Congrats Sir Bob


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Is that the same Keane that's struggled for 2 seasons at Ipswich? I wonder what the difference is.

It's an absolute riot that you don't consider the stadium, the audience/revenue it facilitates, the training facilities, the profile, the supporting infrastructure (medical facilities, classrooms, corporate, etc), the financial position, the ownership, the pulling power, etc, etc, part of "a football club" that has to be built and sustained.

What else is there? Players? Nope - they're both transient, and the end result of all of the above anyway, so ultimately RSM gets credit there too.

You argued with me for weeks that Keane left SAFC honourably and with the best intentions, and then had to admit you were wrong. You're wrong here too. Luckily RSM understood how to build for long term success (the tortoise, to the NUFC/LUFC hare), and had the bottle to cope with the inevitable accompanying shit and shouting numpties who didn't/don't/never will.

the stadium - I have given him nothing but credit for it here.
the audience/revenue it facilitates - By the time he left the crowds were only a few thousand more than they were at Roker, literally half full (24377 v Plymouth the first weekend game after he sold). If anything, his decision to increase the capacity prematurely to a level we cannot fill has been a financially very poor one.
the training facilities - Aye, credit to him for that.
the profile - He left us a total laughing stock. 15 points etc.
the supporting infrastructure - All part of the stadium/facilities I have already credited him with.
the financial position - Around £40m of bank debt when he left. Go Bob!
the ownership
- Again, credit already given.
the pulling power - Again, the by the time he left we were so utterly incapable of "pulling" a manager or any decent repute that Quinn had to take the job himself. When Peter Reid left, the likes of O'Leary who had a very good reputation back then wouldn't come anywhere near. Robbie Keane wouldn't even talk to us, Don Hutchison couldn't wait to get away and Phillips wanted away far earlier than he managed it too. Not really worth bragging about.

I really don't see the problem here. Any reasonable and objective appraisal of his Chairmanship would arrive at the conclusion that he excelled in some areas, and was found severely wanting in others. It is no real criticism. He left a legacy and looked after the future of the club when he sold. Doesn't mean we have to rewrite history and give him credit that he doesn't deserve. He did his bit. Fair play to him. Murray built faulty foundations, and Quinny had to repair them before he could build on them.
 
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There's been some rather strange comments on this thread. It's as if some posters have a personal grudge against the man, or are posting the most stupid of criticisms to wind people up. Very strange.

Average chairman, sound bloke, well done Sir Berb.
 
There's been some rather strange comments on this thread. It's as if some posters have a personal grudge against the man, or are posting the most stupid of criticisms to wind people up. Very strange.

Average chairman, sound bloke, well done Sir Berb.

That's about it mate.

He never did anything near as bad as his 'reputation' merits.

The tossers at Newcastle have said and done things much worse yet some people are using NUFC as a rod to beat Bob with.

If we, and even his biggest critics, can't have a day off and congratulate the bloke then I think it makes us appear mean ......... he came from humble means, like lots of us, and did what he thought best.
 
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There's been some rather strange comments on this thread. It's as if some posters have a personal grudge against the man, or are posting the most stupid of criticisms to wind people up. Very strange.

Average chairman, sound bloke, well done Sir Berb.
This sums up it nicely

the profile - He left us a total laughing stock. 15 points etc.

I was too young to know what the profile was like prior to Bob, but my personal opinion which I am willing to concede may be incorrect, is that our profile had risen hugely in Bob’s time. It might have finished in a huge disappointment, but in his time did he not put us back on the map, and raised our profile significantly from a then 2nd division team?
 
I don't believe you can underestimate the value of the stadium whereas some people shrug if off as an irrelevance.

Without that and if we'd spent money, we didn't have, I think we would now be Portsouth FC ....... if nothing else we can thank Bob Murray for that surely.

We're not a scruffy little club, in a derelict stadium owing money all over the place and with the football world looking down their noses at us ........... or is that unrealistic?
 
the stadium - I have given him nothing but credit for it here.
the audience/revenue it facilitates - By the time he left the crowds were only a few thousand more than they were at Roker, literally half full (24377 v Plymouth the first weekend game after he sold). If anything, his decision to increase the capacity prematurely to a level we cannot fill has been a financially very poor one.
the training facilities - Aye, credit to him for that.
the profile - He left us a total laughing stock. 15 points etc.
the supporting infrastructure - All part of the stadium/facilities I have already credited him with.
the financial position - Around £40m of bank debt when he left. Go Bob!
the ownership - Again, credit already given.
the pulling power - Again, the by the time he left we were so utterly incapable of "pulling" a manager or any decent repute that Quinn had to take the job himself. When Peter Reid left, the likes of O'Leary who had a very good reputation back then wouldn't come anywhere near. Robbie Keane wouldn't even talk to us, Don Hutchison couldn't wait to get away and Phillips wanted away far earlier than he managed it too. Not really worth bragging about.

I really don't see the problem here. Any reasonable and objective appraisal of his Chairmanship would arrive at the conclusion that he excelled in some areas, and was found severely wanting in others. It is no real criticism. He left a legacy and looked after the future of the club when he sold. Doesn't mean we have to rewrite history and give him credit that he doesn't deserve. He did his bit. Fair play to him. Murray built faulty foundations, and Quinny had to repair them before he could build on them.

Au contraire, clearly the SOL and the AOL are a damned decent legacy.

As HBT points out, apart from the fan base, the rest is pretty well transient.

RSM was a decent custodian of SAFC, who succeeded in transforming the infrastructure of the club when many have failed.

In footballing terms his record is significantly less impressive, but hardly unique.
 
the audience/revenue it facilitates - By the time he left the crowds were only a few thousand more than they were at Roker, literally half full (24377 v Plymouth the first weekend game after he sold). If anything, his decision to increase the capacity prematurely to a level we cannot fill has been a financially very poor one.

Doesn't matter - form (and crowd size) is temporary. I assume you've heard Quinn say how important it was to Drumaville that the ground was already extended? Well done Bob.

Captain_Fishpaste said:
the profile - He left us a total laughing stock. 15 points etc. .

We were not and have never been a laughing stock except in the imaginations of our own fans who don't have enough else to think about in their lives. NUFC have been/still are a laughing stock, SAFC never - the country sees SAFC as a well run club, sensibly and professionally run with good principles, whatever the seasonal ups and downs. That's been the case for years, hence RSM being dragged into all sorts of national football projects. Well done Bob.

Captain_Fishpaste said:
the financial position - Around £40m of bank debt when he left. Go Bob!.


Nothing. To buyers, who did their due diligence, the club was financially sound with a very healthy future within reach. Hence Drumaville, hence Short. Contrast with the unsellable NUFC. Well done again, Bob.

Captain_Fishpaste said:
the pulling power - Again, the by the time he left we were so utterly incapable of "pulling" a manager or any decent repute that Quinn had to take the job himself. When Peter Reid left, the likes of O'Leary who had a very good reputation back then wouldn't come anywhere near. Robbie Keane wouldn't even talk to us, Don Hutchison couldn't wait to get away and Phillips wanted away far earlier than he managed it too. Not really worth bragging about. .

We pulled Roy Keane - a fairly big name. Our pulling power is increasing all the time, and what does every single one cite as a major attraction - the world class facilities. Well done Bob.

Captain_Fishpaste said:
I really don't see the problem here. Any reasonable and objective appraisal of his Chairmanship would arrive at the conclusion that he excelled in some areas

So you'd agree that the following aren't reasonable or objective::
??? mystery poster ??? said:
A completely hopeless football chairman,
he was an absolutely awful football chairman.

By the time he left us we were the same old shite as the club he walked into

Captain_Fishpaste said:
Murray built faulty foundations, and Quinny had to repair them before he could build on them.

RSM built superb foundations without which, as he is the first to acknowledge, Quinn would not even have tried to establish Sunderland as a natural PL team. Well done again, Sir Robert of Sunderland.
 
This sums up it nicely



I was too young to know what the profile was like prior to Bob, but my personal opinion which I am willing to concede may be incorrect, is that our profile had risen hugely in Bob’s time. It might have finished in a huge disappointment, but in his time did he not put us back on the map, and raised our profile significantly from a then 2nd division team?

Agree with that. Only in a smaller font tho.
 
I don't believe you can underestimate the value of the stadium whereas some people shrug if off as an irrelevance.

Without that and if we'd spent money, we didn't have, I think we would now be Portsouth FC ....... if nothing else we can thank Bob Murray for that surely.

We're not a scruffy little club, in a derelict stadium owing money all over the place and with the football world looking down their noses at us ........... or is that unrealistic?

I missed this comment and you've hit the nail on the head.

I'm completely bemused how anyone can underestimate RSM's legacy of the SOL and AOL. It's like the 'what did the Romans ever do for us?' sketch.

The earth must have shifted on it's axis, as that's twice I've been forced to agree with you in less than a week.
 
good on him. good bloke and nowhere near as bad as mbh etc make him out to be
 
if you are going to attribute the relegations to Murray then you have to then give him all the credit for the promotions
 
The man provided a fantastic stadium.

Hasnt cut his ties with the club even after all the abuse he got.

He also turned down offers of a quick buck to sell the club when he didnt believe the prospective buyers didnt have the interests of the club at heart, before eventually stepping down for Quinny and co.

Compared to Fletcher and co at magland he kept his dignity and behaved with decorum at all times.

A true gent, congratulations.

Who?

He might be a good bloke, he might take credit for promotions but what will we always be remebered for under his leadership..........15 and 19 points.
 
That's how i like to remember Micmac.

Not sure he can be balmed for the 19 points like. 15 aye, that was his team, 19 team was Reids and Wilkinsons. Yes Howard f***ing Wilkinson, what was Murray thinking?
 
Who?

He might be a good bloke, he might take credit for promotions but what will we always be remebered for under his leadership..........15 and 19 points.

There was some kind of Pakastani consortium in the mid nineties that I can recall.

As for the 15 and 19 point seasons fair enough. But I'm guessing you're not old enough to remember back to the fifties, so you should also remember our two highest top flight finishes for about 50 years too and in most of your living memories. You should also remember him for 105 points too.
 
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Not sure he can be balmed for the 19 points like. 15 aye, that was his team, 19 team was Reids and Wilkinsons. Yes Howard f***ing Wilkinson, what was Murray thinking?

Ye right like, he did contribute fuck all to the 19pt season like. :lol: Wilkos' appointment was a bit of a shocker mind, but alongside a well-thought of up-and-coming Cotterill, i convinced myself it could still work! :oops:
 
There was some kind of Pakastani consortium in the mid nineties that I can recall.

As for the 15 and 19 point seasons fair enough. But I'm guessing you're not old enough to remember back to the fifties, so you should also remember our two highest top flight finishes for about 50 years too.

Pakistani consortium? I remember rumours of Mandric and nowt else.
No, don't remeber the 50's but the two 7th places were scandously thrown away, the blame for that depends on who you wish to blame, Reid or Murray..or both.
 
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