Louise Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Football sold its soul a long time ago, now the old adage ‘evolve or die’ seems appropriate for every club. In the past you could get promoted from a division and win the next one the following season, even the (now) Premiership. Now even if you’ve been in the Prem for X amount of seasons you’re never going to win it. Cup finals are full of the ‘big teams’ every year. It’s a very British thing, to say that unless you’ve suffered for something it’s not worth having, I’m not knocking that. We all love the idea of winning against the odds, but now those odds have shrunk so much that it is virtually impossible to win anything or do anything of worth as a club. We used to be able to dream of winning the league, now we dream of mid-table Prem existence. Yes we managed to overcome adversity and get promoted in the early 90s, but now the gap between rich and poor clubs is even bigger than it was then. We can stay in the past, play mostly members from our youth team, sell the odd player, but there is no way that is going to get us the same success as it would have done 20 or even 10 years ago. We, as a club, we had to make a decision, whether we we’re going to keep trying for glory, or whether we we’re going to run ourselves as a traditional English club (that means splitting gate receipts between teams for all matches, paying players around the same as a normal working man, keeping ticket prices down, letting fans stand etc.) and of course what is the point in getting into the Premiership then as that is just part of this new unfair un-English system where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer... We made the choice a long time ago along with every other club, to pretend now that letting an investor buy us is somehow selling our soul is ludicrous, that has been gone for a while. Now it is only evolve or die. Do I like that? No, I’d love the game to go back to as it was for every team, but now that we’re on this route we must make the best of it as there is no going back. This means, in my opinion, we must be ruthless, take what we can and just try to survive until things change in football again. If an investor can come in and improve our position, even if that doesn’t result in sustained Premiership survival, but allows us to buy back some or the entire stadium and leave us in an improved position if we should be relegated again, then that sounds like a good idea to me. Now that I’ve said all of that, I don’t think in this case it is going to happen. Still, it is an interesting discussion to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 to be fair how many of our current players actually care about Leicester? A lot more than if we buy in a bunhc of mercenaries who are just after the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultra Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 How many years in the doldrums would you puritans accept before you accept what every sane thinking person already knows-: That it takes money to progress in football today? Than why did we only finish 15th in this league under Craig Levein, when the wage bill that season was the second highest in the division? Why have Liverpool NEVER won the Premiership? Why have Newcastle, Man City, Villa and others won fewer trophies than us in the last 10 years? How come Watford and Sheffield United got promoted ahead of fans with far more fans and money? Money may indeed talk but it doesn't tell the whole story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartonFox Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 At least we've shown that we're not prepared to roll over and bite the pillow whenever someone flashes a wad at us... Well done Neither am I, but neither would I dismiss MM for the utopian ideals that you keep churning out. O'Neill achieved what he did with us without the need for a sugar daddy, or even a decent ground or board. That's why he's respected throughout the land. If he could do it, why can't others, especially now we have a stadium and facilities that can cater for our fan base? What??? Martin O'Neill had money to spend, good money at that as highlighted. Rob Kelly, whether I like him or not, doesn't have money to spend. The Club needs money otherwise we are off down the swanny and into oblivion. But as long as we keep producing these 10m players such as Gradel we'll be okay OK then, I'll stay at home next time the club has an open meeting, and whinge away at my keyboard instead. It's obviously far more productive than speaking directly to Tim Davies about such things as stewarding, smoking bans etc... Yes, because all these open meetings have produced what exactly? Well worthwhile they are it is a PR stunt. The next morning they stand by the water cooler laughing away at the fans, and that is 100% fact. I prefer a different course of dialouge, but there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surreal Madrid Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Which is in 30 million pounds worth of debt, and doesn't even own its own stadium. At 31st May last year ( the last filed accounts ) we owned the stadium ( on hire purchase ), owed £16 million re the stadium and under £1million to the bank. Our assets exceeded our liabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn Claw Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 we are not a plc we are a limited company since administration your other points are very valid though If that is true then fair enoguh, if we are a limited company the point is still pretty valid. I.e. we have shareholders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_Mad Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 A lot more than if we buy in a bunhc of mercenaries who are just after the money. but what makes you think we are going to buy a load of "mercenaries"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartonFox Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Than why did we only finish 15th in this league under Craig Levein, when the wage bill that season was the second highest in the division? Who said? Why have Liverpool NEVER won the Premiership? Won the Champions League though, eh!!! Why have Newcastle, Man City, Villa and others won fewer trophies than us in the last 10 years? Geordies - Champions League and UEFA Cup campaigns Man City and Villa - Premier League How come Watford and Sheffield United got promoted ahead of fans with far more fans and money? Money may indeed talk but it doesn't tell the whole story. They spent money last season and the seasons before that, so what point are you trying to make? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l444ry Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Than why did we only finish 15th in this league under Craig Levein, when the wage bill that season was the second highest in the division? Because Craig Levein was useless. Why have Liverpool NEVER won the Premiership? Because Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal are better. Why have Newcastle, Man City, Villa and others won fewer trophies than us in the last 10 years? Because they never had Martin O'Neill. How come Watford and Sheffield United got promoted ahead of fans with far more fans and money? You can always get exceptions to the rule. Crewe and the rest tell the true story. Money may indeed talk but it doesn't tell the whole story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surreal Madrid Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Right time to enter my two pence worth. 1) We are a plc and if Glazer managed to get hold of Man Utd I don't see how anyone could stop MM. The only people who can really block any potential owner are the shareholders so if you feel strongly about this then help out the Foxes Trust. As you say, the shareholders could block MM. Our shares are not publicly traded ( as MU were ) and he cannot just buy them up willy nilly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn Claw Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Than why did we only finish 15th in this league under Craig Levein, when the wage bill that season was the second highest in the division? Why have Liverpool NEVER won the Premiership? Why have Newcastle, Man City, Villa and others won fewer trophies than us in the last 10 years? How come Watford and Sheffield United got promoted ahead of fans with far more fans and money? Money may indeed talk but it doesn't tell the whole story. Liverpool Have won a fair few cups though including the European Cup. Which given they were billed as massive underdogs is kind of ironic for this post. Money isn't the whole story but it certainly helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultra Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Football sold its soul a long time ago, now the old adage ‘evolve or die’ seems appropriate for every club. In the past you could get promoted from a division and win the next one the following season, even the (now) Premiership. Now even if you’ve been in the Prem for X amount of seasons you’re never going to win it. Cup finals are full of the ‘big teams’ every year. It’s a very British thing, to say that unless you’ve suffered for something it’s not worth having, I’m not knocking that. We all love the idea of winning against the odds, but now those odds have shrunk so much that it is virtually impossible to win anything or do anything of worth as a club. We used to be able to dream of winning the league, now we dream of mid-table Prem existence. Yes we managed to overcome adversity and get promoted in the early 90s, but now the gap between rich and poor clubs is even bigger than it was then. We can stay in the past, play mostly members from our youth team, sell the odd player, but there is no way that is going to get us the same success as it would have done 20 or even 10 years ago. We, as a club, we had to make a decision, whether we we’re going to keep trying for glory, or whether we we’re going to run ourselves as a traditional English club (that means splitting gate receipts between teams for all matches, paying players around the same as a normal working man, keeping ticket prices down, letting fans stand etc.) and of course what is the point in getting into the Premiership then as that is just part of this new unfair un-English system where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer... We made the choice a long time ago along with every other club, to pretend now that letting an investor buy us is somehow selling our soul is ludicrous, that has been gone for a while. Now it is only evolve or die. Do I like that? No, I’d love the game to go back to as it was for every team, but now that we’re on this route we must make the best of it as there is no going back. This means, in my opinion, we must be ruthless, take what we can and just try to survive until things change in football again. If an investor can come in and improve our position, even if that doesn’t result in sustained Premiership survival, but allows us to buy back some or the entire stadium and leave us in an improved position if we should be relegated again, then that sounds like a good idea to me. This type of "logic" is negative and defeatist. If we accepted this, we may as well pack in now and choose which of the big 4 we wish to support.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob666 Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Can't wait for next week's NOTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Fox Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 This type of "logic" is negative and defeatist. If we accepted this, we may as well pack in now and choose which of the big 4 we wish to support.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox in a Box Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Who is he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn Claw Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 As you say, the shareholders could block MM. Our shares are not publicly traded ( as MU were ) and he cannot just buy them up willy nilly. I think Glazer had a similar problem at MU though once he had bought up the shares that were freely availible he had to go and buy shares off the larger shareholders. Those Irish fellows. I have no idea who holds all our shares though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefoxtim Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 I think Glazer had a similar problem at MU though once he had bought up the shares that were freely availible he had to go and buy shares off the larger shareholders. Those Irish fellows. I have no idea who holds all our shares though The McDonalds bloke has the biggest share doesn't he? Mc to Mandaric "ill accept 5 million and throw in a few big macs!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janx Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 I will personally bare my fat booty ass on the town hall steps if ANYONE buys Leicester within the next 12 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 The McDonalds bloke has the biggest share doesn't he? Mc to Mandaric "ill accept 5 million and throw in a few big macs!" I seem to remember it's Pukka Pies. They are unlikely to want any big macs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 I will personally bare my fat booty ass on the town hall steps if ANYONE buys Leicester within the next 12 months! I was thinking of tabling an offer myself, but I really don't want to see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janx Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 I was thinking of tabling an offer myself, but I really don't want to see that. Dont knock it till youve tried it! The same with Pukka pies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooo Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 he might just buy 30 percent and become chairman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surreal Madrid Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 I have no idea who holds all our shares though Shareholders who hold more than 100,000 £1 shares are according to the latest records I can find are: Andrew Taylor 250,000 ( this is per the press reports ) AM Widdowson & Son Ltd 250,000 Brian Maddisson 110,000 Alan Upton 120,000 David Ross 165,476 David Wilson 150,000 Greg Clarke 413,000 HW Coates Ltd 300,000 Hammond Grange Ltd 500,000 James McCahill 250,000 James Johnson 175,000 Foxes Trust 151,000 Michael Edwards 250,000 Kirby & West Ltd 250,000 Peter Hockenhill 125,000 Pukka Pies Ltd 500,000 Stephen Lee 200,000 Trevor Bennett 350,000 There might be a couple more, as I can't quite tie up the total issued shares with the individual shareholdings notified at Companies House. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Shareholders who hold more than 100,000 £1 shares are according to the latest records I can find are: Andrew Taylor 250,000 ( this is per the press reports ) AM Widdowson & Son Ltd 250,000 Brian Maddisson 110,000 Alan Upton 120,000 David Ross 165,476 David Wilson 150,000 Greg Clarke 413,000 HW Coates Ltd 300,000 Hammond Grange Ltd 500,000 James McCahill 250,000 James Johnson 175,000 Foxes Trust 151,000 Michael Edwards 250,000 Milan Mandaric 14,000,000 Kirby & West Ltd 250,000 Peter Hockenhill 125,000 Pukka Pies Ltd 500,000 Stephen Lee 200,000 Trevor Bennett 350,000 There might be a couple more, as I can't quite tie up the total issued shares with the individual shareholdings notified at Companies House. Interesting reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janx Posted 21 August 2006 Share Posted 21 August 2006 Interesting reading. Oo you cheeky monkey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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