Steve Stone

[......and Smith must score. 1,331]

[quote user="Fuzzar"]I heard a rumour the club are considering Richard and Judy to handle its media output.[/quote]

Punch & Judy sounds a better fit.....[:D]

[Capt. Pants 4,194]

Webber gently weedling his way into a position of power at NCFC. If it eventually leads us to new owners and external investment then it might not be a bad thing. Either way the Boy Webber is here to stay.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="sgncfc"]It''s amateur hour again at Carrow Road.

This is what I do for a living - I am a professional Managing Director/COO/CEO principally in the financial services industry and have been doing it for many years.

It never ceases to amaze me that football clubs, which are essentially like any other business in terms of resources and management needs, constantly get this kind of thing so wrong.

A husband and wife both serving on a Board or an exec team is a simple no. Completely ludicrous and about as tinpot and amateur as is possible.

Having no senior Finance officer operating at Board level is also unheard of in my experience. Who is devolving the financial authority and where is the accountability?

This new arrangement simply cannot work - it has zero chance of success.

If Steve Stone left because of this type of amateur, almost feudal approach to business then that is very understandable. I don''t care how good Mrs Stuart Webber is at what she does, she shouldn''t be doing it at the same place as her husband in this type of organization.

I am a shareholder and I will be asking the Board some questions.[/quote]

Agree with this. It’s extremely worrying, but surely Delia isn’t so stupid not to have anyone at board level with serious financial nous?

[Woodman 92]

Have to admit, having Mr and Mrs Webber in such influential positions at the club feels slightly wrong. Proof is in the pudding I guess.

I think she was here before he joined though - seem to remember Michael Bailey being on top of that when he was rumoured to be joining.

And all the fuss about who ‘broke’ the story - the EDP would probably have had a print deadline well before the story arrived on here.

[A Load of Squit 5,108]

You can add Mr & Mrs Turner to the list of husband and wife pairings on the board at NCFC.

This story was on WOTB before it was on here, albeit in cryptic form.

[PurpleCanary 5,553]

[quote user="Big Vince"]Correction: in the 1980s Norwich City had Ian Coutts as a finance director, or at least he was the director in charge of the club''s all-powerful Finance Committee.

More recently, Barry Skipper was pretty much the finance director at the club.

Any PLC must have a committee dealing with finances/remuneration. It would be highly improbable that that person would not be a full board member given the fundamental importance of the role in the business.[/quote]

So as I said it seems Norwich City have never had someone specific who was an employee and was named as chief finance officer or similar who was a director. Certainly your examples do not count. And I do not believe it is a requirement for all PLCs to have a remuneration committee. It may be obligatory for listed PLCs.

[4th floor 4]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[hogesar 9,606]

No idea how people can possibly be so naive in criticising a wife and husband being on the same ''board''.

Seen it in several local companies that are doing well and as Purple states, some much larger profile companies too.

[nutty nigel 7,506]

I like Steve Stone a lot and am sorry to see him gone. He always had time to say hello even when I inadvertently gatecrashed one of his shindigs[:)]

Not sure this family stuff is anything to worry about. There seems to be a fixation about nepotism on here but it''s hardly unusual. In fact there''s enough Glazers on the Man Utd board to replace all the windows in Canary Wharf.....

[Wroxham Bridge 22]

It may work on a local basis but what happens when divorce/some gets a better offer somewhere else beckons?

It raises so many successional questions that worry me.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="4th floor"]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[/quote]

It would appear that the majority shareholders have difficulty in maintaining relationships with "colleagues" in important positions who are working with/for them!

[Bury Yellow 2]

Purely a coincidence Webbo.

[Indy 3,283]

Who really cares? In all reality, this is the new set up, Stone is gone and reasons will never be given.

The owners decide the structure and who they employ, it’s the way it is, as before if you don’t like it lump it.

As long as the football is as good as it can be under the financial restrictions we have and the players give their all, just enjoy the day, enjoy the football and the crack with other supporters!

Stop worrying about things you have absolutely no control over.

It is as it is.

[Icecream Snow 761]

[quote user="4th floor"]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[/quote]

Jez Moxey replaced McNally as Chief Executive, and Ed Balls replaced Bowkett as Chairman.

I think Balls had proposed a new structure with a Sporting Director. When Jez Moxey left, Steve Stone was keen on the job, but felt he didn''t have the footballing experience required.

So then we ended up with Daniel Farke as Head Coach, Stuart Webber as Sporting Director, and Steve Stone as Managing Director, with Webber taking some of the responsibilities from the old Chief Exec and Manager roles.

Ben Kensell has been doing the Sales & Marketing role and gets the Chief Commercial Officer title, which sounds like the same role with additional influence and power. Bethnal says Zoe Ward''s been doing the agent liaison work on top of other duties.

It sounds like the division of work between Kensell, Webber and Ward left Stone preparing the accounts, and arguably you don''t need someone at board level to do that.

[CANARYKING 634]

Getting more like the Freemasons everyday

[Duncan Edwards 2,216]

[quote user="CANARYKING"]Getting more like the Freemasons everyday[/quote]

That’ll be handy for a pre-match pint then.

[4th floor 4]

[quote user="Icecream Snow"][quote user="4th floor"]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[/quote]

Jez Moxey replaced McNally as Chief Executive, and Ed Balls replaced Bowkett as Chairman.

I think Balls had proposed a new structure with a Sporting Director. When Jez Moxey left, Steve Stone was keen on the job, but felt he didn''t have the footballing experience required.

So then we ended up with Daniel Farke as Head Coach, Stuart Webber as Sporting Director, and Steve Stone as Managing Director, with Webber taking some of the responsibilities from the old Chief Exec and Manager roles.

Ben Kensell has been doing the Sales & Marketing role and gets the Chief Commercial Officer title, which sounds like the same role with additional influence and power. Bethnal says Zoe Ward''s been doing the agent liaison work on top of other duties.

It sounds like the division of work between Kensell, Webber and Ward left Stone preparing the accounts, and arguably you don''t need someone at board level to do that.[/quote]Thanks, that''s a good summary. It looks to me as if we''ll be relying on Michael Wynn-Jones, Ed Balls and Delia''s nephew to oversee the whole thing.

[Mike 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]No idea how people can possibly be so naive in criticising a wife and husband being on the same ''board''.

Seen it in several local companies that are doing well and as Purple states, some much larger profile companies too.[/quote]

So main reason why its best practice in the majority of businesses these day..

1. Partners fall out and take their petty differences into work.

2. They get divorced who leaves

3. They get on and vote down the only bloke disagreeing even if he is right..normal to have your partners back

Soo many other reasons.

No one with the best interests of NCFC would not question the new structure.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Bury Yellow"]Purely a coincidence Webbo.[/quote]

Purely a coincidence that keeps being repeated!

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Indy"]Who really cares? In all reality, this is the new set up, Stone is gone and reasons will never be given.

The owners decide the structure and who they employ, it’s the way it is, as before if you don’t like it lump it.

As long as the football is as good as it can be under the financial restrictions we have and the players give their all, just enjoy the day, enjoy the football and the crack with other supporters!

Stop worrying about things you have absolutely no control over.

It is as it is.[/quote]

You have to care because it is OUR Club.They do not own the Club; they are majority shareholders and it is right that others at least have an opinion. Most things in life we have no control over but it shouldn''t stop anyone from saying what they think. Should it?

[PurpleCanary 5,553]

[quote user="4th floor"][quote user="Icecream Snow"][quote user="4th floor"]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[/quote]

Jez Moxey replaced McNally as Chief Executive, and Ed Balls replaced Bowkett as Chairman.

I think Balls had proposed a new structure with a Sporting Director. When Jez Moxey left, Steve Stone was keen on the job, but felt he didn''t have the footballing experience required.

So then we ended up with Daniel Farke as Head Coach, Stuart Webber as Sporting Director, and Steve Stone as Managing Director, with Webber taking some of the responsibilities from the old Chief Exec and Manager roles.

Ben Kensell has been doing the Sales & Marketing role and gets the Chief Commercial Officer title, which sounds like the same role with additional influence and power. Bethnal says Zoe Ward''s been doing the agent liaison work on top of other duties.

It sounds like the division of work between Kensell, Webber and Ward left Stone preparing the accounts, and arguably you don''t need someone at board level to do that.[/quote]Thanks, that''s a good summary. It looks to me as if we''ll be relying on Michael Wynn-Jones, Ed Balls and Delia''s nephew to oversee the whole thing.

[/quote]

Phillips was in business, but perhaps more importantly Foulger has been a director for 22 years, so it is a fair bet he knows a bit about the ins and outs of financing a football club and how to oversee that. I do not see any problem with not having a specific chief finance officer on the board.And I think Icecream Snow''s view may well be at least half the explanation for Stone leaving - that he found he was to an extent sidelined from much of what a traditional football chief executive does.

[City 2nd 191]

lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) wrote the following post at 2018-10-09 11:51 PM:

Agree with this. It’s extremely worrying, but surely Delia isn’t so stupid not to have anyone at board level with serious financial nous?

Isn’t Mr Balls an ex shadow chancellor of the exchequer? And he sits in the board doesn’t he? So Delia isn’t so stupid!

[Hairy Canary 667]

Not sure I totally understand Icecream. It''s a bit chicken and egg.

Are we saying the some of Stone''s responsibilities were devolved to Kensell, Webber and Ward and so, feeling undermined he resigned. Or, are we saying he resigned and so the new structure was put in place to reallocate his duties.

[Mike 0]

Our owners love a new structure....

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"][quote user="4th floor"][quote user="Icecream Snow"][quote user="4th floor"]

Can someone explain how we got from McNally and Bowkett, to Jez Moxley, and to today''s situation? I can see several job titles, but I''m not sure who''s doing what. It all sound a bit like musical chairs to me.

[/quote]

Jez Moxey replaced McNally as Chief Executive, and Ed Balls replaced Bowkett as Chairman.

I think Balls had proposed a new structure with a Sporting Director. When Jez Moxey left, Steve Stone was keen on the job, but felt he didn''t have the footballing experience required.

So then we ended up with Daniel Farke as Head Coach, Stuart Webber as Sporting Director, and Steve Stone as Managing Director, with Webber taking some of the responsibilities from the old Chief Exec and Manager roles.

Ben Kensell has been doing the Sales & Marketing role and gets the Chief Commercial Officer title, which sounds like the same role with additional influence and power. Bethnal says Zoe Ward''s been doing the agent liaison work on top of other duties.

It sounds like the division of work between Kensell, Webber and Ward left Stone preparing the accounts, and arguably you don''t need someone at board level to do that.[/quote]Thanks, that''s a good summary. It looks to me as if we''ll be relying on Michael Wynn-Jones, Ed Balls and Delia''s nephew to oversee the whole thing.

[/quote]

Phillips was in business, but perhaps more importantly Foulger has been a director for 22 years, so it is a fair bet he knows a bit about the ins and outs of financing a football club and how to oversee that. I do not see any problem with not having a specific chief finance officer on the board.And I think Icecream Snow''s view may well be at least half the explanation for Stone leaving - that he found he was to an extent sidelined from much of what a traditional football chief executive does.

[/quote]

I agree with your last point Purple but for me the question is how or why has that situation arisen. Is it because it actually transpires that it was only the accounting/financial stuff he was any good at (meaning his appointment as CEO initially was perhaps a little hasty) or have certain people been recruited/promoted into roles over the last couple of seasons that have seen him becoming increasingly sidelined and ultimately feeling he''s just back doing his old job and his future arrives elsewhere. Or to put it another way is this the end game of a "power struggle" between certain executives at the club.

My unease with this new arrangement is that one of the reasons often cited for things going astray in the latter part of McNally''s reign was that he had too much (unquestioned) control over the exec and footballing functions of the club and the wider infrastructure/structure was not there. Now the infrastructure appears to be there but much if it is very heavily tied to Webber.

[CANARYKING 634]

If things go “ tits up “ the only people who can get rid the Webbers are.........

the Webbers.

[Mello Yello 2,273]

Maybe it''s all down to maintaining ''Control''?......

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,219]

A little too much conspiracy-wallowing here. Some things are known:

1. Stone appointed to NCFC Finance is role

2. Applies for CEO role

3. Turned down for (overarching) CEO role

4. Appointed (non-Football) MD

5. Appointed as Director

6. New structure devolves powers across NCFC

7. Severe cost-cutting across NCFC

8. Multiple mid-senior roles with Finance experience

9. Harvard Economist on Board

10. Football Executive created

11. Paid well

12. Board numbers at maximum (7)

Why can’t it just be a sensible move that suits all parties in light of the above?

Parma

nb: Stone has always come across well and as a fair-minded individual. He will have seen the unpopularity of previous pay-offs and may well have been happy with a decent exit without the negative PR, particularly in light of the tight finances and self-funding model.

[komakino 272]

One thing that does puzzle me is that if Stone left last week, why was no announcement made at the time? Why did it take social media to force Archant into a holding article with an official club announcement later that day. Is that how a Professional Club should operate?

I personally think Stone is best out of it, whether the reasons for him leaving are club related or not.

As mentioned previously he was turned down for CEO role (which IMO was the right decision even if Moxey was the wrong one) and after that he thought he was phone call from the sack until Moxey''s departure gave him a lifeline with the restructure. Despite the positive PR the public saw, from what I''ve heard from inside CR, he may never thought he was totally comfortable and maybe chose to leave before he was pushed out.

The trouble with ''Yes'' men is that they can be the fall guy if things go awry and Webber does not come across like someone who will take it on the chin, so maybe Stone knows that some bad news is coming and/or knew his time was limited and walked.

The new ''Executive Committee'' is essentially a husband and wife duo with another yes man, which is essentially ''Hart to Hart'' where Ben plays Max to the Webber''s Robert and Jennifer. Entertainment or Substance?

[hogesar 9,606]

But Parma, this is almost an opportunity for a free attack at the board. Thus a conspiracy theory is vital for this. Thats irrespective of the fact we have limited information and most of those criticising unlikely have any relative experience to pass comment.