Q&A with Kevin McCabe - July 2009

[Foxy]

Sat waiting for things to begin, will try and update in here and Twitter. Thread locked in the interests of tidyness.

 

[Foxy]

also keep a look out on http://www.twitter.com/s24su

 

[Foxy]

Interesting one so far:

KMc going to Dubai tomorrow for a £1mil sponsorship deal for our full group of clubs.

 

[Linz]

Here's the first part of the transcript from tonight.

Seth Bennett: Thank you. First of all, put your hands together for the chairman please - Kevin McCabe.

/applause

SB: For you Kevin, where do you see Sheffield United right now. How happy are you with where your football club is?

Kevin McCabe: I suppose I like to believe like all supporters here tonight, I'm excited. As always, this club of ours is creative, is progressive and is doing its utmost to succeed in all aspects of our business but none more so than the first team squad and our aims and objectives are to be back in that Premiership and when we get there, to reshape yet again. It's been a difficult summer in many ways, coping with the disappointment of Wembley, but recognising that in 24 hours from that, hey, there's no point moaning and groaning. We're still what we were, we're still a great club and therefore it's a matter of reshaping and getting ready for our ultimate challenge, again, promotion back to the Premiership.

So as we get close to this season's kick off, this time next week, most of them will be up in Middlesbrough, it's with enthusiasm that I come to meet you all tonight. I apologise that I'm not a Chairman who can be here frequently and therefore is unable to attend regular events to meet you but I think all you lot know that I'm just as big a supporter as yourselves. The only difficulty is, I carry more worries than yourselves. You carry frustrations. I carry worries because I'm always going to try and work out and make decisions as to how to push this club forward. And I say to you all, sometimes bear with the Chairman, because it ain't easy. You know, there are decisions that are made and all sorts of instances that occur that make you have to sit down and think. But I do all your worrying for you. You can moan and groan at me tonight, but always just work out that I care as equally as you do. Agreed?

/general crowd agreement

KMc: And you're a good looking audience.

SB: It's no use trying to butter them up now.

KMc: I've gotta get round 'em!

SB: From your perspective, how would you describe the club's financial state right now?

KMc: Hey, the club's in very, very, very good financial health. You've heard me talk before, our bank debt... and banks really don't exist to fund football clubs anymore at the moment... it's alright me going to Barclays, HSBC, HBOS or anyone else to say loan me £10million to fund Sheffield United. banks are out of business to football clubs. Our bank debt towards football, and I don't know if my colleague Simon Capper is around, is nominal. Nominal is somewhere around £5million.

The principle debt we may have as a football club is a long term mortgage over our hotel which is geared purely towards property, not connected to the football debt, it's a ringfence facility and it's of terms that were agreed before the world went mad. So we are in a very good financial state. What I say to all fans, now I have being say this for a year or so, is no one, but no one who is responsible for the good health and wealth of the football club must ignore the recession that the UK is in. It's a fact of life. I'm sure there are many examples that all you could quote to me about problems that you're facing. This is a difficult time.

As a football club that still wants to make progress, we have to make sure we don't overstep the mark. I reckon, that we've still probably got the highest player wage bill in the Championship, bar the three teams coming down. Now we've got to make sure that's affordable. Some of that is made affordable by having these off-the-field business divisions where all my colleagues, and executive colleagues are charged with increasing income so we can invest more in the first team football because that's the core to make us really successful. I don't lose sight of the times we're in, I'd be a very irresponsible Chairman if I did.

SB: The one question and the one call and the one text we get on Football Heaven night in, night out is "why is Kevin McCabe spending money on a hotel?" Why's he spending money in China? In Hungary? And around the world on football clubs when what people are watching on a Saturday is not of Premier League quality?

KMc: I mean, the first part of the response I give to all supporters here tonight is not by quoting how much I have invested in Sheffield United, because I think really, if you begin to calculate it, it's self evident. If you read through our report of accounts over the last few years, you'll see apart from one recent year, we have been running at a loss. The best thing you can say about the loss, it's not increased bank debt because that loss has been as a result of putting capital into the club. The principle provider of the capital has been yours truly. That's seen a stadium which we're all very proud of, aren't we?

/general crowd agreement

KMc: It's a different stadium to the one of a few years ago isn't it? That's seen one of the best Academies in the country. Look at our under 17s tonight, in the final of the Milk Cup playing Man United - it's fantastic. That's our investment in youth development. If you go round football clubs in the UK, and talk to my contemporaries as Chairmen or Directors of other clubs, they look upon Sheffield United as one of the best run, well developed clubs both on and off the field. That's been achieved by the combination of capital, not over-bank borrowing like some other clubs I could mention, creativity, expertise and determination.

SB: Give us an idea, how much have you spent on these other organisations, these other branches of Sheffield United and how much have they kicked back?

KMc: Well let me just say, I'll answer you but, Ferencvaros is not in fact owned by Sheffield United but Sheffield United get the benefits, it's owned by my own group. It's probably not quite recognised by fans. Yeah? How much does it cost us? Well let me say, the Ferencvaros deal was one that was brought to ourselves. Why was it brought to ourselves? Because they saw my group of companies as being best qualified to deal with a chunk of real estate in the ninth district of Budapest and an organisation to run a football club that was bankrupt. So, the real deal put together was one of not paying too much for the real estate i.e. the real estate was worth more than we were paying and taking on board the obligation to then to have to take over, run and manage and recreate Ferencvaros. The plus point for Sheffield United, some of you may have been to Budapest, is really on the football side. The cooperation to ensure that their Academy is a replica of our Academy. Their youth development policy is the same as ours. So, in theory, what we're developing in youngsters in Hungary, is like a clone of the Sheffield United Academy in Shirecliffe. In the years ahead, hopefully sooner rather than later, there'll be youngsters coming through, elite youngsters, who we can take to Sheffield. The reverse that already applies is that many of our youngsters have gone to Ferencvaros that we really didn't think that were up to our standard, they've gone to Ferencvaros and thus far, succeeded very well, and in one or two instances, those youngsters may come back to Sheffield as more complete players. So the benefits are already showing through and logic says that in a few more years, the logic should show in a much more pronounced way.

Chengdu are a bit different. Chengdu cost £200,000 to buy. It has had relatively small loses for two seasons. Some of that was due to the misfortune of the Szechuan earthquake in 2008 which disrupted the whole season. We couldn't use the stadium. We had to play away games. A lot of the players' family and friends were affected and some obviously injured and the like and it made a tricky season. Part of it was also sponsors were lacking in Chengdu because the Chinese Government were hosting the Beijing Olympics so a lot of money that was to be directed towards football clubs naturally went to the Olympics. So, you know, we've had the hiccups there, that's all. Chengdu will have the best academy in China. Hopefully, we can get the best Chinese players coming through in time. It's trickier than assessing Ferencvaros, but in theory, its potential is huge. Football is loved in China. Some of the Chinese footballers we've had here you can see technically, and in terms of skill, top class. Maybe structurally, a bit more of a question mark.

But any fan who has got some sort of notion that we're overspending time, effort and money on Ferencvaros and Chengdu, at the sacrifice of Sheffield United FC, is, in a nice Sheffield way, off their trolley.

SB: So there's no truth then, that if you didn't have any of these clubs, James Beattie would still be a Blade, the Kyles would still be Blades because seemingly, there would be more money in the football club?

KMc: I'd say in truth, that's totally unconnected. If I give you the spin-off of some of our international club associations, and the silly devil I am, I'm off to Dubai tomorrow, that, touch wood, is to sign a sponsorship deal which is for the Sheffield United group. It's a deal that to Sheffield United FC could be worth as much as £1 million. The reason we're getting that sponsorship deal is because the international company actually want to get into our family of clubs around the world. No other club has got that advantage that we have. So there are spin-offs that are not self-evident to supporters but more and more will begin to show through as people notice us and it's not connected to us selling the two Kyles or selling James Beattie at all.

SB: If you do have a question for the Chairman, make sure you put your hand up and make yourself known so we can get a microphone to you otherwise it's just going to be me and Kevin for the next hour and twenty minutes, not that that's a problem. Let's talk about the club's transfer policy. Do you have one?

KMc: We have, last season as with this season to come, yeah of course we do. I mean a simple policy is to look how we can improve the squad. That very comment is one that we're always looking for better quality players to bring in than those that we have or those that may be departing. And that's what we've tried to do this last two or three seasons. It's a very simple strategy but one that bizarrely most clubs can't try and tackle that strategy because most clubs can't afford it and if you look at what we have done, and I was pointing it out to a colleague from the media earlier, you know, Sheffield United at Championship level, I can't think of a club that's really spent more and I look at our team at the moment and there's probably five players who've cost us over £2 million. A couple more that's cost us not far short of a million. Can any of you tell me which other clubs have done that?

Now that's not the Sheffield United of old, with respect, is it? We may have this disappointment, as I have, that two of our youngsters have departed us this last few weeks. But you just look at the nucleus of the squad, the blend of youth and experience and the make up of how much it's cost to put that squad together, in transfer terms and in also something I mentioned earlier, which is probably the fourth highest wage bill in the Championship. The Sheffield United of yesteryear would have got nowhere near. Correct?

SB: I think to be fair though, to the people who criticise the transfer policy and suggest that Sheffield United are a selling club, since relegation from the Premier League, the club's recouped around about thirty million quid from transfer fees. The club's spent around £18 million - that's a £12 million profit there or thereabouts on paper. Could that not have been reinvested or is that a false figure?

KMc: It has all been totally totally reinvested or planned to be invested. If you look at the Deloitte report on football finances, if you look who's top of the tree in the Championship for player wage bill, and I've just said we've got around five players at £2 million plus, with those five players at £2 million plus normally also goes a higher wage than you would pay than for a guy who cost you £100,000, not quite true, but our player wage bill has been very high. How do you fund that player wage bill?

Audience: Sales

KMc: Sorry, sorry, it's not always sales.

Audience: Investment in other businesses.

KMc: Yeah, yeah, capital. If you turn back to the prospects of 2007 when we were unfortunately relegated, what did we do then to ensure that we could really challenge to get re promoted? There was obviously parachute money, and, with respect, I put in £10 million. Now what was that £10 million put in for and the parachute money? To fund a player wage bill that we cannot afford with ticket revenue and the other business divisions of Sheffield United. That's how we've done it. We've not done it by borrowing £10 million, £20 million, £30 million from a bank. It is often forgotten because we all love our players, they're our idols aren't they? But they are very costly and Sheffield United have costly players, not just in transfer fees often, but in the amount these players are paid...

More tomorrow when I've regained the will to live

 

[Linz]

Part two....

SB: Hulse. Stead. Beattie. All big wage earners have been moved on to give more freedom to Kevin Blackwell. It's not quite so true then when you look at the younger end of the spectrum and you see Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker. We've got emails here galore on that and the point that most of them make is, if we understand the policy of getting rid of the big wages, but why get rid of the young talent as well?

KMc: I mean, you tell me, and the audience can tell me if they like, how do you stop a Premier League club buying your players?

Audience: Just say no

SB: Say no is the suggestion.

KMc: Let me say, with every player, you get an agent. It's not just the club and your player that's involved in this negotiation scenario. Now an agent who acts for players, the way the agent makes money is by moving players, getting new contracts for players. Clubs in the Premiership also employ agents to scout to get new talent for their challenges, and with respect this is the problem we've got because we're not in the top league. The Premiership TV revenues are so huge compared to the Championship, they have a buying power that we do not have. So if you get the good players, we're not an exception here, you want to keep talent.

The two lads I refer to are friends as well as Sheffield United players, or ex-Sheffield United players now, but what happened when the season ends, of course it's the agent acting for the player who looks to place the player, it's not Sheffield United because in many respects you're right, the players to us are relatively cheap and affordable because they're on contracts with us that have been negotiated. So you get an agent, acting for the lads, who then looks to place them at a club, to get, for the player at the club, the best possible deal that we cannot match. We simply cannot match.

Audience: But if they're still on contract with us we don't have to let them go.

KMc: I'm sorry, the answer is yes we do because players regrettably, and let's talk beyond Sheffield United, whether you're John Terry earning £100,000 a week, if you can go for £120,000 a week, you go. Right? Why? Because you want to earn that sort of money. Now you may be on a contract, in the case of the two Kyles with Sheffield United, a legal contract, but you cannot keep those players happy. If you've got that magic to do it, come and sit here. You can't do it, honestly.

SB: Let's bring in this gentleman over here.

Audience: Yeah, we're talking about the two Kyles and I think the majority of the people would probably agree that Kyle Naughton, whatever we got for him, whether it was £5 million or £6 million, would be a good deal for a lad who hadn't played a full season of football, I don't know if you agree or not. But Walker's a different kettle of fish. He's played five games, he couldn't have been on fantastic wages, you might have tripled his value in a year's time. So why the hell have you sold Kyle Walker?

KMc: Because you can't keep him because of the wages the Premier League club will pay him. You must understand this yeah? It's no good shaking your head. I'd love to have kept them but you can't keep them if a club will pay them so much more than we can afford to pay them, the player wants to go. Our players are no exception. I mean, if you were offered a job that was going to pay you another £15,000 a week, what would you do? Would you leave your current job?

Audience: I agree in that case, but I cannot understand that we could not have afforded Walker's wages. I can't believe that...

KMc: Well I can honestly say that is the truth. I mean, we're competing there with Tottenham Hotspur. If we're in the Premiership, it's a different matter. If we're in the Premiership, the vast majority of our squad would be on new contracts, not the existing ones that legally they have to adhere to. Because the club has to accept that you adapt to the changing circumstance of the league you've gone up in where all the players and their agents know that there's more income. And they want most of that income. Honestly, it's the proverbial rules of the jungle. If you could keep them, you'd keep them. Your comments are right, they're on contracts but do not believe, please do not believe that they will adhere to those contracts. Their agent will begin to look to move them on and the agent does very well out of every deal.

SB: Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker have the same agent, just so you know and he's a former Sheffield United player ironically. We'll speak to the lady in yellow over there in a moment but first the gentleman in the back.

Audience: How do Kevin. Were the moves initiated by the players themselves or by the club?

KMc: Ooo now, the moves were initiated by the players' agent. Now you can say that that's the self-same thing. Free enterprise says that in any industry, you have agents. Agents in football tend to be better profiled because they can be controversial but agents happen in any industry whether you're making and selling knives and forks. The agent fraternity in football... they're round watching our kids at the Academy, you can't really stop them coming to watch, can you?

Audience: Ban 'em!

KMc: Most of them come to games whether it's at Bramall Lane or Hillsborough or anywhere else in the country, watching kids. If they see talent, they'll go round to the family of the youngster, to talk to family. Because how does the agent make his living? He makes his living by earning fees, by moving players on and negotiating new player contracts. It is part of the football industry that over the last, I suppose, twenty five years has got stronger and stronger. If there was a way of stopping it, fine, but this is free enterprise.

Audience: Did Walker want to leave?

KMc: I don't think either of them wanted to leave, until, and the until bit is that a club comes along and the terms that they start to talk about to the players make their eyes water. As it would to yourself, yourself and myself, If somebody ends up offering you another, and don't quote me on the figures, £10,000 a week, what would we all say?

Audience: Were you happy, Kevin, with what we got for him?

KMc: I'd say very clearly I think for Sheffield United's viewpoint, the amounts we got for both of those lads must be some sort of record given the ages of those lads.

Audience: So you were happy?

KMc: No, I didn't say happy. I'm explaining to you. They were very well negotiated deals at the end of the day for the club. Not happy because...

SB: Can you just clarify what the two deals were? It's another big question I hear. A lot of fees are undisclosed. What the heck does that mean?

KMc: Well the overall package for the two lads is a £10 million package. Of which £8 million is guaranteed. Now, for me, that's a starting deal that for two youngsters, one of whom has played five league games. I think it was very well negotiated. And the rest is on appearances, there's also sell-on conditions if the two lads are sold by Tottenham for more than they've paid for them. I think it's been very well negotiated and tell me a better one.

SB: Let's speak to the lady in the yellow over there.

Audience: Evening Kevin. I can understand your point about the youngsters but we've got Connor Brown and Philip Roe coming through at the moment, is the idea of getting them into the first team to get them as good as the two Kyles and sell them on?

KMc: It's not to sell them on, it's to achieve success for Sheffield United. That's the idea through every player we have and every move we make and I repeat. I'm a supporter like your good selves. The only difference is, I carry your worries. I don't want to sell young Kyle Naughton or young Kyle Walker, I guarantee it. But you cannot stop it in football. If someone walks along and you're one of our squad players but they decide that they want you and you're on a grand a week and they offer five grand a week, I'm sorry, you love me to death, but you're still going to bugger off. And that is football in this day and age. We're no different to another club. If we want to go and get a player from another club, and let's say young Ched Evans, you don't think we're paying him less than he was paid at Man City do you? It's not just doing the deal with the club, it's enticing the player. When you're dealing with a Championship player who a Premier League club want, the difference they're prepared to offer the player is, you know. If you could keep them you would, but you can't. And you'd be no different, honestly. You give me an answer on how to keep them, and we'll keep them.

Audience: Has Matt Kilgallon signed a new contract yet? Or has he still got one year left on his deal?

KMc: He's not signed a new contract yet, he's on a one year deal yeah.

Audience: So if we've just sold the two Kyles, who I know quite well and I believe they would have stayed at this club if they'd have got an offer we could've matched with Tottenham. But if Matt Kilgallon...

KMc: So you've answered yourself there haven't you!

Audience: ... yeah. But if Matt Kilgallon is not prepared to stay with whatever he's been offered than why the hell are we offering him more to try and keep him at this club. If he's not happy, then let him go. We've got Leigh Bromby that can cover there.

/general audience derision

KMc: Who's said he's not happy?

Audience: We've heard in the press that he's been offered an extra contract and he's not taken it.

KMc: Well that's true. But let me go back. When you get these scenarios with the players, it's not just the player and the club. There are the agents which represent the players and in transfers where people are trying to get your player, the agents who will often represent that club will want him. So you're not just talking Matt and me, you're actually talking to Matt's agent who probably puts notions into Matt's head or any other player's head that you could be earning x, you could be earning y. And that's what you have to cope with with your players. Now Matt Kilgallon is as happy as Larry. He's settled in and he had a great season, didn't he? He's one of our heroes isn't he? We don't want him to go. And that's our intention, he won't go.

But don't believe, even sometimes you can talk to players and players are bound to be defensive. They're not gonna say to supporters "I don't wanna go"... sorry, they're gonna excuse themselves by saying "I don't wanna go, it's the club who's getting rid of me". It's not that at all. If you, young lady, were being offered so much more, you would leave wouldn't you?

Audience: I believe in loyalty.

/general crowd noise

SB: Sorry, let's wait until we get the microphone to you. We'll get to you in a moment, there's a gentleman who's been waiting patiently at the back there...

Audience: Cheers for tonight Kevin, thanks a lot. Just to draw a line under the Kyle affair. If, as we believe, Kyle Naughton went for £6 million, does that mean you've let Kyle Walker go for £2 million?

KMc: Well, the actual split is £6 million and £4 million. With £3 million for Kyle guaranteed with one on appearances and £5 million for Kyle N guaranteed and £1 million on appearances.

Audience: I was just worried that Kyle Walker had gone a bit cheap if he'd have gone for owt under £4 million really.

SB: There aren't too many players who've got a transfer around £500,000 a game.

Audience: If you take into consideration like Gareth Bale when he went, Chris Gunter going from... they went to Tottenham but they went for a lot of money.

KMc: Again, I don't want to just repeat but if you recognise that we're not trying to sell these players but it becomes irresistible because of what the Premier League club is able to offer them. I think the deals negotiated are first class and I think they're absolutely comparable if not the best that's been done in the Championship for players of their age and in fact, the right backs or full backs or centre forwards.

SB: Thank you very much for that, we'll go to the gentleman who looks a bit like Ray Reardon at the back there.

Audience: Hi Mr Chairman, thank you for your honesty on giving the information on the price we've actually got for the two players, that's quite important. The fact that we see so many undisclosed deals as we mentioned earlier. I think more honesty with the fans would help the situation in accepting that the club is going forward in accepting good money for these players. The thing I wonder is, now we've got the money, what are we going to do with it? Is that back into the investment pot for new players or is it back into covering the £5 million debt or towards the hotel costs which you're saying is towards a long term debt to Sheffield United?

KMc: The money is primarily to fund the player wage bill and bring new players in. It's a simple answer. Just to harp on with the hotel. The hotel is self-financing. The hotel's security is the chunk of land and the bricks and mortar put on it. The hotel creates income which pays off its mortgage. If you look at recent events at a club who have a very good infrastructure, Arsenal, they are, in my opinion, having to sell players to fund the Emirates yeah? You know, it goes with the territory that a three hundred and odd million debt, a disposal itself of Highbury which has been a redevelopment carried out at the wrong time with the downturn in the housing market. They've had to actually look at using the assets of players to help fund the overall business. That's not the case here. When we improve the stadium, that's come out of capital that was raised by a rights issue underwritten by me. I must be daft being the Chairman, but we're not daft in trying to run this company properly. Always with the aim of the core, that's the first team squad at Sheffield United. If you misunderstand that, don't.

You've gotta have trust in myself. I could come and sit with you now and be happier. Hey, because we're a great, proud club aren't we? I don't live in Sheffield anymore, I departed in the early 70s, but I've been coming back ever since. I live in Brussels now but I'll still be at Ayresome Park or whatever it's called on Friday night and why? Because my roots are in this club. My old man's ashes are interred at Bramall Lane. This is a proud football club. I know supporters, you see it sometimes, think that they're back in their old ways. That is cobblers. Absolute cobblers. And you should all remember that. I care just as much as yourself. We're going to get better and stronger and that's what we've proved by being in two play-offs. I know we're cursed. Automatic promotion. Unlucky relegations. Semi finals. This last six or seven years has been a rollercoaster of excitement. Not quite that bit of joy at the end but we ain't gonna give up trying are we? We're not a club who's going to say we'll have a season of mediocrity. We have reshaped this season, and I as a supporter believe the reshaping sees us stronger than we were this time last year.

SB: Do you genuinely believe that?

KMc: I absolutely believe it yeah, because we've addressed those positions... we played Preston off the park in that semi-final second leg didn't we? Off the park. We only won one-nil. We know that we need to score more goals don't we? So we have strengthened, are strengthening. We also know a little bit in midfield sometimes, talking to supporters, we let ourselves down a little bit at times didn't we? We've got midfield players now where I believe the combination may make us much more effective. Because we're a proud club, we always try and go places.

SB: Let's speak to the gentleman here at the front and then to the back.

Audience: Just getting back to the players, Dane Whitehouse, I know a different era but, Leeds came in reportedly with a £1 million offer for him, which were big money for the club at the time, bearing in mind, the people we'd got running it. Dane turned round and said he's a Blade, he didn't want to go anywhere. Why couldn't these two stay here? They're both Blades, born on the Manor aren't they? And also, I just watched Kyle Walker playing in the under 19s for England. Probably player of the tournament. Are we going to replace him? Fair dos to like Chris Morgan, but when we get into the Premiership, if we get into the Premiership next season are we gonna, you know... how much is it gonna cost us to replace Chris Morgan? £2 million... £3 million?

KMc: Without mentioning players specifically, you're right. When we get back to the Premiership, there is a reshaping of the squad. Maybe us being more international at the minute, because it's a different league, a different style of play. We know that from recent experience so it's a different reshaping if you get up there than there we are at the minute, still trying to get out of the Championship. Your comments on Dane, I can't really cast my mind back to what you've said but it was a different era of football. This game has changed so dramatically. When I say year-on-year, sometimes you think you're getting back to sanity, then, what Man City have been doing just makes it so obscure or obscene that it's knocked on the head and you think how the hell can Sheffield United, one of the most progressive clubs, is going to be able to compete with some of these clubs who've got billions?

SB: If you do have questions, get your hands in the air so we can see you...

Audience: Just one more thing. Beattie, he was reportedly on the highest wages at Sheffield United. I don't believe... why would he give up United for Stoke?

 

[Linz]

Part two cont...

KMc: Again, I've had a lot of criticism over James Beattie. Again, a lovely lad. But I just go back. And you must belie me here, right, at certain times, you can't actually say to the media what is occurring. With James, via the organisation I mentioned earlier, the agency fraternity... let me get my dates right... in October of last year, there were text messages being sent after the game from James's agent to Terry Robinson - "James wants a new contract". We were, not so much myself personally, pestered to give James a new contract or extend his existing contract. Now James was with us until June 2010. He was the highest paid player in the Championship. And he was coming up to 31 years of age. His agent wanted a new contract, effectively, an improvement in his salary and a three year extension which would have taken James being with us until he was 34. It's myself saying no. I don't want James to go, but he's on a contract until June 2010 hopefully to get promoted this season, last season... we can talk about a new contract when we're in the Premiership. What the agent then does is exactly what we talked about before. The agent starts to go to look to place James in this blessed transfer window period of January, when Premiership clubs of certain positions maybe wanting to have a go for Europe or wanting to avoid relegation, spend money. We did it when we were there. And that's how a James Beattie transfer transpires. It's not the club always putting its hand up saying we're selling him. It's the agent who starts to pester, in this case, in October to look at this magic, to him, transfer window in January. And that's how it occurred.

In the middle of all these dealings, while you're trying to keep a player happy because you want him to stay, you can't go and tell the media all the ingredients that add up to a conclusion which in this case, saw James leaving in January. You can't do it. Would you then put your club with an extended three year contract for a centre-forward that is the costliest in the Championship for another three years that could jeopardise your chances? The truth is when you sit down as a Chairman, not as a supporter, you say it's too huge a risk.

Audience: That's fair enough...

KMc: I'm glad you asked the question because it does help to clear it. You can't start saying the background to it in the middle of... the player hasn't left you, you actually still want to keep him to his contract. But he won't. Sorry, let me rephrase that. The agency makes him actually move. I don't know what the agent earnt about of it, but they'll have earnt a lot of money.

 

[Linz]

Part three.....

SB: Let's talk to the gentleman in the blue and white at the back.

Audience: Thanks for pointing that out!

SB: It was you that wore it!

KMc: I'm not talking to you son!

Audience: It's the only clean shirt I've got. I'd just like to change the subject if I can from player transfers and get your view and United's policy on fan liaison, specifically, fans who travel abroad. And specifically, Budapest. Just to relay, an experience we had the last couple of weekends ago. I know you called a mate of mine last night in person just to answer his query, which was very good of you. What do you do, as a football club, to look after the fans abroad to communicate and update when events turn against you and the weather turns foul, everybody's absolutely wet through, there's no updates as to what's happening and the only thing we know is we can see the players and the team get in the bus and leave from the ground when we're still asking "what's the situation?". Now it's not the cost of the ticket, £2.50, I can afford that, it's not a problem. But it's just the customer service we experienced on the day which we feel left a sour taste at the time. Don't get me wrong, the weekend was great, but that particular timeframe wasn't that good so, from our perspective, what's your view on fan liaison abroad?

KMc: Specific to the event in Budapest where I gather it was a tropical storm, I don't say this just defending myself, but if I'd have been there, I'd have been across to the fans and I'd have brought them all in for a drink. Why on earth someone from Sheffield United, or Ferencvaros, didn't go across to our travelling fans to say look lads, just so you're aware, this game has been called off... I apologise, I think it is bad, bad liason. It's so simple... it's just being courteous. So I did ring your mate to sort of apologise on the club's behalf because it's the first time it'd been pointed out to me and I can assure you, if I'd have actually been there, I'd have walked across, rain or no rain to let the fans know, if there's no tannoy system, that the game has been abandoned and providing there's not three thousand of them, I'd have said come on in for a beer.

Audience: Excellent. Now, using our experience then, will that get better for future fans travelling abroad and will a contingency be put into place just in case that happens again?

KMc: I think it goes without saying, yeah. I think it's not difficult. Colleagues who have a director/executive responsibility who go to these international away games will have that responsibility.

SB: Ok cheers, let's go to the gentleman here in red and white...

Audience: You said Kevin that the two Kyles went for £8 million that could rise to £10 million, now as far as I'm concerned, that's good business, especially in the current economic climate and the parachute payments failing. I think if I'd been in your position, from the information you've given, I'd have done exactly the same thing. What I can't understand is that why then in reinvesting that money we spend £3 million reputedly on Ched Evans, a 20 year old who's made about 5 appearances for Manchester City, another youngster who may have done well on loan at Norwich a couple of years earlier who is supposedly, maybe you can confirm it, on £20,000 a week wages. So we're getting rid of a couple of really promising youngsters and it's a good deal for the club, why are we reinvesting the money in a fairly untried youngster for a big transfer fee and really high wages?

KMc: I think first and foremost, Ched Evans, and it's not my decision as to which players to select, which you'll appreciate, it's the remit of the football manager, is a player who has been watched by us for six or nine months. He's been on the scouting reports as one we should try and get. Why? Well we were observing Manchester City and their activities, they've got more strikers than a box of matches, this is a young man who's 20, is tall in stature and structure, he has played Premiership games, I think fifteen or sixteen, he's played nine international games for Wales and scored five or six goals. He is seen to have massive potential. He's also in a position where we need to strengthen, up front, to score goals and he probably demonstrates, bizarrely, that we're actually not a selling club, we're actually reinvesting to strengthen the squad in positions where we think we're slightly weak last season and we've done it in a way where we're signing a 20 year old and if we weren't, god forbid, you know, successful in getting repromoted this coming season or next, we've probably got a guy that's probably worth, in this crazy world, I dunno, £10 million? So if the guy performs as we all expect and anticipate, because he's got the right pedigree and background as a 20 year old, he should be a very good purchase. The way we purchased him is in stages, obviously, quite a bit's on appearance money as well as transfer fees to be paid over the next couple of seasons. He should be a great success. I'm looking forward to seeing him play as I'm sure you all are. I think he's off to play for Wales in the next few days, he's not actually started a preseason friendly but, you'll be seeing him.

Audience: Most of his appearances were actually as as substitute for Manchester City. I just wish we'd got somebody who would fill me with more confidence and make me feel more inspired for the money.

KMc: Then again, I say to you look, we've looked. Trying to find myself, sorry, Blacky, the player. You name 'em. They're not really around. I think we've bought really sensibly with a young guy with great potential as a big centre-forward. Now, we like height don't we? In this Championship, as I observe it as a supporter, we like to see some strong lads who can put it about. He's a big lad.

SB: Thank you for the moment, we'll go to the back and then we'll get some of the emails.

Audience: Hi Kevin, thanks very much for coming tonight, I was just wondering, putting the Kyles situation to one side for the moment, I mean, the fact that the Academy has produced two players is fantastic and we've obviously sold them on for a lot of money. But what my question was about was the future of Bramall Lane itself, the fact that we're redeveloping the Kop and we're redeveloping the Valad Stand what will that mean financially for Sheffield United in the long term?

KMc: It costs a lot of money.

Audience: Well what sort of future revenues and profitability...?

KMc: Well let's not kid ourselves on, when we've improved our stadium, it's cost us a lot of money. Well you've just heard my comments about Arsenal, they've got a strategy that's become unavoidable for them of actually selling players to reduce the debt associated with the stadium. So when we extend the Kop, when we redevelop the South Stand, it will cost money. What we do when we plan these extensions is also create within the belly of the stand, or within awkward corners, facilities, chunks of property which are assets which have their own independent value and facilities that we can operate to earn more revenue. It's a revenue therefore that can begin to pay off debt associated with extending the stands, so it's planned the proper way. But let's make no bones about it, it costs money.

And as fans sometimes, we forget how much has been invested to make an Academy and a stadium, they don't come out of thin air. We believe, and again, supporters must have feedback tonight to myself, we believe that extending the Kop to get another three thousand, three and a half thousand seats is essential if we get back to the Premiership. We believe we've got a supporter base that would relish more seats in the popular stand and indeed we could give more away seats to the opposition, we don't want to, we might have to. So we believe the Kop's affordable in the medium to long term because of more ticket revenue through more supporters coming through the gates. You know, that's part of our planning process. To add to that, we're putting in place, the Kop one, an enterprise centre. The one we've got already is a fantastic profitable success for us and that's how we begin to afford it. We know how to deliver, proof is in the pudding. I bet you never believed we'd have a great hotel did you?

Pissed Heckler: Does the hotel.... pay.... for two top full backs...

SB: Sir, I think you arrived a bit late to be honest with you...

KMc: We've answered those, honestly. I think all the crowd are happy that we've gone through that.

PH: But are they happy?

SB: Have we already discussed it?

/general crowd agreement

SB: Sorry Sir, there's a gentleman over there...

Audience: Sao Paulo. It's gone too quiet.

KMc: Yeah. We had the misfortune of our colleague over there, one of our Vice-Presidents, who died recently. He was the important link to Sao Paulo. He suffered from cancer, so his death in a way was a blessing, super guy but he'd been suffering for two years. It's been one of the dilemmas of that link not being as active and successful as we would like. It is one, with one of my colleague who's in the room this evening, we're addressing today as to how we reunite and get more out of the Brazilian connection so your simple question is a truthful answer. We've not exploited it as we should but there are real reasons, as I've explained.

SB: Ok, let's just go back to the ground redevelopments, we've got a few emails along that line. The basics of most of them are, what's the point in spending tens of millions of pounds on the Kop and on the other stands to make it a Premier League stadium if you're not putting the same money back into the playing staff?

KMc: Everything in business has to be balanced. Come on lads, where are we now, twelve, thirteen years ago, I'm a supporter now, I was a supporter then before I came on the board, we'd got a three-sided stadium. We'd got John Street that'd been demolished for two years.You think we were a proud and great club then? Who remembers that? Now if you look at it logically, you've got to find capital to invest in all parts of a football club. The football team, being the first team, may be the hub. It's what you see on a Saturday and what most gives us excitement, or moans and groans, but it's a football club and a football clubs exists of all those eleven players or eighteen players this season but it is about the stadium, it is about youth development, it is about the Academy and you've got to invest money in all those ingredients or else we wouldn't have where we're sat tonight would we? We wouldn't have this... which is the biggest... you know Sheffield United has the biggest conference events centre in Sheffield, including the hotel. So you've got to invest money, of course you have, and it's continual. Every year we pay a lot of money to maintain the stadium, replacement of seats, lights, whatever it costs, standards change. So you can't ignore it and say let's have Bramall Lane as it was fifteen years ago and let's be top of the Premier League, that's nonsense isn't it?

SB: One more email and then we'll get back to a few more questions from the floor. Hi Kevin, any truth in the rumours that you're planning to sell up and move on during this season?

KMc: Ooo, at about 10 o'clock tonight when I've had a few beers! My heart and soul's in United. Whilst ever I am in the position, of what I loosely term, Head Steward, I've got an obligation to try and actually always take this club forward, reshape it, as experience learns you to reshape it. I want what I think all supporters want, which is top line football in England, which is still the home, which is still the hub league of the Premier League. I actually want to try and achieve getting us there. Down the track to achieve it, as this game's changed so quickly, we can't be as we were ten years ago or fifteen years ago maybe when we had a three sided ground. We can't be as we were six years ago. When we get back to the Premier League, we must look for more investment to take this club forward if we want to be up there with the top dogs and so, you know, on my travels, and I'll not comment on how much I have invested in United, I am of course looking for investors who would be partners. Can we get them in this climate? I doubt it because we're in a recession and most of it is global but you must never stop trying because the aim, unless supporters tell me different, is to be a top ten club.

Audience: Kevin, just following on from what Seth was saying, have you got timescales from when the redevelopment of the Kop will start?

KMc: We've got planning consent. We've got working drawings in place. And let me give you an example, when we did that very very costly corner between Bramall Lane and South Stand which, per seat, was astronomical. Two different rakes, a sixties stand and a seventies stand and so per seat is was astronomic. The decision was taken in January 2005 to go ahead with that stand. The decision was taken, a business decision but still a gamble, but look, we should get promoted back to the Premiership, we've got a hell of a chance, let's get on with this stand. And that's how we made that decision. I'm saying, as I talk to you now, I've not told my colleagues this but, if we're there or thereabouts come January, I'd expect us to start to work towards that Kop as soon as possible. We'd phase the works, and those who sit on the Kop may find themselves for a good period of time that they need an umbrella, because the roof's had to come off, we'd phase the works and try and get it built and make the judgment that we're getting back to the Premiership.

SB: Ok, to the back...

Audience: Would you like to respond to our old cousins, at the other end of the city...

/audience laughs

Audience: ... who keep having a go at us... and yet copy everything we do?

/audience laughs and applauds

KMc: Well maybe... you know, I live in Brussels, I don't live in the dear city of Sheffield any more, and that's one advantage.

/audience laughs

KMc: It's not for me to castigate our neighbours in Sheffield 6. Since I've taken the lead position to try and reshape and reform this club, the one club I've never even thought about copying is based a few miles away. When I first got involved with the board, it's interesting for us all to recognise, you know, I was younger then and we were in turmoil as a club for whatever reason, some of it was the characters around, who, on reflection were ok, I had my tussles but so what? But I thought for the first two or three years of sitting on this board, I'm gonna observe and learn about how to run a football club. I reckon after two years, being around our board table upstairs, God bless 'em, many colleagues have departed since that era, and going round other clubs, talking to directors and seeing stadiums gave me some ideas, I reckon I learnt nothing apart from two people in football. Because generally speaking, football clubs, and I make a discount for a good proportion of clubs in the Premier League, they don't have a structure. They don't have an organisation. They just want to see a team turn out on Saturday. That is not the way you plan and run and manage and progress a football club. And I learnt that through recognising I learnt nothing through the first two or three years of sitting on the bloody board. So, if people want to copy us, hey, I can't stop 'em. If people want to go and spend time in a hotel in Sheffield 6, it'll be a long time coming.

/audience laughs and applauds

 

[Linz]

Part three cont...

SB: We'll talk to the guy at the back, the guy at the front and then the guy with his hand up, we'll talk to him next...

Audience: Thank you for having this meeting, at the moment, I've just been made redundant. I've bought a season ticket before, I've now tried to get a refund on that season ticket. I've sent my redundancy papers in to prove that I have been made redundant and I've been told that I can't have a refund, only under exceptional circumstances. What exceptional circumstances is there?

KMc: I can't answer you specifically but bear in mind what I've said in previous interviews quite recently. Sheffield United are a club that recognise we're in a recessionary period and that recessionary period is not just affecting football clubs and businesses in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, it's affecting in many instances our fans and that's why this club work very hard to come up with ticket pricing initiatives to try and make this affordable to our fans. I think amongst Championship clubs of size and stature, we're probably the cheapest average price ticket, you know, of clubs this size and stature. So what I'm saying as a board is, we care about our fans, and there are always sort of instances where we can't quite write out the rules to accommodate individual circumstances but I'd say also there are instances where if the fan's got the right background to what the problem is, the club will try and help. It's not myself specifically, as I'm not here, but I have management team members who you should really address and talk to and explain because, we here tonight are the Blades, we are the club and that's what we all want isn't it? It's no good us pricing our tickets at £60 a ticket because none of you would be here tonight would you? We're in Sheffield. We're not the West End club of Chelsea who can charge prices and this club understands that. You know, South Yorkshire is an area which is probably is more badly hit than across the Pennines in Manchester so we do try. And in your instance, I'm saying go and have a chat to my colleagues..

Audience: I have done, I've had a letter back saying there was no refund...

KMc: I think what I said to you was go and have a chat to my colleagues... no... you're showing me a letter. Go and have a chat to my colleagues. It's best sometimes, if you address things on emails, these things can be a curse because you can say things at face-to-face you can put your point across much more sensitively. And likewise, the person will listen more than letters. So I'd advise you, I don't know if my colleague is here, but maybe kick off by trying to contact Simon Argyle, just explain your circumstances. We're a family club. I say that with pride and we will always try our best. We might not find you the perfect solution but we'll have a bloody good go.

SB: Sir...

Audience: We were talking about the Sheffield United global entity, the umbrella of clubs we've got underneath us, is there any plans to invest in clubs elsewhere, I know you talked about Sao Paulo, but is there anything else going forward or?

KMc: With one little exception, which a colleague of mine at the back is responsible for, the answer is no. The way the international links come about is through some of my other operations which take me to different nations like Australia et cetera and as I explained to you, the Ferencvaros one, we weren't looking, it was something that came to us. My group is a property organisation which has got a lot of big developments so it was a chunk of land and a bankrupt football club. So it came about. Chengdu was not dissimilar because it was a city we were involved in and a club that when the owner wanted to sell it, was frankly, cheap. So we're not looking, but because we've got a reputation, sometimes there's a knock on the door.

Audience: In relation to the Australia link you mentioned, what's the benefits? Because we've not really heard anything from Gold Coast Mariners, we've not got anything from them as we can see at the moment, what benefits...?

KMc: The Mariners is slightly different again. Their Deputy-Chairman is a friend of mine in Australia and he asked me to look at designing for them, sorry, planning not designing, an Academy that would run on similar lines to Sheffield United's. The end reason being this hot-bed of Aussie talent where we'd obviously get the first pick and we've just had one of their lads across, this young goalkeeper who's been with us. So we started looking at this chunk of land with him, coming forward with ideas which led to them... not buying, but having an agreement to develop this land where the owners were a Working Mens' Club in Australia. So there's an expectation that in the years ahead when this Academy's built, there'll be a natural flow of youngsters that will come to Sheffield or if not Sheffield, that we, because they're part of the family, will have the opportunity to sell those youngsters into Europe and share the proceeds.

SB: You've been very patient, thank you.

Audience: Thank you Mr Chairman. It's a good feeling to be here. My name is Patrick, I come from Zambia. I've heard quite interesting things here. Sheffield United is spreading its wings globally. I was wondering, if at all, there could be any chance in terms of getting Sheffield United known, say for instance, in Zambia, is there any way that can be done? In a small way, not in a serious sponsorship or team or what but there are certain things that can be done just to make Sheffield United known into that part of the world.

KMc: I think that the answer is yes, there is and exploiting the Blades brand, because we've got one of the best nicknames in the whole of football, we'd all agree with that, exploit the Blades brand around different countries, often has a spin-off. People from that country being in Sheffield therefore become supporters, players who've heard about us who wouldn't have heard about us otherwise because we've exploited the brand who then when they have an opportunity will come to us so yeah. As a club, we've helped certain African countries in providing them with the gear and the kit to give goodwill and we have this link with the Ivory Coast for players, some of whom have played or who are playing for Ferencvaros or Chengdu. So yeah, we'll exploit it with you.

SB: Thank you, in the middle there please.

Audience: Two questions really. What motivates you to pump millions of pounds into the club from a personal point of view, especially when you made reference to it on the websites when you might read or hear about statements on internet forums from lunatics I don't really understand. We know you're obviously not in it for the money, what else inspires you to do it? And secondly, where are we on the Lita deal?

KMc: When you get older in life, you probably understand yourself more than when you're 20 and 30. I'm just a determined sod. I can't bear failure. And the knock backs you get as a Chairman, because it really is a thankless task, to me, I can take them because I'm like yourselves. Like this young lady, might have a pop at me, but she's saying it with the best interests of Sheffield United at heart and I respond to her with the same sort of passion. We're passionate towards each other aren't we?

/audience laughs

SB: We're before the water shed Kevin...

KMc: But as we look at each other, let's have an argument but let's not fall out because you're a supporter, I'm a supporter.

Audience: Do you ever think "sod it, just forget it"?

KMc: Yes. Yeah, sometimes. And you know, I've said this before, there is a time when you've actually got to find someone to take the baton. I don't believe we should all be here too long running a football club, because you know, a football club is the heart of the community. I believe you've got to pass on what you've learnt and in a sense, what your strategy is and I think it's right to try and educate someone to take the baton. And that's what hopefully will happen because I do want to sit this side. It's good to talk to supporters and I talk to all sorts of supporters when I'm at Bramall Lane and I think it'd be better to be one of them.

Audience: Again, Lita?

SB: Yeah, Leroy Lita, you're not gonna get away with that one. Are we back to agents again?

KMc: Look, look, if there's opportunities to attempt to strengthen the team in a sensible way then we will take those opportunities. Now I don't refer specifically to Leroy Lita because I think it would be inappropriate because we have looked at, and in my mind, still looking at one or two other players.

SB: You are in negotiations though right now with Leroy Lita? Can you just give us an outline of where you're at and how far away you understand you are away from making that deal happen?

KMc: Well, again Seth, I only repeat that we've got agents in between. Probably if Leroy had accepted the offer we'd put, he'd be here but this guy in between won't so I can't comment beyond that.

 

[Linz]

Part four - the final part.

As typed up by Foxy.

SB: OK, we are going to speak to the man at the back, the lady at the front and then the guy with his arm in the air.

Pissed Heckler: I've been a blade for 55 year...

KMc: Not as long as me then.

Pissed Heckler: Not far behind... but... for 55 year we've been a selling club...

KMc: Cobblers!

Pissed Heckler: ... and we're STILL a selling club.

KMc: OK, explain yourself.

Pissed Heckler: How many players have we sold?

/general audience laughter

Pissed Heckler: No, you tell me, why did we sell James Beattie?

KMc: Well I explained all that to the audience before you arrived.

Pissed Heckler: Well I wasn't... why did we sell James Beattie?

KMc: Well I ask you to address the audience, because I explained that to them and I don't want to spend another ten minutes explaining to your good self. We didn't sell him because in your words we are a "selling club". What I also said to the audience earlier, I think we have probably five players or maybe six players who cost over £2million, does that demonstrate to you selling?

/silence

KMc: Does that demonstrate to you selling? You've got the mic...

Pissed Heckler: What is selling then?

/general audience laughter

Pissed Heckler: We've sold two players... one player has been sold playing six games for £3million...

SB: That's good business isn't it?

KMc: We addressed all this earlier...

Pissed Heckler: How much would James Walk, errr, Kyle Walker be worth in two year?

SB: We'll find out, thank you very much, thanks for your question we've got to move on.

KMc: If he's worth a lot more, we'll get a lot more.

/audience applause

KMc: Hey, and you cheer up! Come on, we are a happy club, we're not here to moan and groan, we're here to get togeth...

Pissed Heckler (without mic): I'VE BEEN A BLADE FOR 55 YEAR

KMc: We're here to support this team

/audience laughter

SB: OK you're repeating yourself now...

Pissed Heckler (still no mic): ARE YOU GOING TO MIDDLESBOROUGH?

KMc: Who?

Pissed Heckler: ARE YOU GOING TO MIDDLESBOROUGH?

KMc: I'll see you there if you like, for a beer sir?

/more audience laughter and applause almost drowns out...

Pissed Heckler: I'LL BE THERE

KMc: Yeah, I'll be there.

SB: OK thank you

/KMc points towards the lady he previously had banter with

KMc: Not too much passion you!

Pissed Heckler: I'M A BLADE!

SB: Hey, come on, contain yourself please, you can only speak when you've got the microphone. Which puts us in a good position.

/audience laughter continues

Audience: I'm more interested about what we are doing about a goalkeeper, than Leroy Lita or anybody else that we might buy. We need another goalkeeper, whatever happens with Paddy.

/audience applause

KMc: We are taking a goalkeeper on loan, from a Premiership club and until the outcome of Paddy's predicament is known, we cannot dictate the timing for the announcement of that event.

SB: Come on, give us a clue.

Audience: I hope we're not taking Nicky Weaver.

KMc: We've actually agreed terms to take a Premiership goalkeeper on loan.

SB: Any further clues? Come on, you've got your select family here.

/audience bug to find out who it is and murmur amongst themselves who it could be

SB: Come out on a Friday evening to see you, you can't share any more than that?

KMc: Can't hear you Seth...... You appreciate what I've said, we've agreed terms to take a Premiership keeper on loan, hopefully short term because hopefully Paddy will....

SB: Can you just clarify the Paddy Kenny situation? Obviously a big front and back page splash in the national press, very damaging to the football clubs image and all the rest of it. He's been suspended we understand, what happens now?

KMc: Well it's simple, we await the outcome of the FA Commission's decision. It literally rests with them.

SB: When will that be?

KMc: We hoped it would be last week, but we cannot determine. I don't really think under the circumstance of what happened, they'll not sort of... be rushed into the decision if we push them. If anything, it would probably make it worse.

SB: Has he still got a future at the football club?

KMc: I hope so, Paddy is one of the best keepers, if not the best keeper in the championship. We know that. The last thing that we want as a club, and I include the supporters in that term "the club", is to see what has happened, happen. It is a blow to us all isn't it? I hope that he will come out the right way, that Paddy will not be over burdened by whatever the outcome is of the FA's decision. It is not within the clubs remit to interfere with anything.

SB: OK, thank you. Sir?

Audience: I'll be honest with you, I'm not interested in all these overseas clubs or anything like that, all iIm interested in is Sheffield United and I've seen all the players being sold under our feet and everything for next to nothing really. All I want to know, is will Matthew Kilgallon be a Sheffield United player on the 1st September?

KMc: Like yourself, I very much hope so.

SB: OK, that was fairly simple. Way out in the wings over here...

Audience: Hi Kevin, just interested in your response to the level of criticism, almost fun-making that Terry Robinson gets on a lot of internet message boards and fans forums. I've got no sort of opinion myself, but he does get, you know, a lot of criticism. I just wondered what your response to that was?

KMc: It's like the comments, you know, do I ever get fed up and wanna pack it in? So much of the criticism that we do get by the websites, it really is a bit daft, you know, if we appoint Terry Robinson....

SB: ERR HANG ON A SECOND...

/small disturbance from the Pissed Heckler's location.

KMc: ... if we appoint Terry Robinson, Terry's been with us some, for a good period of time now. It's for the right reasons, for his knowledge of football, the contacts in football, he sits on the Football League and FA committees, which allows Sheff United to have knowledge before it's published. Which has been fairly vital to us in many ways this last few years. Supporters at times don't know that, because you don't need to broadcast it, you don't have these forums where you can express it. It is very unfair and unjust because, if all of you were actually sort of criticised, accused of things that were totally untrue, in writing on websites, you'd be annoyed wouldn't you?

The people that are at the head of Sheffield United are decent guys who always try their best and do their best, I mean, if you look what we have done, there shouldn't be too many complaints. Your complaint is my complaint, we are in the wrong league.

SB: That leads me very nicely onto this email actually, errm... is Sheffield United FC propping up your property business?

/audience laughter

KMc: I tell you what, it's a great question to try and answer isn't it? Is Sheffield United FC, which because of the capital employed has been propped up by my property business, is that propping my property business up? You know, in actual sense, the question is totally the wrong way round. The group I've got... you know I've been fortunate in life, I'm a working class kid from down the street, my old man was a painter and decorator, been fortunate, done a few things determined work, like I still do, god knows why, I work like a dog to try and get it right for Sheffield United. The fortune is building a group that has built wealth, being able to invest a big chunk of that wealth in Sheffield United.

If I say to supporters what I've been saying this year about recessions, because I mean it, and if supporters interpret that to say well, Sheff United are propping up his empire, they are off their trolley again, you know, they are not thinking logically, all we're doing is running this group in a correct manner to suit our aims and ambitions.

So it's a lovely question to ask, but its the wrong way around.

SB: OK, what else have we got in terms of questions from the floor? Is anybody got anything burning they want to ask?

KMc: I've gotta meet the trouble and strife at eight o'clock, she's not seen me for three weeks...

/looks towards lady from earlier banter

KMc: What will we do then? Don't let her know about you and me!

/audience laughter

Audience: Are you happy about the style of football we are playing down at Bramall Lane?

KMc: You know, I suppose it's always a difficult question to ask, at the end of the day, if iIm going back home, travelling after a game and we've won, I'm as happy as Larry.

The bit in-between sometimes you do overlook. I remember watching a game on TV last season... I was watching Arsenal v. Chelsea and the first twenty minutes Arsenal were brilliant, they murdered Chelsea, think young Theo Walcott missed two or three open goals. They lost 4-1, but their style of play was great.

Hey, regrettably, if we grind out a result, I'm happier than if we've played superbly well and drawn or lost. It's maybe the way supporters have changed, I remember as a nipper coming to watch the Blades and if you'd lost and had a good game of football, you weren't as sort of uptight as you are in this day and age. We care too much now about football, than was the case thirty or forty years ago. We loved it more then, we care more now. So **sigh**, I just want to see us win.

SB: Richard?

Audience: Kevin, I know how hard it is to change the hearts and minds of Sheffield United supporters, I think we're a very balanced group of supporters... we are blessed with having a chip on either shoulder, I'd like to congratulate you for something you did around the Carlos Tevez affair, which has gone a long way I think, towards changing the hearts and minds and attitude towards Sheffield United.

/big applause from the crowd

KMc: Didn't sign him though did I?

/laughter

Audience: No exactly, I wonder who owns him now?... Err, is that matter completely over now? Will we be welcomed back into the Premier League with open arms by our friends who control that body?

KMc: Most definitely yeah, I've sort of got a letter to that effect. The Tevez affair should never have occurred, we were unjustly relegated, I shall write my book in a few years time when I've got the time. But you know, and I suppose, I'd say to yourselves as supporters like myself, we are not a club to be pushed around. The determination that drives this club forwards, probably demonstrated in the Tevez affair, we should not have been relegated. Most people in football and probably supporters thought I was wasting my time, it's nice to be proved right, because I had to fight the establishment. Not quite sure it's done us much good in the southern media, being so biased against us, but hey, that's life.

/applause

SB: To the back there in a moment, but first back to the front...

Audience: As a football club, do we have an input into fixtures at the beginning of the season? We're away again at the start of the season, away again at the end of the season and away again on Boxing Day. If you want a club, which club would you pick? Newcastle. How come they get it? Do we not have a say?

KMc: The only way you can apply to the Football League, in our instance, not the Premier League obviously, is if for some reason, you do not want a game, let's say at the start of the season, because you are still undertaking works. Otherwise I have to say, it's done as a lottery. I agree, it does seem frustratingly unfair that we are away again, now on the Friday night, scratch your head and we are away again at the end of the season and away again on Boxing Day. If I could find a reason to fight it, to change it round, I would do. I can't find a reason.

Audience: Just one more question, what's happened to Derek Geary?

KMc: Derek's back in training and I think, because you know, we all enjoy the spirit of Derek, we'd like to wish him well and believe he'll get back to that first team squad. So he's back in training with us.

Audience: Why doesn't Kevin Blackwell come out and tell people? There has been nothing for like, all last season at all. Not one progress report at all.

KMc: Well, I think Derek's had one or two operations, including one in America, so what I'd say, it's a long haul for him, it's been a complicated one, that's why I say I wish him well in his training now, that he actually makes his fitness to be able to play for us again.

SB: I think that we should probably shoulder some of the blame for that, because at the end of the day, you forget to ask, when you don't see a player for so long you forget about him.

KMc: It's nice of you to mention Derek Geary, because I'd forgotten about him!

SB: Lets talk to the gentleman who is at the back...

Audience: Before I ask a question with regards to Hungary, you said at the start of the meeting that your own group has been identified as one that helps technically bankrupt and failing clubs, you're not going to take over Sheffield Wednesday are you?

/laughter and applause

KMc: In Budapest, I could use my mind to think how we'd restructure a club. I wouldn't have a clue in Sheffield 6!

/more laughter

 

[Linz]

Part four cont...

Audience: My question is, around about the time when Bryan Robson left, you mentioned the club would benefit from having a director of football. I think Graham Taylor was cited as someone who would be perfect for the role, what's the clubs stance on it now? Would you still consider that or is it something you've ruled out?

KMc: Well, again, I think at the time I also sort of tried to explain, some of these titles that you get in football, which change you know, we used to have right wingers, now we've got deep lying full backs whatever. Some titles like "Director Of Football" become used for all sorts of positions, what we were looking for is what, I think we end up now titling an "International Football Co-ordinator" who has the responsibility to go around the family of clubs, including our own academy here in Sheffield... Looking for those elite youngsters, making sure that the coaches at the other clubs are coached by our coaches. So there's this Blades Way syndrome of ensuring that the guy in Ferencvaros who ends up being right has been cloned and he moves from Ferencvaros and comes to Sheffield United and is immediately into the same system that he's been trained in in the last few years.

So it's an "International Football Co-ordinator" where the duties for that role now rest with Ron Reid. Ron's changed from being the Academy Director, still oversees the academy, but he's responsible in going around the globe looking for the youngsters, where he thinks it's appropriate for youngsters to go from... lets say Chengdu to Ferencvaros to strengthen some of his skills, when that youngster is then right and proper to play in the Championship, he's the guy that will make that decision.

SB: So in effect, that role you were talking about is Ron Reid?

KMc: Yeah, and I'll just go back. Director of Football is a well worn thing, Sven's now Director Of Football isn't he? So he's not with us.

SB: He won't see much in League Two trust me!.... On the emails.... Do you have to take some blame... I'm paraphrasing here... for the lack of communication at times to the fans? I know, you know, I'm one of the members of the media that will phone up and will frequently be told that there wasn't going to be any public comment from Sheffield United at the time of the Paddy Kenny incident. You know the sale of Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker where on a Friday, the club had accepted a bid and were expecting Kyle Naughton to be at Everton on the Monday and by the Sunday it was something entirely different and two weeks later a transfer goes through.

KMc: But that is football, you know, the way I explained the James Beattie affair, you cannot do it at the time when you've got this incident of an agent trying to move a player along, trying to get an extended contract and doing it at a time when the agent is working towards a transfer window. So there are occasions, too many occasions where to actually communicate with supporters, because supporters then put it on websites or it then comes via the TV or via the radio. It actually hiccups what you may be trying to achieve, which might be extending a players contract, keeping a player in place and thats why at times, communication can seem suspicious, but it's actually because if you say anything, you can prejudice what you are trying to achieve.

Audience: On that same basis then, with the age that we are in now of digital media and the fact that rumour spreads like wildfire, many times before the club has had the opportunity to make a statement. What lengths are the club taking to expand and keep in touch with fans more? Especially on the basis that on the official website, part of the reason for this evening was based on the fact that certain comments had been made on message boards and forums. I'm sure that the majority of the people within the audience are members of certain fan groups.

KMc: I think, I mean, it's a well phrased question. First and foremost there's so many misunderstandings when supporters have this website to communicate with themselves and the club on. I don't think, and I don't know where Andy is, but I've spoken to Andy about it, Andy has got to look at ways of communicating better, still at times if he communicates, he can't give the whole story, at a particular snapshot date. But I think we should communicate better, so the club is putting out information which is better understood by supporters, it may still make you ask a further question which can't be answered, but at least it's better understood. Yes, we have that responsibility to communicate as best able.

Audience: I think everybody understands that there are certain contractual obligations and reasons behind statements not being able to be made to the public and to the fans, so I think that answers that part of the question. In terms of how the club aim to go forward with keeping the fans in touch, there is obviously within the setup of the network of the club, there is the opportunity for text message alerts and things like that, which I mean I'm not a member of that, but that brings revenue into the club I'm sure. A lot of people are more adverse to different methods of communication now...

SB: So you're talking Facebook, you are talking Twitter...

KMc: I've got an old phone that you know, just rings.

/audience laughter as KMc shows a Nokia 6310.

KMc: Some of what you are saying is modern technology, is modern communication...

Audience: Surely as the fanbase gets younger that is the method...?

KMc: Yeah, I mean absolutely, it'll not be myself getting involved in trying to understand, I'd be banging my head against a brick wall but it is our media divisions objective to better communicate, in modern forms.

Audience: Without wanting to labour on the fact, in terms of the message boards that are in existence at the moment, how does the club monitor what is said in those and to a certain extent takes on board certain comments that are made regarding the fans opinion on certain elements of what is happening at the time? And at the same time, not wanting to head down the route that is similar to what S6 did not too long since.

KMc: You know, I'm talking to you all tonight and I think in the main I can give answers, I can't to your question. I think you need to talk to our media division, I can't because I don't see these message boards, I can't because it's not sort of relayed to me, I can't use 'em. But your questions are very sound...

SB: I suppose the crux of that is, do you monitor them to the extent that as a football club, should somebody be saying "Sheffield United are basically propping up Kevin McCabe and he's taking money right left and center and putting it in his back pocket for his retirement fund"... would you go down the route of suing fans?

KMc: No, I mean, I boxed Andy's ears last week, Andy Pack, because I really said in a sense, when I've had this inkling of what has been on some of these websites. I'm saying to Andy... look, you've gotta do your best, and I do say do your best, you aren't going to quite cure it, to better communicate, to protect. Certainly a football manager, because one thing supporters must understand is, a football manager by his very nature is uncertain, it is a position they have because they carry the expectation of us all on their shoulders. If there is all the criticism, whether you like it or not, we are talking about a human being. In the main, the manager needs protecting from being continually criticised, you know, if you lose a game you lose a game.

The website one probably gets to managers, not me specifically and our manager may I say, but generally and sometimes therefore the way that the club address answering what may be put on message boards needs to have that objective in mind in protecting the club, because the club is still working to do it's best to satisfy you all. How you quite achieve it I don't know, I think that's where Andy has got to put it across in the right way.

SB: To give you an insight as well, I deal with six clubs on a daily basis, in touch with all the press officers. The most, I suppose, forthcoming and helpful of getting people on the radio and helping us out, is Sheffield United. So, don't feel like you're not getting a lot out of your football club because they probably give you a lot more than many other clubs in this area. Two more questions because we are very much out of time here...

Audience: Erm... It's a bit controversial this question Kev...

SB: I can't believe you've left it till the end!

Audience: A lot of people have been asking me to ask it, but erm, why didn't you accept Kevin Blackwell's resignation after the Play Off final?

KMc: After the play-off, look, look at last season, you look at it logically, we had a great great season, yeah? Yet again, went into the final league game of the season at Crystal Palace in with a chance of automatic, OK we didn't succeed. We won the semi-finals of the play-off, we went to Wembley, we all went to Wembley again, we didn't perform well. After that game, which of our supporters was smiling? I bet no one in this room. I certainly wasn't, you know, I had to sort of bite it, congratulate Burnley, say all the right words, because that's one of the problems you have being a chairman. Deep down my gut was gurgling. Now when the media, didn't really tackle me after the game apart from one, the media talk to the manager. The manager is emotionally spent, yeah? You accept that? He is emotionally drained, but he's still got a microphone stuck to his lips, what would you say?

Audience: No comment?

KMc: Well you can't really say "no comment", the media demands, particularly for the big, big games, which the play-off final is, the manager has to go there. So he's actually uttering words where at a time where he's not actually uttering words he'd say the day after. If I've ever got big decisions to make, and all of them relate to Sheffield United, I've taught myself over the last twenty odd years to sleep on it.

Audience: But he's been there before though with Leeds though hasn't he, so he knows what...

KMc: No, no, come on... after a game, you are drained, think how a manager feels and it is the worst possible time to have a microphone thrust in front of you.

After that game by the way, I spoke to Blacky later in the evening and I got him down to London to see me the following day. It was sort of, come on, it was a cup of coffee we had, not a pint of beer, let's get it off our chests. Because every one of us, supporters, Chairmen, Managers are so disapointed, but after that session, which was two hours, you know, when I say kicking a ball about I talk about anything and everything so to speak, I got a man re-motivated. Never forget, someone has got to motivate a manager, managers never realise it, there's no point talking to a manager when you've won five on the trot, you know, their feet are up here **holds hand above his head**, but they feel defeat harder than we do, because maybe as you say, they look at a website and everybody is criticising them. It weighs heavily. So excuse Kevin, he was depressed as hell and you understand that.

SB: Ninety seconds...

Audience: On a lighter note we've got an open day on Sunday, how much money do you think we can make, seeing as Wednesday charged £5 for theirs last Sunday?

/audience laughter and applause

Audience: Do we need a lot more money this Sunday? Will it be a tenner?

KMc: I hope so!

Audience: What's the future for Sheffield United then?

SB: That's a good final question...

KMc: The future and I say this to us all as supporters, is to achieve our objectives of being a top ten Premier League club, the timetable to achieve it, is always too long. In my mind, we should be there by now, you know, I don't want to harp on about it, but, for that blessed Tevez season, we may just have been so much further on in our aims and aspirations to be a top ten club. BUT, this guy doesn't dismay or despair, we get on with it, if I finish my comments tonight, we are a fine, proud club, we have great supporters, who may moan and groan, that's human nature. But this club keeps on driving forward, if we get it wrong sometimes, we get it wrong. Anybody who has to make decisions, don't get it always right. Do we?

But this club will not sort of rest easy, till we achieve those aims and ambitions. If I find ways of strengthening, we strengthen, I want to see us up there, desperately. You ask my Mrs!

SB: Thank you very much for that, I think that draws us to a close...

/long audience applause