Southport’s Board

Liverpool Echo – Monday 27 May 1957

One of the most important and possibly far-reaching meetings ever held by Southport F.C., certainly so far as I can recall, and that goes back for over 30 years, takes place this evening, when an extraordinary meeting of shareholders will discuss a special resolution that in future the minimum qualification of any director shall be the possession of 1,000 shares, which are ten shillings each. The authorised capital of the club is £15.000, but approximately half the shares have not yet been issued. At the moment the qualification for a director is only 20 shares. The club, which has a total indebtedness of some £15.000, badly needs money with which to carry on. The bank over-draft is up to the limit of £6.000, ground repairs are urgently needed and, of course, cash is required for new players. Several directors have taken out large blocks of shares in recent years, but others have only modest holdings. If the resolution is carried this evening—it will require a three-fourths majority — there may be five or six resignations from the Board, unless the directors who are opposing the new 1,000 shares qualification increase their holding accordingly.

The special resolution is to be opposed by a number of directors, and the meeting, called specifically to deal with this one resolution, promises to be extremely lively. Until this issue is decided and unity is restored among the directorate, Southport can-not make concrete plans for next season. Obviously everything turns on what happens tonight. If the vote confirms the special resolution it looks as if the club will have a much changed Board in the near future. Pending the result, the club’s chairman, Councillor Jack Clough, has made several useful contacts regarding players for next season. Secretary-Manager Gordon Hunt has also made widespread inquires, but no deal can be carried through until the Board formulates its policy in the light of tonight’s decision.

Lancashire Evening Post – 1st June 1957

Alderman E.W.Raynor and Messrs. J.Green and R.T.Rimmer, were unable to attend Monday’s important meeting of Southport FC Shareholders. Between them the trio have more than 75 years service on the board.