Jim Phipps on Facebook

[MobileBlade]

But what I'm getting at is if the Prince is injecting all this investment, with a large % just to cover losses why not go the whole way and at least get something out of it. If he knew he was to invest £25m and be in our position now for example, the 60% issue in terms of what could have been this seasons investment really wouldn't have looked that much of a lost cause.

How easy it is to spend other peoples money eh. If you have a spare £25m or so you could always buy him out.

 

[derryblade]

So you expected the club to run at a profit in League 1?

Okay.

No where did I say that, I assumed, wrongly that the investment from HRH would be spent in assembling a team that could achieve promotion asap, comments such as premiership in 5 years fuelled that belief and other misguided statements.

 

[Barney]

How easy it is to spend other peoples money eh. If you have a spare £25m or so you could always buy him out.

That's not the point. You always seem to revert back to that.

I pointed out that it's possible he could have done what was required, because it is.

If you don't like that for what ever reason then it's hardly my fault.

 

[blades78]

The Prince should not have the need to put in the sort of money being mentioned at League 1 level. We have generated more money through player sales, cup runs, playoffs and attendances than any club that has played at this level of the last 3 years. The problem is that we haven't invested in the right people to manage that money. Other clubs in our division are building promotion winning teams on a fraction of the budget, while we continue to bring in Championship rejects on silly money.

 

[BushBlade]

Fair point but they may not be able to sell said players to a Championship Club and a CC may not want them.

Also .... remember, if another Club comes in for one of your players and the player wants to move you have no choice but to do the deal .... we've been told that by our Board so it must be true ...
UTB & FTP

If no CC club wants them why would we want them then? Haven't we got enough shit?

Your second paragraph isn't relevant to loans.

 

[MobileBlade]

That's not the point. You always seem to revert back to that.

I pointed out that it's possible he could have done what was required, because it is.

If you don't like that for what ever reason then it's hardly my fault.

But as pointed out, he had already spent something like £13 million before the start of this season. You are talking about spending somewhere in the region of £20 million just to buy out the players contracts and that's before you consider the costs of their replacement. Its a bit like the funfair in Skegness.

 

[MobileBlade]

The Prince should not have the need to put in the sort of money being mentioned at League 1 level. We have generated more money through player sales, cup runs, playoffs and attendances than any club that has played at this level of the last 3 years. The problem is that we haven't invested in the right people to manage that money. Other clubs in our division are building promotion winning teams on a fraction of the budget, while we continue to bring in Championship rejects on silly money.

But how many of those other clubs are sustaining at the higher level? Just look at where the three who went up last season currently are at. (PS please don't come back with we've been in here five years and will just be happy to get out )

 

[Barney]

But as pointed out, he had already spent something like £13 million before the start of this season. You are talking about spending somewhere in the region of £20 million just to buy out the players contracts and that's before you consider the costs of their replacement. Its a bit like the funfair in Skegness.

Given that a lot are in the final year of their contract, I wouldn't go anywhere a guess of £20m.

Add it up if you want.

 

[MobileBlade]

Given that a lot are in the final year of their contract, I wouldn't go anywhere a guess of £20m.

Add it up if you want.

Let's do it between us then. Start with who you will get rid off and when their contracts run out.

 

[Sean Thornton]

No where did I say that, I assumed, wrongly that the investment from HRH would be spent in assembling a team that could achieve promotion asap, comments such as premiership in 5 years fuelled that belief and other misguided statements.

The where did I say that comment made me laugh after yesterday. I asked a question, not made a statement. Who funds losses then, and how?

The first problem with the initial statement on investment was its ambiguity. The second is the way people decide to see it. Usually as agenda disguised as insight.

As I've said, I'm sure HRH wanted promotion. Maybe if that had happened five million or so used to cover losses may have gone on the team. But it didn't. Pointing it out daily isnt going to change that.

 

[madeinsheffield]

Unless we can pay them off for less than what it would cost to see out their contracts we may as well keep them and hope we can loan some out, use them if required or possibly even sell a couple of the fringe players not the quality we are supposed to be building around.

Realistically we only need 2 or 3 players, (we want 4/5 but desparately need the 2 or 3) I'm sure everyone from NA both upwards to the board and downwards through management know which positions. Combined with the unfit getting back in the team we should be able to start getting some points on the table and try to hang onto Wigan's shirt tails as they progress up the league. We're not a million miles off, although it felt like it Saturday after the game

 

[derryblade]

The where did I say that comment made me laugh after yesterday. I asked a question, not made a statement. Who funds losses then, and how?

The first problem with the initial statement on investment was its ambiguity. The second is the way people decide to see it. Usually as agenda disguised as insight.

As I've said, I'm sure HRH wanted promotion. Maybe if that had happened five million or so used to cover losses may have gone on the team. But it didn't. Pointing it out daily isnt going to change that.

He must be seriously thinking what the hell he has got into seeing his investment go down the pan.

 

[Barney]

Let's do it between us then. Start with who you will get rid off and when their contracts run out.

I'd start off with those with contracts ending June 2016 which if my observations of that contract thread are correct are:

Long
Willis
Kennedy
Collins
Alcock
McEveley
JCR
Cuvelier
Flynn
McFadzean
Higdon
Sammon - wouldn't have been here in the first place
Edgar - as above
Woolford - as above
Hammond - as above


Then, if it looked do-able and worth it I'd look to offload those that are on lengthier contracts but still not good enough.

Which equates to anyone other than Brayford, Che, Done, Sharp, Harris, Freeman and K.Wallace(?).

 

[Sean Thornton]

He must be seriously thinking what the hell he has got into seeing his investment go down the pan.

Possibly but if he follows Jim on Twitter he knows it's all going to work out in the end.

 

[derryblade]

Possibly but if he follows Jim on Twitter he knows it's all going to work out in the end.

You mean he is as gullible as some of our fans, seriously worried now.

 

[Barney]

Possibly but if he follows Jim on Twitter he knows it's all going to work out in the end.

£25m to cement a place in league one. Are we the first?

 

[BushBlade]

I think this is probably a good explanation as to how it works. From earlier this year and to do with Coventry but does the job:

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/financial-fair-play-league-one-8560150

Have you read it? It doesn't support your argument. It contradicts it.

Key points - owners can invest as much as they like. Up to 60% of turnover can be spent on wages.
Money spent on transfers doesn't count, again you can spend as much as you like.

 

[Sean Thornton]

You mean he is as gullible as some of our fans, seriously worried now.

I was actually being sarcastic in likening him to some of our fan base who despite knowing everything about the club is shite are always surprised and confused when it all goes tits up. They're much more guillible than the ones who simply buy into the statements wearing the red and white specs.

 

[BushBlade]

But you still have the 60% issue to overcome. There are only so many desso pitches you can install

I can't find the bit where I says you have to spend the other 40%.

 

[BushBlade]

But once he puts it in, you can only spend 60% of it on wages. Yes the rest can go on transfer fees, building new changing rooms etc So the post was why don't we pay off the dross - I shudder to think the cost of paying off around 11-15 players with the 60% rule.

So you admit it's a matter of the owners not wanting to spend the money, rather than being prohibited to do so?

 

[Barney]

So you admit it's a matter of the owners not wanting to spend the money, rather than being prohibited to do so?

It's fair to say he's backed himself well into a corner, whilst proving himself wrong in the process.

Extra points to him I say.

 

[Sean Thornton]

£25m to cement a place in league one. Are we the first?

He's not put £25 million in yet. £13/£13.5 according to Jim.

If he jacks, It's McCabe to the rescue which will seriously upset those who don't want the Prince here. If I were as anti McCabe as some, I'd be careful what I wished for, because it doesn't seem there's anyone on the horizon to take us over , unless Woolhouse has won the Euromillions and cleared his name with Interpol. You know, a "potential investor"!

 

[Barney]

He's not put £25 million in yet. £13/£13.5 according to Jim.

If he jacks, It's McCabe to the rescue which will seriously upset those who don't want the Prince here. If I were as anti McCabe as some, I'd be careful what I wished for, because it doesn't seem there's anyone on the horizon to take us over , unless Woolhouse has won the Euromillions and cleared his name with Interpol. You know, a "potential investor"!

I can honestly see the Prince cutting his losses and looking elsewhere if we don't go up this season. How any successful business person would want to continue losing the sort of money he is, is baffling. His dream of the premier league money dispenser isn't quite panning out as he'd hoped. If McCabe couldn't "come to the rescue", why is administration such a feared prospect? Look at where some other clubs have got to shortly after going down that route.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I can honestly see the Prince cutting his losses and looking elsewhere if we don't go up this season. How any successful business person would want to continue losing the sort of money he is, is baffling. His dream of the premier league money dispenser isn't quite panning out as he'd hoped. If McCabe couldn't "come to the rescue", why is administration such a feared prospect? Look at where some other clubs have got to shortly after going down that route.

You must be totally befuddled by McCabes losses then.

Re Admin, there aren't any major creditors ( as far as I know) other than the owners. So nothing really to write off. They go into admin, lose there investment and then have to buy the club back again, or risk losing it to a higher bid. (At least McCabe has BL but he'd lose more than that's worth).

It's always been a no brainier because the owner is the main creditor. Little has changed so it's a no brainer now.

Now if the two fall out........

 

[Bartleby]

I can honestly see the Prince cutting his losses and looking elsewhere if we don't go up this season.

actually so can I, got a feeling it's all riding on this season. I wish it wasn't and would like to see the Prince stay and Adkins given another season if we don't go up. I do still think we'll do it, but the next month or so will be telling.

 

[Barney]

You must be totally befuddled by McCabes losses then.

Re Admin, there aren't any major creditors ( as far as I know) other than the owners. So nothing really to write off. They go into admin, lose there investment and then have to buy the club back again, or risk losing it to a higher bid. (At least McCabe has BL but he'd lose more than that's worth).

It's always been a no brainier because the owner is the main creditor. Little has changed so it's a no brainer now.

Now if the two fall out........

I wasn't talking about McCabes losses. Would admin affect McCabes rights over the ground? Wouldn't that be just marvellous should a new investor come in shortly after administration has been imposed and McCabe decides he's retaining the ground. Please tell me there isn't a loop hole that allows him to do that. The Scarborough Group are in need of a few more central Sheffield apartment blocks....

 

[metalblade]

The recent message from Phipps is a remarkable communication on social media which is the most effective way to reach fans. By taking the time in his busy schedule to communicate with fans on a weekly basis the man is demonstrating his commitment to the club and is placing fans right up there in his priorities.

In this landmark communication he has spelled out the Prince's investment to date and through to the end of January ( more to come). He has advised us why Clough was sacked and it turns out our ex-manager was riding roughshod over the recruitment systems established by his employer and seemingly refused to change during the summer.

Over the years certain United fans have feasted on lack of knowledge and facts and there has been so much hot air and conjecture and in some cases deliberate nonsense spouted. I believe there are a few Wednesdayites infiltrating this and other forums just to damage morale and fulfill a role they have assumed as the best way they can serve their club and this is something that cannot be eradicated. Each poster has to be judged and treated on merit and mentally put in place by each member of the forum; some things they say are so outrageous and destructive, they cannot possibly be Unitedites.

Then there are those type of people who are genuine Unitedites but have that sort of personality which always looks for impending disaster, conspiracies, the end of the world and all that. They are sincere but they have personality disorders in everything they are involved in, be it family, work, pub, club and so on.

The many contributions from the above two groups drip, drip, drip and over time influence the opinions and morale of other types of supporters. When things are not going well they assume more credibility and other groups who take defeats and adversity not so well then join in the negativity.

What Phipps is attempting to do is to put all the facts out there to reduce the frustrations and help all fans to see exactly what the Board are doing and investing ( big money). He is even prepared to make public the reason Clough was sacked and Phipps' own opinion of why he failed to assemble a quality squad. He has gone on to applaud the efforts of Adkins to date and to explain why the squad cannot be reshaped immediately and why expected results and the pruning of the squad have been hampered by the severe injury list.

The reason he is making all this effort is in the hope that everyone will be singing from the same songsheet with knowledge of what's going on and where all the efforts are channelled to achieve success.

There is some criticism that his language is disrespectful to the league and to Clough. Isn't he simply trying to communicate in a language his audience will understand and respond to. A mistake?- probably.

Good on'yer Jim and thanks so much for treating us supporters with respect and attaching such importance to us. I have worried about your Facebook communications and disagreed with them because of those two categories of fans mentioned above and because they will give you hell. The Wednesdayites will try to discourage you and hope to drive you out of town, no question. How do you differentiate between genuine fans, those with personality disorder and Wednesdayites? I think the way genuine fans can help re-address the balance is to join Facebook and communicate their rational views to him and encourage him. I'm joining Facebbok today.

That is one of the most condescending pieces of crap that I have ever read and liked by the usual suspects, maybe you should look around your chums or look in the mirror to find the personality disorders you think you are such an expert on. To me it is just the same old crap anyone who is critical of the board or anything relating to SUFC for that matter in your eyes must be a pig or one of the famous single cells. With supporters of your sort following the club there is very little hope that things ever will improve.
Aim low and meet all your goals, settle for mediocrity and second best.

 

[BushBlade]

You must be totally befuddled by McCabes losses then.

Re Admin, there aren't any major creditors ( as far as I know) other than the owners. So nothing really to write off. They go into admin, lose there investment and then have to buy the club back again, or risk losing it to a higher bid. (At least McCabe has BL but he'd lose more than that's worth).

It's always been a no brainier because the owner is the main creditor. Little has changed so it's a no brainer now.

Now if the two fall out........

Can you buy a company back after you've put it into administration? Genuinely didn't know that.

 

[BushBlade]

That is one of the most condescending pieces of crap that I have ever read and liked by the usual suspects, maybe you should look around your chums or look in the mirror to find the personality disorders you think you are such an expert on. To me it is just the same old crap anyone who is critical of the board or anything relating to SUFC for that matter in your eyes must be a pig or one of the famous single cells. With supporters of your sort following the club there is very little hope that things ever will improve.
Aim low and meet all your goals, settle for mediocrity and second best.

For about 80% of the population the bit in bold is pretty good advice.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Can you buy a company back after you've put it into administration? Genuinely didn't know that.

Certain criteria but if you put in the best offer acceptable to the administrator, yes.