Last updated at 15:30, Friday, 21 October 2011

DIRECTOR Neil Martin expects some awkward questions when Barrow Raiders hold an open meeting for supporters next month.

MASSIVE SEASON: Peter Hornby

Martin and Peter Hornby, as well as former chief executive Alan Stoker – who has been helping the pair over the 10 days – will speak to fans at the Forum on November 1.

It will be the first time the trio have addressed supporters since the RFL relegated Raiders from the Championship two weeks ago and banned chairman Des Johnston from rugby league for eight years.

Hornby and Martin were subsequently co-opted onto the board by former directors Peter Durkin and Jon Livesey, who then resigned.

Fans will be able to quiz the trio on the present state of affairs at Craven Park, and Martin said: “I would think there will be some awkward questions.

“I’m just hopeful that with the financial position, which is what I am looking at at the moment and planning, that we can get the club back on a financial footing with the way forward with the creditors.

“That’s what my goal is and hopefully by the time of the meeting we will have some good, positive answers.”

Some supporters have questioned why a meeting has not been held earlier, but Martin stressed it was key for the directors to have a full grasp of the situation before they briefed fans.

He added: “The trouble with having a meeting too early, is that there will be a lot of questions which deserve answers and we want to be able to answer them.

“All we can do at the moment is make assurances that the club is moving forward with the best intentions of everybody who is involved.” The meeting will be followed by a club AGM in late November – the first since February 2010 – when debenture holders will be able to elect directors to the board and vote on any proposed changes to the club.

A statement from Stoker said: “The club will hold an open meeting for supporters on Tuesday, November 1 at The Forum, starting at 7.30pm.

“A club update will be given and questions taken from the floor.

“The annual AGM for debenture holders will take place at the same venue on either November 25 or 25, the date of which will be advertised in the local press, when nominations for directors will be invited.”

Martin and Hornby are currently talking with potential new directors, all of whom need to be elected at the AGM, as do the current directors themselves, should they choose to seek election.

First published at 13:24, Thursday, 20 October 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk