|
|
Post by smj1 on Jan 13, 2023 22:49:03 GMT 1
Nice to be so fondly remembered…😂 My favourite amateur gimmicks were raising over £2 million to help save lives via the YAA, launching a charity that went on to feed children that are less fortunate to ourselves and getting 18,000+ season card holders. Good signing in Knockeart 👍 quote author=" Sio" source="/post/3111584/thread" timestamp="1673223054"] Spot on pozza. Stop the "working class club" cliched crap and get on with re-engaging with the public and business. Since wagner and jarvis left the communication has worsened and theres been a disconnect. The fans never took to phil for a variety of reasons and DHs decision making is rightly being questioned. We as supporters may have to swallow financial pain on this - weve had cheap tickets and this may need to change - but it cant until new owners sell a better proposition than the current ownership. Hopefully 2023 will see more positivity. 'Working Class Club' was without a doubt a Jarvis introduction, though. Yes he was great at chatting with fans, and an absolutely lovely bloke, but he was full of base-level marketing gimmicks and another example of us being amateur when it came to capitalising on our time in the Prem. [/quote] |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Jun 6, 2021 9:04:59 GMT 1
Yep OPE paid up front - so not them... Cocofuzion was circa 30k - so wasn’t a single ‘rogue’ sponsor. Nor 100% sure... but may have been some bad debt against Bury. 30k to be the official “official hydration partner of HTFC” sounds more reasonable than the £1M stated earlier - so when the claim that a drinks company failed to pay £1M are we now saying that’s not the case and 99%+ of the missing money is from Bury FC ? For what ? It’s not an insignificant amount for a bottom end PL but for a 3rd / 4th tier club it’s a huge amount and how can it be listed as a drinks company in the accounts, isn’t that fraud ? (PS I’m not having a dig at you, I appreciate your input I’m just baffled. PPS We have met briefly, many years ago before kick off at Darlington under the stands, I introduced you to a friend of mine, a Hartlepool fan, who had a chat with you, sadly Alzheimer’s has ended his attending any games now.) Firstly and most importantly I am sorry to hear about your friend, such a horrible disease and sad when it gets to the stage you have explained. Having lost my mum to dementia is horrible to see the demise in friends and family. As for the figures, yep it’s a large number and am unsure what it’s made up of, certainly not a single drinks company though. I suspect it will be a combination of a number of things including the Bury debt. I know individuals at the Club monitor the site perhaps they can explain or it is asked at a future q and a . Just for the record, there seems to be some negative feeling towards OPE, so to explain, whilst we may not be a fan of their industry, their owner was a great individual who paid everything up front in full when the contract stipulated and was a genuine person who cared about Town. He actually spent above and beyond his contract. I genuinely found most businesses we dealt with to be very honourable and supportive of the Club. And a lot of them were supportive of the Club when we were in League 1 and began the new era. Commercially where we started to where we ended up was progressive (and something I am proud of) For me however, now as a fan, it’s now how the Club goes forwards. The new custodians will do it their way and will inevitably be different. UTT (and Leicestershire CCC now too 😉🦊) |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Jun 5, 2021 10:03:04 GMT 1
Drinks company ? John Smith’s ? A few weeks ago Sean Jarvis posted on here and said unlike some other Online Betting Sponsors that OPE had paid upfront but it seems to me to lose £1M from a drinks company reeks of being “careless” ? Word is our old commercial team would sell to anybody, payment would look after itself. Word is we didn’t do a bad job 😉😂 |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Jun 5, 2021 10:00:35 GMT 1
It was some drinks company last year who didn't pay. I think the increase in loans will be Mooy. Agree that the accounts seem ok (for football anyway). Hoyle's loan repayments have been extended as people were asking for and we have stabilised with player sales this year. I don't buy the argument from some that we are skint. Drinks company ? John Smith’s ? A few weeks ago Sean Jarvis posted on here and said unlike some other Online Betting Sponsors that OPE had paid upfront but it seems to me to lose £1M from a drinks company reeks of being “careless” ? Yep OPE paid up front - so not them... Cocofuzion was circa 30k - so wasn’t a single ‘rogue’ sponsor. Nor 100% sure... but may have been some bad debt against Bury. |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Apr 20, 2021 8:18:50 GMT 1
Hi all Someone mentioned this to me so.... I can answer this one... OPE was a sub brand of a larger betting company (a big one) ... was an experiment to launch a new website but never really worked OPE never interested in buying Town OPE paid their sponsorship money (for the two seasons up front at the beginning of the season) unlike some that promised it and went bust There was a couple of strange emails about infringement but nothing ever came of it when OPE lawyers got involved. Got blown out of proportion I had the pleasure of meeting the owner and he was a gentleman and very honourable. His UK agent remains a friend of mine today. No cloak and dagger stuff .. was a straightforward deal - he wanted to get the OPE brand into the Asian market (UK gambling market is not that big for the Asian betting brands) At the time of the sponsorship we had a number of interested parties (gaming companies only) and he became the highest bidder and was willing to put a deposit down within 7 days (and we took the bidding to the wire to get the highest bid) He also supported the club in a few other financial ways too by sponsorship of a couple of events... That’s it really ... nothing clandestine... if we could have attracted a non betting brand that paid those fees we would have taken those but none willing to back us. Hope all is good Sean Get ready for the Huddersfield invasion to Grace Road on Friday 25th June and Sunday 25th July  and just pray the Millbridge Bus isn't fired up Look forward to it ... told the bars to stock up on black Sambucca 😂 |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Apr 20, 2021 7:51:28 GMT 1
Hi all
Someone mentioned this to me so....
I can answer this one...
OPE was a sub brand of a larger betting company (a big one) ... was an experiment to launch a new website but never really worked
OPE never interested in buying Town
OPE paid their sponsorship money (for the two seasons up front at the beginning of the season) unlike some that promised it and went bust
There was a couple of strange emails about infringement but nothing ever came of it when OPE lawyers got involved. Got blown out of proportion
I had the pleasure of meeting the owner and he was a gentleman and very honourable. His UK agent remains a friend of mine today.
No cloak and dagger stuff .. was a straightforward deal - he wanted to get the OPE brand into the Asian market (UK gambling market is not that big for the Asian betting brands)
At the time of the sponsorship we had a number of interested parties (gaming companies only) and he became the highest bidder and was willing to put a deposit down within 7 days (and we took the bidding to the wire to get the highest bid)
He also supported the club in a few other financial ways too by sponsorship of a couple of events...
That’s it really ... nothing clandestine... if we could have attracted a non betting brand that paid those fees we would have taken those but none willing to back us.
Hope all is good
Sean
|
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 6, 2020 13:09:18 GMT 1
I don't really know the in's & out's of how well he did his job. Why the hell should I? But he comes across as a thoroughly decent guy who went out of his way to both communicate with the fans and help them out if possible. More so than anyone else at the Club. I wish him all the best in his new job. ......and he went on the Millbridge (to MK Dons) and more than partook in the festivities....no more needs to be said I bet the new incumbents don't have the same mettle Sean did a cracking job and he'll be missed - hopefully I'll get to Grace Road at some point for a catch up over a sambuca or two Flaming black sambuca waiting for you 😂 |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 6, 2020 12:47:24 GMT 1
I for one think smj1 did a superb job, and I also admired his willingness to engage with folks online, especially when so many of them were unable (and apparently remain so even today) to engage in a grown up and courteous way. I think we'll miss him - commercially the club is in its strongest ever position, and he deserves a lot of credit for managing this in the shadow of that shower from Beeston, who are infinitely more commercially attractive for businesses to get involved with. He was always good humoured and really bought into things. Some folk on here need to give their (empty) heads a good old wobble, and give up the glue. Thanks for the comment, appreciated... it’s a shame that some negative comments are coming out, I thought I had done a decent job and me leaving was going smoothly 😂. Just had a quick look at some of the numbers i could find and a 75% increase over 8 years for the departments that came under my jurisdiction (excluding any charity fundraising etc), I think that is pretty impressive. And this is prior to us going into the PL (if you take that then it’s 250% increase). I could go on about numbers and comparisons but for now I won’t. My acid test for me - is I can look myself in the eye and my family and say I gave Town my all 24/7. There were some incredibly brilliant times and believe me some real tough ones but never ever shirked away. I did the best I could and can’t ask any more of myself. I would like to think I have been a loyal servant and contributed the best I can. Anyway for now.... there are more important things for us to consider... like doing our bit to protect the NHS and ultimately save lives..... Stay safe ! |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 6, 2020 12:17:59 GMT 1
Correct... And I’m pretty proud of the facts that I contributed to ;-)
When things get back to normality you may well have a bus load of Town fans having a day out at a Leicester/Yorks one day game Mr J.
Am quite sure you would come and have a chinwag, a glass of shampoo and a cucumber sandwich with us.
I look forward to it... should be a cracking game 👍 |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 20:04:20 GMT 1
Blimey... getting a bit of a kicking... Mate, thank you for your service. What a rollercoaster! And I wish you all the best in your future ventures. However, always remember that facts don't care about feelings. Numbers are numbers; facts are facts. Good luck. Correct... And I’m pretty proud of the facts that I contributed to ;-) |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 19:15:26 GMT 1
I thought you wanted to move on? Anyway...You’ll have to buy my book ;-) I just want some honesty from the club I support. A club I no longer recognise. One thing I’ve always been honest! .... there’s a time and a place. With me leaving.. it gives you the opportunity to fall in love with htafc again. For me.... I can look at myself in the mirror knowing what I did was my best... sorry you don’t think it was good enough... |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 19:07:27 GMT 1
Wrong on so many fronts.....but as you say move on Which bits are wrong? I'm sure you'll be able to confirm whether £770,000 is the true figure of what directors were paid last year? Despite overseeing one of the most pathetic seasons in our history? I do hope they weren't bonuses because if you'd have had any decency you'd have handed them back. I thought you wanted to move on? Anyway...You’ll have to buy my book ;-) |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 18:59:33 GMT 1
Bit harsh 😂.... And I said that to praise the support of the 18,000 season card holders who backed the club when we got relegated... Just summed up the club's attitude from top to bottom. You didn't care if we were relegated from the first kick of a ball and it showed. I haven't even mentioned the Paddy Power debacle, no matter how much money it made us, it still make us look pretty stupid and went on far too long. Or the horrendous badge? The club went all big time when we got promoted and seemed to forget who we were for a moment. We sold our soul for a few million quid and you were a part of that and I have felt out of touch with what our club has become since those days. You were also pretty quick to take plenty of plaudits when things were going well but soon distanced yourself from any football matters when it all went to pot. Thanks for the service but let's move on. Wrong on so many fronts.....but as you say move on |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 18:44:35 GMT 1
www.htafc.com/news/2020/may/mark-devlin-appointed-permanent-ceo/"Away from football, I’ve been looking at how we can generate more revenue into the Club. Particularly, when you don’t own the Stadium. “We have to be smarter in terms of our commercial output. We are losing our Commercial Director in the next month or so, we are in the process of recruiting someone to fulfil that role. I can see us working better with our commercial partners going forward." Sounds a bit ouch to me..... Let’s face it, commercial revenue in the five or six seasons (and probably longer) before we got to the EPL remained pretty static. The actual real life performance in pound signs has been nothing to get excited about, as likeable as Sean was (personally I think his undoubted positive impact was largely elsewhere than his formal job title). Blimey... getting a bit of a kicking... |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on May 5, 2020 18:41:48 GMT 1
I lost all respect for Jarvis last season when he tweeted "so what if we get relegated?". Disgusting attitude from someone representing the club. He may think it, but you don't say things like that in public. Bit harsh 😂.... And I said that to praise the support of the 18,000 season card holders who backed the club when we got relegated... |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:20:55 GMT 1
Off to work now.....but I do wish you would turn up to PPG Canalside when I’m on a q and a - much easier for me! UTT
|
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:19:37 GMT 1
Next years kit? Made by? How long is deal with the Chinese sponsor What further plans for the ground/training ground if we stay up Does he anticipate a bigger commercial/sponsorship success even if we are in the championship? Does he think Wagner will be here next season? Can we have some more promo/PR stuff of sexy fans?(bit sick of sky & bt always interviewing the most Yorkshire old boy that they can find) Another year Plans underway - currently building extension for players Sadly not - PL is a quantum leap but listen to the blog that will explain Hope so Ask our Marcomms lads |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:17:00 GMT 1
Is the new Terrier Logo coming in to effect at the start of 2018-19 season? If we stay in the Premier League are we getting rid of the portacabin clubshop, proper tinpot? What are the plans to extend the current shop? All plans discussed at next board meeting... we are 40% of Stadium so not as easy as just us building! V complicated |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:15:07 GMT 1
Ask him his thoughts on safe standing in the FML Listen to the blog on that one ;-) |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:13:18 GMT 1
Ask him What is the true figure this year in prem is worth, and What each year after ? I think we’ll know that at end of this season |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:12:06 GMT 1
Does he still  Ian Ayre? Does he abuse his position? Does he fear DH sacking him? Nope to all... proud of what I and team do... Chairman can always sack me if he wants ;-) |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:10:09 GMT 1
In what way does it get abused? Genuine question btw, I live away and only get the odd ticket through terrier exchange. The percieced wisdom is that if someone else gets a ticket through the ballot and you don’t, despite either applying every time, or not actually applying at all,then its fixed.l Not abused to my knowledge |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:08:32 GMT 1
Can he give some sort of guarantee that if we do survive for another season we won't start to disappear up our own arsehole? These might be heady days for us, but there are so many on here that enjoy the old as well as the new... It might be laughable to some of the more trendy bastards on here, but we are still a genuine local community club... Defo |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:07:47 GMT 1
How are season ticket sales going? Surprisingly slowly! Approaching 5000! |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:06:41 GMT 1
Ask him y that bar next t ground gone corporate was ok for a swill before going into ground. Are we going to get new shirt sponsor and better suppliers so we don't end up with this season's debacle. Sadly no space in ground for us - they are taken up by offices - Legends only option . Please go to PPG Canalside - every penny made reinvested in your club. |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:05:08 GMT 1
Ask him if an FA Cup tie against Newton Heath is worth £10m. Far less - prob .5m |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:04:07 GMT 1
Ask him what’s going to happen to the away ticket priority system for next season, the numbers aren’t likely to stack up with the expected shuffle down of ToT and “removed for the TV gantry” people. Reviewed at next board meeting |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:03:23 GMT 1
Ask him if we plan on getting enough shirts in for the start of next season for a change? I hope so! |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:02:43 GMT 1
Ask him about the copyright issue with OPE sports, seems to have gone quiet that one Gone quiet.... it’s between OPE and the other company. |
|
|
|
Post by smj1 on Feb 8, 2018 8:01:28 GMT 1
You can tell him that Jones' pies are shite and so is the poor excuse for beer and lager served at the ground. Noted... took this up with Kudos yesterday.... have to rely on them to sort it! |
|
and just pray the Millbridge Bus isn't fired up 
Ian Ayre? Does he abuse his position? Does he fear DH sacking him? 
