Is Kevin McCabe the best chairman we've ever had?

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coaxingstar71

coaxingstar71

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This should stir things up!

I've been entertained by pommpey's thread where basically he lays the blame for the clubs failings firmly at the door of our long serving (suffering?) chairman. According to our angry friend, it SEEMS like our chairman and his board want to keep the club in this league, presumably so we don't have to sign expensive players and spend more money in the Championship.

Well what do we think? Is he solely to blame for the clubs decline into the third tier and should go or has he actually made sure that our club, despite it's league position, remains in a reasonably healthy state? Has he bled the club dry over the years taking large sums out of our potential transfer kitty or has he actually put in millions of pounds of his own personal wealth to ensure the club's survival? What are our reasons for believing one way or the other?

Looking back, have we had better chairmen at the helm? I'd say, certainly not in my lifetime, which started with old John Hassall, then Reg Brealey, then...er.... Woolhouse, Len Brealey and utter chaos, then McDonald before McCabe took over circa 1999.

I often wonder why these people would want to be a chairman. Mostly they are rich businessmen who are fans, but once they take over, they risk the continued wrath of the fans if they are not continually giving the manager pots of money to spend, money which the club may not be making in a lot of cases.

Would we rather we had a chairman who does splash the cash but actually wants to play manager as well such as we've seen at Cardiff, Brentford, Chelsea (to an extent), Leeds and I suspect our neighbours too?

Personally I wonder what state we might be in if McCabe hadn't taken over. I think he's made poor decisions, granted, but we've not looked like getting docked 30 points for going into administration or worse either.

Better the devil you know?
 

well hes better than Brierley

he pumped in a lot , then wanted out and rightly got stick for being slack in that period

but hes keen again and putting money in again
you shouldnt bite the hand tharts keeping us going

wish he had a better eye for a manager but cant have everything
hes raised gates and kept us turning up , by not fleecing us a la piggies

Warnock was entertaining and Adkins is looking inspired,, at last
the rest , well theyve gone now
 
He's probably the best in about half a century by default. Brearley, Woolhouse and McDonald were worse although Brearley spent better than the other two.
Mike McDonald was fucking garbage and he was a cunt about it as well. I'm surprised he isn't mentioned more often when we talk about shit chairmen.

That's not to say McCabe is brilliant mind.
 
Poll:
- Great Chairman
Or
- The Greatest Chairman

NB: you can only choose one of the above.
 
Tyler Durden said:
He's probably the best in about half a century by default. Brearley, Woolhouse and McDonald were worse although Brearley spent better than the other two.
Mike McDonald was fucking garbage and he was a cunt about it as well. I'm surprised he isn't mentioned more often when we talk about shit chairmen.

That's not to say McCabe is brilliant mind.
Click to expand...

Not forgetting of course "The Count"
 
It's difficult for most to comment on where he ranks.

What we can be certain of is that if he is, we've had some fucking awful chairman.

I think he's had the most ambitious and best intention (and lost lots of money along the way, invested in some really silly areas) of all Chairmen in my lifetime.

I think he's made the biggest mess and the worst decisions with what he's put in.

And on purely objective measures, were a division below where he took over, and in the midst of our worst period in 125 years of history.

So it would be a no from me.

UTB
 
alcoblade said:
It's difficult for most to comment on where he ranks.

What we can be certain of is that if he is, we've had some fucking awful chairman.

I think he's had the most ambitious intention (and lost lots of money along the way, invested in some really sillyl areas) of all Chairmen in my lifetime.

I think he's made the biggest mess and the worst decisions with what he's put in.

And on purely objective measures, were a division below where he took over, and in the midst of our worst period min 125 years of history.

So it would be a no from me.

UTB
Click to expand...

McCabe has made mistakes , as we all know . McCabe is Mr Sheffield United IMO , and in his twilight years it looks like he his to be rewarded , not financially but in success.

Also the guy is local and has the football club close to his heart . In saying that , it has clouded his judgement at times , when perhaps he should have used and listened to his head.

UTB
 
alcoblade said:
And on purely objective measures, were a division below where he took over, and in the midst of our worst period in 125 years of history.

UTB
Click to expand...
second worst , be worst if we dont go up
80s 5 years out of the championship we were much much worse
winning div 4 is still worse than making a league one play off
only the 5th year we went up did we fiinish higher than any of these 4 seasons down so far
 
coaxingstar71 said:
This should stir things up!

I've been entertained by pommpey's thread where basically he lays the blame for the like our chairman and his board want to keep the club in this
solely to blame for the clubs decline into the third tier and should go or has he actually made sure that our club, despite it's league position, remains in a reasonably healthy state? Has he bled the club dry over the years taking large sums out of our potential transfer kitty or has he actually put in millions of pounds of his own personal wealth to ensure the club's survival? What are our reasons for believing one way or the other?

Looking back, have we had better chairmen at the helm? I'd say, certainly not in my lifetime, which started with old John Hassall, then Reg Brealey, then...er.... Woolhouse, Len Brealey and utter chaos, then McDonald before McCabe took over circa 1999.

I often wonder why these people would want to be a chairman. Mostly they are rich businessmen who are fans, but once they take over, they risk the continued wrath of the fans if they are not continually giving the manager pots of money to spend, money which the club may not be making in a lot of cases.

Would we rather we had a chairman who does splash the cash but actually wants to play manager as well such as we've seen at Cardiff, Brentford, Chelsea (to an extent), Leeds and I suspect our neighbours too?

Personally I wonder what state we might be in if McCabe hadn't taken over. I think he's made poor decisions, granted, but we've not looked like getting docked 30 points for going into administration or worse either.

Better the devil you know?
Click to expand...
The upshot is that it takes a spectacularly poor effort to make a club like us punch so far below its weight for so long.

Through 2 administrations, Leicester are in an infinitely stronger state than us and have never sunk so low. There's countless others that have gone through it without the utter mess we've found ourselves in.

Other than that the realities that you can measure, administration is just a meaningless title.

UTB
 
Bit complicated I know but until 1971 there were two chairmen on two committees down at the Lane one for Cricket and one for Football with a president over both.
So I would think Dick Wragg in 1971 was the first single chairman down there...
 
It depends on how things go this season with regards to investment in areas of the squad which need it i.e CB and CM. That will have a direct effect on our chances of promotion thus being the one of the main deciding factors for me. What happens this season will have a big effect on my view on this question.
 
Tyler Durden said:
The Count?
Click to expand...

Carlo "The Count" Colombotti. I think I was at the game he was paraded on the Bramall Lane turf. In fact I think it was before the 4-0 mauling to Sunderland in Steve Bruce's last professional match (which he largely spent on his arse).
 

Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
McCabe has made mistakes , as we all know . McCabe is Mr Sheffield United IMO , and in his twilight years it looks like he his to be rewarded , not financially but in success.

Also the guy is local and has the football club close to his heart . In saying that , it has clouded his judgement at times , when perhaps he should have used and listened to his head.

UTB
Click to expand...
You can only measure what we see at the club. Being a big fan means nothing if the decisions fuck us up, other than the honourable intention that I already conceded.

Paul Woolhouse was a "massive Blade", by all accounts.

UTB
 
alcoblade said:
You can only measure what we see at the club. Being a big fan means nothing if the decisions fuck us up, other than the honourable intention that I already conceded.

Paul Woolhouse was a "massive Blade", by all accounts.

UTB
Click to expand...

Paul Woolhouse was a massive blade , but unfortunatley , not that allegedly honest in his business dealings and running SUFC , which can be said for other gentlemen , who have held the post in the past . Certain issues are in the public domain , others are not .

We are turning a corner both with football and investment . I feel all Blades have now got to give the McCabe family the benefit of doubt , and back them to the hilt , with support , like we give the team, on the pitch.

Only my opinion Alco , and again , there is no right or wrong on this one , as ultimatley , we all want the same thing - success.

UTB
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
Paul Woolhouse was a massive blade , but unfortunatley , not that allegedly honest in his business dealings and running SUFC , which can be said for other gentlemen , who have held the post in the past . Certain issues are in the public domain , others are not .

We are turning a corner both with football and investment . I feel all Blades have now got to give the McCabe family the benefit of doubt , and back them to the hilt , with support , like we give the team, on the pitch.

Only my opinion Alco , and again , there is no right or wrong on this one , as ultimatley , we all want the same thing - success.

UTB
Click to expand...
Agreed. However his illegal activity with us goes to prove that being a big fan is, in itself, no real measure.

UTB
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
Yes there is , i was involved in the feasibility report prepared , for reviewing the viabilty of BDTBL becoming Real Estate , and SUFC moving elsewhere.

UTB
Click to expand...

Blimey. What were the options proposed as new locations if you don't mind me asking? Presumably Don Valley was one?
 
Maybe we have bounced along on the bottom a few times looking back, but with the support we have I can't see us ever disappearing all together unlike some clubs in the divisions above if the bubble burst.....
 
QUOTE="LoughboroBlade, post: 824879, member: 2163"]Blimey. What were the options proposed as new locations if you don't mind me asking? Presumably Don Valley was one?[/QUOTE]

Lets just hope Sheffield club get their old ground up and running then......
 
LoughboroBlade said:
Blimey. What were the options proposed as new locations if you don't mind me asking? Presumably Don Valley was one?
Click to expand...

The main issue is , many years ago and even today , BDTBL is prime real estate , bearing in mind the land across the road on the Arnald Laver site was used for apartments.

Negotiations were carried out with SCC relating to Don Valley and land in the Meadow Hall . Parkway areas.

Thankfully it finished up what is was - a feasibility .

However who is to say , that if the McCabes were still not having a controlling interest , and previous chairmans , had sold out to a consortium registered , in the Cayman Islands , it would not have been resurrected , in some shape or form.

UTB
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
The main issue is , many years ago and even today , BDTBL is prime real estate , bearing in mind the land across the road on the Arnald Laver site was used for apartments.

Negotiations were carried out with SCC relating to Don Valley and land in the Meadow Hall . Parkway areas.

Thankfully it finished up what is was - a feasibility .

However who is to say , that if the McCabes were still not having a controlling interest , and previous chairmans , had sold out to a consortium registered , in the Cayman Islands , it would not have been resurrected , in some shape or form.

UTB
Click to expand...

Useful insight. Our continued stay at Bramall Lane is a big thing for me. We make a lot about the history of football in Sheffield, and it would be an enormous shame to trade that in. I've no doubt financially it would still probably be an attractive proposition to sell up and move us, but for me we have an ideal stadium that feels as though it's got history while managing to mostly keep up to date. Find a way to get rid of the Kop pillars and there's not a lot left to change – capacity wise we don't need any extra.
 
We are in a lower league and have been for a while and that's undone a lot of the work he had done.
 

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