Axe falls on chairman Charlie (From Lancaster And Morecambe Citizen)

Axe falls on chairman Charlie

9:19am Wednesday 22nd November 2006

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THE troubled reign of Charlie Moore as chairman of Lancaster City FC has ended this week - after little more than six months.

Shareholders at a hastily called meeting on Monday night voted unanimously to oust the taxi driver chairman from the seat of power at Giant Axe.

It was good news for this newspaper and its readers - the Lancaster and Morecambe Citizen has been banned from attending the ground throughout Moore's tenure.

Here is a potted history of events of the last six months at Lancaster City...

May 2006 - Former chairman and major shareholder Ron Moore says he will sell. A consortium led by another former chairman Ian Sharpe appears favourite to seal a deal, but at the 11th hour a bid from a consortium led by Francis Mardale and Charlie Moore appears on the table.

June 2006 - The Lancaster and More-cambe Citizen exposes Mardale after tracing him to an address in Olive Road, Skerton. His claims of being related to the founders of the HSBC were proved to be fraudulent and he refused to answer the door of his house.

Local residents tell the Citizen that Mardale is a salesman for a company selling plastic tubs. He threatens to sue the newspaper, while Moore bans the paper from Giant Axe.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham businessman Nick Daffern reveals to the paper that the pair contacted his company wanting to buy £1million worth of portable buildings. Worryingly for him, Moore and Mardale couldn't raise the £18,500 deposit. He didn't process the deal.

June 2006 - The takeover goes through minus Mardale. Moore's consortium, now including Chris Nicholls, takes over Lancaster City Football Club and immediately axes long-time kit suppliers Reebok in favour of a kit manufactured by Errea and supplied by Sports Direct North West.

A six-figure sponsorship deal' with brewing giant Coors is also announced, although the company described its links with City as a trading agreement'.

July 2006 - Gary Finley is appointed as manager with Mickey Mellon as assistant. Things seem rosy for City as new players are recruited, including a £6,000 record signing in the shape of Jamie Tandy. The wage bill is a wallet-busting £4,000-plus per week.

August 2006 - Early results do not look good as City struggle, losing their first four Nationwide Conference North games before finally winning a point in a 3-3 draw at Kettering.

September 2006 - City gain their first win of the season at Leigh but record signing Tandy heads back to his former club Droylsden amid claims of cheques bouncing. Cash problems also surface with other City players complaining they have not been paid. Commercial director Nicholls leaves the club, while more players depart.

October 2006 - Finley quits with reserve team manager Derek Bull placed in temporary charge. Conference bosses place a player registration embargo on the club over unpaid bills. City reported to the Conference for fielding an unregistered player at Blyth Spartans.

November 2006 - Moore is ejected from the boardroom at Redditch United for unacceptable behaviour' but the registration embargo is lifted.

Dave Bell is appointed manager but things turn sour for Moore when Ilkley-based company Prospect Estates, who own the Dolly Blue Tavern, send in the bailiffs over unpaid rent.

It emerged that Moore leased the bar from Prospect Estates - and they evicted him on Friday.

November 20, 2006 - Moore and sidekick Ian Clarke are voted out of the club at a special shareholders meeting in the Farmers Arms pub, with Mick Hoyle appointed as chairman.

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