Robert Chase

[PurpleCanary 5,850]

16 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

There was a mix-up over my ticket for the away game in Munich, so I accosted Chase as he was about to enter the stadium. He fished into a pocket and gave me a ticket for the posh seats in one of the home areas. RIP.

"He took over as chairman of the club in 1985, succeeding Sir Arthur South after the entire Carrow Road boardroom resigned over the rebuilding of the main stand."

This rather glosses over what could have been seen as sharp practice on Chase's part. The other point is that comparisons with previous and future eras based on the idea that Chase's oversaw the most successful time in the club's history are highly questionable.

He was very lucky in that he took over at a time when medium-sized clubs like Norwich could and did prosper. Which is not to downplay the success we had or his part in it.

Edited March 7, 2023 by PurpleCanary

[Andy Larkin 15]

Be interesting to see how people would react if Stuart Webber called in the mounted police to clear the road of protesters from outside the City Stand.

I pulled a fella in a wheelchair to safety a split second before half a ton of muscle came thundering past with some loon on its back swinging his baton as if his life depended on it.

Yeah, he was a top fella was Bob.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

58 minutes ago, Andy Larkin said:

Be interesting to see how people would react if Stuart Webber called in the mounted police to clear the road of protesters from outside the City Stand.

I pulled a fella in a wheelchair to safety a split second before half a ton of muscle came thundering past with some loon on its back swinging his baton as if his life depended on it.

Yeah, he was a top fella was Bob.

Of course anybody with a brain knows that's not how football policing works, and you can't just phone up and request some horses, as if they have saddled horses ready for an emergency call out 24/7/365 like a fire crew waiting for a 999 call, such a stupid moronic claim.

"Hi, police, there's a crowd outside the ground, can you send the horses and get here in 10 minutes. make sure you whack that disabled chap on the head!", utterly ludicrous claim and a classless one at that, besmirching the dead.

The police assess the risks well in advance of the game (most football work was overtime back then as well), resource according to threat, and then invoice the club for the full costs. The idea that Chase would have enjoyed an extremely large policing bill at a time of suppressed gate receipts is ridiculous. A club can't dictate how many police, or what sort of police, are sent to game, f*cks sake.

The protests were organised and publicised, so the police would have policed accordingly, same with heightened presence at any other organised protest. The death threats that Chase received, and the brick thrown at him through a restaurant window, would have been factored into the risk analysis.

Next thing you'll be telling me that Chase and the head of Norfolk Police were both in the freemasons and sorted this all out through some Latin chanting and weird masonic handshakes.

Edited March 7, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[hogesar 10,051]

RIP.

I'm too young to have actual experience of being a Norwich fan under his tenure, so just have my father's stories to go by. Of course, he's spoken about Chase in both a positive and negative light, with the way it ended of course meaning there's often an overall negative feel to it.

Shame he hasn't made it to see us transition through another ownership change. May also be a time to reflect as with the Attanassio's round the corner we quite soon become one of the majority of clubs who have gone a long way away from the traditional local businessperson owning the local club.

[Andy Larkin 15]

35 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Of course anybody with a brain knows that's not how football policing works, and you can't just phone up and request some horses, as if they have saddled horses ready for an emergency call out 24/7/365 like a fire crew waiting for a 999 call, such a stupid moronic claim.

"Hi, police, there's a crowd outside the ground, can you send the horses and get here in 10 minutes. make sure you whack that disabled chap on the head!", utterly ludicrous claim and a classless one at that, besmirching the dead.

Bit of a stretch, that. Not entirely sure that was the point I was making but I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge.
 

[SwindonCanary 456]

RIP.  ROBERT CHASE 

[Indy 3,394]

1 hour ago, Andy Larkin said:

Be interesting to see how people would react if Stuart Webber called in the mounted police to clear the road of protesters from outside the City Stand.

I pulled a fella in a wheelchair to safety a split second before half a ton of muscle came thundering past with some loon on its back swinging his baton as if his life depended on it.

Yeah, he was a top fella was Bob.

To be honest if you haven’t got anything positive to say, why post at all? We know the history most of us lived it, doesn’t stop the fact he did a lot of good positive things for this club any we wouldn’t have been where we are without his influence on this club.

A little respect to a former club custodian wouldn’t go amiss.

[daly 525]

On 05/03/2023 at 00:47, TeemuVanBasten said:

As much as I see where you are coming from, if alive he's almost 85 so not a huge surprise.

Nice to know when you reach 85 that you haven’t got long

Cheered me up no end 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

15 minutes ago, daly said:

Nice to know when you reach 85 that you haven’t got long

Cheered me up no end 

Life expectancy is 81.6 years in the UK, so any year after that should be treated as a bonus.

Ask any 21 year old whether they take 81.6 years and I suspect they'd all say yes. If anybody gets to 82 and forgets that, then that's their preogative.

We are all mortal, one day we were born, one day we will die. I'd say that anybody reaching 81.6 should be feeling grateful for every day that they wake up, no time for anybody who surpasses that and then lives every day having a pity party.

Cheer up.

Edited March 7, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

1 hour ago, Andy Larkin said:

Bit of a stretch, that. Not entirely sure that was the point I was making but I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge.

Your post was ludicrous, and completely inappropriate, his children are Norwich fans and probably reading this thread, and have to read your insinuation that Chase was to blame for some copper on a power trip trying to batter a disabled person. I wouldn't expect you to bow to anybody or anything, not with the complete lack of decorum you are displaying on here. 

Mounted police were not there because Robert Chase "called them in", the idea that he was some sort of Bond villain with that power is just silly.

Therefore the way I would react if Stuart Webber "called in the mounted police" is something along the lines of saying: "Oh dear Stuart, bless your little heart, that's not how it works mate, they haven't just got chaps sitting around on horses at Bethel Street waiting to be signalled like Batman, I'm sorry your mummy and daddy didn't teach you that". Is that better?

Edited March 7, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,107]

1 hour ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Of course anybody with a brain knows that's not how football policing works, and you can't just phone up and request some horses, as if they have saddled horses ready for an emergency call out 24/7/365 like a fire crew waiting for a 999 call, such a stupid moronic claim.

"Hi, police, there's a crowd outside the ground, can you send the horses and get here in 10 minutes. make sure you whack that disabled chap on the head!", utterly ludicrous claim and a classless one at that, besmirching the dead.

The police assess the risks well in advance of the game (most football work was overtime back then as well), resource according to threat, and then invoice the club for the full costs. The idea that Chase would have enjoyed an extremely large policing bill at a time of suppressed gate receipts is ridiculous. A club can't dictate how many police, or what sort of police, are sent to game, f*cks sake.

The protests were organised and publicised, so the police would have policed accordingly, same with heightened presence at any other organised protest. The death threats that Chase received, and the brick thrown at him through a restaurant window, would have been factored into the risk analysis.

Next thing you'll be telling me that Chase and the head of Norfolk Police were both in the freemasons and sorted this all out through some Latin chanting and weird masonic handshakes.

What you say about policing and police horses is correct. He was chair of the Norfolk Police Authority for a couple of years and I believe the company that provided security/stewarding at Carrow Rd was set up by ex police officers and I seem to remember the ex Head of Norfolk CID travelling with Robert Chase and the team to a pre season tour of the USA, not suggesting anything untoward about this whatsoever just pointing out that he had a lot to do with the police at the time.......

[Greavsy 2,540]

20 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Life expectancy is 81.6 years in the UK, so any year after that should be treated as a bonus.

Ask any 21 year old whether they take 81.6 years and I suspect they'd all say yes. If anybody gets to 82 and forgets that, then that's their preogative.

We are all mortal, one day we were born, one day we will die. I'd say that anybody reaching 81.6 should be feeling grateful for every day that they wake up, no time for anybody who surpasses that and then lives every day having a pity party.

Cheer up.

Blimey!

[Segura 84]

Rest in Peace Robert.

I started supported Norwich in 1992 so witnessed the last few years of Robert's reign and let's be honest, the period 92-94 was an extraordinary time to be a Norwich fan. Anyone under the age of 30 probably wouldn't believe you if you told them we led the Premier League for the majority of 92-93 and then beat the famous Bayern, as Motty said 'this is fantasy football'.

What happened next is well documented, we're all experts after the event and I'm sure if he had his time over again Robert would have done things differently.

Establishing a club like Norwich in the top-flight and challenging for major trophies is quite a feat, it was easier back then, but Chase should be given credit for his early stewardship. However, I don't think he's the footballing visionary some make him out to be, after all this was an era in which ourselves, Cov, Luton, Oxford and Wimbledon all won major honours.  

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

7 minutes ago, Segura said:

What happened next is well documented, we're all experts after the event and I'm sure if he had his time over again Robert would have done things differently.

He admitted in a 2006 interview that in hindsight he should have brought in a keeper when Gunn got crocked, and that he should have left 6-12 months earlier than he did.

As he said at the time:

“I think nine of the 10 were fantastic years and I wouldn't have changed anything. Whatever you do in life over a period of 10 years there are some things that you would wish you would do differently and all you have got to do is look at the last two prime ministers. I bet they would have changed things if they could turn the clock back, but you can't.

[shefcanary 2,622]

3 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Next thing you'll be telling me that Chase and the head of Norfolk Police were both in the freemasons and sorted this all out through some Latin chanting and weird masonic handshakes.

Whilst I agree Andy's comment on here was not in keeping with this thread, you are way off the mark here if you think that is not a possibility. 

1 hour ago, Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB said:

What you say about policing and police horses is correct. He was chair of the Norfolk Police Authority for a couple of years and I believe the company that provided security/stewarding at Carrow Rd was set up by ex police officers and I seem to remember the ex Head of Norfolk CID travelling with Robert Chase and the team to a pre season tour of the USA, not suggesting anything untoward about this whatsoever just pointing out that he had a lot to do with the police at the time.......

As Faded points out eloquently he had all the right connections to ask for a favour.

Perhaps this discussion should be moved off line ...

 

[damn that Ralph Coates! 55]

RIP

Despite the imperfections and nobody is perfect.....  presided over much success, and I used to truly hate the "Chase out" chanting whilst I was trying to support my club from the stands.

Still it was the most enjoyable time to be a canary fan

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,299]

I'm too young to remember Chase's tenure (born in '89) although I can still remember bits and pieces of the 'Chase out' stuff from when I was little more than a toddler. I know that he was a very divisive figure and things ended terribly, and I've heard stories from both sides of the divide.

But if I were to own a football club, I'd say the ultimate ambition on the field would be to preside over the most successful period in the club's history and off the field would be to leave infrastructure in place that benefits the club for decades. Chase achieved both. 

Obviously he left the club in a mess and it nearly went under, but looking back now, I'm surprised that he isn't remembered a little more fondly. 

[C.I.D 318]

1 hour ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

I'm too young to remember Chase's tenure (born in '89) although I can still remember bits and pieces of the 'Chase out' stuff from when I was little more than a toddler. I know that he was a very divisive figure and things ended terribly, and I've heard stories from both sides of the divide.

But if I were to own a football club, I'd say the ultimate ambition on the field would be to preside over the most successful period in the club's history and off the field would be to leave infrastructure in place that benefits the club for decades. Chase achieved both. 

Obviously he left the club in a mess and it nearly went under, but looking back now, I'm surprised that he isn't remembered a little more fondly. 

Perhaps that's precisely why many fans of that era find it pretty difficult to give the love ...............

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

21 hours ago, Greavsy said:

Blimey!

I'm not getting to 82 and then waking up everybody being sad that I'm going to die soon.

If I get to 82 I'm adopting the Barry Hearn approach to life and being grateful for every day being able to see the blue sky and hear the bird songs.

Will leave others for their pit of misery and despair, cheers.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

19 hours ago, shefcanary said:

Whilst I agree Andy's comment on here was not in keeping with this thread, you are way off the mark here if you think that is not a possibility. 

As Faded points out eloquently he had all the right connections to ask for a favour.

Perhaps this discussion should be moved off line ...

I mean, it was under Delia that the club founded their own security company called Eventguard and then flogged it to Norfolk County Council in what some would say was a highly questionable transaction, using hundreds of thousands of pounds of ratepayers money to prop up a failing football club in 2009 at a time when the council was making cuts to crucial public services.

It now forms part of Norse Group which has grown to become the largest local authority owned private enterprise in the UK. 

Rather than anecdotes about who Chase used to hang about with and floating wild conspiracy theories, lets stick with matters of public record.

Edited March 8, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[Branston Pickle 3,841]

15 hours ago, C.I.D said:

Perhaps that's precisely why many fans of that era find it pretty difficult to give the love ...............

Very true - always sad when someone dies, and I’m sure he did what he thought was best while he was at the helm.

But in terms of running any business it’s important to focus on the main thing - at a football club that is the football.  Allowing that flounder is not good management.  The relative success on-field was far more down to the hard work of Brown, Machin, Stringer et al and I will always be far more grateful to them than Mr Chase.

[Greavsy 2,540]

1 hour ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

I'm not getting to 82 and then waking up everybody being sad that I'm going to die soon.

If I get to 82 I'm adopting the Barry Hearn approach to life and being grateful for every day being able to see the blue sky and hear the bird songs.

Will leave others for their pit of misery and despair, cheers.

So you've unblocked me again!

Why wait to be 82 and be grateful for every day, when you can do that now!

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

45 minutes ago, Greavsy said:

So you've unblocked me again!

Why wait to be 82 and be grateful for every day, when you can do that now!

No i haven't unblocked you, but chose to read your posts on this thread. 

[Greavsy 2,540]

15 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

No i haven't unblocked you, but chose to read your posts on this thread. 

Not sure how that works, but as you were! 

 

[PurpleCanary 5,850]

2 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

I mean, it was under Delia that the club founded their own security company called Eventguard and then flogged it to Norfolk County Council in what some would say was a highly questionable transaction, using hundreds of thousands of pounds of ratepayers money to prop up a failing football club in 2009 at a time when the council was making cuts to crucial public services.

It now forms part of Norse Group which has grown to become the largest local authority owned private enterprise in the UK. 

Rather than anecdotes about who Chase used to hang about with and floating wild conspiracy theories, lets stick with matters of public record.

What was questionable about that transaction?

[Greavsy 2,540]

https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/robert-chase-1938-2023

[Branston Pickle 3,841]

4 minutes ago, PurpleCanary said:

What was questionable about that transaction?

Nothing at all.

[PurpleCanary 5,850]

2 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Nothing at all.

Well, I was struggling to see how it could possibly have been questionable as far as the club was concerned, which in the context of this thread and the particular post certainly was the implication. But perhaps there is something neither of us knows.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

1 hour ago, PurpleCanary said:

What was questionable about that transaction?

Controversial might have been the better choice of words.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by TeemuVanBasten

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

Back on topic, high praise for Chase from Bryan Gunn and Darren Eadie on twitter, the latter noting his kindness.

Was never the bogeyman that some fans made him out to be, and continue to make him out to be.

Note a journalist felt it necessary to point out that he "rarely refused an interview and never ducked difficult questions".