Things that have been bubbling away for many months and indeed years have come to the surface spectacularly in the past fortnight as the Knighton family have felt the backlash of an entire community. Whether they can survive the summer without going under financially looks to be in grave doubt. As I said in this article last month, the future of the club couldn't be taken for granted and we were in danger. I didn't realise just how severe the situation had become. Mr Knighton, with all the bluff and bluster of an egocentric madman trapped in quicksand, threatened to take us out of the league and close us down. His words sparked fury. People who previously seemed more concerned about their own record of attendance at Brunton Park suddenly declared their intention to boycott home games next season unless Knighton sold the club. Non-supporters and community leaders alike all vented their fury on this man and his family. Knighton's problem is that he can't be seen to be taking these decisions himself. Hence he is forced to drag his son into it, to parade him in front of the media and to effectively use him as a human shield. It wasn't Mark Knighton who bought the club in 1992 and it wasn't Mark Knighton who appointed himself manager and subsequently sold our best players. Yet he is now forced to take his share of the flak because of the small problem of the five-year DTi ban imposed on his father. It's a non-too subtle way of running the show from behind the scenes. If enough evidence is produced, Michael Knighton could be in serious trouble. A series of official statements released by the club bear an uncanny resemblance to the prose of this larger-than life character. Of course, this could just be Mark learning from the master. I remain singularly unconvinced, however. In the midst of all this, real fans are cranking up the pressure. CCUIST have been beavering away for 12 months to bring about change. We've had 900-odd people on our side with their money and their time being devoted to the cause but this week has seen virtually every United fan come on board and the local authorities, long since sick of the sight and the continued presence of Knighton have piled in, too. We've had questions in parliament, photo-calls in front of Big Ben, articles in the News of the World, the Independent, the Observer, features on Sky Sports and phone-ins on Radio 5 Live. The national media are starting to take a belated interest. For many years they have enjoyed a good Knighton story - the aliens, the unemployed curryman, the dodgy firm from Gibraltar - they all made good copy but they then moved swiftly on to more weighty, Premiership-related matters. It is not easy trying to be heard above the din of the England manager's love life and the state of David Beckham's metatarsals. So it seems things have finally come to a head and I would predict with some confidence that something will give soon. Creditors are waiting patiently to see what pans out. The message has been delivered to them that their debts are unsafe. Very little income will flow in to Brunton Park between now and August and players are being released to cut costs. Richie Foran is said to be "unsettled" and may fancy a move even if the club weren't desperate for the money anyway. Season ticket sales, sluggish last year, could be virtually non-existent if recent events are anything to go by. There has been talk of setting up a rival club in Carlisle to take over when the "old" Carlisle United folds. Wild speculation has given way to practical action - and perhaps not before time. John Courtenay, like all the other potential buyers, is playing a waiting game. For the supporters and everyone else who cares about the survival of their local football club that is no longer an option. |
