Ridsdale does little to ease fans fears

After playing his part in the dramatic collapse of Leeds United at the start of the last decade Peter Ridsdale has struggled to shake off a reputation for guiding football clubs into inescapable debt.

Ridsdale always denies he solely is to blame for United’s stunning drop down the divisions but since moving to Barnsley and Cardiff, who have both suffered severe financial difficulties as well, his
reputation has been permanently tarnished.

So I’m guessing the sight of Ridsdale heading down to the South Coast for talks with Plymouth will not fill Argyle fans that often follow their live match score with joy. The Yorkshireman met board members this week to discuss potential investment in the stricken South Coast club.

But, given a third winding up order has been issued to Argyle inside a year and with players and staff a like going unpaid times are bleak. Perhaps fans should be grateful that anyone at all is interested in rescuing the club from financial oblivion?

Peter Reid is doing his best to keep the players focused on the job and using the ensuring crisis to create a ‘siege mentality’ at the club, though the lowest gate of the season against Dagenham on Tuesday (4,960 – lower than the amount of registered season ticket holders) is symbolic of a club in decline. Reid is stuck between shielding the players from the grim realities and having the duty to keep them informed, especially if wages continue to go unpaid. A tricky trip to MK Dons should be at the forefront of their minds this week, despite the chaos swirling around them.

The clock is rapidly ticking towards HRMC’s December 8th deadline and Argyle are running out of options.

If the club can somehow survive this latest winding up order (with or without Ridsdale), and with the tortuous World Cup bid coming to an end this week, maybe we will have a clear idea of where Argyle are heading – with or without the boost of being a World Cup host city.

It would be nice to start focusing solely on football live scores again, but the clock is rapidly ticking towards HRMC’s December 8th deadline and Argyle are running out of options.