| Few thoughts from me 21:39 - Mar 6 with 16659 views | ColDale |
Plenty has been said on here over the past week or so with regards to David Bottomley and his position as CEO at Dale. Having worked with him through my role at the Trust, just thought I’d pen together a few thoughts from the evidence that I’ve seen over the past three months.
For me the role of the CEO is to oversee the running of the club. It’s to take ultimate responsibility for every facet of the club, ensuring that off the field, the club is sufficiently well run to allow the manager the biggest budget possible without threatening the future of the club, ensuring that the club remains at the heart of its community, and embracing the views of all those with a love for the club. I see those being addressed.
There seems to be a questioning towards the appointment DB that his predecessors have been exempt from, even those it has since transpired arrived at Spotland complete with baggage. There were no threads regarding the appointments of James Mason, William Goodwin, Russ Green, Colin Garlick and those before questioning whether they went through the interview process. David was appointed by the Board of Directors, as was presumably the case with those before, he has passed the Fit and Proper Person’s test and having been on the Board himself for the past four years, he takes the position fully versed in the “Rochdale way”.
With regard to his predecessors, I was very enthusiastic about James when he first took over given the comments from the Bradford supporters, but he was working on a part time basis whilst launching a new business elsewhere. You cannot do the job on a part time basis given the ultimate responsibility. William didn’t reply to a single email or meet with the Trust during his time at the top for the two to three month period he was in charge despite us being requested to send everything directly to him. I liked Russ a lot, and supplied a letter backing him for his appeal (which btw was reduced by three months). However, Russ always struck me as someone who had 50 things to do at any one time, but could only get through 40 on any given day. That might be unfair to Russ but he always came across as swamped with the work he had on. Colin was great and incredibly efficient about what he did but was never one to stray from the Colin Garlick way of doing things. When David Gartside was running the Trust, it was almost a running joke about “I’m waiting to hear back from (insert name of CEO of the time here)”. We’ve not had that on any occasion since David Bottomley was appointed.
So with respect to David, we have seen a different way of thinking to what we’ve seen before. There has been a genuine desire to have a running dialogue with supporters throughout and not just some token meeting every now and then. There is consideration to the views of supporters on a level we’ve not seen before. It’s been a big criticism in recent years that the Club pay lip service to the Trust, but we’re not seeing that. Will that continue? Well why not? Like I said, the dialogue between Club and Trust is ongoing even to the extent of contacting us on Monday morning following the dismissal of Keith Hill.
So what has changed in the (almost) three months since David took charge?
- Communication with supporters. Everything’s been asked, and everything has been answered and published.
- Genuine views from supporters are sought, considered and acted on. There’s no arrogance or bullishness that his way is the only way of doing things.
- End of Season Do has been reverted to the Traditional one that we wanted. Not only that, we were offered choices to the format, and they went with our wishes. The pricing etc all met our requests.
- The much maligned fixture board. It’s still not updated quite to the extent that I’d like, but there is no comparison with the three months since the appointment to the three months before the appointment.
- Communication from the club. We told him that communication wasn’t good enough and steps have been taken to address that. Yes the Diary is part of that but it’s an informal way of letting supporters know about stuff behind the scenes. The last one (vote of confidence one aside) informed fans about the way the players ran out (maybe not groundbreaking news but it was something fans had asked about), a report on the work that Tony Ellis has been doing with the Academy and details of an arranged meeting with the Jenkins’ family. Of course some will have had no interest in that but its fresh stuff out there that there didn’t exist a platform previously to do so.
- Injury news. We all know Hilly treated injury news like it was absolutely top secret but we communicated this to the club through David as did other fans at the Forum, and if truth be told, we saw a difference in this from January onwards. All of a sudden, injured players were being spoken about (probably through much gritted teeth).
During the last three months, I've spoken to three different people who work for the club and have asked their thoughts on DB, all of whom have spoken very highly of him. They speak of a man who is ambitious for the club and looking to see improvements in all facets. When asking, it’s been through conversation rather than anything more formal, and replies from the staff have been incredibly genuine in their praise rather than giving me an answer that they are well aware will get back upstairs.
So why’s he not suitable for the role? He’s a fan of the club, seen the working of the club close up over the past four years, been involved in the running of the club for the past four years, and has an employment history in business management. I don’t get some of the criticisms. If the big smoking gun is an interpretation of a 2001 court case at a Toy Company, then does that really have relevance to the running of our club 18 years later? Might well be worth remarking that Russ Green received far less criticism on these pages when found guilty by the FA for an offence two years earlier for the role he went on to do at Dale(and I still maintain Russ was harshly treated).
In terms of supporting the Trust, I think I’m right in saying that he was the only member of the Board last season to join the Trust and has been instrumental in ensuring that most of the current Board have done so this season. He has supported our events on numerous occasions, long before he was appointed CEO.
Of course, some will dismiss this in its entirety. Put it down to lip service, blowing smoke up each other’s back side or whatever. I guess if you’ve made your mind up, it’s made up.
But it isn’t some chummy, chummy relationship. As we mentioned at our own AGM, relations between the club and the Trust were strained to say the least at the back end of last season but a lot of work has been put in to repairing that on both sides. But there’s now a great working relationship which allows openness, honesty and disagreements when necessary.
If concerns are genuine and not just innuendo, then might I suggest one of the following:
- Go and see him. He’s not a monster. Speak to him about your worries and give him that opportunity to offer his response. Drop him an email and arrange a time where you can go down and speak to him. I know many supporters have took the opportunity to do so already.
- Write to the Chairman and tell him your concerns. At the end of the day, he’s the club’s biggest shareholder, he’s the man at the top and he’ll have headed up the board that appointed David. It’ll have more impact that posting a reply on here.
- Raise things at the AGM in a couple of months’ time. Many Dale supporters are shareholders and there will be that opportunity as there always is for an open forum and to raise these concerns and have them answered directly.
At the end of the day, if the concerns are of that level, do something about it rather than posting it on here. As things stands, it is as I said before mainly innuendo and assumptions and there comes a time where the legal implications for me and this website need to be considered.
We had it when the Manchester Evening News published the story about the reduction in the ground capacity. “We’ve received a leaked letter” the journalist said to me on the phone when he tried bigging up the story suggesting mischief on someone’s part, after all the true story was last Summer when the capacity was cut to just over 7,000 not now when it’s been raised back up to 400 or so short of what it was before the cuts.
We’ve raised people’s concerns off here and we’ve asked them directly. It’s clear that as a Trust, our response are not considered good enough by everyone. But what I’ll say is that I think we’ve took pretty much every single concern off here and asked them all face to face, and published every single answer without censure. I doubt there is another club / Trust in the country that would go through each and every rumour like we have and publish the responses that we have. I do not believe there is another club in the country with the level of transparency we have now.
Time will tell everything, and I know when it looks like we’re heading for the drop, it’s very difficult to try and claim that everything is hunky dory. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with criticism, but some of the stuff that has been posted on here has crossed a line and become personal and gossippy. There’s plenty more work to be done at the club, things need improving but that work will get done and things will keep improving, and if we as a Trust have to keep asking questions, then we will. If we have to remind the club to do stuff then we will. There’s plenty we still want to see improvements on, and feel free to raise any concerns by emailing info@daletrust.co.uk
I’m sure there’s plenty of whatabouttery that can be stuck in reply to this, but from reading these pages, you’d think that we’ve got the next Owen Oyston at the helm and the truth is a million miles from that. We’ve got someone who many have backed up as being a genuine Dale fan who throughout his short tenure has shown real genuine desire to deal with fans concerns, whether that be meeting supporters after the Bradford troubles, listening to me list off rumour after rumour, meet fans concerned with the first team or many others. It’s been said repeatedly, his door remains open to supporters as many have took advantage of so you don’t have to rely on my take on it.
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| Few thoughts from me on 21:56 - Mar 6 with 10413 views | rochdale_ranger |
Nice to hear from someone on the ground. I’m convinced some people on here wouldn’t be arsed if we were playing in the unibond league as long as the scoreboard was changed and few tyres were moved out of the corner of the ground. |  | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 22:38 - Mar 6 with 10150 views | SuddenLad |
Yes, a glowing appraisal, but one in which you conveniently omitted to mention the fact that you were on the very same stag do, that you know exactly what the rumours are, who they involve and what went on. You have been a close friend of Mr. Bottomley for some time. Much closer in fact than you seem to have been prepared to disclose thus far.
It's good that you speak up for a mate. Very laudable in fact, but not all the people are fooled all of the time. |  |
| “It is easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled†|
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| Few thoughts from me on 22:50 - Mar 6 with 10053 views | judd |
Hear what you're saying about moderation.
Expect further contact with the Trust. |  |
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| Few thoughts from me on 23:11 - Mar 6 with 9928 views | Brierls |
| Few thoughts from me on 22:38 - Mar 6 by SuddenLad |
Yes, a glowing appraisal, but one in which you conveniently omitted to mention the fact that you were on the very same stag do, that you know exactly what the rumours are, who they involve and what went on. You have been a close friend of Mr. Bottomley for some time. Much closer in fact than you seem to have been prepared to disclose thus far.
It's good that you speak up for a mate. Very laudable in fact, but not all the people are fooled all of the time. |
What has a stag do got to do with the role of CEO at the football club? That is a personal matter surely?
There’s something weird about wanting to know everything about the club, all of the time. You are taking it to another level by delving into others personal life just because they work for the club.
As Col said, if you’ve got such a problem or concern go and speak to the man. Or try and speak to the chairman. You’re coming across as a keyboard warrior with an axe to grind. |  | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 23:17 - Mar 6 with 9882 views | Ninco |
There are Chief Executives who know how to run a company, and their are Chief Executives who know how to run a football club. My concern would be that he has no known experience of running a football club and when I read that the board had taken on the secretary and the commercial manager as directors, it was to tap in to their knowledge. The lack of answers at the fans forum did nothing to increase my confidence. |  | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 23:18 - Mar 6 with 9868 views | rochdale_ranger |
| Few thoughts from me on 22:38 - Mar 6 by SuddenLad |
Yes, a glowing appraisal, but one in which you conveniently omitted to mention the fact that you were on the very same stag do, that you know exactly what the rumours are, who they involve and what went on. You have been a close friend of Mr. Bottomley for some time. Much closer in fact than you seem to have been prepared to disclose thus far.
It's good that you speak up for a mate. Very laudable in fact, but not all the people are fooled all of the time. |
If your that keen for mentioning this stag do at least have the bottle to mention whatever outrageous drunken hijinks have happened and then maybe we can all join In With your phony outrage over something that has got jackshit to do with the club. You sad little drama queen. | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 23:24 - Mar 6 with 9824 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
Blimey,it's worse than Westminster at San Spotty......spill the beans on Stag-Do- Gate someone! | | | |
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| Few thoughts from me on 23:36 - Mar 6 with 9760 views | 56years |
Thank you Col - very informative and helpful.Light, not more heat! | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 23:38 - Mar 6 with 9740 views | sweetcorn |
Can we please have confirmation on the actions of this stag do, the suspense is killing me.
Edit: i don’t actually care with regards to his position, i just want to know whether its true about the midget. [Post edited 6 Mar 2019 23:42]
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| Leader of the little gang of immature cretins. |
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| Few thoughts from me on 23:41 - Mar 6 with 9721 views | D_Alien |
This next couple of weeks is critical to the future of the football club, something many who post on here have a lifetime invested in, one way or another
We all want the same thing, a club and team we can be proud of; both are equally important. The issue for me is one of trust, and not lip service. That doesn't happen over the course of one conversation, one post or one forum, but it can much more easily be lost
There's work to do... |  |
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| Few thoughts from me on 23:59 - Mar 6 with 9669 views | Sandyman |
All this and other issues surrounding the club raise legitimate concerns but can wait, for now.
6 points from the next 2 games is more important.
UP THE DALE |  | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 00:06 - Mar 7 with 9639 views | James1980 |
In my opinion some fans have decided DB has no place as CEO in this great club and no matter what is said and DB does that is positive, their minds' are made up and highly unlikely to change. | |
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| Few thoughts from me on 05:00 - Mar 7 with 9511 views | SunningDale |
| Few thoughts from me on 00:06 - Mar 7 by James1980 |
In my opinion some fans have decided DB has no place as CEO in this great club and no matter what is said and DB does that is positive, their minds' are made up and highly unlikely to change. |
Exactly the same opinion you kept banging on about with Keith Hill, now he's gone you need to have a pop about summat else. | |
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| Few thoughts from me on 06:07 - Mar 7 with 9462 views | fitzochris |
The innuendo can stop. As moderator of this board, Col, you have the right to ask for that.
While nothing libellous has been posted yet, posts are now getting into the realms of the personal over the professional, so that’s fair enough.
Myself, I only have an issue with the OFT stuff and the issues it raises around trust and credibility. I’m also not satisfied with the explanation given to the Trust, having read the OFT report with a forensic eye, but that’s not for here, as you say. |  |
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| Few thoughts from me on 06:15 - Mar 7 with 9444 views | SalwaDale |
In the words of dodgy 90s band Dodgy, if it's good enough for you it's good enough for me. |  |
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| Few thoughts from me on 06:56 - Mar 7 with 9371 views | kel |
| Few thoughts from me on 22:38 - Mar 6 by SuddenLad |
Yes, a glowing appraisal, but one in which you conveniently omitted to mention the fact that you were on the very same stag do, that you know exactly what the rumours are, who they involve and what went on. You have been a close friend of Mr. Bottomley for some time. Much closer in fact than you seem to have been prepared to disclose thus far.
It's good that you speak up for a mate. Very laudable in fact, but not all the people are fooled all of the time. |
So what if he was on the same stag do. What the fook has it got to do with you? [Post edited 7 Mar 2019 6:56]
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| Few thoughts from me on 07:07 - Mar 7 with 9342 views | ColDale |
| Few thoughts from me on 22:38 - Mar 6 by SuddenLad |
Yes, a glowing appraisal, but one in which you conveniently omitted to mention the fact that you were on the very same stag do, that you know exactly what the rumours are, who they involve and what went on. You have been a close friend of Mr. Bottomley for some time. Much closer in fact than you seem to have been prepared to disclose thus far.
It's good that you speak up for a mate. Very laudable in fact, but not all the people are fooled all of the time. |
Like I said, at times its got personal and gossippy. This is not Jeremy Kyle or the Sun. I've tried to deal with facts relating to how I have found David when I have come into direct contact with him through his role as CEO. Tbh I'm slightly offended (and I don't get that way often) that you've discounted everything that I've put and reduced it all down to me being "fooled" or "speaking up for a mate". I can assure you 100% that I would not abuse my position with the Trust to do so. | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 07:13 - Mar 7 with 9303 views | judd |
With regards due dilligence on others, you do not know those listed were not checked out by fans.
You do know that fans checked out Jim Fagan and Steve Eyre. | |
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| Few thoughts from me on 08:21 - Mar 7 with 9101 views | nordenblue |
| Few thoughts from me on 23:11 - Mar 6 by Brierls |
What has a stag do got to do with the role of CEO at the football club? That is a personal matter surely?
There’s something weird about wanting to know everything about the club, all of the time. You are taking it to another level by delving into others personal life just because they work for the club.
As Col said, if you’ve got such a problem or concern go and speak to the man. Or try and speak to the chairman. You’re coming across as a keyboard warrior with an axe to grind. |
While I agree to most of your points Brierls,things that happen in your personal time,nights out etc can have a massive bearing on your work place/career too,without knowing the full details of this so called stag do "incident" it's not for me to judge anyone mind. | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 08:53 - Mar 7 with 8993 views | JimmyRustler |
I would imagine that the departure of Dunphy and perceived board coup is why the current incumbent is being scrutinised/criticised/lambasted more than any other previous CEO. Something about it all just doesn't sit right with a lot of people. The only thing I want from him (for now) is to knock that shitty, weekly diary on the head |  | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 08:59 - Mar 7 with 8957 views | rochdale_ranger |
| Few thoughts from me on 06:56 - Mar 7 by kel |
So what if he was on the same stag do. What the fook has it got to do with you? [Post edited 7 Mar 2019 6:56]
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No reply what a surprise. | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 09:18 - Mar 7 with 8872 views | judd |
| Few thoughts from me on 08:53 - Mar 7 by JimmyRustler |
I would imagine that the departure of Dunphy and perceived board coup is why the current incumbent is being scrutinised/criticised/lambasted more than any other previous CEO. Something about it all just doesn't sit right with a lot of people. The only thing I want from him (for now) is to knock that shitty, weekly diary on the head |
Think it goes further back by being employed here. | |
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| Few thoughts from me on 09:27 - Mar 7 with 8846 views | JimmyRustler |
| Few thoughts from me on 09:18 - Mar 7 by judd |
Think it goes further back by being employed here. |
Don't really know the ins and outs but know he has history at the club aye. Just think that the nature of CD's departure has led to a lot of 'whatifism' and has put everything else under the microscope | | | |
| Few thoughts from me on 09:38 - Mar 7 with 8804 views | judd |
| Few thoughts from me on 09:27 - Mar 7 by JimmyRustler |
Don't really know the ins and outs but know he has history at the club aye. Just think that the nature of CD's departure has led to a lot of 'whatifism' and has put everything else under the microscope |
Fair point, well made. | |
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