An additional to what you've said about German clubs, under DFB regulations (Deutscher Fussball-Bund - the German FA) no-one is allowed to own any more than 50% of the club, so that no one individual can make decisions that put the club at risk. If this applied in England and Scotland then Rangers, Portsmouth and Port Vale would be less likely to be in the mess they are but our system can work very well at times - we only have to look at SEJs tenure to know that.
In a way I know what you mean NZ, but there are few hiding places for failure in football. Owners usually pull the wool over fans' eyes long enough to have their fun and get out of the club, but the stain of messing up a football club is a permanent one. That stain doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but my point is that if you come into football for your ego's sake, you'll usually come out of it worse off.
Aaargh - and still he plagues us! From The People "QPR striker Tommy Smith is wanted by Cardiff on loan."
I thinkMajedski is bumping this trend, he lifted Reading from obscurity to a brief flirt at the prem and they're a strong champ side now much in the mould of wear we hope to be, decent stadium though not to my taste with a bunch of alternative revenue streams and he looks like getting out recouping 50 million odd in the process and leaving a club balancing its books, interesting to note though that the flirt with bringing in a name manager in brendan didnt work half as well as the man with true integrity mcdermott, you gotta like that guy.
I think a certain Mr. John also bucked this trend, and Dave Whelan is a more recent example. But what all three had in common was a love for those specific clubs. They're exceptions rather than the rule. Any whispers about when McGinn might return to the bench? He played for the reserves a couple of weeks ago, so I was thinking a cameo against Coventry might be a possibility?
When interviewed on Sky - Majedski stated that the deal is not completed and even when it is he will be staying on as Chairman for at least the next three years
My point was as a chairman he's done some good and got money out, SEJ did good but it was a sink for his cash here.
I see your point Aberdeen, however SEJ was also very prudent and didn't throw his money away like some Chairmen I think you'll find he lost more money on his clothes & shoes than he ever did on the Hornets
I'd be interested to know how much SEJ's involvement with Watford has cost him financially. I remember reading a quote from GT in 1977, when he said that to get Watford to heights we had never scaled before he would need to be prepared to invest "up to a million pounds". Whatever the figure, it was a massive investment and I'm not attempting to belittle it. But such is the level of inflation in football over the last 35 years, we are probably talking about a fraction of Ashley Young.
I'm not sure exactly how he did it but he always wanted the Club to be self sufficent and instead of giving loans he would make gestures such as with GT when he joined Watford I recall he said you need the quality of a First Division Manager to be able to rise to the first division and he needs to be paid First division Wages. I'm sure SEJ paid those wages from his own money until the Club reached Division One Status. Similarly he paid the wages of one or two players from time to time. This may be myth but I'm sure that was how he helped to keep the Club Financially stable.
The Red Lion's name will be undergo a "subtle [name] change to reflect the football club". http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/9608469.Red_Lion_to_open_again_at_Easter/ It'd be a travesty if it's changed to anything other than the Hornet's Nest.
The Golden Hornet I reckon.... subtle change to colour and organism. Or how about something in honour of SEJ, "Sir Eltons Rest"... No idea what ther musical demiGod put into the club financialy but I reckon it was significant and a million in those days is about 20 million now....about the amount needed to finish the schemes and stabilise the capital.
I have read elsewhere that Neil Price has said off the record that it will be the Yellow and Red Lion. At the time that the work started, a new local company was set up in that name. My bet would be on that, but then I don't bet.
If the club change the name of the Red Lion to the Hornets Nest we could sue them. The settlement could be two boxes for ever for the not606 posters.
