Dear Fans. 

I was rather hoping to write to you today to share with you the completion of the sale of my shares in the club and pass on my many thanks to all that have assisted me in my capacity as principal funder of the football club and particularly our great fans for sticking with the club through thick and thin like true Mariners. 

Instead, I’m sorry to report that once again Mr Shutes has fallen short of honouring his part of an agreement and has withdrawn from the consortium.

Notwithstanding that and all of the disruption his divisive public approach in demanding a takeover of our great football club, I am working with club and the remaining consortium members positively to try to find a way forward.

I would please ask for patience at this important time and a truce from the abuse and misinformation, largely on social media, aimed towards me, including telephone death threats and the like which I believe are both unwarranted and undeserved. Someone’s untruths become the next person’s truths and further whip up the nasty frenzy. Legitimate criticism is always acceptable but vile abuse and the threats mentioned above are never acceptable.

Please rest assured that, whatever the outcome, the board of directors will as always act in the best interests of the club.

In the meantime, let’s be as positive and give Paul and the players our focused support for the remaining games of the season. They need our combined support more than ever.

Kind regards and best wishes 

John 

UTM