Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 19:31:06 GMT
NEW owner Wael Al Qadi is already starting to put the wheels of change in motion at Bristol Rovers by forming a new-look board of directors.
Al Qadi completed a multi-million pound deal to purchase 92 per cent of the club's share capital last week in a deal that saw outgoing chairman Nick Higgs stand down along with the rest of all the former equity directors.
Paperwork filed at Companies House earlier this week confirmed that Higgs, Barry Bradshaw, Ed Ware, Chris Jelf and Colin Sexstone had all resigned their positions on the board.
Paperwork was also filed to confirm the resignation of financial director Toni Watola – although he is expected to remain as an employee in the role of chief operating officer.
Supporters Club chairman welcomes Al Qadi takeover
Supporters club representatives Ken Masters and Brian Seymour-Smith will remain as directors, while the club has also listed Lee Atkins, who was most recently a director of London-based financial management firm Hamilton-Lunn, as part of the new-look regime to handle all issues pertaining to property and stadium development.
The club is also expected to announce that former Coventry City financial director Steve Brookfield is to take up a similar role at the Memorial Stadium, while the Post understands the appointment of a specialist to review the club's commercial operations is also due to be confirmed shortly.
Al Qadi is also believed to be seeking advice on public relations strategy from a former editor of The Sun newspaper. Stuart Higgins, who was born in Kingswood and is a life-long Bristol Rovers supporter, edited the national newspaper between 1994 and 1998. He went on to set up his own PR consultancy and has advised several high-profile public spotlight clients on how to deal with the press.
Al Qadi, meanwhile, had a meeting with first-team manager Darrell Clarke at Rovers' Cribbs Causeway training HQ on Tuesday morning to further discuss his plans for the club going forward.
The new president also took some time to look around the facility and to take in a reserve team game against Newport County along with recently-appointed chairman Steve Hamer before he heads off to Zurich to fulfil a role as part of the team backing HRH Prince Ali Bin Hussein in his bid to become FIFA's new president when the voting takes place on Friday.
Al Qadi had already introduced himself to the club's players when going to the changing rooms before Saturday's 2-1 victory over Morecambe at the Memorial Stadium.
"The new owner and the new chairman came into the changing room and briefly set out what their plans were," Billy Bodin said. "They said they want to be at the club for a long time and that they want to do well. It was all good things and it was great to go out on the pitch and start their time at the club with a win."
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Angas
Joined: May 2014
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Post by Angas on Feb 23, 2016 19:55:20 GMT
It's just surreal. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up!
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Post by lostinspace on Feb 23, 2016 20:06:15 GMT
Supporters Club chairman welcomes Al Qadi takeover Supporters club representatives Ken Masters and Brian Seymour-Smith will remain as directors, while the club has also listed Lee Atkins, who was most recently a director of London-based financial management firm Hamilton-Lunn, as part of the new-look regime to handle all issues pertaining to property and stadium development. Read more: gasheads.org/thread/4646/tonights-post-tweeted-jpm#ixzz411WEAz3m this bit gives me the feeling that although the UWE is still"up there" i can see an alternative being sought with extras along with it to sustain and help in the ability for the club to reach its bigger public and more, |
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Post by pressuredrop on Feb 23, 2016 20:29:35 GMT
This Stuart Higgins certainly seems like an interesting character - and dare I say a very good acquisition. Anyone know him from Kingswood back in the day? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Higgins |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 20:59:34 GMT
Think I will refrain from leaving the comment I was going to make about anyone working for that rag, I thought WAQ was a dignified man, maybe this one has passed him by.
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JeffNZ
Administrator
Jimmy Morgan
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Post by JeffNZ on Feb 23, 2016 21:17:04 GMT
This Stuart Higgins certainly seems like an interesting character - and dare I say a very good acquisition. Anyone know him from Kingswood back in the day? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_HigginsI read that too PD, interesting and "colourful". He's a Kingswood lad of my era but not someone I knew/know. |
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harrybuckle
Always look on the bright side
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Post by harrybuckle on Feb 23, 2016 21:28:15 GMT
This Stuart Higgins certainly seems like an interesting character - and dare I say a very good acquisition. Anyone know him from Kingswood back in the day? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_HigginsHas some form being arrested at Highgrove house and advising Oscar on the South African shooting ! |
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Post by CountyGroundHotel on Feb 23, 2016 21:54:20 GMT
How many tweets did that take JPM?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 22:05:31 GMT
How many tweets did that take JPM? One, the page was linked (but you knew that). Still trying to get my head around it. It seems a very odd person to try and get on board. PR company but lets just say, some of the stories are at best tactless. To be honest more interested in the merchandise side as this is where I think we are not making what we could. |
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JeffNZ
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Jimmy Morgan
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Post by JeffNZ on Feb 23, 2016 22:11:08 GMT
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brizzle
Lindsay Parsons
No Buy . . . No Sell!
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Post by brizzle on Feb 23, 2016 22:13:17 GMT
Who better to advise on public relations strategy than a lifelong BRFC supporter?
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Angas
Joined: May 2014
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Post by Angas on Feb 23, 2016 22:19:05 GMT
Well, the colours are right, and there's no sinking ship on the waves. Doesn't seem to be much else to be said for it though. I notice the linked article above only says we're "believed" to be talking to Mr. Higgins. Maybe we won't take it any further. Can't say he sounds the type of person I'd expect the new model BRFC to be looking at. |
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Post by Cosmic Pasty on Feb 23, 2016 23:04:00 GMT
'Bobby - I've just had this incredible dream!'. I'm Rovers through all the many lows as well as the highs, but if this one is going to involve Nick Higgs emerging from the shower then I'm not sure I can hold my nerve  Regarding Stuart Higgins, I'm surprised Rovers are considering involving him too. I know it was some years before his watch, but whenever I think of The Sun and football, I think of Hillsborough and the appalling way that the paper treated the fans. I can't help thinking that a large part of any PR advice he'd have to give the club would need to relate to minimising the damage caused by his own association with it first, and that advising convicted murderers on presenting an attractive press profile might be a bit easier. |
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Post by CountyGroundHotel on Feb 24, 2016 7:27:42 GMT
How many tweets did that take JPM? One, the page was linked (but you knew that). Still trying to get my head around it. It seems a very odd person to try and get on board. PR company but lets just say, some of the stories are at best tactless. To be honest more interested in the merchandise side as this is where I think we are not making what we could. More of a joke with friends who know I don't use Twitter. Agreed on merchandise it seems to me we are making a lot of new non-playing appointments that are going to be increasing the business costs. |
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Post by bluecamel on Feb 24, 2016 8:15:10 GMT
This Stuart Higgins certainly seems like an interesting character - and dare I say a very good acquisition. Anyone know him from Kingswood back in the day? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_HigginsHi PD
I have met Mr Higgins in my youth, he is featured in the book [Bright Lights Dark Days]
He broke one of the stories featured in the book for The Sun and the News Of The World [1978]
Stuart would had been just an up and coming cub/hack reporter back in those days, but he went on to do very well with the national tabloid.
Along with everything else happening right now I find the whole situation incredible
BC
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Peter Parker
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Richard Walker
You have been sentenced to DELETION!
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Post by Peter Parker on Feb 24, 2016 8:18:54 GMT
One, the page was linked (but you knew that). Still trying to get my head around it. It seems a very odd person to try and get on board. PR company but lets just say, some of the stories are at best tactless. To be honest more interested in the merchandise side as this is where I think we are not making what we could. More of a joke with friends who know I don't use Twitter. Agreed on merchandise it seems to me we are making a lot of new non-playing appointments that are going to be increasing the business costs. Lets be honest whilst I am sure we could have improved things with what we had before, to do what WAQ wants to do, you are going to have to put money into that sort of thing.
WAQ seems to want to create links back home with Jordan (most foreign owners seem to) and even if Man U, Arse etc are the big supported English teams there, I think we are probably being seen as a gateway for young Jordanian footballers given WAQ's involvement over there.
As far as the rumoured appointments and current anew appointments. I can accept there is some scepticism about some of their pasts, however This is definitely a fresh start for Rovers and a clean break from the old.
Who knows what will happen going forward and it could all go pear shaped, but I think a clean slate for everybody is required
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Post by warwickgas on Feb 24, 2016 8:44:02 GMT
One, the page was linked (but you knew that). Still trying to get my head around it. It seems a very odd person to try and get on board. PR company but lets just say, some of the stories are at best tactless. To be honest more interested in the merchandise side as this is where I think we are not making what we could. More of a joke with friends who know I don't use Twitter. Agreed on merchandise it seems to me we are making a lot of new non-playing appointments that are going to be increasing the business costs. Most of these guys already have day jobs so the amount of time they give us will be minimal. I would imagine they will be given specific projects from time to time and will receive fees rather than salaries. Yes, there will be an increase in costs but I wonder how much. |
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kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
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Post by kingswood Polak on Feb 24, 2016 9:28:36 GMT
More of a joke with friends who know I don't use Twitter. Agreed on merchandise it seems to me we are making a lot of new non-playing appointments that are going to be increasing the business costs. Most of these guys already have day jobs so the amount of time they give us will be minimal. I would imagine they will be given specific projects from time to time and will receive fees rather than salaries. Yes, there will be an increase in costs but I wonder how much. Excuse me for my lack of financial nous, where FFP is concerned but IF we have to pay these people then won't it count as a plus against our available funds for transfers and loans etc, or am I just in my usual fugue state & blithering nonsense ? It's hard being an idiot savant  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2016 10:35:54 GMT
Most of these guys already have day jobs so the amount of time they give us will be minimal. I would imagine they will be given specific projects from time to time and will receive fees rather than salaries. Yes, there will be an increase in costs but I wonder how much. Excuse me for my lack of financial nous, where FFP is concerned but IF we have to pay these people then won't it count as a plus against our available funds for transfers and loans etc, or am I just in my usual fugue state & blithering nonsense ? It's hard being an idiot savant Basically from what I can get from FFP, any income the club can bring in 24/7 (so not just matchday revenue) will make a difference to what can be spent on the wage budget. However, any of the clubs expenses do not count against the FFP, ONLY the wage budget. So any fee's to pay to these guys, wouldnt count against the FFP but what income they can bring in commercially will give us more money for the wage budget under the FFP. I think I answered your question! |
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kingswood Polak
Without music life would be a mistake
Joined: May 2014
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Post by kingswood Polak on Feb 24, 2016 10:43:20 GMT
Excuse me for my lack of financial nous, where FFP is concerned but IF we have to pay these people then won't it count as a plus against our available funds for transfers and loans etc, or am I just in my usual fugue state & blithering nonsense ? It's hard being an idiot savant Basically from what I can get from FFP, any income the club can bring in 24/7 (so not just matchday revenue) will make a difference to what can be spent on the wage budget. However, any of the clubs expenses do not count against the FFP, ONLY the wage budget. So any fee's to pay to these guys, wouldnt count against the FFP but what income they can bring in commercially will give us more money for the wage budget under the FFP. I think I answered your question! Thank you kindly. I have read a little of the ffp rules but I am just not good with such stuff. If someone shows me how to do something then I remember it and can repeat it but put a user manual or set of rules in front of me & I just overheat. YouTube is a great tool for learning by example. I appreciate your reply. Thanks again |
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