Dick Knight....The Truth!!!!!

[Storer68]

I'll try and be brief here...

DICK KNIGHT = HERO

Sorry if that is too rose tinted for you, but this is the best state I have experienced BHAFC in for at least twenty years. ceratinly since the 1983 Cup Final.

For the first time we have a board which is actually driving the club forward rather than stagnating, or as was the case, driving it into the ground.

A new ground is a real possibility rather than some fanciful drawings from an architect or an old rejected plan with some new bits of colouring in on it.

A team that has won TWO SUCCESSIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS which became First Division quality.

The first ever million pound sale of an Albion player (what would you have given for Craig Maskell!)

Recruited quality managers because of the impeccable way he has treated his previous managers.

Always acted with the best interests of the club at heart, (and sometimes that does mean letting key poeple go)

Obviuosly thats too much to credit him for...................

 

[Lush]

If Dick Knight was interested in making millions, he would have stayed in advertising where he has an excellent reputation. Instead he chose to invest considerable time and effort in our club, for no immediate gain. We are very very very lucky to have him.

 

[Barbs]

Charlies Shinpad, I know its been a stressful time and I myself have lost sleep, but I suggest you stay in tonight even though its Friday and get some rest. You seem to have lost the plot!

 

[Barbs]

Storer, Great post. However disappointed we all are the club is still stonger than in the past.

 

[Stoaty Ferret]

I'll have a punt on this....

RLZ = Ferret

Charlies Shinpads source = Fozzie

 

[Brovion]

Very astute Stoaty!

 

[El Presidente]

Dick Knight and Falmer.

1. Dick Knight is a major shareholder in the club; the value of this shareholding is directly proportionate to the value of the club, which in turn is proportionate to its ability to generate profits now and in the future.



Correct, but you are ignoring that the club will have to service interest on the debts incurred building the £42 million Falmer Stadium. Football outside the Premiership does not make money, end of story. You are assuming that with Falmer we will walk it


2. Playing at Withdean with its high overheads and limited revenues, and without planning permission for a new ground, this value is severally restricted. This is exacerbated by the lack of investment in young talented players, which would be appreciating assets, and could be sold for profit at the appropriate times. (How much could we have made by buying Steve Sidwell?) The loss of our Div. 1 status was vital here as we have lost the opportunity to demonstrate our young players' abilities at that level. This, I believe, was where Steve Coppell's outstanding ability to find and develop young talent was of great value to the club.

If Steve Coppell's talents lay in this area, then surely he would not have been on the dole this time last year before we employed him, and prior to that been employed at a rickety nondescript place such as Brentford. The bottom has dropped out of the transfer market, so the chance to make any profits has evaporated. The main source of revenue in football today in from Premiership and Champions League TV rights, not selling your best players. To a large extent the two things are mutually exclusive



3. When Falmer is built the value of the club will increase dramatically. Partly because it will reflect the part ownership of the new ground, but more importantly, the opportunity for the club to generate vastly increased revenues. These will be generated by increased gate receipts, catering (all or part dependent upon how the stadium operates) and increased sales of merchandise. Merchandise sales should increase in line with the general increase in "active" support because of the increased number of opportunities for people to watch matches, and other "hangers-on" who like to "support" "bigger and successful" clubs but rarely, if ever, actually watch matches. Membership of the Premiership would bring even greater revenues from TV money, sponsorship money, etc.

Even with Falmer we will have lower capacity than every current Premiership team except Fulham, therefore our ability to generate revenues is worse than competitors. It took Wolves over 20 years and Over £70 million of Jack Haywards savings to get them there, and they will be back in the Nationwide within 12 months



4. Planning permission for Falmer would enable Dick Knight to sell all or part of his stake in the club to an investor who wishes to take advantage of the investment opportunity represented by 3 above. It will also enable the directors to borrow money from commercial sources on the strength of these future revenues, and gain financially in the longer term when the profits generated by the new ground (as outlined in 3) materialise. It will also allow the directors and shareholders to invest more money in the club with limited risk, again with the expectancy of rewards in the medium and long term.

What rewards? How many Premiership clubs make the type of profits that you are talking about. DK has never turned investors away in the 6 years he has been chairman, provided that they have not been charlatans a la the idiot with the health farms

5. Of course, Dick Knight's strategy of spending any money that the club generates on Falmer is an extremely high-risk. If planning permission is not obtained, as appeared likely at some points in the summer, and is still by no means certain, the club will be left with nothing of great value, not even players!

Agreed, so why has he stuck in about £1.4 million of his money into a venture that 6 years later has generated zero return, and has no chance of doing so for at least another 4 or 5 years.........unless he is 100% an Albion fan

6. Therefore, I believe that Dick Knight stands to make a disproportionate return on his limited investment if Falmer gets planning permission, well worth the risk of the relatively small investment he has made in the club. His risk is reduced by the use of the large fan base as a lobbying group in support of the proposed development. The benefit to us loyal fans will only be the opportunity to watch our beloved team in nice surrounding and hopefully at a higher level. For which I am sure we will be asked to pay as much as the club can get away with! [/B]

The only way the club can attract 'new' supporters to extend the existing fanbase is to make it affordable for people to watch the Albion, so your argument holds no water.

Back to the textbook Mullers!

 

[ChutneyStirrer]

I'll have a punt on this....

RLZ = Ferret

Oi, RLZ/Ferret - where's your 'Ferret Talk' today?? Nothing to write about?!?!?

 

[berkshire seagull]

It will be interesting to see what most of you think if we don't get falmer and its very important we contribute to the playing side of things end of it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'll have a punt on this....

RLZ = Ferret

Charlies Shinpads source = Fozzie

Very astute Stoaty!

errm... not as astute as you think, Brovian.

 

[E Block Ernie]

It will be interesting to see what most of you think if we don't get falmer and its very important we contribute to the playing side of things end of it.

If Knight and Perry don't deliver Falmer they will be run out of the club like a pair of scalded cats.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I have just spoken with my source and they have told me the truth of this whole saga with Steve Coppell.


FACT. DK and the board made no attempt to keep SC!!

FACT. DK offered SC a three year contract when he first approached him to become our manager last year.But SC said it would be better to see how it went to the end of the season and then take it from there.
So at the beginning of this season DK only offered SC a One year deal,when SC would have happily signed a 3 year deal!!

FACT. If DK had said to Reading you cannot approach our Manager they would have gone to the next name on there list,and that was said in the Press Conference!!!

FACT. SC did not want to leave The Albion,he is not money motivated,but he had no choice as DK was more interested in the Compensation money than the Manager!!!

FACT. DK made no attempt to keep Mickey,or Peter Taylor either!!


FACT. All DK is interested in is getting his name up in lights for getting us Falmer!!
He doesnt give a shit about the playing side he is just obssessed in getting Falmer.

My Source is 100% Genuine,as a few people on here know,and my Source was talking to SC on the phone when I was there!!

I always thought DK was a decent man and had the club at heart,but after I heard this today,my mind is made up Im afraid,

He has to go!!

Well, as one of the people on here, I think that's cobblers.

And besides, in your world, replace DK with who exactly? In the middle of a ground enquiry?

 

[Lush]

I think the clue to Charlie's Shinpad's source might be in his user-name? Someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, but perhaps doesn't always engage brain before opening mouth? Could be completely wrong though.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I think the clue to Charlie's Shinpad's source might be in his user-name?

You mean he's an anagram of "Charlies Shinpad"?

Sid Hinshelcrap?

 

[Easy 10]

If Knight and Perry don't deliver Falmer they will be run out of the club like a pair of scalded cats.

With the amount of shit you have spouted against Knight and Perry on here, I would say that if they DO deliver Falmer, you sir, would have absolutely no right whatsoever to EVER show your face in that stadium.

Its a piece of piss to come on here and badmouth all and sundry, pour cold water over the plans, and act as if you're somehow "in the know" when you condemn Knight and Perry, and the likes of FG bang on and on and on about Dicks "pipe dream".

But as sure as my bell-end is purple, the likes of you and FG will be sliming your way to your seats at Falmer for that opening game, enjoying the facilities and gazing in awe at what Knight and Perry have achieved. Will you feel moved to apologise then ?
Will you f***, you arrogant, tedious, sad little tosspots. Do us all a favour - f*** off and support Reading instead.

 

[berkshire seagull]

I can just imagine my reclined seat at falmer after i just sipped 8 pints rrrrrr lovelyyyyyyyy.

 

[E Block Ernie]

With the amount of shit you have spouted against Knight and Perry on here, I would say that if they DO deliver Falmer, you sir, would have absolutely no right whatsoever to EVER show your face in that stadium.

Its a piece of piss to come on here and badmouth all and sundry, pour cold water over the plans, and act as if you're somehow "in the know" when you condemn Knight and Perry, and the likes of FG bang on and on and on about Dicks "pipe dream".

But as sure as my bell-end is purple, the likes of you and FG will be sliming your way to your seats at Falmer for that opening game, enjoying the facilities and gazing in awe at what Knight and Perry have achieved. Will you feel moved to apologise then ?
Will you f***, you arrogant, tedious, sad little tosspots. Do us all a favour - f*** off and support Reading instead.

All the tinpot tyrants will ever achieve is the hate of the Albion fans for leading them up the garden path for the last 6 years.
There is more chance of Elvis Presley reading the half times tomorrow than this potless pair being able to deliver Falmer.

 

[e block rebellion]

ernie/fg theres more chance you talking sense instead of shit trying to get a bite than us not getting falmer

 

[curly]

would sc not gone to reading if he had signed a 3 year contract, not a one year deal, pardews contract was a long on i believe

 

[Jim D]

I think that El Pres had it just about right in his response to Mullers. There's no money to be made in this, as there will certainly be a huge gap between the cost of developing the new stadium and the income it'll make.

Anyone that believes DK is out to line his pocket by cashing in on Falmer is seriously out of touch with the real world. The truth is that, when we get Falmer, we'll look back fondly at the season ticket prices of today.

Football at the higher levels (where we aspire to be) is no longer a sport for the masses - expect to pay prices in line with Chelsea.