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Clarification from Paul Barber on Dick Knight Selling his shares



ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,270
Just far enough away from LDC
The point is very clear, the question was they (the Board) can't change something 10 years ago where as they changed something after a year - who is the dullard now ?

You didn't spot the sense of irony on my post. That what directors once agreed with because the then chairman wanted it, may not now be so popular because the current one doesn't.
 




Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
12,994
London
Especially over something as trivial as this, which is DK trying to keep a promise he made to the fans all those years ago, with a nice little bit of marketing for his book thrown in, which is in itself valuable in keeping the memories of those days alive.

Do you really believe that? I'd really like to. But I don't think I can, it just feels like a petty parting swipe at the club to me.
 




Creaky

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2013
3,844
Hookwood - Nr Horley
Totally this, lost a lot of respect fot DK over the last few days. He is coming across a very bitter man trying to unstable the club!

That's a bit dramatic!

All the guy's done is write a book about his experiences as an Albion fan and chairman and suggested he'd like the shares he still retains as a legacy of that involvement be owned by fellow fans.

I've not seen claims that anything in the book is a lie and I don't see how the truth can destabilise the club.
 








Knotty

Well-known member
Feb 5, 2004
2,418
Canterbury
Totally this, lost a lot of respect fot DK over the last few days. He is coming across a very bitter man trying to unstable the club!

Are you serious ?

This thread gets more and more ridiculous. I have no idea if he is a bitter man or not but he is an intelligent man and he knows very well that this won't come remotely close to destabilising the club. So that can't be a reason he's doing it.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,353
Do you really believe that? I'd really like to. But I don't think I can, it just feels like a petty parting swipe at the club to me.

Totally this, lost a lot of respect fot DK over the last few days. He is coming across a very bitter man trying to unstable the club!

can you two just clarify, have actually read the book? i ask because everyone who has is saying that this impression of a bitter and vindictive man isnt there. just trying to gauge is this differeing view from the book, or view built upon a myth being spun by anti-knight people (i cant believe such people even exist, always assumed even Ernest was just having a laugh).
 






HAILSHAM SEAGULL

Well-known member
Nov 9, 2009
10,348
can you two just clarify, have actually read the book? i ask because everyone who has is saying that this impression of a bitter and vindictive man isnt there. just trying to gauge is this differeing view from the book, or view built upon a myth being spun by anti-knight people (i cant believe such people even exist, always assumed even Ernest was just having a laugh).

I dont think anybody associated with the club/fanbase or any message board is ant iDick Knight, bloke is a legend......just sad it has ended in all this furore
 


Hungry Joe

SINNEN
Oct 22, 2004
7,636
Heading for shore
I would say there seems to be more bitterness displayed by a few towards Dick than Dick is showing towards anyone else. And you know who you are.

Why on earth would any Albion fan display bitterness towards Dick Knight? Take a long hard look at yourselves.

If you're referring to me as one of those who know who they are then my last word on this is that I am not bitter, and have already said what a legend Dick is and always will be. I have admitted that my personal feelings towards him as a man are shaped by being treated disrespectfully by him, but maybe he was just having a couple of bad days and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever, that's all pretty trivial to anyone else, and Dick should of course be judged by his achievements for the club. But, and this is a big but, those who are critical should not be made to feel lesser Albion fans for airing their views, whether you agree with them or not. After all, that's all Dick is doing in his book, and if you put yourself in the public eye like that you can't have it both ways. I mentioned earlier about criticism of Dick being turned into BHA treason, and your 'you know who you are' and 'take a look at yourselves' comments just feed into that. I have to say I'm disappointed at you for that Bozza, as usually you rise above such glib jibes. I fought tooth and nail for the club in the capacity that I could at the time, and I know of others that are being pilloried here that did too. We gave our time, money, blood, sweat and tears knowing the only reward would be the survival of the club. There'd be no place in the Directors box, no financial return on our 'investments', no speeches on the pitch, no book deals. So this is our forum and our mouthpiece, and we absolutely deserve the right to criticise if we feel that Dick's recent actions aren't in the best interests of the club. If you think that view is wrong, fair enough, we'll agree to disagree, but don't come out with this holier than thou nonsense.
 




Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
72,008
Living In a Box
If you're referring to me as one of those who know who they are then my last word on this is that I am not bitter, and have already said what a legend Dick is and always will be. I have admitted that my personal feelings towards him as a man are shaped by being treated disrespectfully by him, but maybe he was just having a couple of bad days and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever, that's all pretty trivial to anyone else, and Dick should of course be judged by his achievements for the club. But, and this is a big but, those who are critical should not be made to feel lesser Albion fans for airing their views, whether you agree with them or not. After all, that's all Dick is doing in his book, and if you put yourself in the public eye like that you can't have it both ways. I mentioned earlier about criticism of Dick being turned into BHA treason, and your 'you know who you are' and 'take a look at yourselves' comments just feed into that. I have to say I'm disappointed at you for that Bozza, as usually you rise above such glib jibes. I fought tooth and nail for the club in the capacity that I could at the time, and I know of others that are being pilloried here that did too. We gave our time, money, blood, sweat and tears knowing the only reward would be the survival of the club. There'd be no place in the Directors box, no financial return on our 'investments', no speeches on the pitch, no book deals. So this is our forum and our mouthpiece, and we absolutely deserve the right to criticise if we feel that Dick's recent actions aren't in the best interests of the club. If you think that view is wrong, fair enough, we'll agree to disagree, but don't come out with this holier than thou nonsense.

I really do agree on this, unless you have your certificate presented to you on the pitch at Withdean you are a nobody and must not say anything detrimental against the great man.

The more you did and the more citations you have to prove it means you are the chosen one.
 


Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,803
Seven Dials
What I find strange is that now in the 3rd year of the Amex there are a serious amount of fans who cannot accept the new Albion we now have.

Everything was always going to change when we moved to the Amex and to be the club we want with aspirations then the touchy feely Withdean era needed to be consigned very quickly into history. I accept people like DK is owed a gratitude for saving the club but to think he should mentor someone far more successful than him is misplaced to say the least.

What we have now is a football club and like it or not this is what football is now. The days of ******* over St Pauli, wanting standing terraces etc will never happen but a happy medium has happened at the Amex where we have quite a few peoples favourite beers and many options like Dicks bar and drinking post match at the ground which are not the norm at most other football grounds. Then we had the end of season disco party which, to be honest, was totally amazing and exemplifies the uniqueness we do create and how we do stand out from the crowd. If you did not go, charge up your season ticket with ecash and go - it is bloody good fun and a great event.

While I agree with almost everything you say, the notions that we are a new club and that values that were important at Withdean have no place here in the future are ones I find difficult to accept. Forget your history and you are condemned to repeat its mistakes.
 


Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Aug 8, 2005
26,627
If you're referring to me as one of those who know who they are then my last word on this is that I am not bitter, and have already said what a legend Dick is and always will be. I have admitted that my personal feelings towards him as a man are shaped by being treated disrespectfully by him, but maybe he was just having a couple of bad days and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever, that's all pretty trivial to anyone else, and Dick should of course be judged by his achievements for the club. But, and this is a big but, those who are critical should not be made to feel lesser Albion fans for airing their views, whether you agree with them or not. After all, that's all Dick is doing in his book, and if you put yourself in the public eye like that you can't have it both ways. I mentioned earlier about criticism of Dick being turned into BHA treason, and your 'you know who you are' and 'take a look at yourselves' comments just feed into that. I have to say I'm disappointed at you for that Bozza, as usually you rise above such glib jibes. I fought tooth and nail for the club in the capacity that I could at the time, and I know of others that are being pilloried here that did too. We gave our time, money, blood, sweat and tears knowing the only reward would be the survival of the club. There'd be no place in the Directors box, no financial return on our 'investments', no speeches on the pitch, no book deals. So this is our forum and our mouthpiece, and we absolutely deserve the right to criticise if we feel that Dick's recent actions aren't in the best interests of the club. If you think that view is wrong, fair enough, we'll agree to disagree, but don't come out with this holier than thou nonsense.

I have to agree with your sentiment on that.

Having now read the book completely I would say my evaluation of Dick is pretty much what it was before. He did very very well for many many years. He saved our club and kept it alive. Sometimes during that period his ego got the better of him.

For saving the club and bringing us back to Brighton he is a legend. Was he the best chairman we have ever had after that? Possibly in the top five. Does that mean he is beyond criticism for anything he now does. Of course not. My view is that he shouldn't have done what he has done, he should have accepted Tony's brilliant investment more gracefully. That's it. Other than that he is still a legend. End of.
 




drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,085
Burgess Hill
Nothing on the form or in the book that says that!

Don't you have to send in a voucher cut from the book with the form which suggest buying his shares is conditional of having bought his book.

I dont think anybody associated with the club/fanbase or any message board is anti Dick Knight, bloke is a legend......just sad it has ended in all this furore

Have to agree with this. I particularly think the slur against MP who has been at his side and instrumental in the planning process and delivery of the stadium was totally uncalled for. It suggests MP was planning to 'stab' DK and conspiring against him rather than MP just being the unfortunate messenger who seemingly had to convery news that DK wasn't quite ready to accept!!!
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,126
The arse end of Hangleton
Being a club legend doesn't automatically give DK (or anybody else) a free pass on all other actions.

I agree but that goes both ways as well - it's equally fair not to give TB a free pass.
 


I've just finished reading the book, something I suspect quite a few who have commented on it have not (yet) done.

And I didn't see anything particularly disrespectful of the club or TB in there.

Yes there was some friction at the end; DK obviously - and perfectly reasonably - wanted to step down and hand over at the first game at Falmer, but TB - again perfectly reasonably - wanted to take control once his financial contribution became huge. Up until that time DK says he and TB had put roughly the same amount into the club.

Yes there were some issues with people at the club at the end, these sort of things virtually always happen in big organisations when the leader is leaving but is still there, and the person taking over is also there but not yet in charge. The King is dying, long live the King.

Yes at times it does sound like DK is blowing his own trumpet - and why not? There were thousands of people involved in the fight for Falmer, some hugely involved and some (like me) who only wrote a few letters or sent postcards or went on a march. But DK gives full credit to all these people in the book. These people were critical to our being where we are today, but without DK at the helm we wouldn't have succeeded.

My personal opinion was that we were very lucky to have DK at the helm at that time, in the same way we are very lucky to have TB at the helm now. Dick couldn't do what Tony is doing now and I don't think Tony could have led the fight for Falmer in the same way that Dick did.

I found it very interesting to read Dick's account of what actually happened when Micky Adams left for the second time, when Dean Wilkins was sacked, When Bobby Zamora was signed, what happened with Archer and about the Gareth Barry saga. Dick has lots to say about all these and more, read the book for yourself and make up your own mind.

All in all, a very good read about an incredibly important and complicated time in the club's history, but with, strangely, one glaring omission.

He doesn't say anything about the Cup Final money :wink:
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,870
West west west Sussex
It's odd how infallibility is never offered to anybody.
But posters seem to be putting Dick, over themselves, into that position.
At a time when to many Dick seems to have made a PR misstep.

It's not the end of the world, Dick hasn't become a ogre, I haven't forgotten his hard and expensive battle, his passion, his commitment, his ingenuity, and on and on.
I just think he's been less than dignified with what I assume to be his parting shot at the Albion, c'est la vie.
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,870
West west west Sussex
I agree but that goes both ways as well - it's equally fair not to give TB a free pass.
Absolutely I don't think anyone does.
But TB has put himself in the position that questioning him isn't as easy as questioning the likes of you and me.

DK was in that same position for 15+ years, but the club has moved on, The King is Dead ...
 


eastlondonseagull

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2004
13,385
West Yorkshire
I've just finished reading the book, something I suspect quite a few who have commented on it have not (yet) done.

And I didn't see anything particularly disrespectful of the club or TB in there.

Yes there was some friction at the end; DK obviously - and perfectly reasonably - wanted to step down and hand over at the first game at Falmer, but TB - again perfectly reasonably - wanted to take control once his financial contribution became huge. Up until that time DK says he and TB had put roughly the same amount into the club.

Yes there were some issues with people at the club at the end, these sort of things virtually always happen in big organisations when the leader is leaving but is still there, and the person taking over is also there but not yet in charge. The King is dying, long live the King.

Yes at times it does sound like DK is blowing his own trumpet - and why not? There were thousands of people involved in the fight for Falmer, some hugely involved and some (like me) who only wrote a few letters or sent postcards or went on a march. But DK gives full credit to all these people in the book. These people were critical to our being where we are today, but without DK at the helm we wouldn't have succeeded.

My personal opinion was that we were very lucky to have DK at the helm at that time, in the same way we are very lucky to have TB at the helm now. Dick couldn't do what Tony is doing now and I don't think Tony could have led the fight for Falmer in the same way that Dick did.

I found it very interesting to read Dick's account of what actually happened when Micky Adams left for the second time, when Dean Wilkins was sacked, When Bobby Zamora was signed, what happened with Archer and about the Gareth Barry saga. Dick has lots to say about all these and more, read the book for yourself and make up your own mind.

All in all, a very good read about an incredibly important and complicated time in the club's history, but with, strangely, one glaring omission.

He doesn't say anything about the Cup Final money :wink:

:thumbsup:
 


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