One-One Fanzine - Cover of Issue 26 - June 2006UNPUBLISHED LETTERS TO THE BUCKS FREE PRESS
The following two letters were sent to the Bucks Free Press in response to the letter from Brian Kane published on 4th August 2006. Due to space limitations these were not published on the next available date of 11th August 2006. Both authors have since forwarded the letters to COTN and given permission for publication.

I noted with some interest the letter in last week's edition from WWFC Club Director Brian Kane relating to the decision as to whether the name 'Adams Park' should be eligible for sponsorship. Clearly, Mr Kane is in favour of sponsorship of the stadium name, although it is a position with which I fundamentally disagree.

It was, however, his question "Where do we draw the line" that prompted me to write to you. This is the same question that I raised in my own letter to the BFP on 14 July, and it is a question to which Mr Kane does not (in his letter) provide an answer. Rather, he asks the question of those who are opposed to sponsorship of the ground, extending the debate in to other areas of commercial activity, such as shirt sponsorship.

The point that Mr Kane has entirely failed to grasp is that those opposed to stadium sponsorship have chosen to draw the line over this issue. Not one of the previous correspondents to the BFP on this issue has even raised the issue of shirt sponsorship, nor have any major objections been voiced. In fact, extending the argument in this manner represents an attempt by Mr Kane to 'muddy the water' which is disappointing.

Those opposed to stadium sponsorship are not arguing for any sponsor's name to be removed from the shirt, nor for any sponsor's board to be removed from the edge of the pitch. We are, however, asking that a line be drawn on the issue at hand, and are calling for the stadium to be permanently renamed Adams Park in honour of Frank Adams. The Board of Directors in 1990 (who included current Chairman Ivor Beeks) considered this to be an effective tribute at the time and it should remain as such today.

However, the question asked by Mr Kane as to where to 'draw the line' is a valid one and it would be interesting to hear Mr Kane's own answer. What is the next item on his list of things to sell? Where would he draw the line?

Marcus Wood, High Wycombe

I read Mr. Kane’s letter in last week's Bucks Free Press regarding future naming rights of Adams Park. I would like to make the following points.

Mr. Kane says he believes that Frank Adams would have been supportive of the sale of the ground name, and to permanently close the door on stadium sponsorship would be contrary to what he may have wanted. With respect to Mr Kane, he is in no more a position to guess what Frank Adams would have wanted than you or I. Mr Kane himself admits he never met Frank Adams and to claim to know what his opinions might be, 25 years after he sadly passed away shows a breathtaking arrogance, appalling judgement and a stunning lack of respect. Mr Kane’s belief that lessons on communication have been learnt is contradicted by his very own letter.

It is perfectly easy to draw the line at stadium sponsorship simply because Adams Park was named as a tribute to the extraordinary generosity of Frank Adams. It is not about what Frank Adams would have wanted, for he can no longer tell us. It is about how we, as part of Wycombe Wanderers, show our appreciation and gratitude to him today. For a tribute to have been made and stood since 1990 and then to have been taken away is an insult.

My preference would be to support a football club that cherishes its heritage, and especially cherishes the memory of an altruistic man like Frank Adams, yet Mr. Kane’s letter shows that he is part of a board that may know the price of everything but know the value of nothing.

Dale Hurman - Long term supporter and former editor of the Tales of a Chairboy fanzine

Letters to BFP - 14th July 2006
Letter to BFP - 21st July 2006
Letter to BFP - 4th August 2006

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