Jon Hale, leader of Hereford FC, took part in a long interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester last Saturday, part of which has already been covered by BN.
Below are some more points from the interview.
First Hale explained how his consortium came about.
"The original conversations were probably back in February/March of this year when we, probably along with the whole supporter base, realised that the club was in dire trouble financially and I had one or two conversations with a few fellow supporters and things really went from there.
"We spoke to Chris Williams, HUST chairman, and told him of our worries and what may need to happen in the future. One of the things we discussed at that point was the possibility of a phoenix club if ever Hereford United went into liquidation.
"Fairly quickly we had a small group together that started to put a business plan together which since then has gone forward to meeting with Herefordshire Council and further discussions with HUST who we would want as a partner in our plan.
"So things have moved on but we couldn't do anything until Hereford United (1939) was wound up. We wanted to see the club continue but at the same time we could that there could be a void once the club did go bust and we didn't want there to be a season without football at Edgar Street.
"So that's why we have, over the past few months, put together this plan and started the process going."
Owens asked what expertise the members of the comsortium have.
"We've got business people, we have people with commercial experience, we have people in both private and public sector, we have in Hugh Brooks a former director of Hereford United during Graham Turner's time at the club with ten years experience. It was a well run prudent club in those days. So Hugh's experience is absolutely critical for us."
A listener then asked if Hale has enough time to commit to the club.
"Last year my own business went through some real developements and I felt at the time with the Supporters Trust looking to appoint their first board, it needed concentration and time and with own business going through changes that I probably had to stand away from HUST and allow Chris Williams to take it on.
"My resources within my own business are now fully managed and I'm absolutely on top of this phoenix club project.
"We have behind us a small group of benefactors who at all stages were adamant that the debt involved in Hereford United 1939 was too vast to even comtemplate going in and making some sort of offer. I think the debts were too far gone."
What about your relationship with HUST?
"We are completely focused on HUST being a partner in this project. The sum of the parts in this situation is greater than the two individual parts. We need their presence along side us to run this phoenix club.
"We want them involved not only in this process of getting the club off the club but in the fabric of Hereford FC for generations to come.
"We want to make sure we safeguard this football club for its supporters and we safeguard the ground for the supporters of Hereford FC for generations to come. We'll make sure no one person can get their hands on this and repeat the experiences of the last few months because we are all hurting from what happened and we never want to see like that again.
"The Council are going to carry out due process where they will invite anyone that is interested in taking on the tenancy of Edgar Street. They are aware that in terms of continuation of football that by the end of March (March 1st? - ed) we have to apply for a League and we need to be set up with a ground and they know there is a timescale and they have indicated to us that they will move as quickly as possible as part of the due process.
"You can't apply for a League and not have a base. From the out-set our proposal is 100% based at Edgar Street and that is the proposal we have put to the Council and they appreciate that Edgar Street is the key to it.
"The Council know they've got to do the right thing, they are on their toes, they need to do this properly. They have recognised our plan is a very creditable plan which is backed up with finances and sees the continuation of football at Edgar Street and they have promised us that is want to see themselves."
Hale was asked about looking around ES to see what they are taking on and what condition it is in.
"There is a very key part of our plan that we need to put some figures against which is how much it is going to cost us to operate a football club from that stadium. We don't really know what state it is in and we need to know (from the Council) who pays for what so we know what our requirement is in terms of costs to make sure that we can hold football matches at Edgar Street for a start. And that could be a quite a large cost and we need to get those figures before we go more public with some of our plans.
"There are the obvious costs of in terms of wages and paying managers but when we talk about stadiums and health and safety and that type of thing, there is a big cost and we need to get that right so that our budgets mean something."
The next question was about offering shares on general sale in the new company.
"That's probably one for a couple of weeks time. Once we have that decided then we can let people know how they might go about doing that.
"I implore all Hereford fans, if they haven't already, to join HUST. They are a fanastic organisation and thei numbers are growing by the day and they are going to play a big part in the future of Hereford FC if we are given the chance to.
"I would say to any fan anywhere in the world please join HUST and get involved in how we go forward."
What about the next month?
"I would hope to meet Tony Johnson, the Herefordshire Council leader at which point we would hope then to have the process so that we know what we have to do.
"I would like to think that process would be fairly quick so that by early/mid Feb there would be a decision. I have already approached the FA to talk about the possibility of Hereford FC going forward.
"We're on the radar but we can't do anything until we have got the ground.
"In my meetings with Tony Johnson I have had no reason to suggest there is anything else in his mind other than the continuation of football at Edgar Street. He been upright and honest with us. He understands the emotion and love of football being played at Edgar Street and I have no doubt in my mind that he is working towards that as a solution going forward.
"Any football club needs sustainable income and we are lucky that we have benefactors and they are benefactors that are going to donate a start up amount to the tune of £150,000 and they are donations.
"The constitution of the club will say that any benefactor will not get any return of their money. All club profits will go to the football club.
"So there is no doubt that whilst we have start up capital there will still need to be sustainable income and that forms part of our budget. That income can be increased and sustained through HUST."
Different league, different costs suggested Owens.
"This is partly why we haven't been able to answer all the questions that we been asked because we don't know which league we might be in. We can't be clear on the budget because we don't know."
A listener then asked if Hale wants to be chairman of Hereford FC?
"All I want is that the chairman of Hereford FC to be running the football club for the benefit of the fans.
"If I was asked by the group/HUST to do that job I would be honoured to do it."
Next point was about development at the two ends of the ground.
"I can 100% rule out that we have any interest in the redevelopment of the two ends. As part of our proposal we've told Tony Johnson that they would be responsible for the development of the two ends subject to the football club having a say over how the two ends look. We would welcome redevelopment of the two ends as long as it benefitted the supporter experience on a match day.
"As long as it gave us the capacity we wanted then fanastic, it's a win win situation. The Blackfriars End is in a very poor state but we are not interested in redevelopment of it and nor are the benefactors.
"We want a four-sided ground."
Hale was next asked about the possible home following of a new club.
"I did have a brief conversation with the officer at the FA who is in charge of allocating a club to a league and I said we have a very good following at home and in particular away and therefore there is the possibility that we would be taking large followings to very small grounds and that is something the FA may have to look at.
"In terms of what we have budgeted for we feel that we could be looking at gates of 800/850 at home with 200/250 season tickets sold. It is a conservative basis for our budget but it is based on a cautious approach. We haven't started making up numbers.
"I could easily see, such is the excitement of having a club to follow next season, I think we could be looking at some very good away followings of 300/400/500.
"I also think there is a real hunger to have a football club run in the right way and appreciates what a massive part the fans play.
"I think people just want to throw their arms around Edgar Street and appreciate having a football club.
"Quite frankly that is my motivation. I want to get back to my seat and sit in my chair, watch a game and have a pint."
"The Council are going to carry out due process where they will invite anyone that is interested in taking on the tenancy of Edgar Street. They are aware that in terms of continuation of football that by the end of March (March 1st? - ed) we have to apply for a League and we need to be set up with a ground and they know there is a timescale and they have indicated to us that they will move as quickly as possible as part of the due process.
"You can't apply for a League and not have a base. From the out-set our proposal is 100% based at Edgar Street and that is the proposal we have put to the Council and they appreciate that Edgar Street is the key to it.
"The Council know they've got to do the right thing, they are on their toes, they need to do this properly. They have recognised our plan is a very creditable plan which is backed up with finances and sees the continuation of football at Edgar Street and they have promised us that is want to see themselves."
Hale was asked about looking around ES to see what they are taking on and what condition it is in.
"There is a very key part of our plan that we need to put some figures against which is how much it is going to cost us to operate a football club from that stadium. We don't really know what state it is in and we need to know (from the Council) who pays for what so we know what our requirement is in terms of costs to make sure that we can hold football matches at Edgar Street for a start. And that could be a quite a large cost and we need to get those figures before we go more public with some of our plans.
"There are the obvious costs of in terms of wages and paying managers but when we talk about stadiums and health and safety and that type of thing, there is a big cost and we need to get that right so that our budgets mean something."
The next question was about offering shares on general sale in the new company.
"That's probably one for a couple of weeks time. Once we have that decided then we can let people know how they might go about doing that.
"I implore all Hereford fans, if they haven't already, to join HUST. They are a fanastic organisation and thei numbers are growing by the day and they are going to play a big part in the future of Hereford FC if we are given the chance to.
"I would say to any fan anywhere in the world please join HUST and get involved in how we go forward."
What about the next month?
"I would hope to meet Tony Johnson, the Herefordshire Council leader at which point we would hope then to have the process so that we know what we have to do.
"I would like to think that process would be fairly quick so that by early/mid Feb there would be a decision. I have already approached the FA to talk about the possibility of Hereford FC going forward.
"We're on the radar but we can't do anything until we have got the ground.
"In my meetings with Tony Johnson I have had no reason to suggest there is anything else in his mind other than the continuation of football at Edgar Street. He been upright and honest with us. He understands the emotion and love of football being played at Edgar Street and I have no doubt in my mind that he is working towards that as a solution going forward.
"Any football club needs sustainable income and we are lucky that we have benefactors and they are benefactors that are going to donate a start up amount to the tune of £150,000 and they are donations.
"The constitution of the club will say that any benefactor will not get any return of their money. All club profits will go to the football club.
"So there is no doubt that whilst we have start up capital there will still need to be sustainable income and that forms part of our budget. That income can be increased and sustained through HUST."
Different league, different costs suggested Owens.
"This is partly why we haven't been able to answer all the questions that we been asked because we don't know which league we might be in. We can't be clear on the budget because we don't know."
A listener then asked if Hale wants to be chairman of Hereford FC?
"All I want is that the chairman of Hereford FC to be running the football club for the benefit of the fans.
"If I was asked by the group/HUST to do that job I would be honoured to do it."
Next point was about development at the two ends of the ground.
"I can 100% rule out that we have any interest in the redevelopment of the two ends. As part of our proposal we've told Tony Johnson that they would be responsible for the development of the two ends subject to the football club having a say over how the two ends look. We would welcome redevelopment of the two ends as long as it benefitted the supporter experience on a match day.
"As long as it gave us the capacity we wanted then fanastic, it's a win win situation. The Blackfriars End is in a very poor state but we are not interested in redevelopment of it and nor are the benefactors.
"We want a four-sided ground."
Hale was next asked about the possible home following of a new club.
"I did have a brief conversation with the officer at the FA who is in charge of allocating a club to a league and I said we have a very good following at home and in particular away and therefore there is the possibility that we would be taking large followings to very small grounds and that is something the FA may have to look at.
"In terms of what we have budgeted for we feel that we could be looking at gates of 800/850 at home with 200/250 season tickets sold. It is a conservative basis for our budget but it is based on a cautious approach. We haven't started making up numbers.
"I could easily see, such is the excitement of having a club to follow next season, I think we could be looking at some very good away followings of 300/400/500.
"I also think there is a real hunger to have a football club run in the right way and appreciates what a massive part the fans play.
"I think people just want to throw their arms around Edgar Street and appreciate having a football club.
"Quite frankly that is my motivation. I want to get back to my seat and sit in my chair, watch a game and have a pint."