How to make myself unpopular

With everything that's gone on this week, with the articles in the press and the comments on the official site from Neil, and with the mostly positive fan response on our forum this week, I have only one thing to ask of our loyal readers:

Don't celebrate just yet, because there's still work to be done.

The article that appeared on Monday in the Manchester Evening News and on Manchester Online is a very positive piece, there's no denying that. All the info about the proposals for not one but two new ice rinks for the Manchester region, coupled with some quotes from Neil about Phoenix's plans for the future, and everyone's dancing in the streets. That's a good response, don't get me wrong - the fans of Manchester have had it rough in recent years, and any cause for celebration is one that's worth celebrating! But caution is the watchword.

It truly pains me to say it, but that article doesn't bring us a single step nearer to having a rink. The dealings that have gone on behind closed doors have remained exactly there - behind closed doors. What that article is, in essence, is pressure on Neil Morris from a developer who wants Neil to sign on the dotted line and make the developers very busy and somewhat richer. The promise of a new rink at a specific location in that article comes not from Neil but from the spokesman for the developers, and that's a promise he can't follow through on without Neil's agreement. Neil is being backed into a corner here, and that's a tricky spot to be in. The article has prompted a positive response from the target audience, which is the fans - the developer knows that a positive fan response puts pressure on Neil to sign off on the deal and get the rink built. Simple.

The thing is, we have one shot at getting this right. One more go, and if we mess this up then ice hockey is dead in Manchester.

Neil's got a lot more work to do before he signs anything. He's got meetings with councils and all types of people ahead of him in his quest for due diligence - Neil has to fully explore all the avenues available to him before making his decision, and this may take some further time.

So, until a concrete announcement appears on the front page of the official Phoenix site, I'd urge all fans to remain quietly optimistic until the real time for celebration arrives. And when it does, you'll know about it!