RUFC in FA Cup Tickets Row

Rotherham United landlords, CF Booth Limited, threated to sue the club for failing to hand over FA Cup Final tickets as part of an agreement drawn up by the Millers 05 takeover.

But the fax demanding the four tickets and threatening a damage claim if the club failed to comply, came as a shock to the directors of the club as The Millers lost any chance to buy tickets, along with voting rights under Football League rules, when a Company Voluntary Arrangment was struck in April last year which saved the club going into administration.

Giles Brearly, Finance Director, told The Advertiser, 'It is an aggressive letter and my response would be that they get their facts right. They have failed to recognise, under league rules, that you don't get offered tickets if you are in a CVA and therefore the club was not entitled to any tickets.'

Paul Douglas, Chief Operating Officer, said 'Mr Booth came to ask about tickets three weeks ago and I explained we were not getting any. Then we got the letter at the end of last week threatening all sorts of stuff. There was a suggestion that we were not being honest and were not following the terms of the lease. As much as it sticks in the craw we WERE going to honour it.'

The Chairman, Denis Coleman, said, 'You don't get these tickets for free and last year we paid for four tickets out of our own pockets and gave them to the Booths.

'The letter was very threatening but it just sums up the whole situation we are in. We have replied saying we did not have any tickets to give them.'

Paul Clark, the Booths solicitor, declined to comment this week.

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