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New CEO appointed - Ben Mansford, formerly of Leeds, Barnsley, Blackpool and Maccabi Tel Aviv
Comments
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That is true.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
lots of posts are positive.
As I said…’some’.2 -
I'm glad to hear that, as Jose's post worried me. The last thing we need is a CEO who thinks his job is some sort of spin doctor making iffy pronouncements on everything that moves and a lot of things that don't. For me the priority is for someone who quietly works behind the scenes removing all the little impediments that are stopping people on both the playing side and the non-playing side from doing the best that they can. Well, that and successfully locating the big stack of cash that's down behind the sofa.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.4 -
I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
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One poster used the term with a question mark, asking if he was the one known as BS Ben. Hardly damning and the last time I looked “some” meant more than one. People really don’t help themselves exaggerating hearsay and whispers as soon as they can.jose said:
That is true.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
lots of posts are positive.
As I said…’some’.6 -
TelMc32 said:
One poster used the term with a question mark, asking if he was the one known as BS Ben. Hardly damning and the last time I looked “some” meant more than one. People really don’t help themselves exaggerating hearsay and whispers as soon as they can.jose said:
That is true.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
lots of posts are positive.
As I said…’some’.Infuriating, isn't it?3 -
Across football forums (including Reddit's r/championship, club-specific forums like Charlton Life, AVFTT for Blackpool, and Barnsley/Leeds fan boards), general sentiment around Ben Mansford characterizes him as a competent, sharp commercial operator and stabilizing administrator, but one who frequently divides fanbases when it comes to on-pitch recruitment strategy and transfer-market ambition.
1. Reputation by Club Stint
Barnsley (2013–2016)
General View: Positive to respected.
Themes:
Credited with helping stabilize the club during financial tightening and transitioning towards an analytical, younger player recruitment model alongside Patrick Cryne.
Oversaw the promotion back to the Championship via the play-offs and the Football League Trophy win in 2016.
Fans generally viewed him as a modern, articulate executive who helped right the ship after difficult relegation years.
Leeds United (2016–2017)
General View: Neutral, viewed as an administrative figurehead in a turbulent era.
Themes:
Arriving during Massimo Cellino’s chaotic tenure, fan sentiment recognised that the CEO role under Cellino was heavily constrained.
Fans gave him credit for maintaining operational stability behind the scenes during Garry Monk’s near-playoff season.
When Andrea Radrizzani completed his full takeover and brought in Angus Kinnear, Mansford’s exit was met with little rancour; supporters viewed him as a professional bureaucrat who managed difficult boardroom dynamics reasonably well.
Blackpool (2019–2023)
General View: Highly mixed to polarizing.
The Good: Fans recognized his instrumental role in modernizing club infrastructure post-Oyston. Under owner Simon Sadler, he oversaw commercial modernisation (ticketing, data, retail systems, stadium upgrades, and the planning phase for the new training ground) and promotion to the Championship under Neil Critchley.
The Bad: Forum sentiment turned sharply negative during the 2022–23 relegation season. Supporters heavily criticized recruitment failures, protracted contract disputes, and an perceived unwillingness or inability to spend aggressively to stay up. When his exit was announced alongside relegation, many fans on AVFTT and Reddit felt his departure was overdue.
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2017–2019 & 2023–2025/26)
General View: Respected and valued.
Themes:
Regarded well by the club hierarchy and domestic observers for navigating UEFA Financial Fair Play constraints while securing domestic silverware.
Seen as a professionalizer who bridged European football structures with local league demands.
2. Common Themes Across Online Discussions
Dimension Common Fan Perception Operational & Legal Acumen High. Coming from a legal/agency background (Walker Morris), he is recognized on forums as someone who understands contracts, EFL compliance, and corporate structuring inside out. Modernization & Off-Pitch Work Positive. Supporters credit him with fixing neglected infrastructure (ticketing engines, commercial tie-ups, back-office digitization, facility plans). Communication Style Articulate but Corporate. Fans note he speaks well and handles fan forums/Q&As capably, though critics argue his answers can lean towards PR polish when hard questions about transfer funds are asked. Recruitment & Football Direction Skeptical. The main point of friction. Fans often worry whether he gives managers enough backing in transfer windows or relies too heavily on bargains, loans, and strict wage envelopes. Summary
Supporters generally view Ben Mansford as a safe, polished pair of hands who will protect the club financially and modernize off-pitch operations, while remaining wary of whether his appointments and recruitment policies will deliver attacking, sustained success on the pitch.
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Seems he's seen as a good admin and commercial CEO, his stated roles with us, but also seen as less good on player recruitment.
I'd question how much a CEO is involved in picking players beyond budgeting matters and at Charlton Rodwell is the director with direct oversight of recruitment and player matters.
Whether BM is a good fit for us we'll have to wait and see but he does have relevant experience at this level as do Tony Brown in finance and Chris Samson in commercial.8 -
You need to learn the secret handshake if you are going to start threads.Dave Rudd said:Henry Irving said:This is the first.
Welcome Ben, don't know much about you but you have relevant experience and we've needed a proper CEO for a long while, longer than 19 months.
Apologies for starting a thread at 5.04pm. I've asked the mods to delete mine (which was the first) as the later threads are receiving more attention.0 -
Sounds like more of a football man than a corporate guy with commercial expertise. Could this mean Jim Rodwell potentially moving on eventually...If Ben has lots of experience in player deals then perhaps it's a saving that can be handed over. Just a thought.4
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Somehow I doubt that it has anything to do with the perceived character of the fans (which is arguable in any case given the documented misreporting of events in Amsterdam; unsurprising as that may be) rather than their ethnicity.Swisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
Pots and kettles spring to mind, but it probably makes them feel virtuous, so job done.
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I have been surprised how long Rodwell has stayed around given everywhere else he's been it was oversee a takeover and then move on.PringlesCurtains said:Sounds like more of a football man than a corporate guy with commercial expertise. Could this mean Jim Rodwell potentially moving on eventually...If Ben has lots of experience in player deals then perhaps it's a saving that can be handed over. Just a thought.
I think Mansford will take some of Rodwells responsibilities and some of Carters ultimately.2 -
We can but hope.....PringlesCurtains said:Sounds like more of a football man than a corporate guy with commercial expertise. Could this mean Jim Rodwell potentially moving on eventually...If Ben has lots of experience in player deals then perhaps it's a saving that can be handed over. Just a thought.
( Love you really, Jim ...)
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Spoke to a Blackpool season ticket holder today and his first words were "I see you've hired bull shit Ben". Also said he had a run in with the fans after coming on the pitch to try and calm them down after a defeat.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
Did caveat it by saying on reflection he made a positive impact at the club.7 -
Just like I’m sure ‘some’ people on here are happy you’re back posting…jose said:
That is true.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
lots of posts are positive.
As I said…’some’.7 -
That was during the recruitment process. It may be different now given his experience.Chunes said:
Carter told Cawley that the new CEO will focus on the commercial side, and Jim Rodwell will continue to handle football, including recruitment.Chizz said:Good luck Ben. You have five items on your to-do list that are immediate and urgent. Please deal with these as a matter of priority.- Football strategy Create and communicate a clear division of responsibilities between CEO, manager and sporting leadership.
- Financial sustainability Provide transparent reporting on operating performance, wage commitments and the financial risks of relegation and promotion.
- Recruitment Urgently impose a coherent recruitment process aligned with the manager's short- to mid-term needs and the club's long-term strategy.
- Commercial growth Deliver measurable improvement in sponsorship, hospitality, attendance-related income and other revenue streams.
- Supporter trust Create regular communication, credible commitments and clear explanations of major decisions.
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Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work12 -
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.15 -
Maybe I’m misunderstanding the role of the CEO at a football club, but the criticisms seem to be a little outside of his remit in my opinion. Recruitment should be the remit of the DoF and/or manager, and the budget in a club like ours is set by revenue and how much the owners want to inject. He can impact the latter by increasing revenue, and managing costs but that’s about it. I’m not sure I want him involved in player decisions beyond funding if it’s going to distort the budget in some way.5
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SomervilleAddick said:Maybe I’m misunderstanding the role of the CEO at a football club, but the criticisms seem to be a little outside of his remit in my opinion. Recruitment should be the remit of the DoF and/or manager, and the budget in a club like ours is set by revenue and how much the owners want to inject. He can impact the latter by increasing revenue, and managing costs but that’s about it. I’m not sure I want him involved in player decisions beyond funding if it’s going to distort the budget in some way.If he becomes involved with on pitch recruitment it will be from a funding perspective only I'm sure.Many football CEOs get it in the neck for poor on field performance from fans who have no idea that a CEO has little if any impact on team performance. But they are top of the food chain so the obvious (but inaccurate) target.2
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According to a Barnsley fan I speak to he was liked by the directors and apparently turned down returning to Oakwell before coming to us.
I asked why he'd turn them down and he replied "We (Barnsley) are a basket case with no budget so not an easy job under any circumstances".1 -
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So in his full 3 seasons he got Blackpool promoted in year 1 after finishing 13th previous season, then highest finish in 12 years. Was relegated in the end but a lot of clubs succumb to 2nd season syndrome. If that’s his absolute worse then he should be pretty positiveJ BLOCK said:
Spoke to a Blackpool season ticket holder today and his first words were "I see you've hired bull shit Ben". Also said he had a run in with the fans after coming on the pitch to try and calm them down after a defeat.FirenzeAddick said:jose said:
He was apparently known by some at Blackpool as ‘bullshit Ben’.Hertsseasider said:WARNING - The attached link contains the words "Michael Appleton"
https://avftt.co.uk/index.php?threads/congratulations-ben-mansford.73934/
Anyway, if the Curbs Stand turnstiles aren’t fully operational by the Bolton home game then he is clearly no good.
One post does say that, but every other post seems to suggest their club was better for having him and regret him being moved on.
Did caveat it by saying on reflection he made a positive impact at the club.1 -
Recruitment & Football Direction Skeptical. The main point of friction. Fans often worry whether he gives managers enough backing in transfer windows or relies too heavily on bargains, loans, and strict wage envelope sounds like hes been here a while then 0 -
Anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Israel are two different things. It’s extreme to boycott Charlton just because an employee worked there recently, but I have no issue with someone being anti-Israel when it’s a State committing Genocide. That’s very different to antisemitism. Anyway, I won’t derail the thread.Diebythesword said:
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.16 -
The particular person clearly has an unhealthy obsession and antisemitic. His issue is with a Jewish club, and jewish supporters, not Israel (although, he has issues there too).The Red Robin said:
Anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Israel are two different things. It’s extreme to boycott Charlton just because an employee worked there recently, but I have no issue with someone being anti-Israel when it’s a State committing Genocide. That’s very different to antisemitism. Anyway, I won’t derail the thread.Diebythesword said:
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.
Good riddance to him i say if he chooses to support another club. Ben's religion or ethnicity has no bearing on his appointment, not that i know what they are.4 -
Most reasonable people disprove of Putin's actions but I have never heard anyone say they're 'anti-Russia'...curious isn't it?The Red Robin said:
Anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Israel are two different things. It’s extreme to boycott Charlton just because an employee worked there recently, but I have no issue with someone being anti-Israel when it’s a State committing Genocide. That’s very different to antisemitism. Anyway, I won’t derail the thread.Diebythesword said:
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.7 -
I think there are plenty of people who would describe themselves as anti-Russia, just because you don't know them that doesn't mean they don't existnewyorkaddick said:
Most reasonable people disprove of Putin's actions but I have never heard anyone say they're 'anti-Russia'...curious isn't it?The Red Robin said:
Anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Israel are two different things. It’s extreme to boycott Charlton just because an employee worked there recently, but I have no issue with someone being anti-Israel when it’s a State committing Genocide. That’s very different to antisemitism. Anyway, I won’t derail the thread.Diebythesword said:
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.6 -
I would agree, however antisemites and Neo Nazis have hijacked “anti Israel” to launder their antisemitism and is the reason behind Jewish people being more likely to experience a hate crime than any other religious group. If people who wish to break their bread with antisemites wish to self select themselves from being supporters of the club then good riddance, I don’t want them here, and you shouldn’t either.The Red Robin said:
Anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Israel are two different things. It’s extreme to boycott Charlton just because an employee worked there recently, but I have no issue with someone being anti-Israel when it’s a State committing Genocide. That’s very different to antisemitism. Anyway, I won’t derail the thread.Diebythesword said:
Antisemitism has grown exponentially in recent years, unfortunately that means some idiots see anyone associated with anything related to Jews as being bad. If those idiots want to self select themselves out of supporting the club they’re more than welcome. Good riddance.Southbank said:
Such a weird obsession the one with Israel is. If clubs with some racist fans were to be boycotted there would be no clubs left to supportSwisdom said:I see someone on Facebook already threatening to end his 30 year support of the club because of this.
because Ben worked for an Israeli team and they have some racist fans.
personally find it strange how some people’s minds work
his record in the uk is more relevant here, anyway.
so let’s put this subject to bed, and not derail the thread. The only reason I replied was because I think it’s important to draw a line in the sand and say that discrimination and hate and all forms of racism are not welcome at our club.8 -
No more stuff on this please, thanks9
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Not sure why he's come here then...Henry Irving said:According to a Barnsley fan I speak to he was liked by the directors and apparently turned down returning to Oakwell before coming to us.
I asked why he'd turn them down and he replied "We (Barnsley) are a basket case with no budget so not an easy job under any circumstances".1 -
Presumably 'cos they're a laundry basket case whereas we're just a picnic basket.DDOUBLEE said:
Not sure why he's come here then...Henry Irving said:According to a Barnsley fan I speak to he was liked by the directors and apparently turned down returning to Oakwell before coming to us.
I asked why he'd turn them down and he replied "We (Barnsley) are a basket case with no budget so not an easy job under any circumstances".1
