Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony will sell the club if they aren’t promoted to the Championship inside the next 18 months.
MacAnthony took to Twitter on Valentines Day to make his pledge after people began to criticise his running of the club following an embarrassing 4-0 home defeat against Bradford.
Posh dropped to 10th in League One yesterday following their biggest league defeat since November 2010. They are six points off the play-off places and this gap could grow wider with fixtures on Tuesday, and Posh not in action until their trip to Millwall on Saturday.
we take the plaudits for everything that was good about our team/club on wed night.So we shall take deserved criticism for yesterdays.
— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) February 14, 2016
The Posh owner didn’t hesitate to acknowledge his side’s poor performance on Saturday.
Yesterday has brought out usual critics on club policy & way we do things under me etc. No probs with opinions/part of the game etc.
— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) February 14, 2016
MacAnthony received hate tweets from fans, angry with the way he’s run the club.
But I'm happy to put money/mouth is & back policy/what we do by stating honestly/categorically that should Posh not win promotion –
— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) February 14, 2016
inside the next 18 months (which i have no doubt we will) then ill stop my policy & find another owner with a different policy/approach.
— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) February 14, 2016
The Irish owner stated that Posh had to get promoted either this season or next, or he would sell the club.
So there it is, we are on the clock. 18 months, promotion & hopefully buy stadium back for the club or time for diff owners/policy/approach.
— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) February 14, 2016
He summarised his announcement with this tweet.
“I will stay in football. I love it too much not to be involved. Anyhow I’m very confident we will win promotion in that time,” said MacAnthony.
It’ll be the 10th anniversary for MacAnthony as Posh Chairman in September, and it’s fair to say he’s had his success at the club. Despite the two relegations from the Championship, MacAnthony has overseen three promotions and one Johnstone Paint Trophy triumph in those 10 years. Posh found themselves mid-table in League Two when the Irishman took over in 2006.
This is Peterborough’s third season in a row in League One.
The club has become extremely reliant on MacAnthony’s financial backing and it’s believed Posh owe him £6 million.
However many fans have accused MacAnthony of being selfish and being in it for the personal gain.
This stems from a belief from Posh fans that the majority of their best players get sold.
The most recent of these was top scorer Conor Washington, who was sold to Championship side QPR in January for £2.5 million.
Posh have scored just two goals in their four League One games since he left.