Andy Munro on Blues, trials and tribulations.
While the name ‘Wong’ in Birmingham usually conjures up visions of a chain of Chinese eateries, down in B9 the term ‘Wonga’ seems a more appropriate term for any Chinese connection.
According to the latest announcements, it appears that the current ‘owners’ (a term I loosely use) are yet again going down the loan route in a desperate attempt to keep administration from the doors of Birmingham City FC. Yesterday’s statement that Carson is converting his loans into extra shares doesn’t fill me with excitement; he will still be in charge of the club in the foreseeable future.
No doubt the new loans will be at Wonga type rates and this will only add to the doom and gloom surrounding St Andrews. More debt to be bought out will, of course, make the club even less of an attractive proposition but buys time for the world’s most expensive hairdresser to persuade some other gullible member of the Chinese community that Blues can quickly be turned into the sort of global brand which will make Manchester United seem like the Dog and Duck FC.
Ask most Blues fans what they want to see and the vote would now probably be for administration. This is on the basis that we’re probably going down anyway and far better for a buyer to spend £20 million on players than a new pagoda for Carson. Even if that doesn’t happen ,the consolation is that this debacle is likely to be settled before the end of the season. Unless the Hong Kong judiciary are more bent than one of Uri Geller’s spoons, it is likely that Carson will be found guilty early in the New Year after his recent appeal to have the prosecution case thrown out was turned down.
Presumably Caron’s ‘assets’ will then be seized by the Hong Kong government and they will be keen to sort out the resulting mess as quickly as possible,one hopes. Mind you, it’s not crystal clear and surely there is a Blue’ fan somewhere with the expertise to properly lay out the various financial repercussions. At the moment,we are left with the occasional half-baked interpretation in the local media or some rather vague non-committal statements from the Blues Trust. Mind you,fair play to the Trust for securing ACV status for St Andrews. I just wish they’d be more demonstrative to reflect the passion that, to be fair, they have as individuals.
Finally,on the subject of ‘fans’, I don’t buy into the mantra of absentee fans that the tickets are too expensive (absolute rot when compared with other Championship clubs) or they won’t go down until the regime changes. To my mind they are hitting the club and the players, not Carson and Co. Real fans (and aren’t we supposed to have a great fan base?) stick with the team through thick (Carling Cup!) and thin.
