Post by Brian Mackay on Jan 27, 2005 22:46:36 GMT
Fed-up fans call for Academy EGM - from The Caithness Courier website - www.caithness-courier.co.uk/
FED-up fans of Wick Academy have made renewed calls for the club's chairman Jacky Gunn to resign.
It follows the revelation last week that the Wick Academy Development Fund (WADF), which is also chaired by Mr Gunn, is being investigated by Scotland's charity regulator following an unspecified number of complaints.
While there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Mr Gunn's part, the silence and lack of action over how club matters are being handled has resulted in some supporters using the unofficial Academy website to call for an extraordinary general meeting to ask for the resignation of the club chairman.
Former Academy vice-chairman Malky Mackay, who is now vice-chairman of supporters' group Academy For Change, this week told the Caithness Courier: "I would support calls for an EGM because the chairman must go. If he doesn't stand down then his committee must act now.
"For the future of football in the county something has to be done."
Academy For Change considers Wick Academy to be a club in crisis and has put together an action plan aimed at transforming the club's fortunes both on and off the park. However, members have so far failed to push through the proposals.
The team is currently rooted to the foot of the Highland League table and there is uncertainty over the manager's long-term future at the club.
When an EGM was requested two years ago, to discuss the future of Academy and to ask for the chairman's resignation, officials KO'd the suggestion. Mr Gunn told North of Scotland Newspapers it was "none of your business" when we contacted him for a reply at the time but he was unavailable for comment this week.
Under the Charities Act of 1990, all charities are obliged to provide the public with a copy of their founding document and latest set of accounts within one calendar month of a request being made.
As reported in last week's John O'Groat Journal, copies of these WADF documents were requested by NOSN in a letter dated December 15, following an earlier verbal request. A £10 cheque towards administrative costs has also been sent but by yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon the documents had still not been received.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), a Government agency which aims to promote public confidence in charities, confirmed last week that it is investigating WADF.
This week a spokesman for the regulator said: "As I am sure you will appreciate, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the progress of an investigation at this time."
There is heightened interest in WADF 's proposals to build a new stadium following the news that Academy's home ground at the Harmsworth Park could be sold for development by the Highland Council.
Councillor Graeme Smith, who represents Wick on the local authority and is also chairman of the area planning committee, this week reaffirmed his earlier announcement that talks between an unnamed agent and the council were at a very early stage and nothing would be agreed unless the town was provided with an even better sports venue.
He hit back at critics who pointed out that the Harmsworth Park was gifted to the town on the understanding that it would only be used for sport, and warned that the leaking of the story into the public domain could scare off any potential developers.
Mr Smith said: "It is far too early to say whether something, if anything, would come of these discussions."
But he added: "I still feel we should be looking to move forward and improve facilities in Caithness and not stay stuck in the past."
Last week, the Highland Council announced that a new floodlit all-weather sports pitch will open in Wick in the summer of next year.
26/01/2005
FED-up fans of Wick Academy have made renewed calls for the club's chairman Jacky Gunn to resign.
It follows the revelation last week that the Wick Academy Development Fund (WADF), which is also chaired by Mr Gunn, is being investigated by Scotland's charity regulator following an unspecified number of complaints.
While there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Mr Gunn's part, the silence and lack of action over how club matters are being handled has resulted in some supporters using the unofficial Academy website to call for an extraordinary general meeting to ask for the resignation of the club chairman.
Former Academy vice-chairman Malky Mackay, who is now vice-chairman of supporters' group Academy For Change, this week told the Caithness Courier: "I would support calls for an EGM because the chairman must go. If he doesn't stand down then his committee must act now.
"For the future of football in the county something has to be done."
Academy For Change considers Wick Academy to be a club in crisis and has put together an action plan aimed at transforming the club's fortunes both on and off the park. However, members have so far failed to push through the proposals.
The team is currently rooted to the foot of the Highland League table and there is uncertainty over the manager's long-term future at the club.
When an EGM was requested two years ago, to discuss the future of Academy and to ask for the chairman's resignation, officials KO'd the suggestion. Mr Gunn told North of Scotland Newspapers it was "none of your business" when we contacted him for a reply at the time but he was unavailable for comment this week.
Under the Charities Act of 1990, all charities are obliged to provide the public with a copy of their founding document and latest set of accounts within one calendar month of a request being made.
As reported in last week's John O'Groat Journal, copies of these WADF documents were requested by NOSN in a letter dated December 15, following an earlier verbal request. A £10 cheque towards administrative costs has also been sent but by yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon the documents had still not been received.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), a Government agency which aims to promote public confidence in charities, confirmed last week that it is investigating WADF.
This week a spokesman for the regulator said: "As I am sure you will appreciate, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the progress of an investigation at this time."
There is heightened interest in WADF 's proposals to build a new stadium following the news that Academy's home ground at the Harmsworth Park could be sold for development by the Highland Council.
Councillor Graeme Smith, who represents Wick on the local authority and is also chairman of the area planning committee, this week reaffirmed his earlier announcement that talks between an unnamed agent and the council were at a very early stage and nothing would be agreed unless the town was provided with an even better sports venue.
He hit back at critics who pointed out that the Harmsworth Park was gifted to the town on the understanding that it would only be used for sport, and warned that the leaking of the story into the public domain could scare off any potential developers.
Mr Smith said: "It is far too early to say whether something, if anything, would come of these discussions."
But he added: "I still feel we should be looking to move forward and improve facilities in Caithness and not stay stuck in the past."
Last week, the Highland Council announced that a new floodlit all-weather sports pitch will open in Wick in the summer of next year.
26/01/2005