I asked Dick Knight a few questions last night.....

[El Presidente]

I'm just waiting for Ernest to post up the gossip from the latest ARS for All campaign meeting.

Thanks to Attila for passing on the information.

Most Albion fans have no idea how close we are to the club compared to many. Give me a DK over a Lerner/Glazer any day.

 

[Bozza]

What action is he supposed to take? If he has been to games and put money into the club as a result that is all that can be expected of the average supporter?

Well, using this particular case, I don't believe the individual has made any financial contribution to the club over the period discussed...

1) He doesn't go to Withdean. Attending away games does not generate money for the Albion.

2) Claims to have donated to fighting funds, when challenged previously, have never been proven. And given the nature of the individual there is every reason to believe he is talking out of his arse. Again.

 

[Giraffe]

I can't be arsed to read back over this thread now, but the impression I took when reading it the first time round is that no-one here is disagreeing with your independence John.

However, I think what people were saying or trying to say is that there are a large number of Albion fans for whom their involvement in the club does not extend much beyond a few hours every other Saturday afternoon and catching up with the back page of the Argus in between. To these people you could easily be seen as being an employee of the club/part of Dick Knight's crew/call it what you will and for no reason more than the little stint you do in the PA box at Withdean.

Cheers Bozza! Thats what I have been trying to say. In short this "news" doesn't take us anywhere until the "money" is spent and therefore the jubilance with which it was received was slightly odd. And thats it really. I wish I had paid more attention at Worthing Sixth Form College so that I could put things as concisely as that! Maybe trying to work whilst posting on North Stand Chat hasn't helped.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I did mean to cover that off but didn't. Of course you are right in that in Ian's position there is a need to provoke debate and play the role of devil's advocate on occasion.

Are you saying you believe that Ian is actually very pro-Knight but has continually portrayed the opposite for the purposes of his show?

No I'm not. But I'd question whether there was any mileage at all in the BBC hiring someone who was pro-Knight.

I think there was a certain amount of journalistic licence to start with which he has come to believe more and more as the years have gone on. I'd also put on here that Ian's as blue and white as anyone who posts here

 

[The Large One]

What action is he supposed to take?

He can take whatever action he wants - there are plenty more things he can do to help aside from 'I pay my money to watch the Albion'.

 

[Bozza]

But Bozza that means that as soon as someone works for the club, you find their statements/discussions somehow un-believable by association?

*sigh* Not at all...

1. I wasn't talking about me and my thoughts on this at all.

2. I've passed no comment on Attila at all before when I just said "no-one here is disagreeing with your independence John".

3. I was merely trying to interpret what others were saying about how some may find John too close to the club to be independent now.

 

[Giraffe]

But Bozza that means that as soon as someone works for the club, you find their statements/discussions somehow un-believable by association? Isn't that a little odd?

No one, well not me anyway, is saying I don't believe it, just that the average fan will shrug their shoulders and say "so what". They want to see investment, not just hear that there is some.

 

[Dave the OAP]

He can take whatever action he wants - there are plenty more things he can do to help aside from 'I pay my money to watch the Albion'.

Really.

I thought this was a "community club"?

 

[Man of Harveys]

No one, well not me anyway, is saying I don't believe it, just that the average fan will shrug their shoulders and say "so what". They want to see investment, not just hear that there is some.

Right. So they want to see money - which may not be there due to public enquiries etc - spent anyway, even if it's on player who turn out to be crap? Just so that SOMETHING IS BEING DONE?

And if the players bought are in fact crap and we go bust to enormous cheers emenating from Lewes, remind me: just whose fault would that be again?

 

[Man of Harveys]

He can take whatever action he wants - there are plenty more things he can do to help aside from 'I pay my money to watch the Albion'.

Does he even do that?

 

[Bozza]

I'd also put on here that Ian's as blue and white as anyone who posts here

I'm not sure anyone is disputing that. I think some are questioning whether Ian's stance on DK is particularly constructive, and if it it stopping DK communicating to the fanbase via the phone-in there is certainly merit in that reasoning.

 

[Giraffe]

Right. So they want to see money - which may not be there due to public enquiries etc - spent anyway, even if it's on player who turn out to be crap? Just so that SOMETHING IS BEING DONE?

And if the players bought are in fact crap and we go bust to enormous cheers emenating from Lewes, remind me: just whose fault would that be again?

No not at all. But DK repeatedly says there is money for players (and Attila has confirmed this). All I am saying is that saying it in some ways is worse. I'd rather know they have no money for players instead of being promised we are going to buy this player or that player and then nothing happens.

I actually can't see how there can be any money with gates dropping far below what I suspect they have budgeted, the pay off to Mark McGhee, and the lengthening of the Falmer saga. And if this is the case then DK should say. At the moment he is saying there is still money to get players, so whats wrong with therefore wanting him to do so.

 

[The Large One]

Really.

I thought this was a "community club"?

Which is why I said there are plenty more things he can do to help aside from 'I pay my money to watch the Albion'.

 

[dwayne]

Well, using this particular case, I don't believe the individual has made any financial contribution to the club over the period discussed...

1) He doesn't go to Withdean. Attending away games does not generate money for the Albion.

2) Claims to have donated to fighting funds, when challenged previously, have never been proven. And given the nature of the individual there is every reason to believe he is talking out of his arse. Again.

I don't go to Withdean - well that's not true, I go a couple of times a season.

How do I prove that I've given to the begging bowl? bought stuff from the club shop?

Whatever, whatever, as I've stated previously I'm not the chairman, I'm not a mouthpiece for the club, but I expect action from him, and I'd rather he kept quiet till he delivers something tangible.

 

[the Realist]

If I were Dick Knight I would be completely fed up of what seems to have been a continual (ie from the second season at Gillingahm through to today) crusade from Ian Hart to undermine his position.

I'm sure Ian believes he is well intentioned and, as he explained on another thread, people were initially thoroughly duped by Archer, Bellotti and Stanley. With that history I think it is felt that a degree of constant probing will keep people on their toes and be in the best interests of the club.

From my position it seems as though Ian's approach has meant there has rarely been a time when we've all pulled in exactly the same direction when at times we've needed to.

Precisely

I am a regular phone-in listeneer and I am CONVINCED that Ian is much happier and gets much more excited when we lose than when we win.

Is that a honest reaction of a true fan, or is it someone who actually derives some perveted gratification from seeing the club struggle because it gives him an axe to grind and he would rather be able to grind that axe than celebrate success on the field.


Am I being unfair?


Well consider this - in the seasons we were winning and gaing promotion, rather than joining in the exuberance, all Ian could do virtually every week was hark on about why DK and MP were taking so long to get Falmer sorted


The man thrives on disharmony.

 

[Man of Harveys]

No not at all. But DK repeatedly says there is money for players (and Attila has confirmed this). All I am saying is that saying it in some ways is worse. I'd rather know they have no money for players instead of being promised we are going to buy this player or that player and then nothing happens.

I actually can't see how there can be any money with gates dropping far below what I suspect they have budgeted, the pay off to Mark McGhee, and the lengthening of the Falmer saga. And if this is the case then DK should say. At the moment he is saying there is still money to get players, so whats wrong with therefore wanting him to do so.

Isn't it as simple as there's likely to be SOME money floating around - which is what he's said - but just not vast amounts and, as you say, the more people stay away from Withdean, the lower quality of player we can go for as the pot gets smaller. But also why want him to say bad news when it's perhaps not as bad as one thinks?

 

[tedebear]

I find it a shame that people have become so cynical then, if thats what you're saying..rather sad really...

Everyone screeches that there isn't money, DK tells us there is for the right players, next you'll be all jumping up and down commenting on it being spent on the wrong players..

I think we're lucky that we get so much information from the club, it seems that alot of you think its your right to get this information and squabble about what decisions should be made!

He can't win really can he?

 

[the Realist]

On Sunday, Ian came out with the same argument to suggest that as we played so appaulingly that was the fault of the manager and the players, not the circumstances.

Actually he didn't. Ian knows better than to criticise the pl;ayers or the manager as he can't afford to fall out with them.

Instead he picked on his easy target and laid ALL of the blame at the feet of DK

 

[Bozza]

Isn't it as simple as there's likely to be SOME money floating around - which is what he's said - but just not vast amounts and, as you say, the more people stay away from Withdean, the lower quality of player we can go for as the pot gets smaller.

Exactly. And we will only bring a player in if that player is better than what we already have. And the less money we have, the less likely that is to be the case. Which means the less likely it is we will bring anyone in. Which means less people will come to games. Which means the money we have is reduced. And so it goes on.

 

[Bozza]

I find it a shame that people have become so cynical then, if thats what you're saying..rather sad really...

Everyone screeches that there isn't money, DK tells us there is for the right players, next you'll be all jumping up and down commenting on it being spent on the wrong players..

I think we're lucky that we get so much information from the club, it seems that alot of you think its your right to get this information and squabble about what decisions should be made!

He can't win really can he?

Who are you directing this to exactly?