Chief Mills quits Shots role

Aldershot chief executive Andrew Mills has resigned after just three months in his post due to the actions of the club's owner.

Aldershot chief executive Andrew Mills has resigned after just three months in his post due to the actions of owner Kris Machala, whom he accuses of blocking all solutions to secure the long-term future of the financially-stricken club. Shots supremo Kris Machala used his majority shareholding to vote against a resolution to restructure capital funding at the club's AGM two weeks ago, instead revealing that he had secured a new investor who would pump much-needed funds into the Hampshire outfit. That deal subsequently fell through last week and the threat of administration has become a genuine concern, with the club's future appearing even more bleak following their relegation from the Football League at the weekend. Machala revealed on Sunday that he was holding discussions with Shahid Azeem, his replacement as chairman in February, to transfer the majority of his shareholding provided Azeem could satisfy an immediate cash requirement and guarantee the club's future. But, as yet, nothing has materialised, and as the Shots' perilous financial state continues to cause concern and with players still not paid their April wages, chief executive Mills has resigned after accusing Machala of blocking all solutions to secure the long-term future of the financially-stricken club. He said: "It is with great regret that following the recent actions and subsequent lack of communication from the club owner and major shareholder Mr Kris Machala, I hereby tender my resignation with immediate effect. "Despite all the hard work and effort of all those at the football club, chairman Mr Shahid Azeem, directors Tony Knights, John Leppard and staff who have been committed to finding a solution to secure the long-term future of the football club, Mr Machala continues to block all and any such attempts. "I find myself in the untenable position of receiving no instruction advice or communication as to the alternative plan of Mr Machala or that of the new directors that he has recently attempted to appoint to the board, whilst I have absolutely no faith in his intentions to put the club's future above that of his own personal investment. "I am now being asked to make assurances and promises to players, staff and company creditors who remain unpaid that I simply have no authority to either confirm nor have any evidence to believe." Mills, who would assist the club should Azeem take a majority stake, added: "Every effort has been made over the past few weeks to draft a business plan and drastically reduced budget that would allow the football club to continue to trade through the future on a break-even budget. But I remain seriously concerned about the immediate solvency of the business and recent public assurances of Mr Machala to fund the business through the transition period without any evidence of the ability to do so."