Now that Craig Davies' buy out clause is out in the open...

On 15th August Don Rowing held a meeting with people from this BBS. The minutes are here:

http://v2.barnsleyfc.org.uk/showthr...y-Football-Club-Wednesday-15th-of-August-2012

"Nezbfc asked if any other players had buy out clauses in their contracts. Don and Sharon couldn’t think of any more players that do."

Were they lying to you? Had they simply forgotten? Now that we know Craig Davies has one, do any other players at the club have them? Luke Steele? John Stones?

Are meetings with the powers that be at Oakwell worth the time and the effort when we just get false answers?

 

you were all blantently lied to, the don has since stated i believe that Davies wouldn't have signed without the clause so he knew full well. unless the clause was discussed and those present were told not to talk about it. Football league scouts, agents and chairmen all read this board etc etc

 

A meeting with a lying board member. But at least those that go get a free ale.

 

I didn't go to the first meeting. I did, however, go to the second meeting where Don stated Craig Davies did have a clause in his contract and we were told for how much. This surprised me after what I read about the first meeting. It also seemed to surprise those who were present at the first meeting. We were asked not to mention the clause on the BBS and I believe everyone stuck to that until the bid was accepted and Don himself confirmed there was a clause in the press.

 

so is it 300 grand ?

 

As all the press are now reporting it as £300,000 I don't see how I could do any further damage by revealing that Don told us it was £300,000.

I don't think this BBS has any more sway than The Barnsley Chronicle or Sky Sports who are reporting that figure and Don himself has confirmed there is a release clause.

Doesn't make it true like, it's just what he told us.

 

Before joining us he was a journeyman, playing in the 4th tier and not wanted by any championship other than us. Why we allowed a guy with his goal scoring record to have a release clause in his contract, nevermind one so low is bad management.

 

What did you want him to say? "Yes they have. Especially Davies"? Isn't that just inviting other clubs to come and buy our players?

 

So what's the point in the meetings if he's just going to lie?

He didn't say it to me btw I wasn't there.

 

Conspiracy theorists might conclude that he said it at the last meeting because thats just what he wanted or knew he was going already (which is probably the real reason he said it)

 

Back to my original question. what did you want him to say? Don't answer it with another question. That's usually a sign that your unable to answer as you know Don was correct not to answer truthfully. I would be upset if he'd lied about other issues but not something that would jeopardize squad/ financially.

 

I'd want him to say either:

a) Yes we have players with release clauses in their contract.

Bolton have made an offer for Craig Davies that has triggered his release clause. Have they got this information about his release clause from a Barnsley fan? Or have they got it from his agent who has told every single club about the release clause in an effort to get him a new club? How can telling a group of Barnsley fans about it do any harm at all when his agent will tell everyone in the game?

But if he didn't want to tell the people present then that is fine. He simply says:

b) That isn't something I want to discuss at this meeting.

What I don't expect is him to invite people down to the club and then lie to them. What's the point in the meeting if he is going to do that? Unless he genuinely forgot. In which case, Bloody hell.

You clearly think there is some point to hold meetings with fans and then deceive them. Personally I think it's pointless.

 

I think he should be doing b. I can't quite get my head round having a meeting in which sensitive commercial information is told to fans on the basis that they are trusted not to reveal it. Luckily noone has but it seems quite a strange gamble to take.

 

The minutes are correct

When he confirmed Davies had a release clause at the second meeting, I was somewhat taken aback. So when I got home I re read the minutes from the first meeting, just to make sure I wasn't losing my marbles. I was not prepared to divulge the details of such issues on here as we'd all given Mr Rowing our word, even though some posters thought we were wrong to do so and wanted us to spill the beans.
I have my own opinion, but will hold my counsel on the matter.

 

b is perfectly fine with me. You can't expect to be told everything.

But b is in a completely different ball park to what actually happened. Maybe he genuinely forgot about Craig Davies, but I just find that so hard to get my head around, but maybe it's true.

 

It seems to be on a par with 'Hill and Robins had roughly the same budget'. I have an issue with either being honest or saying you can't answer but a misleading middle ground seems quite devisive

 

Not sure which is the worst piece of business now. The fire sale of Vaz Te or the upfront agreement to set the release clause on Davies at a paltry £300k.

What I am sure of is that I truly despair at the running of the club on a commercial level.

I've heard "tight ship" used countless times to describe us. Penny pinching on the outgoings doesn't excuse pissing away massive sums on the revenue side.

"Penny wise, pound foolish" is the better description.

 

Whilst I don't know a lot of the ins and outs that go on in the general running of Barnsley Football Club, this post would, unfortunately, appear to be not too wide of the mark.

 

At the end of the day these players won't come to the club without a release clause.

Would anyone have turned Vaz Ta away? His goals and the Portsmouth points reduction kept us in the Championship last season.