Complaining about the owners...

But are they? Wealthy I mean in football club ownership terms? I’m not so sure about that tbh anymore given all the investigations into their business interests we’ve had on here this last month .
It’s all bye the bye because they aren’t and won’t spend any of their own supposed wealth trying to glean a modicum of on-field football success, rather show Barnsley FC as a championship footballing embarrassment with a totally outrageous player trading plan so we may as well be owned by someone without a proverbial financial pot to pi$$ in under this financial model tbh

 

What makes this whole scenario sad is that we as fans weren't asking for too much this season. We didn't expect to push for a top 2, nor a top 6, in fact I don't think we were looking at top half. In fact I think everyone hoped we would firstly show that we are competitive and can turn teams over and pick up points. Have a squad that could match our peers as we saw them. Secondly we would have been happy to end up 1,2,3 and anything more away from relegation. We didn't ask for much and are right now missing it by country a mile. I can see us cut loose at the bottom by Christmas.

 

The club's financial position could be much worse, granted, but I don't think we should be accepting of bottom place in the championship just because other clubs are in leagues 1 and 2.

 

And we have been competitive. Wba, swansea, leeds, fulhum, forest... All games be had a go at, we cant say there not competing otherwise we would be getting battered everygame

 

Have we? We have been second best give it a go in some games. We have been absolutely dire in some. I wouldn't say though that given our points count we have been competitive through the season.

 

We've had a go just about every week. Sometimes for most of the 90, some times for just the first half hour or so. But we've very rarely looked like winning. From the games I've seen, we've rarely sustained any pressure, even when we've had lots of chances or possession in a phase.

In contrast, we've often gifted the opposition a very soft goal or several in periods that have killed us.

So when we play well, at best we draw. When we play badly, we lose... always.

I don't think we need that much to start to get competitive. Get Radlinger back. And 4 signings in January. An attacking creative midfielder. A left back. A centre half and a first choice striker that can play with back to goal to take pressure off the defence by holding it up. We'd then have a spine. But they have to be instant starters an have experience or unbelievable quality on loan.

But that doesn't help in the however many games til January comes. I think there are some very poor teams in this league. Which shows how far from being competitive we are.

And now we're having to adapt a new system and effectively thrown away all our wingers, its going to take even longer to bed down a very young team knowing their jobs and roles.

 

I'd trust Cryne and the football league research rather than a couple of supporters typing their names into google.

 

Or the Hong Kong companies register.

 

Does it state how much he has in property and in the bank? I've not seen it posted on here. I'm sure Cryne got all the proof he needed before selling the club, l remember those Italians he wouldn't sell to because they didn't have sufficient funds to sustain a championship team.

 

And I trust actions over fancy words. That’s all we’ve really had from these owners, lots of fancy words and not a lot else as apart from negative actions of flogging nearly half a promotion winning side and replacing with untried kids. All the talk of international investment was total crap as we’re finding out, even ploughing every penny back into the playing side which was clearly publicly stated by Conway seems not to have happened.
All this lot have done is make us into a solvent championship laughing stock for yet another failing season, that’s it.

 

You were questioning personal wealth though.

 

Every business someone has or is involved in leaves a footprint. Residential properties the world over aren't worth billions. Are they wealthy by typical BFC fan standards... yes. Are they wealthier than even Patrick, if you take out the Parekh family? Borderline. It matters not as they aren't spending any of their own money. And we cant see how the investment vehicle is structured and who has put money in. Is it a fund, are their just the directors invested? Not possible to say. But if you follow the trails, billions you will not find. 7 Days Inn was the biggest possible earner and multiple sources show he was but an early "investor" in that way before 2 huge IPO's. and feel free to look at the new city capital website and wonder why the Nice ground (council owned) and a Wembley playoff picture a couple of years before they bought us are on that site... then wonder why they removed the office (apartment) address on that site as a bit of digging was going on.

I've spoken to a number of people the last few weeks who I thought may have heard of either Conway or Lee considering the nature of what they do. Not a one had heard of them. Granted, its just a handful but its a pretty incestuous world and I thought they may have appeared on at least one of these guys radar.

But you're welcome to be as supportive of these owners as you wish to be. Others may not follow your sentiments.

 

So no evidence then? I'll trust Patrick.

 

Sale side due diligence is rarely as detailed as the purchase side. The purchasers will need to show proof of funds and pass the woeful fit and proper persons test that several people who have been convicted of fraud have actually passed!

Neither of these prove they are billionaires. There is no evidence to prove they are.

 

Spectemur Agendo innit

 

And on the other hand none to prove he isn't? It's a good job Gord Shepherd isn't in control, his secretary would be working 60hrs a week.

 

Enough to show they aren't by the absence of proof. every billionaire in the world, all 2,250 (ish) of them are listed by Forbes. You'll find the Parekh family. You won't find Chien Lee or Paul Conway.

I trust Forbes over some backwater UK accountant with some kids ticking and vouching doing a swift bit of "due diligence"

By the way.... I was involved in due diligence work at SWFC in the late 90's... so I can tell you just how light touch it often is.

 

Until the stay away supporters come back and swell the coffers, we will struggle in a rich mans league ....
The way forward is to support the club with bums on seats - through thick and thin - and be patient in the difficult times.
No one has a god given right to do well in the Championship, it has to be earned through loyalty and hard work. Our part in that is to turn up in numbers and get behind the lads on the pitch ..... so lets stop whingeing and whining and play our part.

 

I think the sentiment on here from loyal supporters, many of us branded "happy clappers"in the past, is telling.

I'm hard pressed to see how this season is turned around. The appointment of a very good coach very soon & signings in January, possibly, but I fear we may be out of sight of safety & a cash in of our current assets, like Woodrow & Mowatt. If that happens, I'm done, while this board are still in control. Where is Conway? Man up & speak. You impressed me last season. When the going gets tough, the though get going. Get going fella.

We had a great coach, who we have discarded like a piece of old shoe leather. If Pinnock had been here, with Diaby or Mads, I think we could have had a lot more points. Jury is out with the sale of Moore, but failure to bring in a replacement is again a catastrophic own goal. Schmidt seems to be poor even in the U23's from reports. Experienced central midfielder was a key, I think McGeehan is out of his depth, Mowatt & the now fit Dougall are the only two that we have that are up to this standard. I'd had hopes for Bahre, but he has not produced at all, only thing I can blame DS for is making him captain & playing the high press, that he was signed to play. Murray has shown that it is less the style of play & more the lack of quality & experience that is our real bug bear.

The worst window ever is my only conclusion. Thanks Mr Conway, wherever you are.

The ball is in the court of our owners & they are making no statement to correct posts like this. Very sad, as I love the club, but I'm feeling like I don't connect with it how I used to. I remember us in the bottom 4 of the fourth division under Iley (briefly), Machin times were hard at points, but we still had a bit of quality, & remember us scraping a win at Mansfield, I think under Gudjon to stop us dropping from L1 after admin. Both of those felt different to this. This is "doing something crazy".

Mr Conway, where art thou? I've not put any insults in this post towards, players or management, only questions. I'm a paying customer & deserve an answer.

 

When the owners step up and don’t sell championship survival down the swanny as has happened this summer and looks to be nailed on relegation, then actually attempt to give us a competitive chance in this league then you may well find myself and many others putting our bums back on seats at Oakwell.
I won’t fund this nonsense at the moment I’m afraid.