Having spent their way to the title last year, PDC continues to overspend on wages, with the club losing a rumoured £250,000 per month. As ever, it is always somebody elses fault, and like a rat, he will be deserting the sinking ship, as he realises that the only way he can manage successfully is by having the biggest budget, regardless of whether it is affordable.
PDC issued the following statement
“It is with great regret that I issue this statement but
unfortunately, the events of the last few days have left me with no
alternative other than to consider my position and explain the reasons
why.
As ever, the great fans of Swindon Town Football Club deserve to
know the truth. Without going into too much detail, our preparations for the game at
Leyton Orient on Tuesday were severely undermined by an administrator
for the Club actively offering to sell our entire playing staff without
any reference to me and contrary to the terms of my contract.
Having been advised that a takeover was imminent, Phil Spencer and I
actively began to pursue players we could bring in to strengthen the
squad, confident that with a few additions we have a genuine prospect of
gaining automatic promotion and therefore, we lined up the players we
wanted to bring in.
On Wednesday this week we were told that the sale to the new owners
had gone through. With less than 48 hours remaining before the transfer
window closed, we were obviously keen to know our position in regard to
bringing in players before the deadline, it was therefore arranged for
Phil Spencer to go to meet the new owners that afternoon to discuss this
with them.
When Phil met with them he was assured that Matt Ritchie would not be
sold despite there being an offer from Bournemouth to acquire him. He
was told “there is no way that we would sell one of our best players to
one of our main competitors”.
Consequently, we were assured that Matt Ritchie was going nowhere and
money would be made available for the squad to be strengthened. Within
an hour I received a phone call from Matt Ritchie telling me that the
club had agreed to sell him and he was in the process of agreeing
personal terms. I regard this as a clear breach of my contract with the
Club and moreover, a clear attempt to undermine my position
notwithstanding the success we have achieved in the last 18 months. Matt
Ritchie was sold behind my back.
For the good of Swindon Town Football Club, I chose not to disclose
these matters at yesterday’s press conference, having been assured by
both the new and old owners that sufficient funds would be made
available for us to secure our transfer targets if I remained silent
about that which took place behind the scenes.
At the time of the press conference, Phil and I had managed to secure
agreements with Charlton to bring in Danny Green and Bradley
Wright-Philips on loan until the end of the season and for a swap deal with Cheltenham for Marlon Pack and Luke Rooney.
I kept my promise but the Club did not keep theirs.
A statement issued by the Club yesterday stated that they were
committed to achieving Championship football next season. I have to
question how this can possibly be achieved in the light of the events I
have brought to your attention.
I have worked so hard for the Club and made many sacrifices because I
wanted to achieve something special. The players and my staff have been
fantastic to me and the statistics prove that my way of managing,
playing football and working is successful.
With the club selling one of our best players behind my back and
continually making promises that are broken, I feel at this moment that
my job is not just impossible but is untenable. Of course I shall remain
professional and continue to achieve the best I can, but under these
circumstances it is not easy.
If it wasn’t for the players and fans of Swindon Town, I would have
walked away from this club a long time ago. I didn’t because I was given
repeated assurances that the project to achieve success was always in
place and I wanted to deliver this for the players, staff and most of
all, the fans of this great Club.
Despite being linked with a number of more high profile managerial
jobs, they have never interested me. Now however I am forced to consider
my future as I don’t know how I can continue to work in this
environment.
Too many questions remain unanswered.
The future is clouded with uncertainty.
At this moment of time my future remains unclear.”
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