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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 07:54 11 May 2024
Great advice, it's been a very stressful time for everybody associated with the club. I would imagine nobody was under more stress than the Chairman, i think we saw that play out in public at the end. We have all been the victim of a terrible set of circumstances and that always needs to be remembered. They would have killed the club if they could, nobody played a bigger part than Simon Gauge when it came to stopping that from happening. Let's now all move forward as one and draw a line under this whole sorry saga, a new slate for everybody and the start of a new era. The season ticket prices are spot on, I'm looking forward to buying a couple on the first day of sale. [Post edited 11 May 8:00]
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 12:07 10 May 2024
Sometimes it depends on who is doing the knocking and how loud you knock, give it a good bang. You have to make sure you are knocking on the correct door also. Go back and knock again with a different knocker, take Andy Burnham with you to help, the Manchester Mayor. The Co-Op could do with some good publicity at the moment and helping the club would seem like a no brainer. [Post edited 10 May 12:19]
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 11:43 10 May 2024
A visit to the headquarters of the Co-Op headquarters would be a great place to start. I'm hoping Cameron Ogden etc have plans to do that. Sponsorship of the stadium would be great. |
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 11:32 10 May 2024
Can I just ask, what was the plot in the room to oust the Chairman? I was sitting at a table with probably half a dozen long standing shareholders, this is the first time I've heard about any such plot. There were plenty in the room aware of various interested credible investors or other offers of financial help. Shed some light on this plot please because this a new one on me. The shareholders that evening were railroaded into thinking there was only one credible investor and had they not voted a certain way then the upcoming fixture would be pulled. There was a thirst from the Chairman to get the WSH deal done. A shambles of a EGM, one that the other Directors should have got a grip of, instead of leaving it to the Chairman, most of them didn't even turn up to support him. As you suggest, it's best leaving it there but please don't paint a picture of a EGM and a Chairman who was under attack from the shareholders because that's the complete opposite of what happened on the night. Had shareholders dared to vote against Simons motion then he would have had them up in front of the media the following day for them to explain their decision...this is following a democratic vote. You must have forgotten that little gem. [Post edited 10 May 11:50]
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 10:18 10 May 2024
You can put millions of pounds into a football club, it doesn't make you a good Chairman. It doesn't make you a leader of men and somebody who everybody should follow and respect. I think he's been very poor when it comes to decision making, players contracts, managerial decisions and communication skills. His performance at the recent EGM revealed his true personality. I would suggest the shareholders in the room that evening deseved an apology, not the other way around.
I appreciate you see him in a different light but my criticism of him stands and i make no apology for suggesting that we needed a change of Chairman. I fully respect the amount of money his family have put into the club but there are certain things in life that no amount of money can ever buy. A Chairman who had no qualms in publicly accusing the fans of meddling when it came to the process of finding a suitable investor, thank god that they did because if they hadn't we wouldn't have the wonderful Ogden family in the club, something that i'm sure the Chairman can now recognise.. Maybe an apology might be pertinent in respect of that? It's not personal by the way, I'm hoping we might see a difference now he has experienced people to work alongside him. [Post edited 10 May 11:01]
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 07:18 10 May 2024
Simon Gauge has basically written off over £500,000 by converting it to shares. Money that the club now doesn't have to pay him back, it's a fantastic gesture really. The same applies to the likes of Richard Knight, Jamie Sarsfield and the other Directors. I would like to see all those Directors financial help recognised in some way and a line drawn under any petty fall outs. Everyone of them should be welcomed back with open arms to the club and so should the likes of Chris Dunphy and other Dale stalwarts who have done their best to look after the club down the years.They have expertise and contacts that the ogdens could tap into. Chris Dunphy was our most successful Chairman ever, the Ogdens would be daft not to meet up for a cup of tea and a chat with him. What would they have to lose? Nothing.
For the club to really progress any historic grudges and childish spats need to be dropped, especially if the person bearing the grudges is in the Boardroom. I'm sure the Ogden family won't put up with any of that nonsense anyway, it's schoolyard behaviour and doesn't belong in the boardroom of a multi million pound business. Every member of the boardroom represents not only the club but the Ogden family now, that needs to be remembered when it comes to conducting themselves and especially in respect of how they communicate with people and I include the Trust, shareholders and fans in that.
Personal grudges and petty fall outs have really hurt the club over the last few years, fantastic people and life long supporters of the club shunned and disrespected when they could have really helped the Chairman and the Club. That sort of behaviour needs to stop now because it's been self harming and really unprofessional. It's not what this club's about neither, fostering a 'us and them' when it comes to those in the Boardroom and the fans results in supporters not feeling engaged or wanting to spend their money. We all need to pull together as one now [Post edited 10 May 7:58]
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 19:06 9 May 2024
That promotion to the EFL is exactly the type of message that should be coming out of the club. It's imperative that the club has ambition to keep improving on the pitch, results set the tone of the club, without decent results everything else falls down and you have no chance of increasing crowds. Mc Nulty mentioned in one of his recent interviews that all he is bothered about is the performance, well unfortunately football is a results business and results trump everything else, it's all about winning football matches. I hope the fans remain sensible and don't see this three year ambition as set in stone, it's impossible to know when we will return to the EFL. The ambition should be to see improvement in the quality of the squad and on the pitch, year on year. |
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Reply | Club Statement. Deal done
at 17:22 9 May 2024
Fight for what you love, even when the odds are against you.
Did we all fight to save our club..the fans, the Trust, the Chairman, the Directors.? Yes, we all fought for over three years and we literally saved the club. Without the Chairman and Directors fighting off MH we would have been knackered, that was pivotal.
A massive thank you to the Ogden family for stepping forward in our hour of need, they are part of the Dale family now, it's fantastic what they have done. The biggest result in the history of the club. |
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Reply | Andy Burnham
at 10:23 6 May 2024
Yes, it's the same Mark Hodkinson, a very well respected and life long supporter. We owe him, the Trust and other individuals a massive thank you in respect of firstly sourcing SPO and then bringing the family to the table, a combined effort that needs recognising. The EGM was a farce, a insult to the shareholders really, most people present recognised that. I'm going to try to cut the Chairman some slack, he was obviously a man operating under a great deal of stress, i would like to think on reflection he would have done things differently. Anyway, it can be put alongside everything else that's happened over the last few years at the club. Hopefully lessons will have been learned and we can now move forward. [Post edited 6 May 10:27]
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Reply | Andy Burnham
at 09:16 6 May 2024
No, he didn't know him from school. It was Mark Hodkinson who sourced SPO though and made the initial contact, sent him a book to read and informed him of the plight of our club. A act of desperation from Mark that has proved to be pivotal in the history of the club. I believe the Supporters Trust then became involved ( they've been brilliant) and SPO representatives contacted the club. This was prior to the EGM. World Soccer Holdings weren't the only interested party at that time, there was also SPO and the American investors backed by Jamie Sarsfield. All credible investors.
The picture painted to the shareholders on the night of the EGM though was one of a club that wouldnt be able to fulfill its upcoming fixtures, should they not vote in favour of the Chairmans motion. Information since has revealed their was offer of financial help from various sources that would have averted any postponements until a proper investor was found..and of course WSH weren't the only credible investor at that time.
Mark is ok with this information being shared on our forum. It's yet another example of our fans looking after their club and going the extra mile, it's not meddling. Had it not been for Mark, the Ogden family would have been oblivious to the situation at the club. You would think Simon Gauge would reach out to Mark and thank him, we shall see. [Post edited 6 May 9:55]
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Reply | Andy Burnham
at 17:34 2 May 2024
Yes, i believe that to be right. I think AB has made a effort to help the club and that should be acknowledged. He might have even been involved prior to the Ogdens being contacted, at the time when the Chairman went public regarding the club running out of money at the end of March. I seem to recall him saying that he wouldn't allow the club to fold on one of the radio stations. |
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Reply | Andy Burnham
at 09:22 2 May 2024
It has been driven by others but it was actually one individual life long fan who sourced SPO himself and made initial contact, everything else flowed from there. That persons initiative needs recognising. The fans have been instrumental from start to finish in ensuring that we have finally secured a investor that is fit for purpose. Had it not been for fan involvement ( it was caring for the club, not meddling) then i shudder to think who would have been involved with the club now. It certainly wouldn't have been Sir Peter Ogden and his family. [Post edited 2 May 9:47]
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Reply | Fan Survey on playing style
at 08:48 28 Apr 2024
Have i just woke up from a very bad dream? Fans should be chomping at the bit now to buy season tickets and kick off the start of a new era for the club. We've recently witnessed the biggest win in the clubs history, the Ogden family's involvement, we couldn't have wished for better owners.
I understand the complaints in respect of the style of play that McNulty employs but that will sort itself out naturally. His fate will be decided by results on the pitch and also whether attendances at games can be improved when it comes to the entertainment being served up, if the product doesn't change then he will come under pressure. Its up to him, he will know how the fans feel and the importance of increasing attendances. The Chairman's fate will sort itself out naturally also. We need a club that is united and the Chairman, Directors, Trust, Supporters all have to work as one, that's what the Ogden family will expect. They are sinking a lot of money into the club and the Chairman sets the tone for everything. If he cant connect with shareholders and fans then everything else falls down. A 'us and them' approach doesn't work at a club of our size and the fans wont put up with it. Lessons need to be learned and attitudes need to change, self analysis is something that some people struggle with because they can never admit that they are wrong...their ego won't allow them to do that. We all need to self analyse, we're all flawed. Things can't carry on as they have, everybody involved needs to realise that, the club needs new people involved with fresh ideas and a proven track record of being fit for purpose. I'm looking forward to seeing some new faces in the boardroom and in key positions at the club.
I hope Sir Peter Ogden and his family take some sort of hands on approach and keep the Supporters Trust very close to them, a direct line of contact would be a sensible thing to do. The fans are the lifeblood of the club and have proved invaluable over the last few months when it's come to sorting out the wheat from the chaf, in respect of finding a suitable investor. That's something that the Chairman should pay tribute to, fan intervention and involvement has proved to be crucial.
In the meantime all of us need to realise that this really is a reset for the club, the start of a new era and to renew our season tickets. The club also need to engage the public of the Town with a promotional campaign for the upcoming sale of season tickets. The club need to do this and not the Trust, spend some money on it and do it professionally. Utilise billboards around the Town, print posters and flood social media. Something like a Phoenix rising from the ashes wearing our new Dale shirt...A new era begins, be part of it! [Post edited 28 Apr 9:11]
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Reply | Investment update
at 09:45 24 Apr 2024
This is the exact type of thing that those working on behalf of Sir Peter Ogden need to address. It's the basics of any business really, straight forward simple stuff and there's no excuse for it. The problem has been flagged up multiple times by shareholders over the last couple of years and the club still can't get it right...it's just a list of shareholders and their contact details thats all, but there isn't the structure in place to even get that right. Its a 'not bothered' attitude. Is it any wonder the clubs has regressed so much and lost its league status? The currant Chairman and secretary can cite cash flow problems and hostile takeovers all they want but not keeping a up to date list of shareholders is a typical snap shot of the way the clubs been run. It's very basic stuff. The Ogden family are investing a lot of money into the club and they deserve a lot better than this. I hope they put their own people in place because the club is crying out for some real leadership and proper direction. New people with new ideas who act as ambassadors not only for our club but also the Ogden family. Hopefully they will use the next 12 months to assess every member of staff at the club and then act accordingly if required. |
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Reply | Investment update
at 11:58 20 Apr 2024
Thanks Kel, i know that the overwhelming majority of us have the best interests of the club at heart, irrespective of the different views.Thats the main thing. Of course, there has always been a small minority who didn't care, even when the evidence of wrong doing was evident to everybody. When your CEO is banned from football for two years and the free loaders still think he was the best thing since sliced bread then there's not much you can do. They can never rewrite history though, we know who they are. Anyway enjoy your Summer also, hope to see you soon. Time to look forward now. |
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Reply | Investment update
at 08:46 20 Apr 2024
It's a bit of a miracle this isn't it? Six months ago the club was staring down the barrel of a gun in the last chance saloon and look what's happened now. The statement from the Ogdens eclipses our promotions to L1 when it comes to emotions and importance, its massive. The Golden Share mentioned in that statement is like winning the world cup, what a fantastic gesture from the family. We could never of dreamed the golden share would become a reality.
Promotions will be won today but the biggest victory of all is ours and it brings to a end the near three years of struggle to save the club. It's been a nightmare for all concerned but the end result is definitely worth it. The book is waiting to be written and it will be a best seller, the author of the book could possibly be the most influential character when it comes to how the Club was finally saved. Thanks to all involved during this saga, especially our two Trust Chairman. Time to go fishing and watch some cricket. Looking forward to next season now👍 |
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Reply | Dale Trust Meeting With WSH LLC
at 10:27 15 Mar 2024
I'll do what I want on a public forum, not what you suggest. You need to remember that. There are far more important things going on than trying to pick holes with my posts, we are all flawed and i include you in that. Enjoy your weekend and let's hope there's a good outcome for the club at the end of all this. I'm sending you peace and a big man hug, even an apology if I've upset you in some way. [Post edited 15 Mar 10:52]
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Reply | Dale Trust Meeting With WSH LLC
at 10:23 15 Mar 2024
It wouldn't be just me though who needs good luck and would challenge the process, i outlined that in my post. It would need to be done as a collective and with support from the Trust I think. Does anybody else have the appetite to go down that particular route? Well plenty of people who I have spoken to suggested that it needed challenging and you've confirmed that yourself in your reply if its legally possible. So we agree on that. You make a great point that any action being pursued should not come at the expense of the club and that is something that can't be guaranteed so unfortunately we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Life is all about timing and with so much uncertainty to pursue this matter now would run the risk of upsetting the apple cart. I've sent my concerns to the Trust and I know others have, it's probably best to be guided by them at this moment in time. |
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Reply | Dale Trust Meeting With WSH LLC
at 09:18 15 Mar 2024
We're all a bit desperate , desperate to save the club. The Chairman's desperation will be greater though because of his financial outlay, i get that, but that was his own personal decision to make. The club will always be bigger than any individual and he must know that fans who have invested both financially and emotionally throughout their life's won't just sit back and let one person do what they want with the club. It's not personal towards Simon Gauge, we wouldn't let anybody do that. Disrespecting the shareholders was a big no, no..he shouldn't have done that but as you say, probably the actions of a desperate and highly stressed individual. Fellow Directors and staff have a duty of care for each other, they need to speak to him. A fellow fan did the same to me last week and it worked for a day unfortunately, it was appreciated though. All the chairman had to do was embrace the help around him and I would suggest the Trust are his biggest friend, certainly not his enemy. Everybody working together to better the club in the knowledge that if at all possible Simon recoups some of his outlay, that should have been the blueprint. Does he know how to work as a team though and trust individuals,or is he just set in his ways and has to be in control all the time? He'll know the answer to that and so will those in his close circle. So yes, time to take a moment and consider the stress everybody is under, including the Chairman and no doubt those fighting the fight behind the scenes to save the club. [Post edited 15 Mar 9:21]
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