Congratulations to Paul Barber.

[One Teddy Maybank]

Are you actually allowed to be passionate in the 1901 club? And if so what does that entail? Not fishing, a genuine question for the corporates who pump so much of their "justified" money into the football club ....

Of course you are. The only thing that is slightly frowned upon is excessive swearing. Though somebody behind me totally lost it on Saturday...... The only time I was really lost it on Saturday was with Gardner, when he lost a 50/50 and then plodded back.

Whilst I've yet to hear the 1901ers start any chants, the majority around me including myself join in. But then again, I've yet to hear anything from the East side of the stadium, but does that make them a lesser supporter?

I stood in the North Stand from 1975 onwards, sat at Gillingham, and sat in the Southat Withdean. We still go out about 45 mins before to watch the warm-up and stay in our seats at half-time.

We also go to a number of away games, again as do a large majority around us.

I get quite irked by the apparent anti-1901 sentiment by other fans. It's about choice at the end of the day.

 

[burrish-gull]

Of course you are. The only thing that is slightly frowned upon is excessive swearing. Though somebody behind me totally lost it on Saturday...... The only time I was really lost it on Saturday was with Gardner, when he lost a 50/50 and then plodded back.

Whilst I've yet to hear the 1901ers start any chants, the majority around me including myself join in. But then again, I've yet to hear anything from the East side of the stadium, but does that make them a lesser supporter?

I stood in the North Stand from 1975 onwards, sat at Gillingham, and sat in the Southat Withdean. We still go out about 45 mins before to watch the warm-up and stay in our seats at half-time.

We also go to a number of away games, again as do a large majority around us.

I get quite irked by the apparent anti-1901 sentiment by other fans. It's about choice at the end of the day.

Its sounds like the passion is overwhelming in there, at least in the WSU you can actually say the "F Word" and everyone understands the context, but I take your point on board and fair play to you. I could probably afford to join "the 1901 club" BUT I'd rather go and live in Kent and support Palace (a lot do for some strange "genetic" reason). But like you say its all about choice.......

 

[nwgull]

Bingo!

Fair play to Paul for talking himself into the role!

But as a fan that is a crazy salary. Most MD's running a company with a turnover our size would be pad less than half that.

Gets paid about the same as Kemy Agustien (and many of the first team squad). At least he does something for his money.

 

[Giraffe]

I suspect (but to be clear don't know) that Barber is bonused on a profit (or loss) target. That would be normal for a CEO.

As a result his entire focus is on this short term goal. Many businesses have suffered from this kind of short termism. I hope we don't become one of them. How this generally works is that the CEO cuts costs and increases prices leading to a natural rise in profit as a result. However over time customers get fed up with this and the customer base declines and therefore so does the profit. This takes a while though and therefore it works well for a time but long term it can be a disaster.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

One man.

And it is Ken Brown's operational regime that oversaw losses of £24.6M during the first two years at the Amex.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

And it is Ken Brown's operational regime that oversaw losses of £24.6M during the first two years at the Amex.

Again one man, there will all ways be those that fail.

Do you think most successful or moderately successful businesses pay MD'S and CE this sort of wedge? Outside of the large corporates or the financial industry?

Just find it rather strange that a provincial FC is paying it's CE this sort of money in the championship losing money with record gates with little money it seems to bring in good quality championship players.

I'm sure Paul is a very capable and savy operator, not sure he is what we need at the Albion though and his remit might be one that ultimately will see us go backwards on the pitch while others pass us by which I'm sure is not the intention but appears to now be the result.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Again one man, there will all ways be those that fail.

It's a bit more than just an isolated personal "failure". Ken Brown was in place for the last years at Withdean, presided over the Falmer move and was managerially responsible for the operational performance in 2011/12 and, largely, for the following year too. £24.6M of the Directors' money was required to cover the losses over this period with the Chairman having previously stated, when he took over, that his objective was to see the Club self-financing when we moved to Falmer. No wonder KB was fired.

Do you think most successful or moderately successful businesses pay MD'S and CE this sort of wedge? Outside of the large corporates or the financial industry?.

I've no idea but from memory didn't the Board go for the best candidate available. Did/do you have anyone else in mind who would have been suitable? PB was voted both overall Football CEO and FL CEO of the Year in 2013.

Just find it rather strange that a provincial FC is paying it's CE this sort of money in the championship losing money with record gates with little money it seems to bring in good quality championship players.

I don't understand what point your trying to make; surely in the first place he's been brought in to deal with the income/expenditure imbalance and stabilise the finances whilst maintaining the best possible playing budget for salaries and transfers? In the last published set of accounts (2012/13) income for the "record gates" was £8.7M equating to approx 40% of the total BHA wage bill, 22% of the club's annual expenditure (£38.8M) and somewhat less than the £15.2M or so put in by the directors.

I'm sure Paul is a very capable and savy operator, not sure he is what we need at the Albion though and his remit might be one that ultimately will see us go backwards on the pitch while overs pass us by which I'm sure is not the intetntion but appears to now be the result.

Frankly, I'm not in a position to judge PB's performance. His remit will be dictated by the Board (ie TB) so if that see's us going backwards then it's down to Tony surely? It's his club after all.

 

[portlock seagull]

This. The post you were responding to, was ridiculous. As has been pointed out on countless occasions, there 1901 members myself included, who are as passionate fans, if not more so than others elsewhere.

It's about choice, having sat in the South stand getting drenched as a family we decided to go corporate.

That does not make us any lesser or more a supporter than anyone else!

Correct and I forgot to point out most of not all are diehard albion fans.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I suspect (but to be clear don't know) that Barber is bonused on a profit (or loss) target. That would be normal for a CEO.

As a result his entire focus is on this short term goal. Many businesses have suffered from this kind of short termism. I hope we don't become one of them. How this generally works is that the CEO cuts costs and increases prices leading to a natural rise in profit as a result. However over time customers get fed up with this and the customer base declines and therefore so does the profit. This takes a while though and therefore it works well for a time but long term it can be a disaster.

I am not 100% certain, but think that PB is paid a basic of between 100 and 150k per annum (I'm pretty sure the original job advert was posted on here) and the rest is made up of bonuses he gets for sponsorship deals and targets etc. So when he gets what many see as a large bonus, we can be pretty sure that he has generated far more than that in income/cost savings for the club.

 

[drew]

In which case he shouldn't be being paid 500k plus per year.

I thought he was the CEO - they usually do a lot more than that.....

Correct me if I'm wrong but in the last set of accounts there was one salary for a director shown which was £480k and wasn't it suggested that was probably for PB and almost certainly included bonuses due for substantially reducing the operating losses. This would suggest that his salary is far from £500k a year but we'll see in a few weeks time when the accounts for 2013/14 season are submitted to the FL (they may already have been submitted to Companies house!). I don't know what his salary is or his bonus structure but if he has reduced an operating loss from £16m to £8m then I wouldn't argue with him getting a bonus.

 

[Giraffe]

I am not 100% certain, but think that PB is paid a basic of between 100 and 150k per annum (I'm pretty sure the original job advert was posted on here) and the rest is made up of bonuses he gets for sponsorship deals and targets etc. So when he gets what many see as a large bonus, we can be pretty sure that he has generated far more than that in income/cost savings for the club.

That may well be the case yes, as the poster above has mentioned the accounts show £480k total pay.

 

[drew]

I suspect (but to be clear don't know) that Barber is bonused on a profit (or loss) target. That would be normal for a CEO.

As a result his entire focus is on this short term goal. Many businesses have suffered from this kind of short termism. I hope we don't become one of them. How this generally works is that the CEO cuts costs and increases prices leading to a natural rise in profit as a result. However over time customers get fed up with this and the customer base declines and therefore so does the profit. This takes a while though and therefore it works well for a time but long term it can be a disaster.

Why do you consider bringing costs under control and raising revenue as just a short term goal? Prices have gone up but that is hardly the reason for the massive change in our operating costs. I don't think people get fed up with the price rises and stop coming (although we would obviously prefer them to be cheaper), they get fed up when the entertainment on the pitch is poor.

 

[knocky1]

Congatulations to Barbar for taking 7 wickets in the thrashing of Australia in Dubai today. Michael Clarke needs to find his form. Roll on next summer.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Correct me if I'm wrong but in the last set of accounts there was one salary for a director shown which was £480k and wasn't it suggested that was probably for PB and almost certainly included bonuses due for substantially reducing the operating losses. This would suggest that his salary is far from £500k a year but we'll see in a few weeks time when the accounts for 2013/14 season are submitted to the FL (they may already have been submitted to Companies house!). I don't know what his salary is or his bonus structure but if he has reduced an operating loss from £16m to £8m then I wouldn't argue with him getting a bonus.

Don't let it spoil your Christmas but the 2013/14 statutory accounts for the three companies (ie Holding, Football Club and Stadium) don't have to be submitted to Companies House until the end of March 2015. Last year they weren't signed off by the auditors until late November, then submitted in February.
The data due to the Football League under the FFP regulations will be on the football club entity only (ie BHA FC Ltd) as this is the FL member; these data will not the same as the statutory accounts.

 

[FamilyGuy]

I'm a customer and I'm not satisfied

Great title for a new thread .....

 

[Lower West Stander]

I suspect (but to be clear don't know) that Barber is bonused on a profit (or loss) target. That would be normal for a CEO.

As a result his entire focus is on this short term goal. Many businesses have suffered from this kind of short termism. I hope we don't become one of them. How this generally works is that the CEO cuts costs and increases prices leading to a natural rise in profit as a result. However over time customers get fed up with this and the customer base declines and therefore so does the profit. This takes a while though and therefore it works well for a time but long term it can be a disaster.

Yep - the easiest way to way to make the bottom line look better.

I don't actually think its a matter of short term ism, but rather that Barber has cut all the low hanging fruit from costs and the only way to continue to do this going forward is through the playing budget and by getting ever more micro about cost management. This leads to silly cost cutting trivialities which all serve to p*iss people off.

 

[drew]

Don't let it spoil your Christmas but the 2013/14 statutory accounts for the three companies (ie Holding, Football Club and Stadium) don't have to be submitted to Companies House until the end of March 2015. Last year they weren't signed off by the auditors until late November, then submitted in February.
The data due to the Football League under the FFP regulations will be on the football club entity only (ie BHA FC Ltd) as this is the FL member; these data will not the same as the statutory accounts.

Thanks, I didn't know when the deadline for the accounts to companies house was due. However, I do appreciate that those accounts will be different to the ones to be submitted by December. Hence the three entities may be losing a combined £1m per month but we may still comply with FFP.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Thanks, I didn't know when the deadline for the accounts to companies house was due. However, I do appreciate that those accounts will be different to the ones to be submitted by December. Hence the three entities may be losing a combined £1m per month but we may still comply with FFP.

Yes and, hypothetically, the Holding Company could be breaking even whilst BHA FC Ltd makes a loss because it's paying rent to the Community Stadium Ltd for the Amex (£1M/pa). This situation would be further compounded in 2014/15 as rent will start being payable on the Lancing training ground.

 

[Weststander]

Yes and, hypothetically, the Holding Company could be breaking even whilst BHA FC Ltd makes a loss because it's paying rent to the Community Stadium Ltd for the Amex (£1M/pa). This situation would be further compounded in 2014/15 as rent will start being payable on the Lancing training ground.

A rent between group companies is a an irrelevance. It could be one pound or £5m, and doesn't matter. The group or consolidated financial statements will give the true result for the Albion as an entity in its dealings with non-group entities and customers.

 

[drew]

A rent between group companies is a an irrelevance. It could be one pound or £5m, and doesn't matter. The group or consolidated financial statements will give the true result for the Albion as an entity in its dealings with non-group entities and customers.

I think it was a case of looking at what is relevant to FFP rather than what is required by companies house.