Derek Chapman has a swipe at DK

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Is it bollocks. In a decade on NSC I've never said a word against DK. We are all his debt. His current actions DO have an air of bitterness about them though, whether you want that or not.

And not by posters such as Tootin' who express their concerns and views - but the ones who we all knew had their axes ready for sharpening.

DK may be bitter and twisted - but he does not seem like that to me. I am looking forward to reading the book.

I have not accused you of having an axe to grind. I have no idea what your views of DK are. I would put you under the Tootin' blanket. If you think he has an "air of bitterness" - how could I disagree - I can see how fair minded posters may look and take that view. I just do not. The posters who had their axes ready were the likes of Enrest and Beach Hut.

It may be like the Doobie Brothers said - what I believe I see - but I do not see bitterness.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I have to agree with you and not DKM with this one. What possible reason is there for ANYONE to have an axe to grind with DK? There are people who have met him and not been impressed with the way he talks to them, but then I know people who are as equally underwhelmed after meeting Peter Ward. It doesn't mean those people don't respect these guys for what they've done for the club. Personally, I'm just saying it as I see it, and he comes across as bitter to me. kevtherev's analogy works pretty well from where I'm sitting, unfortunately.

See above. If you see bitterness - that is fair enough. I just don't. He just seems like a bloke who appreciates his time has gone and has concerns about where what he rescued is heading. He did have a couple of digs at Ray Bloom and TC last night - but that is ok.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I realise this is all a bit of a side issue, but I can't understand why Dick would be distraught at a portion of his book being quoted in the county's only daily newspaper. I thought he was on a PR offensive to sell a book? Or am I missing something?

His concern was that he thought the words in the book would be taken out of context and run alongside a counterview under a splash headline in an attempt to ramp up controversy. You can sympathise with his position or you can say he shouldn't have written what he did in the book but for me the interesting thing is that he clearly didn't want his relations with the club to suffer further and that this was more important to him than more PR for the book.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I have not accused you of having an axe to grind. I have no idea what your views of DK are. I would put you under the Tootin' blanket. If you think he has an "air of bitterness" - how could I disagree - I can see how fair minded posters may look and take that view. I just do not. The posters who had their axes ready were the likes of Enrest and Beach Hut.

Then you should perhaps have been clearer. What you wrote was that "ALL the talk of bitterness, is the sound of axes to grind".

And don't take it personally that I highlighted it. You've explained what you really meant, and that's fair enough, but there are some on here who DO believe what you wrote (rather than what you meant).

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

DKM is the one who has made presumptions about others' opinions, not me.

You chose to think the axe grinding comment was aimed at you. That is up to you. It wasn't. As I say - I have no idea what your views on DK were.

What DK has done, and written looks bitter. Nothing you or any other loyal fans say or write will ever change that.

In your opinion. Not in mine, and plenty of others. He did not look a bitter man last night - although some people I am sure would say his words dripped with it.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable positive evening.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Then you should perhaps have been clearer. What you wrote was that "ALL the talk of bitterness, is the sound of axes to grind".

And don't take it personally that I highlighted it. You've explained what you really meant, and that's fair enough, but there are some on here who DO believe what you wrote (rather than what you meant).

That is why I clarified it. Nothing personal taken.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

You chose to think the axe grinding comment was aimed at you. .

I didn't think it was aimed at me personally - of course not. You said that ALL the bitterness comments were based on existing grudges. I personally have used the word bitter, and have absolutely nothing but sincere gratitude to DK, so I pointed that out on behalf of everyone else in the same position.

 

[B.W.]

I don't begrudge any of the directors fees they may be receiving for the work they are doing for the club in exactly the same way that I don't begrudge any payment made to DK - whether that was for shares or in recognition of the years of unpaid hard work and dedication he put into keeping the club afloat.

I just cannot get my head round those who say DK was wrong to ask for some 'compensation' as he stepped down but appear to be quite happy about ongoing payments to the current directors and shareholders.

The thing is, he asked for it, he got it. Then he bleats on about it not being enough several years later to sell his book. Just leaves a sour taste for me. That said, he's still a legend in my eyes.

 

[B.W.]

I think it took about 3weeks from request to changeover

You think...

 

[B.W.]

I don't know why people feel the need to make these statements. The implication seems to be that if you disagree with DK that you don't think he's as you describe. DC pays tribute to DK in that article too. It's not a black and white issue.

Because ROSM is part of the 'old guard' it seems. Still not happy that the Dick Knight 'amateur hour' has been replaced by top professional businessmen.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Then you should perhaps have been clearer. What you wrote was that "ALL the talk of bitterness, is the sound of axes to grind".

And don't take it personally that I highlighted it. You've explained what you really meant, and that's fair enough, but there are some on here who DO believe what you wrote (rather than what you meant).

Fwiw I took it as it was meant, not wrote.

 

[B.W.]

This is what I don't understand either. There seem to be some very sensitive people on this board when it comes to DK who are acting like apologists and super fans in equal measure. Very odd.

Ain't that the truth.

 

[The Large One]

Because ROSM is part of the 'old guard' it seems. Still not happy that the Dick Knight 'amateur hour' has been replaced by top professional businessmen.

ROSM was never part of a board or team that ran the club, so the 'professional' bit isn't relevant. He was part of a open-to-all committee, which Dick, Martin and others reported to, that campaigned for the stadium.

If funds had been there, there could have been a 'professional' team that ran the campaign. But there wasn't, so they didn't. It was run by the fans instead - and I'd say they did a pretty professional job.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

DKM is right that there was absolutely no bitterness at all in evidence from Dick last night. Not one iota.

He did make a point about Derek Chapman not being able to read the book yet because he had been out in Qatar on business with The Buckingham Group who, guess what, had built the stadium. Read into that what you will.

 

[B.W.]

The yawn was not at DK being at Doncaster, but the 'did you not see him' bit which I read as being a sarcastic dig ala 'surely you must have been there yourself in order to pose such a silly question'. That's exactly the sort of stuff that gets up a lot of people's noses. I usually enjoy reading Not Andy Naylor's posts, but on this subject he seems to have gone a bit DK luvy at times. The second yawn was because it was a cheap shot, again fairly out of character, which further leads me to the conclusion that some people, including yourself, do really have a problem when people criticise DK. Not Andy Naylor has put that in more context since, happy to move on.

I maintain that based on my personal experience of DK he's not necessarily someone I'd warm to. Being ignored and looked at like you're something he's trodden in when you go up to try and shake the hand and have a chat with someone who you consider to be a hero would have a lasting affect on most people. I'm guessing he didn't like the look of me, being a 20-something skinhead as I was at the time. I have since spoken to other people who have less than complimentary things to say about how DK behaved towards them, and it is widely acknowledged that he has an ego problem. I can contrast that with the way TB treated me, chalk and cheese.

The point is that I, and others, have felt the need to have to qualify any criticism with what doesn't need spelling out, that we all owe DK a huge debt. We have been mainly made to feel we have to do that due to the responses from those who have made no secret that they know DK well, and that comes across as a bit super fan and arrogant at times. Maybe I am a bit over sensitive to that myself, and have read more into some posts than is intended. But that is just a symptom of what I see as a rather unhealthy attitude on here, whereby certain posters views are given more credence due to being part of the Falmer for All team, when in point their closeness to DK and the main players is probably part of the problem when trying to be objective.

Anyway, it's all a load of nonsense really isn't it. I've managed to bore the **** out myself..........again.

Didn't bore me HJ. Just a very well written post. And one the DK cronies should read and learn from IMHO.

 

[B.W.]

I've seen a barrage of criticism over the past few days of Dick. A fair whack of it is perfectly reasonable - even if I don't agree with some or all of it.

It's the nonsense and re-writing history which - as you put it - gets up my nose.

Hi TLO - serious question - where is the history re-write?

 

[B.W.]

Clearly the posts content were removed and cannot be repeated.

It's fair to say that a libelous allegation was made by someone about somebody else, and the target of the slur pointed out the legal position, and required the post content to be deleted.

I remember one of the posts in question - a blatant statement of fact about someone's character - so quite reasonable to insist it was removed, at the end of the day it shouldn't have been posted in the first place.

Thank you for the response. Fair enough.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

And one the DK cronies should read and learn from IMHO.

I find your lack of balance in anything to do with the club bizarre. Anyone who doesn't think DK is bitter is a "cronie", you also called people who thought the club might be in the wrong over GP various names.

Do you really believe anything is really as black and white as you makes out ? And why the insults to those that don't hold the same opinions as you ?

 

[ROSM]

Because ROSM is part of the 'old guard' it seems. Still not happy that the Dick Knight 'amateur hour' has been replaced by top professional businessmen.

And this one post, my friend proves that you know 4 tenths of 3 fifths of **** all.

If you can't be bothered to read what I have said and resort to lazy name calling then that's up to you. But it has no place in what has been a relatively open and well structured debate.

So a polite challenge. If you can find a quote in this thread that backs up your assertion that I am either a) hankering for dick knight to return or B) anti Tony Bloom then I'll let this pass. If you cant then perhaps you'd like to withdraw the snide dig?

 

[B.W.]

Dick Knight should forever go down as an Albion legend, no doubt about it. But he is coming across like a bitter ex wife, who saved someone from the brink of despair 15 years ago. Nursed them back to some sort of health and got them back on their feet. The marriage ended with a little bad blood, but she could see he had out grown her and fell for someone else, who he could go onto bigger and better things with....Now years later she see him with a lovely house, fast cars and flash holidays and is jealous beyond belief, because she somehow thinks she deserves more than a Christmas card and a polite hello, despite having years of nothing but praise and respect from everyone.

That makes me smile . Seems a reasonable analogy to me. Cue DK defence team.