The Great Disconnect - why we love our team but need the club to rebuild our trust

[Joey66]

Respectfully disagree Joey

I think the stadium should be the #1 priority, as getting that sorted assures our future for years to come

So long as we're in the top half and having a good go at the Cups, then I can take a few lean years to get that stadium sorted

I mean, I've already had 21 of them, what's a couple more at this point?

New stadiums have not helped teams who have been relegated Derby - Bolton etc if you don't have a team who are up there why do you want a luxury stadia with no one watching your team -
sorry team must come first to put bums on seats imo your manager comes out and states your striker is too good for our club????????????????????????

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

New stadiums have not helped teams who have been relegated Derby - Bolton etc if you don't have a team who are up there why do you want a luxury stadia with no one watching your team -
sorry team must come first to put bums on seats imo your manager comes out and states your striker is too good for our club????????????????????????

I think the crowds will show up so long as we're in the Premier League mate

I mean, we were cack for large chunks of last season and people were still showing up

There's a difference between having a so-so squad who are regularly finishing 7th/8th while the new stadium gets built, to being a side getting relegated while said stadium is being built

I'm not proposing the squad be allowed to get so bad that relegation is on the cards

What I'm saying is if we have to ease off on making big signings and endure a few seasons of meh 7th place finishes while the stadium is prioritised, I'm fine with that as, in my opinion, the stadium really is the most important thing on the cards right now and I'm all for Moshiri making it his number one priority

We need to get out of the short termist mind set and starting thinking about the future

If, and this is still an if because we haven't had any true confirmation at this stage, Moshiri can take us away from the "hand to mouth" financial approach we've had for the past two decades and actually get us to a state of stability, then we really should be thinking long-term and not just living in the here and now. If we have to go through another couple of lean years to get to a prolonged period of success, then it's worth it in my eyes

We have to think about what sort of club we want to leave to those who come after us. Yeah, it's crap that we've had to live through so much disappointment and mediocrity, but if that means the fans in 30 years time can inherit a powerful and successful club, then surely it's worth it? I personally would love to be one of the grumpy blokes in what eventually becomes the equivalent of the Park End in 30 years time, chastising the younger supporters for moaning about a loss because I was around when things were really rubbish and we hadn't won the x amount of Cups they'd seen us win during their brief periods of fandom

Just my opinion though. I know most are spoiling for us to win something ASAP by any means, and I appreciate that viewpoint (oh dear lord, do I appreciate it!), but if Moshiri is what he purports to be we could be in for many happy years ahead, so I'd like us to make the right decisions now while we still can, and the stadium is one of them

 

[ijjysmith]

I think the crowds will show up so long as we're in the Premier League mate

I mean, we were cack for large chunks of last season and people were still showing up

There's a difference between having a so-so squad who are regularly finishing 7th/8th while the new stadium gets built, to being a side getting relegated while said stadium is being built

I'm not proposing the squad be allowed to get so bad that relegation is on the cards

What I'm saying is if we have to ease off on making big signings and endure a few seasons of meh 7th place finishes while the stadium is prioritised, I'm fine with that as, in my opinion, the stadium really is the most important thing on the cards right now and I'm all for Moshiri making it his number one priority

We need to get out of the short termist mind set and starting thinking about the future

If, and this is still an if because we haven't had any true confirmation at this stage, Moshiri can take us away from the "hand to mouth" financial approach we've had for the past two decades and actually get us to a state of stability, then we really should be thinking long-term and not just living in the here and now. If we have to go for another couple of lean years to get to a prolonged period of success, the it's worth it in my eyes

We have to think about what sort of club we want to leave to those who come after us. Yeah, it's crap that we've had to live through so much disappointment and mediocrity, but if that means the fans in 20 years time can inherit a powerful and successful club, then surely it's worth it. I personally would love to be one of the grumpy blokes in what eventually becomes the equivalent of the Park End in 30 years time, chastising the younger supporters for moaning about a loss because I was around when things were really rubbish and we hadn't won the x amount of Cups they'd seen us win during their brief periods of fandom

Just my opinion though. I know most are spoiling for us to win something ASAP by any means, and I appreciate that viewpoint (oh dear lord, do I appreciate it!), but if Moshiri is what he purports to be we could be in for many happy years ahead, so I'd like us to make the right decisions now while we still can, and the stadium is one of them

I can't wait to reconnect with you on Sunday. x

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I can't wait to reconnect with you on Sunday. x

*Hug*

 

[DerbyshireAndHarper]

New stadiums have not helped teams who have been relegated Derby - Bolton etc if you don't have a team who are up there why do you want a luxury stadia with no one watching your team -
sorry team must come first to put bums on seats imo your manager comes out and states your striker is too good for our club????????????????????????

We're not a Derby or a Bolton though.

The new stadium has to be the absolute number one priority as it will transform the club for the long term.

We're selling out every single game at the moment and we're not even playing well.

The only way this club will ever improve is by dramatically increasing the income it receives - matchday, commercial operations, sponsorship, corporate.... the only way to do all of that is via a new stadium. It will also massively improve the image of the club and raise the club's profile, all things needed to attract better players.

It's got to the point now where building a new stadium isn't even an option to be debated. We need to do so just to keep up with the likes of Spurs and West Ham, two clubs we have always been bigger than.

 

[Joey66]

We're not a Derby or a Bolton though.

The new stadium has to be the absolute number one priority as it will transform the club for the long term.

We're selling out every single game at the moment and we're not even playing well.

The only way this club will ever improve is by dramatically increasing the income it receives - matchday, commercial operations, sponsorship, corporate.... the only way to do all of that is via a new stadium. It will also massively improve the image of the club and raise the club's profile, all things needed to attract better players.

It's got to the point now where building a new stadium isn't even an option to be debated. We need to do so just to keep up with the likes of Spurs and West Ham, two clubs we have always been bigger than.

Our stadium is full because of record season ticket sales due to the new owner promises of billions to spend in the transfer market it has not happened - a poor season this year, and a loss of stars maybe in the future - may change that next season - if your team is playing well on the pitch in search for a new stadium helps with sponsors etc etc that's why a team on the pitch to push for the top four imo is priority no 1!
we seem to be at a no change sold Stones to buy - our play so far I feel our league position is false as we have played teams in the lower half faltering at Burnley, and with Swansea time will tell , but I see no improvement on
last season imo!

 

[DerbyshireAndHarper]

Our stadium is full because of record season ticket sales due to the new owner promises of billions to spend in the transfer market it has not happened - a poor season this year, and a loss of stars maybe in the future - may change that next season - if your team is playing well on the pitch in search for a new stadium helps with sponsors etc etc that's why a team on the pitch to push for the top four imo is priority no 1!
we seem to be at a no change sold Stones to buy - our play so far I feel our league position is false as we have played teams in the lower half faltering at Burnley, and with Swansea time will tell , but I see no improvement on
last season imo!

We had record season ticket sales last season too, with no sign of new ownership and on the back of a poor 11th place finish in 2014/15.

I understand where you're coming from mate, yes the team does need to be better and that can help attract better financial deals, but we really do need to push this forward now and think long term. The club needs a higher ambition than its had for the last 30 years and building a new stadium is certainly needed and a higher ambition.

 

[Joey66]

We had record season ticket sales last season too, with no sign of new ownership and on the back of a poor 11th place finish in 2014/15.

I understand where you're coming from mate, yes the team does need to be better and that can help attract better financial deals, but we really do need to push this forward now and think long term. The club needs a higher ambition than its had for the last 30 years and building a new stadium is certainly needed and a higher ambition.

This season its a heavier sales I know that as my brother goes to the odd game and tells me that also RM first season was record prem points - nothing has changed on the pitch even with a new manager too!
you can dress it up all you want we have 5 hard games coming up lets see were we sit in the table after those!
hopefully we will improve ?

 

[The Esk]

Serious question ...

I agree with your basic precept that communication from the club is crap, but, if a company of yours had a set of people who were closely aligned to how that company operated, would you honestly offer a place on the board to a representative of theirs or would you just appoint the best people for the various jobs at board level and below and, while listening to what everyone else had to say, just let the professionals get on with it ?

For the sake of the argument I'm assuming you will actually be appointing competent people and wouldn't have a shop-soiled CEO on the board.

It's an interesting question and to some extent gets to the root of what I'm trying to say.

Ordinarily in a business you'd only appoint as you say the most qualified and connected individuals to your board, but I think football clubs are different which is why I alluded to the principles behind Rule 34 - the need (fiduciary duties not withstanding) to look after the interests of the club, and the custodian/public service aspect of the role. My argument is that you can align shareholder interests with that of the club and therefore a suitably qualified fan can play a role in that whilst bringing a very different perspective to the board's decision making capabilities.

 

[Bally8]

Enjoyed that article, I am pessimistic as to if this will ever change though.

The inclusions on the board of directions absolutely stink of disconnect and I will look at one person, Robert Elstone.

He's the man who's kept us in the dark at every possible opportunity and the man who played a part in a mans departure who started to change this.

Nobody has been able to explain to me one why he's still here and why he's on the board of the directors.

Please give me a explanation

 

[lancs blue]

Enjoyed that article, I am pessimistic as to if this will ever change though.

The inclusions on the board of directions absolutely stink of disconnect and I will look at one person, Robert Elstone.

He's the man who's kept us in the dark at every possible opportunity and the man who played a part in a mans departure who started to change this.

Nobody has been able to explain to me one why he's still here and why he's on the board of the directors.

Please give me a explanation

kenwright

 

[Bally8]

kenwright

He's another one but he ain't going nowhere it's his train set still even though he's only got 2 fingers on it now.

 

[Elong]

We already have the world's biggest blue on the board, Bill Kenwright, surely another would be surplus.

 

[bluejohn66]

Absloute disgrace to say the club don't communicate with us !!

 

[Woolly Blue]

It's an interesting question and to some extent gets to the root of what I'm trying to say.

Ordinarily in a business you'd only appoint as you say the most qualified and connected individuals to your board, but I think football clubs are different which is why I alluded to the principles behind Rule 34 - the need (fiduciary duties not withstanding) to look after the interests of the club, and the custodian/public service aspect of the role. My argument is that you can align shareholder interests with that of the club and therefore a suitably qualified fan can play a role in that whilst bringing a very different perspective to the board's decision making capabilities.

Ta.

You didn't actually answer with a Yes or a No, but I'm reading between the lines and going for a maybe leaning towards a Yes !

It's tricky though. Off-hand I can think of half a dozen posters on here ( including you ) who could offer something to the club which would defo add a lot both from fan's persepective.

In the real world I know one person who's "suitably qualified" who has been involved on the outskirts in the past and could doubtless add something now.

But is that enough to justify a position on the board ?


My gut reaction is no, those people should have some influence and, in the same way that the BoD of a "normal" company would, they should be seriously listened to, but taking them fully into the decision making process is too much.

If some sort of fans representative was added to the board, I would be very wary ( I'm assuming some sort of election here ) of anyone who put themselves for such a post.

I'd also be uncomfortable with the idea that such a fan's representative would need to be "suitably qualified".

FTAOD - I am categorically ruling myself from any such post which may exist in the future, may God strike me dead / @micknick or @Groucho ban me if I show any interest in such a post at the club !