Richardson left January 2002.
CCFC Holdings year end 31 May. Total levels of liabilities (from all sources ie Bank, Directors, other lenders, creditors & accruals)were
1999 £31,482,956
2000 £50,291,321
2001 £59,613,581
2002 £37,537,125
Richardson focusses on bank debt but that is not the total of liabilities - all of which needed to be paid. Bank indebtedness was over £10m
The 2000 and 2001 figures increased due to the amounts spent on the stadium project. By the time the joint venture with CCC May 2002 was taken up there was £13.6m owing. The project at that time had a balance sheet value of £18.4m. The difference between the two figures is what was taken as invested in the joint venture £4.8m
On his logic then CCFC is currently debt or liability free because they owe the owners not a bank!