MORFA BOSS QUITS

16 June 2005

Swansea's new £27 million sports arena today sensationally lost its boss just weeks before its big opening. Stadium boss Tim Howell who was brought in to mastermind the opening of Swansea's long-awaited base for football and rugby has left.

The bombshell has come just five weeks before Swansea City kick off the first match in the new stadium at Morfa.

Few details of exactly why the chief executive has gone are available. But project bosses at Swansea Council insisted today Mr Howell, from London, was simply moving on to "different challenges".

A statement said Mr Howell, who was brought in a year ago, has completed the job he set out to do.Mr Howell, who quit his job at the Glamorgan Health and Racquet Club at Llandarcy to take over at Morfa, also refused to go into any detail.

He said: " Being chief executive of the new stadium during this critical phase has been a fantastic and extremely rewarding challenge.

"The new stadium is now more than capable of establishing itself as one of the best stadiums in the UK and the leading sporting, entertainment and cultural venue in South West Wales.

"With my task now successfully completed, I feel it's now time to take on a new, equally rewarding challenge."

Swansea Stadium Management Company chairman, Councillor Gerald Clement, said: "Tim's done a superb job and will be sorely missed, however we fully understand that this is the time for him to move on to other challenges elsewhere.

"We will continue to build on the great start given to this stadium through Tim's hard work.

"The new stadium remains on course to give a massive boost to the profile of our city and our winning football and rugby teams as they enter their new season of sporting success.

"Stadium bosses also confirmed arrangements for Swansea City's first match at the new 20,000 all-seater venue against Premiership Fulham will not be affected.

Mr Howell's shock departure however is likely to cause some problems in the run-up to the showpiece stadium's opening.

There had been no hint of Mr Howell's leaving with PR publicity material about him and new staff members being released just 24 hours before his departure was confirmed.

A spokesman added today: " A temporary management team will be put in place before Mr Howell's permanent replacement is found.''

Link - New Chief Hails £27 million stadium