Tonights match program.

[BensGrandad]

I would like other peoples views on the editorial in the program that castigates Ian Hart for the content of his Phone In.

I thought the article was totally out of of order and stunk of the club whether it be the board or the Press Officer wanting to act as a censor for all callers that call into Hartys Phone In. It appears that you are permitted to praise DK etc but not critisise, think I heard that some 8 - 10 years ago.

Last point it stated that DK and his fellow directors have INVESTED £7m in the club. They want you or us to GIVE £2m
unless my education has been wasted doesnt invest mean that you are putting in money with a hope of a return on this money and doesn't give mean that you will never expect to get the money back.

I will stand back to await my critics.

 

[Trigger]

Harty's phone in is designed for debating club issues, am i right?...

Personally i think Harty does a good job (apart from allowing the odd numpty on the phone in) so why can't the club just shut the f*** up and let Harty and the fans debate things on club issues whether they like it or not?...

 

[bigc]

what did the programme say exactly?

 

[Theatre of Trees]

In a normal business yes that would be the case, but is running a football club like running a normal business? If you were a large investor would you demand your investment back? I think if I sunk a couple of million into the club right now I wouldn't expect to see it back for a long time if at all because I love the club and want to see it continue. Would you?

If you are a fan and invest in the club surely you are doing it more with the heart than the head.

 

[Bluejuice]

I agree. Harty's phone in is about debate and there's no need for the club to get involved if they don't want to.

Admittedly I didn't hear the offending show but it's easy to see where it was headed and for the sake of argument why shouldn't people be questioning our board?

I am 100% behind DK and haven't changed my opinion but I still have no problem with people debating the issue and asking questions. Blind faith won't help us in the long run, but honesty might.

 

[Gullet]

In a normal business yes that would be the case, but is running a football club like running a normal business? If you were a large investor would you demand your investment back? I think if I sunk a couple of million into the club right now I wouldn't expect to see it back for a long time if at all because I love the club and want to see it continue. Would you?

If you are a fan and invest in the club surely you are doing it more with the heart than the head.

Fair point.

 

[London Irish]

Harty is dangerously close to becoming the Ben's Grandad of the airwaves. I know that can't possibly be an insult, because they give the impression of being big admirers of each other's work.

 

[Gullet]

If you get involved in a football club in any capacity you must be quite naive if you think you can go the whole time without facing some critisism. It's stupid to get so wound up about it, just take it on the chin. God even us fans take critisism sometimes, mainly from each other.......................just ask Kev the Ape.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

what did the programme say exactly?

The key paragraph is this:-

"The club have been open and honest about the whole situation - nevertheless the them-and-us mentality stoked up by Hart has even led to callers to the show accusing the club's directors of being "liars" and of pocketing the money (to which Hart offers them no defence, irresponsible, at least, coming from the BBC".

 

[watsongooal]

The key paragraph is this:-

"The club have been open and honest about the whole situation - nevertheless the them-and-us mentality stoked up by Hart has even led to callers to the show accusing the club's directors of being "liars" and of pocketing the money (to which Hart offers them no defence, irresponsible, at least, coming from the BBC".

Free speech is disgusting isnt it........

 

[e77]

Anyone who thinks the directors are making from the club are to be honest, deranged. The £7 million 'invested' by the Directors has been mainly (if not entirely) converted from loans to shares, which have a tradeable value some where below your average dot com.

If it wasn't for these people there wouldn't be a club now. Perhaps some of you may like to read that last sentence.

The black hole ? It has been stated it is £2 million. It is no secret.

However myself and many others have given £250,000 to the A&K fund which perhaps entitles us to a collective seat at the table (i don't just mean the A&K donators but fans as a whole) so perhaps it is time for the board to start consulting on non business critical stuff and not, for example, change the colour of the kit at a whim.

 

[Beach Hut]

I really think enough is enough with this.

We were shat on big time and DK etc really trying to move us on. It might seem that they are sitting ducks but as far as I am concerned they are doing a thankless task.

We have done well under their regime and have moved on so just believe in it - everything will be alright.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It seems to me that what BensGrandad is saying is that the club's directors are not telling the truth and that they want to pocket the money.

It seems to me that they are telling the truth and that they want to save the club and know that they will never pocket any money that has been invested (or given) since they took over.

 

[London Irish]

Free speech is disgusting isnt it........

In this instance of accusing someone of being a liar and embezzling club funds without a shred of evidence, yes, that meets all the criteria of pretty disgusting free speech, not to say defamatory and actionable speech.

 

[Beach Hut]

We stare at the gun barrel of extinction but like the Murphys I'm not bitter.

Oh and as a great musician said - Everything will be alright

 

[BensGrandad]

I do not consider that any member of ther board is making or even attempting to make any money out of our current plight.

What I do disgree with, however, is the fact that anybody who asks questions is immediately classed as a rebel.

The club are as aware as anybody of the names of people that are being branded about as being willing to invest in the club as soon as permission for Falmer is granted so why keep taking Ian to task and tell him to name the persons and for them to come forward. This is not going to happen until we are given permission for Falmer.

We are asked to GIVE £2m to help out the club without any tangible return other than the will to keep OUR club afloat.

I and many other supporters suggested schemes to raise money but the club just poo poo ed them as not practical but it was practical enough for Arsenal to raise £30m using one of the schemes that I suggested.

To answer London Irish point yes Ian and I do agree on a lot of points and also disagree on a lot as well but I remember that it was him and Pete Kennard who first brought news of the underhanded actions of the previous regime. For which I and many more supporters should be eternally grateful. This is not to say that I consider there is anything underhand going on now although I have a sneaking suspicion that the financial situation is worse than we are lead to believe.

It would appear that certain members of the club do not wish their actions to be scrutinised or their views contradicted. Unfortunately in a situation like a football club this will always happen and as the saying goes if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen go into the lounge.

 

[Beach Hut]

OK who are the big money people then when Falmer is a done deal ?

Come on then name them all, I am interested to know.

 

[Albion Dan]

Ian Hart is a legend and long may he continue!!!!!

 

[Jim D]

I think Harty is trying to drum up controversy and also show everyone that he isn't in DKs pocket. Therefore he has a tendency to allow all sort of anti-club comment without any response from him (or the club). There was someone on tonight suggesting that the Alive & Kicking fund was a means to allow DK to withdraw his money before the enquiry came back with a 'no' to Falmer. He even suggested that he could've been tipped off about this by Caplin.

This is simply an appalling slander against two leading figures from The Albion and Harty should have shut him off and come back strongly with a rebuttal. Instead he let him go on for a further minute or two.

Harty, if you read this then you must know it was wrong for him to be allowed to say such things, and could get the BBC into serious trouble. You need to sort this out from your end otherwise I can see them pulling the plug on the phone-in.

 

[disgruntled h blocker]

I feel the same way about the A&K fund. I know it's for the best interests of the club etc, but I also feel that it is also of the benefit of the shareholders as well - without this injection of funds from the supporters, their investments (or loans) may become totally worthless.

It would be great if the club could develop some form of "credit union" so I could use it as a savings account - they get say 1.5% of the interest and the rest goes to me. It might not sound much, but I'm sure if enough people do it, it would help out. Or why not make the clubs youth setup as a charity and have a credit union thingy based around that?

I must add that for the club to move forward, we clearly need DK to relinquish some control to some party which has money and the clubs interests at heart.