Anindya Bakrie

@Paul P
Your post has just underlined the real issue with OxVox at the moment - where is the substantive communication? All too often, there are reactive posts, such as yours, revealing a fair amount of information for which I see no reason for it not to have been made public before. If you’ve attempted to make contact with FK five times and been ignored, why are members not told this?

In another post this morning @PC picks up this theme. I’ve been asking for the past six weeks or so where the minutes are for the various meetings OxVox claim to have had, but not had any response. It’s a really simple question: do you intend to publish minutes of these meetings (as has happened in the past)? If yes, when? If not, why not?

Actually I reported this some time ago Myles, you may have been on your self imposed absence at the time. I have no want or reason to hammer FK for this. He is a busy man with limited time in the country and is under no obligation to meet us but I hope we are close to arranging something in the coming weeks.
 
Actually I reported this some time ago Myles, you may have been on your self imposed absence at the time. I have no want or reason to hammer FK for this. He is a busy man with limited time in the country and is under no obligation to meet us but I hope we are close to arranging something in the coming weeks.
Thanks for the response Paul. Now, how about those minutes?

EDIT: Just had a quick look on here to see if it was said during my exile. You posted this on 16th October:
Since then we have contacted him twice with a view to arranging a meeting to discuss a number of issues. As of yet we haven't had anything back but we are hopeful of booking something in within the next few weeks.

I have no wish to hammer FK either. I’m one of those firmly in the camp of whatever your views on him, a working relationship HAS to be maintained if any progress is to be made.

But, if I’d contacted somebody five times to attempt to arrange a meeting and not even had the courtesy of a response, I wouldn’t still be saying “we hope to arrange something soon...”
 
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Thanks for the response Paul. Now, how about those minutes?

You are welcome.

Frankly the minutes you are so keen to see do not exist in a form that would satisfy you Myles. We do not make full minutes of meetings between ourselves and parties external to OxVox. We feel it would limit what people told us at these meetings and hinder the building of working relationships. Instead we take notes and then report back to the rest of the committee and it is these meetings that are minuted. These minutes are then sent to members. As a member I would hope you have those minutes already but I can have them re sent or post them here if that helps?
 
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You are welcome.

Frankly the minutes you are so keen to see do not exist in a form that would satisfy you Myles. We do not make full minutes of meetings between ourselves and parties external to OxVox. We feel it would limit what people told us at these meetings and hinder the building of working relationships. Instead we take notes and then report back to the rest of the committee and it is these meetings that are minuted. These minutes are then sent to members. As a member I would hope you have those minutes already but I can have them re sent or post them here if that helps?
Parties “external to OxVox” covers absolutely everybody! So, you no longer minute meetings with club officials? No wonder there’s a lack of clarity of just what questions OxVox have been asking.
 
I've tried to stay out of "forum arguments" but like Paul I've reached a stage where I feel the need to respond.

We try to stay professional and issue statements, minutes to committee meetings, and minutes of members' meetings. We do, on occasion, respond to questions on social media, but don't see it as our main method of communication, as sometimes we don't know who we're responding to, and feel our first duty is to our members.

In respect of the minutes you are so keen to see Myles, we have during the course of the calendar year 2018 issued 20 sets of minutes and other statements to members. These include summaries of our meetings with club officials. We do not issue separate minutes of every discussion with club officials as it would be impracticable to do so. If you think Jem Faulkner issued minutes every time he talked to Darryl Eales, then you're sadly mistaken. But what Jem did do, quite correctly, is to inform the membership through statements on a regular basis. We are doing the same. But please be realistic, and don't expect statements every day from us.

I sometimes think you believe OxVox is some sort of secret society, with an agenda against you and that we are in collusion with the club to keep fans from knowing what's going on. Nothing could be further from the truth, but I guess you just don't want to believe that Myles. There's a members meeting next week. Turn up, ask questions, be involved, you might just be surprised at the outcome.
 
Parties “external to OxVox” covers absolutely everybody! So, you no longer minute meetings with club officials? No wonder there’s a lack of clarity of just what questions OxVox have been asking.

We take full notes. There is no lack of clarity over what is discussed in any meetings we have but despite telling everyone we speak to that we are duty bound to report back to members anything we feel is a fundamental danger to our club, we also take our promise to keep sensitive information confidential seriously. Surely you understand then need for confidentiality Myles?
 
I'll sit back and take so much but this needs pulling up.

As much as many of us on the committee try to steer clear of getting involved in squabbles on here, we are in the end just supporters, so when I got back from a very enjoyable U18's game last night and read your post I decided to calm down and sleep on it. That didn't work.

Your post is arrogant, dismissive, self important and wholly incorrect. Firstly, you have no idea when we contacted FK so don't claim you do. Actually it was me who contacted him and it was well before the stadium situation really kicked off. He was quick to reply, courteous and very helpful. I followed this up with a request to meet him to introduce ourselves and to discuss the stadium. I got no reply. I followed this up a few weeks later with another email which again got no reply. I tried again a month or two ago with the same result. None of this is said to disparage FK, he has no obligation to speak to us and i'm sure is very busy and we hope to have something arranged soon, but for you to claim we should have somehow forced a meeting to tell him about the club's confidential plans is ridiculous.

The sensory room was indeed conceived and is run by the fantastic women of Jigsaw and was introduced to us by the amazing Kate at the community trust but I can assure you that while Dave is too modest to mention his role in all this, that he and Ali were instrumental in getting the project off the ground. They spent countless hours of their own time (and a fair sum of their own money) finding, sourcing and buying equipment, storing it, getting permissions and bringing in help. I suggest you go and speak to the girls in the room, and ask them if Dave was of any help to them before you come on here and talk down his efforts from the safety of your anonymity. I can assure you those amazing women would not hold back as much as I have.

Oh and yes, we have a good relationship M Doyle and we have been speaking to and meeting with him for months.

Sorry if any of this is inconvenient and doesn't sit well with your agenda but maybe it's time you got a new source.

Im sorry to say Paul but I kept on moaning at Oxvox when Jem was at the helm, not moaning at Oxvox with all their tireless effort that has gone into helping OUFC, but moaning at their pointless efforts at trying to come to a compromise with FK to help OUFC. To me FK is not interested at all with any attempt in helping OUFC and I felt Oxvox were puffing and blowing in meetings that had with him.
 
Picking up on both @Colin B and @Paul P posts...

Of course I’m not expecting a statement after every phone call to someone. Nor am I expecting undoubtedly confidential information to be disclosed.

But it was standard practice that when OxVox had meetings, particularly with club officials, those were properly minuted and sent to members. For some reason, the current committee have decided to change this approach.

This is why I raised the question a while back about the apparent radio silence from OxVox and got a terse response telling me of all the meetings that you have been having. For some reason, you think it unreasonable for these to be minuted and reported to members. That’s your decision as a committee. Personally, I think it’s the wrong approach as I don’t feel that ensures members are properly informed.

But, I guess if the petition gets Gazetted tomorrow this is going to all rather academic.
 
I'll sit back and take so much but this needs pulling up.

As much as many of us on the committee try to steer clear of getting involved in squabbles on here, we are in the end just supporters, so when I got back from a very enjoyable U18's game last night and read your post I decided to calm down and sleep on it. That didn't work.

Your post is arrogant, dismissive, self important and wholly incorrect. Firstly, you have no idea when we contacted FK so don't claim you do. Actually it was me who contacted him and it was well before the stadium situation really kicked off. He was quick to reply, courteous and very helpful. I followed this up with a request to meet him to introduce ourselves and to discuss the stadium. I got no reply. I followed this up a few weeks later with another email which again got no reply. I tried again a month or two ago with the same result. None of this is said to disparage FK, he has no obligation to speak to us and i'm sure is very busy and we hope to have something arranged soon, but for you to claim we should have somehow forced a meeting to tell him about the club's confidential plans is ridiculous.

The sensory room was indeed conceived and is run by the fantastic women of Jigsaw and was introduced to us by the amazing Kate at the community trust but I can assure you that while Dave is too modest to mention his role in all this, that he and Ali were instrumental in getting the project off the ground. They spent countless hours of their own time (and a fair sum of their own money) finding, sourcing and buying equipment, storing it, getting permissions and bringing in help. I suggest you go and speak to the girls in the room, and ask them if Dave was of any help to them before you come on here and talk down his efforts from the safety of your anonymity. I can assure you those amazing women would not hold back as much as I have.

Oh and yes, we have a good relationship M Doyle and we have been speaking to and meeting with him for months.

Sorry if any of this is inconvenient and doesn't sit well with your agenda but maybe it's time you got a new source.
Well I’m glad you have calmed down Paul,
Your post is off tangent to my original reply to sarge, he stated that he thought that Oxvox communicated to all parties, I stated this wasn’t the case and as you have stated you have been unable to get FK to communicate with you so backs up that point.
The sensory stuff is very good but of no relivence to my point,
My point with M Doyle is that might be an avenue for you to use to get a line of communication with FK.
The rest is ok all part of forum life.
 
Well I’m glad you have calmed down Paul,
Your post is off tangent to my original reply to sarge, he stated that he thought that Oxvox communicated to all parties, I stated this wasn’t the case and as you have stated you have been unable to get FK to communicate with you so backs up that point.
The sensory stuff is very good but of no relivence to my point,
My point with M Doyle is that might be an avenue for you to use to get a line of communication with FK.
The rest is ok all part of forum life.

Sorry but that is just nonsense. I wasn’t replying to your post with Sarge but as clearly quoted, to your thinly veiled jab at Dave’s efforts with the sensory room. I also pulled you up on your missinformation on the contact that OxVox has made with FK. As for MD I commented on that too so covered exactly what you said in your post, but as you say, having second or third hand information being quoted as gospel and being talked down to from anonymous corners is everyday life on the forum. Especially if you happen to be on the OxVox committee and happen to have the cheek to correct a few inaccuracies.
 
Sorry but that is just nonsense. I wasn’t replying to your post with Sarge but as clearly quoted, to your thinly veiled jab at Dave’s efforts with the sensory room. I also pulled you up on your missinformation on the contact that OxVox has made with FK. As for MD I commented on that too so covered exactly what you said in your post, but as you say, having second or third hand information being quoted as gospel and being talked down to from anonymous corners is everyday life on the forum. Especially if you happen to be on the OxVox committee and happen to have the cheek to correct a few inaccuracies.
Crikey you write some random stuff to get off the point.
I don't quite understand how you think I had a go at Dave, that is not the case and there is a lot of credit for all those involved in the Sensory room.
The undisputed fact is FK is not returning your calls or emails, that might change hopefully soon then "you can ask the right questions to the right people"
 
Jesus Oxvox this Oxvox that I have no clue WTF you lot are on about.
Seems to me if you want to know what Oxvox are up to. Then be part of the secret society ;-) and join, attend meetings and try to do what you can to help. If not, like me, let’s let them get on with it.
Word of caution tho...... when you join you have to stand in front of the committee with one trouser leg rolled up and pull up your shirt to show your right nipple and recite “I hate Kassam, I hate Kassam “. Then they all give you a good spanking.
But in the meantime let’s get back to the point of the thread.
 
Morning Baz. We've been here before! I doubt that anyone on here has positive PERSONAL feelings towards Kassam. He has repeatedly shown himself as uncaring towards OUFC. No need for me to repeat endless examples.

But the point remains he owns the stadium. Unless we receive investment to build a new arena from scratch - and let's please not get into discussions about the likelihood of that - Kassam will continue to play a big part in our future. We HAVE to deal with him, and OxVox have to at least try to communicate with him.

So the next question is the tone of any communication. To try to engage in tough guy talks with him will undoubtedly backfire. He would withdraw and we would get no further forward. OUFC and OxVox have to be respectful, try to understand his position and proceed in a diplomatic way.

To anyone who thinks we should just tell him to f**k off, how do you think that will work out? Will it take us forwards, backwards or simply nowhere? It's reminiscent of the Brexit debate. Some think we should just leave, now with no more talking. Where would that leave us?

It won’t help or work out in OUFC’s favour but......it feels good saying it
 
Morning Baz. We've been here before! I doubt that anyone on here has positive PERSONAL feelings towards Kassam. He has repeatedly shown himself as uncaring towards OUFC. No need for me to repeat endless examples.

But the point remains he owns the stadium. Unless we receive investment to build a new arena from scratch - and let's please not get into discussions about the likelihood of that - Kassam will continue to play a big part in our future. We HAVE to deal with him, and OxVox have to at least try to communicate with him.

So the next question is the tone of any communication. To try to engage in tough guy talks with him will undoubtedly backfire. He would withdraw and we would get no further forward. OUFC and OxVox have to be respectful, try to understand his position and proceed in a diplomatic way.

To anyone who thinks we should just tell him to f**k off, how do you think that will work out? Will it take us forwards, backwards or simply nowhere? It's reminiscent of the Brexit debate. Some think we should just leave, now with no more talking. Where would that leave us?
There lies the nub of it though Pete. I totally understand what you’re saying and no sane person would disagree in principle. But how many people have tried to get FK on board, and for how many years? I think most people will agree, including those making the decisions at OUFC, that we’ve reached the point where we have to accept that Kassam will NEVER do anything that helps the football club. I really don’t know what the solution is because, as I suspect like you, I believe the prospect of a council aided new stadium site is pie in the sky.
 
It is probably a sad truth that Kassam will only do something that might assist the club if it also assists him. I'm thinking of land development deals for the stadium and surround.

Any such agreement still requires someone from OUFC to deal with him, and deal with him in a business-like, diplomatic way, rather than trying to threaten him in a bombastic way, which will never work.

I get that being abusive about him might help some blow off steam, but it will achieve nothing for the good of OUFC, which I would have thought should be our primary aim.

Never say never. If there's a 1% chance that remaining 'nice' with Firoz will help us, let's do it, especially as being nasty will not help at all.
I think less than 1% Pete. I agree that the only way Kassam will play ball is if it benefits him. The worry is that he doesn't need The Club for land development and as he has already indicated the Council can hardly side with the club as they have the rules to follow...
 
It is probably a sad truth that Kassam will only do something that might assist the club if it also assists him. I'm thinking of land development deals for the stadium and surround.

Any such agreement still requires someone from OUFC to deal with him, and deal with him in a business-like, diplomatic way, rather than trying to threaten him in a bombastic way, which will never work.

I get that being abusive about him might help some blow off steam, but it will achieve nothing for the good of OUFC, which I would have thought should be our primary aim.

Never say never. If there's a 1% chance that remaining 'nice' with Firoz will help us, let's do it, especially as being nasty will not help at all.
But it would be nice if the OCC would do something positive considering how they turned a blind eye to how Kassam acquired all of his OUFC portfolio including the Manor
 
True, but it would benefit Kassam's development ambitions if the club agreed to vacate before the end of the 25 year agreement, so it's worth him not totally alienating OUFC.

Alternatively, if one of these magnates does have enough spare cash to fund a move to a new stadium (if, if, if) they could screw Kassam's development plans by continuing to stay on the lease even if means having to pay rent and charges to year 25.

Either way, OUFC could have influence over Kassam, which he will obviously be well aware of. Worth both sides trying to stay friendly, I would say.
I can't see how OUFC can vacate the stadium before the licence expires.
If there is no where sensible to move to we have no option but to stay, we are all waiting for the announcement of the 5 ground options AND the councils agreement to any move.
That might explain the high rollers in town but I wonder if that will be for the benefit of the club long term.
 
I can't see how OUFC can vacate the stadium before the licence expires.
If there is no where sensible to move to we have no option but to stay, we are all waiting for the announcement of the 5 ground options AND the councils agreement to any move.
That might explain the high rollers in town but I wonder if that will be for the benefit of the club long term.

What are the benefits of the club staying where we are?
 
What are the benefits of the club staying where we are?
If we could force Kassam to sell at a decent price then we have the ground and if the billionaires decide to develope the ground 4 sides and spruce up the exterior as well as the interior and eradicate everything that bears some resemblance to Kassam then we would have a decent and appealing ground.
 
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