in the article. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Do you two know each other, or has mozam created his account purely to take a dig at you? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCL Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Do you two know each other, or has mozam created his account purely to take a dig at you? I have no idea who he is but I'm sure he knows me 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livi Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I fear for Livi FC 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I fear for Livi FC Don't worry, Massone has been paying the players out of his own pocket, he said so himself. He must be loaded. Any word on whether the players' bonuses have been paid yet? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozam76 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Don't worry, Massone has been paying the players out of his own pocket, he said so himself. He must be loaded.Any word on whether the players' bonuses have been paid yet? I fear for the club too. And no, I haven't created an account to have a dig at MCL - I just havent felt the need to post up until now. I feel for MCL in his situation, I really do. And I would have done the same thing, i.e chase the club, because they ARE liable - what I would not do have done though, is use smoke and mirrors pretending it is someone else who's doing the chasing, if that makes any sense. I would have kept my own council - I presume the vast majority of the 100+ other creditors have done the same. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCL Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I fear for the club too.And no, I haven't created an account to have a dig at MCL - I just havent felt the need to post up until now. I feel for MCL in his situation, I really do. And I would have done the same thing, i.e chase the club, because they ARE liable - what I would not do have done though, is use smoke and mirrors pretending it is someone else who's doing the chasing, if that makes any sense. I would have kept my own council - I presume the vast majority of the 100+ other creditors have done the same. Smoke and mirrors? I think you assume that none of the small creditors know each other and if they do they don't speak about the problems affecting their businesses ? Sharing knowledge can help us all and I've been asked by other creditors about using the small claims court just as I had to ask someone about it as I didn't know the process. One thing we all want to share is who are bad risks when it comes to paying their invoices. I'm not the only one who has taken this route against LFC and I'm sure I won't be the last. I also fear for the club. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyle be back Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Seems to me that the club are in financial trouble. Reasons: 1. A new owner who doesn't seem to have paid some creditors for debts incurred under his regime, forget Flynn's 2. A new owner who seems to misunderstand basic contract law - ie a contract is made between the supplier and the ltd company, not the previous owner. Therefore, the COMPANY owes creditors, not individuals 3. He seems to be paying players out of his own wages, rather than the club's finances. A la Gretna. Why? 4. Although the creditors appear to be small, they have not had any communication from the club. Also rumours (not substantiated re electricity and players bonus cash flows). 5. He seems to be hitting out a 'fake fans' - those who have the temerity to ask some legitimate questions (esp given Livi's less than glorious financial history) - there seems to be a bit of 'we're doing well, lets not criticise the board' attitude from the other fans - once again Gretna anyone. What he seems to fail to understand is that for small creditors the moneys owed, although apparently not substantial to Livi, may well be the difference between continuing to survive and going under. Taking it to its extreme, these guys could be left with pence in the pund if teh club did go into administration. I am a fan of QOS, but I'm not a fan to the extent that I would watch my livelihood be destroyed by their failure to pay for services provided. Someone needs to tell the Italians to pay up and get Livi's financial house in order. What's the SFA doing in this? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmouth Strikes Again Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Where are my grave dancing shoes, they could do with a polish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Where are my grave dancing shoes, they could do with a polish. I can give you a loan of mine. I was saving them for Dundee, but you can use them in the interim. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLD Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 My view on the situation is quite simple - the Italians are chancers who don't actually have any money. They 'bought' the club for £1 and thought that they would be able to trade out of the debt but are finding to their cost, and everyone else's, that they can't. This talk of paying players with personal money is bullshit. I've been told by more than one source that the Italians haven't invested any money in LFC. Next week should be interesting with the payroll due. Non playing staff were paid up to a week late last month and we've only had one home game this time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I also fear for the club. Wooft, your almost as popular as 'him' on Livi Lions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCL Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Wooft, your almost as popular as 'him' on Livi Lions. I can see a Libel case coming on against that site too 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StevenC Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) Some people will never "get it" will they? Talk about blinkers. My prediction is a simple one. MY club will be in administration before the season is out. I'd put money on it. Infact I might...all the money they owe me! The way The Club have acted with its creditors has been nothing short of shockingly ignorant on a biblical scale. Edited October 24, 2008 by StevenC 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 When was the last time you called someone a 'window licker'? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest el bawbag Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I can see a Libel case coming on against that site too or you could just f**k off and run to the papers instead of conducting yourself in a dignified and proper manner again? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StevenC Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) conducting yourself in a dignified and proper manner again? Clearly, you have not dealt in terms of money with Mr Massone. He doesn't understand dignified and proper, instead choosing the tactics of passing the buck and blind ignorance. Edited October 24, 2008 by StevenC 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyle be back Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 or you could just f**k off and run to the papers instead of conducting yourself in a dignified and proper manner again? Are you owed money by the club? If you are, I applaud your 'dignity'. If not I would suggest that you do not attack those people who are owed money and have as yet not went down a more serious legal route. It would appear that some of these people have been waiting months for payment and could easily have been more 'improper' about their actions, but have not done so as they are supporters of the club. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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