If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
Not looking to diminish your achievements here but did you have the whole industry set up to make life difficult with widespread practices that made running the business in any other way but that suited the industry as a whole ? That’s how football is set up. People say football is completely different but in many respects it shouldn’t be. Just because football contracts have always been done in a certain way doesn’t make it right or necessarily sustainable. Your experience with your industry was with regard to bad ownership not an industry that wasn’t amenable to change, which is how I see football.
I remember Lyle Taylor saying like it or not footballers are a 'brand', and that 'I know my worth'. What he didn't say much about was that football is a team sport, and that somebody has to be prepared to pay you. There has been talk on here about Ben Chorley. Now he as a youngster was at Arsenal, and determined to be a professional footballer. 481 games later it proved to be true, but what is impressive is that after being let go by Arsenal, he wasn't too proud to play for Tranmere, Stevenage and Leyton Orient amongst others. I think he was somebody who simply wanted to play, and always be involved in football wherever it took him. Not a person concerned about his 'brand', and he was prepared to accept that his 'worth' was wherever he could get a gig. I think at this period of his career he is steeped in football for its own sake and for the love of the game. He was also a determined and focused player, the last time I saw him play live was when Leyton Orient beat us 1-0 at the Valley. So the talk above about some footballers being a bit precious and up themselves resonates a bit, because the leagues also have people like Ben Chorley, Andy Hughes, Kevin Nugent, Danny Kedwell and the non-precious self deprecating Kevin Lisbie amongst many others who are in it for the game rather than for their brand, or to squeeze every penny out.
Ben Charley’s old man is my uncles best mate. The family come from Deptford. The old fella is a proper nice fella, one of your own, down to earth and always laughing and joking
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
Great post but cant help but feel as Charlton why couldnt Barcly and Varney got the gig , someone who actually cares about the club as much as themselves
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
Great post but cant help but feel as Charlton why couldnt Barcly and Varney got the gig , someone who actually cares about the club as much as themselves
They wouldn’t pay what Douchbag wanted. Simple as that.
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
Page 219 - and no manager news yet and we haven’t sold Stockley, so will just say the Dutch look somewhat back to their best and a little worrying for the WC. Making Belgium look very poor.
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
Perhaps TS has a get-out, being based in the US, but I suspect he would find it difficult to extract himself from Charlton without addressing at least some of the liabilities he has taken on - player contracts, rent to RD until 2035 and, especially, the £7m in ex-director loans.
As you say, he might well struggle to find a buyer as there is currently nothing tangible to sell, but I’m not clear he can just walk away from all those commitments, even if he felt like it.
If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
Are you Clive Blockbuster?
Prolly bought a small island, amount you charged for Doritos and bags-a-popcorn.....
As an ex communications specialist (I.e. one of my areas of expertise was communications as opposed to I go round warding off evil spirits), I do just wonder if TS has played a blinder here. It has been Ben wots is name for weeks but TS has put it out there so that what would have been a very underwhelming appointment ends up getting welcomed like the messiah. Maybe not but he’s not as daft as some are making out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
If you want a business analogy, I own a very famous film distribution company.
It has previously been owned by
a) An A lister who used it to release his own films when he was the world's biggest actor;
b) before Jeff Bezos and Elan Musk and Bill Gates, the wealthiest businessman in the world; and
c) a very wealthy economist
None of them sadly had any actual film sales and distribution experience. The company went "bust" 3 times in 17 years. A bank gave it to me to stop it going bust a fourth time.
I have a good sales and distribution reputation. I understand the economics of film distribution - like the football world, you can spend masses of money and spunk it up the wall.
After 2 1/2 years the bank were fully repaid and the business was owned fully by me. 2 years further on, it has a positive balance sheet for the first time in 21 years.
The bank asked me to help them.
Thomas is the bank. He needs experienced football people he can trust to run the club. The right people in the right jobs.
With the freedom to operate.
I can tell you from my own personal experience, that until he does that. It won't work. Ever.
Comments
Does he have a moustache?
What he didn't say much about was that football is a team sport, and that somebody has to be prepared to pay you.
There has been talk on here about Ben Chorley. Now he as a youngster was at Arsenal, and determined to be a professional footballer.
481 games later it proved to be true, but what is impressive is that after being let go by Arsenal, he wasn't too proud to play for Tranmere, Stevenage and Leyton Orient amongst others. I think he was somebody who simply wanted to play, and always be involved in football wherever it took him. Not a person concerned about his 'brand', and he was prepared to accept that his 'worth' was wherever he could get a gig.
I think at this period of his career he is steeped in football for its own sake and for the love of the game. He was also a determined and focused player, the last time I saw him play live was when Leyton Orient beat us 1-0 at the Valley.
So the talk above about some footballers being a bit precious and up themselves resonates a bit, because the leagues also have people like Ben Chorley, Andy Hughes, Kevin Nugent, Danny Kedwell and the non-precious self deprecating Kevin Lisbie amongst many others who are in it for the game rather than for their brand, or to squeeze every penny out.
I also do think that our keyboard warriors who are lambasting TS on twatter etc need to be careful what they wish for. TS has clearly got a lot wrong and is eccentric to put it mildly. But there will not be a queue of buyers if he gets out of the wrong side of bed one morning with the fragrant Rayleen on his case and reads the wrong comment and decides to write off his losses (which he could easily do). Any assets worthy of the name are still in the hands of the Belgian twunt. I’m in despair as much as the next guy and gal but this is a whole lot better than what we faced in the last days of ESI. I cling to at least a little hope that things will pick up. I’m certainly not a TS apologist. His halo has certainly slipped a bit. But he’s what we’ve got for the moment and the alternatives are few and probably unpalatable.
It's not compulsory...stay strong, we will get there soon..🤞🤞
Simple as that.