Mike Bamber - hero or villain?

[kevo]

That thread that mentions the supposed "missing millions" from the 1983 cup run, got me wondering....

What is your verdict on Mr Bamber? I always liked him, had that air of charm and raffishness that suited both the club and the town - and he pulled off one of the great coups in football by getting Brian Clough as manager (Clough always described him as the only chairman he enjoyed working with). He fell out badly with Mullery tho, and for some the question will always remain 'Where did the money go...?'.

 

[Icy Gull]

Best days ever as an Albion fan until now, how can he be a villain? I think Keith Wickenden dying in a plane crash was the moment we went into decline.

The cup final was at the expense of League 1 football and Melia was a complete clown. Great though it was we'd have been better off with a decent manager and concentrating on the league imo.

 

[kevo]

My other question was going to be - should he be 'honoured' at the Amex in some way?

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Isn't even worth a response. (Oh bugger that is one!)

 

[Ernest]

Makes me LAUGH when I see that BELLEND Dick Tight called a legend, he is not FIT to wipe Mike Bambers BACKSIDE let alone BE called a legend alongside Bamber.

I'm DISGUSTED that there is no tribute to Mike Bamber at Falmer and the supporters bar SHOULD have been NAMED Bambers and not named AFTER a potless pillock.

 

[kevo]

Now, that really isn't worthy of a response (the Knight bit, not the Bamber bit!)

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

it was bamber who gave some players stupid long contracts, but hero or villian who can say. ?

 

[catfish]

The late 70s was the best of times to be an Albion fan and Bamber made it possible. He has to be blamed for his part in our subsequent decline though. I think some sort of tribute to him at
the Amex would be appropriate.

 

[BigGully]

I always recall the story of a team meeting during a bad run of form chaired by Bamber whilst Mike Bailey was manager in the old Div 1.

Bamber 'now guys whatever is said during this meeting will stay between just us, lets all be honest'

Neil Mcnab ' I think your the problem Mr Chairman'

He never played again for the club ....

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

The late 70s was the best of times to be an Albion fan and Bamber made it possible. He has to be blamed for his part in our subsequent decline though. I think some sort of tribute to him at
the Amex would be appropriate.

yes i think you are right. mikes bar sounds a bit better than dick,s

 

[Brovion]

Hero. Absolute total and utter Albion hero. He was the one who made us think that we didn't have to be a third division club until the end of time, and that we could go higher - and we did. Of course he made mistakes, like a lot of people he got caught out by the end of the Retain and Transfer system and the introduction of freedom of contract. He thought that signing players on long-term (10 year) contracts was the way to go, and in retrospect of course it wasn't. It all ended on a bit of a sour note which was a shame, but it was easily the best era we had .... until now.

 

[glasfryn]

hero. Absolute total and utter albion hero. He was the one who made us think that we didn't have to be a third division club until the end of time, and that we could go higher - and we did. Of course he made mistakes, like a lot of people he got caught out by the end of the retain and transfer system and the introduction of freedom of contract. He thought that signing players on long-term (10 year) contracts was the way to go, and in retrospect of course it wasn't. It all ended on a bit of a sour note which was a shame, but it was easily the best era we had .... Until now.

this

 

[Seagull Steve]

My fondest memories are with Mr Bamber at the helm. It was a rocky old ride sometimes. But other than right now, it was the best time to support the Albion.

 

[libra-gully]

it was bamber who gave some players stupid long contracts, but hero or villian who can say. ?

Yes your right, he did give out long contracts, but for the most part they were shrewd.

OK Foster & ironically your man Grealish were questionable, but Ward & lawrenson. By tieing them up, he knew the club be secure of a nice bundle when eventually sold on.

Re: a previous note about Mr Knight, a lot of crap is spoken about him. Legend is the wrong word to describe him, but it must be remembered in our darkest hour, he stood up while others filled their boots........pockets, handbags, briefcases, rucksacks (were they about then??!!) dufflebags etc etc.

Re: some reference at Falmer. Again it must be remembered that without Bambers there would not have been a Ward, Lawrenson, Mullery, Clough etc. It was his money & vision that drove the club from being a joke third div club, to a big club that we ARE today.

Re: the 1983 money, I have no answer. But I also have no answer in all those years when the gate was claimed to be a figure that was obviously underclaimed.

In short IMO Bambers (apart from his crackpot idea of sharing with Palace) was a great leader of men and this club, and should be remembered for the right reasons, namely his love for this great club of ours.

There is no way he would charge £180 for a disabled parking bay at the Goldstone, Falmer or even Gatwick!!!

 

[BigGully]

Yes your right, he did give out long contracts, but for the most part they were shrewd.

OK Foster & ironically your man Grealish were questionable, but Ward & lawrenson. By tieing them up, he knew the club be secure of a nice bundle when eventually sold on.

The players with the long contracts were, Lawrenson, Foster and Robinson.

Not sure if it was shrewd business or not, but as has been said, he got us competing with the big boys for a while.

 

[dal]

hero.has to be.he and clough/taylor/mullary put brighton on the football map/.the crowds were awesome.players like peter ward,the intense rivallry with palace,great times.it remains to be seen if gus can bring back those times.looks good at momment though.my first game was 76 away to palace in fac 1st round.nothing will ever take memmory of that night away.football just seemed so so diffrent then.

 

[libra-gully]

The players with the long contracts were, Lawrenson, Foster and Robinson.

Not sure if it was shrewd business or not, but as has been said, he got us competing with the big boys for a while.

In his own wonderful book, Ward says he had a 10 yr deal prior to going to Forest, at the same time as Lawro. There were also 'rumoured' to be 5 others, but who cares now?

The point well made by a prev poster is that never mind Mr Bloom, without Bambers we would still be in Div 3 with Gillingham with no ambition. Bambers made us mix with the big boys, and now we are back....well almost.

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

what ever this club achieves in the next few years will never better those times.well for me any way?

 

[catfish]

what ever this club achieves in the next few years will never better those times.well for me any way?

I agree. We are entering a very exciting period in our club's history with a magnificent new stadium, one of the most progressive managers in the country and a fine squad.
But those late 70s / early 80s will always be the glory years.

 

[kevo]

I agree that Bamber made us think we could be more than a third tier club - the arrival of Clough put us on the map, but getting Mullery - and ex-England captain, remember - when he'd just finished his playing career was a stroke of genius. It would be a nice gesture to see a big picture of him least somewhere at the Amex, in the bar or one of the concourses.