McWobblegob's new book

[cooperblade]

Aah. Got it. The club didn’t suffer after Robbo then? How many years in L1? No money and selling players. Just like now. But in the Premier League.

Wilders first choices? Unlike a few on here who know everything that happens at BL* l don’t actually know.


* anything wrong that can be laid at the current owners door.

I didn't mention Robson. He was an unmitigated disaster and his appointment was a huge failure on McCabe's part. It set us back years from a position where I'd thought we were well placed to bounce back if we'd held our nerve. But McCabe often seemed unable to hold his nerve.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I didn't mention Robson. He was an unmitigated disaster and his appointment was a huge failure on McCabe's part. It set us back years from a position where I'd thought we were well placed to bounce back if we'd held our nerve. But McCabe often seemed unable to hold his nerve.

Err. You replied to a post where l mentioned Robson in comparison.

I think most of us did at that time.

 

[Stretch]

Give it a few months....

 

[I should coco]

Crap owner, untrustworthy, insincere, shortsighted, utterly useless to the point of harming the club in the transfer market. IMO. "We tried for one or two, but...", "We need to cut our cloth accordingly..." Glad and incredibly relieved to be rid of his leadership.

As I've said many times before, I have no idea how he got to the front of that long queue in 2000, to take us over to shoulder the growing losses every season.
He must have pulled some right tricks to steal the club ahead of Sheik Mansour, Joe Lewis, Saudi PIF, Stan Kroenke etc etc etc.

Yes he made some shit decisions, but his time at the club probably cost him £2-3m per year.

The main problem most people have, is that he couldn't afford to spunk MORE money.

Nobody else wanted a basket case Championship club that was losing money and going nowhere fast, just as wages really started to explode.

 

[Caveblade]

Bert would hazard a guess that like Bert, you were at the Walsall game when we slumped into the 4th division.
Nothing compares to that period in our history.

Spot on Bert

 

[Bladesman]

A few forgetting the time McCabe tried to force Bettis out of the club against Wilder's wishes and stopped paying him without even telling him.

McCabe a good owner for the half of his time in charge but very much awful towards the end of his time in charge. Pretty much every decision post relegation from the Premier League was a bad.

 

[Paddy1]

Sheff United were well run under McCabe; debts were reduced to almost zero at one point; the academy was developed; attendances were increased by fair ticket pricing. I know I'm in a minority here but I still think he's the best owner we've had for running the club. He made mistakes (who doesn't) and tried an unethical business practice to relieve the prince of his holding but that's how business works, apparently. But I shall not be buying the book.
I now await the mountains of grief and false arguments about how he is bad. (Nobody sells assets for less than they are worth if they don't need the money.)

Some of that is true but how much did he make from the club? Bits of land ‘Scarborough Holdings’ now own around the Lane, the foreign club’s assets (land etc) not the non profitable aspects of these clubs like players and debt - these fell to SUFC. He was a smarmy, two faced git who tried to play on ‘being a Blade’ when if that was really true, he wouldn’t have lined his pockets like he did and is now. Doing what he is around the ground could force any potential new owner into moving the ground. Something that would devastate me and others. He shot himself in the foot with the Prince. He got a taste of his own medicine by valuing the Prince’s share at £5million in court and trying to make a fortune - it was this that meant his share was worth the same when he lost. At the end of the day, there’s not many people with vast wealth who get to that point without trampling on others to get there so whoever we have will more than likely done something unethical or illegal along the way. Not right but the way of the world and business

 

[8lade]

Some of that is true but how much did he make from the club? Bits of land ‘Scarborough Holdings’ now own around the Lane, the foreign club’s assets (land etc) not the non profitable aspects of these clubs like players and debt - these fell to SUFC. He was a smarmy, two faced git who tried to play on ‘being a Blade’ when if that was really true, he wouldn’t have lined his pockets like he did and is now. Doing what he is around the ground could force any potential new owner into moving the ground. Something that would devastate me and others. He shot himself in the foot with the Prince. He got a taste of his own medicine by valuing the Prince’s share at £5million in court and trying to make a fortune - it was this that meant his share was worth the same when he lost. At the end of the day, there’s not many people with vast wealth who get to that point without trampling on others to get there so whoever we have will more than likely done something unethical or illegal along the way. Not right but the way of the world and business

Sean Thornton is the man to tell you how much McCabe made or lost on United, I think it's an eight figure loss but Sean seems to always have the numbers readily available.

 

[Paddy1]

Sean Thornton is the man to tell you how much McCabe made or lost on United, I think it's an eight figure loss but Sean seems to always have the numbers readily available.

Does that factor in what the land he’s boxed us in with is worth or all the development Scarborough Group did in Hungary? It’s easy to make one company/invest look like it’s lost money by putting profitable assets into another business/company. Hence why most Directors are named on more than one company

 

[Sean Thornton]

Does that factor in what the land he’s boxed us in with is worth or all the development Scarborough Group did in Hungary? It’s easy to make one company/invest look like it’s lost money by putting profitable assets into another business/company. Hence why most Directors are named on more than one company

Well he paid for the land plots. Which a previous director owned.

What development did SH/SG do in Hungary? The proposed stadium development never happened while he was there. Can’t recall any funding via the football club

Which profitable assets did he put elsewhere? United had plenty of tax losses available to use against any “profit”.

With the losses on his shares in SUFC and the old Plc and the share premium account - debts owed to him /SH he certainly didn’t make a profit on us.

 

[Paddy1]

Well he paid for the land plots. Which a previous director owned.

What development did SH/SG do in Hungary? The proposed stadium development never happened while he was there. Can’t recall any funding via the football club

Which profitable assets did he put elsewhere? United had plenty of tax losses available to use against any “profit”.

With the losses on his shares in SUFC and the old Plc and the share premium account - debts owed to him /SH he certainly didn’t make a profit on us.

Far too intelligent and knowledgeable for my liking Simon McCabe! Let me keep thinking he’s a c***! I don’t doubt what you say but I DO know from very good people he didn’t walk away out of pocket. I also know (as you’ve said yourself) he purchased those plots of land around the ground. These should have been bought by the club to secure future development plans and income - instead he’s now got a strangle hold over this. Any true ‘Blade’ or chairman should not personally own them

 

[Paddy1]

The overseas purchases/investments by SUFC were for things that were never really going to give any profitable return.

The potential profitable areas such as land etc were bought by Scarborough Holdings. Why we’re these not by SUFC?

You obviously have great incite and knowledge and am happy to stand corrected but for me, it looks like his own interests were secured and offered potential profit. All the club gained was sending players to Ferencvaros, Australia etc to get some football

 

[Addison]

I can just picture Kev turning up to the Lane on Saturday, setting up a little fold-up table on the bit of land he still owns, gifting fans a golden chance to get their hands on an early copy which they can have signed by the man himself. Photo opportunities a mere £10 extra. No bigger deal than that!

So thats what the posters Coming Soon mean .

 

[Sean Thornton]

Far too intelligent and knowledgeable for my liking Simon McCabe! Let me keep thinking he’s a c***! I don’t doubt what you say but I DO know from very good people he didn’t walk away out of pocket. I also know (as you’ve said yourself) he purchased those plots of land around the ground. These should have been bought by the club to secure future development plans and income - instead he’s now got a strangle hold over this. Any true ‘Blade’ or chairman should not personally own them

without looking back the effective cost of shares is at least £35m. He got £5m and a legal bill of about £500k more. All his own doing admittedly.

The club had no money to purchase them as it was already financially dependent on Kev.

 

[I should coco]

Far too intelligent and knowledgeable for my liking Simon McCabe! Let me keep thinking he’s a c***! I don’t doubt what you say but I DO know from very good people he didn’t walk away out of pocket. I also know (as you’ve said yourself) he purchased those plots of land around the ground. These should have been bought by the club to secure future development plans and income - instead he’s now got a strangle hold over this. Any true ‘Blade’ or chairman should not personally own them

Can your 'very good people' please explain how he wasn't out of pocket after 20 years of losses? Did he take the money tree with him, or is there gold under that little patch of land behind the kop?

 

[SotonBlade]

Blokes got to pay his legal fees somehow

 

[Paddy1]

Can your 'very good people' please explain how he wasn't out of pocket after 20 years of losses? Did he take the money tree with him, or is there gold under that little patch of land behind the kop?

Think the ‘20 years of losses’ says a lot about his stewardship doesn’t it?

The reason he isn’t and again I am happy to stand corrected, is due to many of the SH purchases made that would have only been possible whilst he was SUFC Chairman.

That plot of land at the back of the kop and corners of Shoreham Street may have gold under there! I can guarantee that whatever gets put on there or if it’s sold it’s at a profit. A

 

[Paddy1]

without looking back the effective cost of shares is at least £35m. He got £5m and a legal bill of about £500k more. All his own doing admittedly.

The club had no money to purchase them as it was already financially dependent on Kev.

Yes, his own doing. I know he was very badly advised and he got a taste of his own medicine.

The club did have the money to purchase them or could have bought them back from him at any point. He mismanaged the finances.

 

[Paddy1]

without looking back the effective cost of shares is at least £35m. He got £5m and a legal bill of about £500k more. All his own doing admittedly.

The club had no money to purchase them as it was already financially dependent on Kev.

Again I stand corrected, but was it not him who valued the Prince’s shares at £5m? He was happy to pay him that but not take it

 

[I should coco]

Think the ‘20 years of losses’ says a lot about his stewardship doesn’t it?

The reason he isn’t and again I am happy to stand corrected, is due to many of the SH purchases made that would have only been possible whilst he was SUFC Chairman.

That plot of land at the back of the kop and corners of Shoreham Street may have gold under there! I can guarantee that whatever gets put on there or if it’s sold it’s at a profit. A

Show me a club in the Championship that hasn't made losses in the last 20 years.
Clue- you can't.
Wages spiralled under McCabe's tenure and he simply wasn't rich enough to fund annual losses of £2-£4m. That's why he sold anybody worth a few bob.

The growth in PL was the reason why journeymen like Waghorn were getting >£20k/week from Derby.
We weren't paying that level, but we were paying bang average players nearly £10k per week.

 

[metalblade]

We would never have spent over £20 million on a player under McCabe. Would we have gave Ndiaye what he asked for on his initial contract when he asked for more? Selling Calvert -Lewin, Walker for peanuts is something else that wouldn't happen now. We don't undersell.

Ahem!

 

[sitwell]

Sheff United were well run under McCabe; debts were reduced to almost zero at one point; the academy was developed; attendances were increased by fair ticket pricing. I know I'm in a minority here but I still think he's the best owner we've had for running the club. He made mistakes (who doesn't) and tried an unethical business practice to relieve the prince of his holding but that's how business works, apparently. But I shall not be buying the book.
I now await the mountains of grief and false arguments about how he is bad. (Nobody sells assets for less than they are worth if they don't need the money.)

People were paid, the ground was superb, the admin was a million times better than it is now, he made some mistakes, mainly managerial but I would have him over bad dullarse any day.

 

[Paddy1]

Can your 'very good people' please explain how he wasn't out of pocket after 20 years of losses? Did he take the money tree with him, or is there gold under that little patch of land behind the

Show me a club in the Championship that hasn't made losses in the last 20 years.
Clue- you can't.
Wages spiralled under McCabe's tenure and he simply wasn't rich enough to fund annual losses of £2-£4m. That's why he sold anybody worth a few bob.

The growth in PL was the reason why journeymen like Waghorn were getting >£20k/week from Derby.
We weren't paying that level, but we were paying bang average players nearly £10k per week.

Agree. Does that mean then that McCabe didn’t benefit in some form or run the club badly?

All I’m trying to point out is that people like him (and I take my hat off in a way) always gain from situations or positions like he had. They have the foresight to see opportunities and financial gain. The only reason he didn’t end up with what his share was truly worth is because he got played by an even bigger player

 

[Paddy1]

Look, let’s agree to disagree. To some he leaves a legacy, others a bitter taste. He’s gone like our days playing at the Lane once he’s boxed us in

 

[metalblade]

People were paid, the ground was superb, the admin was a million times better than it is now, he made some mistakes, mainly managerial but I would have him over bad dullarse any day.

Well it is the law to pay redundancy money

 

[mancunianblade]

I don't usually buy books but this one I'm making no exception.

It'll be like reading Wikipedia.

The Wikipedia of someone who edits their own Wikipedia

 

[I should coco]

Agree. Does that mean then that McCabe didn’t benefit in some form or run the club badly?

All I’m trying to point out is that people like him (and I take my hat off in a way) always gain from situations or positions like he had. They have the foresight to see opportunities and financial gain. The only reason he didn’t end up with what his share was truly worth is because he got played by an even bigger player

What happened to your 'very good people' and can you substantiate your claim he didn't lose money.

Just saying 'rich people always make money' isn't quite the level of proof I was expecting.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Again I stand corrected, but was it not him who valued the Prince’s shares at £5m? He was happy to pay him that but not take it

It wasn’t a valuation as such but yes, and it was a case of the biter bit.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Look, let’s agree to disagree. To some he leaves a legacy, others a bitter taste. He’s gone like our days playing at the Lane once he’s boxed us in

He has. Cheaper ticket pricing that helped increase the gates. Decent ground. It seems odd though that some of those those who don’t like Arabs now see him as a better bet than they previously did.

Sweaty Bob and Fat Ted in the pub have a lot to answer for

 

[Paddy1]

What happened to your 'very good people' and can you substantiate your claim he didn't lose money.

Just saying 'rich people always make money' isn't quite the level of proof I was expecting.

My ‘very good people’ are exactly that. And not in any way biased. I’m not getting into libel shit or costing people their jobs but it’s not something I’ve made up. Believe me or not. I really don’t give a rats bum!

And not saying all rich people make money as a means of proof is my evidence - which is actually quite compelling otherwise they wouldn’t be rich?!

You don’t know me, my wealth etc like I don’t yours but I hand on heart don’t know many at the top of their game who haven’t bent the rules for their own game