I can't answer you in any official capacity, but...
press office
I have been speaking with him for more than 18 months and I can't think of anyone better to be given the task to be honest. the fact that he is (not meaning to sound condescending!) 'only' a club member - a very conscientious one at that - is significant in itself. he has shared my own concerns for some time and approached TVOC directly at the start of 2007 to offer his not-inconsiderable services. we have discussed several things over the months and bounced ideas off each other - i know that he is keen, motivated and effective, but bear in mind that he will only ever be as good as the information that he is given!
it also brings the club activities closer to TVOC - another thing which was long overdue - it has appeared for too long that they were both on opposing sides!
don't forget that anything is better than the wall of silence that so many of us screamed and shouted about not so many months ago.
forum
I haven't looked myself for a wee while, but I am aware that there are a few squabbles going on at present.
I can't say much about the banter really as I've been an instigator of much of it myself!
what I think should be realised though is that there is nowhere near as much genuine 558 stuff as there was two years ago - for obvious reasons. what is good about it though is that it still represents a valuable 'place' for 558's core supporters to chat - without that the project would have died a long time ago. Rusty & Co never appreciated just how indispensible the forum is for continued core support.
progress
again, I think that there is very little to report. I know that there are some feverish goings-on in the background to get things organised - particularly with respect to finances/creditors etc. the 'new team' certainly did as promised before Christmas and published the figures that we have begged and begged and begged for. I know from my own conversations that this was considered long overdue, and the general 'sweep it under the carpet' routine has been reversed as a matter of urgency.
I personally don't expect to hear much in the short term, so I won't be disappointed if we don't!
HLF
what were you hoping for? as far as I'm aware, the HLF involvement is done and dusted. I think it foolhardy for anyone to assume that they have any control over 558; the HLF have given millions to countless causes that have fallen by the wayside. I'm no HLF expert by any means, but I think that those three letters have to be forgotten about - unless of course another application is made, but that's a different matter entirely!
overall, as long as we can all sit tight and see 558 through this current hiatus, she stands a much better chance of displaying this year that she did this time last year!
cracks appeared a long time ago - they went unchecked and steadily became gaping chasms, despite some very conserted efforts from the supporters to keep it going. now there is a very real chance of fixing these, but with a small pallette knife and a tiny tub of Polyfila, it won't happen overnight!
sm