Row over Shittu and Bircham wages spoils a unique relationship
from the Ealing Gazette 19 December 2003

by Yann Tear

A bitter wrangle over the non-payment of wages to three QPR players by the company set up by the Winton family has soured one of the most unusual relationships between fans and club of recent times.

The Wintons hit the headlines for their unique involvement in the affairs of the club when they agreed to pay the wages of former winger Doudou when the club was in administration. They subsequently bankrolled the transfer of Danny Shittu from Charlton Athletic.

But now the club are saying £300,000 is still outstanding as part of a £450,000 deal to cover the wages of Doudou, Danny Shittu and Marc Bircham until the end of the season.

The revelation comes at a time when the club has renewed its appeal for investors to come forward - and outlined just how crucial promotion is this season to avoid another financial crisis.

The Winton family set up We Are QPR, a publicly subscribed company, with a view to covering the three players' wages. But a failure to attract enough backers meant the company never got off the ground - leaving a question mark over whether the money would be paid.

The bottom line could be litigation if the Wintons decide to contest the club's view that they are liable for the outstanding sum - but everyone hopes that it will not come to a prolonged clash between QPR Holdings plc and the staunch fans who have helped the club so generously in troubled times.

"We are hopeful of the matter being resolved, but we entered into an agreement with them and had not budgeted for paying the wages ourselves," QPR chief executive David Davies said.

The Wintons declined to comment.

The friction with the Wintons is just one of the frustrations compounding the club's continuing failure to attract a new investor, Mr Davies admitted to the Gazette this week.

In many ways, the dispute is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to keeping the club financially stable in these still fragile post administration months.

Rangers are resigned to losing the rent - believed to be about £600,000 a year - they have received from Fulham FC for the past two seasons.

On Tuesday, Fulham were granted permission by Hammersmith & Fulham Council to return to Craven Cottage and new bolt-on seating will be put in at an estimated cost of £5.4 million before the start of next season.

The loss of that revenue for QPR could be offset by Wasps rugby union club, who are contracted to return to Loftus Road next season - a move which would cost the rugby club about £200,000 a year, but which is half the amount they would have to pay to stay at Wycombe's Causeway Stadium.

Fulham got Wasps to vacate Loftus Road - to allow the football club to play there - by paying Wasps' rent of about £400,000 a year.

QPR could still host Fulham for part of next season if there is any delay in getting Craven Cottage up to Premiership standard - providing the local council can be persuaded to allow the temporary residence of three clubs at Loftus Rd.

But Mr Davies admitted the pressure was on to gain promotion this season to make up for Fulham's departure. "Frustration is getting the better of us because we have not been able to bring in a single investor," he said.

"The problem may be in buyers wanting to secure 51 per cent of the company, because few would want partial control.

"Yet there is no better time to come in. We are top of the division. People are looking at our players. We are well structured and interest from our fans is phenomenal. It's not like we have debts comparable to a club like Leeds, for instance.

"I haven't put barriers in the way of new investors and absolutely understand that anyone putting in lots of their own money would want to put their own close associates in charge.

"I accept this might mean me stepping down - indeed I agreed to this when Peter Ridsdale was showing an interest in QPR."

Mr Davies added: "Fulham going home is inconvenient but not insurmountable and of course we would wipe out our problems at a stroke by gaining promotion because of the increased revenue from gate receipts, corporate boxes and merchandising.
"But at the moment, it we were to stay in Division Two, we might have to renegotiate our loan deal with ABC.

"We would also have to look again at who we could keep on, but with 14 of 24 players currently out of contract, it's clear we would be forced to prune and keep players on lower wages."

Mr Davies said the club had received no recent bids for any of their players - although the club would not be able to resist a half-decent bid from a Premiership club during the January transfer window.

There have been rumours linking Martin Rowlands to Spurs and West Ham and Danny Shittu is also a possible target for scouts.
 

:: BACK TO FROM THE PRESS MENU ::

:: HOME PAGE ::