Team Dick or Team Tony?

[Easy 10]

I have a feeling that Tony saw a profit ??

After ploughing in circa £150m + of his own cash, you think TB saw this as a PROFIT-making exercise ?

Mmmkay.

 

[The Large One]

I'd always go with the maxim -

Where would we have been without Tony? We'd have been in very serious trouble.
Where would we have been without Dick? We wouldn't have had a club to be in serious trouble.

Point is - the argument is always meaningless; one would have no place without the other.

 

[macky]

How much do you think the club
will be worth in the prem ??
Two years ago West brom were valued at 125 mil if Brighton get to the prem I would like to think We would be worth as much as them if not a bit more ??

 

[Bozza]

Show me a club in the premiership that does well as a result of having many many fan shareholders.

It's a lovely theory to think fan ownership is good, but in reality, you're much better of having a billionaire chairman than a bunch of penniless fans.

Where is anyone advocating have a group of 'penniless fans' controlling the destiny of the Albion?

 

[attila]

Well, thank heavens for your third option Bozza. Until then I thought you were Rupert Murdoch - divide and rule

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

NSC conundrum of the day , well done Bozza

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It's a bit like the chicken and the egg I think without Dick there would have been no Tony ??

Without dick, none of us would be here.

 

[attila]

Show me a club in the premiership that does well as a result of having many many fan shareholders.

It's a lovely theory to think fan ownership is good, but in reality, you're much better of having a billionaire chairman than a bunch of penniless fans.

The biggest club in the world and the two European finalists last season for starters! Ok, they're not in the Premiership, but the same principle can surely apply everywhere if done the right way.

 

[macky]

Without dick, none of us would be here.

Exactly

 

[El Presidente]

Can somebody please sum up the disagreement between the two of them?

TB is INSISTENT on salt and vinegar at board meetings but DK is a cheese and onion man. It all went downhill from there.

 

[El Presidente]

Without dick, none of us would be here.

*snigger*

 

[Baldseagull]

Show me a club in the premiership that does well as a result of having many many fan shareholders.

It's a lovely theory to think fan ownership is good, but in reality, you're much better of having a billionaire chairman than a bunch of penniless fans.

If it is all about doing well in the Premiership you are supporting the wrong team.

 

[Bob!]

Without dick, none of us would be here.

I'm sure most of us would be here supporting AFC Brighton & Hove, though probably in the Isthmian league or similar.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Oh come on Bozza, thats daft. The stupid thing is, we'd all love them to work together forever, but they seem to not get on and now we're being asked to choose sides? Well if pushed, I preferred Dicks vision for Brighton but TB seems not to go along with all of it and he controls the purse strings. I wished he hadn't sacked Gus in the way he did and I hope he doesnt' gut AITC, but its a no-brainer that overall he's a wonderful chairman for us. Sure he seems to be on a bit of a vanity trip, but at least he's an Abramovich type and not a Vincent Tan type, and on the pitch we're all benefiting.

 

[Simster]

My understanding is:
Dick believes no club, including us, should be controlled by one individual. Tony controls around 90%, thus upsetting Dick.
Given that Tony is an excellent owner who has done nothing to abuse the 90%, Dick's argument is moot. Were Tony to sell up and the new 90% controller be an arse then Dick's point is very valid. Hence I'm sat very on the fence.

This is the crux of the issue as far as I can see, but I've bolded the only piece I disagree with. It's not really moot - there is now nothing to stop Bloom selling to some wealthy Arab who was prepared to pay 3 times the value of the club only to drop the club right in the shit when he gets bored.

When Knight took over, he probably decided he was going to bankroll it's existence on the proviso that it was to become a genuine community asset, recognising the club's value to the city, and safeguarding it from potential chancers in the future. Now whilst Bloom appears to be a modern day philanthropist in this regard, there is now nothing that says he has to be. It's a slippery slope. Season ticket prices could double overnight if we got promoted and there would be a rump of people on here justifying it by saying "well Bloom has to get his money back somehow!".

 

[Cold Gettin Dumb]

United we stand, divided we fall.
Lots not divide...

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I have read a few of the chapters in Mad Man which cover the apparent deterioration with Dick Knight's relationship with Tony Bloom. Not going to offer up any spoilers but it is certainly an interesting read. Not too many concrete conclusions you can draw without Bloom's side of the story.

I just think it is regrettable that the pair don't seem to be able to get on. A real, real shame, because both have the club's best interests at heart and both are hugely important figures in the club's history.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

This poll should be unnecessary.

Both have achieved all they could and neither would have succeeded without the other. Any attempts by either to outdo the other would be regrettable.

 

[hoveboyslim]

If I had Tony's money I would do exactly the same thing as he has done. However, Dick was instrumental in saving us.

Different times call for different people. We have been incredibly lucky to have two brilliant Chairman following each other.

It's no great surprise that they do not see eye-to-eye. They are both very determined people and invariably they will see their own was as the right way, that is why they are so successful.

 

[Norman Potting]

Please do not do a poll on this. It will be done I'm sure, but really what is the point. There's another thread already discussing this.

Both have played a major role in helping the Albion in very different ways.

I'm Team Albion, because in 50 years neither Dick or Tony will be here, but I strongly believe the Albion will be.

Seconded