16 01 10 OFFICIAL CLUB STATEMENT

[Tim]

Lynn FC managing Director Keith Chapman would like to issue the following statement:

‘This is without doubt one of the brightest points in King’s Lynn Football Clubs recent history, the moment the council choose their new tenants on Thursday afternoon was the moment that all the fans and local community, irrelevant of race, age, past beliefs or experiences should come together, unite and celebrate that the towns beloved club with 130 years of history, will be soon opening its doors once again.

That is why it saddens me that the officials of the Blue & Gold Supporters Trust have chosen this moment to detract from the positives and overshadow what is a great moment for King’s Lynn and West Norfolk. They and every other supporter is entitled to their view, but I find it hard to believe that without contacting the club or the council through the proper avenues first and establishing the facts, they have publically condemned the decision which allows all fans to be treated without prejudice and with total equality.

Lynn FC fully supports the trust, their aims and their vision, as we would do with any other supporters group or trust that may be established in the future, yet to publically announce that I have ‘created a smokescreen and broken promises’ is totally inconceivable and unfounded, over time we need to build a sincere relationship that is beneficial to both parties and this is certainly not the way I would have hoped for it to of started.

I do not intend to enter into a debate about the council’s decision to award the bid to Lynn FC instead of the Supporters Trust but what is clear is that we met every single point of the criteria that was set out by the council, which surely that can only be a good thing for the club? It is not fair to tar us with the same brush as the old board and suggest that without the supporters trust having a seat on our board we will hide things from the public, it is a naive and misguided opinion that is simply not true...... If anybody needs a character reference then please look at my impeccable 17 year history that I have with this town and the supporters of King’s Lynn Speedway.   

I really hope that the Supporters Trust can now draw a line under the past and look to the future.’