Tours FC begins a decisive week for its future

A judicial liquidation procedure on appeal and a second on the table… All this for the same company: Tours FC SASP. This may seem very nebulous. Here is an update on the situation of the sky and black club before a decisive week.

What legal proceedings are currently underway?

Tours FC SASP, that is to say the professional part of the Touraine club, is therefore facing two liquidation procedures.

The first of these liquidations was pronounced on Tuesday June 25, 2024, while the company was still the property of Jean-Marc Ettori. It sounded the death knell for a disastrous management for several years, which led the TFC first team from Ligue 2 to Regional 1, with heavy debt and a cessation of payments effective on April 2.

Except that in the meantime, Ivan Desmet (who did not respond to our requests this Monday, January 13) took control of the SASP, a sale recorded by Jean-Marc Ettori on August 16. The arrival of the Belgian businessman, with a promise to quickly invest 500,000 euros, allowed the suspension of the first judicial liquidation procedure on July 19, with the Orléans court authorizing an appeal.

While the Desmet era has opened since this summer, the financial situation has not clarified, the promised sums of money having clearly not arrived. In recent months, salaries have not been paid, or very late. In the same way, the repayment deadlines provided for in the recovery plan were not respected and the TFC SASP increased its liabilities a little further, culminating in the fiasco of the Coupe de France match against Lorient which was canceled and lost on the green carpet.

A critical situation which made Maître Bertrand Boudevin react. In a letter addressed to the Tours commercial court and dated Thursday, December 19, the planning commissioner asked the judicial body to open a second judicial liquidation procedure, noting a new situation of cessation of payments on September 3 .

What is the timetable for these different liquidation procedures?

Initially, Tours FC SASP was to have two key meetings this week. The first, this Tuesday, January 14, before the Tours commercial court to examine the opening of this second judicial liquidation procedure. According to our information, this hearing will not take place, a postponement to a later date should be made this Tuesday.

And for good reason: the TFC also has an appointment, Thursday January 16 at 2 p.m., before the Orléans Court of Appeal regarding the first ongoing procedure. A virtual certainty: the judicial decision will not be rendered “on the bench”, that is to say in the continuity of the hearing. It should be put under advisement… And returned in two months (a period regularly observed), or even more (in view of the delay accumulated by the judicial body). But it could also fall within fifteen days following the hearing, the judicial representative having underlined the urgency of the situation.

A real emergency on a human and sporting level because, if the unclear situation were to persist, players could legitimately leave the adventure, following the example of Léo Schwechlen, emblematic captain of the first half of the season who slammed the door on Wednesday January 8.

What are the prospects?

If the Orléans Court of Appeal decides to cancel the first judicial liquidation, Ivan Desmet will remain in charge and the TFC SASP will once again gain a little time. The second judicial liquidation procedure would then resurface, with a new hearing date which should be set by the Tours commercial court.

On the other hand, if the Orléans Court of Appeal rejects the arguments put forward by Ivan Desmet and his lawyers, judicial liquidation will be definitively pronounced. This will be the definitive end of the SASP TFC… unless buyers come forward.

Finally, Richard Plantureux, former deputy president of the TFC during the Ettori era and now advisor to Ivan Desmet, perfectly sums up the issue of the moment: “I know that 99% of people see the liquidation on Thursday… The court will be sovereign! I simply know that the question arises in very concrete terms: is the TFC in a situation of cessation of payments or not? And beyond that, does the SASP have the money to finish the season by June 30? For the rest, I do not have access to the accounts of Mr. Desmet or the TFC. I'm careful, I'm not getting ahead of myself on anything. For some time now, I have been asked more for advice. But advice is advice. Afterwards, the president does what he wants…”

And the reimbursement of tickets for the Tours FC – Lorient match in all this?

Nearly 6,000 tickets were sold before the cancellation of the 32^e of the Coupe de France final between Tours FC and Lorient. For the moment, the sky and black club has not yet communicated anything on the reimbursement terms. “There is something in the works,” explains Richard Plantureux.

“For President Desmet, it is planned to offer reimbursement for places sold. Either directly or, if people choose, it could be in exchange for more places to attend championship games. This remains to be finalized…” And advise him to add a sentence full of meaning: “If the shareholder can sue, we will reimburse…”