[Albion] Dicks

[Wozza]

I always thought it would be nice to have a statue of a group of fans celebrating, to mark the War Years.

Maybe one of those fans could resemble Dick?

In my mind, one or more fans would have their arms raised, so a Brighton shirt could easily be slipped on them.

And if rivals fans put their shirt on for a cheeky photo op... well, that would be appropriate really.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Well I believe a lot of it was in his book. He also made the stupid share offer in the book which he had no right to do without agreement of the other shareholders. I believe he resented the fact that Bloom took the plaudits at the opening of the stadium that he funded.

The irony of the situation was that the offer to sell shares to any Tom, Dick, Harry, ignoring the Preemption rights of the existing shareholders was in breach of the Articles of Association. Ahem.

 

[drew]

The irony of the situation was that the offer to sell shares to any Tom, Dick, Harry, ignoring the Preemption rights of the existing shareholders was in breach of the Articles of Association. Ahem.

Breach of the articles of association! Had he learnt nothing from the rabble he replaced? Don't break the articles, just change them!!

 

[Brovion]

Ok I will play devils advocate here. Why should our new fans need to know about something that happened before some of them were born and a lot of them didn’t even support the club. Let’s face it when we were at Withdean, we sold out most home games but that was between 5 and 6k , so we have had an extra influx of nearly 25k new or returning fans ( not many as we were only getting around 10k at the goldstone.

a lot of people think that bloom and his family is our saviour and think that knight was a pseudo caretaker until bloom wanted to step in.

a lot of kids don’t know him from Messi!

for us people who fought to save the club over many years, we know different, but lots even now are questioning that this even happened!

I can see your point to an extent. What does it matter what happened in the (distant) past? What matters is that were not currently as good as we were under peak RDZ.

However I think knowing our history is important. It's part of what makes us 'us'. We didn't just plop into existence as a ready-formed mid-table Premier League team, we had a journey to get here. You could say he's our Winston Churchill. (Another figure marginalised by history where if most young people think about him at all it's as a nasty Imperialist).

 

[ROSM]

The irony of the situation was that the offer to sell shares to any Tom, Dick, Harry, ignoring the Preemption rights of the existing shareholders was in breach of the Articles of Association. Ahem.

The board had already made 'an offer' for his shares which was less than the money he had put into the club.

He was entitled to seek alternative share ownership after that. I'm not saying he was right in what he did (the 'offer' in the book was little more than a cheap gimmick and created publicity) I'm just saying the position is more nuanced than the one being presented on here by a number of posters. I don't think money was his motivator but he perhaps felt he deserved more respect. I'm fairly sure Tony Bloom felt he deserved more respect back from Knight.

They're probably both right. But they're also very similar in many ways (I'm sure they would both rankles at someone saying that)and such strong personalities will have issues together.

I'm fairly sure Martin Perry and Dick Knight have resolved their own issues. I'm hopeful Tony and Dick will too one day.

What i would add is that Knight faced a lot of criticism when he brought Ray Bloom back on the board (ray had stayed after all other directors and shareholders were bought out by archer and Stanley- I'm sure because he thought he could temper their behaviour and was doing what he thought was right) but i know many battle hardened fans felt Ray was 'one of them' even if it wasnt the case. Knight faced down this criticism, largely because the club needed ray's money and also because dick and ray had known each other for years. As it was, Ray was the link that allowed Tony to help significantly fund the club for a number of years before he took over

I remain hopeful Ray may be able to find some common ground if needed.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The board had already made 'an offer' for his shares which was less than the money he had put into the club.

He was entitled to seek alternative share ownership after that. I'm not saying he was right in what he did (the 'offer' in the book was little more than a cheap gimmick and created publicity) I'm just saying the position is more nuanced than the one being presented on here by a number of posters. I don't think money was his motivator but he perhaps felt he deserved more respect. I'm fairly sure Tony Bloom felt he deserved more respect back from Knight.

They're probably both right. But they're also very similar in many ways (I'm sure they would both rankles at someone saying that)and such strong personalities will have issues together.

I'm fairly sure Martin Perry and Dick Knight have resolved their own issues. I'm hopeful Tony and Dick will too one day.

What i would add is that Knight faced a lot of criticism when he brought Ray Bloom back on the board (ray had stayed after all other directors and shareholders were bought out by archer and Stanley- I'm sure because he thought he could temper their behaviour and was doing what he thought was right) but i know many battle hardened fans felt Ray was 'one of them' even if it wasnt the case. Knight faced down this criticism, largely because the club needed ray's money and also because dick and ray had known each other for years. As it was, Ray was the link that allowed Tony to help significantly fund the club for a number of years before he took over

I remain hopeful Ray may be able to find some common ground if needed.

Well said. Both men have great determination but both men can be very stubborn. I hope they can reconcile in some way.

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

Being flippant here, but have we had anyone connected with the club whose surname is North, South, East or West?

In view of his significant contribution to THAT book, it’s got to be the Steve North stand, Shirley?

 

[Simster]

I always thought it would be nice to have a statue of a group of fans celebrating, to mark the War Years.

Maybe one of those fans could resemble Dick?

In my mind, one or more fans would have their arms raised, so a Brighton shirt could easily be slipped on them.

And if rivals fans put their shirt on for a cheeky photo op... well, that would be appropriate really.

That is far and away the best idea on the thread.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The board had already made 'an offer' for his shares which was less than the money he had put into the club.

He was entitled to seek alternative share ownership after that. I'm not saying he was right in what he did (the 'offer' in the book was little more than a cheap gimmick and created publicity) I'm just saying the position is more nuanced than the one being presented on here by a number of posters. I don't think money was his motivator but he perhaps felt he deserved more respect. I'm fairly sure Tony Bloom felt he deserved more respect back from Knight.

They're probably both right. But they're also very similar in many ways (I'm sure they would both rankles at someone saying that)and such strong personalities will have issues together.

I'm fairly sure Martin Perry and Dick Knight have resolved their own issues. I'm hopeful Tony and Dick will too one day.

What i would add is that Knight faced a lot of criticism when he brought Ray Bloom back on the board (ray had stayed after all other directors and shareholders were bought out by archer and Stanley- I'm sure because he thought he could temper their behaviour and was doing what he thought was right) but i know many battle hardened fans felt Ray was 'one of them' even if it wasnt the case. Knight faced down this criticism, largely because the club needed ray's money and also because dick and ray had known each other for years. As it was, Ray was the link that allowed Tony to help significantly fund the club for a number of years before he took over

I remain hopeful Ray may be able to find some common ground if needed.

I agree with all of your post except the bit I’ve emboldened, unless by ‘entitled’ you mean ‘morally entitled’, in which case I don’t have an opinion.

It would be brilliant if Tony and Dick could bury the hatchet, but I can’t see it happening.

 

[ROSM]

I agree with all of your post except the bit I’ve emboldened, unless by ‘entitled’ you mean ‘morally entitled’, in which case I don’t have an opinion.

It would be brilliant if Tony and Dick could bury the hatchet, but I can’t see it happening.

Thanks. I did mean morally. I don't know as I haven't checked the articles of assoc or any shareholder agreements as to whether, after other shareholders had their pre emptive opportunity, he was also legally entitled to transfer them in the way outlined. I suspect from what you've written, he wasn't. However there were many other minor shareholders who bought in when we were at withdean who could also have been still active at that time and could also have been given opportunity (subject to any shareholders agreement)

 

[Guinness Boy]

Well. Yes but not sure what you can come up with that everyone would see or use or engage with. I've been a season ticket holder for 14 years but I;ve never ever been in Dick's bar on a match day and i guess now i never will !

But you saw the name on the outside of the stadium as you walked up from the train or went to the shop or the outdoor bar / food presumably? And, if asked, could explain to a youngster or tourist why it was named so, who Dick is and what he did?

 

[Wozza]

That is far and away the best idea on the thread.

Thanks. Suggested it before and it got a muted response, so....

 

[Hiney]

Anyone who has an interest in the history of the club, could do worse than join the Heritage Society.

Superb value. You get meetings, often with a guest speaker, and copies of the brilliant Albion Chronicle.

 

[Lenny Rider]

I always thought it would be nice to have a statue of a group of fans celebrating, to mark the War Years.

Maybe one of those fans could resemble Dick?

In my mind, one or more fans would have their arms raised, so a Brighton shirt could easily be slipped on them.

And if rivals fans put their shirt on for a cheeky photo op... well, that would be appropriate really.

You’ve also got to stick Bushfire Erskine in there, for the Mansfield pitch invasion alone

 

[Commander]

The irony of the situation was that the offer to sell shares to any Tom, Dick, Harry, ignoring the Preemption rights of the existing shareholders was in breach of the Articles of Association. Ahem.

And he must have known this. Which means it was basically done out of spite.

 

[ROSM]

And he must have known this. Which means it was basically done out of spite.

As per my earlier post, the other shareholders did seem to have their pre emptive opportunity (although a paul barber quote from 2013 on nsc did seem to indicate that the board needed a 28 day notice of sale of shares that they didnt have but subsequently it was referenced that the offer to buy out had been made - suspect it was semantics). I'm not saying what happened after was right (nor that the book should be viewed as 100% historically fair and accurate) but the presumption it started as spite seems a bit incorrect.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I agree with all of your post except the bit I’ve emboldened, unless by ‘entitled’ you mean ‘morally entitled’, in which case I don’t have an opinion.

It would be brilliant if Tony and Dick could bury the hatchet, but I can’t see it happening.

Tony Bloom still won't sit in the directors box with a former partner, so I very much doubt it would happen.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Bollocks. My son is 18. He knows the words to build a bonfire, why we sing it and exactly what Archer and Bellotti did. He joins in. And with a permanent tribute other fathers could take their kids to it and explain. And the Storer goal and Hereford feature in the pre match montage.

Thank goodness for that. Can he come and stand by me and Atilla in the north stand and join in with the two of us singing it?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Thank goodness for that. Can he come and stand by me and Atilla in the north stand and join in with the two of us singing it?

It comes out at away games quite a lot. I thought the rule of the North was that it was compulsory to start three different songs at the same time. Maybe people think you're an elderly ultra group?

 

[Dave the OAP]

It comes out at away games quite a lot. I thought the rule of the North was that it was compulsory to start three different songs at the same time. Maybe people think you're an elderly ultra group?

To be fair we are very very old indeed