Lewis and the
media by - icanspell
From the jackarmy.net messageboard - 17/01/200
Copy of a letter I have sent to Western mail
tonight oin response to today's article....have
we had enough of his face and words or
what........
Dear Mr Risoli
I despair. Once again Mike Lewis has been
afforded column space in a Welsh newspaper
allowing him to seek repentance for his sins in
selling Swansea City FC to Tony Petty.
So Mr Lewis feels let down.
Only last week Mike Lewis defended his actions in
selling to Tony Petty (in an article in the South
Wales Evening Post), stating that he had no
choice but to sell to Mr Petty as he could not
carry on, and that he would have had to liquidate
the club had a sale not taken place. Suddenly he
has rear view mirror vision, and is hell bent on
convincing the public that were it not for this
error in selling at that time, he would have
generated an extra £200K for the club from the
true value sale of Stuart Roberts, and obtained a
better sale deal. Mr Lewis is no doubt seeing
this as his opportunity to stake his claim with
the fans that he should retain a position at the
Football Club when Petty's regime departs. He is
slowly convincing himself that he has been duped
by Tony Petty. NO Mike, you knew what you were
doing all along, and it has backfired on you.
Admit the facts, and stop insulting the
intelligence of the people of Swansea. Mike Lewis
was, no doubt, happy to sell to Tony Petty as
there were tangible personal benefits in the
terms of his 'Service Agreement' (his term not
mine). Mr Lewis appeared to put his personal
position ahead of that of Swansea City FC.
He is walking around in extremely tinted glasses
(and jogging suit, we understand) if he expects
the Swansea public to suddenly forget the
desperate situation into which he has plunged
this club. Was it not Mr Lewis who very recently
conducted a television interview from Vetch
Field, stating that everyone should give Mr Petty
a chance to prove himself, and claiming that the
only error he had made was in how, early on, he
dealt with the players contracts, which was a
little 'clumsy'. Today, he claims in your
newspaper that he became suspicious of Petty's
actions when he tried to tear up players
contracts. Surely he should start to memorise
what he has said in previous interviews and
articles, the public certainly have. The
instances of contradiction in his numerous
statements are far too many to mention.
As to Mr Lewis' research of Mr Petty ahead of the
sale, I am lost for words. Many fans of Swansea
City have produced details of this man's
background and previous business dealings (from
publicly accessible information sources) that
would have ensured he never took control of this
football club. Evidently Mr Lewis went on his
instinct, not fact. Furthermore, and contrary to
Mike Lewis' belief, Tony Petty has done very
little good for Australian football as I am sure
any of the number of Australian fans who have
followed events here, via the internet, and
corresponded via e-mail, would testify.
Questionable judgement it would seem to say the
least, and sufficiently damaging to ensure that
he should have no further involvement with our
club.
Mr Lewis has sought to change his stance
regarding Tony Petty since it became evident that
he would never receive the compensation payments
he mentions in your article.
Mr Lewis has no place in Swansea City FC, he has
threatened the very existence of this club. It
would have been very refreshing if a local
reporter had taken the time and opportunity to
demonstrate his investigative journalism skills
end exposed this whole regime for what they were
and are. Every battle over the ownership and
continued existence of this club, outside of the
players and staff who have had to contend with
day to day uncertainty and personal grief and
distress, and the local business consortium, has
been left to the fans. No one in the media has
even recognised or supported their efforts. We
are in serious danger of losing our Football
League club status, but I wonder just who,
outside of Swansea and the Swansea City fan base
really gives a damn. Just as I started this
letter, I will finish. I despair.
Yours sincerely
Paul NicholasBack
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