Scrap this Knocker v Clapper thing, this is a genuine crisis.

[Bladesway]

If McCabe walks away, he leaves with the "real estate" that he so handsomely transferred out of our football club to one of our many holding/parent/group companies. But not to worry, we're well run and we're only in debt to ourselves etc etc

Ironically, him walking away could just be as disastrous as him staying.

How could it? Could we really be in a worse position? We get the biggest crowds ay this level for a reason, we shouldn't be here and its down to McCabe that we are, almost entirely. And now he has stripped the guts out of the club. How could it be worse?

 

[FleaPitBlade]

The 'real estate' was transferred to United Scarborough Holdings. The same 'company' which also owns the football club.

If somebody wanted to buy SUFC they would need to buy a controlling stake in United Scarborough Holdings and therefore get with it x% of its assests (Bramall Lane and Shirecliffe etc).

Scarborough 'owning' the ground is only dangerous to the football club if The McCabe's get pissed off with being dragged through the mud and decide to hell with it all and walk away. Think about that when you're in the car park demanding a head on a platter.

 

[Caveblade]

This does feel like the worst position the club has ever been in, traditionally you could shout sack the board, the reality is we no longer have a board, all the power lies with one man. The crux of it all lies in that one mans motivations and aspirations which you have to say do not currently appear to be success on the field.

 

[StarBlade]

How could it? Could we really be in a worse position? We get the biggest crowds ay this level for a reason, we shouldn't be here and its down to McCabe that we are, almost entirely. And now he has stripped the guts out of the club. How could it be worse?

Because he's shown 2 things; 1) an absolute expansionist approach to owning property, and 2) an absolute desire to make and protect his money.

I joined this forum purely to whinge at KM and said the fact that our dear neighbours were having so much trouble diverted our attention from closer to home, losing millions and racking up huge debts. I was assured by the financial whizz's that "we" are safe because we owe only ourselves. The fact that SUFC football club may have no assets at this moment seems to have slipped everyone by, that's because we're owned by some group company who are wholly owned by some holding company etc and it's been allowed to happen and if KM was to walk away, I guess we could be worse off because SUFC Football Club could be kicked out of the ground and our academy sold for housing, so those big crowds will have no-where to go. KM has absolutely done us over royally and holds all the cards.

 

[Balham Blade]

Because he's shown 2 things; 1) an absolute expansionist approach to owning property, and 2) an absolute desire to make and protect his money.
[...]
KM has absolutely done us over royally and holds all the cards.

The first point is led to by the second there Star. I'd disagree with the final line though: KM has done himself over royally with some shocking decisions but his pride won't let him back down. We're now throwing good money after bad.

I said when we came down that it was a fantastic opportunity to rebuild Sheffield United FC into something we could all be proud of. A slightly easier place for young players to come in and perform and a chance to get rid of the dead wood. We've half done the latter - while Simonsen, Nosworthy, Henderson and a couple of others have left since we came down I'd still be happy to see the back of Kitson, Higginbotham, Cresswell and Doyle at the end of the season - but we've not done the former.

The upper echelons at the Lane need to have a long, hard think at the end of the season if we don't go up. I'd advocate a three-year plan at that point; clearly laid out and communicated to the fans. It would be a focus on youth in year 1, with lower expectations in the league followed by a concerted push for the championship in year 2 and consolidation in year 3. The problem we've had is that we've still got the massive short-termism and are desperately scrabbling to get out of the division with an imbalanced side which isn't good enough.

As an aside: if Danny Wilson wasn't keen on the plan I've outlined I'd get shot of him. I've heard fairly good things about the U21s and their approach so wouldn't be adverse to Morgan taking over in the summer.

 

[StarBlade]

The first point is led to by the second there Star. I'd disagree with the final line though: KM has done himself over royally with some shocking decisions but his pride won't let him back down. We're now throwing good money after bad.

I said when we came down that it was a fantastic opportunity to rebuild Sheffield United FC into something we could all be proud of. A slightly easier place for young players to come in and perform and a chance to get rid of the dead wood. We've half done the latter - while Simonsen, Nosworthy, Henderson and a couple of others have left since we came down I'd still be happy to see the back of Kitson, Higginbotham, Cresswell and Doyle at the end of the season - but we've not done the former.

The upper echelons at the Lane need to have a long, hard think at the end of the season if we don't go up. I'd advocate a three-year plan at that point; clearly laid out and communicated to the fans. It would be a focus on youth in year 1, with lower expectations in the league followed by a concerted push for the championship in year 2 and consolidation in year 3. The problem we've had is that we've still got the massive short-termism and are desperately scrabbling to get out of the division with an imbalanced side which isn't good enough.

As an aside: if Danny Wilson wasn't keen on the plan I've outlined I'd get shot of him. I've heard fairly good things about the U21s and their approach so wouldn't be adverse to Morgan taking over in the summer.

I like the idea, really do. But, as proven not just at the Lane but everywhere in the country, fans don't buy into x-year plans. They want success right now. Also, I don't know what the debt is at, or how much we are making/losing each year, but I don't know how sustainable we are as a club now, let alone budgeting for 3 years of little success. Maybe football will go the long-term way eventually, but right now I can't see it happening.

Not sure if KM has done himself over still, it's probably been costly to buy some real estate in an almost-abandoned city that is Sheffield, but I imagine he's got his back covered to recoup at least some of that money. Whether he does or not isn't my concern, it's what we're left with that is my concern.

 

[alcoblade]

Think about that when you're in the car park demanding a head on a platter.

Now you mention that, let's drop our pants and bend over. Again. And again.

Someone pass me a pillow.

UTB

 

[super_pig]

i think he'll buy Don Valley for peanuts.. move us there and then sell himself BDBTL for a quid and make a killing on it.. if i were a property developer that is what i would do
pompey is right btw. the similarities to the Portsmouth thing are very worrying.. one more thing..

didn't the pigs get rid of that PlusNet wanker??.. they didn't give up did they?? ok mandaric came in at the last minute but the fans had just about got rid of him themselves by then

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Some interesting points here, but really ... are we not just pissing into the wind, here?

My belief is that SUFC is in a world of financial shit, and McCabe (for all his faults) is using some pretty harsh, but effective measures to bale out the water. These days businessmen are not attached to football clubs for anything else but a cool return on their investments, and my reckoning is McCabe has already warned the board that there will be no more cash input and to stay alive, the club is going to have to shed assets to stay afloat. This was exactly what happened at Pompey (albeit they had a higher wage bill and Gaydemak owned the ground, like McCabe does) and the messages aren't good in my opinion. I think for as much as people slate him (and believe me, I don't particularly rate the bloke as a businessman - his appointments of managers since Warnock have been bobbar) without him we will irreversibly collapse, so any talk of 'forcing him out' with car park protests, shoes off or mass letters is futile and irrelevant.

We are about to watch a car crash. All of us will just have to sit this out and hope for happier times. The rescue which happened in the 1980-90s eventually came and we regained some impetus and yes, this will only happen with a change of board-level staffing and people who want United to do well. The only thing is, football these days is a totally different animal and if we do slump - and drop further - we just have to keep remembering we are all still Blades and we have seen this all before. McCabe may be a stupid dickhead to many of us at the moment, but I guarantee if he put the club up for sale tomorrow and took what is rightfully his, we'd sink like a brick. If the unthinkable happens and our balloon slowly deflates this season, we slink ungraciously out of the promotional challenge, key players fuck off to other pastures and next season we find ourselves with half the horsepower and Wilson playing shit tactics with bobbins players, then we are just going to have to weather the storm and watch it happen. We can all handle relegation, disappointing performances, the shit at S6 being above us, our playing staff sold even playoff heartbreak. What we won't handle (and what would break my heart) is if we were in the position Pompey are now when all the pretty birds have flown and the club is being torn to bits by previous interested parties, fans conglomorates and Southampton up the road laughing their cocks off. Our worst case scenario is us out of business, BDTBL turned into flats and a supermarket and us being 'remember Sheffield United?' and being a question in Trivial Pursuit. We're a bit away from that as yet, but then again, Luton Town used to be in the top flight not long ago.

Think on.



"We are about to watch a car crash" - unfortunately, very, very true.

In a previous life, in the old 606 days, I put my hand on my heart, and said that we're all going to hell in a handcart, and nothing that has happened since has changed my mind.

McCabe is no different to a lot of businessmen who tried to build an empire on what they thought was a rising market - when the crash came, they all had very tough decisions to make in order to stay afloat. The problem that McCabe had was that he was not involved in only one market, he had a global business that was affected by a global downturn. As Blades, we are now seeing the results of this, and I have to say that it will get worse before we see any improvement.

From a business point of view, I think that McCabe is keeping United on a holding regime, whilst trying to keep all the other plates spinning across his empire - this would explain the Blackman deal, and the lack of replacements. This means that he has to take a lot of shit (some of it royally deserved) from the likes of us who only have eyes for United. Not what you want to hear, I agree, but in my view, them's the facts.

The fact also remains that the football industry is it's own worst enemy. Mr.Scudamore will tell us that the £100+ million spent by the Premier League clubs is a safe bet, but how many businesses do you know that would sanction the spending of QPR? It's a punt, and a very long punt at that - think Portsmouth, and hope to God that it never happens to our club, because I predict here and now that at least three or four long-established clubs will not be in business in ten years time.

Four years ago, we had the crash - the banks were in meltdown, and if rumours are to be believed, we were half an hour from Armageddon, with your money gone, my money gone, every bugger's money gone. If it could happen then, it can happen again, and no-one will care which team you supported.

George

pommpey

 

[Sothall_Blade]

The upper echelons at the Lane need to have a long, hard think at the end of the season if we don't go up. I'd advocate a three-year plan at that point; clearly laid out and communicated to the fans. It would be a focus on youth in year 1, with lower expectations in the league followed by a concerted push for the championship in year 2 and consolidation in year 3. The problem we've had is that we've still got the massive short-termism and are desperately scrabbling to get out of the division with an imbalanced side which isn't good enough.

Wilson said: “From our position, it is virtually impossible to hold people back when the Premiership comes calling"

Any long-term plans will inevitably fail while ever the club has this attitude towards retaining our best players.
Let's not kid ourselves either that Blackman wouldn't have been sold if only Palace or Leeds had come in for him.
You can extend Wilson's quote to all Premier League and most Championship sides as well.

The question is where do you ever draw the line with that attitude?
If a Premier League team offers £500K for Maguire? "We can't compete with them".
If a Championship club offers £750K for Long? "We can't hold him back".
If a Serie A club offers £250K for De Girolamo? "It's a great opportunity for the boy".

Surely there has to come a point where the best interests of the club come before the financial rewards available to contracted players? There must be the will within the club to simply say "No! We're trying to build something here, you're under contract, play well and you'll be worth more in the future. You're going nowhere at the moment."

At least that sort of attitude would allow the manager to plan ahead more than 6 months at a time.
To know that as he builds the squad, there is some stability and his team won't suddenly be weakened in an area which he thought he'd already got sorted.

While ever we as a club put out statements like the one above, we will be seen as an easy touch by other clubs. Our players will see that quote and think "They'd better not refuse an offer for me if one comes in" and fans will become increasingly detached from even home-grown talent on the grounds that "Well, he probably won't be here for very long anyway".

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Joking aside, I think Fiery's suggestion would be the best protest we could make. The trouble is, you need just about everyone to back it, which I doubt would be the case, yet. UTB

The best way of protesting against McCabe without hurting the club would be to boycott the Hotel.
It's packed with Blades on matchdays spending money on food and beer etc.
Sheffield United does not own the Hotel any more and in no way benefits from this. McCabe does.

 

[alcoblade]

The best way of protesting against McCabe without hurting the club would be to boycott the Hotel.
It's packed with Blades on matchdays spending money on food and beer etc.
Sheffield United does not own the Hotel any more and in no way benefits from this. McCabe does.

Good idea.

UTB

 

[Bladesway]

The 'real estate' was transferred to United Scarborough Holdings. The same 'company' which also owns the football club.

If somebody wanted to buy SUFC they would need to buy a controlling stake in United Scarborough Holdings and therefore get with it x% of its assests (Bramall Lane and Shirecliffe etc).

Scarborough 'owning' the ground is only dangerous to the football club if The McCabe's get pissed off with being dragged through the mud and decide to hell with it all and walk away. Think about that when you're in the car park demanding a head on a platter.

But what's the benefit of having a chairman who just fleeces the first team at the first sign of a decent offer and deviates from his own mission statement? His company owns the ground, it owns the academy ground and yet some say careful what you wish for.

I would rather someone or a group of people put pressure on McCabe. Didn't we used to have a fans representative. That seems to have gone quiet following McCabe probably deciding he doesn't have to answer to us any longer. I don't see how we could be worse off in any way if mcCabe slung his hook.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Wilson said: “From our position, it is virtually impossible to hold people back when the Premiership comes calling"

Any long-term plans will inevitably fail while ever the club has this attitude towards retaining our best players.
Let's not kid ourselves either that Blackman wouldn't have been sold if only Palace or Leeds had come in for him.
You can extend Wilson's quote to all Premier League and most Championship sides as well.

The question is where do you ever draw the line with that attitude?
If a Premier League team offers £500K for Maguire? "We can't compete with them".
If a Championship club offers £750K for Long? "We can't hold him back".
If a Serie A club offers £250K for De Girolamo? "It's a great opportunity for the boy".

Surely there has to come a point where the best interests of the club come before the financial rewards available to contracted players? There must be the will within the club to simply say "No! We're trying to build something here, you're under contract, play well and you'll be worth more in the future. You're going nowhere at the moment."

At least that sort of attitude would allow the manager to plan ahead more than 6 months at a time.
To know that as he builds the squad, there is some stability and his team won't suddenly be weakened in an area which he thought he'd already got sorted.

While ever we as a club put out statements like the one above, we will be seen as an easy touch by other clubs. Our players will see that quote and think "They'd better not refuse an offer for me if one comes in" and fans will become increasingly detached from even home-grown talent on the grounds that "Well, he probably won't be here for very long anyway".

How you going to motivate a kid who you have just denied a £3M+ contract?

He'd be walking around with his dummy out of the pram because who can say another offer will come his way?

One bad knock that takes a bit of pace out of his knee/ankle and you're stuck at The Blades.

Remember that these kids have come through a system where they have seen their mates cast aside and when the golden goose comes calling they want it.

I know I'd be well pissed off if someone stopped me having my £3M pay day.

 

[alcoblade]

How you going to motivate a kid who you have just denied a £3M+ contract?

He'd be walking around with his dummy out of the pram because who can say another offer will come his way?

One bad knock that takes a bit of pace out of his knee/ankle and you're stuck at The Blades.

Remember that these kids have come through a system where they have seen their mates cast aside and when the golden goose comes calling they want it.

I know I'd be well pissed off if someone stopped me having my £3M pay day.

Blackman could have had his move in the summer. It's not that difficult, or unreasonable to tell a player they've got to honor more than 5 months of 3 year contract.

Blackman would need to play - if he spits his dummy out and doesn't perform, he won't get the move he desires.

The idea that the footballing world collapses if players don't get an immediate transfer is a lovey line that pleases sellers and players - but it has become a bit too easy.

UTB

 

[shorehamview]

Blackman could have had his move in the summer. It's not that difficult, or unreasonable to tell a player they've got to honor more than 5 months of 3 year contract.

The main problem we have with regards to keeping a player and letting them rot in the reserves is that we can't afford to pay the big earners to sit on their bottoms. I'd have preferred Blackman to stay until at least the end of the season, if not longer, but it's not down to me. If it had been I'd have told Reading to stick a zero on the end of their bid then double it or bugger off.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

The main problem we have with regards to keeping a player and letting them rot in the reserves is that we can't afford to pay the big earners to sit on their bottoms. I'd have preferred Blackman to stay until at least the end of the season, if not longer, but it's not down to me. If it had been I'd have told Reading to stick a zero on the end of their bid then double it or bugger off.

All way round it’s a lose situation.
Keeping a player against their wishes in a results lead industry is suicide though.

 

[Rodders]

All way round it’s a lose situation.
Keeping a player against their wishes in a results lead industry is suicide though.

I never understand this - surely if a player is deperate to move away, they'll play as best as they can to make sure there are as many teams interested as possible?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I never understand this - surely if a player is deperate to move away, they'll play as best as they can to make sure there are as many teams interested as possible?

Can play like a turd if the offer is on the table, just needs a pen.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Seems simple to me. If we aren't offered a big enough fee to make it worthwhile, then why sell the player?

So he might walk around with the bottom lip out and under-perform, so what?! He would have to buck his ideas up at some point to keep clubs interested. If they start playing badly and showing a bad attitude who's going to want to sign them?

 

[Pinchy]

But what's the benefit of having a chairman who just fleeces the first team at the first sign of a decent offer and deviates from his own mission statement? His company owns the ground, it owns the academy ground and yet some say careful what you wish for.

I would rather someone or a group of people put pressure on McCabe. Didn't we used to have a fans representative. That seems to have gone quiet following McCabe probably deciding he doesn't have to answer to us any longer. I don't see how we could be worse off in any way if mcCabe slung his hook.

The simple truth, however unpalatable, is that the club cannot survive without him!

SUFC is, like the vast majority of football clubs, a loss-making enterprise, living beyond its means. The considerable deficit is bridged by Kevin McCabe. If you know if someone who can and will take over that responsibility, let him know immediately. He'll be delighted.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Seems simple to me. If we aren't offered a big enough fee to make it worthwhile, then why sell the player?

So he might walk around with the bottom lip out and under-perform, so what?! He would have to buck his ideas up at some point to keep clubs interested. If they start playing badly and showing a bad attitude who's going to want to sign them?

I'm sure a few games [say 3] lost on the trott wouldn'd have the fans up in arms would it?

 

[mpjacko]

[quote="GRUMPY BLADE, post: 473421, member: 387"

I know I'd be well pissed off if someone stopped me having my £3M pay day.[/quote]

Then what's the point of having a contract and agreeing to it when they move to the club? If they don't like it, then he (or whoever) such get a new job in the real world

 

[blade too long]

we are not alone

football is in a general malaise , due to Scudamore and the premier league greedy bastards pinching all the spoils of tv rights money, itsvery Dickensian now with the teams in the workhouse football league holding out a bowl asking please Sir can we have some more , and getting short shrift from the MrBumbles of the prem.

The fact QPR spent a mint and still come up short shows how much the gulf is still widening

The plain fact is we need new blood in the investment area, moaning about McCabe , despite the merits or folly dependant on your view, is fruitless , as hes openly admitted on many occasions hes only manning the bridge till a new Captain is found, and we cant really blame him if no one wants to throw containers full of cash at us.

We , collectively know whats needed and the frustration of no one wanting to be our new sugar daddy is ripping us in two, but lets not throw stones at those trying to keep us afloat as it might sink the ship

 

[BladeFisher]

we are not alone

football is in a general malaise , due to Scudamore and the premier league greedy bastards pinching all the spoils of tv rights money, itsvery Dickensian now with the teams in the workhouse football league holding out a bowl asking please Sir can we have some more , and getting short shrift from the MrBumbles of the prem.

The fact QPR spent a mint and still come up short shows how much the gulf is still widening

The plain fact is we need new blood in the investment area, moaning about McCabe , despite the merits or folly dependant on your view, is fruitless , as hes openly admitted on many occasions hes only manning the bridge till a new Captain is found, and we cant really blame him if no one wants to throw containers full of cash at us.

We , collectively know whats needed and the frustration of no one wanting to be our new sugar daddy is ripping us in two, but lets not throw stones at those trying to keep us afloat as it might sink the ship

The problem is the current captain clearly doesn't have his masters certificates and is running us onto the rocks big time. Perhaps he is lookimg for an insurance pay off!

 

[blade too long]

what would you do in his shoes , you ,ve commited yourself for a decade to funding the club , then 4/5 years ago decide enoughs enough, I am wealthy enough to sit back and enjoy life without all the fucking abuse , Ill sell up , but no one comes in , lets see what does every self respecting multi millionaire want , who can afford easy street and a place in the sun , not sure they want hundreds of fans calling him a cunt , if I were him Id say , fuck you then , Im off, run it yourselves , dont give a shit about it, so that would really help us in your opinion ,

Been me I would have just gone , but thats me

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

[quote="GRUMPY BLADE, post: 473421, member: 387"

I know I'd be well pissed off if someone stopped me having my £3M pay day.

Then what's the point of having a contract and agreeing to it when they move to the club? If they don't like it, then he (or whoever) such get a new job in the real world[/quote]

Players are not 'in the real world' so to speak.

They have short term contracts and are bought and sold.

Do Tesco do that with their shelf stackers?

 

[alcoblade]

what would you do in his shoes , you ,ve commited yourself for a decade to funding the club , then 4/5 years ago decide enoughs enough, I am wealthy enough to sit back and enjoy life without all the fucking abuse , Ill sell up , but no one comes in , lets see what does every self respecting multi millionaire want , who can afford easy street and a place in the sun , not sure they want hundreds of fans calling him a cunt , if I were him Id say , fuck you then , Im off, run it yourselves , dont give a shit about it, so that would really help us in your opinion ,,

Been me I would have just gone , but thats me

Perhaps he can't just go? Perhaps he's recouping his losses by selling the bricks and mortar and any upcoming talent?

UTB