If Only Dick Knight Had Tony Bloom's Money

[drew]

Business acumen is one thing but running a football club is another and right now Knight made a much better fist of things despite modest resources.

It's nothing short of a disgrace how the club have frittered away all the good feeling and feel good vibe of the new stadium. We may never have that buzz again and it will take a big turnaround for season ticket sales not to drop under 15k.

Knight made fantastic decisions for the club e.g. Martin Perry Vs Paul Barber. If things were going wrong he would come out and talk to fans, he certainly wouldn't have made **** up's like releasing the press release to sack Poyet the same time as he was live on BBC during the Copa America.

The appointment of Barber on a vast salary not forget has robbed the club of it's spirit, hence Knight's comments about Albion in the Community. The club has been heading for a car crash ever since Barber was appointed.

He was guilty of being too loyal to staff already at the club such as the examples you made, but his other managerial appointments were excellent.

Adams, Taylor, Coppel, McGhee & Slade all had success or made a positive impact.

I don't know but how many of those were when Bloom was backing the club and how much influence did he have on those appointments, particularly McGhee and Slade.

 

[clapham_gull]

Club quite obviously needs a restructure. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm personally uncomfortable with the communications. Sorry Paul, I'd rather be hearing from the owner than a paid member of the staff with no affiliation with club. Brand Seagulls doesn't do it for me. It's my weekend and whilst you may be at work, I'm personally having a couple of days off.

 

[peterward]

The appointment of Barber on a vast salary not forget has robbed the club of it's spirit, hence Knight's comments about Albion in the Community. The club has been heading for a car crash ever since Barber was appointed.

a lot of things started to change for the worse when Barber was appointed, but as far as purely the business is concerned hes moving it in right direction.

I will always remember Dick Knight fondly, but NEVER forget that even then it was Bloom that was plugging the clubs considerable losses before he was chairman.

Bloom mat have appointed an unsavoury CEO to try and get the business side in order and make the club sustainable, he may be listening to advice that says the DOF arrangement is good, Bloom certainly f**ked up royally with Hyppia, but that doesnt make Bloom any less committed or a fan than he's always been, Knight was the right man at that time, but knight couldn't of survived without Blooms money and we never would have got out of Withdean and annual losses without Booms Money.

All fans want a community club, but the reality is, to have a swanky ground, high paid players and to be in with a chance of reaching the promised land of premier league, you have to be run like a sustainable business. It all has to be paid for.

 

[ROSM]

I don't disagree with that. My point is that there is a section of our fan base for whom, when Knight made poor decisions, made in good faith, they were seen as just that, but when Bloom does the same it is down to some deliberate dastardly plan.

It's ****ing ridiculous.

im sorry but i dont see that

Bloom is an absolute legend and i think that some poor decisions have been given support or been forgiven because of what he too as done. The poyet debacle for one. I said at the time that this was Blooms Wilkins moment.

however he seems detached from those decisions because he has a ceo who speaks so much and says so little. i know hes not detached from them and clearly is making them but it can be seen that way.

thats my opinion like

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Dick Knight ran Brighton with the financial backing of Bloom anyway. DK always said the power would never be in one persons control but isn't that pretty much how his tenure was. Look at the sacking of Micky Adams. Wasn't the story that they met at the Little Chef to discuss things and then decided they better part company with him. Was the whole board there around the table at the time?

Yes, he did engage the fans but wasn't that out of necessity to get the club back to Brighton and then to get planning permission. He knows the power of advertising and a good marketing strategy.

As for decisions, Geoff Wood and Martin Hinshelwood spring to mind.

No thanks, I'd rather stick with Bloom.

You say Dick Knight ran Brighton with the financial backing of Tony Bloom but as I recall the latter's (generous and welcome) money didn't appear until around the time the stadium battle had been won. Prior to that the club had been run on a shoestring, with DK putting in what money he could afford, which wasn't enough, borrowing here and begging there as the knife-edge battle for Falmer staggered on.

With regards to the Little Chef, my understanding was the MA and DK met for a routine conversation about the Millwall game the following day and, more importantly, about the storm clouds gathering back at the ranch. Tony Bloom's money was starting to talk - fair enough - and DK told Micky that unless there was a sudden change in fortunes he might not be able to save him. Mickey felt that he was being put under unreasonable pressure and the rest is history.

 

[drew]

You say Dick Knight ran Brighton with the financial backing of Tony Bloom but as I recall the latter's (generous and welcome) money didn't appear until around the time the stadium battle had been won. Prior to that the club had been run on a shoestring, with DK putting in what money he could afford, which wasn't enough, borrowing here and begging there as the knife-edge battle for Falmer staggered on.

With regards to the Little Chef, my understanding was the MA and DK met for a routine conversation about the Millwall game the following day and, more importantly, about the storm clouds gathering back at the ranch. Tony Bloom's money was starting to talk - fair enough - and DK told Micky that unless there was a sudden change in fortunes he might not be able to save him. Mickey felt that he was being put under unreasonable pressure and the rest is history.

Weren't we losing a million a year at Withdean. Who was funding that? I am sure that someone like El Presidente could advise but I don't think that in the 10 years since we left the Goldstone to the time we got planning permission in 2007 DK could have funded those losses!

 

[Hugh'sDad]

I'll not be popular, but......I always thought Dick was a self publicist, who stepped into a void with soothing words only.
As the header suggests, he never put any money of any consequence in, but always managed to convey the notion that he did (or in the early days of his tenure, would). He was however a fan, and popular figure head of a movement that just wouldn't let the club die, despite Archer's best efforts.
Like-able enough though, without a doubt.

 

[GreersElbow]

Is there anyone left at the club who we can blame for anything that goes wrong? Maybe the ball boys or the mascots, oh, no one's had a go at the tea lady yet.

North stand kiosk server guy.

Had he not been employed, the club wouldn't be in such a mess.

 

[Hamilton]

I'll not be popular, but......I always thought Dick was a self publicist, who stepped into a void with soothing words only.
As the header suggests, he never put any money of any consequence in, but always managed to convey the notion that he did (or in the early days of his tenure, would). He was however a fan, and popular figure head of a movement that just wouldn't let the club die, despite Archer's best efforts.
Like-able enough though, without a doubt.

No, you won't be popular.

He certainly wasn't playing the role of self-publicist when he stepped in.

I don't get the anti-DK group (not saying you are) as I thought haWas the type of chairman we'd like to have in place going forward (albeit with a bit more financial muscle).

Unfortunately, TB doesn't have the time that DK had to be a full time chairman.

 

[Fozzyboy]

Weren't we losing a million a year at Withdean. Who was funding that? I am sure that someone like El Presidente could advise but I don't think that in the 10 years since we left the Goldstone to the time we got planning permission in 2007 DK could have funded those losses!

I think Norman Cook helped fund some of it (according to Dick Knights book)

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Weren't we losing a million a year at Withdean. Who was funding that? I am sure that someone like El Presidente could advise but I don't think that in the 10 years since we left the Goldstone to the time we got planning permission in 2007 DK could have funded those losses!

As I said, much begging and borrowing had to be done. As somebody wrote at the time, if you lived in Dyke Road and saw Dick Knight in your front garden you'd hide behind the sofa. Directors such as Ray Bloom and Derek Chapman helped plus various benefactors such as FBS. But the greatest investment came from Dick Knight. As far as I know, money wasn't coming from Tony Bloom during those nerve-wracking times when it was entirely possible that everyone would lose their shirts. That's not a criticism btw - Tony Bloom might not have had the money then.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I'll not be popular, but......I always thought Dick was a self publicist, who stepped into a void with soothing words only.
As the header suggests, he never put any money of any consequence in, but always managed to convey the notion that he did (or in the early days of his tenure, would). He was however a fan, and popular figure head of a movement that just wouldn't let the club die, despite Archer's best efforts.
Like-able enough though, without a doubt.

All I can say is that I'm impressed that you think a couple of million is of no consequence. You must have an awful lot more money than Dick Knight had.

 

[Bob!]

That is one reason why he didnt have the money and had to continually go cap in hand to wealthy fans becuase he didnt have the business accumen of TB.

As TB says look at the situation after the window closes we will be ok.

Just had to check that this wasn't a bounced thread from August.

Has TB really come out to say the same thing again?

 

[sir albion]

Holy shite it gets worse on here
Dick knight was already out of his depth at the Withdean and he even chose a tacky new crest instead of our traditional round badge..the man's ego was second to none and he loved the attention.

Tony bloom is miles ahead of knight and always will be wether money's involved or not.

This is just a thread for the usual clicks who miss being important like they were during the dark days

Dick knight lol
He's lucky to get a bar named after him and im surprised bloom hasn't had the name changed.

 

[sir albion]

I'll not be popular, but......I always thought Dick was a self publicist, who stepped into a void with soothing words only.
As the header suggests, he never put any money of any consequence in, but always managed to convey the notion that he did (or in the early days of his tenure, would). He was however a fan, and popular figure head of a movement that just wouldn't let the club die, despite Archer's best efforts.
Like-able enough though, without a doubt.

Yep he put roughly 1.5 million in in 10+ years and our record buy was a player for 100k..he got his money back,so all is well.Problem is while he was applauded as a god our debts were racking up to about 8-10 million and to save his blushes bloom stepped in.
He was always on the pitch at half time milking it...not bad for a man who offered little financially and got us into more debt than the goldstone days.

 

[parks]

Holy shite it gets worse on here
Dick knight was already out of his depth at the Withdean and he even chose a tacky new crest instead of our traditional round badge..the man's ego was second to none and he loved the attention.

Tony bloom is miles ahead of knight and always will be wether money's involved or not.

This is just a thread for the usual clicks who miss being important like they were during the dark days

Dick knight lol
He's lucky to get a bar named after him and im surprised bloom hasn't had the name changed.

Hmmmm....I think you might be missing the point...

 

[sir albion]

Hmmmm....I think you might be missing the point...

What money?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

He took over the club with enough money to buy Worthing not a FL club and needed every supporter to subsidise this purchase. As far as fans involvement everybody down to tge kitchen cat knew who we were signing etc there was very little business done in confidence unlike now when generally the first we know is the club announcement.

You make it sound as if you'd rather he hadn't bothered.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Those who have a go at Dick Knight on here must have no idea of what he did for us. He never professed to be a multi millionaire or anywhere near that. He was just a fan who was prepared to stick his head above the parapet and coordinate a takeover of our club from a bunch of crooks. Budgets were small and he begged and borrowed money to keep the club going. Whether or not he would achieve anything with a great personal wealth is immaterial. I believe we don't know about half the personal financial sacrifices he made to achieve what he did.
They sidelined him and a lot of the team that achieved so much - those who people complain about on here but were the heart and soul of the club. I expect he feels pleased to be well out of the current mess.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Those who have a go at Dick Knight on here must have no idea of what he did for us. He never professed to be a multi millionaire or anywhere near that. He was just a fan who was prepared to stick his head above the parapet and coordinate a takeover of our club from a bunch of crooks. Budgets were small and he begged and borrowed money to keep the club going. Whether or not he would achieve anything with a great personal wealth is immaterial. I believe we don't know about half the personal financial sacrifices he made to achieve what he did.
They sidelined him and a lot of the team that achieved so much - those who people complain about on here but were the heart and soul of the club. I expect he feels pleased to be well out of the current mess.

Exactly.

I know that about half the people on here will dismiss my opinion as biased because of my invlolvement with DK's book, but it wasn't just a question of Dick turning up with a few quid and taking the club off Archer's hands. It was a long struggle that involved many hours, days and weeks working with the FA, fans, and at CEDR trying to prise Archer's claws from the dying body of our club. If getting the financial side right involved going round with a begging bowl or equivalent to those who did have a few quid, then thank **** that he was willing to do it. Because I didn't notice many other people volunteering.

And as for dismissing some of the Falmer For All team and the others who gave up their time to deliver leaflets and fill in petitions as bitter because they're no longer as close to the club as they were, that's a great disservice to all of them. As far as I can tell, they just want what's best for the club now, as they did then. If their opinion of what that is happens to differ from yours, then it's a free country.