Great post this. Idea of suggesting he become a board member, particularly if there are new owners would be a positive forward thinking move
Yeah. I was as guilty as anyone else in not appreciating what he did when he was doing it. It must be galling for him to see what’s happened to the club.
Let’s be honest we were shocking for years as a team and there was often Murray Out carry on, and lots were involved. Like I said he was absolutely true to his word and made us a club to be proud of, he left us in that shiny new stadium in the hands of Drumaville who did great in starting an upward curve. You can’t fault the fella at all with hindsight.
I have always been a huge fan of Bob. I've EVEN forgiven him for our leaving Roker Park, my spiritual home. He made me eat my words on that one!!! HOWEVER, I'm not wearing my rose tinted glassers today, just because it's about Bob. He did many brilliant things for SAFC. Building the Stadium on the cheap, getting Peter Reid in are just two of the most obvious. BUT, he was responsible for appointing HOWARD WILKINSON as well. Fot the good he did, I've forgiven him that, but it's a hell of a blot to have on your record.
Met him when he was chairman. He was a proper Sunderland fan. As much as any of us on here. My only regret with him was his lack of investment when we were pushing Man Utd for the title in the Phillips/Quinn era. Everything just fell away when we needed to go and spend big (relatively, not by today's standards) on a couple of players. But, as mentioned, anyone who wouldn't have him back must not be right in the head! If he had hundreds of millions or billions he'd probably buy the club back! He must be gutted with the way things are!!
Thats SuperKev story about Wilko and the bag of nettles absolutely cracks me up every tine mind haha.
If I recall correctly it only cost like £2million for the extension as it was designed with a plan to raise. I don’t think the extension itself hampered buying, just that Bob didn’t have bottomless pockets
Our memories differ on this. MINE thinks that the extention cost almost as much as the original cost of the stadium (£16mil) But Bob did some cracking deals including grants, with the original building costs. AND, whatever we might think in hindsight, it made sense at that time and the vast majority of us fans were in favour. It's worth remembering that N/C spent over a reported £70mil in upgrading Sid James's, a property they rent from the Council. It shows the difference between having an Accountant for Chairman or a Builder and Property Developer.
Did he work for the club full time and did he live up here? I seem to recall his business was based in Yorkshire
His original business made Bathroom (or Kitchen) units. I THINK that it was called Spring Ram. He recieved an offer for the business which he accepted and eventualy moved into property developement, mostly based in Leeds. He lived in the Thirsk area but around the time he sold the Club, he moved to Jersey. As Club Chairman he would not be described as 'Full Time' in the clocking on and clocking off sense. WARNING- This all comes from whats left of my memory. I believe thats its true, But since I also believe, at least for part of the time, that supporting SAFC is a sensible hobby, you are at liberty to have doubts.
