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

[Revolution]

was in jest

I don't believe you. After all this time I think you genuinely hold these views.

 

[coaxingstar71]

You make some good points, and I agree that the promotions achieved by Bassett were arguably achieved despite Brearley.

As for Deane, that was a disastrous decision, but McCabe has at least 2 of those - Beattie and the Kyles - before you get into other sales that are worse than any other sale Brearley made. I'm not sure any other sale he made relegated us or stopped us going up though I'd be interested in a counter argument.

Plus Brearley kept Deane for 5 years. Can you imagine latter day McCabe doing that? If we had him and Agana now one would be gone in January, no question.

Brealey! It's BREALEY!

I'm happy to agree there's an argument for both sides. In some ways you could say they are similar in that they both started well and then it all went a bit Pete Tong!

 

[blade too long]

I don't believe you. After all this time I think you genuinely hold these views.

what that a helicopter landing 20 years ago damaged the pitch ,,, well you might be right

 

[BushBlade]

Brealey! It's BREALEY!

I'm happy to agree there's an argument for both sides. In some ways you could say they are similar in that they both started well and then it all went a bit Pete Tong!

Isn't that the case with most owners of clubs like ours? They come in, invest a bit, the club improves, then they realise they have to invest a bit more, are suddenly surprised by this, baulk at it, then the club starts to go backwards and starts to lose money. And they all think they can do it better than everyone else, until they find out they can't.

 

[coaxingstar71]

H Blacow Yates was the chairman until resigning after we got relegated in 1968, then Dick Wragg took over from the start of the 1968-69 season

Wasn't Len Brealey officially the chairman at some point during the "utter chaos" years? On club achievements, Charles Stokes would actually be probably the greatest chairman we've ever had, presiding over 2 FA Cup wins, a League Championship, building the John Street stand and a team of 11 internationals.

 

[Darren]

Had we not lost against Wigan we wouldn't have got relegated. Tevez should never have been an issue but I do get the point you are making.

But to continue the circular argument, that game should only have been about who finished in 17th place

 

[metalblade]

Not at all, it's a genuine attempt to start a diiscussion, which appears to have worked!

I know really, it is just that this has been done before ..................... maybe be once or twice a season. More interesting might be peoples thoughts on how things have changed since Kev became co-chairman/owner and how they see things moving forward in the next few years, will he stay or hand full control to the Prince, will the Prince then need to buy the stadium or move elsewhere to improve capacity if we become established in the Premier league ? After all having a long stay in the top flight must be the aim or he would not be here.

 

[Bladesway]

But to continue the circular argument, that game should only have been about who finished in 17th place

It should, and it shouldn't have been us for more than one reason.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I know really, it is just that this has been done before ..................... maybe be once or twice a season. More interesting might be peoples thoughts on how things have changed since Kev became co-chairman/owner and how they see things moving forward in the next few years, will he stay or hand full control to the Prince, will the Prince then need to buy the stadium or move elsewhere to improve capacity if we become established in the Premier league ? After all having a long stay in the top flight must be the aim or he would not be here.

I wasn't on here then. Why not start a thread then?

 

[coaxingstar71]

We put monty in the team instead of Brown and missed the playoffs by a couple of points. All for half a million quid. That's not good business. I'd have preferred half a season of brown. Remember we were close to automatic when we got rid.

That's not how I remember it. My memory is that Brown had his 22 goal season in 2002-03, when we finished 3rd, then we were not at the races the following season with Brown not pulling up any trees. It's pure specualtion that we would have got in the play offs if he had stayed. It's downright fantasy to suggest we might have got promoted via the play-offs!

 

[Darren]

That's not how I remember it. My memory is that Brown had his 22 goal season in 2002-03, when we finished 3rd, then we were not at the races the following season with Brown not pulling up any trees. It's pure specualtion that we would have got in the play offs if he had stayed. It's downright fantasy to suggest we might have got promoted via the play-offs!

We were top of the division in September and October and I am pretty sure we were only 2-3 points off automatic when he left in December.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Similarly, if Lee Baxter didn't keep chucking the ball in his own net against Burnley, we might have got the elusive 2-3 points to make the top 6

 

[Darren]

That's not how I remember it. My memory is that Brown had his 22 goal season in 2002-03, when we finished 3rd, then we were not at the races the following season with Brown not pulling up any trees. It's pure specualtion that we would have got in the play offs if he had stayed. It's downright fantasy to suggest we might have got promoted via the play-offs!

We were actually 1 point off automatic when he left
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/division-one/2003-2004/table/2003-12-28

 

[Worksop II]

with Brown not pulling up any trees

How very much dare you dis Lord Michael Brown

Who was his replacement ? anyone know ?

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Jean Phillipe Javary?

 

[Woodwardfan]

The 2014 accounts, which include all transactions around the Prince coming on board, still report amounts owed to group and related undertakings of nearly £25m. It's debt, just badged up differently. Owed to various guises of the Scarborough group. If it changes this year I'll be surprised as he's a businessman so he'll never just "write off" what he's owed.

Disagree.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I think we also signed Paul Shaw around that time and Alan Quinn the following summer.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I'm happy to be corrected, but I would say that Lord Michael Brown hardly got a Lords welcome the last time he visited the temple of football (and predictably got sent off too). I understand though that this was due to his involvement in the sending off of Basham at Port Vale.

Nevertheless, he still wasn't going to sign a new contract. I'm sure those with a greater knowledge than mine will furnish me with a number of reasons why not.

 

[Darren]

I'm happy to be corrected, but I would say that Lord Michael Brown hardly got a Lords welcome the last time he visited the temple of football (and predictably got sent off too). I understand though that this was due to his involvement in the sending off of Basham at Port Vale.

Nevertheless, he still wasn't going to sign a new contract. I'm sure those with a greater knowledge than mine will furnish me with a number of reasons why not.

The point is - and I think it is a valid one - that it wasn't worth £500K to lose him for the second half of 03-04.

 

[Silent Blade]

Wasn't Len Brealey officially the chairman at some point during the "utter chaos" years? On club achievements, Charles Stokes would actually be probably the greatest chairman we've ever had, presiding over 2 FA Cup wins, a League Championship, building the John Street stand and a team of 11 internationals.

Len got involved when Reg had enough of Paul Woolhouse asking him to extend deadlines for the staged payments in buying out the club during the 1992-93 season

 

[BushBlade]

Disagree.

With what? Are you saying the accounts don't say that?

 

[Woodwardfan]

Normally you talk sense LB but this is absolute speculation. You have no proof that this is the case and as you don't own a crystal ball that works I'm assuming you can quantify how this stacks up. Pony in my opinion I'm afraid.

The irony is what someone alludes to above. If the club had been heading towards Administration at some stage then some chancer/ shrewd businessman would have stepped in at a bargain price.

Whatever happens going forward from there is in the lap of the gods but a Paul Lambert, an Owen Coyle ( maybe), an Eddie Howe, a Nigel Adkins!!!, a Gary Rowett ( IMO) i.e. managers at a certain stage of their careers who are big and energetic enough to can change club cultures and lift them a level or two and take a club from it's uppers to the big time.

McCabe never found the right man. Warnock did well but we got to the Prem with a rag bag outfit and not really a strong, "modern" culture.

 

[BushBlade]

The irony is what someone alludes to above. If the club had been heading towards Administration at some stage then some chancer/ shrewd businessman would have stepped in at a bargain price.

Whatever happens going forward from there is in the lap of the gods but a Paul Lambert, an Owen Coyle ( maybe), an Eddie Howe, a Nigel Adkins!!!, a Gary Rowett ( IMO) i.e. managers who can change club cultures and lift them a level or two and take a club from it's uppers to the big time.

McCabe never found the right man. Warnock did well but we got to the Prem with a rag bag outfit and not really a strong, "modern" culture.

Well, it would be have been an absolute disaster if we'd be taken over by a shrewd businessman.

 

[Woodwardfan]

With what? Are you saying the accounts don't say that?

Good question. No, with whether KM writes off all debt owed as part of the investment deal. It may be that the final write off will be dependant on certain levels of investment from the prince over a period.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Well, it would be have been an absolute disaster if we'd be taken over by a shrewd businessman.

Mandaric is an example of one. A "chancer and a shrewd businessman".

 

[BushBlade]

Good question. No, with whether KM writes off all debt owed as part of the investment deal. It may be that the final write off will be dependant on certain levels of investment from the prince over a period.

So you don't know?

 

[blade too long]

I admit I wasnt overly enamored about Adkins at first , thought he was ok for a scunny size club
But his attention to detail and the way hes changed the ethos in such a short space of time is awe inspiring -
I was hoping for a bit of a reaction to the Gillingham debacle , but hes took up the rug of complacency and beat it to uber cxlean
The word motivation has never seen such a reaction as hes done since day one.
Flocks of geese will have me standing and applauding in future and if we go up theres 500 notes going to RSPB

 

[BushBlade]

Mandaric is an example of one. A "chancer and a shrewd businessman".

Yes, it would have been tragic if he'd got involved, we could have ended up like Leicester.

 

[Woodwardfan]

So you don't know?

? Does anybody other than the two main men? But if KM says he is writing off the debt owed to him and that we will be "debt free" as a club going into the new era with the prince then I have no reason not to believe him. He had no need to say it.

 

[blade too long]

Mandaric is a charlatan
theres prople who built their stadium in financial ruin
They ordered a 4-8 million stadium and paid 300k for it
Its more down to our corrupt legal system which again allowed him to launder money in Tiddles the cats swiss bank account, him and our Harry got off with murder , tax wise