The End Is Nigh.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

I haven’t really posted since Gunn’s appointment as manager, I was sure that day that this decision would ultimately lead to our relegation. I take NO pleasure in being proved correct.

 

This morning, waking up as a fan of a Third Division (I refuse to call it League One) side for the 1^st time in my life, I don’t feel upset, I don’t feel sad, I’m not wondering ‘What If?’, I don’t feel hard done by a refereeing decision, I don’t feel numb, I don’t think things could have been different. I feel nothing but anger. We got what we deserved.

 

My last game as a season ticket holder (due to financial reasons to start with) was the Play Off Final in Cardiff. That day, despite going home with tears in my eyes, I was Proud. Proud of my Club, Proud of my Players, and Proud of my City. That day, to me, those players were heroes. I recall Malkay’s header against Stockport in the last game of the season that cemented our place in the Play Off’s like it was yesterday. I remember destroying Wolves in the 2^nd half after being a goal down at half time in the Semi-Final. I remember leaving the Millennium Stadium with my head held high.

 

Malkay McKay, Craig Fleming, Gary Holt, Iwan Roberts. Those players would NEVER have rolled over and died like those players did at The Valley yesterday. The gentleman who through his shirt onto the pitch during the 2^nd half summed up just how far our once great Club has fallen, and I am concerned that it hasn’t finished falling yet.

 

I have seen comments scattered about, saying that we have no divine right to be in the Premier League, or even the Championship for that matter. I would disagree. How many League One sides, or Championship, or the bottom half of the Premier League come to that can claim the following achievements in the past 25 years:

 

1. Founder Member of the Premier League.
2. 3 x Top 5, Top Flight finishes.
3. A UEFA Cup run, including beating the mighty Bayern Munich on their own patch and giving Inter a damn good run for their money.
4. A League Cup win.
5. 2 x FA Cup Semi Finals.
6. A Championship League Title.
7. A Play Off Final appearance.

 

Not many would be my guess. So I would say that our expectations of success at Carrow Road are justified.

 

The rot must be stopped, and it must be stopped NOW, for I fear if there is no change at the top then we may fall even further, let alone even thinking about recovery. Which leads me to HRH Delia Smith. She needs to release her strangle hold on our club if we are to survive. I don’t want to hear any drivel about how she’s put £12m or whatever into the Club, because it’s a crock , and we all know it. She bought Watling’s Share’s for a relative pittance, and has vastly inflated their worth to suit her. Her Directors Loans would be repayable on her departure. Even if £12m was an accurate figure it can hardly be considered a large amount of money to be put into a Football Club over a 12 year period.

 

It is her duty to provide funds, and if she is unable to do so then it is her duty to move aside and let someone come in who can. She has failed us on both of these accounts. I also don’t want to hear any drivel about Cullum’s offer not being genuine. Do you honestly believe that a man, owning businesses worth over £1b has nothing better to do with his time than make up stories in the Media about wanting to buy a Football Club? No. Didn’t think so. The offer was there. £20m for new shares. She knew how fragile our finances were and how our paper thin squad was going to have to be ‘filled out’ with loanee’s, yet she deemed Mr Cullum’s offer to not be in the best interests of the club. I didn’t believe that at the time and I certainly don’t now. IT WASN’T IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF DELIA SMITH. Cullum’s offer is no longer on table, and he’s not worth £1.7b. His businesses WERE, but they are not any more.

 

I also question the common statement ‘there is no one out there who wants to buy us’. What makes you think that? Because they tell us so? Would they have told us about Cullum if he hadn’t gone to the press? I doubt it. How many more have been sent packing that we don’t know about? I would suggest that statement should be changed to ‘no one wants to invest under our terms’.

 

This Woman has overseen not only the loss of our Premier League & Championship status, but the loss of our belief, our hope and our pride. It’s time to get her out.

 

OTBC.

[Syteanric 1]

its 2 league cup wins Browsntone... 1963 and 1985

jas :)

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]

its 2 league cup wins Browsntone... 1963 and 1985

jas :)

[/quote]

I was just going on the last 25 years!

[Glutton for Punishment 0]

Excellent post Brownstone and sums up my feelings entirely. By the time everything was confirmed yesterday it meant little to me because we got exactly what we deserved. The fact that we got away with it last year was a fluke. When I think back to the moments of gushing pride in my club over achieving it makes me realise how the culture of the club has changed from desire to succeed to happy with mediocrity. And there are so many fans out there who are happy to go along with it. I find this most difficult of all to understand.

[Moanin Riverender 0]

Good post Mr Brownstone.I feel the same and I agree with your points on Cullum.Delia said in that infamous interview with Simon Mayo that the fans would never forgive her if she turned down an offer of 20 million pounds for the team.Well for once she was right-we wont !     I always thought there was a lot of truth in this thread: http://new.pinkun.com/cs/forums/1296503/ShowPost.aspx

[JF 694]

Sums my feelings up perfectly.

[Mr.Carrow 376]

[quote user="Moanin'' Riverender"]Good post Mr Brownstone.I feel the same and I agree with your points on Cullum.Delia said in that infamous interview with Simon Mayo that the fans would never forgive her if she turned down an offer of 20 million pounds for the team.Well for once she was right-we wont !     I always thought there was a lot of truth in this thread: http://new.pinkun.com/cs/forums/1296503/ShowPost.aspx[/quote]

Most already have though......and it`s been nicely spun that a respected, successful businessman had nothing better to do than to cause mischief at his local club which he used to play for.

If so many supporters show such an idiotic lack of reason or logic, why on earth should we be surprised when those who run the club get away with repeatedly showing the same?

[xxxx 0]

Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.

[essex canary 0]

good post Mr. Brown nose

[Next door to Boyer 2]

[quote user="Dictator Smith"]Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.[/quote]Callum didn''t make a business offer, he made a statement to the press. In addition, you cant offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to current shareholders. Why are the facts still not accepted by those he see him as the shining knight. He had £1.7 billion at the time; So why make an unconstitutional offer of only £20 million ?Oh yeah, he''s a businessman...

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Dictator Smith"]Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.
[/quote]

Callum didn''t make a business offer, he made a statement to the press. In addition, you cant offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to current shareholders. Why are the facts still not accepted by those he see him as the shining knight. He had £1.7 billion at the time; So why make an unconstitutional offer of only £20 million ?

Oh yeah, he''s a businessman...
[/quote]

Spin, spin and semantics. Fact is its all very well Delia saying in the press she will "do anything" to help bring in investment. Seems doing anything does not extend to even meeting or having discussions with the richest Norwich fan in the world when he says he would invest £20m in our club! If they had wanted him on board he would be here now - a way would have been found. As it was he was sent packing with a flea in his ear.

[Mr.Carrow 376]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Dictator Smith"]Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.
[/quote]

Callum didn''t make a business offer, he made a statement to the press. In addition, you cant offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to current shareholders. Why are the facts still not accepted by those he see him as the shining knight. He had £1.7 billion at the time; So why make an unconstitutional offer of only £20 million ?

Oh yeah, he''s a businessman...
[/quote]

Cullum stated that he wanted new shares for his money, which would give him a majority shareholding.  No "formal offer" has to be made in that event, the majority shareholders either call an EGM and vote it through or say "no chance".  For whatever reason, they chose the latter.

[Next door to Boyer 2]

[quote user="Jim Smith"]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Dictator Smith"]Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.[/quote]Callum didn''t make a business offer, he made a statement to the press. In addition, you cant offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to current shareholders. Why are the facts still not accepted by those he see him as the shining knight. He had £1.7 billion at the time; So why make an unconstitutional offer of only £20 million ?Oh yeah, he''s a businessman...[/quote]

Spin, spin and semantics. Fact is its all very well Delia saying in the press she will "do anything" to help bring in investment. Seems doing anything does not extend to even meeting or having discussions with the richest Norwich fan in the world when he says he would invest £20m in our club! If they had wanted him on board he would be here now - a way would have been found. As it was he was sent packing with a flea in his ear.

[/quote]What spin ?To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact...

[xxxx 0]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Jim Smith"]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Dictator Smith"]Top post , exactly how i see it , especially the Cullum bit , how some people try to say he never made the offer is laughable.[/quote]Callum didn''t make a business offer, he made a statement to the press. In addition, you cant offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to current shareholders. Why are the facts still not accepted by those he see him as the shining knight. He had £1.7 billion at the time; So why make an unconstitutional offer of only £20 million ?Oh yeah, he''s a businessman...[/quote]

Spin, spin and semantics. Fact is its all very well Delia saying in the press she will "do anything" to help bring in investment. Seems doing anything does not extend to even meeting or having discussions with the richest Norwich fan in the world when he says he would invest £20m in our club! If they had wanted him on board he would be here now - a way would have been found. As it was he was sent packing with a flea in his ear.

[/quote]Delia didnt want to sell to Cullum end of.FACTWhat spin ?To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact... [/quote]

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"]

What spin ?

To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.

Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.

I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?

There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact...
[/quote]

Please tell me you are not serious? Just because you say the same thing over and over again doesn''t make it ''Fact'' either, but i''ll give it a try too.....

 

 

Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is Gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone!

 

 

Did it work?

[Time to go Delia 0]

Peter Cullum would have been the best thing to happen to this club in years but Her Majesty didnt want to lose her toy .

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="Loan City Fc "]Peter Cullum would have been the best thing to happen to this club in years but Her Majesty didnt want to lose her toy .
[/quote]

 

Sadly its no too late I suspect. Its all very well saying on relegation that they will stand aside but the damage has already been done!

[Next door to Boyer 2]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"][quote user="Next door to Boyer"]What spin ?To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact... [/quote]

Please tell me you are not serious? Just because you say the same thing over and over again doesn''t make it ''Fact'' either, but i''ll give it a try too.....

Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is Gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone!

Did it work?

[/quote]I felt I had to repeat a similar message as some of you don''t seem to be able to understand simple English.If your going to put forward a cohesive arguement then please explain;1. Where is my spin ?2. On what point are you questioning my seriousness ?

[Time to go Delia 0]

[quote user="Jim Smith"]

[quote user="Loan City Fc "]Peter Cullum would have been the best thing to happen to this club in years but Her Majesty didnt want to lose her toy .[/quote]

 

Sadly its no too late I suspect. Its all very well saying on relegation that they will stand aside but the damage has already been done!

[/quote] They are probably only saying they will stand aside now because they know they have chased off the only person who was interested .

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Mr Brownstone"][quote user="Next door to Boyer"]

What spin ?

To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.

Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.

I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?

There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact...
[/quote]

Please tell me you are not serious? Just because you say the same thing over and over again doesn''t make it ''Fact'' either, but i''ll give it a try too.....

Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is Gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone!

Did it work?

[/quote]

I felt I had to repeat a similar message as some of you don''t seem to be able to understand simple English.

If your going to put forward a cohesive arguement then please explain;

1. Where is my spin ?
2. On what point are you questioning my seriousness ?

[/quote]

 

I''m not necessarily saying you are spinning but its all semantics and technicalities. As far as i can see he was proposing that he invest £20m in return for shares in the club. That shareholding would have given him the majority shareholding and therefore control. To do anything though he would have needed to agree it with Delia and MWJ first. Then he could have made the necessary offers or the club could have put in place the necessary arrangements to make it happen. Unfortunately it never got that far. Perosnally I would expect a club desperate for investment and open to any investment to move heaven and earth to get this guy round the table and try and make something happen. You tell me if thats what happened?

[WilliamG 0]

Am i alone in thinking this should be printed in the EDP? it sums everything up so perfectly

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="Next door to Boyer"][quote user="Mr Brownstone"][quote user="Next door to Boyer"]

What spin ?

To own the club you have to buy become the majority shareholder, fact not spin.

Cullum, then mentioned to the press he''d like to give Roeder £20 mil for his transfer kitty, fact not spin.

I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them. He is a businessman so he knows how to make this simple approach. You have to ask yourself why release a statement to the press without making an offer to the club ?

There was a meeting of the board and Cullums representatives, eventually, but he wouldn''t change his offer. £20 mil for transfers and own the club. It was simply unconstitutional, Ive repeated this story over and over and you should know it by now. Fact...
[/quote]

Please tell me you are not serious? Just because you say the same thing over and over again doesn''t make it ''Fact'' either, but i''ll give it a try too.....

Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is Gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone! Smith is gone!

Did it work?

[/quote]

I felt I had to repeat a similar message as some of you don''t seem to be able to understand simple English.

If your going to put forward a cohesive arguement then please explain;

1. Where is my spin ?
2. On what point are you questioning my seriousness ?

[/quote]

 

This has been done to death, but i''ll answer your points:

1. I haven''t mentioned spin.

2. You stated that "You can''t offer £20 million earmarked for transfer fees and expect to own the club. You have to become the majority shareholder by making an offer to the current shareholders". He wasn''t trying to own the club outright was he. He wanted a majority shareholding for his investment. The existing shares were valued by the Club at £16m, add to that £20m of new shares as proposed by Cullum and you have £36m of shares with 55% belonging to Cullum. Smith would have kept all her shares, but she would have lost her casting vote. Obviously there is a lot more to it than that, but if Smith rebuffed his informal enquiry than what would have been the point in taking it further and making a "business offer"? You also claim he "had £1.7 billion at the time". As business portfolio''s worth on paper isn''t quite the same as having it stuffed under the matress is it?

[i,coopius 0]

Exactly. the whole cullum offer scenario, is nothing different from how smith & jones have gone from owning 30 odd% to owning 63% of the club - putting money/loans into the club, and then converting this loan to shares.  what''s good enough for the cook is good enough for the insurer. surely.unless of course someone has a problem with the man himself, which i understand many do. but then this becomes personal, and the clubs need gets bypassed by opinions and pre-conceived ideas.and to say  "I imagine the board weren''t enamoured with his statement to the press without speaking to them"how is someone supposed to talk to someone else, when one party refuses to meet. however i do believe that the first 9 words of what you sat here is correct

[i,coopius 0]

sat=said