Steve Bettis - an apology

[Tony Currie]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

 

[Rodley]

Much maligned by some, but given all the change we’ve seen in the last 5-10 years I think overall he’s marshalled the ship pretty well. Under his involvement we’ve actually been relatively successful compared to previous administrations.

Sure there are areas to improve - transfer business is still too slow for example. But suspect history will be a little kinder to him overall.

GLTTL.

 

[KMC-1889]

Steve Bettis can get to fuck. He’s been the one constant throughout years of absolutely shambolic behaviour from the club.

 

[Snake]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

That's one of my major gripes about the internet and social media in general. People (generally nobodies, WUMs and keyboard warriors) say things without any or little genuine knowledge or understanding of the situation. Unfortunately the ones with the biggest gobs (so to speak) tend to get noticed and their views become accepted as fact. This is not directed at you btw, you at least recognise that you may have been incorrect in your thinking.

 

[FoxtrotAlphaZulu]

Never had much of an issue with Bettis. Historically fronted up to interviews trying to offer clarity and speaks fairly honestly I think. Remarks made by him in the past suggest he's does what he can to support Wilder. Seem to remember him saying something along the lines of (tongue in cheek) what Wilder wants Wilder gets, and it's hard to say no to him.

It certainly appears like it's been him steering the ship in the absence of our owners, that he was one who wanted to keep CW and cracked on with almost single-handedly recruiting in the run up to the window closing. I've heard the main person for wanting Wilder gone was Russo, and he's since sold his stake. Don't know if/how true that is.

I can't actually see what he's fundamentally done wrong to deserve the hate.

 

[I should coco]

I can't actually see what he's fundamentally done wrong to deserve the hate.

He's a mongoose bastard snek hater!

Just ask the Tufty Club, and if you're really unlucky, they'll chuck in some Betty impersonations.

 

[Swannyblade]

Isn't it Bettis' job to be a yes man? Isn't he the one who has to put the decisions of the owners (whoever they may be) into action? I always got the impression that rather than setting the strategy (as the position of CEO might suggest), he was just the one taking the orders from the very top. He might have a bit more influence on decision making since joining the board, but I'd be very surprised if he's the one steering the ship.

 

[Razor_Blade]

Our fans love a scapegoat.

They just have to blame someone for everything. It marginally better than being deluded about everything but still pretty embarrassing.

 

[Inter_blade83]

Snek

 

[Kenilworth]

Never had much of an issue with Bettis. Historically fronted up to interviews trying to offer clarity and speaks fairly honestly I think. Remarks made by him in the past suggest he's does what he can to support Wilder. Seem to remember him saying something along the lines of (tongue in cheek) what Wilder wants Wilder gets, and it's hard to say no to him.

It certainly appears like it's been him steering the ship in the absence of our owners, that he was one who wanted to keep CW and cracked on with almost single-handedly recruiting in the run up to the window closing. I've heard the main person for wanting Wilder gone was Russo, and he's since sold his stake. Don't know if/how true that is.

I can't actually see what he's fundamentally done wrong to deserve the hate.

Was Russo the comic book film maker? I. Ever know cos I hate all that Marvel / DC stuff - unless it’s the darker Batman movies and Deadpool (but I also dislike the Wrexham circus)

 

[More Bladier than thou]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

Bettis gets alot of shit from people on this forum. The guy has done a great job, under Hrh he worked some magic, hands tied on alot of stuff but has stayed, worked through crappy situations, wangled some great deals for the club, found Coh sports and negotiated the buy out for them. He is abgood servant to the club and deserves more respect. Many would've jumped ship, he’s done nowt to get shit off our fans

 

[Sheffsteel]

Bettis gets alot of shit from people on this forum. The guy has done a great job, under Hrh he worked some magic, hands tied on alot of stuff but has stayed, worked through crappy situations, wangled some great deals for the clib, found Coh sports and negotiated the buy out for them. He is abgood servant to the club and deserves more respect.

I’m certainly not in the know but about 3 year ago spoke to someone off the record, directly close to the top, so this isn’t a rumour, it was straight from the horses mouth.
He was very complementary about Bettis, told me he’s excellent at his job and a good person, said we were lucky to have him.
I also believe he has an excellent and very close relationship with Wilder.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

Over the years Wilder has repeatedly and publicly expressed gratitude for Bettis's role in the running of the club.

 

[Houston_Blade]

The one comment that makes me laugh when people throw it out about Bettis is “no football experience”. He’s 51 years old and has 10 years experience in football. I’m fairly sure 10 years experience in any field is classed as enough. He’s worked for a club with promotions, relegations, embargoes, ownership changes and various other issues. He’s seen a fair bit.

I think a lot of it is the fact he drives a Range Rover and earns a bit of money, some people just don’t like it.

 

[YES Blade]

COH probably told Bettis to ring Wilder, I very much doubt he did it off his own bat.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

Over the years Wilder has repeatedly and publicly expressed gratitude for Bettis's role in the running of the club.

Not surprised gets him a big pay off and then hires him back 6 months later…and I doubt the contract is worse

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Steve Bettis can get to fuck. He’s been the one constant throughout years of absolutely shambolic behaviour from the club.

Aye
Constant through the “shambolic” 3 promotions; 2 play off defeats ((& 2 relegations) following his appointment to a club entering its 6th consecutive season in the 3rd tier
“Get to fuck” indeed

 

[FoxtrotAlphaZulu]

Was Russo the comic book film maker? I. Ever know cos I hate all that Marvel / DC stuff - unless it’s the darker Batman movies and Deadpool (but I also dislike the Wrexham circus)

Yes

 

[FoxtrotAlphaZulu]

COH probably told Bettis to ring Wilder, I very much doubt he did it off his own bat.

I'm willing to bet it was more like Bettis thinking, fuck this, and telling COH I'm getting Wilder back, considering he was allegedly one of those wanting to keep Wilder.

 

[SwissBlade]

Much maligned by some, but given all the change we’ve seen in the last 5-10 years I think overall he’s marshalled the ship pretty well. Under his involvement we’ve actually been relatively successful compared to previous administrations.

Sure there are areas to improve - transfer business is still too slow for example. But suspect history will be a little kinder to him overall.

GLTTL.

Something I was told last summer that during transfer negotiations other clubs would have several people “around the table” discussing several parts of deals. Other clubs would also have different people for the various business streams - academy, first team, facilities, women’s team, infrastructure…

We have one man. That doesn’t appear to have changed

 

[KMC-1889]

Aye
Constant through the “shambolic” 3 promotions; 2 play off defeats ((& 2 relegations) following his appointment to a club entering its 6th consecutive season in the 3rd tier
“Get to fuck” indeed

What about employing two managers of the women’s team we’ve had to suspend, the Cusack saga, not paying suppliers, not paying other clubs, employing two managers that didn’t get through a quarter of the season, being in post for 10 years and still having no wider footballing structure, constantly doing transfer business in the last week of any window…. I could keep going.

Most of you lot were after his blood when you thought it was him that got wilder sacked the first time. The Snek meme exists for a reason.

The only reason he’s still in a job is our current and previous owners can’t be arsed to find someone else.

 

[Cappy]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him

So you’re saying COH told him to get CW back, and he said ‘yes’?

Only joking. My mind isn’t fully made up on him. There have been some shockingly amateur activities under his rule. And before anyone says it’s the owner(s), not him, he is the CEO and runs the business day to day. He sets the culture, and at times it’s been awful. Certainly not a high performance culture internally in the business. But he also got the desires of the new owners embedded really quickly internally. It was his doing and was very well done.

But I believe he’s off soon. Once a transition is well established and low-rIsk to SUFC, he will leave. His choice but with the backing of the board. Off to work on his tan elsewhere

 

[Simple Blade]

Does anyone seriously think that the Prince and the new owners would have trusted him if he didn’t know how to run a business?

 

[Frank the tank]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

I made an assumption based on very little and have now changed my position based on another assumption based on even.less

 

[Foxy]

Bettis gets alot of shit from people on this forum.

I'd suggest it's more balanced overall, with the most obviously noticeable being when people go to the extreme in negativity.

I'd suggest "social media" in general give him a lot more shit than he gets on here.

 

[Blade58]

I wrongly thought Bettis was a yes man for COH. After wilder confirmed it was Steve who rang him to enquire about returning it looks likely he was one of the board who wanted Wilder to stay. I apologise for this and thank him for leading Wilders return. It also seems that Steve has been instrumental in bringing in some of the experience, we so badly needed, late in the window. Thank you.

Yep, I believe he was one of the minority that voted for him to stay

 

[The Crab]

Was Russo the comic book film maker? I. Ever know cos I hate all that Marvel / DC stuff - unless it’s the darker Batman movies and Deadpool (but I also dislike the Wrexham circus)

Thanks to Wrexham I can’t watch Ryan Reynolds in anything.

My son finds that strange and he’s probably right.

The other one I’ve never heard of before

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

What about employing two managers of the women’s team we’ve had to suspend, the Cusack saga, not paying suppliers, not paying other clubs, employing two managers that didn’t get through a quarter of the season, being in post for 10 years and still having no wider footballing structure, constantly doing transfer business in the last week of any window…. I could keep going.

Most of you lot were after his blood when you thought it was him that got wilder sacked the first time. The Snek meme exists for a reason.

The only reason he’s still in a job is our current and previous owners can’t be arsed to find someone else.

Fair do’s - I hadn’t paid much heed (indeed, none) to the women’s team,which, at best, appears tawdry, albeit outcome of both the Cusack “saga” (awaiting Coroner’s verdict?) & Thompson’s suspension are (currently) ‘unclear’. It does appear that Morgan was a ‘wrong un’ - hence him being punted.
The litany of other shortcomings would (sadly) appear representative of many ‘businesses’ in 21 Century Britain m. Examples about
Tesco ‘rely’ on fucking over their (small) suppliers by / through late payments.
Corporations (appear to) constantly hire & fire/ middle managers & reset/ rebrand for no discernible rhyme nor reason
Water Companies (appear to) routinely employ fuck wits to run their ‘business’ (into the ground) with no forward planning.
I’ remain unconvinced that Bettis should ‘carry the can’ for the overall financial’ challenges posed / faced by previous regimes (albeit I accept that ultimately that is what he is paid to do).
Equally, there does appear to some (semblance of) off field / infrastructure progression proposed / described albeit not yet clearly visible.
Surely Bettis can only perform & achieve within the (financial) parameters defined by McCabe, Abdullah; COH?
Ultimately despite (because of?) financial circumstance & shenanigans Bettis has presided over the (men’s team’s) most ‘successful’ (least unsuccessful?) period in half a Century & 3 ownership regimes have maintained (& promoted) him - he must be doing something right (or not enough wrong) to lull those ultimately in charge to not be (sufficiently) “arsed” to identify & employ someone better?
It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to postulate that irrespective of the failings you document that such are deemed as (acceptable?!?) collateral damage’
Not sure who the “you lot” you refer to are - I (naively) assume that Bettis (& most everyone else@ the club) performs in a manner that they believe will benefit SUFC.
I’d hazard a guess that anyone in a position of authority (& power) has their fair share of disparaging “memes” & for a variety of reasons - not all of them informed by anything other that personal(ity) preference

 

[Mendi]