Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton, chief financial officer Tom Ball and chief operating officer Luke Werhun will answer shareholders’ questions at the Town PLC AGM at Portman Road on Monday 9th December.

The PLC represents the shareholding of the club prior to Marcus Evans’s 2007 takeover with the majority of those owning the shares - who number around 3,500 - supporters who bought them as the club sought to raise cash following the 2003 period in administration.

Having opted to maintain a five per cent ownership of the club after the April 2021 takeover, its stake has been diluted multiple times as Gamechanger 20 Ltd injected new funds into the club, while more recently US-based private equity firm Bright Path Sports Partners took a 40 per cent stake in Gamechanger through a £120 million investment.

In his letter to shareholders, PLC chairman Roger Finbow (pictured above on the right at last year's AGM) acknowledged the part Mike O'Leary played in Town's turnaround since the takeover.

“I would like to thank and pay tribute to Mike O’Leary, who as you know has stepped down as chairman of the club and consequently as a member of this board,” he said.

“His contribution at all levels has been immense and we on the board have so much valued his wisdom and support.

“And we wish Mark Ashton every success in his expanded role. Mike’s retirement from the board has left a vacancy for a club representative and I am pleased to say that Tom Ball, the club’s chief financial officer and the company’s secretary, agreed to join the board and was appointed in July.

“His appointment is now required to be confirmed by shareholders and Resolution 2, to elect Tom as a director, will be put to the meeting for that purpose. Tom will fulfil this role alongside his role as secretary.


Reflecting on Town’s remarkable progress over the last couple of years, he added: “You don’t need me to tell you how exciting and successful the last 12 months have been, both on and off the pitch.

“Achieving automatic promotion in front of an always packed stadium; observing very significant investment – with more to come – in the stadium and training centre; seeing fresh faces in the playing squad, all of them carefully chosen and each making their mark on the pitch.

“Kieran McKenna reaffirming his commitment to the club by signing a new contract; another successful season for the women’s team; and massive new investment in the club by a consortium led by Bright Path Sports Partners, demonstrating a strong commitment to the club’s future success.



“And so far, so good: we all recognise the massive challenges of the step up to the Premier League, but we can also feel confident that our manager, his coaches and the playing squad, and Mark Ashton and his team, will all be doing their very best to ensure we establish ourselves at the top table.”

Two PLC directors, Elizabeth Edwards and Peter Over, will be standing for re-election.
 


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