has this been mentioned yet?

We should be glad that he's interested in the club and a fan. He can be chairman for me.

 

PC is def not daft. People need to remember the family has been under incredible stress the last few years. Now those hurdles have passed they are fully focussed on the club, and in moving it forward. James is Patrick's successor. It would be idiotic not to have him on the board and gaining knowledge of running a football club.

I was as annoyed as anyone when I was told he was signing players. PC made clear that is not the case. Which is all that matters. He can recommend who he likes, and even if he identifies players that's fine. As long as manager has final say and that recruitment is done by more than just a database - which it is. I'm told our scouting is quite intensive when a player is identified.

Something is working. Scowen, Hourihane, Berry, Winnall from lower leagues have all stepped up.

Hemmings, Phenix, Llalkovic are yet to prove it. No fault of Phenix obviously and I truely hope he recovers and gets back playing. Hemmings needs to up his game but he was a free transfer and if it takes him a year so be it. Llalkovic looks to have the ingredients lets just hope johnson can get the best.

People have knocked our signings. But I would say for less than £750k we've done bloody well. James, Ben, Danny whoever it might be.

Let's hope we can find a few more gems, bring on those already here, have a few more come through acadamy.

We should all be excited by the next few seasons. We have hope. We didn't have that for those last few championship years.

 

I agree. With all that. And having spoken to the lad I have no problem with him being involved in his father's business.

 

James was made a director of the club on 10th February 2015 according to Company Check.

 

Im sure I heard Patrick say, on the No.7 recording, that he hoped Ben would be joining the Board shortly.

 

Ben joined yesterday according to the update I got

 

No point having people from the club talk to the fans if they are going to openly ********.

 

I'd have no problem at all with it. I've no problem with James doing it either, I just think it'd be interesting to know if he did.

 

He said it was a monstrous lie him picking the team didn't he? Which it would be.

Can't both be the truth - that he contributes to the scouting process but the manager or er head coach makes the ultimate decision?

Nowt wrong with that as far as I can see, although he could have been clearer at no.7 if that's what is happening.

 

Given he is doing some kind of advanced adding up degree at uni its highly plausible he has had a say in how it was built.

I can categorically say he didnt sign or recommend any players to wilson over the summer

 

If we're going to talk about this, we really have got to stick to what Mr Cryne actually said. When Dyson asked what James' involvement is at the club with relation to transfers and the statistical approach, Mr Cryne responded by saying, "His involvement is nil." Those are his first words when answering the question. I don't think he could have been any clearer.

Whether or not you think it is a good idea if the chairman's son is involved in transfers in any way is a matter of opinion. I would imagine, depending on your point of view, you could make a good case, either for or against. What Mr Cryne said at the meeting is not a matter of opinion. It's on public record. He said the idea that his son has any influence is preposterous. Mr Cryne wasn't unclear, he was categorical.

As far as James taking a place on the board is concerned Mr Cryne was clear on that too. Mr Cryne wants his son on the board and explains why, which boils down to much the same reasons that have been offered on here: continuity of the Cryne family's involvement in the football club. Mr Cryne would like his son to take over from him when he can no longer fulfil the role for whatever reason, as most fathers would. At the time of the meeting Mr Cryne stated that James had declined the offer. I guess, since that date, he's had a change of heart, either because his dad has convinced him it's the right thing to do or it's a decision James has come to independently. Either way, I don't think it's a big deal and, despite my tongue in cheek post earlier, I don't think he necessarily has to have a skill set to bring to the board. I'm not saying he doesn't have something to offer, but he'll be there to learn the ropes as much as anything so when the time comes he'll have the experience required to take over from his dad.

 

Is that from you speaking to him?

 

And also, to add, Mr Cryne was pretty clear we're not doing any of that. We're just looking at top level stats too according to Ben, so no advanced analysis etc etc.

 

Without listening back though, he also did say that he had some involvement in terms of numbers though too. Could be wrong though but I seem to recall a shift in his answer.

 

The Old No.7 meeting? The meeting to explain Wilson's dismissal?

As Mr Rotten would say...Ever got the feeling you've been cheated?

 

Yes.

He told no lies.

 

Whatever Patrick Cryne wants to do at the club is fine by me. As far as I can see he's the only one who has put substantial amounts of money into the club over a number of years so he has earned that right.

There has been some criticism of Mr. Cryne both on here and in other media outlets over the last year or so by so called Barnsley fans. Lets be clear about one thing, without Mr. Cryne it is highly likely that we would have no club left to support.

The worst thing that could happen for me at the moment re BFC is that Mr. Cryne and his family cut all ties with the club and take their money with them, because we would then be well and truly in the s*it

 

He said he devised algorithms because James likes maths, that's what he's good at. The implication being that it's these algorithms the people who do identify the players can utilise if they wish. Raw data is no good, it needs to be analysed. He really was unequivocal Dyson, his son has nothing at all to do with it. I think that's why he got a bit frustrated at you mate, because he made it as clear as it's possible to be, but you kept on asking him.

I think where the wires were crossed a bit is that the club were saying supporters were coming up with conspiracy theories while you were saying, hang on a minute, the reason people are talking about this is because you lot were talking about it in the first place. You were looking for clarification on why they ever brought it up, while Mr Cryne was determined to get the point across that his son has nothing to do with it.

 

Of course you're right, we would be deeply in trouble if PC were to pack up and we're all grateful for him consistently bailing us out. However, that doesn't mean that he's beyond reproach and I wouldn't go as far as to say that he can do as he likes. We're very lucky that our millionaire benefactor has the best interests of the club at heart but there are plenty of examples where owners of rival clubs have done precisely whatever they liked to the detriment of the respective clubs.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a fairly trivial matter. However, I think evenings such as organised by Dyson are essential in shedding some light on the greyer areas of Barnsley football club. Some of these matters were explained satisfactorily, others less so and there's no harm in keeping those in charge to account. I don't think PC himself would disagree either as it was he who instigated the evening in the first place.

Owning a football club is a thankless task. When you bring success, the fans want more, when you bring failure the buck stops with you. I suspect those in charge at Oakwell aren't that fragile that they're put off by fans having their say. We all want the same thing at the end of the day.

 

Maybe so, I've not listened back but it felt that it started off with no involvement, then some involvement and then none at all.

You're right though, I wanted to know why they'd brought his name up. I didn't really get that across very well but it was quite clear that they were sticking to their line which, again, I completely understand.