Dick Knight/Tony Bloom

[Easy 10]

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.

Indeed. This is on the Beeb..

The chairman of Bristol City FC has made a rallying speech urging fans to help fight for a new stadium.

Stephen Landsdown took to the pitch with a microphone before Saturday's team game against Coventry.

Plans for a new £92m stadium were effectively blocked when the proposed site was recommended for town green status.

Mr Landsdown told fans he would continue working to make the stadium plan possible.

"We can do two things. We can lie down and do nothing, or we can fight," he said.

Information sought

"I promise you I will work as hard as I possibly can, invest as much as I can to achieve the aims which I set out to achieve three-and-a-half years ago, which is to build a stadium fit for this football club.

"I hope that all of you here and all the people you know will help me in that process as well."

He drew attention to leaflets distributed around the stadium with details of where to send comments and information which could help the scheme stay afloat.

"Any information you have with regards to Ashton Vale, any knowledge you have, however trivial you think it is, please come forward with it," he said.

" I need your help. This club needs your help. Let's see what we can do."

About 200 people supported the legal bid to stop new development on the 42-acre site in Ashton Vale, near the the club's current Ashton Gate ground.

They had to prove that the site had been freely used for recreational purposes for 20 years or more.

Last week, an independent inspector ruled that the site met the legal requirements to be granted town green status.

Be interesting to see if Bristol City fans have the stomach for a fight.
I reckon they'll be too comfortable at Ashton Gate to have the sense of desperation and urgency we had as fans to get permission for the stadium. When push comes to shove, they won't be THAT bothered, or not bothered enough to mount the kind of campaign they need to.

Will be watching with interest.

 

[Silent Bob]

On the actual topic, I think it's a safe bet that Knight and Bloom aren't the best of friends since Knight wanted to carry on, but Bloom retired him.

I'd be amazed if we don't see Knight on the pitch at the first game at Falmer though.

 

[Reinelt12]

Surely the future of the club comes down to three major points:

1) The fans - who imaginatively came up with ideas to bring our plight to the public eye when Archer/Bellotti were in charge and battled endlessly to save the club.

2) Dick Knight - Who may or may not have had money but took over the club in a dire situation and kept it afloat... also was part of securing the planning permission for the Amex with Perry without which we wouldnt have it.

3) Tony Bloom - Funding the stadium outright and again, without him we wouldnt have it.

So why any debate about who has done the most, it doesnt matter - because all three of the above have played their part in a HUGE way to keep this club afloat and moving into one of the best stadia in England.

I for one applaud and thank each and every one of them...

 

[Arthur]

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.

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 love this personal hatred you have towards me. Surely now after all that has gone on you should maybe let it up a little bit?

Makes you look a little bit bitter and the only reason I can think is because now DK has gone that you aren't in the "circle of trust" any more.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I love this personal hatred you have towards me. Surely now after all that has gone on you should maybe let it up a little bit?

Makes you look a little bit bitter and the only reason I can think is because now DK has gone that you aren't in the "circle of trust" any more.

I don't think I have ever met you. You're confusing disagreement with hatred.

And I'm not at all bitter. As for being in a "circle of trust", I make no apologies for being involved in the campaign and sometimes being told about stuff that is going on.

It still happens, by the way. Or, at least, it was happening three days ago.

 

[mona]

When Archer dies I have a strong desire to visit his grave to defalcate on it.

That's a good idea. But do you mean defecate or defalmercate? I think Archer, his boss Stanley and their defunct (defecating?) mouthpiece, Bellotti, deserve both treatments.

 

[Arthur]

I don't think I have ever met you. You're confusing disagreement with hatred.

And I'm not at all bitter. As for being in a "circle of trust", I make no apologies for being involved in the campaign and sometimes being told about stuff that is going on.

It still happens, by the way. Or, at least, it was happening three days ago.

And I don't think I've ever met you (like allot of people on here), still doesn't stop you having a dig at me on here does it (like allot of people on here)! Which is despite the fact I've very rarely if ever at all been wrong with anything I've said on here.

Congratulations on being told something three days ago you are now in fact you are now my hero!

And with that I'm going to bed....good night and god bless!

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Jesus, cant we just say that both have there good and bad points yes Dick stayed on to long etc etc and did run the club in a small time way but he also was the saving of the club.

Give it 5-10 years and I'm sure we will have things to moan and question what Bloom has done.

Ultimately thow we have been lucky to have two people willing to put their heads on the block for the club.

 

[El Presidente]

I love this personal hatred you have towards me. Surely now after all that has gone on you should maybe let it up a little bit?

Makes you look a little bit bitter and the only reason I can think is because now DK has gone that you aren't in the "circle of trust" any more.

I don't see any personal hatred in LB's posts Arthur. He posts objectively, and tends to counter your conspiracy theories.

Out of interest, what did YOU do for the Falmer campaign?

 

[gullshark]

For what it's worth, as I was walking down the prom at Hove Lawns listening to the Carlisle game on my radio I saw Tony Bloom and his family walking the other way. I would say he was most definately observing Yom Kippur as they were all very smartly dressed and wearing their skullcaps.

 

[Ned]

I don't see any personal hatred in LB's posts Arthur. He posts objectively, and tends to counter your conspiracy theories.

Out of interest, what did YOU do for the Falmer campaign?

If memory serves his contribution to the Falmer campain was to NOT boycott Forfars & used the Forfars logo as his avatar...........Is he Ernest in diguise?

 

[Screaming J]

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.

How so? I didn't think granting planning permission was dependent on who owned the club?

 

[Brightonfan1983]

And I don't think I've ever met you (like allot of people on here), still doesn't stop you having a dig at me on here does it (like allot of people on here)! Which is despite the fact I've very rarely if ever at all been wrong with anything I've said on here.

Congratulations on being told something three days ago you are now in fact you are now my hero!

And with that I'm going to bed....good night and god bless!

I have never met either of you, but you Arthur, sound like a right to$$er. I could be wrong though: I, after all, could never humbly say "I've very rarely if ever at all been wrong with anything I've said on here."

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Great thread/debate.

Arthur has satisfied me on all points.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

doesn't stop you having a dig at me on here does it (like allot of people on here)! Which is despite the fact I've very rarely if ever at all been wrong with anything I've said on here.

These two sentences say so much about you.

 

[El Presidente]

Great thread/debate.

Arthur has satisfied me on all points.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

I doubt it, Arthur's points are all speculation backed by no evidence. If that is how you too are satisfied, then how could you possibly be convinced of an alternative?

 

[Forster's Armband]

Can I add that Arthur's claim that Perry will be gone once Falmer is finished is also wrong. He has been quoted saying his next "project" for The Albion will be to locate a suitable site and build a new training complex.

 

[Arthur]

I don't see any personal hatred in LB's posts Arthur. He posts objectively, and tends to counter your conspiracy theories.

Right ok, funny that he still chips in to have a dig despite the fact I was right all along about the funding for the stadium! Yet he and allot of you others still can't admit it!

Out of interest, what did YOU do for the Falmer campaign?

Well make up conspiracy theories and post them on here silly!

If memory serves his contribution to the Falmer campain was to NOT boycott Forfars & used the Forfars logo as his avatar...........Is he Ernest in diguise?

I have never met either of you, but you Arthur, sound like a right to$$er. I could be wrong though: I, after all, could never humbly say "I've very rarely if ever at all been wrong with anything I've said on here."

True though.

These two sentences say so much about you.

Again it's true though.

I doubt it, Arthur's points are all speculation backed by no evidence. If that is how you too are satisfied, then how could you possibly be convinced of an alternative?

It still makes me laugh that despite the fact I was 100% correct about the funding for the stadium that people still claim that I'm spouting "speculation backed by no evidence". How can I speculate over something that has happened?

Sure, my opinions on Martin Perry are just that......opinions, but they are based on the fact that he f***ed over Blackpool promising them the world and delivering f*** all. He's now taken an age to get us a stadium built whilst creaming a nice wage out of the club whilst continually lying along the way about where the money was coming from.

 

[beorhthelm]

It still makes me laugh that despite the fact I was 100% correct about the funding for the stadium

how were you 100% right? where is the evidence that, prior to the recession and banks not lending to anyone, funding was not in place? you are at best half right, but to my recollection you never backed up why or any reasons for why funding was going to be difficult. ergo, speculation that happened to turn out right, rather than informed.

 

[El Presidente]

Right ok, funny that he still chips in to have a dig despite the fact I was right all along about the funding for the stadium! Yet he and allot of you others still can't admit it!

What do you mean by 'right'?

It still makes me laugh that despite the fact I was 100% correct about the funding for the stadium that people still claim that I'm spouting "speculation backed by no evidence". How can I speculate over something that has happened?

I repeat, what exactly did you say about the funding?

Sure, my opinions on Martin Perry are just that......opinions, but they are based on the fact that he f***ed over Blackpool promising them the world and delivering f*** all. He's now taken an age to get us a stadium built whilst creaming a nice wage out of the club whilst continually lying along the way about where the money was coming from.

Where did he lie, and what was his involvement in Blackpool?