Mike Bamber - hero or villain?

[Danny-Boy]

If we ever match the 70's/80's again, I for one would be buzzing!!

What a team we had back then.....but as per previous responses....Goldstone would always have limited us and what happened was neccessary for our team to start afresh on even ground!

I read a book on the Albion published in 1979 after the prmotion to Division 1; even then Bamber was quoted as saying that the Goldstone was not big enough and an out-of-town stadium was the way forward for the future of the club.

 

[Danny-Boy]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but the club was in a terrible financial state long before Archer et al. got involved, and that was partly because we were paying the price for living beyond our means under Bamber. That is not to absolve A*cher of the blame, nor to deny Mike the credit for having the vision (and funds) to take the club to new levels. So yes, hero and a villain of sorts.

I really hope that the last 30 years' history have taught Albion fans not to take everything at face value. Don't get me wrong, I think the club is in good hands and we are incredibly fortunate to be led by Tony Bloom who is a genuine fan. But while we "enjoy the ride" we should still want to take a look under the bonnet occasionally and ask the odd question. What is our wage to turnover ratio, for example? Could we meet our financial obligations if, for whatever reason, we no longer had TB to inject capital? Maybe we should have asked those sorts of questions during the heady days of the late 70s and early 80s.

God points, I hope someone takes them seriously, whilst you have the chance.

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

He was a hero, a very good man and he loved the Albion through and through. A a good friend of mine worked for him and said he was a smashing bloke he also enjoyed playing the drums.

 

[Cheshire]

While on about the Bamber Glory Years - anyone remember the short lived but big publicity campaign to oust him with the slogan Brighton & Hove Albion not Bamber and Hove Albion. Anyone know who this group was or any other details of the campaign, and where did they dissapeared to when the financial wheels started to come off. Seem to think they had Music Industry connections?

 

[Brovion]

While on about the Bamber Glory Years - anyone remember the short lived but big publicity campaign to oust him with the slogan Brighton & Hove Albion not Bamber and Hove Albion. Anyone know who this group was or any other details of the campaign, and where did they dissapeared to when the financial wheels started to come off. Seem to think they had Music Industry connections?

I do remember that. They produced leaflets saying "It's Brighton FC, not Bamber FC" I never found out who was behind it, but I was (and still am) suspicious of anybody who thinks we're 'Brighton FC'

 

[ezzoud]

Both very good points. One of the 'mistakes' Bamber made was in believing that Albion fans would be loyal and would stick with with the club when times got tougher. He also thought that the fans might just appreciate that 1st division teams were going to be that little harder to beat than a lot of the lower league cannon-fodder we'd been happily mullering for the previous two or three seasons. He was wrong on both counts. The fickle Albion public turned their back on the team in droves once we started to struggle; the away attendances at places like Old Trafford and Anfield, places we'd dreamed of visiting were appalling. Home gates dipped to below 20,000, so the income he thought was all but assured never materialised.

Good points.

I think also the ticket prices increased quite a lot once Div 1 football arrived and it also coincided with increased hooliganism, fences round grounds and a general decrease in attendances for all clubs.

According to Rothmans 1980/81 total Div 1 attendances for season 1979/80 was 12.1 million , the lowest since 1961/62, and the fourth decrease in a row.

I know my dad was reluctant to go to First Div games with me (aged 11 in Aug 1979) whereas we had been regulars in the Div2/3 seasons from 1976/77 onwards - so all my fault really...sorry about that.

 

[Storer 68]

While on about the Bamber Glory Years - anyone remember the short lived but big publicity campaign to oust him with the slogan Brighton & Hove Albion not Bamber and Hove Albion. Anyone know who this group was or any other details of the campaign, and where did they dissapeared to when the financial wheels started to come off. Seem to think they had Music Industry connections?

I seem to recall that it all kicked off after melia was sacked and then made an impromptu appearance in the north Stand for a home game soon after,

 

[Storer 68]

i think that we had 30,000 gates many times in the old div 1, think that the accounting was at fault,
for whatever reason, for one night match v Liverpool the place was jam-packed ,
yet the crowd was recorded as 23,000 i think

We NEVER had a 30,000 crowd in Divsuion 1 because we jacked up the prices so high that we were the most expensive terrace admission prices in English football and put high fences in all around the terrace areas which dissuaded many people from going, and we never had permission to make the Goldstone take more than 28,000

 

[Storer 68]

Also let us not forget the really boring football that Mike Bailey's team dished out - which, while being very effective and right for the time, drove lots of people away (me included) who had been used to the "Up and at 'em" attitude of Mullery's teams which wouold just win and win and win and win.

 

[bhaexpress]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but the club was in a terrible financial state long before Archer et al. got involved, and that was partly because we were paying the price for living beyond our means under Bamber. That is not to absolve A*cher of the blame, nor to deny Mike the credit for having the vision (and funds) to take the club to new levels. So yes, hero and a villain of sorts.

I really hope that the last 30 years' history have taught Albion fans not to take everything at face value. Don't get me wrong, I think the club is in good hands and we are incredibly fortunate to be led by Tony Bloom who is a genuine fan. But while we "enjoy the ride" we should still want to take a look under the bonnet occasionally and ask the odd question. What is our wage to turnover ratio, for example? Could we meet our financial obligations if, for whatever reason, we no longer had TB to inject capital? Maybe we should have asked those sorts of questions during the heady days of the late 70s and early 80s.

This is a very fair comment, up the road the cockney wannabes thought all was cool when Tangoman took over didn't they ?

 

[Don Tmatter]

While on about the Bamber Glory Years - anyone remember the short lived but big publicity campaign to oust him with the slogan Brighton & Hove Albion not Bamber and Hove Albion. Anyone know who this group was or any other details of the campaign, and where did they dissapeared to when the financial wheels started to come off. Seem to think they had Music Industry connections?

Wasn't their name Kruger or something, two brothers?

 

[Brownstuff]

Bamber was the dogs bollocks
When I was a kid and used to get asked 'What do you want to be when you grow up'
My answer was 'Chairman of Brighton and Hove Albion'
He had the job I wanted so I always saw him as a god like figure
Bamber always seemed to have good business relationships with other clubs
He loved Brighton and it was very sad when he passed on

 

[Cheshire]

I seem to recall that it all kicked off after melia was sacked and then made an impromptu appearance in the north Stand for a home game soon after,

That was farcical - he turned up after being sacked with two glam models on each arm, of course some of the North Standers rallied behind him, it was almost as a thanks for the Cup Final than any serious attempt at wanting him back, after all he had got us relegated. This was the equivalent of say Russell Slade turning up in H block with two glam models after he was sacked - except Russell Slade is more the football manager than Melia ever was.

But I think Don Tmatter is right that it was two brothers and think the Melia thing happened after this attempted takeover as I am sure we were still in the top flight at the time - the fact few seem to know them probably means if they had taken over they may well have done an Archer on us. At least Chris Cattlin helped to steady the good ship not long after our relegation until he was shafted by the board, but that was after Bamber had gone.

 

[Ernest]

Harvey Kruger was one of them, something to do with snooker as well

 

[osgood]

We NEVER had a 30,000 crowd in Divsuion 1 because we jacked up the prices so high that we were the most expensive terrace admission prices in English football and put high fences in all around the terrace areas which dissuaded many people from going, and we never had permission to make the Goldstone take more than 28,000

ah, think youve completely missed my point, which was that,
OFFICIAL FIGURES are/were one thing, and the ACTUAL ATTENDANCE another..
even if the club wernt cooking the books, i and others willingly accepted the turnstile operators offer to jump over the metal, ie it didnt click...dunno how widespread this was,
but i suspect that it was widespread

 

[Art Vs Science]

I am not for one saying Bamber was perfect and did not make some mistakes but how people can call the legend of Bamber a possible Villain is beyond me. He remains the best chairman we have ever had although who knows where the legacy of Bloom will find us. I do agree with a post earlier, let's check under the bonnet periodically to make sure the engine's working, given what we have suffered.

Mike Bamber - You are sir a legend and you created the best of times to grow up supporting the seagulls.

In the words of John Vinicombe it was "up & up & away"

HEY!! Lord B.............what have you done with the cash? Lol. How was the Yacht and Speedboat convention btw

 

[Lord Bamber]

HEY!! Lord B.............what have you done with the cash? Lol. How was the Yacht and Speedboat convention btw

I have the cash stashed. I was waiting to buy another 15 tickets for take that's next tour......

 

[Art Vs Science]

I have the cash stashed. I was waiting to buy another 15 tickets for take that's next tour......

See what trouble you have caused.

Have you purchased 14 seats at the amex for your imaginary friends as well? This has to stop.

 

[kevo]

Also let us not forget the really boring football that Mike Bailey's team dished out - which, while being very effective and right for the time, drove lots of people away (me included) who had been used to the "Up and at 'em" attitude of Mullery's teams which wouold just win and win and win and win.

Was just going to make that very point myself. I do remember the 'Bamber Out' campaign. Interesting that there appear to be few people on here at least who would deny he was anything other than a great chairman - but at the time there were certainly a lot of dissenters.

I think history will also judge Dick Knight favourably. It is unbelievable that there are people on NSC who have no respect for what he did to save our club.

 

[Here's Johnny!]

Was just going to make that very point myself. I do remember the 'Bamber Out' campaign. Interesting that there appear to be few people on here at least who would deny he was anything other than a great chairman - but at the time there were certainly a lot of dissenters.

I think history will also judge Dick Knight favourably. It is unbelievable that there are people on NSC who have no respect for what he did to save our club.

Are there really?! I thought it was just Ernest and the ongoing ARS campaign?