BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

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shaggy

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BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

In the spirit of good communication I thought I would post here to give advance notice that I am standing for the supporter-elected position on the BFC board. Some may know me as “Shaggy” from the old days (really old days – InsideTheWeb msg board era) or perhaps from the first committee of the re-formed BIAS. I have been out of the “front line” for a couple of years due to work/family commitments (although still a BU & BIAS member and NR season ticket holder), but am very keen to take on the role on the BFC board. I have submitted my details to BU, proposed by Pete Johnston (of Hey Jude) and seconded by Luke Kirton (Councillor), and am advised that they will go through a process of advising candidates of the others who are standing before publishing the written statements to the membership. Although it will be interesting to see who is standing (hopefully there’s been good interest from supporters) it will not change my interest in the position.

Whilst I don’t want to steal any thunder from BU I therefore don’t see a problem with me posting my “written statement” here – it will be made public soon anyway – so see below. I will wait and see what the BU-organised communication process is before saying any more, otherwise I might just end up repeating myself umpteen times over.

So, Happy New Year, please vote for me, and (if you haven’t already) sign up to both BIAS and BU!

Dave



WRITTEN STATEMENT
My name is David Merritt, and I am standing for election to become a Director of Brentford Football Club.

An active supporter for over a decade, I was one of the founding committee members of BIAS in its current form, and was the first to attend a Supporters Direct meeting about supporter ownership of football clubs. I have remained a season ticket holder (New Road), a member of both supporters organisations, and a keen observer of the substantial progress made in recent years. I also stood as a candidate in the ABeeC campaign, which resulted in Luke Kirton’s election to the council.

Aged 32, I have a degree in Accounting & Law, I am a qualified accountant (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), and I hold an Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from London Business School. I have been a statutory Director of my employers subsidiary companies, a Finance Director of operating divisions with annual turnover in excess of £100m, and a Commercial Director of operating divisions with annual turnover in excess of £200m. I have also been Managing Director for the operational element of a contract with a net present value of over £100m (~£10m pa).

I am standing for this position because;

- I have experience of supporter organisations through the setting up of BIAS. I have experienced the issues faced by supporters who struggle to be heard, and by the groups who strive to co-ordinate and harness supporter power. Good communication is very difficult to achieve, but will be an essential element of this role.

- I have substantial commercial and corporate experience in small and large organisations, including statutory boards. I am aware of the specific legal obligations faced by directors of a company, as well as being conscious of the intense pressure all those involved with the club will face until our long-term future is stable.

- I am a qualified accountant and have a world-class MBA, and this knowledge will be invaluable in assisting the Club on its journey to financial stability.

- I recognise the importance of clarity and understanding for us all. Complex decisions are being made, often in a very emotional atmosphere, and it will not always be easy to understand the long-term implications. I contributed the diagram used by BU in their review of governance. In the same way I will work to ensure everyone has a common understanding of the issues faced by the club throughout the tenure of the position.

- Finally I offer something which I believe will be extremely important to the successful candidate; independence. Supporters views are different, and no individual will ever be able to act with the support of every fan all of the time. What I can promise is that on every issue – every single issue – I will act in what I believe to be in the best interest of Brentford Football Club. I will listen to views, make independent decisions, and, without exception, I will publicly stand by my actions. ​
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Do you agree that JM should have walked off with £28k of supporters donations after the pay-offs sanctioning by the BFC Board?
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

What part do you expect to play in turning BFC around?

You will obviously be representing BU on a possibly divided BFC Board that may try to mislead you, how will you deal with this?
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Shaggy:wave:

Sorry to be a pain, but I can`t vote for someone who agrees with paying our rep between £25- 40K to walk off into the night never to be seen again and all this when the club was heading for administration.

I think unfortunately the same will go for West Ealing Bee.:wave:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Regretfully, no-one who supported either the continued tenure or subsequent pay-off of McGlashen, when it would have been a simple matter to dismiss on the grounds of competence, deserves the vote of a single BU member.

Sorry, but if that was the judgement of any current candidate at the time then it would be very difficult to convince many that your judgement is now any better, given that many difficult decisions will have to be made in the short term.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

I was hoping the former mayor of Ealing was standing. He seemed an ideal candidate after his emotional address at the recent BIAS forum. :rolleyes: ;) :eek: :wave:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
Shaggy:wave:

Sorry to be a pain, but I can`t vote for someone who agrees with paying our rep between £25- 40K to walk off into the night never to be seen again and all this when the club was heading for administration.

I think unfortunately the same will go for West Ealing Bee.:wave:
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I did say in my original post that I will wait for the BU organised process before providing more details, answering questions and the like, but I am going to post to correct a misrepresentation of my views. Not only is it wrong, but to the best of my memory I don't believe that you and I have ever spoken about this issue (please tell me if we did - it must have been after a few shandies!), so I would prefer it if either you asked me before reporting my views, or at least state that you heard it on the grapevine rather than the horses mouth.

I have never - NEVER - said that I support John Mac being paid £25-£40k to go. What I have said is that in my experience of being line manager for teams of up to 100 people it is incredibly difficult to make dismissal (ie zero cost) stick, and that therefore in nearly all cases it is expedient for the employer to come to a settlement (a "pay-off" if you prefer the term). I have never made any comment on the value (to anyone, as best I can remember) but I would be stunned if any employer thought that a years pay-off was warranted unless the employee had truly exceptional terms & conditions (1 years notice or the like). So, if the rumours of his salary and pay-off are true, I cannot see how a payment of that magnitude was warranted.

And to those who seem to suggest that everyone involved with the club management for the last x years ought to be dismissed with a settlement, I say that 1. you would have cost the club a fortune in legal fees and tribunal awards, and 2. we would find it impossible to attract anyone to manage the club with a track record like that.

Its entirely up to you whether you vote for me or not Ace Face, and I've no problem with strongly worded/differing opinions, but please don't misrepresent my views.

As for "Sorry to be a pain" - I don't believe you! :-)

Up the Bees!
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Nigel Brooks said:
... when it would have been a simple matter to dismiss on the grounds of competence ...
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It is never a simple matter to dismiss someone and doing so on grounds of competence is probably the hardest reason.

I don't support the pay-offs, particularly their rumoured size, but that doesn't mean they were avoidable without cost or risk. Aim your fury at John Mac for taking it.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

It is very diffcult to DISMISS someone if they are a bit crap. Can you imagine that John mac had a detailed JD, clear objectives, proper consultation about career development requirements etc. If he didn't, how can you PROVE he was incompetent.

The alternative therefore is a pay off. However, I would love to work for a company that thinks it is suitable to pay someone a full year salary on the basis of 3 years in the job. An exceptionally generous settlement in the real world would have been two / three weeks per year. I think the statutory requirement is 1 week per year. A tribunal would have probably placed somewhere in between.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Les Beeavinu said:
I would love to work for a company that thinks it is suitable to pay someone a full year salary on the basis of 3 years in the job. An exceptionally generous settlement in the real world would have been two / three weeks per year. I think the statutory requirement is 1 week per year. A tribunal would have probably placed somewhere in between.
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Especially if a person was sh1te at the job itself and hopelessly out of their depth !

:banghead:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Edmundo said:
It is never a simple matter to dismiss someone and doing so on grounds of competence is probably the hardest reason.

I don't support the pay-offs, particularly their rumoured size, but that doesn't mean they were avoidable without cost or risk. Aim your fury at John Mac for taking it.
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:imwith: JM engineered himself into a paid position under the guise of releasing the Club from Noades' grip and getting it back on the straight and narrow. He then took a hefty increase in salary before the ground started to break up beneath him and finally took another years pay as his 'reward' for all those efforts on behalf of his fellow fans. We know that he was incapable of doing the job in question but laws of the land aren't really helpful in that respect.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

John Mac robbed the fans who elected him.

He deserves our contempt and to be placed in the ***** tray along with Webb, Noades etc.

Such a shame, John should have been a hero, yet he let his greed get the better of him.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
I think unfortunately the same will go for West Ealing Bee.:wave:
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I am as confused as Mr Merritt on this one.

I do not support the pay-off of JM and don't know how you reached the conclusion I did.

Perhaps you should let the candidates speak for themselves Bish.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

I would hope that any candidate I vote for does not support the John Mac pay-off. On the other hand, bad as it was (and it shouldn't be forgotten), I would prefer a candidate who is not completely obsessed by it and spends what time they can spare on Brentford on sorting out the future.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

West Ealing Bee said:
I am as confused as Mr Merritt on this one.

I do not support the pay-off of JM and don't know how you reached the conclusion I did.

Perhaps you should let the candidates speak for themselves Bish.
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You have said to me on numerius occasions that as JM had a family he has every right to take a pay - off. You also asked me if I would have done in his position, I said I wouldn`t have as I have personal pride and some valued friends at BFC.

Do we not discuss this issue often and always agree to disagree.:wave:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Edmundo said:
It is never a simple matter to dismiss someone and doing so on grounds of competence is probably the hardest reason.

I don't support the pay-offs, particularly their rumoured size, but that doesn't mean they were avoidable without cost or risk. Aim your fury at John Mac for taking it.
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No Ed, my fury is aimed, correctly, at those 'well-intentioned amatuers' (God, I am fed up with that excuse) who did not have a framework in place against which an individual's (lack of) performance could be measured.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Nigel Brooks said:
No Ed, my fury is aimed, correctly, at those 'well-intentioned amatuers' (God, I am fed up with that excuse) who did not have a framework in place against which an individual's (lack of) performance could be measured.
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Sorry Nigel, but even with a proper framework in place against which an individual's performance can be measured, it is an extremely difficult process to remove someone who doesn't want to go, even if they are utterly useless and totally workshy. It takes a lot of time, costs a lot of money and risks an ET and further costs and possible payout. That is why Compromise Agreements are so commonplace. Getting rid of people because they are useless is not a simple matter even in the best run organisations. Fraud and gross misconduct are a different matter, assuming sufficient evidence is to hand.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Shaggy - If the pay-off was unavoidable due to failure of proper care and attention when compiling of personal contracts and indivuals performance monitoring. I would hope that that person guilty of negligence in failing to put in place performance monitoringwas subject to disciplanary procedures.

I am sick of the argument that because poor performance is hard to manage it is better to pay off than challenge.

Even with a brilliant trade union at Royal Mail, I wouldn`t get the pay-offs that are the norm at BFC.

Please NEVER take my views personally as often with BFC the difficult issues are the ones that need arguing over instead of hidden in confidentiality agreements.:sorted:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

West Ealing Bee said:
I am as confused as Mr Merritt on this one.

I do not support the pay-off of JM and don't know how you reached the conclusion I did.

Perhaps you should let the candidates speak for themselves Bish.
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I am a little confused though Chris, for although you did not, quite rightly, support the pay-off I do reacall that you were broadly supportive of John.

I find your position confusing as on 10th November 2005 you posted both of the following

John McGlashen went quickly when it was feared money would be lost.

Mr Hall being on the board is doing BFC and BU damage in the same way McGlashen was at the end.

These seem to be mutually exclusive; either he went quickly as you state or he hung in there and caused damage.

So a simple question.

Do you believe that JM's dogged refusal to go without a payoff caused damage to both the club and BU?
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
You have said to me on numerius occasions that as JM had a family he has every right to take a pay - off. You also asked me if I would have done in his position, I said I wouldn`t have as I have personal pride and some valued friends at BFC.

Do we not discuss this issue often and always agree to disagree.:wave:
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I may well have said he is entitled to one, as my fellow candidate outlined above, and as a man with a family it did not surprise me that he took it.

But no Brentford supporter can be happy that he took it, and to suggest I am is incorrect.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

West Ealing Bee said:
But no Brentford supporter can be happy that he took it, and to suggest I am is incorrect.
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To be fair to Bish, he did not say you were happy with it, he just said that you understood why he took it. Some people might confuse this with sympathy.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Nigel Brooks said:
Do you believe that JM's dogged refusal to go without a payoff caused damage to both the club and BU?
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McGlashen's continuing involvement at BFC was obviously damaging to both, I'm not sure how any right minded individual could argue otherwise.

His name was used as a reason for potential back the bees monies being withheld and if the campaign had failed BFC may well have been facing extinction and BU would have been redundant.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

markbfc said:
To be fair to Bish, he did not say you were happy with it, he just said that you understood why he took it. Some people might confuse this with sympathy.
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You should never be fair to Bish :D
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

OK lets make this really simple!

Shaggy - Do you think JM should have asked for and taken a pay off from BFC? Would you have given him anything if you were running BFC?
YES or NO.

West Ealing BEE - Do you think JM should have asked for and taken a pay off from BFC? Would you have given him anything if you were running BFC?
YES or NO.

I will take £5k to stop asking any more questions.:D
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
OK lets make this really simple!

Shaggy - Do you think JM should have asked for and taken a pay off from BFC? Would you have given him anything if you were running BFC?
YES or NO.

West Ealing BEE - Do you think JM should have asked for and taken a pay off from BFC? Would you have given him anything if you were running BFC?
YES or NO.

I will take £5k to stop asking any more questions.:D
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A question for you. If John Mac wouldn't leave without a pay off, what would you have done?
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

As has been stated before, an organsiation has to prove gross misconduct or fraud for a straight dismissal without recompense. Whilst the recompense seems to have been over and above the norm it was impossible to avoid to some degree.

Whilst i agree with earlier comments that the 'issues' need to be debated, i hang back from getting too bogged down into cock ups that have been made in the past. We must try to look forward and debate the issues before they are dealt with.

I think that is what i find most frustrating of all that it debate and discussion seems to centre around the past that cannot be changed (however much we would like it to be) rather than what is in the present and perhaps most importantly in the future so that the mistakes are not repeated over and over again.

Maybe i ought to retreat to a safe distance :confused:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

northantsbee said:
As has been stated before, an organsiation has to prove gross misconduct or fraud for a straight dismissal without recompense.
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Er.......does it. I thought that they only have to act in a reasonable way. i.e. if there is only one person left in the office and money goes missing out of the safe, it is perfectly reasonable to assume it was that person that was responsible. You can't prove it, but you can sack that person.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Banana said:
Er.......does it. I thought that they only have to act in a reasonable way. i.e. if there is only one person left in the office and money goes missing out of the safe, it is perfectly reasonable to assume it was that person that was responsible. You can't prove it, but you can sack that person.
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But you can prove that the money was there before and not after and that the person was in the office.........thus gross misconduct dismissal is supported............ isnt it?

Thats what i meant by prove, there has to be sufficient reason and not just that the job wasnt done in the correct manner......

Anyway im not debating this!!! lol
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Les Beeavinu said:
A question for you. If John Mac wouldn't leave without a pay off, what would you have done?
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I would have gone to a Employment Tribunal with all the evidence I could gather and I bet he wouldn`t have got a years salary.

I would also have publicise as much of the dispute as possible, obviously without breaking any employees rights and thus ensured that every fan knew that BFC and BU were being robbed by JM.

I would have also banned JM for life from BFC if he continued his action. I would also have requested that BU and BIAS refuse his membership.

I would then have said do you want all this aggro, when such a talented Project Manager and Company Director (as we were often told) could surely walk into another job.

Thats just for starters.:sorted:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
I would have gone to a Employment Tribunal with all the evidence I could gather and I bet he wouldn`t have got a years salary.

I would also have publicise as much of the dispute as possible, obviously without breaking any employees rights and thus ensured that every fan knew that BFC and BU were being robbed by JM.

I would have also banned JM for life from BFC if he continued his action. I would also have requested that BU and BIAS refuse his membership.

I would then have said do you want all this aggro, when such a talented Project Manager and Company Director (as we were often told) could surely walk into another job.

Thats just for starters.:sorted:
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I think your approach would have led to a very negative result at an ET. I also think that you may have opened the door for possible litigation from JM.

Don't get me wrong, the reported pay off is obscene and BFC should never have entered into that kind of agreement. However, I don't think that there was anyway that JM could have been dismissed without some kind of pay off. I would've settled at about 6 weeks (i.e. 2 weeks for every year).
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Les Beeavinu said:
............ I think the statutory requirement is 1 week per year. A tribunal would have probably placed somewhere in between.
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I am not aware that there is any statutory requirement in terms of the level of compensation for getting rid of incompetent employees. I think you are confusing the requirements with those for redundancy. Redundancy is 1 weeks pay per year employed between the ages of 22 and 40 and 1½ weeks pay fro every year between the ages of 41 and 64. Between 64 and 65 the entitlement is reduced by one twelfth for every month work. And, the statutory weekly pay is currently capped at £280.00 although this increases each February in line with RPI.

Of course a contract of employment can vary these amounts to make them more generous but not less. Had JM's position been made redundant, and his contract (LOL lol) made no express provsion then he would only have been entitled to 4½ (I assume he is over 41?) weeks pay ( 3 years @ 1½ weeks per year) at £280.00 per week i.e £1260. Now the £280.00 and £28000 look very similar if some other incompetent has put the decimal point in the wrong place!! But then that level of incompetence at BFC is very rare, isn't it?

However, if it was not redundancy then a negotiated settlement would have been necessary. But even so, £28000 seems rather excessive to me for 3 years incompetence. Or you take your chances at the Employment Tribunal where again I consider £28000 would have been well above what any likely award would have been.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

ANIMAL FARM
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

waster said:
I am not aware that there is any statutory requirement in terms of the level of compensation for getting rid of incompetent employees.
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This was my point. Could BFC actally prove that he was incompetent? They may have had a different view particularly when you consider the eulogies that were flying around after he went. That suggested to me that his employers weren't in any hurry for him to go. Therefore, a settlement was the only way that he would leave.

I was pointing out what I would consider a settlement in a case of redundancy rather than a sacking for gross incompetence which I don't think would have been possible.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

waster said:
I am not aware that there is any statutory requirement in terms of the level of compensation for getting rid of incompetent employees. I think you are confusing the requirements with those for redundancy. Redundancy is 1 weeks pay per year employed between the ages of 22 and 40 and 1½ weeks pay fro every year between the ages of 41 and 64. Between 64 and 65 the entitlement is reduced by one twelfth for every month work. And, the statutory weekly pay is currently capped at £280.00 although this increases each February in line with RPI.

Of course a contract of employment can vary these amounts to make them more generous but not less. Had JM's position been made redundant, and his contract (LOL lol) made no express provsion then he would only have been entitled to 4½ (I assume he is over 41?) weeks pay ( 3 years @ 1½ weeks per year) at £280.00 per week i.e £1260. Now the £280.00 and £28000 look very similar if some other incompetent has put the decimal point in the wrong place!! But then that level of incompetence at BFC is very rare, isn't it?

However, if it was not redundancy then a negotiated settlement would have been necessary. But even so, £28000 seems rather excessive to me for 3 years incompetence. Or you take your chances at the Employment Tribunal where again I consider £28000 would have been well above what any likely award would have been.
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He would have been entitled to his his £1260 as you say, but also his notice period (which was what?) and his pension monies (which was what?) and his holiday entitlement outstanding (which was what?). Its all very well saying you could get rid of someone and fight them at a tribunal, but even if you won a tribunal and could sack someone you still have to pay minimum, plus notice, pension & hoilday etc and then also have legal costs on top.

Imho it is not the fact that BFC paid JM off it is that JM accepted the pay off, bearing in mind without BU £25K funding he wouldn't have been a director in the first place. :idea: He should have resigned, pure and simple!! :wave:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Gee Bee said:
Imho it is not the fact that BFC paid JM off it is that JM accepted the pay off, bearing in mind without BU £25K funding he wouldn't have been a director in the first place. :idea: He should have resigned, pure and simple!! :wave:
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That would have been okay if John Mac had a shred of dignity, he hasn't, and will get a four-figure cheque every month from BFC until the autumn of 2006.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

markbfc said:
John Mac will get a four-figure cheque every month from BFC until the autumn of 2006.
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Boy that makes for lovely reading doesn't it ! :mad1: :banghead: :box: :mad2: :no:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Dreamworld

.....well it may be that but when I win the lottery...IT's MY CLUB THEN OK!!!!
:rolleyes:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Bee H said:
Boy that makes for lovely reading doesn't it ! :mad1: :banghead: :box: :mad2: :no:
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Ditto.

And let's not forget that even now JM could return the cheques and say no thanks chaps I do not consider I warrant such a generous remuneration. But, I assume, he is continuing to accept the payout:sad: :mad1: . So the enxt time you spot him at GP just remember where your hard earned has gone - not towards saving the club, but rewarding incompetence.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

markbfc said:
That would have been okay if John Mac had a shred of dignity, he hasn't, and will get a four-figure cheque every month from BFC until the autumn of 2006.
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Agreed. :sorted:

However it is Bish, who seems to thinks we should have not paid a penny when the least he would have been entitled to by employment law, even if he had been fired would have been, notice period, pension and other benefits. This for all we know may total £28K, assuming that is what he did receive.
The point is JM is the man who has taken the money, which he may well have been technically entitled to and fighting him over it could have incurred even more cost.
JM should not of accpeted a penny, but once the club knew he wanted a pay off, what other real option did they have?
The amount is obscene, but do we have proof that is what he got and how it is broken down. If he was given more that he was entitled to, then that is a different story. :fishing:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Gee Bee said:
but do we have proof that is what he got
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:yes:

whoops, perhaps I should say "I might have !"

:sneakoff:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Bee H said:
:yes:

whoops, perhaps I should say "I might have !"

:sneakoff:
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Fair enough, do you also know also what notice period he was on and what pension deal he was on and what other benefit entitlements he was contracted on? When all added together are they less that £28K.
Because if they are the question that should be raised is, "why was JM paid more that his employment contract entitled him too". ;) :wave:
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Gee Bee said:
do you also know also what notice period he was on and what pension deal he was on and what other benefit entitlements he was contracted on?
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:computer: Computer says no ! :(
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Ace Face said:
I would have gone to a Employment Tribunal with all the evidence I could gather and I bet he wouldn`t have got a years salary.
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He probabl;y wouldn't have got a years salary, but my understanding of employment tribuneralos is that the company has to pay both sets of legal fees and the courts costs.

If a case goes to court it costs a company at least 10 grand even if they win the case.

Personnally I think John was/ is entitled to componsation if he was sacked (but not a years salary).

If he resigned, even if he was asked to, he should be entitled to nowt.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

It is such a shame that MacGlashen took the money and duly abandoned all that he previously stood for, he must be a sad and desperate character.
 

BU Supporter Elected Position on the BFC Board - I am standing

Excellent news on the takeover

Excellent news on the takeover by BU, and on the appointment of Greg Dyke. I am particularly happy given my views on the optimal board structure;

(quote from https://griffinpark.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37717&page=3 - the debate was whether BU would have "control" over the independent investor directors, my post dated 6th Jan 06)

David Merritt said:
There's a range of alternative board structures/memberships I would be happy with (preferably including me since I'm standing for election!) but it strikes me we ought to raise our sights from just the investor/BU angle and get a truly independent professional NED (Non-executive director). I don't believe anyone ought to be on the board who is not really adding to it, I personally don't think it ought to be as big as it is rumoured to be (I heard of 8 NEDs suggested, and no discussion of any Exec directors), but one thing that could really balance the board is someone who has been there and got the T-Shirt, and is not biased (no pun) towards one camp or the other. We'd need to pay for such a person, but they can be worth their weight in gold.
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Greg Dyke fits this bill exactly, so I am very pleased. I haven't heard any more official detail on the new board, so will await with interest.

I'm sure everyone is breaking out the champagne, and rightly so. However, there is however a cautionary note in Greg's quote in the BU statement;

"What this does mean, however, is that we have to live within our budget and the days when fans of clubs like Brentford could expect someone from outside to come and pour money into the club are over. The fans are now in charge."

In 3 years we need £1m to pay off an interest free loan from Altonwood, and that is without making a dent in the £3m interest-bearing debt that will help us towards profitability. This is the real challenge that the new club board (both exec and non-exec) and the fund-raisers at BU need to focus on. Whether I am elected to the board or not, I would really urge people to think about Greg's words. Ownership is just a milestone, the challenge is to make a success of it.
 
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