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LISTEN: The new Chief Executive Officer of @BlackpoolFC has spoken to the media for the first time.
Click below to listen in full & unedited to Ben Mansford, in his first interview since beginning the role on November 1st (grab a brew, it’s 38 minutes): https://t.co/k8V8esWQxm
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 22:28 - Nov 14 with 1345 views
“We expect to be busy”- Blackpool anticipating busy January transfer window
Blackpool are expecting to have a busy January transfer window.
Simon Grayson’s side are currently 8th in League One and a single point outside the Play-Offs after a solid start to the season.
They have won six games and drawn seven out of their opening 16 matches and have proven to be a tough opposition to break down.
Their CEO Ben Mansford has been speaking about the upcoming January transfer window and has said, as per a report by the Blackpool Gazette: “We’re duty bound to want to improve the team and this January will be no different to any other transfer window. The January window, as we all know, is tough, as every single one of the 92 professional clubs are all looking for two number nines right now.”
“But in all seriousness, we have got that duty and we have got that desire to get this club back to where it belongs — and that’s further up the pyramid than we are at the moment. Therefore we expect to be busy and we expect to do what is right for this club both in the short term and long term.”
He added: “We need players at Blackpool that want to be here. The single most important thing we’ve got to change on the recruitment front, and I think we’ve already seen it with the likes of Sullay Kaikai coming, those type of players that actually choose Blackpool as a good option.”
“We don’t want to be someone’s last resort to stay in the Championship or someone’s last resort to drop to League One.”
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Blackpool’s new chief executive Ben Mansford has called on the club’s fanbase to dream big once again.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man, who is just 11 days into his new role, outlined his vision for the club to the media yesterday.
He is one of several recent appointments, brought in by owner Simon Sadler to work alongside head of recruitment Tommy Johnson and head of technical scouting Jonathan Gibson.
As a team they will work closely with manager Simon Grayson to identify the best talent to help with Blackpool’s push for promotion.
Mansford will also be heavily involved with plans for a new training ground, improvements to the East Stand, contract negotiations and much more.
Having previously worked as a CEO at Barnsley and Leeds United, Mansford says his first priority is to make sure supporters feel engaged.
But beyond that, both he and Sadler have lofty ambitions for the long-term.
“I think the first aim is to make this a club that everyone can feel proud of again,” he told The Gazette. “I want to put it back on the map.
“People know there’s a chance Blackpool are back. Now we have to deliver that. I think that’s Championship football but we also have a very ambitious owner.
“I’d actually like to meet Ian Holloway at some point to understand what that promotion season was about and how everyone came together to achieve that success.
“I think if we did it less than 10 years ago, there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.
“I think in football you need a bit of luck but if we get a real togetherness and some momentum....
“Just have a look at Sheffield United and how they went ‘bang, bang’ with two quick promotions.
“Winning becomes a habit, just as losing can become a habit.
“If we start to build that momentum and get everyone pulling together in one place, then we all dare to dream, don’t we?
“I think the dream is to be back in the big-time. If we don’t wake up with that enthusiasm, that desire and that hunger to punch above our weight, then we shouldn’t be here.
“If it comes down to the level of commitment and energy from the owner and from the supporters, then we’ve got a chance.”
Mansford has certainly had plenty to enjoy on the pitch since assuming his role, with three straight wins.
“There’s been plenty of noise, plenty of goals and it’s all very positive. I hope that continues,” he added.
“What appealed to me most about this challenge is that this is a journey Simon is embarking on. He’s a local owner who is immensely committed and passionate about his football team.
“There’s so much we want to achieve, so we’ve got to have short, medium and long-term goals.
“I think in the short-term, we want to engage with supporters again and give this local community a club to be proud of again.
“If we do that and we set the right standards on and off the field, we have a number of things that we want to achieve.
“If we conduct ourselves properly and do the right things, then I’m sure results will come.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 12:27 - Nov 15 with 1318 views
Blackpool’s new chief executive Ben Mansford sat down with the media yesterday to give his first interview since beginning his new role.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man, who is just 11 days into the job, is one of several recent appointments made by owner Simon Sadler.
He will work alongside Head of Recruitment Tommy Johnson and Head of Technical Scouting Jonathan Gibson.
As a team they will work closely with manager Simon Grayson to help identify the best talent to help with Blackpool’s push for promotion from League One.
But Mansford will also be heavily involved with plans for a new training ground, improvements to the East Stand, contract negotiations, the academy and much, much more.
Here’s what Mansford had to say…
Do you expect the January transfer window to be a busy one?
“We’re duty bound to want to improve the team and this January will be no different to any other transfer window.
“The January window, as we all know, is tough, as every single one of the 92 professional clubs are all looking for two number nines right now.
“But in all seriousness, we have got that duty and we have got that desire to get this club back to where it belongs - and that’s further up the pyramid than we are at the moment.
“Therefore we expect to be busy and we expect to do what is right for this club both in the short term and long term.”
Are lists already being drawn up?
“We were delighted we were just about to pinch Tommy Johnson before he signed either north of the border or somewhere far down south.
“I don’t know if Henrik Larsson is still speaking to Tommy, but joking aside I’m really pleased we’ve been able to bring him in.
“We’ve also been able to bring in Jonathan Gibson who spent 10 years at West Brom as recruitment manager, so comes with a real analytical sports performance background.
“I think when you combine those two with myself and Simon, we’re not going to be short of lists.
“What we have to manage is that January is a difficult window to do good business and that’s all we want to do at Blackpool, as best we can.
“We need players at Blackpool that want to be here.
“The single most important thing we’ve got to change on the recruitment front, and I think we’ve already seen it with the likes of Sullay Kaikai coming, those type of players that actually choose Blackpool as a good option.
“We don’t want to be someone’s last resort to stay in the Championship or someone’s last resort to drop to League One.
“We want people to come to this football club and recognise they’re at a proper football club, with a good owner, great fans and want to be here.
“They’re the players we’ve got to find in January, it’s so important.”
You previously worked as an agent, will that be an advantage in your new role?
“I hope it just cuts through a lot of the nonsense.
“People say to me ‘oh, do you want to come back?’ I know I’ve got a lot of friends out there who are football friends but I do not miss being a football agent, not one day.
“I love being part of a team, I love bouncing into a football club and trying to make it better every day and I hope my knowledge of being on the other side of the fence and being a fairly capable negotiator - and knowing all the games the players, agents and hangers-on are going to play - means I can cut through a lot of the rubbish.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to work out, especially in a really difficult window like January, whether we’ve really got a realistic chance of doing a deal or not and spending our time going after players that are going to make a difference and will come into Simon’s 11 to make us better.
“I don’t want to be dealing with time-wasters who will be keeping us spinning.”
Have you spoken to Blackpool’s out-of-contract players?
“I’m only 10 days into the job but I knew I was coming for a while, so you’re watching the games and you try and think about what you might be doing.
“I think at the moment we’re building a togetherness.
“I know the supporters will want answers on some of those questions about who is in the team who is out of the team, who is staying and who will move on.
“I think you will hear about that when things are done, but at this stage the most important thing is that this football club continues to win matches.
“We will succeed if we’re together as a collective.
“Trying to deal with one or two incidents now, or trying to speak to one or two players and not others will distract us from our common goal - which is to get out of this division.
“The togetherness of the team is more important at the moment than talking about individuals.
“Equally, we have some players we will have to make some decisions on and we will deal with those situations and update the supporters as soon as we can.”
How much of a priority is a new training ground?
“It’s very high on my list of priorities.
“I’ve been here less than two weeks but I feel a real sense of engagement with Blackpool Council and conversations have started.
“Simon Sadler has been very involved in making sure those conversations took place and I’ve carried them on already.
“I think a proper 21st century training facility, both for the first team and the academy and the Community Trust all playing its part, is very important.
“I really see that as one of the most important things that I’ve got to push on with in the immediacy of my appointment.
“I really hope in the next few months we show the supporters and the local community and the council how serious we are.
“We can hopefully not just show fancy designs, but show that spades are going in the ground and we can give the club a training facility it deserves.”
Have you looked at other models?
“We’re already on with that and we’re involved with architects that have built the right type of facilities for clubs that are as ambitious as us and are playing at Premier League level.
“Simon and I visited one or two the last time he was over the weekend before last, so we’re absolutely on with that.
“With the people we’ve got engaged with this process and the support we’re getting from the Council, we’ll show a real progressive design.
“But the reality will be delivering and actually getting it built.”
When will the temporary buildings at Squires Gate be installed?
“We’re on with that.
“We’ve had some new staff come in before me, we’ve got a new stadium operations team, we’ve got a new operations team, so it’s a real priority of mine to make sure those buildings at Squires Gate are there as soon as possible and that Phil Horner can work as hard as he needs to keep everybody fit.
“We’ve got to look and feel better than we have, so they will be sorted I’m sure in the next few weeks.”
What plans do the club have for the East Stand?
“They did a great job in making the East Stand ready to use this season.
“I think we see in certain areas of the club are struggling from under-investment, or no investment, over the last few years.
“Simon has been very passionate about making some quick decisions.
“The East Stand got to a place where it’s operational, but the long term vision for the club has to be carefully thought out.
“In terms of the infrastructure here and the blueprint of Bloomfield Road, we’ve probably got to come up with a bigger vision - maybe a masterplan for this site and some of the surrounding areas.
“That’s not to take a step back, but just to breath and make sure the vision for this site is something that might take us to another level if we take a sensible amount of time to think about it.
“But finishing the stadium and investing in infrastructure, creating a site that can help us with our aspirations to punch above our weight, is really important and I see it as a big part of what I’ll be doing over the next few months.”
Will there be a new East Stand - potentially with two tiers?
“We haven’t talked about tiers!
“Yes, we could finish the East Stand, but I think what we have to do is just think long and hard with key stakeholders, like Blackpool Council and some of the property advisors and developers, to say ‘hang on a minute’ and think about what this part of Blackpool needs.
“Can the football club play a leading, integral part of not just making sure the East Stand gets finished, but what else can we all do if we all come together in terms of the entire site?
“I think that’s why I can be very positive about the training ground to help us recruit players very quickly, we’re going to do the temporary buildings on Squires Gate to keep the players out of the wind and the rain, that we’re going to work hard in January to realise this club’s ambitions.
“When it comes to the East Stand, I think we have to consider it as part of a bigger picture. But equally we want to do it as soon as is practical.”
Does that mean away supporters will remain where they are?
“I think that’s a question for our safety officer and the police! I’ve only seen well-behaved games in my first week or so here.
“We all know the vocal energy the supporters are giving the players is brilliant and I thank them for that.
“We all want to create the best atmosphere and we want the best stadium.
“Moving fans around and things of that nature? I’ve not had chance to look at that too much.
“I think we’ll have a period of status quo while we understand what we’re doing.”
How important will the academy be?
“I think it’s really important.
“I think for so many reasons, because when you’re running a Category Three academy you’ve got Under-9s to Under-16s.
“You’ve got 20 or 30 boys in each age group having a touch point with the football club and not only do we want to generate a player that can go on to be good enough for our first team. If he can help us get to where we want to go, brilliant.
“If not, maybe we sell him with our blessing.
“Simon is very passionate about wanting to produce players that can ultimately play in the Premier League and maybe even go on to play for their country.
“I think the academy has so many community and footballing aspects that it’s important we invest in that area.
“People believe you decide what team you’re going to support when you’re six or seven, which is Year 2 of Year 3 at Primary School.
“We want to see some Blackpool shirts back in the playground, not Real Madrid, Manchester United, not other Premier League teams.
“Therefore, we need those children to want to play for Blackpool and not want to go up the road and not want to go to any of the Premier League teams.
“The academy has a huge part to play for so many reasons and I’m so lucky that I’ve got an owner that wants to invest in that.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 12:30 - Nov 15 with 1316 views
OPINION: Blackpool’s new chief executive has lots of work ahead
Blackpool’s chief executive Ben Mansford is only two weeks into his new job but he’s likely to have his hands full in the coming weeks and months.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man will no doubt have noticed that the contracts of eight players are due to expire at the end of the current campaign.
There’s some key men amongst them, too, namely Mark Howard, top goalscorer Armand Gnanduillet, skipper Jay Spearing and defensive rocks Ollie Turton and Curtis Tilt.
A further nine players are also out of contract next summer, although the club does hold the option to extend their deals by a period of 12 months.
You’d assume Pool will take up that option with the likes of Callum Guy, Liam Feeney and Jordan Thompson.
But with Jak Alnwick, Rocky Bushiri and James Husband to return to their respective parent clubs at the end of the season, that leaves the Seasiders fairly low on numbers when it comes to individuals that are likely to be first-team regulars.
That’s without taking into account the future of Ben Heneghan, whose loan spell from Sheffield United is due to conclude in mid-January.
The centre-back is out of contract at Bramall Lane and, having been placed on the transfer list during the summer, the Blades are unlikely to want their man to go for free in 2020.
Chris Wilder’s outfit will no doubt be touting his name around Championship sides to ensure that the Blades get a fee.
Heneghan spoke candidly during the summer about his desire to play in the second tier — and who can blame him?
His performances deserve it but he would be a massive loss to the Seasiders.
Is there a chance of Blackpool securing him on a permanent deal in January? We’ll see.
The best chance of keeping him at the club might be to extend his loan until the end of the season and then attempt to pick him up for nothing following his release from Sheffield United.
Either way, Blackpool are facing a pretty crucial few months ahead when it comes to recruitment and squad retention.
Some will argue the departure of a number of players will give Grayson the opportunity to refresh the squad and bring in fresh blood.
But, while new additions are always welcome, surely the club also needs some continuity and stability.
They can’t carry on making wholesale changes every summer as they have been doing for the past three or four years.
Keeping the core of this squad together, with five, six or maybe seven additions on top, surely has to be the best way forward?
Anyway, that’s an argument to have for the future and not at this moment in time, as Blackpool’s only focus has to be on Saturday’s return to league action.
This weekend the Seasiders host lowly AFC Wimbledon in their bid to claim a fourth consecutive home win.
With Blackpool set to receive another home tie in Saturday’s EFL Trophy second round draw, due to them topping their group, that will mean the men in tangerine will play four of their next five fixtures at Bloomfield Road.
While Pool do have a tricky run of fixtures coming up, taking on the likes of Ipswich Town, Sunderland and Fleetwood Town, you’d like to think their recent run of three straight wins — regardless of competition — will have given them some much-needed confidence and momentum for the games ahead.
Wimbledon are notoriously difficult to play against and, despite their league position of 20th, I’d expect Pool to have a battle on their hands tomorrow.
The Seasiders have won both of their home games against the new incarnation of Wimbledon, without conceding a goal in the process.
Neither encounters were high-scoring affairs though. While we’d all love to see another seven-goal thriller, a la the recent 4-3 win against Peterborough United, I’d be surprised if Wimbledon were to play in such an open and expansive manner.
Pool will be without Jordan Thompson, who is away with Northern Ireland on international duty. But they are otherwise at full strength.
The Seasiders can move back into the play-off positions with a victory this weekend, with a number of sides in League One not in action due to their games being postponed for call-ups.
That would be the ideal way to set up a tasty-looking trip to table-topping Ipswich next week.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 08:31 - Nov 16 with 1309 views
Chief executive Ben Mansford says the size of the challenge at Blackpool was the main appeal in taking the job.
The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man is only 12 days into his role, yet has already spoken about his lofty ambitions of wanting to take the club back to the Premier League.
However, in the short term, the aim is to implement the correct infrastructure with a new training ground, an improved East Stand and improvements to the academy.
One of his first jobs will be to identify targets for the January transfer window and speak to Blackpool’s out-of-contract players.
When asked how big a challenge it will be to get Blackpool to where owner Simon Sadler wants them to be, Mansford said: “I think that’s what appeals to me.
“It’s not often you can get into something from the beginning. Simon has only owned the club five months but we’ve already come so far.
“I see what we’re already involved in for the future.
“It is a big challenge but that’s the exciting part of it. It’s about being able to bounce in and trying to affect what has changed.
“Some change we will be able to do quickly compared to the upset and disappointment of the past, but some of it will take a long time.
“It’s not often in your life you can really drive something and take a pride in being able to achieve something.
“I’m so excited about being here.”
Despite living and working in Hong Kong, Sadler remains heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the club.
But he felt it was important to implement his own team at Bloomfield Road, with Linton Brown, Tommy Johnson and Jonathan Gibson recently moving to Blackpool to work with Mansford.
“I have a lot of contact with Simon,” Mansford added.
“He said himself, at the start, he thinks the time difference helps. He thinks he can do the day job, which is a fairly intensive one!
“Occasionally we speak while the stock exchange is open and he’s barking numbers and asking for data — I find it mesmerising, it’s very impressive.
“Then when he winds down, and sometimes after spending some time with the family, he comes back online as it’s lunchtime here and we talk.
“He hasn’t been the success he is without being under the skin of what has been going on.
“Although he’s been very keen to bring in a management team that is his, he absolutely wants to know what is going on.
“As a local fan that’s had an incredibly successful business for a number of years, I can learn a lot from him.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 09:47 - Nov 16 with 1305 views
Still amazing to think how far we’ve come in a few months. The whole mentality regards the running of the club has morphed into something so positive and also sensible for want of a better word.
UTP!!
when the monkey is high you do not stare you do not stare 🥴
Matt Scrafton spoke at length with new Blackpool chief executive Ben Mansford, who discussed long and short-term plans for the club. Here are some of the questions he answered .....
How much expectation is there at Blackpool?
“I think expectation has increased from when the club finally moved on from its previous ownership.
“If you could design your own owner it would be Simon. Then Simon Grayson comes in and there’s a new management team, and the plans to improve the club on and off the field heighten that expectation.
“I don’t think we should shy away from it. We shouldn’t pretend it’s not there.
“Maybe the expectations are going beyond where we might be, given that Simon has only owned the club for five months.
“But Simon wouldn’t have had the career he’s had if he didn’t want to win and punch above his weight.
“If we don’t want to exceed expectations, then we shouldn’t be here.”
What is the first priority on the list?
“I think we just have to engage with the supporters again, whether they’re sponsors, stakeholders, season ticket holders or lapsed fans.
“The single most important thing for us is to make this club a place people want to come to, to make Blackpool FC the place to be —bar one or two leisure facilities in town — and the focal point of a lot of what happens.
“I hope if we cultivate the right culture and environment, and engage in the right way, that the results will come.
“The next thing we will be judged by is the results on the pitch.
“But for me, engaging and putting Blackpool back on the footballing map and the hub of what is happening in this community for five, 10, 15 years has to be the most important thing.”
Will you be a hands-on CEO?
“One of my strengths is that I can foster that team spirit because you’re only as strong as your team — I can’t do everything.
“I will get in the trenches, if you like, and lead from the front.
“I will be here six or seven days a week and I will be available to the guys, so it will definitely be hands on.
“I want to create an environment in which people want to work hard and want to exceed expectations.
“Blackpool did that so famously under Ian Holloway and you’re not going to be able to do that if you give it anything less than 110 per cent.”
How impressed are you with Simon Grayson?
“We knew of each other already and he’s got the most promotions out of this division. He is also a very experienced manager at this level and in general.
“I hope it shows the commitment Simon Sadler has that he brought in such a proven coach and manager, and invested as he did in the squad towards the end of the summer.
“I’m really delighted to have Simon Grayson as my manager and I very much hope he has another promotion in him to extend his record.”
Do you expect yours to be a long-term appointment?
“I think with what we want to achieve here for the football club, Simon sees himself as a custodian. It epitomises what he’s all about.
“I want to deliver a team the club can be proud of, a training facility to improve the infrastructure of the footprint here.
“To do that will take years, so I’m in it for the long haul unless Simon tells me differently.
“There are so many things we can do. Ash Hackett and his staff with the Community Trust did a great job at a time when they probably didn’t receive much support from the club.
“You look at what the academy have done with pretty much zero investment. We’ve got so much to do, it’s really exciting times.
“For me it’s all about coming together to put us back where we want to be - and that will take a lot of hard work together.”
How much of a say will you have on football matters?
“I know there was talk of a director of football appointment, but as Simon has come to clarify his own thinking I would consider myself a football CEO.
“That’s how I see myself being able to help. We’ve got a manager who is very experienced and we’ve now brought in Tommy Johnson and Jonathan Gibson, who will work together as a team with the gaffer to build that team. For now I think that means the director of football title is not something we will see happening.
“But I think with the skill sets of the team we’ve put together, then I’ll be heavily involved and it will be a good team effort.”
What changes can the fans expect to see?
“I think if you see how far we’ve come in the last five months, we’ve invested in the infrastructure already.
“We’ve invested in the ticket situation and we’ll invest in CRM (Customer Relationship Management).
“We’ll put a new look and feel across the club in how we communicate across the departments.
“The fans will start to see that very soon, and I hope there is an online day this month when we will be able to launch the CRM system with our own twist on it.
“It’s very, very exciting times but we have to remember just how short a period Simon has owned the club for and how short a time his management team have been in place.
“If the fans can just give us a little bit of patience, then I really hope there are incredibly exciting times ahead.”
Will there be fans’ forums?
“Yes, absolutely. It’s my duty to engage with supporters and answer questions, to not hide and front up to things people are upset about or want answers to.
“I hope that in the main the lads and Simon do the talking for me with their football.
“But I’d like to do an evening with Simon with the supporters, and I’d like to get out and about to know more of them.
“I hope that we will do as much of that as we can but it’s difficult with almost 6,000 season ticket holders — I’m sure they all want to sit and talk with me.
“But what we have to do — and I’ve done it in the past, especially with Barnsley — is to create a group of fans I meet with every six to eight weeks.
“This will include representatives from all the major supporters’ groups and make sure they understand what is happening with our plans and our vision.
“Hopefully everyone feels there is real transparency about what is happening within the club.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 17:23 - Nov 21 with 1276 views
How staff deal with fans (Customers) Data and Communication (including Social Media). Fairly generic across Businesses
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 11:47 - May 31 with 1162 views
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 11:59 - Aug 20 with 1099 views
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Ben Mansford CEO on 13:48 - Aug 20 with 1090 views
Had shaky first few months. The search for Grayson's replacement being an example. Doing very well now though. Linton Brown is too. The commercial side of the club has been revolutionised.
Good news.
Congrats Ben.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Mansford glad to host club he ‘learned so much’ at
BEN MANSFORD is looking forward to tomorrow’s match between his current club Blackpool and former employers Barnsley where he admits he had ‘such an enjoyable and important time’ in his first chief executive role.
Mansford was CEO at Oakwell from 2013 to 2016 as he oversaw a relegation then promotion.
A former agent, he was the first of a series of young, ambitious Reds CEOs with little or no previous experience of the role which also includes his successors Gauthier Ganaye, Dane Murphy and now Khaled El-Ahmad.
He left for Leeds United in 2016, just after the Reds’ League One play-off final win, but lasted only one season then spent two years in Israeli football with Maccabi Tel Aviv before joining Blackpool in 2019. In Text Promo Image
Mansford told the Chronicle: “Those three years at Barnsley were such an enjoyable and important time for me, as a chief executive and a person.
“I think the club needed a bit of an injection of energy. We tried to go out in the community and connect with the fans again.
“The first year was really tough. The Barnsley fans are fairly unforgiving and took their time to warm to me. It’s a proper football club in a proper town and they don’t suffer fools. But I would like to think that we made a lot of progress in the second and third year. That last season was so special and I’ll never forget it.
“I had great mentors in Patrick Cryne and Maurice Watkins who I owe a lot to. Standing on the side of the Wembley pitch with the two of them after promotion is a very special memory for me. Overall it was a great three years.”
Asked if he had any regrets, Mansford said: “Probably my biggest regret would be trying to change the crest, which I shouldn’t have done.
“The other one was trying to do too much too soon and sometimes using ten words when one would do. I’ve learned from all of that.
“I would also have handled my communications around my exit with the Cryne family a bit better. It wasn’t the easiest exit. Patrick forgave me in the end and we were very close when he passed away (in 2018).”
Mansford said Jean and James Cryne, the widow and son of Patrick, will always be his ‘lifelong friends’ and they attended his wedding in Greece in 2019.
“The 21st of January when Patrick passed away is always an important day to me.
“Jean is still a good counsel who imparts those South Yorkshire words of wisdom to me and James has become a good friend.”
Mansford arrived at Oakwell the same summer as chairman Maurice Watkins who left in late 2017 and died last month.
“Maurice was fantastic for me. He really helped me grow and learn to handle the boardroom environment. He was just a proper professional and gentleman. He had a really good way of walking into situations and working out the good guys and bad guys then guiding us on our journey.
“He helped set me up with my move to Israel.
“It’s a testament to Maurice that he kept his failing health very private so that he could still be the face and energy of so many things. As chairman of British Swimming, he saw the Olympics through this summer and GB got their most medals ever then he sadly said goodbye to the world. That is a really positive way to remember him.”
After the Reds’ relegation in 2014, Cryne decided to take a more hands-on role at the club and change from a policy of signing older, experienced players to developing youth and almost exclusively recruiting under 25s.
A similar strategy has been used by the owners who bought the club from Cryne in 2017 — with the Reds reaching the Championship play-offs in May for the first time in 21 years.
Mansford said: “Nobody likes getting relegated but we came back with a plan and look how well it has served Barnsley in the last few years.
“I can clearly picture Patrick and Jean at their kitchen table, with Tommy the cat.
“The manager Danny Wilson had been asking for experienced players but Patrick said ‘we’re going to go on a different journey and I want you to come with me’. We had probably got fatigued by eking out the last six months of a player on loan or signing players because the manager had worked with them before, or recruiting on CVs.
“At the start people were skeptical. They probably watched Moneyball or thought it was a load of people trying to crunch stats on a laptop.
“But what it gave us was a philosophy of how Barnsley did things on and off the pitch. It really streamlined our recruitment.
“We decided to go with blood, guts and thunder football on the pitch and to recruit young players who we could either sell on for double, treble or quadruple that amount or, if they didn’t work out, re-sell them for a similar amount.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but we can see now it was the start of something.
“Last season was fantastic for Barnsley.
“I think Brexit is a challenge for everyone but especially the Barnsley model.
“They, like us at Blackpool, are trying to be a family oriented community club who are being sustainable and sensible and not ending up in financial trouble like other clubs in the division at the moment.”
Linton Brown, who briefly took over from Mansford as Reds chief executive, is also with the Tangerines as ‘chief commercial officer.’
So is midfielder Kenny Dougall who was released by the Reds last year, with Mansford saying: “Kenny has been brilliant and I can’t thank Barnsley enough for letting him go.”
On tomorrow’s game, Mansford said: “It’s going to be a massive game. I know the Barnsley fans will make a good amount of noise. I don’t know if they will bring a plant pot with them or not.
“But I think our fans are as good as any.
“There will be a brilliant atmosphere.
“I am still in touch with a few people who still work at Barnsley, as well as some of the sponsors who I am hopefully going for a drink with on Friday night.”
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
🎥 "Our fans are very special. What they went through in the five years leading up to Simon Sadler buying the club was quite unique. It's a proper club, in a proper town, with proper fans"#Blackpool CEO Ben Mansford
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
🎥 "There have been a number of challenges with supply and staff after Covid. We're trying our best, like all other clubs and businesses in hospitality, to mitigate that to give the fans the best possible experience"#Blackpool CEO Ben Mansford#utmp / #bbcfootball / #EFLpic.twitter.com/3kS49JJhbO
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
It's so the media has some material to use during the international break. It's just the timing was right to get the message across to our idiots that they are not wanted.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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