[Chief Rum]

September 1, 2002

Tommy Ridgely: "Welcome, Poppy Fans, to another edition of "Popping Off", the one and only local radio show dedicated to bringing you the news and highlights you want to hear about your favorite side, the Kettering Town Poppies!

Tonight we will review the Poppies' fantastic win over the Cardinals of Woking yesterday, including interviews. We will also have an update on the conditions of Shaun Murray and Michael Boyle-Chong after an accidental practice collision between the two in pre-match drills Saturday deprived the team of their services for the Woking match and maybe more. And, of course, we will field calls so, you, our callers can voice out your praise, or more likely, your frustration with the way the Poppies play the fine game of football.

But as always we have some news to report.

Yes, as expected the Conference did name its August awards today, but this is even bigger. What would be Kettering fans' biggest fear come true, even worse than relegation? That would, of course, be anything that might eliminate the Poppies from existence.

Well, share your prayers for the fans of Hereford, folks, because the Bulls' creditors have called out the wolves, and their fans may be realizing that same deep fear we all fear for our own favorite sides. After weeks of bankruptcy, the club has been forced to call in receivers, whom have taken over the club and are at this moment peering over mounds of financial statements and asset assessments, in order to come up with the cash to pay off their debt.

The exact details of the debt were not given out, and Chairman Graham Turner refused comment when approached about the bankruptcy today.

All transfer funds have reportedly been taken away from the club, and, as those of us who follow football know, it is often free reign on the players there, who are sold off at bargain basement prices to get the club back in the black.

I'm sure my listeners are not happy that this has befallen Hereford, but the fact of the matter is that this can help our Poppies in a couple ways.

First off, since financial health is unlikely to be achieved by the end of this year, it seems like a given that one of the three relegation spots for the Conference will have to be given to Hereford, which will probably not be able to meet the financial requirements to stay in the league, regardless of where they end up in the table. With one less relegation spot available, plenty of lower end sides, as the Poppies were once predicted to be, can breathe a little easier about their ability to remain in the league for at least one more season. Of course, given the sharp play on the pitch yesterday, I am certain many of are at this very moment scoffing at the notion we might be relegated. Well, remember, everyone, it's a long season, and two victories a season do not make.

The second reason, of course, is one which will have already occurred to you all. And that is, are the Poppies interested in acquiring any of Hereford's suddenly available talent? How about striker John Grant, who scored a hat trick in a match a couple weeks ago? Or young Danny Williams, with four assists in four matches? Or speedy Portuguese forward Albano Correia? Or fine young winger Paul Perry? Or will someone else step in and take them instead?

It should at the very least be a topic of debate as the season progresses. As of yet, we don't even know if Chairman Peter Mallinger has any plans to make any transfer funds available, or even if he has already. So anything to be said now can only be speculation. But I certainly hope that if there is someone good there to be had--and it seems likely there is--that they take them before the rest of the Conference comes in and tears them apart.

And, now, to our next bit of news...the fraud that is the Conference Manager of the Month award...