Good Article from Charlie Methven - Boardroom Chat

[Brahma]

http://salutsunderland.com/2019/02/...ou-1-oxford-united-heart-vs-sunderland-heart/

Decent article from Charles. Well done Charlie, Yellows!

 

[Brahma]

Absolutely enjoyed the article, especially this bit " I suspect that this is as much to do with his mouthy Scouser style as anything else. Oxfordshire folk like a bit of dignity in their gaffer".

I'm 100% with Methven on this.

 

[tonyw]

Personally, I love the final quote - "I worked part-time at a pub the players drank in after training, and once served our ‘keeper about 15 pints in a sitting two nights before a game! Those were the days. I know that modern fitness levels are better, but I suspect that it is very hard now to mould the kind of team spirit that some teams had in those days."

Always knew that Phil Whitehead was a great keeper. Never knew he was that talented a drinker as well......Respect due.

Otherwise, Charlie talks a lot of sense. But talking sense was never really his issue on here.......

 

[Morris Oxford]

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

This is what I wrote on the https://yellowsforum.co.uk/threads/looks-like-charlie-has-got-his-wish.816/page-5 back in May last year. The conflict of loyalties always interested me.

As I said on another thread having met Stewart and the Donald family a few times I can only wish him well, the Donald family have been very good friends to OUFC over the years particularly when needed most.

I’ve never met Charlie so can only judge him on his postings on this site.

What is interesting (to me at least) is that Sunderland will be in the same league as Oxford next season and therefore one of our rivals and competitors.

Picture this, come the final match of the season and Sunderland with their huge financial advantage due to parachute payments need to win to secure promotion back to the Championship and one step from the Premier League. Just so happens they are playing Oxford United who need a win to avoid relegation to Division 4 and one step from oblivion.

Where do your loyalties lie?

 

[Foley]

Yes a good article.
TBH Charlie was normally good value on here and often spoke sense.
He did have the ability to rub people up the wrong way, but he clearly loved the club.
From his judgements on the players he clearly keeps up to date with what is going on.

 

[Jon-ioualways]

A really good read, that! Yes, he did often speak very good sense. I just didn't like the way he seemed to try to belittle anyone who disagreed with him. Maybe that's a little unfair, as occasionally he had very reasonable disagreements with people...but if they got in any way negative with him he'd out-negative them way more than was necessary.

More than anything, though, I'd have liked to have seen Stuart and Charlie have a go at running the mighty Yellows.

 

[chuckbert]

Often spoke sense ... and often spoke shite.

Good article still. I wonder if the dodgy grammar was his or was introduced by the interviewer

 

[yellowbow]

A good interview indeed, his passion for Oxford United still shines through and he’s not afraid to show it while still making clear his commitment to Sunderland. He strikes the perfect balance. I always enjoyed reading Charlie’s posts, he would’ve had a field day on here this season. Interesting that he wouldn’t be drawn on his opinion of Tiger as he’d probably be meeting him on Saturday. Seems his thoughts possibly wouldn’t have been too complimentary..?

But the elephant in the room that nobody has mentioned: A £million to FK each year in rent..? Is he correct?? If so no wonder we’re sinking.

 

[Jon-ioualways]

A good interview indeed, his passion for Oxford United still shines through and he’s not afraid to show it while still making clear his commitment to Sunderland. He strikes the perfect balance. I always enjoyed reading Charlie’s posts, he would’ve had a field day on here this season. Interesting that he wouldn’t be drawn on his opinion of Tiger as he’d probably be meeting him on Saturday. Seems his thoughts possibly wouldn’t have been too complimentary..?

But the elephant in the room that nobody has mentioned: A £million to FK each year in rent..? Is he correct?? If so no wonder we’re sinking.

Yes, I noticed that...but always thought it was half that. That's still a ton of money to be paying (and what a crap deal was negotiated). But my other question is whether it was Oxford City Council who dealt us the crap hand or Nick Merry.

 

[LondonRoader]

A good interview indeed, his passion for Oxford United still shines through and he’s not afraid to show it while still making clear his commitment to Sunderland. He strikes the perfect balance. I always enjoyed reading Charlie’s posts, he would’ve had a field day on here this season. Interesting that he wouldn’t be drawn on his opinion of Tiger as he’d probably be meeting him on Saturday. Seems his thoughts possibly wouldn’t have been too complimentary..?

But the elephant in the room that nobody has mentioned: A £million to FK each year in rent..? Is he correct?? If so no wonder we’re sinking.

Not the million pound shite again, our rent is £300k

 

[warksox]

Not the million pound shite again, our rent is £300k

Methven didn't say rent, what he actually said was "The million odd quid a year that OUFC pay Kassam".
So probably rent (£300k - £400k) + service charge (£500k - £600k).
If round up you get to the £1m, if you round down you don't.

 

[yellowbow]

Does anybody actually know what we’re paying, to whom, and how much..?

 

[Peterdev]

Interesting article and you can see Charlie still has affection for the club. I sincerely hope we’re not paying the slum landlord £1million a year

 

[Notaswindonfan]

Does anybody actually know what we’re paying, to whom, and how much..?

Might be worth starting a separate thread for that Q&A ?

 

[Sarge]

Might be worth starting a separate thread for that Q&A ?

Who is doing the five min fans forum for OUFC on Rad ox 5.45 pm tomorrow ....if it's the M.D. someone(s) could ask that for question to be asked? .....though prob unlikely a straight answer or any answer will be forthcoming on that subject?

 

[Deleted member 142]

Absolutely enjoyed the article, especially this bit " I suspect that this is as much to do with his mouthy Scouser style as anything else. Oxfordshire folk like a bit of dignity in their gaffer".

I'm 100% with Methven on this.

He’s still peddling the £1m a year to Firoz, though, Simon.

 

[Foley]

Not the million pound shite again, our rent is £300k

No the rent is not £1m
There is of course the service charge.

 

[Manorlounger]

With the service charge increasing every year and, having started far higher than it was worth, I wouldn't be surprised to find a figure close to a £1 million per year. Not saying it is but, it was always a dreadful deal.

 

[LondonRoader]

Methven didn't say rent, what he actually said was "The million odd quid a year that OUFC pay Kassam".
So probably rent (£300k - £400k) + service charge (£500k - £600k).
If round up you get to the £1m, if you round down you don't.

That’s not what the poster said or asked,
I’m pretty sure it had been well documented the figures that we pay each year, I thought the total was nearer £600k but happy to be corrected with the true figure.

 

[yellowbow]

That’s not what the poster said or asked,
I’m pretty sure it had been well documented the figures that we pay each year, I thought the total was nearer £600k but happy to be corrected with the true figure.

That’s still a massive sum to be shelling out with nothing to show for it apart from the ‘privilege’ of playing at a substandard stadium. The situation just doesn’t appear to be sustainable to me?

 

[LondonRoader]

It’s not mine or your opinion on this that counts, it’s the people trying to pay the bills. We don’t know if the figures they pay are good or bad in their financial situation, we are in the dark concerning the make up of the clubs owners.

 

[Scotchegg]

Still think the bloke is a complete tit and will take great pleasure in seeing his new found love get hammered on Saturday. Also hope we get to beat them again next season as they extend their run of failure!!!

 

[Oslernorth]

A great suming up of Joey. Certainly eco's the feelings I have towards my greatest ever play

 

[warksox]

That’s not what the poster said or asked,
I’m pretty sure it had been well documented the figures that we pay each year, I thought the total was nearer £600k but happy to be corrected with the true figure.

Going back to the infamous fans forum where Tiger first raised the 'nearly £1m' figure and subsequent Kassam statement saying the rent was only £300k, I remember Jerome on RadOx trying to get to the truth of the matter. He said (paraphrasing) his understanding was the rent was £300k+ (so 300 -399). But the service charge, at the time DE put it into arbitration was in excess of £500k (so 500 - 599). Added together, nearly £1m.
Conveniently allowing Jerome to diplomatically conclude there was an element of truth in what they both said.

 

[greatunclekip]

Brilliant interview. No shame in admitting id have utterly loved for Charlie and Stewart to be running our club.

Combination of fan and business brain would have brought success.

 

[yellowbow]

It’s not mine or your opinion on this that counts, it’s the people trying to pay the bills. We don’t know if the figures they pay are good or bad in their financial situation, we are in the dark concerning the make up of the clubs owners.

Yep fair comment. You’d at least hope that Tiger came in with his eyes open. Maybe the question should be how long did they plan on having to pay this sum to FK. My gut feeling is that they came in, as others have before them, believing they could quickly resolve the stadium situation through amicable negotiations with Kassam/LAs etc but are now realising that that isn’t so simple. Only guessing obviously as nobody has a clue what Tigers plan is. Or even if he has one.

 

[Foley]

Going back to the infamous fans forum where Tiger first raised the 'nearly £1m' figure and subsequent Kassam statement saying the rent was only £300k, I remember Jerome on RadOx trying to get to the truth of the matter. He said (paraphrasing) his understanding was the rent was £300k+ (so 300 -399). But the service charge, at the time DE put it into arbitration was in excess of £500k (so 500 - 599). Added together, nearly £1m.
Conveniently allowing Jerome to diplomatically conclude there was an element of truth in what they both said.

Tiger turned to Niall McWilliams and said something like we apparently pay £1m to FK.
He had clearly been told that. Afterwards it was made clear that included VAT
Whatever, it seems that the club pay over the odds for what it gets especially based on the Division it is in.
Lenegan signed a terrible deal (I assume he signed it alongside Merry,)

 

[warksox]

Tiger turned to Niall McWilliams and said something like we apparently pay £1m to FK.
He had clearly been told that. Afterwards it was made clear that included VAT
Whatever, it seems that the club pay over the odds for what it gets especially based on the Division it is in.
Lenegan signed a terrible deal (I assume he signed it alongside Merry,)

Fair point re VAT, so IF the combined rent + service charge bill to OUFC was £1m, that would be split £833k to Kassam, £167k to HMRC.
That's still a huge amount to pay Kassam given the current state of the Breeze Block.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

http://salutsunderland.com/2019/02/...-2-rebuilding-sunderland-from-utter-shambles/

Part Two of the Charlie Methven interview and it’s another good read.

 

[m]

http://salutsunderland.com/2019/02/...-2-rebuilding-sunderland-from-utter-shambles/

Part Two of the Charlie Methven interview and it’s another good read.

Aye.

In fairness he comes across as much less of a dickhead when he has the chance to prepare.