Dick Knight/Tony Bloom

[Giraffe]

Knight saved us when it was needed and for that he should be remembered. However after that he was neither better or worse than the many chairman who have funded the club over the years. Bloom is funding the club to a level never even approached before and therefore he gets my vote! As for the thread question I think bloom tolerates knight like Tory pm's tolerate Margaret Thatcher.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I have never met Tony Bloom but I would imagine he is an utterly ruthless business man who expects and wants his own way. Dick is an astute businessman but more a kindly Uncle. Maybe they have very different personalities. Thats my best guess anyway.

Having met them both, I can't agree with this at all.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

If you like.

Money talks and money is power. DK had none so he employed buffoons such as Perry who's interest it was to string the who debacle out for as long as possible. Bloom wouldn't have stood for it, now would he have stood for the nonsense from the council or the antis. As US pointed out Bloom is ruthless.

What "nonsense from the council"?

The Council has been supporting the Club's move to Falmer ever since the idea was first mooted.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Fair enough Ed. I will just comment on what I think of Dick then. Bloom does not get where he has by being a pussycat through.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Bloom was trying to take over the football club probably 4 or 5 years ago. Thought that was common knowledge?

The club never had the money to pay for Falmer under Knight, it was never going to happen under him. The club were asking every Tom, Dick and Harry who had a few quid to get involved and were keeping it secret saying no everything is fine we're still on track.

Lets be honest, it doesn't take 14 years to build a football ground regardless of stumbling blocks such as planning issues.

The reason that the board wouldn't agree to a Bloom takeover before planning permission had been granted was the certain knowledge that this would have scuppered the planning process.

However painful it might be for Arthur to admit this, there was a lot more involved than simply throwing money at the project. Keeping the political machinery well oiled, to name but one factor.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

By starting work on Falmer the minute the club could. I recall there was a long period from when we could start work, to when building started in earnest. The real work only started when Bloom pumped his money in. Whilst there was the DK earth breaking ceremony, no proper work was done for ages after this. You may recall seeing a single JCB moving mud around for months on end, whilst Knight and Perry issued vague and slightly cryptic messages in the press about funding. How soon the stadium would have been up and running I'm not sure....but it would have been quicker.

My understanding is that there were some very real issues about getting hold of the site that needed to be resolved. No amount of money would have resolved those issues earlier.

 

[Questions]

The reason that the board wouldn't agree to a Bloom takeover before planning permission had been granted was the certain knowledge that this would have scuppered the planning process.

However painful it might be for Arthur to admit this, there was a lot more involved than simply throwing money at the project. Keeping the political machinery well oiled, to name but one factor.

Did Bloom actually make a move to take over earlier then L.B. ?
and when was that ?

 

[El Presidente]

If Knight had bowed out when he should have we'd be playing in Falmer by now.

I've heard some utter bollocks in my time but this tops it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Did Bloom actually make a move to take over earlier then L.B. ?
and when was that ?

All the signs are that the Bloom family knew how important it was to get the planning process concluded. My guess is that Ray Bloom was a key player in attracting Tony Bloom's money into the Club and ensuring that the final push on ownership was delayed until the right moment had come. Arthur wants to blame Dick Knight for "hanging on too long". I don't. I give credit to Uncle Ray.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Arsenal didn't have a tough job at all. I went on a tour of the Emirates and asked the stadium manager who was leading the tour whether Arsenal had had any planning objections and he just laughed and said that there were no obstacles put in their way. It was built on a brownfield site, the sort of development that all council would welcome.

I actually read a few things about the emirates in the papers but they weren't widely reported. There were objections from a number of businesses that were operating on the site, they were all served with compulsary purchase orders and weren't too happy about it but they just didn't have the money or the size to fight it.

I think it comes down to whether you're got a supportive planning authority or not, that was our downfall. Had the coach park not been in Lewes I'm sure the Amex would've been up by now.

 

[Questions]

All the signs are that the Bloom family knew how important it was to get the planning process concluded. My guess is that Ray Bloom was a key player in attracting Tony Bloom's money into the Club and ensuring that the final push on ownership was delayed until the right moment had come. Arthur wants to blame Dick Knight for "hanging on too long". I don't. I give credit to Uncle Ray.

I`ve always had the utmost respect for Ray, and that sounds about right.

I remember Ray getting stick over the delay in resigning from 'The bastard board' all those years earlier but I always thought he was trying his best from within until even he saw the fruitlessness of his endeavours.

 

[El Presidente]

If you like.

Money talks and money is power. DK had none so he employed buffoons such as Perry who's interest it was to string the who debacle out for as long as possible. Bloom wouldn't have stood for it, now would he have stood for the nonsense from the council or the antis. As US pointed out Bloom is ruthless.

Bloom wanted to be in charge for years but Knight wouldn't sell. Bloom knew what he was doing though and simply played the waiting game giving Knight enough rope to hang himself, which he did in the end. Credit to Knight though he bowed out with the perception amongst some fans such as US that he was the best thing to ever happen to the football club.

Mix one part voices in the head with two parts conspiracy theory and you get Arthur.

 

[El Presidente]

Nope, just TB would have got it done a hell of a lot quicker!

Given that Bill Archer and Greg Stanley are both richer than TB, it's clearly a shame according to you Arthur that they are no longer in charge.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My understanding is that there were some very real issues about getting hold of the site that needed to be resolved. No amount of money would have resolved those issues earlier.

But the club had enough hold of the site to enable the earth breaking ceremony and the JCB to push mud around. Its the long pause between this and the real work which only started when Bloom came in which I'm talking about. But, at the end of the day it's not a huge gripe. I'm grateful to both, one for getting the permission and the other for building it.

Besides, I'm off to the Ganges now.

 

[cjd]

Given that Bill Archer and Greg Stanley are both richer than TB, it's clearly a shame according to you Arthur that they are no longer in charge.

Hmmm.......I am not aware that anybody (apart from Tony Bloom and his advisors) knows the true wealth of Tony Bloom. I am sure you know as well as anyone, that the 'rich list' is not particularly accurate.

On a separate note, but relevant to this thread regarding the delays of planning permission, does anyone know or remember the reason for the delay on the 1st(I think) public enquiry .........?

I seem to remember at the time, feeling frustrated that the Albion did not have all the relevant information required and the Public Enquiry was delayed for about 6 months or more...? Genuine enquiry.......not being mischievious.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

On a separate note, but relevant to this thread regarding the delays of planning permission, does anyone know or remember the reason for the delay on the 1st(I think) public enquiry .........?

I seem to remember at the time, feeling frustrated that the Albion did not have all the relevant information required and the Public Enquiry was delayed for about 6 months or more...? Genuine enquiry.......not being mischievious.

The first Public Inquiry was a joint Inquiry (with two planning inspectors) into the stadium planning application and the new Local Plan. I can't recall a specific reason for any delay - but there are statutory procedures for public consultation before a Local Plan Inquiry that can't be foreshortened.

I know, though, that there were some major changes made to the Albion's documentation that supported the planning application and that these were made between the Council's original Planning Committee meeting and the first Public Inquiry.

 

[cjd]

The first Public Inquiry was a joint Inquiry (with two planning inspectors) into the stadium planning application and the new Local Plan. I can't recall a specific reason for any delay - but there are statutory procedures for public consultation before a Local Plan Inquiry that can't be foreshortened.

I know, though, that there were some major changes made to the Albion's documentation that supported the planning application and that these were made between the Council's original Planning Committee meeting and the first Public Inquiry.

Thankyou.

Just had a quick look at the 'history' of the Public Enquiry, which was held between Feb 2003 and October 2003..........a total of 9 months. Yet, the enquiry only sat for 40 sessions.

Was this the period where there was a considerable break, and did not the Albion receive veiled critisism from the Inspector for not having all relevant information available....? Possibly including, having not yet agreed with the University of Brighton re; use of their land....?

 

[Easy 10]

I can't recall a specific reason for any delay

The LDC lawyers skiiing holiday ? That was a doozy...

(although I think that may have been during the 2nd enquiry)

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I'm all up for debate but if you're going to bring it down to name calling then I'm not interested. Show me where I've shown "bile-filled nastiness and astonishing ignorance"?

To suggest, as you do, that Tony Bloom or anyone else could have purchased planning permission (from the government? the council?) and moved us into Falmer three years early is indeed an astonishingly ignorant claim to make.

I am not on anyone side here but I do wish that people would stop talking rubbish. We were in good hands 13 years ago and we're in good hands now.

 

[Jim in the West]

But Liverpool and Everton have money and they haven't secure planning permission yet, let alone built a ground. It doesn't really matter how much money someone's got, there are still planning conditions to overcome.

Arsenal didn't have a tough job at all. I went on a tour of the Emirates and asked the stadium manager who was leading the tour whether Arsenal had had any planning objections and he just laughed and said that there were no obstacles put in their way. It was built on a brownfield site, the sort of development that all council would welcome.

Good points. The example of Bristol City is interesting - they have had a tough time, and on several occasions have upset councillors and had decisions go the wrong way (recently the chairman stormed out of a planning committee meeting after a decision went against the club). Despite HUGE challenges, we got our stadium, and the leadership, political nouse, and relationship-building skills of DK were a massive part.

Incidentally, despite being a nominated 2018 World Cup stadium, Bristol City are still having significant planning difficulties.