We all have our own views depending on our belief systems as to people that do something seriously wrong deserving a second chance once they have paid for the consequences of their wrongdoing.
Mine is that everyone deserves a second chance.
For what it is worth my advice to David Hilton is that whilst I understand his desire to keep the record of his wrongdoing from the public domain that was never going to happen in the position he is in. He has obviously owned his actions and consequences privately and made a success of his life since then. Today’s publication and confirmation gives him an opportunity to own it publicly and completely move on. Of course some will villify him for his mistake but my faith in humanity hopes the majority will accept his mistake and judge him solely on his actions since he arrived at our club.
I do think a short but sincere apology for misleading the fans of club back in February would help. At the fans forum he denied having used names other than Hilton and White. I cannot recall his actual words but he effectively denied any past criminality which also was untrue. Sorry and move on will do for me. It would also help to speed up the validation and payment of any outstanding debts the club still have.
Putting all that aside I would personally like to thank David Hilton for saving the club I have loved for 60 years and for the massive amount of effort and money he has expended to make that happen. In addition to saving the club from extinction he has turned around the 5 years of decline presided over by the previous owner. We will probably never know if that decline came from spite or from mind boggling incompetence. From dreading attending matches and being embarrassed by inept performances he has got me actually looking forward to attending football again. A massive achievement in my book in a time frame I did not think was possible.
The club will allways have my support. Friends you can choose. Family and your football club you are stuck with. But David Hilton himself has won my personal support for the job he has done and I wish him well, hopefully continuing as chairman of our football club. If he chooses otherwise then I wish him equally as well in whatever path he takes.
