Cardiff City's bleak current situation is closely tied with controversial former owner Sam Hammam. He is the only point of contact with Langston (the company suing City) and despite insisting he is simply a mediator - that seems unlikely.
He alone knows the identity of the shady Langston corporation, and appears to be a front for them. They have company addresses in Switzerland and Panama, and are represented by Hextalls LLP - that is all we know. It was Hammam who initially agreed the unsecured loan with Langston.
Hammam was stripped of his club, as part of the new stadium agreement, but clung on until moments before the club was to be destroyed. Has he managed to let go...?
Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale has pleaded with Hammam on numerous occasions and asked for face to face meetings. He had this message for Hammam:
'You will never regain control of this club. We accept Cardiff City owe Langston £24m and we will pay it back.'
'There is an agreement signed by both sides saying that should happen by the end of 2016.'
'If Langston call off the court case I will immediately sit down with their representative and work out a way of paying that back earlier.'
He also pleaded on a personal note, in case the action was acainst Ridsdale personally, Hammam's successor:
'I am prepared to resign as chairman and go if Langston feel I am in the way of reaching agreement.'
Hammam has no support in South Wales, and even the most faithful and staunch supporters have deserted the man. There is no doubt he could do more to help us right now, and the murky dealings surrounding him and Langston point to a futile attempt to re-sieze control. If this is the case, we beg you Sam, get out now, and be remembered for the good things and the passion- but that era is in the past and until this legal action we had a hugely promising future....
|
