Something going off...

[Foxy]

I think lack of investment says more about the huge financial millstone that McCabe's saddled us with, which is why him continuing to add interest to his mistakes is very hard to swallow.

See you could see it that way, or others might see it that he's keeping us afloat and rather than recalling his loans, converting them to equity.

Given that he's looking for investment, rather than a buy out, isn't what he's doing making us more attractive to any investor? i.e. removing any third party millstone.

 

[alcoblade]

Do you have evidence that interest is being charged to the club? You must have seen something different to me.

It's in the accounts, and as I heard McCabe say himself "it's being charged on the advice of his accountants", or something very similar.

As I've said elsewhere, academic I'm sure as there is no prospect of return. But given the lack of due dilligence you here about in the purchase of some clubs, I'd rather the paper say "Sheffield United - debt free" that "Sheffield United - £50M in the red".

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

See you could see it that way, or others might see it that he's keeping us afloat and rather than recalling his loans, converting them to equity.

Given that he's looking for investment, rather than a buy out, isn't what he's doing making us more attractive to any investor? i.e. removing any third party millstone.

Perhaps so, Foxy - but how would he recall his loans? Other than selling what's sellable, I can't see how else he gets that money back. And isn't "selling what's sellable" what we've been doing for a few years?

I should add, the debt for equity swap is a good thing - and overall I don't really think McCabe has intentionaly done anything to harm us, or for his benefit. I'm sure he's lost a fortune on us. It's bad decisions that have let us down, not bad intention.



UTB

 

[metalblade]

I'm not saying that nobody else does, I'm just saying, given that we all want the same thing we don't half create self fulfilling prophecies sometimes.

Serious question, put us and Wednesday on even points, finances and infrastructure, as an outside investor which do you pick?

The ones who are naturally pessimistic, have to be won over and from an outsiders point of view protested against a man who turned out to do a better job than most expected.

Or the ones who'll swallow most things and bandwagon jump at the hint of anyone wishing to join in the massive-fest?

I'm not suggesting we should be anything like them, *shudder* at the thought, but my point is, whilst it may not be unique to us, we don't half know how to fight against ourselves sometimes.

Is that a long winded way of saying it's all the fans fault ?
If so and it certainly looks like it, then that is truly and absolutely pathetic, it is one thing to back McCabe but to turn blame on to the fans is a disgraceful call.

 

[sheffielder]

Is that a long winded way of saying it's all the fans fault ?
If so and it certainly looks like it, then that is truly and absolutely pathetic, it is one thing to back McCabe but to turn blame on to the fans is a disgraceful call.

You shouldn't be too pissed, you don't even go do you?

 

[metalblade]

You shouldn't be too pissed, you don't even go do you?

Over the last five years it looks like around 10,000 no longer go............ wonder if statements like that make them too pissed to bother.

 

[Foxy]

Is that a long winded way of saying it's all the fans fault ?
If so and it certainly looks like it, then that is truly and absolutely pathetic, it is one thing to back McCabe but to turn blame on to the fans is a disgraceful call.

Never said that. My point was that we could be so much more attractive to potential investors, and we don't half hinder ourselves at times.

I believe someone once said that the missing ones were the die hards?

 

[metalblade]

Never said that. My point was that we could be so much more attractive to potential investors, and we don't half hinder ourselves at times.

I believe someone once said that the missing ones were the die hards?

So just exactly what are you saying Foxy ?
Could you explain the last sentence you see I've been told I'm a bit thick ?

 

[Revolution]

My point was that we could be so much more attractive to potential investors

...if we were all really gullible.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Our club hey? What's the difinition of "our club"? I know we have an affinity towards the Blades, in fact you could go as far as to say a love of the Blades. Strange when you think about it because I have very little respect for the modern footballer, no respect at all for the chairman, a real dislike of the way the fans are shat on, and I much preferred the old days when players weren't constantly in contract negotiations, driving flash cars, using agents etc etc.

I really don't like football anymore, too sterile, too much cheating and too many plastic fans.................but I do love Sheffield United. How strange, there's not much at all that I like about the club, but I do love Sheffield United in a sadistic sort of way. Guess that makes me a prize dick but please explain it if you can (not the prize dick bit, I already know that ), try and explain why Sheffield United is "our club" and why we put up with the shit that we do, simply because it comes from the club we love.

For me, ownership of football clubs is a two way thing.

A man or consortium can own the ‘Ltd' or ‘PLC’ that runs a football club – but they will never own the ’FC’ bit. That is owned by anybody who wants a slice of it. It cannot be bought or sold – its ownership is defined by memory, experience and heartache suffered.

 

[alcoblade]

Never said that. My point was that we could be so much more attractive to potential investors, and we don't half hinder ourselves at times.

I believe someone once said that the missing ones were the die hards?

I would bare my arse on the town hall steps if it were found that "moaning" by fans has contributed, in the slightest, to any potential investment.

As an investor I'd be more worried if the fans didn't moan because that would indicate something being different to the norm. And I wouldn't want an investor that expected that, becuase it's below "curing world hunger" in the realism tables.

UTB

 

[judge]

Mike McDonald left after being told to fuck off back to man city whilst trying to exPlain black Thursday to fans

 

[puppet]

Mike McDonald left after being told to fuck off back to man city whilst trying to exPlain black Thursday to fans

I stood by him until that day.... was elated to see Green get his comeuppance with Rangers last week...

 

[Worksop_Blade]

Difference between McDonald, Green & The McCabes?

McDonald and Green never pretended to be Blades.

 

[Grecian2000]

Mike McDonald left after being told to fuck off back to man city whilst trying to exPlain black Thursday to fans

I don't think we were needing examples of the positive things fans have done though.

 

[metalblade]

Mike McDonald had to change his trousers that day after going into the car park to talk to the fans LOL, we've had some great chairmen at this club over the years eh. Some say McCabe's the best we've ever had then again that don't mean a lot when you are compared to Sam/Samantha, Woolhouse/Lord Lucan, Hinchcliffe etc

 

[Sirius]

Difference between McDonald, Green & The McCabes?

McDonald and Green never pretended to be Blades.

May be McCabe is a a fanatical Blade. Alas he seperates business from pleasure.

 

[Princess Annes Dog]

Never said that. My point was that we could be so much more attractive to potential investors, and we don't half hinder ourselves at times.

We could be far more attractive to potential investors if we had any decent players and weren't in the 3rd division, if we could get players to turn up to training, if we looked as though we were trying to improve etc etc...

Come on Foxy, your blind allegiance to McCabe used to at least be worthy of discussion, now it's just blind. The man has taken us to where we are now without a whimper, even at the play off final he looked as though he couldn't give a shit. To be honest he looked tired of the whole thing, and maybe he is so to that end, why doesn't he use some of his legendary business acumen and make something happen. Bet if it were one of his other businesses going down the pan he wouldn't be so blase about it.

 

[Revolution]

Given that he's looking for investment, rather than a buy out, isn't what he's doing making us more attractive to any investor? i.e. removing any third party millstone.

Foxy, do you think that a club without freehold title to its own stadium is more attractive to investors?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Given that he's looking for investment, rather than a buy out, isn't what he's doing making us more attractive to any investor? i.e. removing any third party millstone.

Foxy, do you think that a club without freehold title to its own stadium is more attractive to investors?

It didn't cause an issue for Manchester city...

 

[Foxy]

Come on Foxy, your blind allegiance to McCabe used to at least be worthy of discussion, now it's just blind. The man has taken us to where we are now without a whimper, even at the play off final he looked as though he couldn't give a shit. To be honest he looked tired of the whole thing, and maybe he is so to that end, why doesn't he use some of his legendary business acumen and make something happen. Bet if it were one of his other businesses going down the pan he wouldn't be so blase about it.

Can I ask just how suggesting we don't help ourselves and could put off investors shows a blind allegiance to Kevin McCabe?

 

[Revolution]

Okay, so it's not a problem if you are owned by a billionaire. That's a relief!

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Okay, so it's not a problem if you are owned by a billionaire. That's a relief!

They weren't owned by a billionaire before shiniwatra invested in them, and they don't own their stadium.

 

[Revolution]

Well, their stadium is owned by a local council who wanted to find a use for an unoccupied stadium and wants to keep the club in the city. It was not owned by a man who made a fortune out of property development. See the difference?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Well, their stadium is owned by a local council who wanted to find a use for an unoccupied stadium and wants to keep the club in the city. It was not owned by a man who made a fortune out of property development. See the difference?

Either way they don't own it, and that fact wasn't a barrier to shinawtara investing.

 

[Revolution]

That is wilfully shutting your eyes to the obvious.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

That is wilfully shutting your eyes to the obvious.

I'm missing something here. You said that not owning our own stadium would make us less attractive to investors. I've demonstrated a case where investment took place despite the club not owning the freehold, a situation in which the club in question has done quite well off (However unpalatable the investor may have been).

 

[Rodley]

I think they are looking for someone to run the club and see if they can make some money on it.

BTW the Pearson rumour just won't go away. Wonder if he'll be taking over?

 

[sheffielder]

I think they are looking for someone to run the club and see if they can make some money on it.

BTW the Pearson rumour just won't go away. Wonder if he'll be taking over?

I was told he offered to pay McCabe's debts last year for control of the club. There could be some legs in this, is he still involved in Hull in anyway?

 

[Princess Annes Dog]

Can I ask just how suggesting we don't help ourselves and could put off investors shows a blind allegiance to Kevin McCabe?

Sorry, could you please define "helping ourselves" as I don't see much evidence of the club doing that in recent years. Does selling our better players and not signing replacements count? We've been good at that. Does talking a good game and delivering nothing count? Again, Mr McCabe's been brilliant at that so again, I can't argue that point.

As a club we're plumbing new depths here Foxy, and if we're "helping ourselves" now don't you think it would have been more prudent to have done it while we were in the Premiership, or maybe the Championship? McCabe was either extremely shortsighted, too tightfisted or simply not bothered, and now we're paying the price. There's no defending the man, the buck stops with him, we're in division 3 and we have nothing. There is no "helping ourselves" anymore, we're a bit like the Titanic just after the iceberg hit. The band's still playing but it doesn't stop us being well and truly fucked.